Transcription
It's when somebody rejected you. If you were rejected as a young child, they, they, they cursed you. And they cursed you with things that said, "Uh, you don't matter. You're a failure. You don't measure up. Why can't you be like your brother or sister?"
How do you reverse a curse? I'll tell you how. Start believing what God says about you.
You know, this week I read about, uh, the fact that identity theft cost people billions of lost dollars and pesos and euros and yuans and other currencies. Identity theft is a global problem. In fact, here in America, there's a new scam that identity thieves are using. They, these criminals use stolen identities to file fake tax returns and then they steal people's tax refunds. Last year, over 1.5 million fake tax returns were filed here in America. And as a result, each year, the government pays out over $5 billion in refunds to people who it doesn't belong to, to fake accounts. That means over the past 5 years, the US government has given away $25 billion of your money, if you live in America, to identity thieves.
But you know what? There's an even more sinister and evil thief of your identity, and his name is Satan. And he wants to steal far more than just your money. He wants to steal your true identity of what God created you to be. He wants to hide your true identity. He wants to diminish your true identity. He wants to confuse your identity. He doesn't want you to know who you really are, who God made you to be. He doesn't want you to know the power that you have as a child of God, as a son or daughter in God's family.
You know, one of the reasons you get so tired and get so stressed out is because there's an unspiritual, unseen spiritual, uh, battle or war going on in your life over your identity every single moment.
Now, as your pastor, I, I need you to understand this. Satan is not as powerful as God. For one thing, Satan cannot create anything. He can't create. Satan can only distort. Satan can pervert or Satan can destroy, but he can't create. But he can pervert, distort, uh, uh, uh, destroy the beautiful things that God creates. And of course, we see that happening everywhere. He does it with money. He does it with sex. He does it with physical beauty. He does it with power. He does it with your identity.
And Satan uses a number of different tools to confuse you about your true identity. What does he use? Well, number one, he uses hurt and pain and trauma. If, if, if Satan can get you angry or bitter or ashamed about something that's happened to you or through you or by you, uh, then he's going to distort your true identity. So, he uses hurt and pain.
Number two, he uses other people's opinions. And I, I, I hate to tell you this, but people lie to you all the time. And some of the things that have been said to you about you by peers, uh, by parents, by partners, by enemies, by friends, they just aren't true. But he can distort your true identity by what other people say about you.
He uses the, the culture. He uses the media. And you'll, you get these messages all the time through the media and through movies and music and novels that you should be like that, instead of being who God really truly made you to be.
And then, of course, number four, uh, Satan actually uses thoughts that he suggests in your mind. And when he puts a thought in your mind, he says, "You're no good. You're worthless. You'll never amount to anything. You're a failure." Or all the things that he says. And most of all, he uses the things you tell yourself. He uses the lies you tell yourself over and over about you. He uses your feelings. And, and you say, "Well, I feel this way, so it must be true." Your feelings are a terrible predictor of truth. They're, they're often totally off base. Just because you feel something doesn't make it true. Doctors could give you a medicine or stimulate your brain and make you feel things that are totally untrue about you.
But when he gets, Satan gets you to believe those things, then he can distort your true identity.
Now, in my first message that we started in this new series called "The Foundation of a Well-Lived Life," uh, we, we talked about God's timing in your life. Uh, but as your pastor and as your spiritual coach, my goal for you is that you live a life well-lived. And so today, I want to focus on another very important component or element of a foundation for a well-lived life. I want us to look at learning your true identity in Christ. What God says about you, what's true about you. Knowing who you really are, who God made you to be, and knowing what God thinks and says about your identity is absolutely essential to living a life well-lived. Your happiness is directly connected to your identity and how you see yourself. And if you don't know who you really are, then you can't be fully happy. You can't be truly successful. You can't relate effectively to other people. You can't be genuinely fulfilled.
So, how do I know who I really am? Well, you know, the famous 17th-century, uh, French physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote this: "Not only do we not only know God through Jesus Christ, but we only know ourselves through Jesus Christ. We only know life and death through Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus, we cannot know the meaning of our life or our death or the meaning of God or even the meaning of ourselves."
