A New Year, A New Beginning

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 A New Year, a New Beginning Introduction: That is an incredible statement.. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. All of this is from God, who through Christ Reconciled us to himself… For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” This week all around the world, and especially in our country, people made, what we call, New Year resolutions, which some people have probably already failed to fulfill. Resolutions to change; to change the way they look, the way they think, the way they act, to change who they are fundamentally. During the Christmas season I read an Advent reading from a collection of letters written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer called God is in the Manger. In the January 1st reading he was talking about how so many people are making resolutions of “new beginnings” as we often call it. But he says, really they are just the same old people making promises they can’t keep setting goals they’ll never attain. Why? Because people cannot change, not fundamentally anyway. We are who we are. There are truly no new beginnings apart from GOD. He says only God can make a new beginning. Think about that? Who can truly wipe the slate clean? We see this in tv and movies all the time (some spy has done terrible things in the line of duty and it’s held over his head, so he does one last job because the CIA director or President or whoever has promised to clear their record). Maybe we’ve even experienced it ourselves..move away for a fresh start but there you are.. its still you. But listen again to that amazing claim of the Gospel “If any person is in Christ they are a NEW Creation. The Old has passed away, all things are becoming new. All of this is from God!!” People cannot change but God can change us, because of the cleansing, atoning, forgiving and life giving work of Jesus Christ on the cross. He was made sin - in order that we might become the righteousness of God. If you want a new beginning, if you really want to change - All things are possible with God. As God’s people, as his children, that are filled and empowered by his Spirit there truly can be new beginnings, God has promised in Christ to wipe the slate clean, we can change, we can and should expect change from God. After all he is the living God who has put his Spirit within in us to form us into his image and likeness. - I had an experience recently where I was faced with the ugliness of my selfishness and thought I want to change. I want to stop giving into this sort of behavior; I want to be different… And the amazing truth of the Gospel message is that I can! As I thought about the new year and looking forward to what God might do, I believe there are 3 areas where God might be calling us to change by his Spirit working through us. I believe God wants to challenge us Personally, Communally, and Missionally. I just want to talk for a few minutes about each of these and then after each one I want us to take some time to ask God personally to show us and to continue to show us how he is calling us to a new beginning, a change, greater sanctification and conformity to Jesus Christ. 1. Personally - A vision for your own life - What God might do in your own heart and character in this coming year. Of course we probably all have plans for our lives whether they are somewhat disjointed or relatively organized. But if we are Christians then whatever our plan might be it must fall under God’s plan for our life which is - Conformity to the image of Christ, to be made more and more like Jesus. At the beginning of the passage we read Paul said this - “He (Jesus) died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” The Plan of God is that we might live for Christ. This means that we might Grow in maturity to the sanctified and best version of ourselves. 1. The Apostle Peter in closing his last written letter to the Church exhorted them with these words, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” -2 Peter 3:18 2. This means practically experiencing God’s grace while also growing in our understanding of God’s plan 3. Examples: Growing in the fruit of the Spirit. The Characteristics laid out in the Sermon on the mount. Growing in greater dependance on God. Trusting in a greater degree God’s faithfulness to you. Being set free from your pride, idolatry, or the approval of others. Being 4. 5. 6. 7. freed from insecurities because you are filled with Christ love and approval. Being more established in your identity in Christ….to be truly transformed, furthered on the road to Christlikeness. A greater commitment to read God’s word, to fellowship with other believers, to depend more on God through prayer…Ways in which the Bible tells us to put off certain sinful behaviors attitudes and thoughts, and to put on the character of Christ! How might God be challenging you? Sometimes when we hear a challenge like this...It’s often so easy to recognize sin in other and yet not see it in our own lives. A man is taught by his pastor to be humble or meek to put to death our pride. Immediately he thinks about the other men at work who always talk of their accomplishments, flirt with all the women in the office and think very highly of themselves. he thinks, "I’m not like him. I am not proud." Yet this same man goes home and does not consider his wife or his children’s needs but thinks only of himself, and sees his wife as a means to his personal comfort and satisfaction. Whether he realizes it or not, he actually is no different than the man he condemns, his sin is simply manifested in a different way and in a different context. Jesus told a parable to illustrate this truth: “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus