Finding Identity in Christ Amid Cultural Shifts

I look at how things are today and invariably someone from my generation I compare them to what I understood when I was young I was born in 1962 I pretty much have an awareness of things and the culture and life around me you know starting in the 1970s and I came to faith in Jesus Christ. [00:00:37]

Now fast forward to 2018 the cultures asking different questions the same questions aren't connected now I believe that what the Bible says about prophecy eschatology end times I believe that it is just as true today as it was in the 1970s in the 1970s by some measures the best-selling non-fiction book of the decade was a book about prophecy titled the late great planet Earth written by a guy named Hal Lindsey that was the best-selling book of the decade. [00:04:55]

More than ever the culture is asking these critical questions they want to know things about identity it's out there in the air people want to know Who am I and to whom do I belong in other words Who am I myself and to what people do I belong to IIIi don't know if this is the only question the cultures asking but I know it's somewhere on the list it's got to be up there in the top five people want to know these things. [00:06:01]

We believe that the Bible speaks to us not only through the words and the person of Jesus Christ but also through the work that God has done through other people so now this morning and talking about this idea of identity I want to talk to you about Moses not because we are followers of Moses were followers of Jesus Christ but God's work in the life of Moses I think tells us a lot about these issues of identity right so we read take a look at this Exodus chapter. [00:09:19]

Moses understood that his brethren were the Hebrews the slave despised oppressed class not the privilege that he grew up in that's unbelievable, he understood something about who he really was Moses understood who he was and he understood to whom he longed it's as if Moses could say this look I know I've been raised as an Egyptian and a very privileged Egyptian at that the world of Egypt the world of the of all that around me it has a lot of opportunity for me but you know what those aren't my people my people are the Hebrews now. [00:16:00]

Moses did not define who he was primarily by his environment where he came from, if he were to identify himself primarily where he came from he'd say I'm an Egyptian listen he grew up from babyhood as an Egyptian he's an Egyptian through and through that's who he is culturally background all that stuff education all of it comes forth from Egypt his future man it's in Egypt I mean if you're in line to be the next pharaoh if in fact that's true from Josephus that's you are he didn't define himself from his cultural background nor did he define himself merely because of his genetics. [00:17:08]

By faith Moses when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt for he looked to the reward I think those three verses have so much to tell us about identity that it's scary will impact them the first thing I want you to see look at the first few words of verse 24 by faith Moses now. [00:25:22]

Identity awareness identity awareness in Jesus Christ it's a mark of maturity when he became of age Moses had to come to a certain age before he could figure this out and demonstrate it now as children maybe even especially as adolescents we are expected to be unclear maybe even confused about our identity but you know what as adults we're supposed to have that stuff sorted out I don't know I I'd be interested too I don't know what to me it would be very interesting survey to do among you all. [00:29:52]

Our identity awareness is demonstrated by our life choices what do I mean by that look at verse 25 it says they're choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God Moses made a real life choice his identity wasn't just an idea in his head it was evident in real life choices that he made now look I'm gonna speak in general about you all here so if this doesn't apply don't take offense I mean I'm just speaking in a very general way but in a very general way it makes sense to me that you all would identify yourselves as Christians. [00:31:52]

Our identity awareness as believers it'll cost us something look at verse 25 it says choosing rather to suffer affliction Moses chose this he chose to embrace affliction and when you think about the opportunities open to him it's a remarkable choice look make no mistake about him Moses had in front of him a life of all moe just unceasing comfort and ease as being at the top levels of Egyptian society that was his future but he made a choice knowing that it would cost himself and you know what whatever choice you make for an identity it is gonna cost you something. [00:35:00]

To answer the call of God in the Christian life is to say I am gonna embrace a new identity in Jesus Christ and I'm gonna allow this to become my chief identity whereas before I might have fundamentally seen myself defined as my race my class my culture my education my hobbies would ever be those things in the past I may have let those in my mind and in my expression to find Who I am to be a follower of Jesus Christ says no he becomes my identity I look to him first and foremost now this gets back to something that I mentioned before it affects the way that we do evangelism and that we understand evangelism. [00:48:01]

Do you realize that being a Christian is such a fundamental change of identity that being a Christian means that we take the script of our own movie and we rip it up and throw it in the trash and we say Jesus I want to be an actor in your movie I don't get your movie is what's important and instead of trying to make you part of my story I want to be part of your story my identity is now found in you that's what it's about that's this fundamental shift so we have something very power full to speak to ourselves and to present to the world and it gives us a new set of values. [00:50:16]