How are you labelled?

Labels tell us the value, identity and purpose of what they are attached to. We all get labelled, by others, by our experiences and by our own desires. The gap between who we believe we are, and who God says we are in Christ, can be a measure of our peace, and our capacity to fulfil His purpose for us. Closing this gap is part of our journey to spiritual maturity. It should, by God’s grace, be shrinking continually. There are an increasing number of attacks against us discovering our God determined, Christ enabled identity. How can we close the gap between who we think we are, and who we really are in Christ? How can this give us have greater peace, and make us more effective disciples of Jesus Christ?

Scripture

Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Matthew 3:16-4:11 ESV And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

God’s value, identity and purpose for Saul

What did God determine Saul’s value, identity and purpose to be, and how was God to achieve that?

1 Samuel 10:1 ESV Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the LORD and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the LORD has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.

1 Samuel 10:6 ESV Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.

1 Samuel 10:9 ESV When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day.

Saul’s idea of his value, identity and purpose

How did Saul see himself, even after everything God did in showing Saul His value, identity and purpose?

1 Samuel 15:17 ESV And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.

Value Identity and Purpose of believers

By God’s grace and through the power of His Holy Spirit we are regenerated, born again, and made new by faith in Jesus Christ. What can we be sure of, according to Ephesians 2:8-10 about what we are worth, who we are and what God has determined for us?

Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The value of those who are born again

What unchanging fact about God and His view of us defines our value in such as a way as it can never be changed?

Galatians 2:20 ESV I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Starting the journey of identity discovery

Peter’s journey of discovery brings him to the point of realising who Jesus is, as soon as He does this Jesus reveals Peter’s identity.

Matthew 16:15-18 ESV He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 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.

Peter’s struggle with identity

Even though Jesus tells Peter who he really is and equips him with the Holy Spirit, Peter still struggles to accept and hold on to his God given identity. How is Peter’s self image different from what God has determined?

John 1:42 ESV He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

Luke 5:4-8 ESV And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Matthew 26:33-34 ESV Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

Peter’s identity restored, Starting over

Jesus takes Peter through a process of discovering his own weaknesses, and failures, and yet shows him how the value God places on him is unchanged. How does Jesus do this with Peter, and can we ask Him to do the same for us?

John 21:15-19 ESV When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”