#17 Discover Your True Identity in Christ
Time Stamps
00:00 - Welcome from Dan and Sadaf
04:05 - Talk: Discover Your True Identity in Christ with Matt Edmundson
07:08 - Identity: Finding Your Anchor in a Fluid World
13:39 - What Does It Mean to Be "In Christ"?
16:32 - The Transformation of Becoming a New Creation
31:33 - Conversation Street: A Blueprint for Living
37:14 - The Unchangeable Truth: You Are God's Child
Discover Your True Identity in Christ
"Who are you?" It's a simple question that cuts to the heart of what it means to be human. Our answer shapes everything from our daily decisions to our deepest relationships—and in a world that tells us we can "be whoever we want to be," finding a solid answer has never been more challenging.
This Sunday, Matt Edmundson kicked off a new phase in our "Becoming Whole" series by exploring the foundation of wholeness: our identity in Christ. After examining the fruits of the Spirit in previous weeks, we're now diving deeper into understanding who we truly are.
Finding Your Anchor in a Shifting World
"In many ways, this is so foundational to us," Matt explained, "especially in the world in which we live, where we are told we can be whoever we want to be."
While there's some truth to this modern mantra, Matt pointed out that building our identity on "fluid, self-constructed ideologies" often leads to confusion and instability. When who we are constantly shifts based on external circumstances, personal feelings, or societal trends, where do we find solid ground?
The answer, Matt suggested, is that discovering who we truly are is rooted in Christ—not something we construct, but something we receive. "It's not fluid or changeable," he said. "It is steadfast and sure."
During Conversation Street, Dan and Sadaf reflected on this tension. "If who we are is based on our thoughts and our feelings," Dan noted, "man, we're in for a rocky road, aren't we?" Sadaf agreed, pointing out that "for many people, their identity is in their job or in their role in life," which can change at any moment.
The Prodigal's Discovery
To illustrate our journey of identity, Matt shared the familiar story of the prodigal son—a young man who left home seeking freedom, only to discover emptiness and brokenness. When he finally returned home, expecting to be treated as a servant, his father embraced him and restored him as a son.
This powerful parable reveals something profound about identity: the son's value wasn't determined by his mistakes or his own self-perception. His identity as a son was "unchangeable, sort of permanently etched into his very being." He just had to hear his father say it.
In the same way, we often forget who we are, feeling unworthy and ashamed. But our deepest, truest identity remains immutable. Sometimes we just need to hear our Heavenly Father say it.
What Does It Mean to Be "In Christ"?
The phrase "in Christ" appears throughout the New Testament, particularly in Paul's writings, and it's central to understanding our identity as believers. But what does it actually mean?
Matt offered a helpful illustration: Imagine a small, slight police officer who might feel unsure of herself at times. But when she puts on her uniform, everyone who sees her knows she's in the police. That uniform gives her authority and confidence she didn't have before.
"It's kind of like what happens when you become a Christian," Matt explained. "You're not in the police, but you are in Christ. You are now part of something much, much bigger than yourself."
This identity "in Christ" gives us confidence and courage to live differently. It's not about who we were or what we've done, but about who Christ is and what He's done for us.
During Conversation Street, Dan highlighted how empowering this truth is: "To have an identity in Christ, to say that our foundation is in Christ, it's solid." Unlike the shifting sands of cultural definitions, our identity in Christ provides an unshakeable foundation.
A New Creation
At the heart of Matt's message was this powerful verse from 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new."
To help us grasp what it means to be a "new creation," Matt shared the metaphor of a dilapidated house being completely renovated. The craftsman doesn't just apply a fresh coat of paint—he tears down rotten structures, clears away debris, and rebuilds from the foundation up. The finished home is "a glorious mixture of what the house was and what it should have always been."
"We are not merely patched up or slightly improved," Matt emphasised, "but we are completely rebuilt from the ground up."
And here's the most beautiful part: the builder doesn't sell the house. He moves in. As Jesus promised in John 14:23, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."
Sadaf reflected on this during Conversation Street: "When Matt was talking about the house being rebuilt from the bottom up...those times can be painful. They can be times of struggle, times of waiting on the Lord." Yet through this renovation process, we're being restored to who we were always meant to be.
The Biblical Blueprint for Your Identity
Throughout his talk, Matt highlighted several key verses that define our identity in Christ:
Ephesians 2:10 - "We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Galatians 3:26 - "So in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith."
Colossians 2:10 - "And you are complete in Him, who is the Head of all Principality and Power."
