Welcome to part three of the series “Who I Am In Christ”.
Over the past two sessions you have learned that you are accepted in Christ and that you have security in Christ. Today we are going to look at your significance in Christ.
This is not a self-esteem message. This message is not one of those build you up and make you feel good about yourself messages. This is a message about your significance in Christ. This is far different than feeling that you are significant in this world or to yourself.
Christ bought you at a high price. This purchase price gives you a great deal of significance because of who you now belong to.
This is not a self-accomplishment. Christ paid the price for you long before you were born. He did His work for you and all you have to do is accept what He has done and live in His work of Grace. You must accept His work by faith because you cannot earn it from Him. You can’t earn anything that is freely offered to you.
Now that you have accepted what Christ has done for you, you can begin living the significant life that God has given you in Christ.
How does one live the significant life? You must know who you are in Christ. When you know who you are you have the inner power to live up to your high calling.
Matthew 13:14 (I am salt and light)
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
Our significance can be found in being Salt and Light.
The Christian adds a flavor to this world that it needs. The Christian also brings light into this dark world.
See the Christian is different than the natural spirited person. The Christian is an alien, stranger and foreigner in this world but the Christian is here for a purpose.
Christ has given the Christian His Spirit to illuminate the world. He has placed the Christian in the world to season it in a different manner than it has ever been seasoned before He sent His Spirit.
Jesus was going to do something that would change the world. It started the day of Pentecost and has continued throughout the last two millennia. We may not totally understand His work but when you see a person that has been filled with Christ you see that he is different than the person filled with self.
In our world today, isn’t it great to run across people that are not totally filled with self?
They are like a light in a dark world. They are like a burst of flavor that has been added to your favorite meal. You find yourself wanting more of this new thing.
That is what the Christian is to be like.
John 15:5 (I am a branch of the true vine)
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
When it comes to being a Christian we must be in Christ and He must be in us.
There are many ways to do good works in our world. But if you are going to do Kingdom work that will last for all eternity you must be in Christ.
Apart from Christ you cannot do anything that will count for the kingdom of God.
You cannot draw people to Christ and His Kingdom if you are separated from Christ. Only people who are in Christ know Christ in an spiritual manner. You may be able to read Scripture to someone and you may be able to tell them how to live a better life, but apart from Christ you are fooling yourself.
People that are separated from Christ cannot do kingdom work because they are not interested in people knowing the King they know. They may want to make people better in this world but this world is their focus.
Christians, those attached to the vine, want others to be grafted in also. They want people to come to Christ not just a better behavior. They want people to be saved by the Savior into the kingdom not just acting like better citizens of this world.
You must be in the vine if you are going to produce kingdom fruit.
John 15:16 (I am chosen and appointed to bear fruit)
16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
Once again we need to understand that we were chosen in Christ before we were ever born. How do I know this? Christ died for me while I was still a sinner. He died for me long before I ever came into the world. It was His desire that I come to Him 2000 years ago at the cross.
I didn’t know and understand this before I came to Him. Now that I have come to Him I see, know and understand how true this is.
Since I was chosen, God must have had a plan for me. I didn’t know the plan but now that I know Christ He has placed a new path before me. This path is toward Him while leading others to Him also.
God has given us the Name of Jesus to lead others to the only Name by which man can be saved. He has called us unto Himself and allows us to produce lasting fruit in Jesus Name. He has appointed us, through our faith and salvation, to do these good works.
Your significance is found in Christ and His appointed mission for your life.
Wouldn’t it be a great blessing to know that you were used in drawing someone to their eternal life in Christ?
Acts 1:8 (I am a witness of Christ)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
We, as humans, naturally desire power. We want power over others. We want power to get things done and accomplish our desires. This is not the power Christ gives us.
Christ empowers us to live in a manner worthy of our high calling. He gives us power to reach others for His kingdom. He does not give us power and authority over and above others. The power He gives us enables us to overcome the ways of this world.
