Therefore… We are a New Creation

Video

I am not sure if anyone else has seen on of these videos before, but its this amazing thing where you have these people who have been blind, and whether its through a special device or glasses, or surgery, you have these moments where these people get to see for the very first time.

And I love it because there are videos where you see a baby and his eyes open wide in amazement

You see kids amazed.

I like this video because the guy kind of laughs at first, and you can tell he thinks its cook and then I think the weight of just what this means hits him and he begins to break down

And hiss friend thats with him says: “This is for the rest of your life”

And I think the video keeps going, but its this understanding that this devices will change the world as he knows it.

And the reason I am bringing this up is because we are starting this new series called “Therefore…”

And I mentioned this earlier but whenever you see the word “therefore” its basically saying, because this has happened, this is now happening”

And really we are in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

And this passage says this word “Therefore” four times and at the center of the four of these are these two verses that each of these therefore points to… It says this:

2 Corinthians 5:14–15 NIV

14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

So essentially Paul who writes this is highlighting what we talked about last week which is this idea of Jesus has died on the cross, and has risen, which is why we celebrated last week

And I would say “He is Risen” and you all would say “He is Risen indeed”

And Paul is trying to communiate that this is a great thing to celebrate.

We are really thankful that Jesus is Risen, but this is something that we do not just celebrate, but it should completely change our life!

And I know I just read a couple verses, but lets jump to the begining because Paul starts with this in verses 11-13. He says:

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 2 Co 5:11–14.So Paul starts with because of what Christ has done “fear the Lord”

And at first this sounds kind of weird doesn’t it.

God has given you this loving and amazing grace that even while we were still making mistakes He died for us, because He loved you that much… So you should fear Him.

And we loose a little bit of the translation in English,

Because when I think of fear, I think about like if I knew Joe and Brandon were teaming up to beat me up after service.

I would be scared.

But when the Bible uses fear it is almost like this awe and reverence,

I don’t know if you have ever been at a resteraunt or a hotel that overlooks the ocean.

And then while your there a storm comes

I love storms and its so cool to watch because the waves get massive, the wind is crazy, You see lightning bolts coming down far out

And unless its a huricane, you are not terrified in this sence that the storm is getting ready to attack you, but you are going to take it serius right?

Because if you are like me you are almost overwhelmed in awe look at the storm And you cannot ignore it because it is so big

And the fear of the Lord is simaler to this because its not Jesus is going to be waiting in the parking lot for you after church,

But its this idea that we need to understand Who God is and what He has done and just how serius we should treat this.

Because this passage is actually a letter and the church Paul is writing to is a church that was not treating this serius, they were saying they are Christians, but their lives were full of so much that was no where close to where God had called them.

And Paul is going when are you going to start taking this serious?

And He does not just say that but he says because “what we are is plain to God and I hope it is plain to your conscience”

Basically God knows who you are…

And hopefully you do as well.

Because this is good news, because if you are someone who has followed Christ then you have been made new, He knows our broken pieces, but He also knows that our broken pieces have been put back together.

But on the other hand, He knows our flaws, our issuess, He knows the things we wrestle with,

I know last week i mentioned the baltimore Oriels,

And if you have been watching them this week its been rough they lost to the the Capitals 0-7

They lost to the Rays 24-2 on Easter, Happy Easter.

And whats crazy is on paper they should be a pretty good team, but something is not clicking.

And I am bringing this us because the beautiful part of this passage of scripture is God sees us.

He sees us as people created in His image

He sees us as people redeemed in the blood

He sees us as a child of God,

but if you are like me, sometimes there are things that do not click,

And I just imagine God seeing us and going why are you here?

Don’t you know I am calling you to a place that is so much better

And the question is when am I going to start understanding who I am in light of what God has done.

And not just say I am forgiven (which is true) but that I am changed.

And I do not know if you saw this but in verse 13 that we read Paul points out that the way they are living because of this change in their life almost has people qustioning if they are okay…

He says “if we are out of our mind”

And He basically says if we are out of our mind its for God.

Because thats how big of a change is happening in my life.

It would almost be like lets say I got food poising at Chick Fillet and I was out with you and you mentioned we should get Chick Fillet.

I am probably going to have a harsh reaction, because that event had such a negitive impact on my life, that I seem a little crazy when it gets brought up.

And I want us to catch this, because its not a negitve event, but Paul iss saying this is so big, it should really make a huge impact.

And lets look at the second half of this passage (verses 16-21) because look what it says:

2 Corinthians 5:16–21 (NIV)

16 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! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 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.

So in a sense Paul begins to summarize everything he has said as he gets to verses 17 and He says therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone and the new has come”

Basically He is saying you have been made into something new.

Imagine this clay (actually use play-dough)

Right now this is made into a ball or a paper weight right?

But I can reshape it cant I?

And I can make it into a little cup right?

But here is the issue, because It has been reshaped but I can still use it for a paper weight right?

But why would I?

And I think Paul is looking here going “you have been made new, so why are you living into this, when I have made you into this… (have both the ball and the cup made)

And so let me start to wrap everything together

Because in verse 19 we are told overall what God is doing through this.

Because it tell us that He is reconciling the world to Him.

And this is a big deal because if you are here I imagine there have been places in your life where you have either messed up or made a mistake.

And if someone has ever made a mistake that impacted you, your natuaral instinct is probably I am going to get that person back.

You punch me, well guess what… I am going to punch you.

But here is Jesus going I am not throwing a gernade into the mix, but I am going to build a bridge.

Where now instead of furthering the relationship and saying get away, I am going to draw near.

And thats what He does when He dies on the cross.

He says I do not care how much it cost me, but I want to reconcile this relationship.

And this is the last part, because Paul (who writes this) is telling us this and this last part is He tells us how He is going to do this.

And if you afre like me your going, okay God the world seems broken, there are broken relationships, between families, it seems like people do not really care about you, but paul ends in verses 20-21 saying what we have been made into. Look what it says:

20 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. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

He says we are being made into Christ ambasadors.

I want you to think what an ambassador is,

Becaue when I was in college I wass on the swim team

And I remember there was always this issue where there were college students that would make some not so great choices.

And they would always tell us you are Olivets Ambassadors

There are people who may have never heard of our college and there only understanding of what our college is, is based off the interaction you have with them.

And I remember going wow thats a little weighty.

And as we wrap this all together, God has this huge mission that has been set into motion because of what He has done on the cross.

And now here is God saying I want to include you in this idea of reconciling this world to me.

And it is through you being made into my ambassador.

Because the way you live, not just at church, but how you go to work, how you care for the needy, how we treat the immigrant, how we interact with the person we have different views with,

How we do all of these things paints a picture of who are God is.

And I guess as we close can I ask have we taken this thing that was done for us seriusly?

Has is made an impact on us?

And if so what is the picture that we have started to paint of Jesus with the life we live?

Will you pray with me?