Our Vision - Claimed
Thank you. So actually, before I have my Bible up here, bud, I'm gonna look up and verse my phone bad. It pulled up before we start this isn't part of my sermon. But during worship, I felt a really strong sentence that someone needed to hear this verse from Isaiah 40. So I'm just gonna read this over you really quick.
So do you not know, have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the Earth he will not retire or weary and is understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall of those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like Eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not grow faint can Can I have us close our eyes for a minute? If that was you, would you just raise your hand? I just wanna pray for you really quick. If you're tired and weary and you just need strength from God,
God, I just pray right now for those of us with our hands raised. Would you be a. Strength would you be our provider? Would you be right now? Just a tangible expression of your comfort, tangible expression of your peace and of your strength. Go. I just bless this community. I bless these with their hands raised.
God, would you be with them this morning? Amen. So now we can get started. So when. Pined me with the idea of me preaching on this idea of being claimed or having your identity in Christ. I honestly, really didn't know where to start. I was okay, identity. That's who I am. Who does God say I am?
And I started going off. I grew up in church my whole life. So I started going off with all these things that I. True. Okay. I am a daughter of looking. I'm a co of Christ. I'm a loved, I'm accepted. I'm your Dean. And all these things are great, but it struck me that I don't think I started with the right question.
So would you open with me the Genesis one?
And let's just read Genesis one, one and two. It says in the beginning, God created the heavens of the earth. Now the earth was formless in energy and the darkness was hovering over the surface of the deep and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Now, from there, we know that God. Went on and said, let art be liked.
He created something outta nothing. He breathed life into the world. He created the grass and the trees and the animals and the ocean and probably unicorns. And he did it all. And so if you skip down with me, we know all this to verse 26 says, then God said, Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock, with all the wild ambles over all the creatures that move along the ground.
So God created mankind in his own image. In the image of God, he created them male and female. He created them.
So we see that God created. Us. We are in God's context. He's not in ours. And I wanna talk about two things that stick out to me here in Genesis one, but first is in the beginning, God, in the beginning, God, in order to find our identity and what it means to be claimed, we must start here in the beginning.
God. He was the beginning. Paul says he is before all things and in him, all things are held together. And the second thing that stood out to me was in his image. He created them. So if we are made in his image, we need to look to him to figure out who we are. So what's the first question I should have asked is who is God, this is the first button, first whole situation.
If you've been around canopy, probably heard this analogy and I'm really excited to wear a button up. So we have an actual example, but so if you're buttoning a shirt, And you get your first button and your first hole odds are, the rest is gonna line up like pretty good. It's gonna be easy, smooth sailing from the way down.
But if you accidentally get your second button and your first hole or your first button and your second hole, your shirt's gonna end up like this and it's not gonna be good. Be chaos. So the first button first hole in our. If understanding the first four words of the Bible in the beginning, God, that is the first button we must place the first fold.
And if we get it mixed up, it's just gonna be chaos. Again. We are in his context in his world. He's not in ours, so let's go on in Genesis one. We see a picture of how it started and how it was intended to be free to Rome in the garden, unashamed and perfect union with God and in perfect union with one another, then.
Genesis is three pink. Then came the servant. We know that the one thing that God had asked Adam E was don't eat from the tree of not evil and the Spen comes along. He's the worst. And yeah. He the question he asked him is really interesting. The serpent comes along and he doesn't question them. He doesn't question their identity.
He doesn't question whether or not they're loved. He doesn't question who they are. He questions, God, he makes them doubt God and his intentions. He makes them question whether or not God is withholding from them. And he makes them question God's goodness. And he responds when the enemy says, did God.
Say that's what he's questioning. He's questioning. God says, did God really say that you can't eat from the tree and Eve responds? Yes. God said that if we eat from the tree or touch it, we'll die. And the surface says you won't die. You'll become like God, and God doesn't want you to become like him. You guys, when the circuit says, God doesn't want you to become like him.
Not only is that a lie, but what Adam E's response should have been is we already are like him. Jim wan says, let us make mankind in our image and our likeness. They already possessed the identity that the servant was trying to say. They didn't have, he was so in seeds and insecurity in them and saying that they aren't like God, and that they aren't enough.
And when they believe that lie, when they stepped off of their foundation and your God's goodness. Everything changed. Their DNA actually changed. The foundations of the earth, changed our relationships with one another changed. And I'm gonna take a moment to talk about the significance of the question that the surgeon asks.
