GOD'S ID UPON YOU! - Revelation Central

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PULPIT TODAY SERMON

God’s “ID” Upon You!

by Robert D. Pace

Today’s message explores the names and designations God assigns to his people. I’m talking about the Biblical language God uses to ID you. When you research these citations, you discover you have nothing to fear! The ID God has placed upon you shows God’s love for you. It provides you with meaning and purpose for living. And it will bring you soul-strengthening, faith-filled confidence in the Lord. Thus, you don’t want to dismiss how God IDs you. Let’s read our text:

1 John 3:1—2

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (2) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

(Transition) But before disclosing how God identifies his own, I want to start by showing how we identify each other in real-life circumstances. I’ll even try to invoke a little humor, too?

How the World IDs People

Educators call their attendees … students or pupils.

Augusta National Masters Golf tournament calls its onlookers … patrons.

Undertakers call dead people … the deceased, a corpse, a cadaver, or the body.

Parents call their children … by a birth-name, a special nickname, sweetie, sweetheart, princess, buddy, or love.

What do nations call visitors to their land: … tourists, migrants, immigrants, asylum seekers, aliens, or perhaps even “illegal aliens.”

Medical personnel refer to a person unduly worried about their health … a hypochondriac, or (here’s an interesting ID) a valetudinarian.

We call someone who repairs computers … a geek, a nerd, or a tech guru.

We call a person who breaks the law … a culprit, thief, criminal, offender, crook

villain, delinquent, felon, transgressor, miscreant, or a lawbreaker.

We call those imprisoned … prisoners, inmates, convicts, jailbirds, criminals, felons.

We call someone who gains great notoriety… a star, a superstar, or a rock star.

I have a final example that provides a perfect segue into how God IDs his people: When people travel via commercial airlines, they are not only called “passengers,” they are also called “souls.” There’s a reason for this. Air travel comes with risks that are gravely dangerous! When airliners crash, the authorities inquire, How many souls were onboard? The reason the Federal Aviation Administration and Air Traffic Controllers ID its passengers as souls is because the human soul is incomparable to any treasure the world possesses.

Genesis 2:7 records the story of Adam’s creation in the Garden of Eden. Even though God perfectly formed Adam, he was lifeless. That’s when God breathed into Adam’s nostrils, and he became a living … soul. As the progenitor of the human race, everyone relates to Adam. We too, possess the most valuable aspect of human life—a soul.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:26, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” Jesus announced that nothing on this planet is more valuable than a soul. The soul is inestimable! Do you see how valuable you are to God? The next time you feel worthless, look deep within and tell yourself, “God has made me a soul, and nothing in the world compares to it.”

So first, God IDs every person on the planet as a “soul,” and that makes us something special!

(Transition) Now, let’s turn our attention to how God IDs his people. And there’s nothing more important than the way God identifies us. It’s appropriate to continue by considering the father of the Judeo-Christian Faith—Abraham.

II. Ways that God IDs You

Terah, a man from Chaldea, is responsible for naming his son Abram. You can hear the pride Terah takes in naming his firstborn son Abram because the name means “exalted father.” But as regal as the name is, the Lord knew it would never be enough to identify his chosen servant. So, he expanded Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of a nation; father of many; father of multitudes.”

There’s a compelling way that God takes Abraham’s name and mission and IDs Christians with it. As spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham, Jesus said, “Go into all the world … and make disciples of all nations.” In other words, Christians are to be the “father of many; of multitudes” — just like the name Abraham suggests. We have inherited a name that compels us to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world and gather as many souls as possible into the Kingdom of God. What a grand ID God bestows upon us!

Now, let’s look at Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. Genesis 32 discloses the story of Jacob wrestling an angel all night for a blessing. As light began extinguishing the darkness, the angel commanded Jacob to turn loose. But Jacob refused to comply unless the angel imparted a blessing. This was the turning point in Jacob’s life. In verse 28, the angel said to Jacob: “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” After that night, Jacob limped away from that wrestling match with something everyone wants — victory! That’s why the Lord renamed Jacob Israel after contending with that angel. It means “to strive with God and persevere.” This is what Believers are destined to do — “persevere to the end.” And when we persevere through Christ, God makes us champions! So much so that Romans 8:37 declares, “We are more than conquerors.”

Maybe you are thinking, but this doesn’t apply to us; we aren’t Jewish! That’s not what the Apostle Paul taught. Note what he wrote in Romans 9:6—8.

“For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. (7) Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” (8) In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.

What a disclosure! Abraham’s true offspring, whether Jew or Gentile, are those connected to the greatest champion of all history—Jesus Christ. It’s Christians that God IDs as the true Israel! These are the overcomers and victorious ones. Have you accepted God’s ID of you?

(Insight) In studying this, I discovered an amazing insight from a group of Hebrew scholars. This group disclosed that Jacob’s name means this: “He has become a receptacle in which God can be received and retained.” That is profound — God lives in his people! We are receptacles of God’s presence. This is exactly what the Apostle Paul said about himself in Colossians 1:25—27.

I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness — (26) the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. (27) To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, [what is this mystery?] which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

But when you look closer, Israel has a deeper meaning. It also means “God’s covenant people.” Those in covenant with God can expect his unwavering faithfulness, his blessings, and the manifold promises of his Word. This is God’s pledge to his covenant people.

