Bring Back the New Again

Location

Bring Back the New Again

Date 12-30-2020, 6:30 PM

Teaching Location: ODWC Fulton Ms.

Sermon Title: Bring Back the New Again

Text: Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Intro: There’s just something about getting something new, the look, the smell. It brings excitement and joy, but what do you do when the new wears off. I know as a child that sees a new puppy or kitten, the child will tell the parent “If you will just get me this new pet, I promise that I will feed it and take care of it.” Somehow it ends up being someone else’s responsibility because when the new wears off. When an adult gets a new (to them) house or car, they are so excited for everyone to see, but after a while when the payments start rolling in and the new feel and smell wear off the excitement just isn’t there like it was. When my wife and I were dating I had a certain Uncle that told me, when you’re dating you could just eat them up but after you’ve been together a while you may wished you had. Yes, even in a marriage the new can wear off. I believe that many a marriage has ended because the new (excitement) has worn off. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, Paul talks about our new body in the first 10 verses and the spends the rest of the chapter talking about our new responsibility as his ambassadors. He has chosen us to be ministers of reconciliation. So while we are in this earthly body we walk by faith and not by site.

I Our New Bodies

Paul refers to our earthly bodies as a tabernacle, tent, and house, and that one day it will be dissolved or die but we have another house made for us by God himself. He also contrast the earthly and the eternal.

1. Our earthly bodies will, get sick, suffer with limitation and disappointments, and eventually die. ( if we live long enough our cereal is not the only thing that snap, crackles, and pops)

2. Heavenly bodies, we will put on our heaven body like putting on clothes. Our house is in Heaven. We will not be spirits with out bodies. this body will never get sick, suffer limitations and disappointments, or die. ( Or snap, crackle, or pop)

3. while we are in this earthly body we grow weary, groan and sigh longing to be changed, not that we want to die but rather to be home with the Lord.

4. Our dying bodies will be swallowed by life.

II God’s Ambassadors

God didn’t save us so we could JUST go to heaven but so we could persuade others to go with us. Let us not become weary in doing what is right.

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:”

2 Corinthians 5:14 KJV

https://www.bible.com/1/2co.5.14.kjv

Constrain-to force, compel, or oblige:

He was constrained to admit the offense.

“Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.”

2 Corinthians 5:14 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/2co.5.14.nlt

“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

2 Corinthians 5:15-21 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/2co.5.15-21.nlt

III Bring back the new again.

Christ has given us the good news!!! For those that come to him has become new and that God no longer holds their sins against them. Can you remember when you wanted people to know God and their lifestyle and disinterest in the things of God made you your heart grieve. When you thought of them it made you weep as you interceded for them. something has happened with the Church in general. the new has worn off and we have gotten used to just coming to church and getting “a touch” but not changed.

John the Baptist saw Jesus and proclaimed “behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world” but when in jail John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus “ are you the one or should we look for another.

Samson was a judge of Israel and mightily used of God but the new wore off and when he lost his anointing we find him in between the pillars of the arena where they were planing to make sport of him (probably feed him to a wild beast). Samson cries Lord if I can just feel your anointing one more time.

Conclusion: We have one more day left in 2020 and then start with a clean slate. What does 2021 hold for us? we really know. It could be better or it could be worse than 2020 but I for one desire Lord bring back the new. we are tired and weary from the struggle of this year. Gird us up with your right hand and help us walk in the new. Lord help us not waste your grace and mercy but help us walk in the ministry of reconciliation. Souls Lord brought into the kingdom, lives healed saved and delivered in Jesus name! Amen!