I feel like in our culture, we have a lot of deconstruction going on and I say, Air bunnies because I don't even really know. I think not a lot of us really are on the same page with what that means. And I think I hear a lot of people saying, oh, I'm deconstructing my faith right now. I'm just in a weird spot, which is fine.
But we often use deconstruction as an excuse. To just not pursue our faith at all, or to kind of question who we are or pursue other things, explore, do woo boo. Figure it out and pursue what the world has to offer. But when we find ourselves in those seasons questioning who we are deconstructing our faith it's because somewhere along the lines, I think.
We've stopped believing that God is who he says he is. It's okay to be mad at God. It's okay to question him. The Bible is literally filled with people being mad at God and questioning him. And that's good. That's worship to be mad at God to tell him it's lament. It's okay to ask. Whether or not. What you've heard in your whole life at church is true.
That's okay. But don't step out of conversation with God in that it's okay to have big questions. Life with Jesus is really hard. Sometimes. I'm not sure if I'll get answers to every question that I have, and that sucks. But we must keep our eyes on the one who created it all the one whose context in which we are living, the one who holds it all together.
Even if your questions are, does not exist. That's okay. Just ask him to show up. I'm just throwing these on the ground. Okay. do not stop wrestling with God. All we got kept thinking about the story of Jacob. If you haven't read it in Genesis. Genesis. Yes, you have a read in Genesis. It's really good.
But in this story, Jacob is literally wrestling with God, like physically wrestling with him. And what I love is he had some pretty scary stuff coming up and he didn't walk away from God. He wrestled with God and he came out on the other side, less. He came on the other side with a new identity and a new name.
And when he wrestles with God, he says, I'm not gonna let go. And until you bless me, the funny thing is he was already blessed. He just had to actually live into that blessing and start acting like it. He knew he was already blessed and maybe needed to, maybe we all do. Maybe you don't, but if you do, maybe you're like me and you've grown up in church and all these things to be true.
You've heard the stories, but then things got difficult and things got. And you've forgotten who God is, or maybe you've forgotten something God said to you, maybe you've forgotten or started to question if he's real in London circumstances, you're in, I've been there or like Jacob, maybe you feel like you've messed up.
I want you to know that God has not turned his back on. You wrestle with him. He's here waiting for you. Ask him the big questions. Don't just stop at deconstruction though, like deconstruct with him and through the other side, and then love the Lord, your God with all your hearts, soul, mind, and strained and see what happens.
I promise you he's there leading. So let's get back to the story. Sip of water first. So Adam and Eve got who God was. And as a result of that F entered the world, we hid from him and I wanna make it clear in the garden. We hid from him. I've heard a lot of times in church and we talk about this a lot.
Can't be in the present. We don't talk about this, but we talk about that. We hear this a lot, that God can't be in the presence of sinners, but what do we see from Jesus? That's not true. Jesus sat with sinners. He went to dinner parties. As Josh mentioned with sinners, he sought out sinners and then the garden God sought out then.
He said, where are you? They were hiding. And in that moment, when everything had fallen apart, they lost their sense of self and their sense of God. But God had a plan, even in the curse, he has woven in redemption. This is really cool. You guys, so Genesis three 14, the Lord God said to the surf, because you have done this curse, are you above all live sock and all wild animals, you will crawl on your belly and you will eat dusts all the days of your life.
And I will put tea between you and a woman between your offspring and hers. I will crush. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel. On one level. I always heard this part of the curse is like, Oh man. Now it's snake has to like sliver sliver. Yeah. Slither. And what did they look like before?
But but you guys Theo to realize and seen and pointed out that this is actually the first Masa of prophecy. This is the first telling of the gospel story,
that there would be one born in the pain of childbirth that would crush the head of. That would destroy evil and restore us all to what was lost. Jesus, you guys, the one born through the pain of childbirth that crushes the head of the circuit. That's Jesus, God wove redemption weaved wove. He wo redemption into the curse.
Jesus has God's plan to save the world, to crush the head of the surf. Jesus has God's plan for us to know him, says the word became flesh and DeWalts among us so that we have seen this glory. He came through the pain of childbirth. He lived like one of us in the flesh. He showed us how to. God made him knew no sin to become sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God.
He knew his identity lied with the father. Jesus said, I do what my father tells me to do. He's spent time with his father. He went off to be with his father. He showed us that the most important thing we can do for our identity to know who we are, is to be with the father. So what we see from Jesus, God, that the most important thing to God.
