Greater Identity

WELCOME

“But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name.” — John 1:12

Getting wrapped up in your sport is easy, but doing so can leave you empty. But competition takes on a whole new meaning when you find your identity in Christ and begin to experience the fullness of being part of God’s family and the plans He has for your life.

WARM-UP

FAKE ID

One person in the group will pretend to be a famous athlete or celebrity [secretly given to them by the huddle leader] and give verbal clues to another person. The guesser will have 15 seconds to figure out their partner’s fake identity.

Q: What was the hardest part about pretending to be a famous person?

Q: What was the hardest part about figuring out the famous person’s identity?

WORKOUT

PROPER ID

Patrick Ewing is one of the greatest NBA centers of all time. But when he visited his old home arena in 2021, the Madison Square Garden security repeatedly asked to see his photo pass before allowing him to access different parts of the building. Ewing was unhappy and felt everyone should have recognized him without asking for proper ID.

It’s a common feeling amongst popular athletes, coaches, and other celebrities that who they are and what they’ve accomplished should allow them to gain access without any official proof.

This can even be a trap that lesser-known competitors might fall into—the need to be seen, known, and treated well. That’s because it’s easy to get wrapped up in sports and allow competitive success to define who you are.

But God’s Word tells us that when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, our entire lives should be focused on Him and what He has done for us and wants to do through us.

Q: In what ways have you struggled to separate who you are as a competitor from other areas of your life?

Q: Have you ever let your competitive success define who you are? What does it say about you?

GOD’S ID

Not long after Jesus was gone, a man named Paul (also known as Saul) had a lot of pride in his many titles and descriptors. He was Jewish. He was Roman. He was a Pharisee. He was educated. He was an elite. He was a successful businessman. Paul was also arresting Christians and having them killed for their faith.

But when Paul encountered Jesus (in Acts 9), something inside him changed dramatically. He no longer held onto those parts of his identity so tightly. He was now, first and foremost, a child of God and a disciple of Christ:

“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” —Galatians 2:20a

Paul now understood these important Truths. God created him (in His image), loved him (enough to save him), and chose him (for a much greater purpose). And because of his new identity, Paul had the boldness and courage to tell the world about Jesus.

Q: In what ways can you relate to Paul’s need to be recognized for his background, his heritage, and his accomplishments?

Q: What are the benefits of being known as a child of God?

WRAP-UP

GREATER IDENTITY

There is no more confusion about who you are when you join God’s family. Here are three key things to remember about taking on His identity:

1. You are created. God wanted you in His life, so, He created you with love and made you to be like Him.

“So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.”— Genesis 1:27

2. You are loved. Even though you were born a sinner, God still wants a relationship with you. That’s why He gave His Son to bring you back to Him.

“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8

3. You are chosen. God has a plan for your life, and He chose you so that you could fulfill your greater identity through His purpose.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.” — John 15:16

OVERTIME

Take some time to answer these questions as a group or one-on-one with your leader or an FCA staff member:

Q: Where are some areas in your life where you struggle to find your identity?

Q: How might focusing on your identity in Christ help you redefine who you are?

Q: What changes in your priorities might need to take place as a child of God?