“Immanuel Delivers Emancipation Now, Transforms Identity, Touching You!(I.D.E.N.T.I.T.Y)”

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

May 12, 2008

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Observations:
I asked myself what were the questions those that heard Jesus asked?

1. Where did this man get these things?

2. What's this wisdom that has been-given him, that He even does miracles.

3. Isn’t this the carpenter?

4. Isn’t this Mary’s son?

5. Isn’t this the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon?

6. Aren’t his sisters here with us?

I asked myself what was their reaction after the questions?
And they took offense at him.

I decided to focus on points 4,5, & 6 today:

Interpretations:
I asked myself what is the significance of their questions comparing Jesus to His earthly family?
They saw his earthly family to be people like them who were ordinary citizens. Now when Jesus came back to His hometown, they are amazed at His teachings filled with wisdom and that He even does miracles. For them it is not computing that Jesus can do all that He is doing. They were putting Jesus in a box trying to figure Jesus out by their own earthly understanding. They were expecting Jesus to be like His earthly family but that was not the case because Jesus had a calling from God and had an identity they were not willing to accept. This is evidenced by the fact that they took offense at him.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. I was born into a Hindu family and raised in a Hindu family for a few years. Later, my mom who was a devout practicing Hindu gave her life to Jesus Christ so He can become her Lord and Personal Savior. She had become a follower of Christ after watching one of many Billy Graham Crusades. At that point she raised us with Christian principles but I had never given my life to Christ till six years after my mom became a follower of Christ. My brothers and my dad followed later. My beloved dad is with the Lord right now. As an Indian, I expected people to automatically assume I was either a Hindu or Muslim. And they did!

When I was a campus minister, I attended a University of Pittsburgh Association of Chaplaincies (UPAC) meeting and there was a representative from a group that automatically made the comment, “let’s see what the representative from the Muslim group has to say”. He automatically assumed I was Muslim even though I was a follower of Christ representing InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the meeting.

Another time a student from India came up to me and said, “I cannot believe you are a Christian. That is so rare because most Reddy’s in India that I know are Hindus. You are from the Reddy name and are a Christian.”

He had posed a question, “Aren’t you a Reddy” like they posed the question, “Isn’t he Mary’s Son’ etc.

However rather than taking offense, he wanted to know what made me become a follower of Christ. In essence, he wanted to know what changed my identity from the  people he knew that had the Reddy last name. The answer is Jesus Christ who has changed my mom, all my brothers, my dad and me.

In my life, it showed me when the Lord gives a new identity it will not be like my family’s identity or the people who have the same last name as I do. Instead, it will be an identity that comes from Jesus Christ and living for Him. At times that could offend family members and those that I come in contact with who do not share the same belief. It could also offend people who think "I cannot believe he went from being Hindu to Christian." The bottom line is it is because of Jesus Christ calling me to be His own.

I ask you now dear friend, who/where is your identity found in?
Dear friend, Jesus Christ came into this world to give a new identity to all those that follow Him. It is not an identity based on our family background, based on our socio-economic status, based on our academic status, or any status that the world gives more credence too. Yes, it is important to know where we came from and be proud of our heritage and ethnicity but even there we cannot find our true identity.

Our true identity can only be found in the One who came as God-incarnate and lived a sinless life! Because of that He alone could pay the price to give us a new identity. Jesus did that on the cross when His precious cleansing blood flowed down the Hill of Golgotha so all who look up to Him could be cleansed of their sin and be made whole.

Now, all we have to do is accept the free gift of grace given us as we confess and repent of our sins before Christ. When we do that, the Lord Jesus who died and came back to life on the third day, will be ready to give us a new identity.

Friend, we all need a new identity because with the identity we have without Christ, we are all controlled by our sinful nature and the sin that binds us. We in essence belong to the enemy without Christ Jesus. You see friend, Buddha, Mohammed, Krishna, Confucius, etc cannot save us and give us a new identity to live our lives controlled by the Holy Spirit, for only Christ the Lord can.

When we find our identity in Christ, we will be a new creation as we allow Christ to guide us and lead us. Jesus found His identity in Father God and so should we. Jesus is God-incarnate so finding our identity in Christ is finding our identity in God. Then, people will notice a difference.

For only when we choose to find our new identity in Christ can we truly be joyful and content. It is then that our lives will truly be transformed and what other people think of us, what our family thinks of us, what our socio-economic, academic status, etc won't be what we live for because our joy will be found in Christ.

This is not to say that we ever ignore especially our family, our friends, and even our foes when we come to Christ. On the contrary because of our identity in Christ, they should be drawn to the new you because when you have Christ and live Christ, people will notice a difference.

When others see you and know about you, do they see you being similar to your family line or do they see something different about you?

 If your family line is serving Christ and so are you, then it is great. What if your family line is not serving Christ, then where do you take your identity from. You can take it from your family line but then you will not be any different from them. The same goes for your friends, etc.

But, if you choose to do what Jesus did and adhered to a higher calling then you too can have a new identity. I am not talking about plastic surgery or a makeover but an identity on the inside that changes your outlook of life on the outside. Now when people see you, they can start seeing Jesus Christ and His ways becoming an identity in you that they want to follow. Yeah, some could take offense at that but just as Jesus continued to do what He was called to, you can too as Jesus will help you and guide you. Yes, He will friend!