Is that he knows God, that's important for him to leave a new, no sin. How much more important is it for us who constantly falls short of the glory of God. And as a side note, Jesus had his identity before he did one year. Before he started his ministry. God said, this is my son and whom I'm well pleased before he did one miracle.
He was already letting him, then Jesus died on the cross, rose from the dead and put the death, the law of flesh and sent us his spirit as an advocate, as a helper, he sent us his holy spirit to be in us and testified within us we are children of God, Romans 8 says his spirit testifies with our spirit, that we are children of God
but why don't we . Always live like it? Because of Jesus. We've been given an identity as God's chosen in union with him, but it's hard. It's up to us. If we actually want to step into that, there's a constant battle going on, not only in the spiritual realm, but in our flesh, pulling us in the way of the world and what the spirit is testifying within us.
It's a battle. Paul says in Roman seven, Like I do what I don't want to do. And then what I want to do, I don't do it's true. But then he says things, speak to God through Jesus Christ who delivers me. So then I, myself in my mind and the slave to God's law, but in the sin nature of slave to love sin. And I wanna point out what Paul saying here is an either way we're slave we're either slave to God.
Or we're a slave to sin. Even if we think we're just living our, doing our thing and doing whatever we want, you are a slave to the flesh and what it wants and desires. You can be a slave to the world, striving to these people, striving to climb the ladder, striving to look how Instagram says you should look, or you can be a slave to God and says, come rest with me.
The world will tell you. What you need to look like, what you need to wear, wear what you need to do, what kind of job you need to get, how much money you need to make. But the kingdom of God says the Lord's my shepherd. I laugh, nothing. He leads me by soul waters. He makes me like down and green pastures.
He restores my soul. The kingdom of God says you are already a. Please you are already created by the one in which all things are made. You are already enough. You are already chosen. You are already called righteous. You are already like him made in his image, made in his likeness. So when insecurity, when lies, when temptation comes us, as co-heirs with Christ made in the image of God, need to step in and say, what Adam needs should have said is we are already like him.
If you are in Christ, that is how we should deal with presentation. Temptation, and sin will say, you are not enough, but if you're in Christ, you should say, I already am enough, but how do we. Live into that. Paul has some really good stuff to say in Colossians three. So turn with me. If you have your Bible, if not, we'll have it up on the screens.
He says since then you have been raised with Christ set your hearts. On the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, set your mind on the things above, not on earthy things for you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him and glory put to death.
Therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual morality, impurity. Evil desires and greed, which is idolatry because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived, but now you must also rid yourself of such things, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Do not lie to each other. Since you have taken off your old self with it practices and have put on. Health, which is being renewed in the knowledge of the image of the creator. Here, there is no gen J circumcised or circumcised Arian, Cynthia slave free, but Christ is all and is in awe, therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dear love.
Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bear with each other. And forgive one another. If any of you has any grievance against someone forgive as the Lord forgave you and over these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of.
Rule in your hearts, since his members of one body, you were called to peace and be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through songs, HNS, and songs of the spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts and whatever you do, whether in word or de do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving.
Thanks to God, the father through him. Boom. That's like a guide on how to. I'm like, yeah. I wanna seek the things of heaven I wanna put on holiness. I want that piece that comes with an understanding of who Jesus is and perfect unity with everybody. I wanna live into compassion and kindness. So why is it so hard?
I wanna point out what Paul says in verse three. He says four, you died, but you died. Two fleshly desire. Put to death, whatever belongs to your earthly nature. In other words, let go of what you're so desperately clinging to for life and die to it. It's easy to skip ahead. I think to putting on compassion and kindness before we die and let go of our fleshly desires, but we can't, it won't fit.
We can't fully get it on. You cannot hold your fleshly desires and run as fast as you can. Kingdom at the same time, you will get torn apart. Those things will weigh you down and hinder you from experiencing the fullness of Christ. What Paul is saying here is the gateway to life is dead. We must die with Christ that we can rise with.
Honey. Jesus says, if you want to find your life, lose it. Her to quote, once it said it's easy to get people to rise from the dead and get all hyped on that. It's hard to get people to go into. Lay down the things that you worship that aren't God, money, lust, self insecurity, power, beauty control, lay down those things and let go of them.
At the end of the day, we're talking about laying down extra identities that we picked up along the way, which the Bible called idols things that we worship that aren't God things that we bow before that aren't God. What's crazy about this is I know Eileen mentioned our C first gathering shameless plug really quick.