Galatians 4:6-7 - "Because you are his sons, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, the spirit who calls out Abba, Father. So you are no longer a slave, but God's child. And since you are his child, God has also made you an heir."
These truths about who we are in Christ aren't just nice religious ideas—they're transformative realities that can reshape how we see ourselves and live our lives.
"The Bible has given us a blueprint of how we should live," Sadaf noted during Conversation Street. "If only we would lay aside ourselves and just obey." She emphasised that immersing ourselves in these scriptures helps us stand firm when life gets tough: "The more we're immersed in scripture, the more we are going to be like him."
Living from Your True Identity
So how do we begin living from this new identity? Matt offered a practical challenge: set a daily reminder on your phone to visit www.crowd.church/inchrist, where he's compiled all the "in Christ" scriptures. Take one verse at a time, meditate on it, journal about it, pray about it, and let it sink deep into your heart.
"Let the Holy Spirit through the Bible, through these scriptures, transform our thinking so we see the reflection of who we really are in Christ," Matt encouraged.
During Conversation Street, Dan emphasised how this truth should shape our emotional lives: "It's shaped that can shape our feelings rather than our feelings shaping who we are. Let's know who we are to shape our feelings. So if we're feeling down, if we're feeling lost, we know that we're found."
Your Identity Challenge
As we continue our "Becoming Whole" series, here's a simple challenge to help you embrace your identity in Christ this week:
Visit www.crowd.church/inchrist to access Matt's collection of identity scriptures.
Choose one verse each day to meditate on. Don't rush through them—really let the truth sink in.
Ask yourself: How would my day be different if I truly believed this about myself?
When negative thoughts come, counter them with the truth of who you are in Christ.
Share your journey with a friend or in our midweek community group.
Remember what Matt said at the end of his talk: "You are a child of God, an heir of God, adopted into his family. You are unique and crafted by God himself. An image bearer, someone that has been made righteous and complete and clean and whole. You are a new creation, the old has gone and all things have been made new for you."
And the best part? We're just getting started. Join us next week as Pete Farrington continues our exploration of identity in Christ.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
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CROWD | online church - Discover Your True Identity in Christ
Matt Edmundson: [00:00:00] Welcome to this week's Crowd Church service. We are a digital church on a quest to discover how Jesus helps us live a more meaningful life. We are a community, a space to explore the Christian faith and a place where you can contribute and grow. I want to invite you to connect with us here at Crowd Church.
Crowd Church, and there are a few ways that you can do just that. Firstly, you can engage with Crowd from any device during our live stream, and if you're up for it, why not invite a few friends over and experience the service together. You see, church is all about connecting with God and connecting with others, and one of the easiest ways for you to do that is to also join One of our mid week groups where we meet online together to catch up and [00:01:00] discover more about the amazingness of Christ.
You can also subscribe to our podcast called What's The Story, where we deep dive into stories of faith and courage from everyday people. More information about all of these. All of the things that I've mentioned can be found on our website at www. crowd. church or you can reach us on social media at crowdchurch.
If you're new to crowd or new to the Christian faith and would like to know what your next steps to be are. Well, why not head over to our website, crowd. church forward slash next, for more details.
And now, the moment you've been waiting for is here. Our online church service starts right now.
Dan Orange: Welcome to Crowd Church as [00:02:00] ever. Um, I had a little funny techie thing, but we've got a pause, but we're here. And today I am joined by Sadaf Beynon. First time hosting with Sadaf, which is awesome.
Sadaf Beynon: How are you
Dan Orange: doing today?
Sadaf Beynon: I'm well, thank you.
Dan Orange: Yeah.
Sadaf Beynon: Yeah.
Dan Orange: So in the, in the UK, it is Father's Day today. So I've had.
Lots of treats, um, Marmite based treats because I'm a big Marmite fan and, um, Toblerone, which is just great. Have you been doing any, um, Father's Day things,
Sadaf Beynon: um,
Dan Orange: for Jeff?
Sadaf Beynon: Yes. He's had breakfast in bed.
Dan Orange: Very nice.
Sadaf Beynon: He's had lots of gifts off the kids, lots of chocolate and yeah, he's having a good day.
Dan Orange: Yeah. So to all you, um, fathers out there and those, um.
that are celebrating this and those that aren't [00:03:00] able to celebrate it, well, the great thing is that we have a father in heaven, even if our fathers on earth aren't here, or they weren't present, or they weren't the best of fathers, we've got a great example to follow, which I, yeah, Just amazing, isn't it?
