Our Identity in Christ, Part 1

Sabbath
FOR STUDY
» Memory Text: “So God created man in His own image; in the image
of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God
February 10, 2024

blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the
earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the
birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’ ”
(Genesis 1:27, 28, NKJV).

» Our Beliefs, no. 7, The Nature of Humanity: “Man and woman were
made in the image of God. . . . When our first parents disobeyed God,
they denied their dependence upon Him and fell from their high posi-
tion. The image of God in them was marred and they became subject
to death. Their descendants share this fallen nature and its conse-
quences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But
God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by His Spirit restores
in penitent mortals the image of their Maker.”

» Ellen G. White, Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 76-78

A CASE OF MISSED
OR TAKEN IDENTITY
Story 1. ”Name Shouldn’t Be Sold.” Mark Cuban, owner of the
NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, once offered WGN Chicago radio sports-talk host Sunday
David Kaplan $50,000 to change his name legally to “Dallas Maverick.” RESPONDING
When Kaplan politely declined, Cuban sweetened the offer. Cuban would
pay Kaplan $100,000 and donate $100,000 to Kaplan’s favorite charity » Read 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20.
if he took the name for one year. After some soul searching, and being
bombarded by emails from listeners who said he was crazy to turn down » Carlos is known for being funny, even though his jokes come at the ex-
the money, Kaplan held firm and told Cuban no. Kaplan explained: “I’d be pense of others. Nobody really gets close to him personally, but many
saying I’d do anything for money, and that bothers me. My name is my want to be around him. How would a kingdom citizen go about reaching
birthright. I’d like to preserve my integrity and credibility.” out to someone who seems “untouchable” and communicate what God
—Skip Bayless, “Radio Host Prefers Class Over Crass,” Chicago Tribune, thinks about him? How would you show Carlos his identity in Christ?
Jan. 10, 2001.
» Share the specific problems in reaching people like Carlos. You may
Story 2. FBI agents conducted a raid of a psychiatric hospital in San want to ask someone older what they think and share what you like
Diego that was under investigation for medical insurance fraud. After about their answer or how that response may not be realistic.
hours of reviewing thousands of medical records, the dozens of agents
had worked up quite an appetite. The agent in charge of the investiga-
tion called a nearby pizza parlor with delivery service to order a quick
dinner for his colleagues.
The following telephone conversation took place and was recorded
by the FBI because they were taping all conversations at the hospital.
Agent: Hello. I would like to order 19 large pizzas and 67 cans of
Monday
soda. BIBLE ANSWERS ON
Pizza man: And where would you like them delivered? THE NATURE OF HUMANITY
Agent: We’re over at the psychiatric hospital.
Pizza man: The psychiatric hospital?
» Read Genesis 2:7; Jeremiah 17:9; 2 Corinthians 5:19, 20.
Agent: That’s right. I’m an FBI agent.
Pizza man: You’re an FBI agent?
» It is important that we realize we belong to God. We were created in His
image, and He loves us more than we can realize. When our first parents
Agent: That’s correct. Just about everybody here is.
sinned, the propensity (tendency, inclination) to sin became a part of us.
Pizza man: And you’re at the psychiatric hospital?
However, God did not leave us in sin. He sent His Son to save us. When
Agent: That’s correct. And make sure you don’t go through the
we accept Him, we are covered in Christ’s righteousness (perfection).
front doors. We have them locked. You will have to go
When Jesus comes, God’s image will once again be fully seen in us.
around to the back to the service entrance to deliver the
pizzas.
Pizza man: And you say you’re all FBI agents?
» When you look in the mirror, whom do you see?
Agent: That’s right. How soon can you have them here? _____________________________________________________________________________________
Pizza man: And everyone at the psychiatric hospital is an FBI agent? _____________________________________________________________________________________
Agent: That’s right. We’ve been here all day and we’re starving.
Pizza man: How are you going to pay for all of this?
Agent: I have my checkbook right here. » What can you do today to reflect God’s image in your life?
Pizza man: And you’re all FBI agents? _____________________________________________________________________________________
Agent: That’s right. Everyone here is an FBI agent. Can you
_____________________________________________________________________________________
remember to bring the pizzas and sodas to the service
entrance in the rear? We have the front doors locked.
Pizza man: I don’t think so. » Can you match the concepts below to the correct verse?
Click.
—Go to http://www.snopes.com/medical/asylum/fbipizza.asp to get Genesis 1:26, 27 Psalm 8:4-8 Romans 5:12-17 Acts 17:24-28 Psalm 51:10
more details of this true incident.
We are sons and daughters of God _________________________
Write your own quotation.
What
God’s grace isI asay
gift thatis . us
gives . .eternal life _________________________
We are made in God’s image _________________________
_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
God crowned humanity with glory and honor and made him a little lower
than the angels _________________________
_________________________________________________________________

