MISTAKEN IDENTITY David Mok | August 2014

IT’S FUN

IT’S PAINFUL  Bourne Identity…Jason Bourne  “Do you know who I am

MAIN POINTS  This Sermon is about: MISTAKEN IDENTITY  DEFINITION:  A situation in which you think a person is someone else  You think yourself as someone else but God’s view of you is totally different  This is An ironic situation where it is a case of mistaken identity regarding where you belong, who you really are, and what your value is.

1) THE WORLD HAS MISTAKEN THE IDENTITY OF JESUS –  Matthew 16:13 NLT  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples,  “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  Matthew 16:14  “Well,” they replied,  “Some say John the Baptist,  some say Elijah and  others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  Matthew 16:15, 16  Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”  Simon Peter answered, “You are the messiah, the Son of the living God”

TODAY: If you ask the same question: “Who do you think Jesus is?”

When Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do you say I am?  Then Jesus began to explain what the Messiah must go through… his death!  Peter refused to see Jesus as who he was and what he was meant to do..  Matthew 16: 23  Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me.  YOU ARE SEEING THINGS MERELY FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW, NOT FROM GOD.

2) THE WORLD HAS A MISTAKEN IDENTITY OF THE CHURCH  Lamentations 1:1 NLT is just a perfect description of the church today:  “Jerusalem, once so full of people, is now deserted,  SHE WHO WAS ONCE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS NOW SITS ALONE LIKE A WIDOW.  Once the queen of all the earth, she is now a slave.”

My question: What really happened to the church before she became like what it is today according to the world view?  SEVEN WORDS… “THE WORLD HAS CREPT INTO THE CHURCH”

LETS SEE HOW GOD SEES THE CHURCH: REVELATION 3: 1-3 NLT  “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis.  This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold spirit of God and the seven stars:  “I know all things you do, and you have  a REPUTATION FOR BEING ALIVE – BUT YOUR ARE DEAD.”

The world and God see the church as DEAD but we see ourselves as ALIVE. We have mistaken our own identity

The identity of the church and Jesus have been mistaken by the world because we do not know our own identity  Revelation 3:2  “WAKE UP!  STRENGTHEN WHAT LITTLE REMAINS  For even what is left is ALMOST DEAD.  I find your ACTIONS do not meet the REQUIREMENTS of my God”

LETS LOOK AT THREE AREAS:  Mistaken identity: 1. Regarding who we REALLY ARE and where we REALLY BELONG 2. Regarding OUR ACCEPTANCE or STATUS 3. Regarding OUR VALUE – age and experience

MISTAKEN IDENTITY REGARDING WHO WE REALLY ARE AND WHERE WE REALLY BELONG – MOSES  EXODUS 3: 11- 4:  Moses:

 WHAT MUST WE DO TO BRING BACK GOD’S GLORY  AND THE GLORY OF HIS CHURCH ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN?

MISTAKEN IDENTITY REGARDING OUR ACCEPTANCE – STATUS. GIDEON  Judges 6

MISTAKEN IDENTITY REGARDING OUR VALUE – Age and Experience. Jeremiah  Jeremiah 1: 4-10, 12  “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.  Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”  “O, Sovereign Lord,” “I CAN’T SPEAK FOR YOU” “I AM TOO YOUNG!”  “DON’T SAY I AM TOO YOUNG… FOR YOU MUST GO WHEREVER I SEND YOU AND SAY WHATEVER I TELL YOU”  “Don’t be afraid.. I will be with you… I will protect you… I the Lord have spoken!”  Then the Lord reached out and touched his mouth…  “Look, I have PUT MY WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH!  “TODAY I APPOINT YOU!”

GOD IS CALLING HIS CHURCH, HIS BRIDE, HIS CHILDREN  REVELATION 3:  WAKE UP –  STRENGTHEN whatever little is left  GET BACK TO WHERE YOU BELONG  GO BACK TO  WHAT YOU HEARD AT FIRST  WHAT YOU BELIEVED AT FIRST