Now, in the Bible, in the New Testament, it lists over 35 different aspects of your true identity in Christ. Did you know that? If you'll just read through the New Testament, you'll find 35 truths, uh, about your true identity in Christ. Today, I want us to just focus on five, five aspects of your true identity. And if you understand these, you believe these, and you act on these, you build your life on these foundations as a solid rock of truth, these five aspects will change your life.
Now, the five aspects of your true identity that I want you to see, uh, in this, uh, time together are found in the Bible book of First Peter in chapter 2 of First Peter. And there, St. Peter gives us five descriptions of our true identity. That's all we're going to look at today. Let me read you this passage. 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 9 and 10. He says there, "You are a chosen people. You are a royal priesthood. You are a holy nation. You are a people belonging to God." Each of these statements are packed with meaning. He says, "You are these things that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light." And into, Peter says, "Once you were not a people. You didn't have an identity, but now you are the people of God. Once you hadn't received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
Now, today, let's unpack the meaning of each of these five phrases because each one of them is loaded. It's packed with significance for your life. This is God's true view of you. God's true view of you in Christ.
So, first, write this down. In Christ, number one, I am completely accepted. That's the first thing you need to know about your identity in Christ. I am completely accepted. Now, that's important because the deepest wounds in life often come from rejection. And because rejection hurts so much and, and we all have rejection in our life, we spend so much of our lives trying to earn acceptance. We want to earn it from our parents. We want to earn it from our peers, our friends. We want to earn acceptance from those we respect. We want to earn acceptance from those we envy. And this drive to be accepted influences everything in your life. The kind of clothes you wear, the car you drive, the house you buy, the career you choose. And we buy and we do all kinds of crazy things to earn acceptance.
Now, the pain of not being chosen on a team. You've probably experienced that where they're choosing up sides and you're not one of the first one to be chosen. You keep going, "Oh, God, please don't let me be the last to be chosen." And it, and, and it, you hate it if you've ever been the last person chosen when they're picking teams. Being chosen does a lot for your self-worth. And I, if you're chosen for an award, if you're chosen for an honor, if you're chosen for a promotion, you know what gives me self-esteem is K. Lewis, who's now K. Warren, chose me over all those other guys. I knocked them all off. I, I beat him. Kay chose me. That gives me value.
Now, here's the good news. 1 Peter 2:9, "You have been chosen by God himself." Whoa. If God chooses you, if God likes you and you like you, if somebody else unlike you, that's their problem.
Now, why am I completely acceptable? Because God chose me before everything. The Bible says in Ephesians 1:4, "He, and he chose us in him, in Christ. He chose us in Christ before the creation of the world." Did you know that? Before God created the universe, he had already chosen you to be holy and blameless in his sight by his love. Before God chose to make the sun, before God chose to make the oceans, before God chose to make the earth and the world and the birds and everything else, he chose you. That shows how valuable, how acceptable you are. God shows you you're acceptable.
Number two, Jesus made me acceptable by his death on the cross. Titus chapter 3:7 says this, "Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God." Circle that. He made us acceptable to God and he gave us the hope of eternal life.
Now, this acceptance, God accepts you. It's not based on your performance. It's not based on what you do. It's based on what Jesus did, not based on who you are. It's based on who Jesus is, his character. God loves you and he says you are acceptable because my son died for you. I made you and my son died for you. So the first thing we need to know about your identity is that I am completely acceptable.
The second thing you need to know about your identity, what God says about you, the true view of you is this. I'm not only completely acceptable, I am extremely valuable. You are extremely valuable. In fact, the Bible says that your life is priceless. Most of you know that I'm a book collector. I have a library of over 40,000 books. And most of them, uh, I bought used. And when you go into a used bookstore or you go online to used books, they rate every book as they're either, uh, poor or good or acceptable or fine or like new. There are categories. God says, "You're not just acceptable. You're valuable. You're fine. You're priceless."
