All Things New Series

(Hold up a new, unopened journal or planner.) “What is it about a new year that makes us feel like we get a fresh start? There’s just something about blank pages—they hold possibilities, dreams, and hope. But what if I told you that God’s mercies aren’t just new on January 1st? They’re new every single day. In Christ, you don’t just get a second chance—you are a new creation.”

"Today, we’ll explore 2 Corinthians 5:17, where Paul declares a life-changing truth: 'If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!' ... Let's unpack what that means for us...

The first thing it tells us is...The Old Has Gone

To fully step into the new, we have to release the weight of the past— our sins, our failures, and our regrets. Imagine going on a hike, carrying a backpack filled with rocks. Each rock represents something from your past— It could be shame from a broken relationship, or maybe guilt over missed opportunities, or maybe even anger or unforgiveness. As you move forward on the trail, the backpack gets heavier and heavier with each step, until finally you can't go any further and you collapse under its weight... That’s what it’s like when we refuse to let go of our past. When Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary, and heavy laden” He’s inviting us to drop the weight of our past and walk in the freedom of His Grace.

What is it you're hanging on to? What old habits keep hanging you up? What guilt can’t you let go of? What fears hold you back? What are you holding on to that you need to let go of? What is it that's keeping you from reaching the full potential that God has in store for you?

Let me ask you something…Have you really left your past at the foot of the cross? Or did you pick it back up and put it in your backpack?

"Letting go of the old isn’t about pretending it never happened. It's trusting that God’s grace is greater than your past."

The next thing I want to tell you is this: We need to realize that The New Has Come

The Scripture is clear it says: "The new is here!"

In Christ, we are not refurbished or repaired—we are made new.

Let’s think about a caterpillar for a moment. From the outside, a caterpillar’s not anything special, it’s just an ordinary insect. But when it enters the cocoon, an internal transformation begins. A caterpillar doesn’t just grow wings—it becomes something entirely new doesn’t it? What does it become? That’s right It becomes a butterfly. And that's exactly what God does for us. God doesn’t just improve our old selves; He makes us into something entirely new. The old caterpillar is gone, and the butterfly has emerged. In Christ, we’re not just Human 2.0... we're not just a better version —we are a new creation.

So when you step into your new identity in Christ you need to change how you see yourself? We Christians identify ourselves wrong to much … you know what I’m talking about? Oh, I’m just a sinner saved by grace… that’s true we are all sinners saved by grace but sinner is not our identity anymore we are a new creation, God has made us into something new… I’m a child of the most High God living in the grace of Jesus Christ… I’m an Heir to the Kingdom… Quit living in the old and step into the new and let the new you shape your decisions, your priorities, and your relationships? Cause you're not the same the old is gone the new has come...

You are not defined by what you’ve done... You are not defined by what’s been done to you. You are not defined by who people say you are...When you are In Christ, you are defined by who God says you are… And God says “you are His”

Friends It's time to start Living as a New Creation

The Scripture is clear: "If anyone is in Christ they become a New Creation"

Being a new creation isn’t a one-time event, it’s a daily journey of walking step by step with Jesus.

I want to tell you a story about a man named Bob who felt overwhelmed by the chaos of life. Bob rarely prayed, he hardly ever opened his Bible, and he often felt distant from God. One day at church, the pastor challenged the congregation to start each morning with just five minutes of prayer. Bob figured, “I can do five minutes.” So, the next morning, he set his alarm five minutes earlier and began his day with a simple prayer: “God, help me see You today.”