Healthy Spiritual Community – Builds a Healthy Identity

Everyone has an identity, and most of us have experienced an identity crisis at some point in our lives. Today we get to look at a passage of Scripture that I believe describes how the Gentile believers in Ephesians were discovering their new identity in Christ and the basis for that identity. The powerful thing about God’s Word is that it also reveals to us three critical areas that need to be understood and addressed in order to have a healthy identity.

Your identity defines you – Your identity is like a sculpture or a painting. For most of us it is a work in process, for others it is virtually complete. The younger you are, the fresher your paint is. Because your identity is only partially formed . Everyone has an identity, but not everyone has a healthy identity.

A good exercise is to simply answer two questions: who are you and what are you living for? The answers that flow from your thoughts are good indicators of your perceived identity. This does not mean that you have to stay that way; in fact God wants to challenge how you see yourself, and what you might think you are living for.

Our culture tends to influence us to try and form our self-image around our possessions, our positions, and our pleasures. I can easily buy into the mindset that if I have a lot of valuable possessions, then I am a valuable person and my things define me. You might hear someone say, “I’m the guy who drives the Vet, the Mercedes, the VW bus”. Oh yea, we like to define ourselves by what we have, or by what position we hold. “I’m the guy who’s in charge, I’m the boss, the owner, the Dr., the chief”, whatever. Pleasure or one’s competency can also play into one’s identity. I’m the “athlete”, the “artist”, the “life of the party”. All of these can create an identity, but not a spiritually healthy one. Take a few minutes and ask yourself which of these influencers have defined you. Be deeply honest; don’t just fly by this exercise. What has defined you? Is it your family name, your accomplishments, your relationships? I’m “so-n-so’s friend.” Are you a name dropper? Do you seek knowingly or unconsciously to boost your self-image by dropping names of important people you have worked with, known, or have at least seen across a crowded room?

Our text would lead us to understand three important components of a healthy identity – knowing what to build your identity on, with and for.

1.  Knowing what to build your identity on. After contrasting the old identity with the new identity: Old- “foreigners and aliens.” New- “God’s people and members of His household,” Paul reminds us that a strong foundation is critical for a strong house, and that our foundation is comprised of a couple of things. The “apostles and prophets” is his way of saying that the truth which was passed on to us from those who were with Christ. What they said about Jesus is the basis for our belief. Their words are written in the Bible. Without revelation, we are in the dark. The better the revelation, the better the  impact. Paul ties the salvation that comes through Christ to this revelation – the chief cornerstone. The cornerstones were the most significant parts of a first century building, and the “chief” cornerstone was obviously the most important. Read the following passages and draw 2-3 conclusions about the value of an effective spiritual foundation, 1 Peter 2:4-8, 1 Cor. 3:10-11, and Matt. 7:24-27. Have you or are you going through any kind of identity change? If so, how would you define your old and new identities?
2. Knowing what to build with. We are the building material. A pile of lumber does no good if it isn’t being utilized for a project of some kind. If you are building material, what is the project that God is currently using you to construct? If you are not being utilized, how would that affect your self-image or your identity? What do 1 Peter 2:4-5 and 4:10 say about your utility? What is the significance of the “body of Christ” metaphor and the “building” metaphor? What would each suggest when it comes to finding one’s “fit?” 
3. Knowing what to build for. The bottom line for every believer and believing community is that God has called us for the purpose of revealing who He is to the world around us. How do the following passages affirm this and how is this purpose becoming a greater reality in your own life, John 17:20-21; 1 Peter 2:8-10; Eph. 4:11-16, & 23?

If you are not already doing so, start to build some community with those around you. Review your answers with a few friends and pray for each other to find your unique fit.

In His Love,

Pastor Jeff

Healthy Spiritual Community – Produces Peacemakers

Healthy Spiritual Community can be clearly seen and identified by what it yields.  Just as a dysfunctional family produces its own dysfunction over and over, a healthy functional family produces healthy behavior.  That is essentially what Jesus was saying in Matthew 7:16-20, “ You will recognize them by their fruits.  Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit… Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”  If we are going to be called “Sons of God”, Jesus says it’ll happen because of our ability to be peacemakers, (Matthew 5:9).  As a church if we are known as being combative, argumentative, judgmental and prejudiced then we have some serious problems that need to be dealt with.  If you, as an individual, are not experiencing greater levels of peace, you too have to look closely at what is being planted and cultivated in your own life. 

Ephesians 2:11-18 helps us to understand the “Purpose” of Christ’s coming and how it is inextricably tied to the power of peace .  I love verse 15b—”His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross.”  This “one new man” is often confused to be Jesus, that’s not what he is saying, but rather it is the new man, new body, that will be the new display of God’s presence on earth, the Church, the body of Christ.  I guess in one way it is Jesus, it is Jesus being seen through us as we are his peacemakers, The Sons of God.  When we work out our problems, when we speak well of one another, when we build bridges instead of walls, we add to the potency of God’s presence on earth.

So how can we get better at being peacemakers?  First, it’s important to “Empathize”.  If you cannot feel the pain of someone else you are not likely to have any compulsion to reach out to them.  Conversely, when you feel their pain you are much more inclined to do something about their pain.  Look up  the following passages and make a note or two about how they might stir empathy:  Titus 3:3-7, Colossians 1:13, 21-22 and Philippians 3:18.

Second, we have to “Prioritize” our relational connection to Christ.  When we are experiencing the peace of Christ we will be much more inclined to dispense the peace of Christ.  Two things about this—I must prioritize to have time with Christ and I must prioritize my thoughts to be set on Christ.  You are in control of your time and your thoughts.  No person will ever accomplish the peace of Christ without giving Him a greater piece of their time and thoughts.  Look up each of the following passages and see how they relate:  Philippians 4:6-7, 2 Corinthians 10:5 & Colossians 3:1-2.

Third, we have to “Emphasize” relationships over rules.  One of the major mistakes of religion is to try and relegate faith to a set of rules.  This propensity will produce an external form of piety but it will always leave a gap between appearance and reality.  Rules will never make me more like Jesus.  Restrictive and damaging legalism will sooner or later value the rules over the people.  Where or how have you experienced “rule keeping” that lost its connection to God’s heart?

Lastly, we have to “Organize” for peace to spread.  That is the Church’s job.  When we are functioning well, it shows. The only reason to organize something is to better accomplish its intended purpose.  Have you ever endured being a part of something poorly organized?  What did that feel like?  In contrast what is experienced when something is organized well and runs smoothly?  Share your answers with a friend and challenge one another to ask yourselves how you are cooperating with the “Work of the Church.“  How do these verses exhort us to find our place in God’s work for peace:  Colossians 3:15-17, 1 Peter 4:10 & Romans 12:4-8?

In His Love,

Pastor Jeff