(Transition) So far, I’ve mentioned four ways that God’s ID appears upon his people: (1) He calls all people “souls.” (2) He IDs us as “children of Abraham.” (3) He also calls us “the sons of Jacob.” (4) He IDs us as “Israel.” But the fifth, and next, way God IDs his people is by calling us members of his household. This ID appears in numerous passages, but I’ll only reference several:

5. Hosea 1:10, Ephesians 2:19, 1 John 3:1, and John 1:11—13 disclose one and the same ID of God’s people. As I just mentioned, these passages reveal that Believers are part of God’s family. Let’s read:

Hosea 1:10 says, “In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God’.”

Ephesians 2:19 says, “You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.”

1 John 3:1 says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.”

And how can I leave out John 1:11—13, which says this: “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. (12) Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— (13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

But how does God do this? How does he implement this family relationship? Paul answers this in Ephesians 1:4—5 when he says: “In love (5) he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”

God wanted you in his family so much that he adopted you. That means you should never doubt his love and commitment to you. As your Heavenly Father, you will always be his priority! He will lavish you with his love; he has assigned you with angels of protection; he will supply you with whatever you need to fulfill his purpose; you’re his “object of mercy,” and that means he will never overlook you and treat you as an outcast.

This doesn’t mean he will leave you to your own devices. While God claims you as a lump of coal, he will also remove the needless layers of vanity, pride, and selfishness until you sparkle as a diamond in his hand (Hebrews 12:5—11).

(Transition) I’ve been talking about the names God uses to ID his people, but does God literally place a mark upon us? Let’s examine this.

6. If you are a Christian, God most certainly marks you. And what type of mark is this; where does he place it? As you piece together passages of Scripture, they coalesce to present a clear picture of God’s autograph upon his people.

I want to start with Ezekiel chapter 9, a scene where God dispatches six angelic executioners to Jerusalem. Their mission is to prosecute the wicked for their unconscionable crimes against God and humanity. But to spare the righteous, the Lord assigns a “man clothed in linen” to accompany the executioners. He’s among these agents of wrath to brand a clear distinction between the righteous and the wicked. Beginning in verse 4 the Lord says to the man in linen:

“Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.” (5) As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. (6) Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. (Ezekiel 9:1—6).

If God opened your eyes to the spirit world, you too could see his mark upon Believers. But imagine how this inscription appears to Satan and his forces: it’s God’s signature of retribution, forewarning them against touching God’s elect. They know God will settle the score! Praise God that his hand is against the wicked!

But while Ezekiel shows this mark applied on the forehead, he doesn’t disclose what the mark says. Could the mark be God’s Name? This is likely so because there are about ten passages where God’s Name is used to mark his people. For example:

Isaiah 44:5 says, “Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and will take the name Israel.”

Jeremiah 31:33 says, “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Also, Jeremiah 17:1; Romans 2:15, 2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16)

Revelation 3:12 says, “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. (13) Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Revelation 14:1 says, “Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.”

Revelation 22:4 says: “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. (4) They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.”

I want to explain God’s divine intention when he marks you, whether on the hand or the forehead. God IDs you with his name to signify how none but he can satisfy. Nothing in this world brings true joy, peace, or self-worth. Not fame, wealth, or a dream job. Nothing! The real you — your true ID — isn’t found inside yourself; it’s found outside yourself; it’s found outside this world; everything that brings everlasting peace, joy, and contentment is found in God and his Son Jesus Christ. He alone bestows identity, purpose, and dignity. That’s why his mark is upon you.

Conclusion

7. Finally, I want you to know that God has a new ID to bestow upon you when you arrive in Heaven. Revelation 2:17, we read this: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.”

I can’t wait to discover that new and concealed name with which God will identify me. Have you tried to interpret the meaning of your new name? Whatever it may be, it’s God’s ID that lasts for eternity.

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APPENDAGE

(The following serves as optional notes for Pastors to incorporate at their discretion.)

Additional terms God uses to ID his people, and each comes with signification:

The People of God (Exodus 19:5–6): This designation transcends a personal identification. It refers to the entire kingdom of God. Describes God’s chosen people, set apart for His purposes. In moments of fear knowing how God thinks of you brings stabilization.

The Chosen Ones (1 Peter 2:9): Highlights God’s selection of His people for a special purpose.

The Children of Light (1 Thessalonians 5:5): Contrasts God’s people with the darkness of the world.

A Holy Nation (1 Peter 2:9): Emphasizes God’s people as a separate and holy community.

The Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:9): Describes God’s people as having a special role in serving and representing Him.

The Elect (Romans 8:33): Highlights God’s sovereign choice of His people.

The Beloved (Romans 9:25): Emphasizes God’s love and affection for His people.

Saints (Ephesians 1:1): Highlights God’s people as those who are set apart for Him and live a life of holiness.

The Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7-8): Describes the church as the beloved and cherished people of God.

The Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27): Emphasizes the unity and interconnectedness of God’s people.

The Children of Promise (Galatians 4:28): Highlights God’s people as those who are recipients of His promises and blessings.

The Inheritance of God (Ephesians 1:18): Describes God’s people as His treasured possession and inheritance.

Jesus told his disciples they were his “friends” (John 15:12–15). This emphasizes the intimate relationship between God and his people.

GOD’S ID UPON YOU!

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