It's freaking awesome. It's once a month, it's worship and prayer. First, Wednesday of every month we have tacos. It's great. Yeah, it's, God's been up for some really cool stuff, but. Last week at seek first, it was just rap. Like it was really fun and God was doing really great stuff. And at the very end Camden, I don't know if she's here this morning, but she got up and shared a word about idols and it was just like, I was like, yes, she was just like, if you are worshiping something, that's not God put it down.
And vow. Grown and worship him. And I was like, all hyped Ben wasn't there. So I went home and I'm like, Ben, I gotta tell you all about Steve first. So I told him about it for five minutes and I just think it's so cool. And I'm like, and then, and got up at the end and she had this word about idols and like putting them down and worshiping God quick because like he's worthy and all this stuff.
and Ben was like, it's funny. You say that because about two weeks ago in worship canopy on a Sunday morning, I felt like God asking about before him in worship and lay down some idols up in worshiping that aren't him. And I was like, first of all, RA
Second of all, he was like, and then, and he was like, I didn't wanna tell you this part, you were gonna make me do it. He was like, I felt like God asked me to share my story with can pee. And I was like, yeah. Okay. So I'm like, all, hi, I've been praying for this actually. I don't know if he knows, but I've been praying for two years.
God, I know, but the story's gonna be powerful one day when he's ready to share it. And I'm like, I'm so hyped. And I'm like what do you wanna share? And he starts telling me like what he thinks you wanna share. And I'm like, did you read my sermon? Cause I like have all this stuff written down this.
He was like telling me he didn't, it was God. And so I'm actually my right now. I'm so excited.
Let's break it down. God, thank you for this amazing man sitting next to me that I get to partner with and pray that the words that come out of his mouth will be of you grab to anoint his lips and live. Would you bring freedom? I was talking in Jesus name, all right. This segment came really fast.
little nervous, and then mostly read, but here we go. So I'm here to do two things today. One is to tell my story about my journey with God and finding my identity. And two is to give you an invitation. my journey with identity started as a young, naive homeschooler wasn't long before I went to public school and realized how I measured up to others, being overweight and different.
I immediately felt disqualified in less than. And from that place of insecurity, I began to become obsessed with avoiding rejection and fitting in climbing social ladders and changing myself to be more like others. This would be the first time I'd wrestle with identity. Who am I? Where do I belong? Am I enough?
This would set me on a path to finding my identity and what other people think of me, do hard work and changing myself. I could be enough fast forward to high school. I became so dissatisfied with my weight. I stopped eating all together. I lost a ton of weight and unfortunately it actually worked.
Everyone loved it. And that reinforced my conditional identity and acceptance in college. I found my identity in relationships. I found my identity in girlfriends, in the clothes I wore and the people I hung out with. I found my identity in doing stupid things and getting into triple. I found my identity in succeeding that people, society, coworkers, and girlfriends like me.
I have value and purpose. Didn't I felt worthless. The story of being began a term when my brother brought me to church and I Redd my life to following Christ, but even there in the church, I brought with me my old way of finding identity. I began to find my identity in belonging to the church, serving in church, being a part of various ministries, going on mission trips, being on the prayer team and don't get me wrong.
Those are all things I encourage and are beautiful ways. You can get closer to God, but they're not God himself. I began building. Much like the older brother in the prodigal son story through works. Now, if I served God enough, I could feel apart. I could feel like I was enough. If I felt short or stumbled, I isolated through life.
I'd built this pattern if I just have, do, or get. This I'll be enough. I went to school to become a therapist with a genuine desire to see people renewed, restored, and healed, but there was something else there too with me, the temptation to find my meaning and purpose in helping others. I thought even if I just helped one person, surely that would be enough.
All the pain and suffering I've experienced will be redeemed and I'll be partnering with. Help people, but I helped one and then two and more than I could count. And that lingering feeling of emptiness was still there with me. I thought to myself, isn't this my calling isn't this what I was supposed to do.
So why do I still feel so unfulfilled? and then the pandemic hit. I was isolated and I was working as an essential worker in a difficult industry. He and I were living with her parents and I felt embarrassed that we weren't making enough money. It was at this time I began to struggle with alcohol. I felt trapped and I began to think how dare I struggle with this.