Sadaf Beynon: Yes, it really is. It's really great to, to have God. And also as, as Dan just said, having a father to the fatherless, it's a real gift.
Dan Orange: So today we have the first, so we've had a series on the fruits of the spirit. Um, and that was the last one last week. And now we're carrying on the series of wholeness. So it's all the same.
Um. Same sort of thing. But we're moving now into what our identity is in Christ. I'm looking forward to this.
Sadaf Beynon: Yes. So I think it's Matt who's going to be doing the talk.
Dan Orange: Yeah. Yeah. So [00:04:00] as ever, if you've got any questions, then just fire them in, put them on the comments. Um, there's no really hope we're, we aren't live.
I'm just checking. There's no comments. Come in. But yeah, we're live. So if there's any, um, any questions, then please fire away and we'll endeavour to answer them. Yes. So I think without further ado, let's listen to Matt and see what he has to say. Hey, Graham, we are live. It's nice to hear from you. So here's Matt's talk.
Matt Edmundson: Have you ever heard this song?
Now it's a well known song, written by Pete Townshend, from The Who, [00:05:00] ironically. Now he, after a drunken night out, collapsed into a doorway in Soho. And the police officer that found him sort of recognized him and helped him home instead of arresting him, which was very kind of that police officer. And this event, along with the pressures of the music industry, uh, and some personal struggles sort of fed into the songs.
Lyrics, which explore the themes of identity, self reflection, and dare I say it, existential questioning. The recurring line, who are you, is a very, very powerful question. Who are you? Because who you are, your identity, lies at the heart of becoming whole. The series that we're in, Becoming Whole. I think everything you do flows from a sense of who you are.
If you're unsure of who you are, I think your life can feel unstable. And as this is church, uh, and as I'm sure you would expect, [00:06:00] the Bible has a lot to say about this topic of life. Identity. In fact, it clearly maps out who you are in Christ. A phrase that we are going to dig into today. What does it mean to be in Christ?
What does that have to do with wholeness? And to kickstart the whole journey, we're going to ask what it means when the Bible calls us a new creation. Now, these are all fascinating questions to look at. I'm going to draw all of this together because in many ways, This is so foundational to us, especially in the world in which we live, where we are told we can be whoever we want to be.
I don't know if you've ever heard that, right? That our identity is shaped by us. And whilst I think there's some truth in that, it can also lead, I think, to confusion and instability, especially when our identity is based on fluid, self constructed ideologies. Our identity [00:07:00] Identity then is constantly shifting based on external circumstances or personal feelings or societal trends.
How can we have a solid foundation? How can our identity have an anchor? Well, that solid foundation, that anchor, I think discovering who we truly really are is rooted. In Christ and that becoming whole is about discovering that identity who we are in Christ. I don't think it's something that we construct or really should construct.
It's something that we receive. It's not fluid or changeable. It is steadfast and sure. Now, there's a well known story about a young guy who grew up in a pretty stable family with his older brother and parents. But he started, you know, that sort of, sort of restless feeling and sort of feeling trapped.
And all he could see was the bright lights of the world beyond his hometown, the excitement, the [00:08:00] adventures, the chance to live maybe a different life. And one day he went to his Dad and asked his Dad for his share of the inheritance. The money that would one day be his he wanted now. And his Dad divided up his wealth and actually did that.
He gave the younger son his portion of the wealth who promptly took off for the bright lights. And at first he was happy. It was a, it was a non stop party. I mean, fancy clothes, uh, expensive clubs, flashy stuff. He was living his best life, or at least that's what he thought was going on. But the money started to run out.
The so called friends who had been drawn into his wealth and generosity disappeared as soon as the cash dried up. And before he knew it, the son was broke and alone and he became desperate. He Uh, in that time to land a job on a farm feeding pigs, but he was still penniless and [00:09:00] exceptionally hungry. And he thought to himself, you know, he thought freedom meant doing whatever he wanted, chasing every desire.
But all that had gotten him, all that that had gotten him, was emptiness and brokenness. He didn't even recognize his own life anymore. So he thought to himself, you know what, even the lowliest workers on my dad's farm live better than I do. I'll go back home. I'll beg my dad to give me a job. I'll tell him I'm not worthy to be called his son anymore.
After all that I've done, I'll say, just treat me dad like one of the employees. So off he goes, and whilst he was still a long way off, his dad spots him coming down the road and starts to sprint towards him, you know, like Usain Bolt, and before the son could choke out, you know, more than a few words of his very name.
