2 Cor. 5:17
INTRO: My wife, the English teacher, shutters at the thought of me preaching a message with a title like this. However sometimes it takes a strange title to make your point and get the attention of those listening. The full title would be “If You Is What You Was Then You Ain’t”. This is the first of a THANKSGIVING SERIES leading up to Thanksgiving. It is an attempt to prepare our hearts with gratitude so we can be thankful.
ILLUS: While sitting in the waiting room at the VA Hospital those waiting witnessed a man who was being refused treatment. Evidently the man had been in the military but not received an honorable discharge and his records showed that he did not qualify for VA benefits. He was refused treatments on the basis of his record that disqualified him. Likewise the unbeliever should not expect to receive the benefits of heaven because of their record as well. A record that disqualifies them from heaven and the glories of God.
I. THE OLD CREATURE
A. Sinner From Birth - All of Adam’s race has been given a part of his curse. His cures came upon himself and all his descendents after his rejection from the Garden of Eden. When God first created man He was pleased. Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Then sin entered the heart and life of His creation. Gen 3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. What we call “The Fall of Man” took place with Adam’s disobedience.
That disobedience made a universal difference in mankind.
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
David understood the condition of man… Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
As cute and cuddly and innocent as that newborn babe is…. The sad thing is that it is born in sin and with a need to be forgiven. Someone said, “But it hasn’t done anything wrong.” Friend it is not what you have done that makes you as sinner. You are a sinner at birth by the nature of Adam’s curse. From the time you are an infant the Bible tells us … Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf;
Paul spoke of the “Old man” when he spoke of his original nature saying …Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
B. Sinner by Choice - Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God Paul was not slack as he spoke about our willingness to sin. Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. David commented on the subject as well: Ps 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Isaiah even got in on the description saying: Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way Notice all the action verbs in those phrases that indicate action on the part of sinners… “are all gone”, “gone aside”, “ have turned”, “all together become.” Man chooses to sin because it is his nature to sin. The same reason a dog barks and a cat meows.
C. Sinners Regardless - There have been many attempts to correct man’s condition. When mankind thinks he can change himself and become better he uses many methods. Many self-help organizations have been established to perform just such feats. AA, Freemasonry, and Rapha’s 12-Step Program, just to name a few. All these ideas are an effort to make man’s condition better.
But all the efforts of man cannot change his nature.
2 Peter 2:22 …The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
He is what he is…. We cannot change that ourselves. Because.. “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” We can make ourselves no better before God.
ILLUS: The rich young ruler in Luke 18 came to Jesus with an earnest desire to go to heaven. When he heard the solution that Jesus offered to secure him for eternity he rejected it…. Remaining the same as before. His enquiry nor his earnestness did not merit him entrance to heaven.
ILLUS: Jesus often spoke of the Pharisees, who seemed to be religious, sanctified, pure, and clean…., saying they were hypocrites and like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
II. THE NEW CREATURE
Our text speaks of something that has changed. It says “old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.”
The conditions that make this change possible according to the verse is being “in Christ.” That change can only come about by the grace of God who offers to all men forgiveness of sin. He said He would turn none away who called upon His name. He said if we shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Saved from the consequences of having a sinful nature, which is eternal separation or what the Bible calls “the second death.” Man can be saved from Hell… to Heaven. Becoming that new creature is not due to our work but the work that Jesus Christ did for us on Calvary. Because of His mercy, (keeping from us what we deserve), and His grace, (giving us what we do not deserve).
The key to being a Christian….
The key to being saved…
The key to being a Child of God…
………………………………..............IS THE CHANGE.
But …Listen friend… IF YOU IS WHAT YOU WAS THEN YOU AIN’T
The rich young ruler still is lost…. Though he came to Jesus and ask about heaven… because he still is what he was.
King Agrippa is still lost…. Though he said, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” because he’s still what he was.
Judas is still lost… Though he walked with Jesus for 3 ½ years but never allowed God to change his heart…. And he’s still what he was.
Are YOU still the same as you were? Has there been a change in your heart. Scripture tells us Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
He does that by reminding us of the Change that took place in our lives.
You can not depend on feelings… You won’t always feel saved.
You can’t depend on efforts … they are not consistent
You can’t depend on membership… is it right?
You can’t depend on hopes …. Could be empty.
But LASTING CHANGE…. Cannot be denied. Only God can change the heart of man to Think different…
Have different desires…
Love different…
Go a different direction in life….
Be a different person….
A saved man thinks eternal thoughts and can rise above the circumstances of life because his future is secure…
A saved man is convicted of faults and failures… of his sin because the Lord Chasteneth whom He loveth…
A saved man feels a longing in his heart to please God instead of always himself…
A saved man God answering his prayers and drawing near when he is in need.
There is just something different….he has been changed.
Have you been changed?
Friend…If you is what you was then you ain’t
The only way you can prepare your heart to be truly thankful is if you understand where you have come from and what God has done to change your life and your future. Like David of old who said;
Psalm 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
But if you have not been changed you can have the greatest Thanksgiving ever by surrendering to the Lord today. He awaits your change, in fact all heaven anticipates your decision as the Spirit of God deals with your heart. Come to Christ today by calling upon His name, believing His Word, accepting His forgiveness, and gaining a home in heaven.
The gratitude in your heart will be overwhelming and consequently you’ll have the best thanksgiving ever.
