Identity Triangle

Who we are drives
what we do.

Let’s talk Identity.

Conversations to consider:

Conversation #1
What is our identity?

💡 Bottom Line

If we know who God is, we know who we are. Who He is and what He has done defines who we are.

💡 Explain

  • Identity asks “who am I?”

  • A Christian’s identity asks that differently

  • Our identity starts with “who is God?”

  • If we know who God is and what He has done, then we will know who we are

📜 Read Together: Matthew 28:19

ASK: “How does Jesus identify and reveal God in 3 ways?”

💬 Discuss

  1. Father | What does it mean that God is our Father? How did we become His child? How does this Father look at and relate to us?

  2. Son | What does it mean that Jesus is the Son? How did our big brother act toward us? How does He relate to the Father?

  3. Spirit | What does it mean that God is Spirit? How does His Spirit interact with us now? How did Father and Son interact with the Spirit?

TIP: Consider texts like… Father — John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Luke 15. Son — Hebrews 2:14; John 5:19-30; John 6:30. John 20:20-21; Romans 8:9-11; Romans 8:15.

Who He is —> makes us —> who we are.

In a Picture

Our identity reflects the Gospel,
so we aim to simply live out our identity:

  • The Father has made us a family — do we treat each other as such?

  • Like the Son, we serve — do we find opportunities to serve others?

  • With the Spirit, we are sent — do we live as missionaries everywhere we go?

Conversation #2
How do we live it?

💡 Bottom Line

In the Gospel, we are brought into God’s family and given a new identity. We are expected to join in the work of God’s family, imitating Father, Son, and Spirit!

📜 Read Together: Texts from Ephesians

REFERENCE: Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-14, 2:4-10, 11-22; 4:1-6; 4:11-16

🙋 Ask a Question

TIP: We are clearly saved by God, but what else becomes clear?

💬 Explain

We are saved by God’s work for God’s work.
We join the work of God’s family:

  • Bringing glory to God in all things

  • Equipping disciples who grow up into Christ

  • Living in light of the Gospel with others

⏭️ A disciple increasingly re-orients life around the Gospel. How can we re-orient around the Gospel together?

Pause to Discuss

  • How can we imitate or reflect the Father to others? He spared no expense to bring us in — how can we show His kindness and hospitality to others?

  • How can we imitate or reflect the Son to others? He served sick, sinners, and all of us — how can we bless others with His kind of serving?

  • How can we imitate or reflect the Spirit to others? The Spirit goes on God’s mission and ensures its spread — how can we go to others beyond us?

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What would our GC look like, feel like, or sound like if we really got this identity-piece right?

Conversation #3
How does our group live it?

💡 Bottom Line

In a Gospel Community, we practice our identity as God’s family of servant missionaries. Practicing together multiplies the impact.

Now that we have a solid idea of our Gospel Identity, let’s discuss how we can live it together:

  1. How can our GC show others the hospitality of being brought into God’s family?

  2. How can our GC show others the service of the Son who spent Himself for others?

  3. How can our GC show others the “sentness” of the Spirit who propels mission outward?

🖍️ Write it down

TIP: Whatever you write down, agree to try for at least 1-2 months, then evaluate what should continue, change, or re-develop.

🔎 Assess your group

To evaluate your group and stay “on target,” use the Identity Triangle.

  1. Which of the 3 “identities” are we showing most?

  2. Which of the 3 “identities” are we showing least?

  3. How can we better balance the 3 “identities” in our next 30 days of GC?

Conversation #4
A Closer Look at Identity

💡 Bottom Line

Our new identity is a free gift given to us by God through the Gospel. But believing and living this identity can take intentional work and practice.

🙋 Ask Questions & Discuss Together

  • What part of “Gospel Identity” is easiest for you to accept? Which is hardest? (Why?)

  • What part of our Gospel Identity makes sense to you but is not yet reflected in your life?

  • While we may think of the Gospel as only about forgiveness from sins, it is much larger than that. How are these ideas “expanding” your idea of the Gospel?

  • How does “Gospel Identity” connect to your everyday life?

🙏 Pray together

TIP: Focus your prayer time on the parts of Gospel Identity that you struggle to accept, believe, or live from. Intercede for one another…