Understanding Who You Are

Written by Ed Allen
 Sunday, 08 March 2009 09:00

Sermons - Our Spiritual DNA

mp3

Sermon Notes

Ephesians 1:3-14

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

Who are you? We receive many messages from many places answering that question! Ephesians gives us the wonderful Truth about who we are and what we are here for! You are who you are because of God's work in you. In other words, the building blocks of your Spiritual DNA include:

  1. You are celebrated by God.
    • Ephesians 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
  2. You are God’s choice.
    • Ephesians 1:4 “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”
  3. You are someone whose life is ordered by God.
    • Ephesians 1:5-6 “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
    • Our lives are predestined by not predetermined.
  4. You are God's child.
    • Ephesians 1:5-6 “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
    • We are not just his friends, but we are his children.
  5. You have been set free from the consequences of sin through Christ.
    • Ephesians 1:7-8 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”
    • God knew what He was doing, because he did it with “all wisdom and understanding”.
  6. You are in the know.
    • Ephesians 1:9-10 “And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.”
  7. You are secure through your belief in Christ.
    • Ephesians 1:13-14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.”

We have rest in God.

“Lab Partner” Questions

  1. What “hats” do you wear throughout your day/week?
  2. You are at a party. Which person are you?
    1. center of the room
    2. talking to everyone
    3. off to the side
    4. making sure everyone is having fun
    5. looking for the exit
    6. other
  3. Who or what helps you define who you are?
    1. job
    2. family
    3. age
    4. gender
    5. hobbies
    6. other
  4. We have said that we really get our identity from God's work in us. Which of the seven building blocks of your “spiritual DNA” has the most potential for impacting your understanding of who you are?
  5. What has been the most significant determiners of your identity (where you grew up, your home, your education, your career, sports, etc.)?

Small Group Questions

LAB for LIFE GROUPS Week of March 8, 2009

We have homework this week! Before Life Group, find three objects that help explain who you are. Take them with you and be ready to show and tell.

Optional Warm-Up Game: Two Truths and a Lie

Have everyone write down three things about themselves on a piece of paper, where two statements are true and one is not. Don’t write names on the paper. Fold them up and shuffle in a bowl. Draw one at a time and guess (1) WHO wrote it and (2) which one is the lie.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Name 3-5 ways others identify you. How do you feel about these identity markers?
  2. Read Ephesians 1:3-14. Who does God say that you are?
  3. What was your earliest experience with God?
  4. Do you recognize that your life is ordered by God? Why or why not?
  5. Discuss the difference between predestination (The doctrine that everything has been foreordained by God) and predeterminism* (The belief that all events that occur in life have already been determined by a higher power). What is a challenge to believing in predestination? What encourages you about predestination?
    * Predeterminism is the belief that a higher power has determined all events; Determinism is the belief that all events are already determined and unchangeable because of the operation of the natural laws of the universe.
  6. The seven spiritual building blocks that tell us who we are (from Ephesians 1:3-14). Which one is most important to you right now? Why? Find the verse in Ephesians that addresses your building block. What does this scripture say to you?
    1. We are honored by God.
    2. We are God’s choice.
    3. Our lives are ordered by God.
    4. I am God’s child.
    5. I have been made free from the consequence of sin through Christ.
    6. I am in the know.
    7. I am secure.
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