7/21/19

Free 2 Connect Week 3

Who am I? Identity Week 2 (Notes)

Main takeaway points
1. Our personal identity is our identity as a son or daughter of God. We are adopted as his
children through believing in Him. We are His children as a result of how much He loves
us.
2. Our relational identity is our identity as a part of the unified church. We are part of one
body and each have our own function. We do not treat anyone as less than another but
love and care for every member.
3. Our missional identity is our identity God gives us in our unique callings and purpose.
God qualifies those that he calls and sets us apart for a personal journey with HIm.

Three Fold Identity

Types of Identity

Personal Identity (beloved son or daughter)

- This identity refers to who you are personally in Christ
1 John 2:28-29, 3:1-10 ​How do children of God act?
28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and
unashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that
everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.
But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All
who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he
appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him
keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous,
just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has
been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the
devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in
them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know
who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do
what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

Questions and Notes

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● What sticks out to you guys about this passage?
● As a child, when your dad came home, you began to run to him not away from Him with
daddy's home mentality! (1 John 2:28)
● We are his children because of His love. He made us his kids so that we could be
examples of His love for the people. (1 John 3:1)

Gal 3:23-29 ​We are his children through faith

23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the
faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that
we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a
guardian. 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God ​through faith​, 27 for all of you who
were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor
Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Questions and Notes

● How do we become a child of God? (Vs. 26)
● What does it mean for us to put on christ? (Vs. 27)

Romans 8:14-17 ​His children follow His spirit

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Questions and Notes

● Those who do not follow, or are led by the Spirit, are NOT children of God.
● How do we follow His spirit?
○ If you don’t ask and listen it’ll never happen

John 1:11-13 ​ Believe and become a child

11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did
receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of
God.

Questions and Notes

● What does this say about our personal identity?
○ It’s interesting that we can be his creation but also not “sons or daughters”
● We are born of God by: receive and believe. (Vs. 12, 13)

Ephesians 1:4-6 ​We are adopted as his kids, pre planned in love
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his
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Free 2 Connect Week 3
pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One
he loves.

Questions and Notes

● Do you see yourself bringing God pleasure? What do you think it means by this? (Vs. 5)
○ Did you know that you bring God pleasure. He wants you to enjoy you and for
you to enjoy him
○ ITS NOT UP TO YOU
○ “God will leave the angels worship to come listen to my broken worship or broken
prayer because he delights in it”
○ “Sin is sin.. But sinning is rebellion” sin (single action) sinning (multiple times)

Relational Identity (church)

- This identity refers to who we are as a church. No longer I but We
1 Cor 12:12-27 ​One body with many parts
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is
with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or
Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not
made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would
not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not
an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an
ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body,
every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the
body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I
don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, ​those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are
indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.
And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty​, 24 while our presentable
parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the
parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should
have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is
honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Questions and Notes

● How do we stop the thoughts of comparison we may have in comparing ourselves to
others?
○ “You are the only you, and you are the only one that God is calling you to do”
● Do you have equal concern to those who scrub the toilets? (Vs. 25)
● What do you think it really means in vs. 26?
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○ What should be our response in our hearts and in our actions to this verse? (Vs.
26)
○ Have COM-PASSION: come receive the Lords love and then pass it on

Romans 12:3-8
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than
you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has
distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and
these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one
body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the
grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your
faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give
encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show
mercy, do it cheerfully.

Questions and Notes

● In all reality, we each have some sort of gift, if not multiple, so how do we go about
operating in our gifts every single day? #justdoit
● What does it mean to belong to one another? (Vs. 5)
○ I think if we are going about this church identity with the mindset that it’s all about
what part of the body we are, we are already missing the main point.
○ We use our gifts for others, not to glorify ourselves

Acts 6:1-8​ Stephen Chosen to Serve

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them
complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily
distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not
be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers
and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and
wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and
the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man
full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas
from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed
and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in
Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. 8 Now
Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the
people.

Questions and Notes

● Honestly, how many of us have ever felt like our calling will be small? Or that we won't
do anything significant?
○ Mention what Stephen went on to do.
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Free 2 Connect Week 3

Missional Identity (calling and purpose)

- This identity refers to who you are called to be and how to respond to that calling
1 Cor 12:28-31 ​Difference of callings
28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then
miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are
all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of
healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

Questions and Notes

● This is a follow up to what we studied in 1 Cor earlier. We each have our own part.
● Have you ever prayed and asked the Lord what you feel like you are gifted and called to
do? If so what do you feel like he may have told you?
● This is something to EAGERLY desire!!!

Jeremiah 1:4-19 ​The Lord calls Jeremiah

4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to
and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue
you,” declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my
words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear
down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
11 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is
fulfilled.”
13 The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?”
“I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.”
14 The Lord said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land.
15 I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord.
“Their kings will come and set up their thrones
in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem;
they will come against all her surrounding walls
and against all the towns of Judah.
16 I will pronounce my judgments on my people
because of their wickedness in forsaking me,
in burning incense to other gods
and in worshiping what their hands have made.
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17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified
by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18 Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar
and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its
priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I
am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Questions and Notes

● Jeremiah was set apart for this calling even before he was born. Honestly, do you feel
like God had a calling for you before you were born? Or does it sometimes feel like you
have missed that calling?
● What excuse do you most often give to God? (Vs. 6)
○ Jeremiah used his inexperience as a speaker b/c of his age as his excuse
○ What is the response God most often gives to that excuse? Or what do you think
He would say to you that you’ve been ignoring?
● One reason God tells him not be afraid is because of the time that Jeremiah lived in. He
lived in a time where no one wanted to hear what God was saying but he was called to
share what God was telling him (Vs. 8)
○ Often, we are born in the perfect time for our calling, and it is intentional!
● Why did God touch Jeremiah's mouth? (Vs. 9)
○ I believe it was because this was the part that Jeremiah was disqualifying himself
by but also the part God was calling him to use!
○ What part of your life is God touching?
● Almond branch was the first tree to bud in the spring so the almond branch “watched for
the spring”. God is saying that he is watching over these words to carry them out. The
Lord is going before Jeremiah
● What can we set up to remind us God is with us? (Vs. 19)

Acts 13:2
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Questions and Notes

● We must realize that we must be set apart to do what we are called to do.
● Quote I heard from Robert Madu “Each day we become more like Jesus and less like
everyone else on the earth.”
○ This does not negate us being one as the church, it is just the eye becoming
more like an eye and less like an ear every day

Romans 1:1, 5-6

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
...
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5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that
comes from faith for his name’s sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called
to belong to Jesus Christ.

Questions and Notes

● Paul began His epistles by stating his current mission in life. He was called to be an
apostle and bring the gospel of God.
● What did Paul receive? (Vs. 5)
○ Grace and his personal call. We all receive a grace need for our personal call

What are you all taking away from this Bible Study??