The Real Me—Interactions

Below are some additional interactions on the article: The Real Me. Read it first.

411:

Identity—The place from which everything else springs; the essential part of
ourselves. Our identity is the inward part of our outward image.

I.D. Card—actually stands for “Identity card.”

Pharisees—The leading religious leaders during Jesus lifetime. Not all Pharisees were enemies of Jesus, but clearly the overarching theme of the Gospel accounts is that Jesus and the Pharisees were pitted against each other.

“lifted up the Son of Man”—a reference to Jesus’ crucifixion.

Stories:

When I was in high school, I had a serious identity crisis. Let me explain. I was very involved in athletics. Wrestling, baseball, and football and all the strength training involved in those sports consumed me. Naturally, I found my identity in being a jock and all that that image entailed. I cussed like a sailor, viewed pornography, told crude jokes, and acted like an idiot. I did all this to garner the attention of my “friends.” I basically felt I had to fill the mold (expected image) of a jock. Consequently, I became who I thought others thought I should be rather than becoming who I knew I was on the inside. You see, I did all those things while attending church services every week with my family. I believed the Bible and God and Jesus and all that good stuff, but I wasn’t living out those beliefs. I was a huge hypocrite! By my junior year, age 17, I had quite a conundrum on my hands. I can’t even begin to tell you of the internal anxiety I felt over my identity.

Scripture:

Matthew 16:13–19—Peter declares who Jesus is, then Jesus declares who Peter is

Hebrews 1:3—another unknown author correctly understands Jesus’ identity

Colossians 1:15–17—another one of Jesus’ followers, Paul, also understands Jesus’ identity

John 1:1

John 1:14—here one of Jesus’ disciples, John, wrote correctly about Jesus’ identity

Small group guide:

Identity (SG)—1—Jesus’ Daddy

Video:

Here are a series of video clips that deal with identity and false identity. Have some fun with these!

A funny commercial from Citi Bank that deals with identity

Large group guide:

Identity (LG)—1—Jesus’ Daddy

Life Questions:

There is general agreement that a Jesus of Nazareth lived about 2,000 years ago. And many would say that this Jesus is perhaps one of the most controversial figures in all of human history. This week, challenge yourself to conduct an informal survey by asking eight of your peers (try to ask a variety of students) and two of your teachers who they believe Jesus really is? (Now this is going to be interesting!)
Write your own personal creed on who you believe Jesus to be. This could be a song, poem, picture, or journal entry. Be creative with how you express yourself.When I was in high school, I had a serious identity crisis. Let me explain. I was very involved in athletics. Wrestling, baseball, and football and all the strength training involved in those sports consumed me. Naturally, I found my identity in being a jock and all that that image entailed. I cussed like a sailor, viewed pornography, told crude jokes, and acted like an idiot. I did all this to garner the attention of my “friends.” I basically felt I had to fill the mold (expected image) of a jock. Consequently, I became who I thought others thought I should be rather than becoming who I knew I was on the inside. You see, I did all those things while attending church services every week with my family. I believed the Bible and God and Jesus and all that good stuff, but I wasn’t living out those beliefs. I was a huge hypocrite! By my junior year, age 17, I had quite a conundrum on my hands. I can’t even begin to tell you of the internal anxiety I felt over my identity.
Does my story resonate with your story? If so, I’d love to hear about it. Email me at brian.hershey@me.com. If you take the time to write, I promise I’ll take the time to read and respond. Maybe then, I can tell you how I eventually ended up resolving my internal conflict.
Read the classic children’s book, The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams. As you read, notice how the rabbit struggles with his identity. What does he say makes you REAL?
Watch Remember the Titans. Even if you’ve already seen it, watch it again. This time, pay attention to which players on the team appear to see their teammates with colorblind eyes. (You may be very surprised to see what kind of families these guys come from). Why do you think these players had an easier time accepting their black teammates?

Reflect:

Take a moment to reflect on your own lineage. Think about where your parents and grandparents have come from. Consider also your unique experiences as a military teen. How have your family and your personal experiences shaped who you are today? How would you be different if you grew up in Omaha, NE all your life??