Sermons
Who ARE We?
Series: Such a Time as ThisLink to sermon video: Who ARE We? - L Siegle
Such a Time as This…
(Esther 4:14)
Thesis: The Importance of our spiritual identity for ‘Such a time as this.’
INTRODUCTION
1. The title of this series is Such a Time as This. is, Who are WE?
2. Asking the question: “Who are we?” is not simply saying, “What brand of church is the Cortland congregation?”
a. If someone can find a “category” or define certain characteristics, then it becomes possible to put a label on our
identity--as a people.
b. In the grocery stores there are ‘brand name’ products (Del Monte, Tide, Coke, Pepsi, Doritos, Campbells), and then you have what are considered ‘generic’ labels (no brand name).
3. Churches over the centuries have been designated by brand name (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic).
a. In recent decades, many have dropped the ‘brand name’ in favor of a more ‘generic’ designation (Community
Church, Bible Fellowship, etc).
b. In the first century, there was confusion over the designation of who or what the followers of Jesus should be
known as:
1) The disciples of Jesus were being called ‘The Way’ (Acts 9:1, 2)--many saw this group as simply another ‘way’
of practicing Judaism (Pharisees, Sadducees Essenes).
2) The designation ‘Christians’ (Acts 11:26; 26:26; I Pet. 4:16) is only found three times in the NT.
4. The church building outside here says, “Cortland Church of Christ”--but what does that mean to those who pass by?
a. The time for brand names as the means of defining who we are, and what we teach must be laid aside.
1) In the 1980’s someone gave me a copy of the book, ‘I Just Want to Be a Christian’
2) I went into a building that said, “The church of Christ meets here”--A.G. Hobbs tracts were everywhere and I
grabbed all of them, took them home and read them, with an open Bible. There were 50 tracts about various
subjects and I read every one of them.
b. I was not looking for a brand name, I was looking for truth and consistency with what the Scriptures taught.
IDENTITY IN CHIRST
1. During the month of June we are going to step back and ask ourselves, who are we? Why are we here? Where are
we going? as a congregation.
2. Churches all around are dwindling, dying on the vine--a slow and painful death over time.
a. Balaam was sent to curse God’s people, but when he opened his mouth only words of blessing came out (Num.
24:1-4)
b. Balaam had “eyes wide open” to the true identity of God’s people.
c. Our investigation into our identity is not going to be a “creed rehersal”--but rather to think about our purpose for
existence as a congregation in this location.
LOSS OF IDENTITY
1. If someone asks us a question about what we understand the Scriptures to teach, are we prepared to provide them
with answers from the text? (Col. 4:6; I Pet. 3:15-17).
2. The book of Acts describes the spread of the gospel in the first century (Acts. 1:8). The people of “all nations”
(Genesis 10, 11) were being reached with the “gospel of Christ” (Rom. 1:16).
a. During the “last days” (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21), God was calling on Israel to repent, and gathering a “remnant” (Rom. 11:5), and the “nations” were being given the opportunity to respond (Rom. 11:11).
b. For Israel, the inclusion of the gentiles would result in “resurrection” from the dead (Rom. 11:15).
c. The “fulness of the gentiles” (Rom. 11:25)--calling to the “scattered” nations of Genesis 10 who had been “given
over” for a time were being called back and accepted into the heart of God--a “fulness” of them.
d. The “remnant” of “all Israel” would be “saved” (delivered) (Rom. 11:26, 27)--forgiveness and the redemptive work
of God was completed.
3. During the time between the Cross and the “end of the age” (Matt. 24:3), some of the Jewish believers had become
discouraged, were beginning to ‘let go’ of their faith and hope of the gospel.
4. They were experiencing an ‘identity crisis’--no longer knowing and understanding who they were, and what God was
doing.
5. In our series this month, we are going to examine ourselves (II Cor. 13:5)--to see if we know who we really are? Why
are we here? Where are we going?
HEBREWS IN THE ‘LAST DAYS’
1. The entire letter of Hebrews was written to people who were in the midst of an ‘identity crisis’ who needed to awaken
and understand the times and the season in which they were living.
2. Christ is at the very “center” of our identity (Heb. 1:1-4).
a. The stance and completeness of every believer is “in Christ” (Col. 2:8-10).
b. The very substance of our identity is the understanding that we “have it ALL IN JESUS”--
1) philosophy
2) empty deceit
3) tradition of men
4) principles of the world
c. None of those elements could be a substitute for being “complete in Him” (made full, whole, totality).
1) Christ is the Alpha and Omega (beginning and end) (Rev. 1:8, 11; 21:6; 22:13).
2) The author and finisher of faith (Heb. 12:2).
GOD SPEAKS
1. From the beginning God spoke in various ways (Heb. 1:1)
2. Christ is God’s “final” Word (Heb. 1:1; John 1:1, 14; Rev. 19:11-16).
3. The message to the Hebrew believers was to continue looking to Jesus and to not let go of their faith no matter how
difficult the circumstances of life might become.
a. There is a current trend in our world to discount the things of God, reject the testimony of Scripture, to relegate what is written into being “myth, legend, fairytale, fabrication”
b. The arguments of unbelievers are exactly the same as they have always been, there is “nothing new under the
sun” but people are being persuaded that there is “no God”--yet they have no answers to the basis questions of
human existence and purpose.
1) We are just here in outer space, we have no idea how we got here, why we are here, or where we are going.
2) We are born, we live for a short period of time, we die and cease to exist.
c. It was God who “made the ages” (Heb. 1:2) and upholds “all things” by the “word of His power” (Heb. 1:3)
4. God is calling on us to take this message to the world and to provide the only source of answers that make any sense.
GOD’S PURPOSE OF THE AGES
1. The Bible provides a genuine sense of purpose for our being here.
2. Many “sons to glory” (Heb. 2:10-18).
CONCLUSION
1. What does it mean that God was going to bring “many sons” into glory?
2. What does this say about our identity “in Christ”?
3. What does this mean in the context of where we are in history and what must be done to reach the people and
nations around us?
