Finding True Identity in Christ: Overcoming Spiritual Theft
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the concept of identity, particularly our identity in Christ. We began by discussing the prevalence of identity theft in our society, using examples like spam calls and scam emails to illustrate how easily our personal information can be compromised. This led us to consider the deeper issue of spiritual identity theft—how various aspects of our lives, such as our jobs, accomplishments, and social circles, can overshadow our true identity in Christ.
We delved into 1 Peter 2, where the Apostle Peter speaks to early Christians about their identity. Peter emphasizes that believers are a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession." This identity is not based on our achievements or societal roles but on our relationship with Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of our faith. Peter's message is clear: if we don't know whose we are, we will never truly know who we are.
We also examined how our identity can be misplaced in various aspects of life, such as work, family, and possessions. These things, while not inherently bad, can become problematic when they define us more than our relationship with Christ. We are reminded that our worth should be measured by our relationship with Jesus, not by our earthly accomplishments or roles.
Tim Keller's distinction between religion and the gospel was highlighted: religion says our identity is built on being a good person, while the gospel says our identity is built on Christ's record and performance. This led us to the main point: knowing whose we are is essential to understanding who we are.
We concluded by reflecting on the story of Jacob, who wrestled with God and was given a new identity as Israel. This story serves as a powerful reminder that our struggles and challenges can lead us to a deeper understanding of our true identity in Christ. We are encouraged to embrace our identity as God's chosen people, living out our faith through service, worship, and a deep, personal relationship with Jesus.
### Key Takeaways
1. Identity in Christ: Our true identity is found in Christ, not in our jobs, accomplishments, or social roles. When we place our worth in these temporary things, we miss out on the eternal identity that God has given us through Jesus. Understanding that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation helps us live with purpose and confidence. [21:11]
2. Spiritual Identity Theft: Just as identity theft is a real threat in the physical world, spiritual identity theft is a danger in our spiritual lives. Various aspects of life can overshadow our true identity in Christ, leading us to measure our worth by worldly standards. We must guard against this by continually grounding ourselves in our relationship with Jesus. [22:12]
3. Embracing Our Royal Priesthood: As believers, we are part of a royal priesthood, meaning we have direct access to God and the responsibility to offer spiritual sacrifices. This elevates our daily lives to acts of worship and service, reminding us that we are significant and valued by God. [39:11]
4. Set Apart for a Purpose: We are set apart as a unique nation, called to live differently from the world. This means our actions, values, and priorities should reflect our identity in Christ. Being set apart is not about isolation but about living in a way that points others to Jesus. [45:37]
5. Striving with God: The story of Jacob wrestling with God teaches us that our struggles can lead to a deeper understanding of our identity. We should not shy away from challenges but embrace them, knowing that God uses these moments to refine us and reveal more of who we are in Him. [55:02]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[15:43] - Introduction: Spam Calls and Emails
[17:24] - TED Talk: James Beach and Scammers
[19:18] - Identity Theft Statistics
[20:42] - CEO of LifeLock's Story
[21:11] - Spiritual Identity in Christ
[22:12] - Misplaced Identities
[24:14] - Measuring Our Worth
[26:24] - Tim Keller on Identity
[27:28] - Apostle Peter on Identity
[29:02] - Chosen Race and Royal Priesthood
[31:17] - Jesus as the Cornerstone
[32:40] - Proclaiming God's Excellencies
[34:03] - Saved to Serve
[39:11] - Elevated to Royal Priesthood
[45:37] - Set Apart as a Holy Nation
[50:36] - God's Possession
[55:02] - Jacob's Struggle and New Identity
[58:22] - Communion and Reflection
[01:00:29] - Closing Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV)
> "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
### Observation Questions
1. According to 1 Peter 2:9, what are the four descriptions given to believers? How do these descriptions relate to our identity in Christ?
