First Church of God in Harvey
Sunday Morning - January 25th, 2009
Let us pray
Welcome......
Today, this day, is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoice and be
glad in it. Today should be a day of rejoicing, because the Lord has done
great things for us, and I truly believe we all should be glad. Has God done
anything for you lately? If God has not done anything for you then you can’t
rejoice, but if God has done something for you then you should be able to
rejoice.
People around us, even those who are not save knows how to rejoice. Last
Tuesday, January 20th, approximately 2 million people gathered in
Washington, despite the cold for one common purpose to rejoice of what
had happened before their very eyes. It did not matter if they were black, or
white, tall or short, red or yellow, rich or por, they were in Washington for
one common cause, and that was to rejoice.
Last Tuesday, our former president, George W. Bush, left the White House,
boarded a plane, and left for his new residence. On that same day, president
elect Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the Umited
States. There is a new man in town, a new man in Washington, and he is
President Barack Obama. Four years ago, it seems just a few persons knew
the name Barack Obama, but now four years later his name is known all
over the world. God does things our little minds cannot understand. When
Esther found herself in king’s house, through the Divine working of God,
Mordecai said to Esther, For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this
time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews
from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed:
and who knowest whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time
as this? Esther in her reply said, Go gather together all the Jews, that are
present at Shu-shan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat, nor drink three
days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will
I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I persih, I
perish.. I call upon everyone to pray for our new president, because I
believe God has sent him in such a time as this. It is God who sets up
leaders. The Bible says in Romans 13 verse 1, Let every soul be subject
unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers
that be are ordained of God or the authorities that now exist have been
appointed by God or the existing authorities have been established by
God.
There were quite a few thoughts going through my mind, as to what I should
speak on today. In our Wednesday might Bible Class it became clear to me
that what I had in mind is what God would desire for me to speak on. I will
be using a topic that might seem a liitle different, and I trust God will speak
to us in away that we all will understand. My topic for today is, There is a
new man in town. Here are a few questions to think about. Is there a
change since you believe? Since you accepted Christ as your personal
Savior, is there a noticeable change in your life? Can those around you see
a difference in your life and mine?
Please turn with me in your bibles from The King James Version to 2
Corinthians 5 verses 14 through 21, and let us all stand and read together.
Please tell someone, when Christ takes over, a change takes place.
We sre going to focus on verse 17 of our text.
When a new man comes to town, we expect changes to take place, and we
hope for the better. Our new president is expected to bring about change,
and it will no longer be business as usual. Our president has listed things
that will start to take place in our country, and all of us will be a part of this
change.
In the Christian life, when you have given your life to Jesus Christ, changes
are supposed to take place. Therefore if any any man be in Christ, it does
not matter if you are old or young, it does not matter if you are rich or poor,
it does not matter if you have reached some hard times in life, if you are in
Christ, then you are a new creature.
A new creature in Christ is one who has accepted Christ as their personal
Savior. When one accepts Christ as personal Savior, it means that person
has repented of their sins. To repent means to be sorry for, and to make a
change for the better. "Repentance is the means wherby men turn to God
and are saved by grace through faith. That person is now born again,
justified, cleansed, transformed, given new life, delivered from the shackles
of sin, and ready to share that new experience with others. John the Baptist
preached a message of repentance, and in Matthew 3 verse 2 as he preached
in the wilderness if Judea, he declares, Repent ye: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand. The message of repentance is still true for us today. Sad
to say, there are some who it seems are trying to come into the christian
experiemce without repenting of their sins. There is no back door to
christianity, there is only one door, and that door is Jesus. Jesus says, in St.
John 10 verse 9, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. We cannot play games
with God, because God knows where we satnd, and we know where we
stand.......elaborate....
