Who Do You Think You Are? - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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Who Do You Think You Are?

1 Peter 2

·        9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

·        10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Intro: If the world were to look at us, they wouldn’t understand who we are.

The unsaved world has no idea who the church of the living God is.

Peter reminded God’s people of who they were in this book.

·        1:1 – we are strangers

·        1:2 – we are the elect

·        1:14 – we are obedient children

·        1:23 – we are born again

·        2:2 – we are babes in Christ

·        2:5 – we are lively stones

·        2:9 – we are a chosen generation

·        2:9 – we are a royal priesthood

·        2:9 – we are an holy nation

·        2:9 – we are a peculiar people

·        2:11 – we ae strangers and pilgrims

·        2:16 – we are free

And this is just the first two chapters.

It is my sincere belief that even most Christians do not know who they are.

They would live differently if they did.

When the world looks at you in disbelief and asks you “Who Do You Think You Are?”, just say…

I. I’m Just a Sinner that has been Forgiven

·        10 Which in time past were not a people

Who do you think you are?

Every time anyone ever says that to me, I think of this verse:

1 Corinthians 15

·        9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

·        10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

I know I’m not much, but what I am, I am by the grace of God and his grace which was bestowed upon me.

The grace of God has worked mightily in my life and it was not in vain!!

We know who we are: we are just sinners saved by the matchless grace of God.

·        1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

II. I’m Just a Sheep that is trying to Follow

·        10 …but are now the people of God:

Who do you think you are?

I’m just a dumb sheep trying to follow my Savior.

I’m just trying to follow His voice.

I’m just trying to go where he wants me to go; do what He wants me to do and be what He wants me to be.

·        John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

·        Psalms 78:52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

·        Psalms 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

·        Psalms 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

III. I’m Just a Soldier that is trying to Fight

·        11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

This part of me is probably what prompts the “Who do you think you are?” comment.

I honestly don’t know how to answer that, but to say, I’m just a soldier, trying to fight sin, Satan and compromise.

It gets hard. It gets difficult. It is a weary vocation.

IV. I’m just a Servant that is trying to be Fruitful

Colossians 1

·        9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

·        10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

John 1

·        1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

·        2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

·        4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

·        5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

·        8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 

 V. I’m just a Steward that is trying to be Faithful

·        1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

God has given me so much.

He has blessed me in so many ways.

I just want to be a faithful steward of what God has entrusted into my care.

People are squandering their inheritance.

People everywhere are walking away.

People all over the place are changing.

I just want to be found faithful.