2. What does Peter mean when he says believers are "a people for his own possession"? How does this contrast with finding identity in worldly things? [32:40]
3. In the sermon, what examples were given of things that can overshadow our true identity in Christ? [22:12]
4. How does the story of Jacob wrestling with God illustrate the concept of struggling to understand our true identity? [55:02]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that Peter describes believers as a "royal priesthood"? How does this elevate our daily lives to acts of worship and service? [39:11]
2. How can the concept of "spiritual identity theft" affect a believer's relationship with Christ? What are some ways to guard against it? [22:12]
3. What does Tim Keller's distinction between religion and the gospel reveal about the foundation of our identity? How does this impact our understanding of self-worth? [26:24]
4. Reflecting on the story of Jacob, how can personal struggles and challenges lead to a deeper understanding of our identity in Christ? [55:02]
### Application Questions
1. Think about your daily life. Are there specific areas where you find your identity more in your job, accomplishments, or social roles rather than in Christ? How can you shift your focus to your identity in Christ this week? [22:12]
2. How can you actively remind yourself of your identity as part of a "chosen race" and "royal priesthood" in your daily routine? What practical steps can you take to live out this identity? [32:40]
3. Have you ever experienced a form of "spiritual identity theft"? What steps can you take to ground yourself more firmly in your relationship with Jesus? [22:12]
4. In what ways can you embrace your role in the "royal priesthood" by offering spiritual sacrifices in your everyday life? What specific actions can you take to serve others and worship God through your daily activities? [39:11]
5. Reflect on a recent struggle or challenge you faced. How did it affect your understanding of your identity in Christ? How can you use future struggles to deepen your relationship with God? [55:02]
6. How can you ensure that your worth is measured by your relationship with Jesus rather than by your earthly accomplishments or roles? What changes might you need to make in your mindset or habits? [26:24]
7. Identify one person in your life who might be struggling with their identity. How can you encourage them to find their true identity in Christ this week? What specific words or actions can you use to support them? [32:40]
Devotional
Day 1: Our True Identity in Christ
Our true identity is found in Christ, not in our jobs, accomplishments, or social roles. When we place our worth in these temporary things, we miss out on the eternal identity that God has given us through Jesus. Understanding that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation helps us live with purpose and confidence. This identity is not based on our achievements or societal roles but on our relationship with Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of our faith. Peter's message is clear: if we don't know whose we are, we will never truly know who we are. [21:11]
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself seeking validation from worldly achievements or roles? How can you shift your focus to find your true identity in Christ today?
Day 2: Guarding Against Spiritual Identity Theft
Just as identity theft is a real threat in the physical world, spiritual identity theft is a danger in our spiritual lives. Various aspects of life can overshadow our true identity in Christ, leading us to measure our worth by worldly standards. We must guard against this by continually grounding ourselves in our relationship with Jesus. When we allow our jobs, accomplishments, or social circles to define us more than our relationship with Christ, we fall prey to spiritual identity theft. [22:12]
Colossians 2:8 (ESV): "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
Reflection: What are some specific ways you can guard against spiritual identity theft in your daily life? How can you remind yourself of your true identity in Christ?
Day 3: Embracing Our Royal Priesthood
As believers, we are part of a royal priesthood, meaning we have direct access to God and the responsibility to offer spiritual sacrifices. This elevates our daily lives to acts of worship and service, reminding us that we are significant and valued by God. Our identity as a royal priesthood calls us to live out our faith through service, worship, and a deep, personal relationship with Jesus. This understanding transforms our everyday actions into meaningful expressions of our faith. [39:11]
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV): "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Reflection: How can you incorporate acts of worship and service into your daily routine to embrace your identity as part of a royal priesthood?
Day 4: Set Apart for a Purpose
We are set apart as a unique nation, called to live differently from the world. This means our actions, values, and priorities should reflect our identity in Christ. Being set apart is not about isolation but about living in a way that points others to Jesus. Our distinctiveness as God's people should be evident in how we love, serve, and interact with others, drawing them to the hope we have in Christ. [45:37]
Titus 2:14 (ESV): "Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."
Reflection: In what ways can you live out your identity as someone set apart for God's purposes? How can your actions today point others to Jesus?