And Peter's second description in 1 Peter 2:9, he says, "You are a holy nation." Circle that word holy. I got to explain that. And you are a people belonging to God. Circle the word belonging. What makes something valuable? God says you're, you're priceless. You're invaluable. What makes you so valuable? Well, value is dependent upon several things. First, value depends on who owns something. You know, when you go to an auction, things that are owned by famous people or by celebrities or historical people, they cost more because they were owned by somebody else. It might just be an ordinary, you know, pitcher or jar or shoe, but if it was owned by somebody famous, it raises its value. Uh, would a car owned by a famous celebrity, Lady Gaga, be worth more than your car? Uh, yeah. Would basketball shoes worn by LeBron James be more valuable than your shoes? Yes. Uh, would a piece of furniture, uh, used by a prime minister or or a president be more valuable than maybe your furniture? Probably. How about a guitar used by a rock star compared to the guitars that I have? Yes. You see, the owner often adds value to common things.
So, who do you belong to? Well, the Bible tells us Deuteronomy 7:6, "You are a people holy to the Lord your God, his treasured possession." Did you know that you are God's treasured possession? In Isaiah 43:4, God says, "You are precious to me, like a precious metal, like gold, like platinum. You're precious to me."
So why am I extremely valuable? Well, first, God owns me. But, and more than that, because God is my father. God is your father. And, and the Bible says in Luke 12:24, "Look at the birds. God feeds them. And you're far more valuable to him than any birds." Why? Because you are his child. God is your father.
And another reason why you're invaluable is because Jesus gave his life for me. Jesus gave his life for me. In 1 Corinthians 7:23, the Bible says, "You have been bought and paid for by Christ." So you belong to him. So Christ died for you and, and God created you and he's your father. You belong to him. That adds value to your life.
You know, value not only depends on who owns something, but value depends on what somebody's willing to pay for it. So, if I were to ask you a question, how much is your house worth? Well, I can tell you without even looking at your house, I can tell you what your house is worth. It's worth whatever somebody's willing to pay for it. No more and no less. You might think it's worth a lot more, but it's only worth whatever somebody's willing to pay for it. How much is a piece of art worth? It's worth what somebody's willing to pay for it. How much is a rare baseball card worth? What somebody's willing to pay for it.
Few years back, I remember, uh, there was a story in the news about the daughter of a very wealthy oil sheikh, uh, in the Middle East, uh, and her, and that daughter was kidnapped and the sheikh put out a word all over the Middle East, "Pay any price for her return. Pay any price for her return. She's the king's daughter."
Well, you're the king's daughter. You're the king's son. You're God's child. And the greatest ransom ever paid was paid for you by Jesus Christ. We have a God who suffers. God came to earth and suffered for you. God exchanged his own son for your salvation, for your freedom. Christ gave his life that you might have eternal life. And if you want to know how valuable you are, you look at the cross. The cross proves your value. When Jesus, with his arms outstretched, dying on that cross, is saying, "I love you. I love you. I love you. You're this valuable. You're this valuable to me."
So the people who told you in your life, "You're worthless," they're dead wrong. That's an evil statement. They're dead wrong. You are not worthless. You are priceless. You're not just completely acceptable to God in Christ. You are infinitely valuable to God in Christ. He accepts me and he says I'm, I'm acceptable. I'm valuable.
Third thing God says about you is you're lovable. Write this down. Number three, I'm not just these other things. I'm eternally loved. That's the third thing God says about you. God's true view of you. You are completely acceptable and you are infinitely valuable and you are eternally loved.
1 Peter 2:10 says this: "Once you were not a people," in other words, you didn't have any identity. You're kind of nothing. "But now you're the people of God." Now, that has profound implications. When you accept Christ into your life, you become part of his family. That family, by the way, is called the church. The church is the family of God on earth. It's going to go to heaven. The church is the only thing that's going to last forever. God's family. And you know what? God, as Father, is not ashamed of his family. Look up on the screen what this verse says. Hebrews chapter 2, verse 11 says this in the New Living Translation: "Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. And that's why Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters."