I have a master's degree in dealing with this. I've helped others overcome this. My wife is a worship pastor. I have a history of being a leader and I tried to protect all these identity labels. I had accumulated over the years and there caring more about what people thought of me than what God thought of me.
I suffered in silence in the utility of human effort to manage it all on my own, but all the knowledge of a trained therapist couldn't save me. I eventually told, Kiana about my struggles with alcohol and went to treatment myself. I told Kiana on Ash Wednesday and returned from treatment by Easter Sunday.
Yeah, I was in a better place, but the same pattern was happening. I was so terrified that if anyone found out that I went to treatment, it would be humiliating. I would never be able to start a private practice one day I thought, and with my identity and myself and my own righteousness, I would struggle again.
I've always wanted to walk in the resurrection life, but I've been too afraid to walk the road to the cross. Crucify my old way of life and identity in order to take up the identity that comes from being a child of God, idols are things placed in front of God, as sources of fulfillment and identity idols break the hearts of those who worship them.
You have heard a lot of idols throughout my story, but the biggest one for me has been my reputation and being overly concerned with my reputation. I've been limited in my relationship with God and limited in what he can do with my life. God asked that we lay down. Idols in order to receive what only he can give us.
But we have to do this willingly. A friend recently told me a quote. It's not about trying harder. It's about surrendering more when we surrender all other sources of identity, that is when we can fullheartedly receive all that. God promises our idols over promised and under deliver. And they're like a man who built his house on the stand and waves came and win blue and knocked.
The person who builds his life on the identity of being a child of God. And who said, who? He says they are, is the person who builds their house on a rock, a firm foundation, the waves come and the wind blows, but the house stands firm in the book of Ecclesiastes. The author writes that everything under the sun is meaningless.
He had done great acts, accumulated. Great. Was a scholar and a ruler, and still wrote after everything that, apart from God, everything is meaningless. Jesus also said, whoever tries to save their life, as Keana said will lose it. But whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. My story is still being written, but the things I've surrendered this far have been more life giving than anything.
I have tried so hard to preserve. What I thought would disqualify me has made me an even better. Husband and person, my best is nothing in comparison to what God can do with my life, with a little bit of willingness and surrender. And that's my invitation to you. Come and die with me. I'm walking the road to the cross to lay down my reputation, along with my fear.
I'm going to walk in the resurrection, addressing that. What God says about me is truly enough. And that he knows the plans he has for me, plans to prosper me and to grow. And if I truly trust God, whatever happens next is going to be just fine.
That was really good. I'm so proud of you
guys. Like God speaks. He wants you. He wanted Ben for so long. Like he's ready, he's waiting. And the crazy thing is. I saw all those things in Ben before he stepped into it. I would say there you are amazing. Like you're a whole, you're perfect. And like how much more does God think that if I, as his wife think that man.
We're so loved.
Thanks, Ben.
And just that this is the type of community that is safe to share us. Story like that with that's all of you guys. So keep sharing as George have his call to be vulnerable. I don't think he knew what Ben was gonna share, but be vulnerable. There's no fear. There's no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
Jesus. He wants you to lay those things down and he writes is about Colossians three. They've entered into a new age belonging there by rights. Do not have to struggle to attain the. Of membership of God's people, there's some striving in Christ. They must now simply allow its life to be worked out in them.
And that's all Ben is doing here. He's just allowing, he's putting out these things and he's just saying, God, okay, work out your life for me.
So there's a taking off of your earthly. There's a dying to it. Taking off your flesh and putting on what is holy. Once we finally died to ourselves, then comes seeking. What is holy and running towards Jesus. Paul is saying you have an identity now pursue it. It's like it's been, and I got married and I had found looking like I was single, made a hinge.
Just in case like they did other people just was like doing my thing would come to bed when I date something, but just like different things. And then I, what if I was like, I don't like, yeah, no, I like, I'm not acting like I'm married. And so I think the same goes with our faith.
If we're going off doing all these other things and. Feel close with God. It's pursue him run after him, give up the things, give up your hinge. Whatever your metaphor hinges, give it up. And so that's what it is. I need to live into being Keon, max being Ben's wife.
We need to live into being who God says we are made it, his image. So pursue OS spend time with Jesus. Let his word. You guys, the Bible is so good. It's so good. Read it. I promise it's gonna help you. It's gonna transform you. It's the living word and Jesus speak. You just said this a minute ago, he speaks, he asked Ben to lay down his idols to share his story.
