Union with Christ: Our Identity and Mission as Church

Today, we gathered to reflect on what it means to be the church—God’s people, joined to Christ and incorporated into His body. Just as a new pair of glasses brings clarity to our vision, union with Christ gives us a new lens to understand our salvation and our place in God’s story. This union is not just a private, personal experience; it brings us into a new community, a “new we,” where we are called to live out our faith together. The church is not simply a building or an event, but the gathered people of God, rooted in the promises made to Israel and fulfilled in Christ. Our identity as the church is deeply connected to the Old Testament story, yet it is made new in Jesus, who gathers us as His people.

Baptism and communion are the two practices Jesus gave us to mark and shape our life together. Baptism is a naming ceremony, a public declaration that we have died to our old selves and been raised to new life in Christ. It is not just a symbol, but a powerful reenactment of our salvation story, affirming our new identity and status as members of Christ’s body. This act connects us to a story much bigger than ourselves, reminding us that our faith is both personal and communal.

Communion, on the other hand, is a regular practice that forms our character over time. By repeatedly coming to the Lord’s table, we habituate the gospel—we learn, through repetition, to receive Christ’s service and generosity, and to let that shape us into people who serve and give thanks. Communion is not just about remembering what Christ has done, but about being transformed into His likeness, learning to serve others as He has served us, and growing in gratitude for all we have received.

As we participate in these practices, we are reminded of our mission: to make disciples, to pray for those not yet in the story, and to live out our identity as the body of Christ in a world that desperately needs hope. Our journey is not just individual, but collective—a new people, living out the reality of Christ in us and among us.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Union with Christ is the lens that brings clarity to our salvation and discipleship. It is not just about a personal relationship with Jesus, but about being incorporated into a new community—the body of Christ. This union transforms both our identity and our relationships, calling us to live as a “new we” rather than isolated individuals. [43:17]
• 2. The church is the gathered people of God, rooted in the Old Testament promises and fulfilled in Christ. Our identity as the church is not defined by buildings or programs, but by our connection to Christ and to one another. This continuity with God’s ancient people gives depth and meaning to our faith, reminding us that we are part of a much larger story. [48:12]
• 3. Baptism is a naming ceremony that affirms our new identity and status in Christ. It is a powerful reenactment of our salvation, marking the death of the old self and the birth of the new. Baptism is not just a private act, but a public declaration that we have been incorporated into the body of Christ and now belong to a new family and a new mission. [66:46]
• 4. Communion is a practice that shapes our character by habituating the gospel. Through regular participation, we learn to receive Christ’s service and generosity, allowing these truths to become instinctive in our lives. Communion is not just about remembering, but about being formed into people who serve others and live with deep gratitude. [75:12]
• 5. Our commitment to the mission of Jesus is reflected in our prayers and our participation in the life of the church. We are called to pray for new disciples, to celebrate baptisms, and to invest in one another’s growth. The journey of faith is not just about personal transformation, but about joining together as the people of God to bring hope and light to a world in need. [72:47]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [39:49] - Opening Prayer and Lament
• [43:17] - Union with Christ: New Me, New We
• [48:12] - The Church: Old Testament Roots and New Testament Fulfillment
• [51:29] - Defining the Church and Its Metaphors
• [54:29] - The Church and the Kingdom of God
• [57:13] - Baptism: Symbolism and Meaning
• [63:10] - The Power of Symbolic Acts
• [66:46] - Baptism as Naming Ceremony and Reenactment
• [72:47] - Remembering Our Identity Through Baptism
• [75:12] - Communion: Habituating the Gospel
• [78:52] - Communion and the Formation of Service
• [80:39] - Communion and Receiving Christ’s Service
• [82:09] - Communion and the Formation of Gratitude
• [84:11] - Taking Communion Together
• [86:29] - Responding to God’s Generosity
• [95:09] - Benediction and Sending Out

Bible Reading

Matthew 16:18-19 (ESV) — > And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Romans 6:3-11 (ESV) — > Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Luke 22:24-27 (ESV) — > A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”

Observation Questions

1. In Matthew 16, what does Jesus say about the foundation and endurance of his church?
2. According to Romans 6, what does baptism symbolize about our old and new selves?
3. In Luke 22, what argument breaks out among the disciples after the Last Supper, and how does Jesus respond?
4. The sermon described baptism as a “naming ceremony” and a “reenactment” of our salvation story. What does this mean in practical terms? [[01:06:46]]

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says union with Christ is like getting a new pair of glasses that changes how we see everything about our faith and community. How does this “new lens” affect the way we see ourselves and others in the church? [[43:17]]
2. Why is it significant that the church is described as the “gathered people of God” rooted in Old Testament promises, rather than just a building or event? [[48:12]]
3. Baptism is described as both a personal and public act. Why is it important that baptism is witnessed by others and not just a private experience? [[01:06:46]]
4. The sermon says communion is not just about remembering, but about being formed into people who serve and give thanks. How does regularly taking communion shape our character over time? [[01:15:12]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon talked about “identity amnesia”—forgetting who we are in Christ and what our mission is. When are you most likely to forget your identity as part of God’s people? What helps you remember? [[01:12:47]]
2. Baptism is described as a public declaration of a new identity and a new family. If you have been baptized, how has that experience shaped your sense of belonging in the church? If you haven’t been baptized, what questions or hesitations do you have? [[01:06:46]]
3. Communion is meant to form us into people who serve others. Think about the last time you took communion—did it move you toward serving someone in your life? Why or why not? [[01:18:52]]
4. The sermon challenged us to pray for new disciples and for people to be baptized. Who is one person in your life you can pray for to come to faith or take a next step in their journey? [[01:12:47]]
5. The idea of “habituating the gospel” means letting the truth of Jesus become instinctive in our lives. What is one small, regular practice you could add to your week to help the gospel shape your instincts—whether in gratitude, service, or prayer? [[01:15:12]]
6. The church is described as a “new we”—a community, not just individuals. What is one way you can invest in the growth or encouragement of someone else in this group or in our church this week? [[43:17]]
7. The sermon said that our journey is not just individual, but collective. How can we as a group better reflect the reality of “Christ in us and among us” to our wider community? [[01:35:09]]