What Do You Communicate

What Do You Communicate about Who You Are?

September 14, 2008

Introduction

In Matthew 16:13, we find Jesus asking His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Then in verse 15, he asked, “But who do you say that I am?” How important is the question, “Who is Jesus?”

As Jesus was speaking to the Jews in (John 8:24 NKJV), He said, ""Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.""

What do you communicate to those about you? In particular, what do you communicate to your family, to the church, to those where you work, and to the community around you? Someone’s eternal destiny may hang in the balance. Are you a good ambassador for God?

Body

I. Does it really matter what I communicate to others?

A. Jesus said it does.

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

1. Jesus said that offending others is very serious.

(Luke 17:1-2 NKJV) Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! {2} "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

II. What do I communicate as to who I am?

A. Does my life communicate the fruit of the Spirit?

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

1. Does my life demonstrate a spirit of love to others?

2. Joy--is it obvious in your life? Are you pleasant to be around?

(Phil 4:4 NKJV) Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

a. Is rejoicing related to Joy?

b. The New Century Versions translates it this way.

(Phil 4:4 NCV) Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy.

3. Do I communicate a peaceful state to others, or am I often agitated or upset with things around me?

4. Am I truly longsuffering toward others?

5. Am I known as a kind, good person?

6. Am I faithful?

· To God

· To my promises

· To my wife and children

B. Do I communicate a genuine faith in God?

1. Wasn’t Paul an inspiration to others?

Philippians 4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

a. Paul had been going in the wrong direction.

Acts 9:1-5 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

b. Life is hard when we are going against God’s plan for our lives.

2. What about the confidence of David?

1 Samuel 17:32 Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it.36 “Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

a. David learned his faith as he counted on God and saw the victories in his life.

III. There are no good, “self-made” men, they are God made men.

A. We are to be “conformed to the image of His Son.”

Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

B. We are to be “transformed by the renewing of our mind.”

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

C. God expects us to grow.

Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Conclusion

I. Obviously it matters what people think of Jesus and Who He is.

II. But what about you?

· Who are you?

· What do you communicate?

· Who do others say that you are?

· Do they think of you as a Christian?

· Are you an inspiration to your family and friends?

· Are you what you should be?

Are you a Christian?

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