True identity

Stolen by Success

This morning we are going to be looking at week 3 in our current series "Identity Theft" We've talked about how r we can be robbed by relationships, how other people can and do effect our relationship with Christ through harsh words, actions and the like. Last week we looked at "mugged by the mirror" and how we ourselves let the images and the expectations we put upon ourselves "steal" us away from what God intended. Today we are going to conclude the series with the idea that our "true identify can be "stolen by success" Sounds weird doesn't it? All our lives we've been geared to succeed. We chase the America dream! I've spent a lot of time around sports, I've see kids berated by parents for striking out in baseball, I've see parents climb in the face of referees, coaches, other parents because they felt their kid didn't get the call, didn't get enough playing time. Is better than everyone else kids.

    I loved when I coached football, I love the sports, and I love the teaching of the kids. And I think I did a great job putting sports in perspective. I have a lot of good memories but there are a few things that just cause me to shutter. Once we were playing this really tough team, we were tied but my defense was very tired and a lot of my players when both ways. So I called my 2^nd team defense (blue team) and told them. Guys I'm about to send you in . . . . Believe that you guys can stop them and not let them score. So I called time-out had my defense coordinator bring them out. . . Let me tell you normally I call my first team Orange and my 2^nd team Blue. This year there was such a great difference in size that I called my 2^nd team the rat pack! I put them in an on the first play! The other team got a first down! But then on the second play . . . yeah . . . they scored another first down! And 4 plays later they had scored a touchdown! as the coaching staff and I walked to locker room for ½ time a couple parents made so really no so nice comments about this isn't "rec" ball and aren't you playing to win. (I'd like to tell you that we won the game and I found those parents and rubbed their faces in it!

    Second story is a couple years later (and not so long) I was coaching, we were in the "red zone" called a gator pass right (we were the gators!) which is just we flood the right side with the wide receiver, halfback and the tight end. Everything when well the tight end was wide open! The QB threw him the ball nice soft spiral that slipped straight threw his hands! What the crowd, coaches and our team all let out that disappointed gasp . . . but what makes me sick to this day was one of my "volunteer dad" coaches says really loud. . ."My Son would have caught that"

    Now make sure you understand there is nothing wrong with success. It's a good thing to success. It's a good thing to be the best at something whether its business, sports or whatever. That's not what I'm talking about, success at any cost, no matter who we run over, no matter who we have to cut for it success. Success that breaks down families, marriages, friendships and most importantly spiritual lives! For those of you that remember the Harry Ch__in song "cat's in the cradle

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

 

1. The Trap of Counterfeit Success
   

   We've seen it and heard it before: You can tell the ___ of a boy by the size of his toys! He who dies with the most stuff wins! I want it all! I love the commercial with the guy who is taking care of his lawn / pool / house and with a plastered grin says. . ."I drowning in debt!" Help me! We know people that have lost wives, families' friends just to succeed. That's the fake or counterfeit life the world. That's why these people find that success is like chancing the wind.
   

   1. The "truth about Stuff" Remember our friend Solomon noted in biblical history as the wisest man ever. He wrote most of the proverbs we have. but he also wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. In today's vernacular is his blog! But listen to what he says about:
      

      These are the words of the Quester, David's son and king in Jerusalem Smoke, nothing but smoke. [That's what the Quester says.] There's nothing to anything—it's all smoke. What's there to show for a lifetime of work, a lifetime of working your fingers to the bone? One generation goes its way, the next one arrives, but nothing changes—it's business as usual for old planet earth. Ecclesaties 1:1-5
      

   2. Jesus on worldly success. In the gospels there is a story of a young man that when to see Jesus. He has probably heard of this amazing teacher who was changing lives. So he went to hear this guy. Hearing his message he was impressed he like what he heard. Now this guy appeared to have it all. The gospel writers refer to him as "the rich young ruler" or "rich young man"! Think about people that today are referred to as "rich" (FREEBEE) Maybe there was a little jealously in it when the gospel writers first saw him. Here are these common fishermen, blue color working stiffs. But possibly was it sarcasm in the end?
      

      Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" (verse 16). . . . Jesus said, "Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself."  The young man said, "I've done all that. What's left?" (19&20) . . .
      

      "If you want to give it all you've got," Jesus replied, "go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me."  That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crest-fallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn't bear to let go. Matthew 19:16 &19-22)
      

   3. Living in the spin cycle – when we look at this false idea of success we start with an image. . The image! Having the right stuff, the right adjectives used to describe us. the "right amount in the bank. Members of the right school, neighborhood, club whatever we start chasing this image (maybe it's mirage) we run after it. It consumes us, our affection, or attention, our resources and our thoughts! You know what the bible calls this? Worship! And when something gets to that point then it's the just like the golden calf of the Israelites! And after while this becomes our identity! Not the identity that God had in mind!
      

 

1. God's desire for you
   

   There are times that we see people with different eyes based on role. Sometimes I look at Melody and I see her as a good mom, or an incredible wife. Then the environment changes and I see here as a skilled listener helping people with their problems. I say this not just to get a few brownie points (even though I always need them!) I say this because she doesn't change just the perspective changes. All this is to say that when you think of God what do you think of? To me God takes on many "roles".
   

   1. Who is God really?
      
      1. Creator -In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Genesis 1:1
         
      2. Father-
         Father of orphans, champion of widows, is God in his holy house. Psalms 68:5
         
      3. Patient - God isn't late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change 2 Peter 3:9
         
      4. Protector - You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows Psalms 23:5
         

      These are just a few scripture of part of the character of God. But today we are dealing with success and how it steals away who God's desires us to be.
      

   2. Jealous Lover One of the one of the pictures that is painted with scripture is God as a jealous lover. For a long time that image bothered me mainly because I didn't understand it. When I think jealous lover the two things that come to my mind are "lifetime channel" and restraining order!
      

      
       

      And don't take up with any carved images, no forms of any kind—God, your God, issued clear commands on that. God, your God, is not to be trifled with—he's a consuming fire, a jealous God Deuteronomy 4:24
      

      But what this really shows is the depth of his love for us. It's sort of like middle school "love" in middle school I "dated" a girl mainly because my friend told me to. But before the ink was dry on my trapper keeper proclaiming my love for this girl . . . she broke up with me. And you know what! I didn't shed a tear. . I didn't care. The reason? I wasn't really in love with her! But! If Melody wrote me a note to say she's didn't love me anymore that would destroy me! For us to get the idea that God is a Jealous lover is to understand the depth of his love
      

      I shared this scripture with you last week and hopefully you marked it in your bible but listen again. . . we can't get enough of it!
      

      Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture Romans 8:39
      

      
       

2. True Godly success
   

   We know what false success, we know what God expects, so what it true success? First we talk about Identity this is where we recognized truly who we are. And recognizing it means living it. Knowing the truth isn't living the truth!
   

   1. Identity – child of God, apple of his eye! Remember Jealous lover
      
   2. Intimacy –
      
   3. Image – instead of bowing to a wanna be god you start to reflect the image of your creator. People see you and can see God through you!
      

   And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19
   

    This is our goal.

 

The final questions are you stolen by worldly success? In all my youth minister experience I've asked hundreds of teens. . .so what do you want to be when you graduate college / high school. I've heard lots of answers from construction workers to doctors. From Missionaries to marines, but the one thing I hope that I impressed is that true success is when you are in a loving relationship with God. When you learn to put him first in everything, we need Christian Doctors, Christian construction works.

So as we conclude this series on our true identity I pray that you will seek out who you really are. Maybe today is the day you need to come and for the first time place your trust and hope in Christ totally. Giving him publicly your life, placing all your faith in him, renouncing your former way of life and getting the new and better life he's promised!