Painfully rehearsed apology, [00:10:00] his dad tackle hugged him in a way that only a dad can. And the dad ordered that the best clothes be bought out for his son. He put a ring, the family ring on his finger and a feast was prepared to celebrate that his boy, his precious boy who was lost was back and was alive.
Now this is the story of the prodigal son, a powerful story that Jesus told to talk about. Uh, what it is like for God when we come back to him, but there's something else at the heart of this story that I really, really like. And I want to draw into it. It's about the son's identity. It's about who the son thought he was.
You see in the story, he figured his bad choices had made him worthless, no longer a son and nothing more than a servant really. But his dad knew the truth, that his son's value was unchangeable, sort of permanently etched into his very being. [00:11:00] The son just had to hear his dad say it. And that's how it was with us, you know, we can lose our way, we can forget who we are, feel unworthy and ashamed.
But the fact remains that our deepest, truest identity is immutable. Maybe we just need to hear our Father, our Heavenly Father, say it. Now, the Prodigal Son teaches us that identity matters because it guides our decisions and our behaviour. It certainly did for him in the story. It creates a sense of belonging and it reflects our values and our beliefs.
It defines relationships, including the relationships we have with our self, our self worth, our self esteem. Steam and our mental health, a strong sense of identity builds resilience in us and keeps us grounded. Identity matters and it matters a lot. So what is my [00:12:00] identity in Christ? All about, and how can it lead to wholeness, the topic that we are stuttering, studying over these few weeks.
Now this is a great question because the phrase in Christ, I think is a central concept in Christian theology, particularly in the writings of the Apostle Paul. So what does it mean? So, imagine there's a young woman who isn't very tall, quite slight, very dainty, she might feel unsure of herself at some times, but you know what, she is in the police and when she puts on her police uniform.
An amazing change happens, as you would expect. Suddenly, everyone sees her, who sees her, they know she is in the police. That uniform gives her authority and confidence she didn't have before. In the police. She can do things she couldn't do on her own. She can stop traffic. She can question [00:13:00] people, chase down their bad guys, and even arrest them if needed.
And it's not because she's suddenly got super power, but because she is evil. In the police, she represents something way, way bigger than herself. It's kind of like what happens when you become a Christian, you're not in the police, but you are in Christ. You are now part of something much, much bigger than yourself.
Our identity is in Christ and in Christ, we can have confidence and courage to live very, very differently. So, how do we discover? Our identity in Christ. Who are we in Christ? Well, this is what we're going to be looking at over the next few weeks, because the Bible is literally full, I mean full of verses about who you are in Christ.
You will see them everywhere when you look for them. [00:14:00] For example, Ephesians 2. 10 says, uh, we are his workmanship created. In Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Notice that phrase in Christ. And I love this. I mean, it's such a good verse. Sharon is actually going to dig into it a lot more in a few weeks time, but notice we have been created in Christ.
In Christ and it's in Christ we are created for good works. This tells me who I am. I am his workmanship, which is, you know, pretty radical for your self esteem. It tells me I am God's workmanship and it tells me what I'm here for and that's to do good works that God has prepared for me to walk in. God prepared them.
That sounds pretty awesome, doesn't it? That takes the pressure off. In so many ways, this one verse is packed with so much, and that's just one of them. Galatians 3 [00:15:00] 26 says, uh, so in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith. Oh, I'll take that. So the Bible tells me that I'm his workmanship, that God has prepared good works for me to do.
And I am a child of God. Not bad, eh? Two verses in. Talk about an identity shift. Want another one? Colossians 2. 10 says, And you are complete. In Him, who is the Head of all Principality and Power, just in case we forgot who Christ was. But in Him, Christ, the Head of all Principality and Power, has made me complete.
And this is essential to know because we are studying wholeness after all, completeness and wholeness. And if I want to shortcut this entire series, let me tell you. In Christ, you are made complete. You are made whole. It's the same [00:16:00] thing. This is the revelation that in Christ, you and I are already whole.
So becoming whole then, in so many ways, is about discovering who we are as a whole. In Christ. And there, there is this verse that I really wanted to dig into, and this is what we're gonna spend the next few minutes looking at. Two Corinthians five 17. Paul wrote this. He said, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
Old things have passed away. Behold all things have become new. So if anyone is in Christ well that's me and you. If you're a Christ follower, we are in. Christ, this is talking about our identity, who we are in Christ. In Christ, we are a new creation. All things have passed away. All things have become new, which sounds pretty epic, right?
