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Being What You Are: A New Creation.
Contributed by Gordon Curley on Sep 3, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: Being What You are: A New Creation - PowerPoint slides to accompany this talk are available on request – email: gcurley@gcurley.info
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SERMON OUTLINE:
(1.) A New Nature (vs 14-15)
(2.) A New Beginning (vs 17)
(3). A New Purpose (vs 18-20);
SERMON BODY:
Quote:
• This week I cam across a child’s definition of a caterpillar?
• “A worm in a fur coat”.
• I like that description!
Ill:
• A Caterpillar is a prickly, lazy self-centred bug.
• Working hard to go no-where fast.
• Little boys love to quash them.
• Little girls run away with an irritating shriek to their voice.
• Yet something unusual happens to this creature;
• Known as metamorphosis:
• A thick film covers the caterpillar;
• And it entombs itself in its own flesh.
• During what’s called the Chrysalis period.
• A chemical reaction takes place that changes the physical make-up of the creature.
• And soon an emerging butterfly can be seen within the cocoon.
• And when the time is right it breaks free of its cocoon,
• Spreads it s wings and flies off;
• The old life as a caterpillar has finished.
• And it’s new life as a butterfly has just began.
Ill:
• How many of you remember the TV series (& film) Power Rangers?
• If you do then you will know that there was a time in the show when one the characters;
• The red one would call out: “It’s morphing time!”
• Followed by each ranger calling out his or her own Ranger designation;
• The Power Rangers use their Morphers to change into their costumed forms,
• Initiating an instantaneous transformation or metamorphosis.
• A Morpher gives a Ranger access to their costume;
• Along with enhanced strength, speed and durability to fight monsters
• TRANSITION: Although only fiction (sorry to spoil it for you Scott!)
• The point is they each experienced a change, a metamorphoses.
• In fact our word "transform" comes from the Greek word "metamorphoo",
• From which we get the English word "metamorphosis".
• And we find that Greek word "metamorphoo” in the New Testament;
• There it is used to speak of an even more dramatic change:
• Ordinary people, like you and me;
• People who are sinners by nature and by actions,
• Can be transformed ("metamorphosed”) into the likeness of Jesus.
• That is the hope of every follower of Jesus,
• That they will increasingly take on a change ("metamorphosed”),
• In their behaviour, attitudes, & character and become more like Jesus Christ.
Question:
• But how does this dramatic transformation take place? I
• Is it something that God simply brings about in your life by his power,
• Or is something you do through your own sheer effort of the will?
Answer:
• To that question;
• Is found in our key verse 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17:
• “Therefore is anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone the new has come.”
• In this section of 2 Corinthians chapter 5;
• Paul gives us 3 encouragements about what God can do with a followers life.
• This spiritual metamorphism affects us in at least three ways
• The first change that we receive is a new nature:
(1.) A New Nature (vs 14-15):
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
CEV:
“Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person.”
• Christians are new people.
• At their conversion they were ‘born again’, and they are not the same anymore.
• The Bible teaches that Christians are not merely reformed, rehabilitated, or re-educated;
• They are recreated!
• God gives to every person who becomes a Christian;
• A new nature, the Spirit of Christ!
• At conversion, believers are not merely turning over a new leaf;
• They are beginning a new life under a new Master.
• Paul is saying that every Christian, is a new creation in Christ;
• And they no longer live for themselves, but for Jesus who died & rose for them.
Ill:
• In my research on the metamorphism of a butterfly.
• I learned that the caterpillar is no help to those around.
• It does not eat other pests!
• In fact it only drinks sap form tress and plants (it’s a kind of parasite).
• It lives a self-centred life.
Ill:
• One cold winter’s day a crowd of people stood in front of a pet shop window;
• And watched a litter of puppies snuggling up to each other.
• One woman laughed and said,
“What a delightful picture of brotherhood!
Look at how those puppies are keeping each other warm!”
• A man next to her replied,
• “No, ma’am, they’re not keeping each other warm—they’re keeping themselves warm.”