who are you?

We live out who we believe ourselves to be.
When we understand our identity in Christ, we gain confidence, humility, peace, and - most importantly - we bring glory to God. These resources are meant to prepare the facilitator of the discipleship group. As you work through PRAY-LEARN-LIVE, allow for discovery first. Yet, use what you learn from these resources to help those in the group understand God's word. May the Spirit guide you into all truth!
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WEEK 1

Scripture

2 Samuel 9:1-11

Romans 6:1-11

Don't Miss These Points

  • Our Creator determines our identity
  • Our identity in Christ results in good fruit: joy, peace, love, acceptance, confidence, humility
  • We live out who we understand ourselves to be
  • The Father sees us as identified with Jesus like Mephibosheth was identified with Jonathan
  • Living out our identity helps us resist our sin nature

What to Know

2 Samuel 9:1-11

  • Saul was the first king of Israel
  • David replaced King Saul. Saul hated David
  • Jonathan was Saul's son and best friends with David
  • Mephibosheth was Jonathan's son
  • King David blessed Mephibosheth because he was identified with Jonathan

Romans 6:1-11

  • The Apostle Paul wrote Romans
  • Romans 6 is about living the Christian life by faith
  • "baptized" means to submerse into something and carries the idea of a change of identity
  • "baptized into His death" means that our old identity as sinners separated from God died when Jesus died on the cross
  • "united with Him in His resurrection" - what is true of Jesus is true of us; holy, accepted, loved
  • "old self" refers to our old identity
  • "body of sin" refers to our sin nature, or flesh - that part of us that desires to be selfish
  • "done away with" means to be made inoperative - we don't have to submit to it anymore
 

WEEK 2

Scripture

Romans 3:10-4:5

Don't Miss These Points

  • No one is saved (justified) by obeying God’s commands
  • God’s laws show us our sin
  • We gain the righteousness we need by faith in Jesus

What to Know

Romans 3:10-4:5

  • The context is Paul explaining how someone can gain salvation
  • The law is God’s commands in the OT
  • One purpose of the Law is to show us we are guilty of sinning against God
  • No one can be saved by trying to obey the law
  • Justified = declared righteous
  • The righteousness of God is given as a gift to those that trust in Christ’s payment on the cross
  • Grace = undeserved favor
  • Propitiation = satisfaction; Christ’s payment was accepted by the Father; God's wrath was satisfied
  • Forbearance = to overlook
  • Abraham was given God’s righteousness as a gift when he believed God’s promise
  • "done away with" means to be made inoperative - we don't have to submit to it anymore
 

WEEK 3

Scripture

Col. 2:13-15

Don't Miss These Points

  • Since we are forgiven, we no longer need to be ruled by guilt. Freedom.
  • We are forgiven of all sin – past, present, future
  • We now have capacity to forgive others

What to Know

Col. 2:13-15

  • The context is how to follow Jesus
  • Dead = spiritually separated from God
  • Transgressions = breaking God’s laws
  • Uncircumcision of flesh = a reference to them NOT being God’s people/estranged from God.
  • Cancelled the debt = our sin-debt was paid by Jesus on the cross, the payment was death.
  • Disarmed rulers & authorities = evil spirits/false gods that these new believers used to fear
  • Since Jesus has forgiven them and now is the Lord of their life, they no longer need to be controlled by these spirits. Jesus is now their Lord.
 

WEEK 4

Scripture

Romans 8:14-17

Don't Miss These Points

  • You are His precious child. Beloved
  • You are fully accepted by God

What to Know

Romans 8:14-17

  • The context is Paul explaining how to live the Christian life
  • The Spirit of God = the Holy Spirit
  • Adoption = now His children with full rights
  • Abba = an affectionate way of referring to a father
  • Heirs – like a son would inherit the estate, we are given relationship with God, heaven, blessing
  • Glorified – this is when we will finally be in God’s presence reflecting Him in every way.
 

WEEK 5

Scripture

Col. 1:13-14

Don't Miss These Points

  • You are free from building your own kingdom
  • You have authority as Christ’s ambassador to build His kingdom with the gospel
  • You can work hard to have resources to use to show people the kingdom
  • You can work hard to have resources to use to show people the kingdom

What to Know

Col. 1:13-14

  • Dominion of darkness – belonging to this world that is ruled by the influence of Satan. It is filled with selfishness, sin, people hurting one another, and under God’s judgment.
  • Kingdom of His Son – a literal kingdom that we currently belong to. This is where Jesus’ way of life reigns as He is our King.
  • Redemption = bought back (out of slavery or imprisonment)
 

WEEK 6

Scripture

Romans 6:15-23

Don't Miss These Points

  • I have the best owner! (Matt. 22:35-38, Mark 8:34-38)
  • I no longer have to give in to my sin nature
  • I now have a new nature with new, godly, desires. (Eph. 4:22-24)
  • Jesus teaches me how to make decisions. (Eph. 5:15-17)

What to Know

Romans 6:15-23

  • Not under law = we don’t live the Christian life by trying hard to be good
  • Slaves of righteousness = we’ve given our lives to Jesus, we’re His now
  • Present your members = give your life to Jesus, all of it
  • Leads to sanctification = separated from sin/evil, for God's purposes
  • Eternal life = a quality of life lived in relationship with God (now and forever)
  • Wages = something owed, our sin-debt
 

WEEK 7

Scripture

Ephesians 2:11-22

Don't Miss These Points

  • We are now part of a community where God actually dwells
  • I have a community to belong to. You're not alone
  • I have a responsibility to build up others as the Spirit leads me
  • The presence of the Holy Spirit is a guarantee of our salvation; eternal security!
  • God wants His temple clean. We need to strive for purity

What to Know

Ephesians 2:11-22

  • Paul is talking to a church mostly made up of Gentiles – non-Jews
  • Called uncircumcision – derogatory, explain this
  • They were excluded from God’s people
  • Dividing wall of hostility – wall around temple separating Gentiles
  • Abolishing the law – Jesus fulfilled the law and died for the ways we broke it, so now we’re not under the law.
  • One new man – both Jews and gentiles have the same identity in Christ
  • Citizens – we belong to Christ’s kingdom
  • Saints – those separated to God
  • Household – together we are part of God’s family
  • Foundation of – prophets=OT, apostles=NT…start of the church
  • Cornerstone– the part of the building all other parts align with
  • Temple– dwelling place of God
  • Grows, is built – we grow together to be like Jesus and reach lost people
 

WEEK 8

Scripture

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Don't Miss These Points

  • Our position changes our condition
  • Our condition often misleads us
  • Our position is objectively true
  • We need to renew our minds in our identity in Christ
  • Our position is secure in Christ
  • Our beliefs affect our emotions and behavior
  • Our identity gives us confidence and humility

What to Know

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

  • Paul is writing to the church in Corinth
  • Paul planted this church and spent a year and a half with them
  • Corinth was known as a very immoral city
  • The Corinthian church had many problems: divisions, immorality, drunkenness, etc
  • The things Paul describes here are things the believers in the Corinthian church were doing
  • Sanctified - set apart for God and His purposes; purified
  • Justified - legally declared righteous by God