Day 5: Striving with God
The story of Jacob wrestling with God teaches us that our struggles can lead to a deeper understanding of our identity. We should not shy away from challenges but embrace them, knowing that God uses these moments to refine us and reveal more of who we are in Him. Jacob's struggle and subsequent new identity as Israel remind us that our identity in Christ is often forged through our most difficult experiences. [55:02]
Genesis 32:28 (ESV): "Then he said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.'"
Reflection: Think of a recent struggle or challenge you have faced. How might God be using this experience to deepen your understanding of your identity in Him?
Quotes
1. "Our identity, when we think about it, our identity of our social security number or all these things like some of us think, oh, we're secure, we're good. Some of us think it's not a big deal. I remember when I was a youth minister, this is a true story. I remember I was a youth minister. There was a high school student in our youth ministry who his mom got him a debit card or a credit card because he was selling shoes online and doing all these different things. And he thought it was so cool and awesome that he had this credit card that he put it on his Instagram and he put the front and the back with his number and his name and everything on there. And he just thought that was a cool thing. Identity theft, identity theft is a real thing." [21:11] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Benjamin Nugent wrote, this in an article and it made a lot of sense to me. I read it this past week. He says, I made the quality of my work, the measure of my worth. I want you to think about that just for a second. Are you so tied to your job that if you lost it, if you were laid off, that you wouldn't know who you are? Are you still tied to your work that if it's not a good week, that it ruins your weekend? Some of you are like, Mitchell, I am not tied to my job. When it's Friday at four o'clock and my life begins, my identity is real." [24:14] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Tim Keller says it like this. When we think about our spiritual identity, he says this, he says, religion, my identity is built on being a good person. The gospel says, my identity is not built on my record or my performance, but on Christ, on Christ. And so the main point today is a simple one. And I've heard several preachers say this before, but if you don't know whose you are, you'll never know who you are. Let me say that again. I want you to get it. I don't want, if you don't know whose you are, then you'll never know who you are." [26:51] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "And so what's Peter saying here is Peter is saying, listen, you were supposed to, as Christians, be built upon the cornerstone, Jesus, who was rejected by many, but who was chosen, who's precious, because God is building you into his royal priesthood, his holy priesthood, and you have a way to go. And here's the thing, this isn't true for everybody. This is only true for those who are part of the church, those who choose their identity to be in Christ. And so here's the thing is that we have to understand is that some people will ignore Jesus. Some people will mock Jesus. Some people will hate Jesus. Some people will reject Jesus." [30:03] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "If you don't know who Jesus is, and if you don't have a relationship with Jesus, you're missing it. And then we get to verse eight. It says this, 'A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble because they are disobedient. They disobeyed the word as they were destined to do.' Now this is where it's like, okay, here's the choice. Here's the opportunity. He's talking about Jesus here. And then he gets to this verse in verse nine and he lays it out for Christians. he lays it out for the church even though this is written almost 2 000 years ago here's the thing he's laying it out for us today to understand to get this to understand our identity he says this but you are a chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for his own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light now verse 10 once you were not a people but now you are god's people once you had received mercy but now once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy and so he's laying it out there and he's telling you who you are" [31:46] (69 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "And so go back to this this language that he uses he says we're a chosen race this can mean a kind of offspring a family a race a tribe a nation it's a group of people who've been set apart a group of people that have a mission a mission a mission a mission a mission a mission a mission a mission a mission a group of people that god is saying listen you are special to me and paul writes something similar in galatians chapter 6 verse 15 he says for neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision but a new creation what's he saying you jews over here have this you gentiles over here have this here's what i'm saying a new creation being new in christ being uh who you are in jesus matters being built on that cornerstone" [34:03] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "And then worship I already mentioned this worship thing sometimes we come in here and we think oh I hope they're singing the songs I want to sing today so I hope it's the hope it's the band I want to hear today I hope it's the worship leader I hope mitchell sermon's short today oh I hope you know this and that and this and that and sometimes we can