A NEW YEAR, A NEW YOU

Introduction: A New Year, A New You. How often have you heard a promise like that? Make 2024 your year with these goals that will help you look and feel your best (and there are 65 things on the list). It’s not wrong to reflect on where we are and where we want to be. With some goals in mind, many of us make New Year's resolutions, and rightly so. If we start with a few small changes, at this time next new year we may see some new things about us.

‌Did you know that God wants a new you too? A New Year, a new you. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

I want us to think about what it means to be a new creation in Christ. Let us make 2024 not our year, but His year, the year when we will look and feel most like Christ. What would that mean for us?

1. We would have a NEW IMAGE, Vs. 17

Most everyone is looking for a way to look better- go on a diet, join a gym, buy new clothes, get a new hairdo, the list could go on & on. If America is not the most image-conscious society in the world, it must rank somewhere near the top.

Let me encourage you, if you are looking for a new image this year, why not put on the image of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Romans 13:13–14 (NKJV), 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Colossians 3:9–11, Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Renewed(Col 3:10) is used in the sense of a state of renewal, i.e., to be in a like-new and often improved manner.

ILL: Certified Pre-Owned Car- a used vehicle that's been thoroughly inspected and repaired as needed. It’s backed up by a warranty, & the added work to qualify the car results in a significant price increase.

Think about what Jesus has done for you. He gave you a thorough inspection & found that you were all jacked up with sin. He made all the repairs Himself (salvation), backed up His work with a guarantee (Seal of the Holy Spirit), and gave you value like you’ve never had before (gift of eternal life). How does that happen?

It’s what our text means by being “in Christ.” Kent Hughes- “In Christ” describes the most intimate union possible. And when we are in Christ, there is a detonation. In fact, the Greek is explosive, “Therefore, if anyone in Christ (boom!) new creation.” Sometimes the detonation is a bang, other times it is a long, rolling thunder, but the outcome is the same— “new creation.”

It is the same thing Jesus means by being “born again,” i.e., the new birth. John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

When you are born again, the “old you” begins to pass away & a “new you” is being formed. It is the “you” that is being transformed into the image of Christ. It begins in this life through salvation & will be completed in the next one in glorification. We live now in the “in-between,” we are not perfect, but we are being perfected.

“In Christ” means new things are happening in us and through us every day: (at least 44 in fact) - faith, redemption, life, no condemnation, no separation, one body, glory, fellow workers, approved, sanctified, babes, wise, instructors, fathers, ways, dead, hope, love, establishes, victory, sincerity, liberty, simplicity, covenant, unity, faithful, blessings, kindness, promise, purpose, forgiveness, saints, suffering, consolation, righteousness, calling, fullness, maturity, thanksgiving, grace, salvation, boldness, good conduct, peace; IN CHRIST.

When we are being recreated in the image of Christ, old things are passing away, all things are becoming new. One of those things is our image, we will look and feel more like Christ. Another thing is our attitude. If we make 2024 the year of Christ, it will mean that we have a new attitude.

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2. We would have a NEW ATTITUDE, Vss. 14-16

If we are “in Christ” it means we are becoming more like Him. Not only will we start looking more like Him, but we will start acting like Him. Phil 2:5, Let this mind (i.e., attitude) be in you which was also in Christ Jesus… What was the attitude of Jesus?

1st, Humility- even though He is God, He lowered Himself to become human, out of love, He gave up His rights to be God & became a man.

2nd, Obedience- being a man, He gave up His life to the obedience of God even dying on the cross.

He gave up His rights, He gave up His life, & when we are “In Christ,” we adopt His attitude.

2 Cor 5:14–16, For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

‌Vs. 14, this word “compels” (i.e., constrains, KJV; controls, ESV) lit. means “hemmed in,” ILL: several stretches of I-35, we are “hemmed in” with walls on either side, you don’t deviate for fear of hitting the wall. This is how Paul feels because of Christ’s love for Him- the only thing he can do is live for Christ & tell others about Him.

A New Christ-like Attitude means that:

• His Love Controls us so that the life we live,

• We live for Christ, & living for Christ means that

• We look at others in a new & different way.

E.g., Paul is himself a great example. Vs. 16, I used to regard Christ according to the flesh… what is he talking about? There was a time when Paul judged people based on external qualities- where you were from? What tribe you belonged to? What religious sect?