And Ben's walking in freedom. Ask him what you do about your day. Ask him about your relationships and ask him who you are. Earlier. I said, we're not living in God's context and that he or we're living in God's context, he's not living in ours. I think we get that twisted. Sometimes. It's really easy to just Jesus, just come into this part of my day and have my quiet time and just sprinkle Jesus on top of my latte.
But we're not like we're not just inviting Jesus into our. And waking up and saying, okay, come on in Jesus. He's already working. We need to wake up and say, king Jesus, how can I bow to you today? He's already at work. He already has a place for us. We just need to step into it. We need to simply ask him what we should be doing and how to partner with him.
My prayer. Sorry. My prayer for can in church is that we would be a church who finds our identity bounding in the feet of Jesus. That's my prayer. Paul says in IANS one, that he, Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the first born of creation. He's the image of God to us. So if we wanna know who God is, if we wanna know what God's we look to him.
I was reminded this week of a story classic from the Chronicles, Maria. If you know me at all, it's my favorite book series. If you haven't read them as an adult, I'm just gonna say this again, go on your phone right now and order them on Amazon. Like they're so good. I can't even tell you to change my life.
So naturally I was trying to do the sermon week and got remind of a story from book four. The boy I did the Dawn shredder, which is the fourth book in the Chronicles minority series. And in this book Lucy, one of the main characters, if you're not familiar she's really struggling the whole book with.
On her beauty. She constantly is comparing herself to her sister, Susan. She thinks she's not as pretty, she's really down on herself. She's just like constantly wishing, like, why can't I be as pretty as Susan? And she becomes bitter in eighth grade towards Susan. That's. Then that insecurity begins to destroy her relationship with her sister.
And there's a point in the book where she's in the magic, this magician's house. And she like stumbles across this spell book. And she's reading through this spell book and she finds a spell that can make her more beautiful. It says you will become the most beautiful woman more than that of mortals.
Your beauty will be. And in a spelled book, it even shows you pictures of what you will look like once you do this stuff. Just if we just tweak. Speak back. This is what you could look like, basically like an Instagram filter. So ridiculous. But that's it like, that's what she's looking at. This filtered version of herself.
That's not real. And as she's debating doing this spell, she's really tempted. She's really drawn in. She hears footsteps come behind her and she turns around. I'm gonna read what the book says. She turns around, says then her face lit up for a moment, but of course she didn't know it. She looked almost as beautiful as that other Lucy in the picture.
She ran forward with a cry delight and struck shot her. For what stood in the doorway was Aslan himself, the lion, the highest of all Kings when Lucy turned her GS to Aslan, which is Jesus character in this story, she was the most beautiful she's ever been. When we turn our GS to Jesus, we are the most beautiful, the most whole.
The most intent we will ever be. We must die to the things of earth and turn to the one who created us. If you wanna know who you are, look to Jesus. You pray with me.
God. Thank you. Thank you for who you are. Thank you. That we get your son, Jesus, the image of the invisible God to look, to define your identity, to show us how to live. Can I create it right now in Jesus. Standing will be breaking up vitals and chains and we be able to let go the things that hold us back from you.
You just open your hands as your eyes are closed. Just take a minute.
If there's anything you need to offer her, put down.
He's here. He's speaking. He wants to take these safe out of kindness. Not out spite, not out anger, not out of condemnation, but out kindness. So that can pull experience fullness of him, fullness of his love of his acceptance.
Just sit for a second with that word that ke.
The idea here is that we want to be a church that's serious about freedom, which means serious about being who Jesus made us to be fully ourselves.
And the way to do that is Kean has told us so clearly is not by pursuing ourselves, but by pursuing him,
gotta get the right question first, not to who am I and all the ways that we wanted to. Family career looks money.
First question is who are.
And so in this moment we know that the response to a message like this's gonna happen, every day of our lives that we. Something like this, but we also want to acknowledge the fact that the word of God has been spoken with clarity and power in this place, by the spirit. And we wanna respond in this moment.
This moment,
writer of Hebrew says, therefore, since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that's so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. The,
so in this moment, my friends is there's something that he's calling you to lay down to cast off. Paul says, throwing down. Everything that entangles
any identity, any idol, anything you're wrestling with? I promise it's not gonna work. It will break your heart, throw it down and run to Jesus. Take a few minutes. As we worship together. If you need to pray with somebody over that's some of this stuff is hard for us to let go of then to come up to the front and somebody will pray with you, but don't miss the opportunity to respond in this moment.