get in our mind of what we think about worship and here's what god says did you come in here for me did you come in here for me did you gather for me and then here's the thing are you leaving here with me are you leaving here with me what's he say he says you're a chosen race you're a royal priesthood and then what you're a holy nation the word holy in the bible you know what it means set apart you're different that's our third point is that we are set apart as a unique nation a unique group" [44:18] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "I don't know what's going to happen with our nation I don't know what's going to happen with our country I don't know what's going to happen in this world I know this though my king's undefeated he ain't ever lost a battle you can't beat him you send anybody you can at him he's got him and even when it thinks like he's even when you think like he's going to get beat guess what death couldn't hold him the grave couldn't keep him he's got the victory he's laughing at us because he's got it you know we read this in the book of daniel chapter 2 verse 44 and he says in the book of daniel chapter 2 verse 44 that scripture in galatians chapter 6 verse 15 you go on to verse 16 sometimes you know we can read just an isolated verse and go okay we're a new creation we get that but you look at verse 16 it's powerful paul rises to the church at galatia once again it's a couple churches spread out and he says this and he says as for all who walk by this rule who are new creation peace and mercy be upon you anybody want peace in your life amen anybody want mercy in your life amen upon the israel of god" [46:50] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "You are not that mistake you are not that mishap you're not that accident you're not that addiction you are not that you are not someone who is useless you are not forgotten you're not insignificant you're not unimportant you are not someone who is not valued by the Lord God Almighty those are lies from the enemy but the Bible from cover to cover from Genesis to Revelation from Genesis to Revelation says a lot of things about who we are and so I want to read some of those and when I read some of those my friend Jeremy over here and everybody else can join me but when I read one and you hear one and you hear a word and it may say I may say redeemed when you hear the word redeem you think I am redeemed here's what I want you to do I want you to say amen can you do that one two three amen we're about 50 50 on okay we'll get there okay but I want you to say amen just let it be so that's what it's saying let it be let it happen let it I agree with it testify praise the Lord that's what it is here's what I'm saying okay want you to think about what the Bible says about you I'm gonna go through this list pretty fast so you got to get your amens ready okay that's why I asked Jeremy okay I knew it got to wake him up okay new creation God's workmanship children of God life hidden with Christ in God adopted accepted through Christ made in his image forgiven given the Holy Spirit buried in his death raised in his life sons and daughters ambassadors for Christ and the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit in Christ the Aroma for Christ the aroma of Christ was reconciled by Christ friends of God we have a citizenship in heaven God's chosen one Holy Beloved redeemed rescued loved saved justified by the blood of the lamb given new life a new birth United with Christ to never walk in darkness again but to walk in his marvelous light amen amen that is who you are that is who you are and if we don't know who we are it's because we don't know whose we are" [50:36] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Jacob in this night in this this moment he's struggling he's dealing with a lot he's wondering about if his brother's going to kill him all these things that are going to happen and the angel an angel of the lord comes to him some people even believe it was maybe the pre-incarnate christ pre-incarnate jesus right it doesn't matter but there's this angel that comes to him and they get into this wrestling match right and i mean it's pretty intense i don't know if there was a choke slam i don't know if there was a rock bottom i don't know if somebody jumped from the top rope and drop kicked somebody okay i don't know what was happening but the bible tells that the angel touches jacob's hip and it hurts him and puts him puts him with this limp but jacob won't let go jacob has decided to hold on and not let go because he knows whose presence he's in and he says to him i'm not going to let you go till you bless me i'm not going to let you go till you say who i am i'm not going to let you go till you do something i'm not going to let you go until you take care of me i'm not going to let you go because i know who you are and listen i've struggled in this life and i've struggled with so many things and i'm struggling right now but i'm not going to let you know i'm not going to give up on you and he holds on to him and he gets this point where the angel says in verse 28 your name shall no longer be called jacob but israel for you have striven with god and with man and have prevailed israel if you go back into the hebrew and what this word means it means to strive with god to wrestle to struggle when we hear struggle when we hear wrestling some of us think oh i don't want a part of that i don't want to do any of that i don't want any of that to happen jacob wouldn't let go of him" [55:02] (119 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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