We dont like to talk too much about change. We many times like things just
the way they are, but when we have accepted Christ as Savior a change
should take place, because we are now new creatures in Christ. As new
creatures in Christ we now have a new family, the family of God. We do not
open the doors of the Church since Jesus is the door, but we reach our hands
in fellowship to every born again believer. Once you are saved, once you
have trusted Christ as Savior of your life, a change has taken place, there is
now a new man in town.. The bible says in St. John 1 verse 12, But as
many as recieved him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name.
As new creatures in Christ there should be some sign of growth, we call this
spiritual growth. My grand-daughter McKale was by the house last
weekend, and every time I see her there are signs of growth. She don’t like
too much baby talk, she like to use big words, she likes to be a part of what’s
happening, she likes to express herself, she like to ask why. She is growing,
and we all can tell............
In our new converts new members class that is schedule for every Sunday
except the first Sunday, there is a section that is entitled, I can know I am
growing as a spiritual person. Here are a few of the I know’s, and may be
you can check yourself. I know I am growing when I can look back, see
where I was, and see that I have made progress. I know I am growing when
I can recall that I have held unto the Lord through some difficult and
discouraging even doubting times; I have withstood the attacks of the devil.
I know I am growing when I participate faithfully in the life and work of a
local church. I know I am growing when I continually look to Jesus as my
example and the one who will sustain me. This growing experience will
show to the world that there is a a new man in town. Is there a change since
you became a new creature in Christ?
Therefore if any man be on Christ he is a new creature, and as a new
creature, old things are passed away. What does it mean that the "old is
gone, the new has come." As a new creature, that old life lifestyle has
passed away, and things are different now. The apostle Paul proclaims, the
man in Christ is a new creation. Can you remember the old things you used
to do? but things are different now, because there is a new man in town. .
Can you remember those places you used to go? but things are different
now, because there is a new man in town.. Can you remember the company
you used to keep? but things are different now, because there is a new man
in town. Can you remember the way you used to talk? all that foul language,
but things are different now, there is a new man in town, the old man has
been crucified. and you are now a new person in Christ.
When old things have been passed away, we don’t have to try to impress
people as to who we are, we no longer try to make ourselves look good, but
instead we make our Lord look good. Someone has said, we have put out a
for sale sign to Jesus Christ as our only buyer. And the deal is closed. The
sale is final. We cannot ask for the home back. We have a new home owner.
When someone sees you, you should be able to say, John or Mary does not
live here any more. The old John or Mary is gone, and now you are seeing a
new person, there is a new man in town.
The story is told, and it is quite possible you have heard it before, that
sometime before the Civil War, a boy in search of work came to Worthy
Taylor’s prosperous Ohio farm. The farmer knew nothing about the boy
except that his name was Jim, but he gave him a job. Jim spent the winter
cutting stove wood, bringing in the cows and making himself generally
useful. He ate in the kitchen and slept in the hayloft.
Before the summer was over, Jim was fallen in love with Taylor’s daughter.
The father refused to let him marry her because he had no money, no well-to
do name, and a very poor future. Even though Jim was disappointed, he put
his belongings in his old carpetbag and disappeared.
Thirty-five years passed before Taylor one day tore down his barn to make
room for a new one. On the rafters above the hayloft he discovered that Jim
had carved his full name - James A. Garfield. He was then the president of
the United States.
You know people may look at us and think there is not much hope..no
money, no name, very poor prospects. But Jesus comes along and sees a
diamond in the rough, He sees possibilities for all who will submit to him.
Christ saw the potential of the flawed life of Levi the tax collector, and
Peter the fisherman. Jesus believed people could change. He looked at Levi
and saw an apostle. He looked at the tax collector and saw the author of the
first gospel. And thanks be to God he seees in us what no one else sees. He
can take our flawed lives and make something meaningful and useful of
them. Jesus gives a brand new life. He gives a new life hot off the press,
straight out of the factory, right off the rack.
Look at you now, you are somebody. Look at you now you are a new
creature in Christ. Lok at you now, old things are now passed away, thank
God, there is a new man in town. Is there a change since you believe? The
answer should be yes. We who have trusted Christ as Savior of our lives, we
are new creatures in Christ, old things have passed away, and new things
have come to stay.
