Bulletins - Sunnyside Church of the Nazarene

Friend Of God
Your Grace Finds Me
You Are My King (Amazing Love)
Please turn to Ephesians chapter one. I want to wrap up this first section before we move on. I’ve been looking forward to this sermon for a long time.

Got a question - Who are you? Seriously, who are you? Fill in the blank -
“I am _______.”
Can you even fill in the blank with confidence - “This is who I am?” Strip away your identity that is derived from other people (what they say about you …). Strip away your identity that is derived from careers, hobbies, achievements, status, affiliations, associations - when you take away everything, do you know who you are?
There are moms whose identity is wrapped up in their children and then when their children leave home, they have no idea who they are. Men and women whose identity is wrapped up in their careers and when they lose their job or they retire, they have no idea who they are. Would you know who you are if you lost that person or that group or that thing in which you derive your identity?
Aside from salvation and having a real relationship with Jesus Christ I believe the crisis of identity is probably the number one issue that we humans face - especially in America. How often do you, do we question our identity and our value?
Almost every conversation that I have with people that involves a problem that they are facing can be traced back to identity. People do not know who they are. This is not a teenager thing. It's not a midlife crisis thing. It is a human problem and it’s only going to get worse.
The crisis of identity is a serious issue. How serious? When Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days being tempted by the devil, what did the devil attack? His identity. “If you are the son of God?” If that's where the devil attacked the Messiah, the son of God - how much more will he attack us and our identity?
The issue of identity is wreaking havoc in our nation. People don't know who they are or what they are - they don't know what's right or what's wrong and they're just grasping for something. But the problem is they're grasping to things that keep shifting. Not only is this issue of identity wreaking havoc in our nation but it's also causing a massive problem in the Church. If we don't get our act together and begin believing who we are in Christ and begin living who we are in Christ we're in for some rough times.
Ephesians 1. As we read through these 14 verses pay attention to who we are in Christ. This is not an exhaustive list but it's a good one. So as we read, I will point out our identity and then I will ask you to say out loud an “I am” statement. Then a couple of closing questions.
Before we do this, know this -
We cannot separate our identity from what Jesus accomplished on the cross. What Jesus did is who we are.
Let that sink in. What Jesus did is who we are. For example, He forgave my sins on the cross; therefore, I am forgiven. That is part of my identity. Again, I cannot separate my identity from what Jesus did.
As we go through this list, pay attention to your mind, heart and gut. Pay attention to your thoughts and your feelings and take notice if there are some of these that you have a hard time.
Ephesians 1:1–2 ESV
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A saint - one who has been set apart in Christ. Say that with me.
1) I am a Saint - God has set me apart.

Ephesians 1:3 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Blessed - bestowed favor for a particular reason. Here’s $20!
2) I am Blessed - God has Bestowed Favor upon Me for a Particular Reason.

Ephesians 1:4 (ESV)
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

God made an intentional choice to choose you. Puppy.
3) I am Chosen by the God of this Universe.

… that we should be holy and blameless before him. That is to be our identity - a holy and blameless people.

Ephesians 1:5–6 (ESV)
In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

He predestined us and adopted. Why? Because He’s in love with us.
4) I am Loved by God.
Predestined - it’s a big word, but really it means God has plans for you. You have a purpose.
5) I have Purpose in Christ.

Not only does predestined mean we have purpose, but it also means that we are not an accident. Say that with me.
6) I am not an Accident.

Not only are we predestined, but God has made a way to adopt us in Christ.
7) I am Adopted by the Everlasting Father.
Which means we are in his family. Which means we are sons and daughters of God.
8) I am a Child of God.
On occasion a natural born child may be an oops - unplanned. There is no oops with adoption. “Where did you come from?” Adoption is always by choice.

Ephesians 1:7 ESV
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

9) I am Redeemed. I am Purchased. I am God’s Property.
Last week I said that God wants to keep what He has purchased. Which means you are a “keeper.”
10) I am a Keeper because Jesus wants to Keep Me.

Not only are we redeemed, but we are forgiven.
11) I am Forgiven.
And if we take that to its fullest extent to Romans chapter 8:1,
12) I am not condemned.

Ephesians 1:7–9 ESV
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ

Pause for a moment. So far, we have 12 I Am statements about our identity in Christ and there's a whole lot more throughout scripture.
Name one thing or one portion of our identity in Christ that we received from Christ because of our own merit, or because we earned it, or God owed it to us?
What did you do to deserve being blessed or chosen or loved or adopted or forgiven or …?
Every part of our identity in Christ is because of Christ. That’s why in this passage we see “In Him!” So,
If our identity in Christ is solely dependent upon the work of Christ then who are we to question His work?
Which means who are we to question our identity in Jesus?

Ephesians 1:10 ESV
as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
13) I am United with Christ.

Ephesians 1:11–14 ESV
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

14) I am Sealed - I am His.

If I’m in Christ,
15) I have God’s Spirit.

Our inheritance -
16) I am not Lost. I am on My Way Home.
I have a place being prepared for me. I have a place to go.

Wrap it Up: We often talk about surrender in the Church, and we often associate surrender with action and obedience or surrendering our will or possessions. Surrender is also about rejecting lies and believing reality and truth. Surrender is also about believing what God says about me - Who I am in Christ.

What “identity” truths do you need to believe about God? About you? About others.
How could your identity in Christ help you move forward? Take a leap? Overcome an obstacle? Make a decision? Embrace a new beginning?

So, take a moment and listen to the Spirit. What is He saying to you about your identity in Christ?
- - Ephesians 1:1–2NIV2011
- - Ephesians 1:3NIV2011
- - Ephesians 1:4NIV2011
- - Ephesians 1:4NIV2011
- - Ephesians 1:5–6NIV2011
- - Ephesians 1:7NLT
- - Ephesians 1:7–9NIV2011
- - Ephesians 1:10NIV2011
- - Ephesians 1:11–14NIV2011
I Am Not Alone
Who Am I

Ephesians 1:1–2NIV2011

Ephesians 1:3NIV2011

Ephesians 1:4NIV2011

Ephesians 1:4NIV2011

Ephesians 1:5–6NIV2011

Ephesians 1:7NLT

Ephesians 1:7–9NIV2011

Ephesians 1:10NIV2011

Ephesians 1:11–14NIV2011