Sermon

Today's sermon was a continuation of Revelation 3:7-13.

The title was, "The Power of Identity."

To the one who conquers, Jesus says, "I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" ( Rev. 3:12-13).

We are God's Temple.

• The imagery of the individual Christian and the corporate church as the temple of God is a familiar one in Scripture:

1 Cor. 3:16 says, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."

See also; 1 Cor. 6:19, Eph. 2:21-22 and 1 Peter 2:4-5.

• This language is probably a metaphor of eternal salvation.Special emphasis may be on the security of our position as God's dwelling place in view of assurance "never shall he go out of it."

The Life-Changing Power of Knowing Who You Are.

• Christians often struggle with a sense of identity. 
• Virtually every assault and accusation of Satan is grounded in his effort to convince us we are not who God declares we are.
• If I am able to to rest securely in who I am in Christ, an identity forged by forgiveness not failure, by his goodness rather than mine, I am enveloped in a veritable fortress of strength and protective love.No assault, accusation or inclination will prevail. I am who he says I am by virtue of what he has done and will do.

To illustrate the transforming power of a renewed awareness of one's identity, Pastor Storms showed us a short clip from the movie, "Blood Diamond." Needless to say, I can't wait to see the movie!

Pastor Storms set up the scene. It is set in Sierra Leone,Africa. The country has been ravaged by political unrerst. There is a rebel faction known as Revolutionary United Front ( or RUF).

Soloman Vandy is a native fisherman. Soloman's young son, Dia is captured and brainwashed by the RUF, and has been turned into a vicious fighter.

In one of the final scenes, Dia pulls a gun on his father to kill him, but Soloman speaks to him and awakens Dia to his true identity. This is what Soloman says to Dia:

"Dia. What are you doing? Dia. Look at me. What are you doing? You are Dia Vandy, of the proud Mende tribe. You are a good boy who loves soccer and school. Your mother loves you so much. She waits by the fire making plantains and red palm oil stew, with your sister N'yanda. And the new baby. The cows wait for you, and Babu the wild dog who minds no one but you. I know they made you do bad things. But you are not a bad boy. I am your father who loves you. You will come home with me and be my son again."

Once Dia realizes who he really is, he falls into his father's arms and begins to cry. When I saw that scene I started crying as well. It is a beautiful illustration of our Heavenly Father reminding us of our true identity. You are a child of the Most High God who loves you, who wants you to come home with him, and be his son and daughter, once again.

Identity governs behavior. You will always behave in accordance with who you believe you are.