No matter where you have been, what your life has been like, how people have perceived you, Jesus Christ can give you a new identity in Him. Oh, Yes He can friend! Now is the time of Salvation.

Maybe you have messed up badly and feel like your life will never change, maybe you have been hurt so badly and feel like it cannot get any worse, maybe you have been stepped on all your life and feel like you cannot get up anymore. Though your future seems futile, I want you to know there is hope. Not the kind of hope that's wishful thinking but a real inspiring hope.

How many wonderful opportunities you have missed, it's not too late for you to change your life around. As this summer goes on, you can become a new person. I don't mean change your name or your face but you can be changed on the inside that will change your lifestyle on the outside.

If you are discouraged and think, there is no way I can have my life changed around, I want you to know that with Christ all things are possible. Jesus loves you so much more than anyone can love you. We have limits on love based on what others do for us but Christ's love for you is unconditional. For unto us a child was born and that child was baby Jesus who later died for our sins and came back to life to save us. If we do so much for those we love and our love is limited, think about how much Jesus will do for you whose love is unlimited.

Whether or not you have a career, academic degrees, boy or girl friend, husband or wife, family, fame, fun, fortune, etc, that is not what Christ sees in you. He sees you as being so precious and special in His sight and wants to take care of you. No matter where you have been or what you have done, you can come to the Savior. Your age does not matter as the Lord can make an impact in your life. He reaches out to you with Helping Hands.

You have a golden opportunity to continue the summer with the Lord on your side. Let me assure you, the transformation you will see in your own life. When Christ touches the hearts of those who come to Him, there life will never be the same again, never be the same. You will have a totally new perspective on life as you spend daily time with Him praying, spending time meditating on the the Word of God, and being in fellowship with body of believers, His Church. Even as you face the storms of life, the winds cannot shake you for you will have a firm foundation on the Rock, Jesus Christ.

Having a new identity in Christ does not mean all our problems will go away. No friend, that is the prosperity Gospel and Jesus never promised a peachy road but He did promise to never leave us nor forsake us. He promised to be with us till the end of the age, to guide us by the Holy Spirit, and to give us new life. When we find our identity in Christ, we will learn to be free, free from the bondage of sin, free from what other people think of us, and bask in His love.

No matter what has happened in the past, you can have a new start in Jesus Christ. This does not mean whatever you hoped for in the past, the Lord will just ignore. Now you have Jesus Christ in your life and you can take to Him all your hopes and dreams. He will be the Lord of the past. If it is regarding a career, academics, or a relationship, take it to Jesus in prayer. If you feel weak or strong about any situation, take it to Jesus in prayer. If it is His will for you, He will confirm it to you in His perfect timing. If it is not His will, He will reveal that too! Wait upon Him; be not afraid but believe! He watches over you. You can belong to Jesus and know He will not keep anything from you that He knows is right for you. Yes, friend!

There was a night, I was in turmoil about a situation I was hoping to get an answer one way or the other. Waiting for an answer seemed so hard but rather than allowing the turmoil to take over preventing me from sleeping, I prayed and prayed to Jesus. Later, I kept claiming God’s promises stating them to myself from A-Z until I fell asleep.

When I fell asleep an amazing thing happened. I saw a figure climbing up the mountain and then saw the clothing to be dazzling white. It was Jesus I saw in my dream climbing up the mountain. I said to myself wow, that’s similar to what I saw in a biblical cartoon when I was young. When I woke up, Jesus’ words, “Don’t be afraid; just believe” kept resonating in me.

This I know that Jesus has not forgotten about me and I need to wait upon Him in prayer for my identity is in Him.

No matter how you feel, when you come to Jesus, you can know He is with you; He is mighty to save; He is delighted in you; He will quiet you with His love and sing songs of exultation because you are His. Yes, He will friend! That is exciting to know! You are destined to win with Jesus giving you a new identity! Yes, you are friend!

May you rest in His power knowing Immanuel delivers emancipation now, transforms identity, touching you! Amen!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)

“Immanuel Delivers Emancipation Now, Transforms Identity, Touching You!” (I.D.E.N.T.I.T.Y)/ “Who/where is your identity found in?”

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart and finding your new identity in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I am a sinner Lord. I am so sorry for my sins. I confess my sins to you. I confess the wrong things I have done and the times I messed up my own life. I need you Lord right now and in the years to come. I have gone my own way and have not found what only you can give me. You alone have the words of Eternal Life. You alone love me unconditionally for who I am. I thank you Jesus. Thank you for going to the cross for me, for dying for my sins, shedding your precious blood for me, so I can me made whole. I am covered by your blood Lord! I come as I am and  accept you Jesus into my heart. Please come into my heart Jesus. Please make my heart your home. Please live in me Jesus. Thanks Jesus for coming into my heart and living in me. Thank you for forgiving me of all my sins. Thank you for giving me a new identity in you. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior as I believe in my heart that you died and came back to life to save me now and forever. I give myself to you and ask you to be in control of my life. Thank you Jesus through the  days, we can do things together. Thanks for being my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and answered me. Thanks Jesus for changing me and helping me through life's storms and winds. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!