RENEWAL SERMON MATERIAL

CONSTANT DAILY RENEWAL gives us the truth that in one respect we are (or at least should be) in a state of constant spiritual renewal after the image of our creator.

​ ESVDo not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

This coincides with the truth that while our bodies are daily getting older our inner beings, our spirits are being renewed on a daily basis as we are constantly being made more and more like Christ. (This of course is dependent on our willingness.

​ ESVSo we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

SPIRITUAL RENEWAL INVOLVES CHANGE IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND

​ ESVto put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

​ ESVassuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

While this verse indicates that the initial putting off of the old self but also the renewal that happen when the spirit of our minds or mindset changes through Christ.That mindset change continues to happen as we continually know Christ more and more and the Holy Spirit works in our minds and hearts to change us to be more like the image of our Creator. () also indicates that renewal comes in part from the transformation of the mind. The word of God and the Holy Spirit are powerful to convict the heart and change the mind if there is a willingness. In other words if you are humble enough to receive the God’s word to apply to you and open enough to be influenced by the Holy Spirit’s leading.

​ ESVTherefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Receiving God’s word requires meekness. If you are not meek you will not consider that you need it. RENEWAL IS NOT JUST A ONE TIME EVENT BUT A CONTINUAL PROCESSIn one respect renewal or the process of being made new is not just a one time commitment event or spiritual revival. (That is true as well.) But spiritual renewal is being made more and more and more every day into Christ’s image. There can be a spiritual renewal at one point in time but that should just be the spark that starts the fire that burns every day to be more like Christ than the day before. It should be the starting point to having a daily attitude that God still has work to do on me and I still have work to do for Him! THE NEED FOR RENEWAL CAN BE FOR US TO COMMIT TO RETURNING TO OUR PREVIOUS COMMITMENT AND PASSION FOR CHRIST. The church at Ephesus had a need for renewal to return to the love and passion they had for Christ at first. They needed to renew that commitment, repent and do the works they did at first that came out of their love for Christ. That may be what some of you need today is a personal renewal to return to the passionate, zealous relationship you had with Christ you had a first that resulted in excitement for His words and doing His work. THERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT HERE: TRUE RENEWAL HAPPENS WHEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST IS FIRST! We can make the mistake of getting the idea of revival or renewal backward wherein we think that it is all about doing more and being more active with seemingly spiritual behavior. But seemingly religious activity that is not out a loving relationship with Christ and love for others is empty. Further, when our effort at renewal are only focused on our activity and not our hearts it will not last. We will soon return to what is easier because our motivation (which is more for ourselves than God or others) will run out. When we renew our relationship with Christ as our first and most important love and we keep Him there our motivation will both be right and sustaining. “Chadash (kadash) is a beautiful, refreshing word, which means “to renew,” “to repair,” or “to restore.” Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000). Made New2 Corinthians 5:17 TRANS: after this happens sometimes, like Israel, we can lose sight of the passion and focus that we first had for ChristRenewedComing back to a right relationship with Christ and having a renewed passion and focus on the things of Christ. () TRANS: when this happens the continual growth and continual renewal is possible Continual Daily Renewal says after we put on the new self (which happens when we are saved, being baptized into Christ () our new self “is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” says that our inner self is being renewed day by day. Every day we are being renewed and made more and more and more like Christ - if we are continually growing in Him! HILLS AND VALLEYS BUT NOT DESERTS We all have our ups and downs spiritually. We have times when we feel like we are on a spiritual mountain where we are as passionate as we can be. Then we have times when we fell like life has driven us down into a valley and we are tired but still cling closely to God. But when we are in a desert and we have become comfortable with the spiritual drought we are living in because we have put our focus on other things then we are not in a good place and need renewal. RENEWAL AND REMOVALIn preparing your heart for renewal you may need to remove some thing from it.Scripture demonstrates many times that what often preceded renewal of a right relationship with God was removal. ; , Josiah’s removal of idolatry As Josiah removed Idols, you may need to remove the idols from your life and heart. You cannot renew you heart to God while you are in love with something elseYou cannot renew your hope when you are still hoping in other things more than GodYou cannot renew you love for God’s word when you refuse to make time for it. WHAT COMES BEFORE RENEWAL? REALIZING A NEED FOR IT! If we need renewal how will we realize it. What will come before it? How will we know?Taking the example of Josiah and Asa as examples we see what happened before they both came to spiritual renewal and they led their nation to the same.There is a seeking after God realizing that He and His will can be found. There is the reading of God’s word and conviction There is a removal of anything and everything that is against God’s word or in the way of your relationship with HhimThere is a commitment that made