Being Who You Are: May 1 7, 2026

Finding Your True Identity: What It Means to Be Reborn in Christ

Happy Sunday, everyone!

If you weren’t able to make it to church today, or if you just need a quick reminder of what we talked about, you’re in the right place. Today, Pastor Michael dove into a powerful message from the book of Romans that completely challenges the way we view ourselves.

Have you ever stopped to think about how you actually identify yourself all the way down to your core? When someone asks who you are, it's easy to list off your job, your hobbies, or even the things you struggle with. But Pastor Michael reminded us that how we identify ourselves fundamentally shapes how we live. And if we define ourselves by our failures, we’ll inevitably stay stuck in them.

Here are the big takeaways from today’s sermon on Romans 6:

1. The Old You Has Died

Many of us grew up using the phrase, "I am just a sinner saved by grace". But Pastor Michael challenged us to look closer at the scripture. Romans 6:2 asks, "How can we who died to sin still live in it?" Notice that it's past tense! When you were baptized, your old, broken self was left in the water—buried and gone forever. You aren't a spiritual zombie dragging around a dead nature.

2. The New You is Alive in Christ

If you believe in Jesus, you are fully alive and equipped to reflect His image right now. It's easy to let guilt, shame, or our own "felt reality" convince us that we are still incapable or unworthy. But the truth is, Jesus didn't just clean up your legal record in a heavenly courtroom; He actually transformed your soul. Your fundamental, inner self loves God, craves obedience, and delights in His ways.

3. Your Mind Needs Some Catching Up

So, what's our homework? Romans 6:11 gives us our only action step: "Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." Our souls have been made brand new, but our brains still need renewing. We have to do the daily heart-work of rejecting old lies, melting away the excuses, and choosing to live in the freedom Jesus already won for us.

A Note to Take Home: > "You are a beautiful child of God with a brand new nature and a brand new calling." Let's stop living like the old, buried version of ourselves and step confidently into the light of who we truly are!

Have a wonderful week, and let's encourage one another to walk in this incredible freedom!