2
Corinthians 5:17-21 “Therefore, if anyone is
in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is
from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us
the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
not counting people’s sins against them. And he has
committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are
therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore
you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him
who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of
God.”
We are all
familiar with our name. Our name is important and matters, in that it carries
with it some sense of who we are, yet more than us individually in the bigger
scheme of God’s plan. Revelation 21:5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all
things new.” God has
called us to be His people by His saving grace through His son Jesus Christ.
What a privilege to be a part of God’s new creation in Christ.
Pastor JJ pointed out in this week Sunday
Sermon series about our Christian identity that God is in the life transforming
business. But what exactly is God transforming in our life? What is it that He
changes? Three areas that God transforms in us are:
(1)
A new heart. Guard your hearts because it is our
“control center”, where we make decisions. It takes a Christian worldview to
see as He sees. Not how they work for us, but how they please Him. John 3:3 Jesus
answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God
(2)
A new motivation. When we are, as a boat without a
motor or oars, set adrift in this god-rejecting world system, the winds of
popularity blow us into the rocks of destruction. But God propels His children with
power from above, against the wind and the waves, with direction towards the
destination (in His image). God stepped in on sin and death to pull us out in
Christ and take us to a new aim, purpose and end. What more do we need to
motivate us to follow Him.
(3)
A new mission. The ministry of reconciliation. We
have been reconciled through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus to become His
mouthpiece and offer to the world that does not know the Lord, what was offered
to us. You don’t have to be “good” at witnessing for Christ because the Holy
Spirit works through us to reach those who have been prepared in advance to
hear and receive the word and light of truth. It’s as easy as just telling
others your story of what God has done in your life. God shows up and does His
good work, so that a life transformation centered in Christ has been purposed
and fulfilled to the glory of God. God is at work in the world and chooses to
offer life in it. This is the mission that He made us for: telling others about
our name, whether “Saved by God”, “Forgiven by God”, “Loved by God”, “Child of
God” or “A new creation in Christ”. What on your name tag?
Transformed with a new heart, motivation and
mission, He makes all things new, created in Christ Jesus that we may turn and
return, not churn and burn. His love endures forever.
Psalm 100 “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his
courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and
his faithfulness continues to each generation.”
In Christ, Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment