How do you

yourself?
When you introduce yourself, how do you do it?
I’m {name} - but which name?
Go full name? Nickname?
Then, what comes next?
I’m Josh and I’m….
Can change - sometimes this is a job or student
Roles define us
Sometimes this is family
Every parent
Ethnic backgrounds or geography
I’m from…
Identity has become a touch point in our society at large
Generations - some generations are anti-label
Gen Z - Unafraid of labels, but they are

Reveal Answer

Now people around us might emphasize something they are into
Their sexual desires or even their lack thereof
Their political views, not just a party affiliation
The stakes seem very high

Listen to those around us…identity, the search for it, having a people
Increasingly disorientated, searching and lost
Silos that don’t know people from other places

This question carries so much weight, let’s ask it again.
How do we identify ourselves? Who are we?

Paul opens this letter with a surprise for the original readers and it becomes increasingly timely for us in this moment

Paul and a letter
Written from

- house arrest in Rome
Colossians and Philemon
Ephesus - but also the surrounding churches
3rd largest city - chicago
Broad readership - some manuscripts dropped in Ephesus as it was circulated

Tychius - also tool Colossians and Philemon
Read it, interpret it
Letter copied, shared around
By 2 Peter - letters were collected and read by churches

Letter writing - common form
Paul tweaks it at a few points

Self-introduction
Quick - rooted in Jesus and his call
Saints - not its common use, not elevated

Greetings - very common word

, sounds like greetings
Not from Paul, but for the Father and Christ

Opening Blessing - expect it to be short and then get to the point
Reorientiating declaration of who we really are
New Geography - instead of focusing on Ephesus
He could have - he spent

years there!
Food, stories, people

Instead, he launches into a very long, run on sentence
Stacking ideas on top of each other
This is who we are now - this is our geography now
This is our roots, who we are
Eph 1 was Google Maps - the little circle icon in the corner that finds where you are
…especially if your phone hasn’t updated in a while…it starts where you last were
Paul wants us to see the maps scrolling
Past our geography, our jobs, our desires, our hobbies, even our biological family

God our Father
Not something that came quickly for Gentile Christians
Not even the first thing for Jews
Jesus - Lord’s Prayer
His Father now ours

Lord Jesus Christ
Connected to 2 very strong ideas
Lord - reserved for the divine name and Caesar

Latitude and Longitude
Helps us find ourselves on this big sphere

and

Reveal Answer

1). Time
Time is connected to identity
We move often
I live in blank but my family is from blank
Jerusalem - 500 years

Paul - before the foundation of the world
This is who you are - and always meant to be
Not because of what you have done or even might do
Value connected to others
Constantly looking at others and then comparing ourselves to them
God of the Universe, looks at you
Calls Himself your Father and then says, before I spoke the world into being, I chose you to be mine

2). Adoption as

Households back then
Adoption then and now
Sons!

Full heirs!

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. —Eph. 1:7-10

Inheritance:
    Redemption through his blood
    Forgiveness
    

  

    
       
       Reveal Answer
    
  

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. —Eph. 1:11-14

First to hope - bears witness in praise to God’s glory  
    God’s glory - it looks like a people with living hope
    Not fear, not anxiety, not despair
In him, when we who are matched what we heard
    Faith - we believed
    Sealed with the Holy Spirit
    Trinity
    Guarantee until we acquire the whole of it
    Kingdom comes in full
    To the praise of his glory - Paul says it again!
    God’s glory looks like his full heirs in glory

That’s how much God loves you
    Is the glory of God in the majesty of the world?
    Yes, it is there, but not all the way
    Is the glory of God in the heavens?
    Yes it is there, but not all the way

Irenaeus - “the

of God is man fully

Reveal Answer

”
Creation - how it was designed by God’s will
Redemption through his Son - his will is accomplished
The entire cosmos under the reign of God
Right there in the lead
Christ in You, the hope of glory - Colossians 1

We live in a world that doesn’t understand us…but of course, because it doesn’t understand itself

Allow the

of God to define you this morning
At the intersection of time and your adoption
You are found in the glory of God has a Son of the Father
Chosen and loved from before creation itself
Redeemed by the blood of the Son
Sealed by the Spirit
This is who you are
Look around - this is who we are
This is your forever family