Have you ever looked at a caterpillar, that caterpillar does not look too
appealing. That caterpillar after awhile goes through a change. "A thick film
covers the caterpillar and en-tombs itself in its own flesh. A chemical
reaction changes its make up, and soon there emerges a beautiful
butterfly...." This life cycle is called me-ta-mor-pho-sis." You and I were
just like that ugly caterpillar, we were not too appealing, but we had to go
through a spiritual me-ta-mor-pho-sis. There are certain things we had to
drop off, we had to put aside certain life style, and then allow the Holy
Spirit to come "into the cocoon of our hearts" and begins a spiritual me-ta-
mor-pho-sis and the end result is a gorgeous work of God that can fly to
new heights and have limitless potential in changing it’s surroundings. As
that butterfly flies around it adds beauty to the surroundings, kids who
would not play with a caterpillar finds the time to play with a butterfly. That
new life in Christ that has come to stay should add beauty to the
surroundings. People around us should be able to see that beauty and be
attracted to Christ. People should see that great change that has taken place,
and would want to be like us. This new life in Christ which has come to
stay, should make us walk right; it should make us talk right, it should make
us act right. In this new life which has come to stay we should demonstrate
the fruit of the Spirit. There should be love, joy peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, truth, meekmess, temperance. Who wants to be an
ugly caterpillar when they can be a beautiful butterfly? Someone should
know that there is a new man in town. Soimeone should be able to see that a
change has indeed taken place. Someone should know that things are really
different with you.
If today you are living your life without purpose; if no real change has taken
place, then today you need to repent. If you have been a good churchgoer,
but no real change has taken place, then today you need to repent. If today
you find yourself still continuing in a sinful lifestyle, you just cant help
yourself, then today you need to repent. If you find yourself unloving, you
just can’t put up with that brother or sister, they get on your last nerve, then
today you need to repent. If today you find yourself always complaining
nothing ever seems to be right, then today you need to repent. Just in case
you might have forgotten, I said earlier that, to repent means to be sorry for,
and to make a change for the bettter. "Repentance is the means whereby
men turn to God and are saved by grace though faith."
Today, Jesus offers you that abundant life. Jesus says in St. John 10 verse
10, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I
am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more
abunndantly. That abundant life sounds good, that is life in its fullness,
and it can be yours.....elaborate....
Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. When someone
becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. Old thngs are
passed away, he is not the same anymore. All things are become new, a new
life has begun, a new life has come to stay, There is a chorus we used to
sing that goes like this, Things are different now, something happens to me,
since I gave my heart to Jesus. Things I love before has passed away, things
I love far more has come to stay. Things are different now something
happened to me, since I gave my heart to him. Is there really a new man in
town? Can someone really see that change that has taken place in you?
How much do you really love the Lord? If you are here today, you are not
saved, you have not repented of your sins, but today you want that new life
in Christ; that new life can be yours.. There are many church goers who
might be lost, because if there is no repentance there is no forgiveness of
sins. There are many faithful workers who are performing many good deeds
who might be lost, because if there is no repentance there is no forgiveness
of sins. There are many preachers who might be lost, because if there is no
repentance there is no forgiveness of sins. Right now, where do you stand
with the Lord.? You are either saved or unsvaed. You are either a sinner or a
saint. You are either on your way to heaven or on your way to hell. There is
no middle ground......
As we close, I would like to ask four questions, One - Is there really a new
man in town? Two -Are you a new creature in Christ? Three -Are all the
old things passed away? Four - Is that new life come to stay? If your
answer to these questions were no, then I would invite you to come, and
settle it with the Lord.
The ministers will be here to talk to you, or they will meet you or go with
you to the prayer room which is to my left..............
Let us stand
Call to discipleship
Closing song/prayer
