Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Identity Crisis

Our society as a whole and many people in our society are going through an identity crisis. The question many people are asking is who am I?
Many in an effort to answer that question go on a journey to find themselves -- maybe a physical journey a relationship.........
You will fine some folks going to a psychologist who may help them answer this question as to their identity. But I am convinced that this is the wrong question to be asking. The question that we should be asking is, who is God?
Genesis 12:2-3. states that Abraham had an encounter with God, vs, 2 state that God spoke to Abraham "I will make you a great nation, I will bless you and anyone that bless you I will bless him, and anyone that curse you I will curse him.
Jacob had an encounter with an angel of God. Genesis 22 vs 24-28. The angel asked Jacob, "What is you name?" and Jacob answered "My name is Jacob" the name Jacobs means a deceiver. The angel said to him "From today your name shall no longer be called Jacob but Israel".
According to the book of Genesis 37:5 Joseph had an encounter with God in a dream.
And over 3,000 years ago an 80 year-old man was standing on a mountain in the Sinai desert according to the book of Exodus Chapter 10-30, Moses was standing before the burning bush -- his sandals were off because he was standing on holy ground. And God told Moses that he had been chosen to deliver God’s people from Egypt. "BUT MOSES SAID TO GOD, `WHO AM I THAT I SHOULD GO TO PHARAOH AND BRING THE ISRAELITES OUT OF EGYPT..’"And God did not answer Moses question as to his identity, but rather told Moses that the God who is will be with him.
I believe that man’s fundamental problem is not a "self identity crisis" -- it is a God identity crisis -- If we want to know who we are -- then we need to know who God is.... When we find out who God is -- then and only then will we know who we are...
This question was asked by Jesus 2,000 years ago -- and it is still be asked today WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM? This question has to do with the identity of Jesus -- In the 16th chapter of Matthew, we find Jesus and the disciples traveling into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, and as they were going along, Jesus paused and asked the men a couple of intriguing questions. First, He wanted to know who others thought He was, and then He wanted to know who they thought He was.
The most important things we will ever do in this life and the most important decisions we will ever make hinge on those questions,
Peter said, "You are the Christ." In other words, you are the Messiah, the Anointed One of God.
The name Christ is the official title of our Lord, occurring 514 times in the New Testament. It means that He was anointed or consecrated to His great redemptive work as Prophet, Priest, and King. He is Jesus the Christ. To believe that "Jesus is the Christ" is to believe that He is the Anointed, the Messiah of the prophets, the Savior sent of God.
The scripture tells us that Joseph the carpenter, the husband of Mary, the stepfather of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was also the father of James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. In Mark 3:21, Jesus’ brothers were ready to take Him away as a crazy man. In John 7:3-5, his brothers mocked Him, and it says point-blank that they did not believe in Him. Moreover, this was while it was popular and safe to be one of Jesus' disciples.
However, something changed after He had died, rose from the dead, and returned to heaven. Acts 1:14 says that Jesus' brothers were among those who were praying in the upper room, waiting for the Spirit to be given. It does not say "some of Jesus' brothers." It says, "Jesus' brothers." That means all of them, all four of them. Now that Jesus had been condemned and executed as a blasphemer, now that being a follower of Christ was not quite so safe anymore, now His brothers are following Him. They were being right up front with their faith in Jesus. I Corinthians 9:5 say they all married Christian women. Moreover, it is commonly believed that James, the Lord’s brother, wrote the epistle of James and that Judas, the Lord’s brother, wrote the epistle of Jude. These are the same men who, a couple of years before were mocking Him and thought He was insane. What happened to turn these people around?
Is it because He rose from the dead?
The Bible says that Jesus is Lord.
· He is our comforter
· He is our advisor
· He is our mediator
· He is our advocate
· He is our strength
· He is our inspiration
· He is our protector
· He is our provider
· He is our shepherd
· He is our master
· He is our peace. Who is He to you?

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