A_________________________________________________________________
prayer for God to make us clean and committed to living for God
_________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2024 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

 OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST, PART 1 / February 10, 2024

Tuesday Wednesday
REFLECTING BIBLE INSIGHTS
» Read Ephesians 1:4-14. » Consider your identity, from God’s point of view.

» Have you ever tried to join a conversation but not been able to get a » Read Psalm 139:13-18 (NIV) and answer the following questions.
word in? It’s frustrating to have something to say and not be able to say
it because everyone is talking. Imagine how God feels watching His chil- 1. What phrase in Psalm 139:13-18 shows you what God thinks about
dren wander around wondering who they are and whom they belong to. you?

» First of all, it’s not easy to listen to what God thinks about you when the
_____________________________________________________________________________________

world is screaming at you. Also, if your identity is based on what you can _____________________________________________________________________________________
do, how you look, or who likes you, then you have more than enough to
keep yourself extremely busy. 2. Is there something in this text that tells you God is always with you?

» Think about a world where you are valued simply because you are alive. _____________________________________________________________________________________

What would it be like if we lived in a world where everyone focused on _____________________________________________________________________________________

our potential instead of amplifying our mistakes? Can you imagine how
loneliness and hatred and despair would just fade away? It’s a world
where we are valuable simply because the King died for us and claims
» What about our relationship, rights, and responsibilities? Read Paul’s let-
ter to the Ephesians 1:4-14, NIV, and answer the following questions.
us; not only claims us, but makes us children; not just children, heirs!

» Back to the real world. Maybe our real world is in desperate need of a
1. According to this passage, what is our relationship to God?
change in the way we think about ourselves. It seems as if we have an _____________________________________________________________________________________
identity crisis on our hands. And our making it through the crisis is based _____________________________________________________________________________________
on the choice of to whom we listen. Don’t you think it is time we gave
God a chance to tell us who we are to Him?
2. Because of our relationship to God, what rights do we have?
_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

3. What are our responsibilities?

Thursday _____________________________________________________________________________________
CONNECTING _____________________________________________________________________________________

» Read Luke 12:7.

» Review the memory text.

» Try to stump God! Ask Him a question about you that He doesn’t know.
Give it a try. He knows things you don’t even know: how many hairs are
on your head, what you are most afraid of, what you wish your friends
liked about you, what you want your parents to be able to say about
you, and so on. And what God thinks about you has everything to do
with “who you are.”

» For professional ball players to become famous, they have to become

the best at playing ball. For musicians to get noticed, they practice and
practice and hope for someone to notice them. Sometimes they get it;
most of the time they don’t; but ultimately “who they are” is defined by
what they can do.

» Not so with God. Who you are is defined by what Jesus did. You have a
legal and undisputed relationship to the King of the universe through His
Son. You have rights as His child to live joyfully without fear, worry, or
anxiety about anything, even death. You have the right to call upon God
anytime for anything in Jesus’ name.

» You also have a responsibility to expand the family name beyond your-
self. You have the responsibility to wear your family name proudly in the
open. Think of it as a citizenship oath. Raise your hand and pledge alle-
giance to God.

Friday
APPLYING
» Read 1 Peter 2:9.

» If you think about the stories of your life, can you come up with a few
incidents that have made the most impact on you for better or for worse
(spiritually or emotionally)? Think of five to 10. Fill in a very short descrip-
tion of that event in one of the body parts in the person on the right. In
the boxes that surround the figure place Bible passages from this lesson
that you feel define you. Write a paraphrase of the verses, starting with
the words “God says I am . . .”

Copyright © 2024 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists