Who do you say that I am? Matthew 16:13–18

Ga 3:26-29 ...for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

Identity

Beyond Identity - Introduction

The origins of human identity begin in Genesis 1.  This sermon explores three identity absolutes clearly established in scripture: Humans are images bearers of God, God’s image is reflected in two distinct genders, and two genders are united in marriage.  This is the garden from which our Identities were created to grow

The Biblical Text is Genesis 1:26–28
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

3 Identity Linchpins

A combination of a history lesson, sermon, and self-examination related to our identity.  Can our fallen identity change?  What does our name express about our identity?

Changing Your Identity

Matthew 1:1-17 Genealogy

Mt 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, 

“If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” 

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” 

7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 

10Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” 

11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Mt 4:1 - 11 The Temptation Of Christ

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

The righteousness we seek is found in a relationship with others - man and wife, parents and children, merchant and customers, ruler and citizens, and ultimately - at the very top - in a relationship between God and man.  Christ said as much when he summarized the law as the love of God and neighbor.  I pray that we would see righteousness more in the character of our relationships than in the enforcement of our morality.

Mt 5:6 Blessed Appetite

Mt 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

The Peacemaker

Mt5:9 The Peacemaker

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Divorce

Mt 5:31-32 Divorce

Righteous Prayer

Mt 6:5-15 Righteous Prayer KH

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 

3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Judge Not

Mt 7:1-6 Judge Not

Mt 7:7-11 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Ask Seek Knock

Mt 7:7-11 Ask Seek Knock

Text Mt 7:12–14 
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Narrow Way

Mt 7:12-14 The Narrow Way

Mt 7:15–23 True and False Disciples
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. 

I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Mt 7:15-22 False Prophets

Christ leads the crowds off the mountaintop and into the valley to do the work of the King.

Mt 7:28 - 8:17 Authority Over Sickness

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.

Advent of Peace

Advent Of Peace

2025 Series Introduction

The destiny of Christians includes a plan of salvation that has been the the focus of prophecy throughout the Old Testament.

1 Pe 1:10-11 Prophecy and the Plan of Salvation

The kingdom will not be built by rebeling against

1 Pe 3:1-12 Power of Submission Part 3

1 Peter 3:18-22 The Model of Suffering

1 Pe 4:1-6 Finding Purpose in Suffering

1 Pe 4:7-11 Christian Responsibility in Suffering

1 Pe 4:12-19 Consolation in Suffering

1 Pe 5-1-11 Established Through Suffering

1 Pe 5:12-14 Stand Firm in Grace

1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, 

To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 

2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 

2 Pe 1:1-3 An Introduction

Participation in the divine nature is a foundational protection against false teachers.

2 Pe 2:3-11 The Divine Nature

Our faith is safeguarded by the story of Jesus and our faith in the coming king.

2 Peter 1:11-18 Guarded in the Story of Christ

Peter begins to describe false teachers.  They are predictable, corrupt and destructive.  We must stand against these inevitable realities by living as Christ, trusting in the testimony of the Apostles and the great cloud of witnesses, and by believing in the authority of God's revealed word.

Highland Springs Church

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