I mean, we are a new creation. So what [00:17:00] does a new creation really mean? What does that, what does that actually mean? In Christ, you and I are not just improved, we are made better. Completely, no. So what does it mean? Well, imagine there's an old dilapidated, dilapidated, I can't even say, dilapidated house. The paint is peeling, the windows are broken and the roof looks like it could cave in at any moment.
It's the kind of place you wouldn't want to step inside, let alone call home. But there's this guy, a craftsman, who sees the house not for what it is. But for what it can become. Now he begins a complete renovation. He doesn't just slap a new coat of paint on it or fix a few broken windows. He tears down the rotten structures, clears away the debris and starts laying a new foundation.
He starts to rebuild the house bit by bit, bringing out the true character of the house as he does. And when it is finished, it is a [00:18:00] glorious mixture of what the house was and what it should have always been. Being what was once a piece of neglect and decay now stands as a testament to the builder's skill, love, and transformative power.
It's a place of warmth, light, and life. It's a home. The builder doesn't just sell it on. Not this one. No, no, no. He's proud of this one. He moves in. You are that home. And Jesus is the builder. And do you know what? He has made his home with you. It's his promise. In John 14 verse 23, Jesus replied, Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.
My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. with them. That's amazing. We will make our [00:19:00] home with them. We are not merely patched up or slightly improved, but we are completely rebuilt from the ground up. That's what Paul's talking about. And the implications of this transformation are profound.
You see, as a new creation, our relationship with God is fundamentally changed. We are his workmanship, adopted into his family and given a place of belonging. Our sins are forgiven and we stand righteous before God, not because of anything we've done, but because of what Christ has done for us. We will come and make our home in them.
This new identity then impacts our relationship with ourselves. We begin to see ourselves through God's eyes, valuable and loved and full of potential. Plagues us, sort of start to fade as we embrace the truth of who we are in Christ. Paul said this to the church in Galatians, [00:20:00] he said, because you are his sons, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, the spirit who calls out Abba, Father.
So you are no longer a slave, but God's child. And since you are his child, God has also made you an heir.
Oh, the deeper you go, the better it gets. That's who I am. I am a son of God. I am adopted into his family. And so I am a son and an heir and he has made their home in me. That's who I am. That's my identity. The Apostle Paul, the guy that wrote that verse himself, is a powerful example of this transformation.
Because before he became a Christian, Paul, who was known as Saul, was a pretty radical persecutor of Christians at the time. He, I mean, he was relentless. In his efforts to destroy the early church, something that we looked [00:21:00] at when we did our journey through the Book of Acts. But then we find on the road to Damascus, Saul had a life changing encounter with Christ.
From that moment on, he was a new man. Creation. He became Paul, a passionate advocate for the gospel and one of the most influential figures in all of Christian history and maybe all of history. He realized that who he was, was not who he had been. He was a new creation and a son and an heir of God. Now, would there have been days when Paul didn't feel like a new creation?
Absolutely. Would there have been days when he didn't believe all things had become new? Oh, you bet there were. Were there times when Paul would have been sort of felt lost and struggling, where he would have sort of forgotten about who he was in Christ, where memories and [00:22:00] old thought pans would take over?
I have absolutely no doubt. You've only got to read his writings to find out that he suffered and struggled and wrestled and had to make the hard decisions to intentionally believe something that seemed alien and false to him. But he goes on to write this to the church in Rome. He said, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.
Then you will be able to test and approve. What God's will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will. Well, renew your minds, basically transform your thinking. Transforming our thinking is renewing our minds. If we think about that famous story of the ugly duckling, Hans Christian Andersen's story, where he sort of wandered through life trying to fit in, trying to be something he wasn't, constantly feeling.
Out Of Place And [00:23:00] Rejected. It wasn't until he saw his true reflection in the water that he realised he was a beautiful swan all along. His identity didn't change, but his understanding of it did. And this transformation came from seeing himself for who he truly was, not who others said he should be. And my prayer for you and for me is that we let the Holy Spirit through the Bible, through these scriptures, transform our thinking so we see the reflection of who we really are in Christ.
So here's my challenge for you. A way to see this transformation, if you like, in our own lives. How do we do it? Number one. I want you to set a reminder on your phone. Set it to remind yourself every day at a certain time that works for you. On that reminder, put the URL, which will be on the bottom of your screens, uh, www.
crowd. [00:24:00] church forward slash in christ, all one word, in christ. Put that URL All in the reminders, right? Because on that webpage, you will find a link and a, sorry, on that webpage, you will find a list of all the in Christ scriptures written out in my favorite version for that verse. I've compiled all the verses together for you.
I've put my favorite translation of that verse in and we have put them on that webpage, made it easy for you to go and find them. And so read through them, meditate on them. On those verses, just take one of them one at a time and think about it. Think about what it means to you and for your life. Think about how you would teach what it means to someone else if you can.
I strongly recommend you journal about it, write it down, pray about it, memorise it, speak it out aloud, ponder it, put it on post it notes and stick it on your [00:25:00] bathroom mirror. Whatever you need to do to think about and meditate on that scripture. And if that verse is particularly tricky for you, if you don't really understand it or you're struggling with what it's saying, you don't, you know, it's hard to believe some of these things.
Stick with it, stick with that verse for a few days, let the truth and the power of it sink down into your spirit as you start to see yourself as God sees you, that reflection of who you truly are. Trust me, it is a remarkable journey of discovery and a key to wholeness. So let's go back to the question I asked at the beginning.
Who are you? As you can see, this idea takes on a whole new meaning when you zoom out and see yourself through the lens of the scriptures. Remember, every day, head over to www. crowd. church, forward slash, in Christ, that's all one word, in Christ, [00:26:00] and meditate on those verses. And make sure, obviously, You stay tuned because for the next few weeks we're going to be digging into this topic of identity a lot more as it is so life changing and as you'll see when you go to that website there's a lot of stuff to get into.
Who are you? Let me tell you, you are a child of God, an heir of God, adopted into his family. You are unique and crafted by God himself. An image bearer, someone that has been made righteous and complete and clean and whole. You are a new creation, the old has gone and all things have been made new for you and we are just getting started.
Dan Orange: Wow. Thanks, Matt. I think there was a lot to talk about in there.
Sadaf Beynon: Yes, there was a lot in there.
Dan Orange: Yeah. So I'm going to ask the question I always ask is what [00:27:00] stood out to you most or what do you want to talk about first?
Sadaf Beynon: Well, there was a lot that stood out, but I think what I wanted to talk about first because it was, um, um, probably one of the biggest things that's, that, um, I took away from it is that he, when, um, brought up all those different scriptures about.
Our identity in Christ. And he brought up the fact that, um, we are God's workmanship. We are created for good works. We are children of God. We are complete in him. Um, and I was thinking actually the Bible has given us a blueprint. of how we should live.
Dan Orange: Yeah.
Sadaf Beynon: If only we would lay our sides, lay aside ourselves and just obey.
Yeah.
Dan Orange: But
Sadaf Beynon: it's just not easy to just be obedient. So, um, which, you know, which I guess is why we need to immerse ourselves in these scriptures. Yeah. And let it wash over us, let the Holy Spirit minister to us so that, um, We can be mindful of that. And as Matt also pointed out in Romans, it [00:28:00] says, do not conform to the pattern of the world.
So the more we're immersed in scripture, the more we are going to be like him.
Dan Orange: Yeah, I think that's, yeah, that's brilliant. That isn't it? The world and, um, or the fluid, um, things that it gives, because if there's no foundation, you can't have something solid. That's just. facts, isn't it? Things. If you're not basing your decisions and your policies and your views on something, it's going to waver, it's going to change.
And if our thoughts are always on that, then they don't have that foundation. And to have an identity in Christ to say that our foundation is in Christ, it's, it's solid. And like you say, to, to meditate on these scriptures. Um, we just find out more and more about who, who God is, [00:29:00] which means we know who we are because we're made in his image.
Yeah.
Sadaf Beynon: Yeah. That's right. And also, I think it's not, um, it's not easy where, when Matt was talking about, um, you know, the house being rebuilt from the bottom up and those times can be painful. They can be, you can, the times of struggle, there are times of waiting on the Lord and waiting on the Lord is very tough.
And I think in those times, um, you know, it's easy to forget some of these things. And so immersing ourself in the scripture all the time helps us through those. Those hard times as well.
Dan Orange: Yeah, absolutely. And I love that Matt, he put, I wrote it down. Um, so we're new creation. We're restored to who we always should have been like, Oh, that's it.
God designed us. It said he, Uh, the Bible says in the Psalms, I think it is, David says he knitted us in our mother's womb. He knew [00:30:00] exactly what we're going to be like, and this is, is restoring us to who, to all those gifts, to our uniqueness. Yeah. Love it.
