A New Creation

If you have your bibles, turn to 2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

People crave for new things today - new phones, new cars, clothes, hairstyles, and a new face.

· They want a new face - go for plastic surgery to get a new nose, a new body...

· But now new can you get? Overtime, nothing will be new anymore.

· How much can you really change? How much can you really improve on?

What we need today is not better gadgets, better education, more research or more money. This won’t give us an abundant, fulfilling life. We need a change of heart. Look at the news today - violence, murder, hatred... (The problem is with this ’evil’ in the hearts of man). The Bible says, the sin nature in us.

God knew that. And that’s why He needs to give us a NEW life. Only the One who make us - and given us this life - will be able to give us a new life.

When we come to know Jesus, the Bible says we took on a new life. The old life is over, God makes all things new. Jesus puts it this way, "you must be born again." (John 3:3) It’s not a remake of the old; it’s new! It’s not just an improvement of the old; it’s a new life. God told prophet Ezekiel: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you." (Ezek 36:26)

That’s what we experienced - we took on a new meaning and purpose in life. We can experience a new joy (not just a happiness based on the surrounding), a new hope (not based on circumstances) and we are looking forward to a home in heaven. The Bible says in v.18 "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ..."

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. What does this mean to us today? We must trust that God is able to make all things new.

(1) DON’T LIVE IN THE PAST

Don’t live in regrets over your past mistakes. Don’t live in guilt over your past wrongs.

Don’t live with "I should have done this or that... I shouldn’t have done this or that..."

Don’t live in failure… in hopelessness... in sorrow...

The caterpillar that has been transformed into a butterfly will never crawl again.

Our sin has been dwelt with when Jesus was nailed to the cross. God has forgiven us of all our sins.

· 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

· Heb 8:12 "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

The Bible says, IN CHRIST I am a new creation.

I can now face life with confidence because of Jesus Christ.

Paul says, don’t "grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope." (1 Thess 4:13).

Jesus: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

If you are a Christian today, you are the child of the King of kings. And you can live like it.

Don’t live as if our God is defeated. Don’t live as if our God has failed.

That’s what baptism signifies - Rom 6:3 "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

This life we live today is different because of Jesus Christ - we can have victory over sin, we can find peace in difficult circumstances, we can rejoice always, we can give thanks always.

Notice, the change is not up to you - you don’t change yourself - you are changed! God changed you! Note: He is the One who does the reconciling; He is the One who give us a new life. We have to trust God to make all things new.

Are you struggling today? Come to the One who makes all things new. Pray to the One who can still make all things new today.

THE OLD MAN WITH THE RAGS

A beggar lived near the king’s palace. One day he saw a proclamation posted outside the palace gate. The king was giving a great dinner. Anyone dressed in royal garments are welcome.

The beggar went on his way. He looked at the rags he was wearing and sighed. Slowly an idea crept into his mind. He made his way back to the palace. He approached the guard at the gate. "Please sir, I would like to speak to the king."