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A Recap from Sunday's Sermon

No matter how much we want to please God, we are unable to ever do enough or to be perfect enough.  We are held in bondage by the law since we are not able to obey the law and we do what we do not want to do.  This frustrates us and leads us to self-condemnation or a desire to work harder.

However, God has always known that we are unable to follow the law perfectly, and he has provided the way. The Bible tells us that Jesus became our sin, brokenness, shame, fear, and self-condemnation on the cross.  He took on all our sins and gave us his righteousness. So, when God looks at us, he sees the righteousness of Jesus in us, not our sin, performance, or behavior. 

God helps us live into that gift of righteousness by adopting us into his family as his children (our true identity).  And since we are his children, God sends the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts.  The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with the love of God so we can have a personal and intimate love relationship with our Abba Father.  Abba is the name children would use, similar to “Daddy.”  God supplies us everything he commands us to give back to him.  Only with the Holy Spirit in our hearts are we able to live out the Great Commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

So, I invite you to “keep in step with the Spirit”, to walk with the Spirit, and be led by the Spirit. He is your companion who comforts you, guides you, and empowers you to live out your true identity as a child of God.  This starts with an honest conversation with you and God in prayer. Ask God to reveal his love for you as a son or daughter.  You may consider making an appointment with prayer ministry to help overcome wounds or any blockages that keep you from your true identity. 

Taking it Home: Discuss the things people build their identity upon. Contrast the way identity in God is unchanging.