Who Am I? (Part 4)

I Am a New Creation in Christ

Introduction

• Identity is the qualities, beliefs, personality traits, appearance, and/or expressions that characterize a person or group.
• “Identities tell us who we are and they announce to others who we are” (Peter Burke).
• Our identities guide behavior and inform how we are “supposed” to act.
• Who Am I? I am a New Creation in Christ (2 Co 5:17).

I.   The Purpose of Creation

• God Created the Universe to Bear Witness to His Glory (Psalm 19:1-3).
• God Created Humanity to be His Image Bearers in the World (Genesis 1:26-30; Psalm 8).
• Humanity’s Purpose is to Serve as Priests and Kings (Exodus 19:5-6).
• Priests (Intermediaries with All of Creation).
• Kings (To Reign in God’s Place – Vice-Regents)

II.  The Marring of Creation

• Abdication of and Disqualification from our Vocation
• Genesis Account (Genesis 3:11-20); Natural Evil
• Paul’s Account (Romans 1:20-32); Moral Evil

III. The Restoration of Creation

• Early Hints – Protevangelium (Genesis 3:15)
• Call of Abraham/Israel (Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6)
• Fulfillment in Jesus (Romans 8:18-24; 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Conclusion/Applications

• We were Created to Bear Witness of God’s Goodness and Glory – to serve as Priests and Kings.
• As Sinful Humans we have Marred God’s Creation.
• Jesus has Restored us to our Original Vocation (1 Peter 2:9).
• This is My Identity in Christ! (To be Continued…)

Sunday’s lesson will be my penultimate lesson in the series, Who Am I? My Identity in Christ. It is actually a two-parter; I will conclude this lesson and the series the following week. Last week, we explored Paul’s understanding of what it means to be crucified with Christ.  We concluded that, in baptism, our old sinful self died with Christ along with the guilt and penalty for sin. When we rose from the water, we embraced the newness of life he gives. From that point on we consider ourselves dead to the practice of sin and alive to the life Jesus wants us to live.  This is part of what Jesus meant when he said we are to take up our cross daily and follow him.

This week we will begin an examination of 2 Corinthians 5:17 and what it means to be a new creation in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

If we want to know what it means to be a new creation, we need to understand the purpose of God’s original creation, our divine vocation as human beings, the marring of God’s perfect creation by our sinful rebellion, and God’s loving work to restore us and the cosmos to his original intent.  As I mentioned, this is a two-part lesson.  This week we will look at the biblical theology of creation and renewal and next week we will examine the practical applications.

Come join us!    Joey