I am in Christ

Ch 2, "Who Do You Think You Are" by, Mark Driscoll

June 11 Mon - Mt 12; Lk 6

June 12 Tues - 1 Cor 15

June 13 Wed - John 14-15

June 14 Thr – Col 1

June 15 Fri - Eph 1

June 16 Sat – Mt 7

PRAYER: A - Adoration (prayer of centering; focus on God's goodness)

C - Confession (prayer of repentance and asking for God's forgiveness)

T - Thanksgiving (prayer of gratefulness, content, joy, avoiding pessimism)

S - Supplication (prayer for others; then pray for yourself)

S - STOP and listen... give God some time to speak to you --- end with the LORD'S PRAYER

I. Your Identity Shapes Your Quality-Health of Life: Attitude, Speech, and Behavior

- Unhealthy Identity yields - Bad attitude, Bad Speech, Bad Behavior

vs. Healthy Identity yields - Good Attitude, Good Speech, Good Behavior

How is this? Your Heart (Inner Self), Identity + "Fruit" are Inseparably Aligned

a. Mt 12:34, "Out of the heart, the mouth speaks"; "good fruit" = from the heart

b. Lk 6:43-45, "Good comes from the "inner self""

c. The Fruit Tree: "Fruit Comes from the Root" - Root = Ultimate Concerns

Attitude, Speech + Behavior - "Fruit" that comes from the heart

Shallow Issues - Who/What of little depth to you

Values/Priorities - Who/What is important to you

Ultimate Concerns - Who/What defines you

II. Ultimate Concerns = We worship what we "believe in", trust, think will fix us, etc

1 Cor 15:45-48, "The nature of the person made of dust is shared by people who are made of dust, and the nature of the heavenly person is shared by heavenly people: 2 Choices (2 teams):

1. The 1st Adam vs. 2. The 2nd Adam

a. 1st Adam - chose idolatry (the "apple") over God; I.D.O.L.S (see ch. 1, or last week's sermon online for details): Items. Duties. Others. Longings. Sufferings.

b. Idolatry always leads to suffering! Why? Because idols are false gods

- False gods - you believe in/trust, but can't do what you believe/think

- if False gods are your ULTIMATE CONCERNS, leads to rot/not fruit

vs. The One True God, John 14:6, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life"

John 15:5, "The Vine", and "without Me, you cannot do anything"

III. So, what is the "secret" to bearing Fruit/Abundance in your life?

- Col 1:27, "The secret is Christ IN you." (Christ = your Ultimate Concern vs. idols)

- Mt 7:24-27, Jesus' Metaphor of the House on Rock or Sand (Ultimate Concerns)

IV. Ephesians - book of Identity (Who or what defines you? Who/what is God/god?

- Eph 1:1-14, "In Christ", "In Him" used in almost every verse. Why?

- Context: Ephesian Christians had started strong, but they were being tempted now to return to paganism, idolatry, and their old ways of living/thinking

Paul's Response? That's not who you are! And, Idolatry leads to brokenness

Application? Where do you worship idols as your ultimate concerns, instead of leaning on Christ "in you"? Where are "idols/false gods" tempting you to return to your old ways of thinking/living? How does "Christ in you" change the equation?