Sadaf Beynon: Yeah.
Dan Orange: Yeah.
Sadaf Beynon: It is. It's such a comfort, isn't it? To know that because so often we can flounder based on our feelings.
And that, you know, the, the fluidity of our identity that Matt talked about, you know, how I feel, maybe I, I, I am this way because I'm feeling down in the dumps or whatever it may be. But actually, as you pointed out too, that God has already created us, he's already made us the way we need to be or the way we are in him.
And um, yeah, just need to know that or keep, keep knowing that.
Dan Orange: Yeah. It's, it, it is. Identify our identity because he is our father and it can't be changed. Matt's put on the, um, on the chat, I'm Matt, I'm the son of a king and it can't be altered. He, that is a fact, you [00:31:00] know, things around us can change. Like, um, Matt's, Matt, not Matt on the chat, Matt on the talk, um, his great example of being in Christ, being in the police.
I thought it was really good to explain what it, what it is when they. Put on their uniform. They are part of that. They have those authorities. But she could get a different job.
Sadaf Beynon: Yeah,
Dan Orange: that person could get a different job. There's sometimes as Matt was talking, I was thinking, if someone says someone comes up to you and says, Sadaf, who are you?
What? What do you? Yeah, what do you? We often say, what do you do? Don't we? We miss out? It's like, well, I'm Matt Edmundson. I've got this job, I look after my kids, I do that, I do this, but we miss who we, who we are, but those things, those things are awesome, they're great, but they change, [00:32:00] but God being our Father can't change.
Sadaf Beynon: Yeah, I think, uh, you're absolutely right. For many people, their identity is. In their job or in their role in life, um, you know, whether it's at home or whether it's an office or whatever it is, it's what they do and, um, which is not, you know, that is a part of it. That's a part of who we are because, um, you know, we're, we are created to do good works and God's given us those opportunities.
So we grab them by both hands and we do that. For the Lord and I think, um, but there's also an element of, and I think Matt brought this out too, that what's inside of us comes out. And so, um, I think there's a verse, I can't remember exactly where it is, but like from the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
So what's inside of us, what our core beliefs are about ourselves does come out and it becomes evident. So we might be talking, we might introduce ourselves as, Oh, I do this. [00:33:00] But as you're talking, the person gets to understand a bit more about who you are because your words give so much of you away.
Dan Orange: Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, brilliant. And it's, um, yeah, it is. And it's shaped that can shape our feelings rather than our feelings shaping who we are. Let's. know who we are to shape our feelings. So if we're feeling down, if we're feeling lost, we know that we're found. If we're feeling down, we know that God can lift us up because we know who we're not, who we are.
If who we are is based on our thoughts and our feelings, man, we're in for a rocky road. Yeah. Aren't we?
Sadaf Beynon: Yeah. And knowing the scripture in in those times is so important and as Matt has already created this wonderful resource on the website, which you guys should definitely check out, I think that that's a great way to immerse yourself in the scripture.
Dan Orange: [00:34:00] Yeah, and another thing that Matt talked about was, we have this courage in Christ, because again, if we know who we are, then Like the police officer has that authority. We have that authority. We have that courage because because we're in him. We know who where we stand. We know our direction. We can ask to know more of that.
We can ask to walk and be grow in that restoration and in that that live in that life for him. Yeah, and it says to do good works that he has prepared for us. He's got those things, yeah, ready for us. I love that.
Sadaf Beynon: Yeah, when, um, when Matt gave the example of that, um, the police officer, I was thinking also about in Scripture how we are told to, um, arm ourselves in the armor of God.
So, you know, like each day to put on the, uh, help me out here, [00:35:00] is it the helmet? Well, there's the truth and there's the breastplate of righteousness and
Dan Orange: salvation. I want to say, yeah.
Sadaf Beynon: So, uh, we should probably look up that scripture, people know, but yeah, they did remind me of that. Yeah.
Dan Orange: Um, and I think it would be.
I'm going to start, um, looking at that, that website, that web address, um, I should be able to press the button, bring it up, but I can't, but it's crowd, crowd. church forward slash in Christ, all one word, and Matt's put down all these scriptures to find out who we are in Christ, which is, yeah, it's brilliant just to, to say it out over yourself, to, to read it out and realise this is, this is what God has for me.