See, the Christian who has the Holy Spirit living in him is a new creation. He is a new creature. This new creature has put to death his old life at the cross crucifying his own passions and desires. Birthed into the Christian, by the impartation of the Holy Spirit, is a new life. A life destined for God’s kingdom. Since we are headed for God’s kingdom we should desire that those around us accompany us on our journey into this new realm.
We are witnesses of the transformation that happens when a person comes to Christ and is given the Holy Spirit. As witnesses we want to share what we have come to see and know with those around us. How’s your witness?
1 Corinthians 3:16 (I am God’s temple)
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
Christians filled with the Holy Spirit make up the true temple of God. If you have been reborn into God’s kingdom via the impartation of the Holy Spirit you are a part of the temple. You are one of the living stones that make it a reality.
2 Corinthians 6:1 (I am God’s co-worker)
As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
Once again your significance is found in Christ. In Christ you are a co-worker with God. You are a part of His ministry team. Peter tells us that we are a part of the royal priesthood. That’s not something that is only for the pastors and teachers. The royal priesthood is for all the witnesses that are in the vine. We have been grafted into Christ. We have been given a new Spirit. We have been chosen and called for the work of ministry. Now we are co-workers with god for the building of His kingdom. Are you prepared for the duty God has called you to?
Ephesians 2:6 (I am seated with Christ)
6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
Maybe we would be better prepared if we knew who we really are in Christ. This is why I have chosen to do this series. I want you to know who you are so you can have the power to do that which you have been called to do.
It’s much easier to teach, witness and testify to something you know rather than something you have just heard or read about. Your teaching authority comes from your experiential knowledge. It’s hard to teach the Word and ways of God if you haven’t experienced His work in your life. If you know Christ you will desire to make Him known. If you know about Christ you can spread information about Him but not really introduce someone to Him. You must know Christ if you are going to make Him known to others.
Ephesians 2:10 (I am God’s masterpiece)
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago
Have you ever approached God in prayer and asked Him to reveal to you what He has planned for you.
God, what have you recreated me for? What is it that you have for me to do? Am I doing you will or should I be prepared to change my plans to fulfill your plan for me?
This is quite a prayer. You just never know, God might throw you into the midst of a great work for His kingdom.
Ephesians 3:12 (I am welcome before God)
12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence
Don’t shy away from God. Your significance is found in Him and doing His will for your life. Approach Him boldly and confidently, Walk into His presence and ask Him to show you His plan for your life.
Philippians 4:13 (I am strong in Christ)
13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Once again, don’t shy away. Christ will give you the strength and power to accomplish everything He has planned for you.
Do you want to know God’s plan for your life? Are you scared of what He may ask of you? Are you unsure you want to follow the Lord into His kingdom work? It’s time to step up to God’s plan and find your significance in what He has to offer.
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 ( I am so much in Christ that it’s hard to comprehend it all)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
WOW!!!
If you have not yet found you significance in Christ Jesus it’s time for you to be reconciled to Him.
It’s time for you to come back to Him and ask Him to begin leading you into the future He has planned for you.
I’m willing to say that it’s safer to be walking in God’s plan than one of your own. The Scriptures testify to all His miraculous work. He is able to work things together and make things to become that we cannot do. Since I don’t have the power to make things work out for me, I have found that following God’s plan allows me to be a witness to His work and He is the one working all things together.
Do you trust the Lord?
Do you trust Him enough to give yourself to Him?
Do you trust Him enough to submit your will to His and follow His leading rather that your desire?
The 33 passages I have put before you over the past three weeks have made you aware of your acceptance in Christ. The have shown you the assurance and security you have in Christ. Today they have led you to find your significance in Christ.
Are you ready for this journey?
Next week we will start a series about the traits of a new creature that is in Christ.
But for today I want to challenge you to boldly approach God and ask Him to show you His plan for your life.
Hang on the ride might just lead you into some amazing Kingdom work.