This is how Paul described his pre-Christian self in Phil 3:5–6 “5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”

Before meeting Jesus, Paul hated Christ & he hated Christians. Whether he ever met Christ in the flesh, we don’t know for sure, but he had certainly heard of Him. His evaluation of Jesus was not good. Like other Pharisees, Paul saw Jesus as a blasphemer, a false messiah, & a crucified heretic, but after Jesus’ death, resurrection, & ascension, the Lord appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

That divine encounter with Jesus changed Paul’s perspective on Jesus. No longer did he see Christ as a false messiah, now he knew Jesus was the true Messiah and Lord of Glory. Being “in Christ” changed his love, his life, & his outlook on people.

How do you see people? Do you regard them from an external, physical set of values, or do you see them the way God sees them, the way Christ sees them, & the way Paul came to see them? If they are saved, it’s time for us to look at them as new creatures. They may not be perfect, just like we are not perfect, but they are growing & changing just as we are growing & changing. We need to give them grace.

And if they are lost, they need Jesus. We need to stop expecting lost people to act right, we need to help them get right. If we make 2024 the year of Christ, we will have a new image, a new attitude, & we will accept a new assignment.

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3. We would have a NEW ASSIGNMENT, Vss. 18-21.

2 Cor 5:18–21, Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Reconciled (18, 20)- God reconciled us to Himself & we plea with others to be reconciled.

Of Reconciliation (18 & 19), given us the ministry of reconciliation & the word of reconciliation.

Reconciling (19)-what God is doing through Christ.

Three things this teaches us about reconciliation. By being “In Christ” & becoming “a new creation” we have received (3 things)-

• the Ministry of Reconciliation

• the Message of Reconciliation

• the Means of Reconciliation

The Ministry is God’s ministry, not ours. We are first recipients of His reconciliation and then we become representatives of His reconciliation. ILL: We are the envoys, emissaries, & ambassadors of heaven assigned to an outpost on foreign soil to carry out the dictates of our Commander-in-Chief. This world is not our home, we are strangers here, sent to bring a little heaven on earth everywhere we go (peace).

Heaven on Earth, Dr. Alan Streett- “Churches are like embassies…Christians are like ambassadors. Although living on foreign soil, we are citizens of God’s kingdom… As emissaries, we represent the kingdom of God to the world. When people want to know what the kingdom of God is like, we invite them to come and see. When they visit, they get a taste of the kingdom.”

How do we do that? That comes from the message. The Message is the Gospel- Christ is God in the flesh, He is the first ambassador of heaven, who came to negotiate peace between God and people.

What did God do to bring reconciliation? The means- He did not count people’s sins against them, but instead made Jesus Christ to be our sin.

J‌esus is perfectly righteous in every way, He never, ever sinned, & always obeyed the Father; the One who knew no sin became our sin, so that we might become God’s righteousness in Christ!

The cross was the instrument of our reconciliation to God, but Christ’s righteous sacrifice is the means of our reconciliation to God. If it were me on the cross, or you on the cross, it wouldn’t have made any difference at all. But Christ on the cross, He makes all the difference!

We’re always talking about New Year’s resolutions; I think this year we need to talk about a new year’s reconciliation. Christ is our means of reconciliation and through Him, we have been given the ministry of reconciliation to share the message of reconciliation- which is the Gospel. If we make 2024 the year of Christ, we will have His image, His attitude, and His assignment.

Takeaways:

1. If you have been thinking about a new image, why not put on the image of Christ?

If you are lost, I implore you to be reconciled to God. Christ died for your sins so that you can be made righteous. When you turn from your sins and trust in Jesus you become a new creation. How do you do that?

- Admit you are a sinner, Believe in Christ, and Confess Him as Lord

If you have already been saved, understand that God is transforming you into the image of Christ. What old things do you need to put away so that all things can become new in your life?

2. Do you need a new attitude? Do you need a new outlook? Is there someone in your life that you just struggle with how you see that person? When you put on the image of Christ in humility and obedience, love compels you to live for Christ and to look at others the way He does- they need your grace, and they need the Gospel.

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3. If you have been reconciled to God you have been called to be a reconciler of people. We are His ambassadors sent to make peace between God and people, sometimes between us and someone else. Who is God sending you to make peace with?

I want to encourage you. This new year can mean a new you, because “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”