And this is what, how God has made me. Is there anything else that you wanted to, to share from the talk?[00:36:00]
I think, um, for me, there was one what we have, we have, um, sort of touched on it, but it's this, and I probably say it every week because it's that we are an heir to God, to all these things that he's, he's done for us. We've been adopted into his family. We are sons, daughters of God, not, not followers. We are followers of Christ, but it's much, much more than that.
It's to know that he's brought us into his family. Um, and, and all that comes, comes with that. If you're in someone's family, like the, the prodigal son that Matt, Matt talked about that story, the prodigal son, that the man goes away. Um, leaves his father, realizes, I, I, I, I, my, my, my father's servants are better off than me.
And he [00:37:00] runs back and his father embraces him. And that's what God wants to do to us, to embrace him and, and put a ring on our finger to say that you are, yeah, you're my son. Do you know what? He never stopped being my son, just because he went away. You are still my son. I, yeah. That keeps me, that keeps me going.
To know that, to know that he, he's my father and I'm his son.
Sadaf Beynon: Yeah, it's a, it's a real gift, isn't it? Um, I think we're also, we're also quite fickle, aren't we? So we are all those things in Christ. Absolutely. But we're also quite fickle. And I think we do, um, ride on emotions and what other people might perceive us to be.
And, you know, we want to have an image that is perfect and we want to portray that. And. Um, I think God in his wisdom has given us scripture so that we can continue to go back to it. It's not like, Oh, read the Bible through once and you're [00:38:00] done. It's spending time in his word with the Lord every day. Yeah.
It's a discipline.
Dan Orange: Yeah, absolutely is. And Graham on the, um, on the chat has put, it's good to know that God is with us at all times, especially in the hard times, he will never leave us. We are his children. Yeah. Yeah. In the hard times, in the hard times. That's the. That's the time when we need to know his, that he's with us.
We need to know his, um, his word so we can, we can rely on, we can look back at it and go, yep, that's what he's done for me. Um, and it, it could be something there's a, on a practical note is perhaps keeping a journal is to, to write down these things. Oh God did this on this day, put in my diary just so we can look back and go, yeah, that's Yeah, that was a hard time, but he came through and he helped me,
Sadaf Beynon: yeah.
Is there any, um, hard times that you'd be happy to share [00:39:00] about, that where the Lord's been done that for you?
Dan Orange: Um,
Sadaf Beynon: yeah, yeah, so
Dan Orange: before, before I was married, before I'd even met my wife, I used to work for a pig. Yeah. company in the UK, BT, like, yeah, so I was a little employee with hundreds of thousands of other employees.
And I got really down, like really depressed, because I didn't really have sometimes I had a lot to do. I had there was months where we just our department just didn't have anything to do. It's crazy, isn't it that someone can just pay you nothing to do. And it really, really got me down. But through that, God, God lifted me out of it.
And even now I have to, I'll have periods when I think, Oh, I can't do this or I'm not good at this. And I [00:40:00] just have to look at God and I have to read his word and have to rely on those things that I've known to be true. I'm read to be true and go, yeah, I'll have more of that. And he's taken me out. It was a very dry time.
It was a very grim time. But he, he brought me through it. Absolutely.
Sadaf Beynon: That's, that's very cool.
Dan Orange: I think, um, perhaps we should bring this chapter to an end. But we're going to continue this series. So next week, we've got Will. Um, well, no, Pete Farrington is going to be talking on the next one. Yeah, next one in the series of our identity. So I'm, yeah, part two, I'm really looking forward to this because Yeah, just to get, even if you just take one thing from each talk, it will be, it's good for me.
It's going to be, it's going to be life changing to [00:41:00] know more about who, who you are and what God's got for you. Um, I do want to say, if you've got any prayer requests, then please, um, just go to crowd. church. There's WhatsApp there, there's email, send them through to us because we just love praying for you.
So we've had prayer requests through this week. People we've been praying for, had answers to prayer. Um, it's just, it's great to be able to, to pray for you. Um, yeah, so I think Sadaf, thank you very much for joining us today. It's my pleasure. And we will see you all next week. Thanks very much.
Matt Edmundson: Thank you so much for joining us here on Crowd Church. Now, if you are watching on YouTube, make sure you hit the subscribe button, as well as that little tiny bell notification to get notified the [00:42:00] next time we are live. And of course, if you are listening to the podcast, uh, the live stream podcast, make sure you also hit the follow button.
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It has been awesome to connect with you and you are awesome. It's just a burden you have to bear and hopefully we'll see you next time. That's it from us. God bless you. Bye for now.