also reminded us that to compare ourselves with others is unwise. we can always find someone worse than us. That does not and should not justify our evil behavior. Because of this we should allow the word of God’s truth, and the Spirit of God to search us out, just as David prayed.. when we hear an exhortation to put to death certain sins, behaviors, and attitudes - Our thought should not be “I don’t do that, but I know someone who does.” but instead, "God show me how I manifest this sin, behavior or attitude - Search me and know me, try me and know my thoughts..see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting! 1. Don’t you want to change? Aren’t you sick of being selfish old you? Don’t you so admire Jesus? Don’t you want your life to reflect his beauty and love?? 2. Let’s pray and ask the Lord to do a deep and good work in us this year whatever it may take to make us more like Jesus. Take a the next four minutes to reflect and pray on this question - How might God be calling me to conformity to Jesus this year? I’ll close our time with prayer and move us to the next subject. 2. Communally - How might God stretch us to love and serve one another in new ways this year? How can we and how should we be manifesting God’s presence in our midst? How do we need to grow up in Christlikeness as a Church this year? What are the holes or vacuums in our Church community that need to be filled? 1. Maybe for some you are challenged to practice hospitality to a greater degree. 2. For others you want to be more intentional about your conversations - to encourage and exhort, to build up and help others. 3. To be more intentional about discipleship, accountability, and fellowship to host or lead a community group; to lead a bible study or prayer meeting in your home. 4. But how might God be moving us collectively? Greater emphasis on corporate prayer, or a greater emphasis on meeting needs among us, or a greater emphasis on discipleship and Bible study. 5. How is God calling us to grow spiritually and practically as a Church community? 6. Spiritually, theologically - "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. - Ephesians 3:14-21 7. Practically - (Read Ephesians 4:1-16) 1. This passage talks about our growing in unity and our expression of love for one another. This is a huge challenge. In our lifetime not only our nation but our culture has never been so divide. There is so much hate, gossip, badgering and maligning happening on the right and on the left. What an opportunity for the Church of Jesus Christ to show the unity, diversity and freedom that we have in Jesus. Where the right and the left, the republican the democrat and everyone in between, the poor the rich and the middle class.. all colors, creeds and kinds can gather around one table of communion and confess we belong to Christ and to his kingdom and to express that in our love and deference to one another! 2. How is God calling us to mature as a community both spiritually and practically? Let’s pray and ask the Lord to show us! 3. Missionally - How can we have a greater emphasis of reaching out to people the are not a part of God’s community and kingdom - engaging people with the love, grace and truth of Jesus? 1. Spiritually -we need to have our eyes and hearts changed to see people, all people, both “good” and “bad,” the way Jesus does “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Whatever their personal sin issues, addictions, sexual identity and preference the people of our city and county need to know that they are loved by God. They are sheep without a shepherd and those in need of the freeing message of the Gospel of Christ.. 2. We need a renewed hope in the Gospel -That we wouldn’t see our city, state, or country as a lost cause for the sake of the Gospel, that we wouldn’t see our nation and the World as post-Christian but as pre-christian - a world that has not heard the true message of the Good news of the kingdom of God. A city, state, nation and world that is ripe for harvest. That we would be a people who who not only pray for God to send laborers into the harvest but that we would equip and send laborers. 3. Practically- How would Jesus challenge us - to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with him this year? How should we reach out to our city, neighbors and co-workers with acts of justice and mercy? What are practical areas in our city where we can shine the light of the Gospel? Who are the people around us that need to welcomed into belonging, family and community, who need to be loved, valued or befriended? Sacrificing time, money and resources to minister to others. Taking relationships with co-workers and neighbors deeper. Being more intentional in talking about big life issues. Sharing the Good News and hope of the Gospel with others. Being more intentional in Conversations about the meaning of life. 1. Let’s pray and ask the Lord to touch our eyes and hearts to see our city and the people of our city the way he does and then let’s ask that he would show us what he is calling us to do to engage our city with the Gospel. 4. Conclusion: How will we do these things? All things are possible with God. 1. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” - 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 2. Where do we behold the Lord? In his word we behold God’s person, his word his truth, his acts of faithfulness. And As we commit ourselves to continually behold Jesus - to consider his person, his character his words and message, his death and resurrection, his grace and truth - the scripture says that we also will be transformed into his likeness. And I believe as we do that we will know exactly what God is calling us to do and when and where he is calling us to do it.