Isn't that an amazing thing that Jesus Christ would say, "You're my sister. You're my brother." He's not ashamed to say, "You're my sister. You're my brother." Because we're in the family of God. That shows infinite value. It shows infinite love.
Jeremiah 31:3, God says this: "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love." Nobody else loves you like that. God says, "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting." It's always lasting. It's not ending. It lasts forever. It is everlasting love with unfailing love. You've had people love you in ways that failed. I have failed my wife and I love her dearly. I have failed my kids and I love them dearly. I, I love you and I have failed you, members of Saddleback Church. But the Bible says God has an unfailing love. And he says, "I have drawn you to myself."
Now, you need to understand for your identity two characteristics of God's love. Number one, it's unconditional. It's not "I love you if." You know, a lot of times you see people on TV or girlfriends and boyfriends say, you know, "I love you if." And that's conditional love. "I love you if you love me. I love you if you please me. I love you if you turn me on. I love you if you do the things I want you to do." That's not real love. "I love you if" is conditional love. And then there are people who say, "I love you because." And they write these nice Hallmark card letters. "I love you because you're good-looking." Well, that's conditional. Cuz what happens when they lose their good looks? "I love you because you're talented." Well, what happens when you find someone more talented? You stop loving them. "I love you because you love me." Well, what if they get sick or they, they, they stop loving you? Will you still love them? When you say, "I love you because," you've given conditional love.
God's love for you is not "I love you if." God's love is not "I love you because." God's love for you is "I love you, period." I love you in spite of the fact that you don't always love me, that you're not always consistent, that you don't always do the right thing. God's love is unconditional.
And number two, God's love is consistent. That means it's not fickle. It's not, it's not unpredictable. Some people growing up grew up with inconsistent parents. Inconsistent parents create insecure kids. I had a guy tell me one time, "I didn't know if my dad was going to slug me or hug me. I never knew. He was unpredictable." You're never going to have to ask God, "Will God love me today?" When you get up in the morning, you, you don't ever have to ask, "Is God going to love me today?" You see, we always get into trouble when we doubt God's love. It is unconditional and it is consistent and it is everlasting. It is eternal. Why? Why are you eternally loved? Because God is love. Psalm 100:5, "God's love is eternal and his faithfulness lasts forever."
So let's just review. God's true view of you says you're completely acceptable. You are, uh, infinitely valuable. Uh, you are, you are totally lovable, eternally, everlastingly lovable. And now he says, number four, you're forgivable. Write this down. I'm totally forgiven. This is what God says about you. I'm totally forgiven.
1 Peter chapter 2:10, he says, "You know, at one time you didn't know God's mercy, but now you have received his mercy." He says, "You know, before, uh, you know, you were, you were living in guilt. You were living in shame. But he says, you've received God's mercy in Christ." Do you know that before God even made you, before God even created you, before God designed you? Before you took your first breath, he already knew the worst things you'd ever do. And he still loves you. And he's not surprised. It's not like, "Oh man, I didn't see that one coming. I didn't know that was going to happen in your life." He already knows everything wrong that you would do. The good news is that in Christ, my sins are wiped out. It's like taking a giant eraser and, and, and erasing all my sins that are written on a whiteboard. That's grace.
You know, some people, even Christians who have accepted the love of Christ and have committed their lives to Christ, they still don't get grace. And so, anytime something bad happens in their life, they think, "God's getting even with me. God's getting even with..." Does God really treat his children that way? Does God get even with his children? The answer is no. Absolutely not. That's not grace. Romans 8:1 says, "There is now no condemnation. Zero, zip, not a nothing. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Write this down on your outline. God doesn't carry grudges. Right? God says, "I don't hold them against you." Right? When, when you sin, when you've given your life to Christ and you're in Christ, God doesn't rehearse it. He releases it. Right. Right. So, you need to understand that you are totally forgiven. And you're totally forgiven for two reasons. First, because it is God's nature to forgive. God is a forgiving God. You ever feel like, you know, I, I wonder if God gets tired of me coming back to him and asking for forgiveness? Well, Isaiah 43:25, God says this: "I am the God who forgives your sins. And I do this because of who I am. I will not hold your sins against you." Wow. God forgives me not because I deserve it, not because I've earned it, but because he's a forgiving God. It is his nature to forgive. He wants to forgive.
