James Houston wrote this paragraph saying, “Behind much of the rat-race of modern life is the unexamined assumption that what I do determines who I am. In this way, we define ourselves by what we do, rather than by any quality of what we are inside. It is typical in a party for one stranger to approach another with the question "What do you do?" Perhaps we wouldn't have a clue how to reply to the deeper question, "Who are you?" So is it more important to say what do we do or say who are we?
Let me ask you, as Christians, are we required to do impossible feats? Are we to make impossible promises? Are we to do work for God in impossible ways? Let me just say that we do not have to climb the highest mountain to find God. We do not have to walk over fiery hot coals to seek God. We do not have to search the darkest places on earth to be among God. And then, we do not have to face death in order to experience God. I have said this before—all the stars in the heavens does not have to line up just right in order for us to find God. It is, however, by His design, that we each listen and follow His will in order for us to do the impossible. By His will and purpose, this is where we succeed whereby Christs strength is perfected in weakness, in the impossible. IF we are to climb the highest mountain or walk on the hottest coals or even nearly face death; it all shall be done according to God’s Holy and majestic will for our good, not our demise. Whats best for us. So let me ask you. We being God’s Holy people, you and me, who tells us who we are? Does God tell us based upon His promises, words and spirit, or does the world with its impossible measuring stick to where we could never meet up with? This is where my friends I would like to speak to today in titling the message Who Tells You Who You Are! Whom do we listen and believe upon!
In my younger years in searching for Christ, I remember attending a local monastery a few times on the weekends. While I participated in the activities with the monks, I had an experience with God that I never forgot. You see, I came searching. I came with an open heart and mind to seek Christ and learn more of Christ. Then upon my second weekend, about 2 or so in the morning as I was doing my prayers, the Holy Spirit said, “Donald, why are you here? You can worship me anywhere!” And boy did I not feel so unorthodox. I immediately grabbed all the gear, and drove home in the middle of the night, praising God all the way. And it taught me that its God who tells me who I am and its God who I worship and serve everywhere, not just in a monastery or even at my homes. We get a sense of this in Paul’s epistle to the Romans in chapter 10 and we see Jesus in Gospel of Luke, who separated Himself from the world in order to begin His ministry. This is where Jesus’ vocation was tested. His proclamation was being refined. And even though God told me that I can worship and praise God anywhere I went, being at the monastery was part of God’s plan for me to learn to listen to God who I was, regardless of where I was. In the desert or at home. And Jesus, being sent into the wilderness, He knew who he was in God, which required Him to be put to the test. This my friends is the core principle of what we are as Christians, as one of the most important questions we can ask in our lives, “Who tells us who you are.”
In Pauls epistle to the Romans, chapter 10, we find a very distinct proclamation whereas Paul says in paraphrasing, people want to experience God, understand why we are here and even having a passion to serve God, but they are missing the point. Verse 10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. If I was to paraphrase even more here, I would say Paul is saying mankind seeks to do good, but by false means; even bordering for evil purposes. You see Israels failure has always been to ask God for help after they deliberately disobeyed Him. This seems to become a pattern. So, let me ask you this morning, can you define what righteousness is? The Greek word used here (dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay) literally means justice, authentic and divine truth in justice. Paul is also telling us today friends, if we are listening to others, including ourselves, in defining who we are in Christ, then what is the point of faith? If we go to verse 4 Paul tells us For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Wow!
Let me try to explain it further. The Jewish people had all the knowledge that was necessary; in the law and the prophets. They had read the material, experienced God’s justice, grace and mercy and in addition had had a preparation that should have trained them to recognized what God was doing for them in Christ. But as verse 3 stated, seeking to establish their own righteousness; the people was determined to be good without becoming indebted to God! In other words, we want God’s love, blessing and mercy but without any sacrifice, any loss of values to our way of life, etc. Does this sound familiar? As Christians, who tells us who we are? Are we opening our doors to worldly views or wisdom to help fill in the gaps in our spiritual journey, or are we truly being zealous for God in wanting, desiring and relishing His existence and opening His will and purpose for our very lives? I got some news for you, friends. When we ignore God’s fundamental spirit and Holy words, we will not succeed regardless of what we think or even know. What seems to be forgotten is the end of the law is where Christ began! Verse 4 again says For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
But as we continue, Paul gives some other descriptors that indicate, in paraphrasing, if we go up to heaven, to bring Christ down to us and if we descend into Hell to bring Christ from the dead, both has already been done! Christ was raised from the dead and descended to us from heaven by His spirit. So where is the faith? You see friends, verse 5 tells us For Moses writes of the righteousness that is based on the Law, that the person who performs them will live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks. But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Think on it this morning. Who tells us who we are? Its God and God alone! But maybe that’s not enough. Maybe you need more proof that God is God! When God tells you something, do you really believe it, or are you immediately drawn towards doubt? It seems, we live in a world where we need facts and evidence in order to really believe anymore; whereas God tells us we are to live by faith! Jesus’ temptations in the desert was very profound in the sense of evidence. Satan says, “Since you are the so-called Son of God, prove it!” Give us some solid evidence that you are who the heavenly voice said you were. We need facts. Proof. Turn these stones into bread. Take over and then transform all the nations of the world and their politics. Throw yourself down from the pinnacle of this temple. Come on Jesus, act like the Son of God. Give those poor, struggling believers who sit in the pew Sunday after Sunday and hear about you, some solid, visible, tangible proof that you are indeed, the Son of God. In other words, Satan’s temptations for each of us today is directly related to Jesus’ true identity. Who He is.
What is your identity? Who am I? Who do I want to be? It’s when we ask questions like these, at the beginning, that Satan is often most active. Whether the wilderness is in Judea or your back yard. If your wilderness is in the hospital or on your couch with a box of tissues. If you want to know who you are and who tells you that, most of the time its in the wilderness of life. This is where Jesus was. Alone with His Heavenly father. All the time that Jesus Himself was tempted, what did he do to reject Satan? He quotes God’s Holy Words. Who are Christians? Those who gather and allow the saints, and scripture, to tell us who we are. Just like you are doing now, opening scripture and listening. It makes all the difference in the world, when you are at the beginning of life or at the end, whether you are in some classroom or boardroom, to answer faithfully the question, “Who tells you who you are?” II TIMOTHY 3:14
You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them.