Your New Origin Story

Introduction

Everyone is fascinated with origin stories and always have been. In more recent times, since about the mid-2000’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe has capitalized on this fascination. They take old characters and bring their “origin stories” to screen (or some adaptation of it). They take familiar characters with intriguing current realities and answer the questions: How did they become like this? What made them like this? What factors contributed to them becoming an adamantium filled man who constantly regenerates from injuries, is almost impossible to kill, yet still easy to hurt, has a massive anger and bitterness problem yet meets a guy in a wheelchair who plays literal mind games with him to make him a more heroic figure? (Wolverine anyone?)

Origin stories have everything to do with who someone is currently. We all have at least one.

You and I have origin stories. And yet, incredibly in the gospel we can have a new origin story. Our current origin story can be remade into a “new” origin story. The paradox of the gospel is that our origin story (sinners in Adam, broken and running from God to destruction) doesn’t have to be our final origin story.

Today, we are going to learn about the new origin story that the gospel offers and some ways we see that radical new origin story change your entire life.

Context

New, New, New. Paul has been discussing the New Covenant and the blessings of being members ministers of the New Covenant. Paul then shifts from speaking of his own ministry to how the ministry finds fruit in the Corinthian believers.

First Slide/Point: Through The New Covenant in Christ we have a new origin story that makes us a new creation, secures us a new status, promises us a new future, as new people with a new mission.

The New Covenant Creates a New Origin Story

Second Slide: “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Cor. 5:16-17

In Christ, you are a new creation (vs. 16-17)

The New Creation is God’s incredible gift and power in reconciling the world and toward us (vs. 18)

Paul brings Isaiah 65, and cosmic New Creation into his theology of our salvation.

New Covenant leads to New Creation.

2. Cor. 4:6 — God’s work in you is comparable to the work of creation!

The mystery of the gospel is that God steps in and rewrites your entire story.

From in Adam, (slave to sin, broken, enemies of God, lost sheep) to in Christ (beloved, chosen, free, new creation)

I WILL SAY IT THIS WAY....

Third Slide/Second Point: God’s saving work in your life is a spectacular display of New Creation that fundamentally changes your entire universe. There is nothing boring about “the old is gone, the new has come.”

The New Covenant Secures a New Status

Fourth Slide: 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. 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. 2 Cor. 5:18-19, 20b

Reconciliation is about bringing peace and unity from enmity and conflict. God has secured a new status as reconciled people. What does that mean?

“Not counting people’s sins against them.” (vs. 19b)

How can our perfect, transcendent Lord not count people sins against them? How can God be just yet reconcile us?

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (took on human flesh and bore the burden of sin)

The New International Version Chapter 8

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, n God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. p And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

“so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Think of two robes, in Adam we wore robes of sin and were internally corrupt. Through faith we are joined to Christ and share in Christ’s status. His righteousness becomes ours. We are in Christ and share in His resurrection status.

I WILL SAY IT THIS WAY...

Fifth Slide/Third Point: Jesus’ status becomes our status by virtue of us being in Christ through faith. The glory of the New Covenant is that we are found to be in an unbreakable union with King Jesus securing our status and bringing New Creation into our hearts.

The New Covenant Promises a New Future

Sixth Slide: For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Cor. 5:1-5

Paul begins with the end and then gives us the foundation for the end. This new status through the New Covenant leading to New Creation within us is the grounding for the confidence that we will enjoy our eternal home, our new resurrected bodies. Clothed in righteous new creation bodies.

The Spirit is the deposit, guaranteeing that God’s promises will be fulfilled. If resurrecting King Jesus was not enough, God then gave us His indwelling presence through the intimate communion of the Spirit of God. Showing us: I can be trusted.

I WILL SAY IT THIS WAY...

Seventh Slide/Fourth Point: The purpose of God’s reconciling work was to fashion a people who would live with Him forever clothed in the glory of the Son.

Eighth Slide: How then shall we live?

TRANSITION: So how do we live in response to this? As new people with a new mission.

The New Covenant Establishes a New People with a New Mission

I admonish you to read this today at home in reflection.

New Covenant, New Creation People...

are ministers of reconciliation (5:19)

are ambassadors for Christ (5:20)

are co-laborers (6:1)

commended through hardships, beatings, trials, and tribulations (6:3-5)

growing in displaying the robes of Christ (6:6-8)

growing in a holy toughness (6:9-10)

fleeing idolatry (6:14-7:1)

on mission to see repentance (7:2-15)

I WILL SAY IT THIS WAY...

Ninth Slide/Fifth Point: As New Creation people we now live to show our new origin story resting in God’s work knowing our status is secure, our future is promised, and our King has won.

TRANSITION TO CLOSE: Jason Bourne — Analogy

My prayer is that when the enemy tries to remind you of your old origin story that you tirelessly come back to this truth:

that through the New Covenant in Christ we have a new origin story that makes us a new creation, secures us a new status, promises us a new future, as new people with a new mission.