And the other reason you're completely forgiven is because Jesus has already paid for all your sins. So you don't have to pay for them. In Ephesians 1:7, it says this: "For by the blood of Christ, we are set free." That is our sins are forgiven. How great is that the grace of God.
All right. God's true view of you. This is your real identity. I'm completely acceptable. I am infinitely valuable. I am eternally lovable. I am completely forgivable, freely forgiven.
Number five, this is a big one. I am fully capable. Did you know that? That's what God says about you. You're not incompetent. You're not a cipher. You're not a, a nobody. God says you are fully capable. I am fully capable of becoming exactly what God made me to be.
1 Peter chapter 2:9, he says, "You are royal priests." That's packed with a lot of insight. "Chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God who has called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." What he says, you're a priest. Did, have you ever thought about this? You don't realize this. You're a priest. I, every believer in Christ is a priest. He says, "You are a chosen priesthood." What does a priest do? A priest represents God to man and represents man to God. Can you name a greater position than a royal priest? Representing God to leadership. So what are you supposed to do as a priest? If God says you are a priest, it means you don't have to go to a priest to confess your sins because you are a priest. You go to directly to Jesus, the High Priest.
What are you supposed to do as a priest? Acts 26:18, look at this verse on the screen. "You are to open their eyes and to turn them from," he's talking about unbelievers. "You are to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God. That's what you do as a priest, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and they will receive their place, their place among God's chosen people."
You know, the whole reason we started the Peace Plan at Saddleback Church and sent out over 26,000 people so far, basically to be priests around the world, to promote reconciliation and plant churches, to equip ethical leaders where there's corruption, to assist the poor where there's poverty, to care for the sick where there's disease and illness, and to educate the next generation where there's illiteracy and lack of education and ignorance. We, you say, when we developed the Peace Plan, it wasn't for the pastors of the church to do. It's for every member to do it. And I know a lot of people thought, "Well, I couldn't do that." Well, you couldn't on your own power, but with God in your life and Christ in your life, the Holy Spirit through you, you're a priest. Did you know that? Not on your own power, but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
2 Corinthians chapter 3, verses 5 and 6 says this: "The capacity we have comes from God. It is he who made us capable of serving the new covenant." You are completely capable.
Now, let me tell you why this one's important. Because most people live their lives with this gnawing sense of insecurity. "I'm just not measuring up. I'm not enough. I'm not capable. I'm not, uh, secure. I'm insecure." And why is that? And, well, one reason you're, you're playing old tapes in your memory and, and you're still acting on things that people said to you years ago. They weren't true then and they aren't true now. And you're playing these tapes over and over in your mind. And, and you need to replace those old tapes of what other people say with the truth that God says about you because Jesus said the truth sets you free. And the Bible says you are capable. Why are you capable to handle anything in life? Why am I capable to handle anything in life? Write this down. Because Christ lives in me, and that's why I'm capable. My capable capability is not simply my own human power. But in Philippians 4:13, it says, "I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." You have God's Spirit inside you and you're a priest.
Now, you know, studies have shown that the younger you were when you were first rejected, the greater the impact it has on your life. Uh, and in a sense, when somebody rejected you, if you were rejected as a young child, they, they, they cursed you. They cursed you and they cursed you with things that said, "Uh, you don't matter. You're a failure. You don't measure up. Why can't you be like your brother or sister? You can't do anything right." And they cursed you.
How do you reverse a curse? They, they, okay. Yeah. Start believing what God says about you. Start affirming the truth of God's word. Take these verses, take this outline, cut it all up. Make affirmation cards with these statements. Put the statement on there: "I am completely acceptable," and put the verses on it. "I am infinitely valuable," and put the verses on it. "I am everlastingly lovable," and put the verses on it. And, and read them. Read them in the morning when you first get up. Read them when you go, put them by your bedside at night. Read them before you go to sleep. So that the first thing on your mind in the morning, the last thing at night is the identity, uh, uh, uh, coming from Christ.
