Who do you think you are?

Father God, You are the One who formed us, knew us, and called us by name. As we gather today, open our hearts to hear Your voice and to understand who we truly are in Christ. Amen. Introduction / Background Part of “Staycation: Mission at Home” What God said to the exiles – Make family. Harsh Question Sometimes the question “Who do you think you are?” can be a harsh question. It can be asked in outrage that you would dare to do something, or dare to question something. That’s not the sort of question we are looking at today. Today, we are looking at identity. What is it that makes you who you are?

TV Show The TV show, “Who do you think you are?” is all about family history. Interesting though it is, there are some occasions when the discovered history has no obvious relationship to the persons current life. On other occasions you can see the consistency of the family characteristics or particular set of skills, through the generations. These only represent a part of each of us, in much the same way that our medical history is not defined by our parents medical history, although there is a strong link. Unlikely Birth In the film “The Meaning of Life” there is a song, the Galaxy Song, which tells us all about our galaxy, but also includes the line: So remember, when you're feeling very small and insecure How amazingly unlikely is your birth There are all sorts of things that make your birth unlikely. Supposing your parents had never got together? Or their parents … and so on. You would not be here. Supposing they had for some non-medical reason, been unable to have children around the time you were born – perhaps they were forced apart by war, or economic circumstances. You would not be here. But you are – all of those apparently random circumstances have led to you and I. You are a product of the genetic material of your father and mother, this combines in ways that science says is largely unpredictable. Some scientists estimate the number of possible viable human genetic combinations to be around 10^1024. So, you are not 1 in a billion, you are 1 in 10 with 1024 zeros. That makes you pretty unique. That’s the number of different ways you can be knit together in your mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13-14) Identical Twins – Different People Even if your DNA does not make you unique, your circumstances most certainly do. I have twin girls, we are pretty sure that they are identical, that they share the same DNA, but one was born first and one second. When they were babies, they had different birth weights, and freckles in different places, or we’d never have been able to work out who’s who. The circumstances of our family life, the community we grew up in, our friendships, our work environments and many other things also make us who we are.

What does the Bible say The Bible tells us who we are in quite a different way – who we are from God’s point of view. Ephesians 2:10, that was part of our reading today, tells us that we are God’s workmanship, saved by His grace, which is His gift to each of us, so that we can do the work prepared for us. Hebrews 13:14 “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.” So here on Earth in this life, we are the same as the exiles from Israel when they arrived in Babylon. We do not really belong here. 1 Peter 2:9, tells us that we are chosen, all of us, as a holy nation.

Colossians 3:12, tells us that we are chosen and dearly loved and that we should behave with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Jeremiah 29:4–7, tells us that we are put in a particular place by God, and that we should build our families in that place. John 20:21, tells us that we are sent to where we are.

Acts 1:8, tells us that we are powered by the Holy Spirit. Matthew 5:14, tells us that we are a light to the world. 2 Corinthians 5:20, tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We carry His message, we deliver it carefully, so as not to upset the people whose country we live in. We make our message relevant to them, as though we were a native. These are just a few verses that give us a little idea of who God says we are.

So, here’s a summary of our mission – Mission Impossible style, because without the Holy Spirit, it IS impossible: Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to live with unwavering faithfulness in the exact place God has deployed you. Your objectives are as follows: Build and bless — establish roots, strengthen families, and bring peace to your community. Pray and serve — operate with spiritual intelligence, responding to God’s guidance at every turn. Shine and witness — illuminate the darkness with the light of Christ, revealing hope where others see none. Reconcile — act as an agent of restoration, repairing what is broken and healing what is wounded. Walk in the good works — complete the assignments God has already prepared, each one tailored to your calling. Point toward the city to come — keep your eyes fixed on the ultimate destination, reminding others of the Kingdom that awaits. As always, should you or any member of this Kingdom Force be misunderstood, opposed, or rejected by the world, know this: your Commander will never disavow you. He claims you, equips you, and stands with you—even when the world does not recognise who you are or whose mission you serve. This message will never self‑destruct. Your mission is ongoing, Spirit‑powered, and already authorised by the King. Because of that it becomes possible, and gives us hope.

For our activity, we are going to build something that represents the hope we offer. The building bricks can be turned into whatever might inspire you to remember this message. I’d suggest, a house – somewhere that offers a family connection. A tower, that provides the protection that God offers. Proverbs 18:10 says “The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” A wall, like a sea wall, that prevents the chaos of the sea reaching the land, and preserves the homes of those living near by. Or whatever, but please be ready to explain your thoughts.

So, who do you think you are? You are not: a random accident, a product of chance. merely the sum of your genetics, your upbringing, and your circumstances. We are God’s workmanship, so we are: chosen, loved, placed, sent, empowered, and illuminated by His Spirit. an ambassador of Christ, carrying His message into the exact place He has deployed you. Our mission is not theoretical, distant, or optional, it is already authorised by the King of Kings. So as you built your small creation today, whatever it was, let it remind you of the hope you carry, the peace you bring, and the identity you live out. Closing Prayer Father God, May we walk in the good works You have prepared for us. May we shine with the light of Christ. May we bless the place where You have planted us. And may we remember, always, who we are in Christ Jesus. Amen.