You know, studies have shown that your, how you feel about yourself, your self-identity is largely determined by what you think the people that mattered most to you think about you. Let me say that again. Your self-identity is largely determined by what you think the people whose opinion matters most to you think about you. Now, since that's true, I highly recommend that you make Jesus Christ the most important person in your life, that you care more about what he says about you than anybody else.
You see, in Christ, you are acceptable. In Christ, you are valuable. In Christ, you are lovable. In Christ, you are forgivable. And in Christ, you are capable. That's what God says about you. This is your true identity. You are not what your parents or others have tried to make you. You are not what others who criticize you or say about you what you are. You're not that. You're not what you tell yourself in self-condemnation. And you're not what Satan accuses you of.
So really, as your friend and pastor, somebody who loves you, I want to ask you this question: Who are you going to believe? Are you going to believe what your God, your creator, your master, your savior says about you? Are you going to believe what Satan says about you, what peers, parents, yourself? No. Start believing God's true view of you.
Now, there's a whole lot more I could unpack about this. We don't have time to get into it, but there is one other thing I do need to mention. How should my identity affect how I act? Well, here's key. God expects me to treat everybody else the same way he treats me. If you would get that, it will improve your relationships so much. God expects me to treat everybody else the same way that he treats me. The Bible says we are to accept one another. The Bible says we are to show respect to everybody, even people you totally disagree with. The Bible says we are to show kindness to everyone. The Bible says we're to show mercy and forgiveness to everyone. The Bible says we are to encourage the gifts that God put in everyone and help draw them out of other people. At the end of your outline, I've listed some verses that deal with everything I just said. And your homework is to look up those verses that I put there, uh, on your outline.
You know, years ago, I, I read a story about an immigrant named Allan Lee who moved here to California years ago from Vietnam as a refugee after the Vietnam War. And he had to flee as a refugee. And I remember reading that he wrote, "Even though I was now free, I, I wasn't in prison. I was free. I was in America. He said, "But I'm in a new country and I struggled to find my identity." He said, "I didn't want to be known as a boat person. I didn't want to be known as a refugee. I didn't even want to be known as a quote immigrant." But he said, "I didn't know what my identity was." Then in 1983, he gave his life to Jesus Christ at a Billy Graham crusade and he discovered his true identity in Christ. And recently, he wrote this. Listen to this: "Today, I'm no longer confused about who I am. I'm God's child and my citizenship is in heaven. And I'm grateful to have found my true identity, my identity in Christ. That gives stability, that gives security, that gives satisfaction, that gives significance." Wouldn't you like to have that, too?
Let's bow our heads. Would you bow your heads with me right now? And I'm going to lead you in an identity prayer. And I want you to pray this prayer. Just first say what I say in your mind to God. Say, "Thank you, Father." Say, "Thank you, Father, that you can heal broken hearts and bitter memories and damaged self-esteem. Thank you, God, that you can do that. Thank you that patterns can be erased and reversed. Thank you, God, that you can turn nobodies into somebody's. Jesus, help us all to see ourselves through your eyes of love."
I want you to pray this: "Dear God, help me to see myself the way you see me. Thank you for loving me and for sending Jesus to die for me so I could be forgiven. Jesus, from today forward, I want to listen to what you say, not what others say. And I want to fulfill my true identity, not what my feelings tell me. Help me to realize my feelings often lie. I want to learn to trust you and your word completely with every area of my life. And help me to care more about what you think than what other people think. May the truth, your truth, set me free."
Now, with our heads still bowed, I want you to repeat these truths with me aloud in all of our 20 campuses, including those of you online. I want you to say this aloud with your head bowed. Say this: "Because of Jesus." Just say that. "Because of Jesus, I am completely accepted. I am extremely valuable. I am eternally loved. I am completely forgiven. And I am fully capable." Amen.