New In Christ (TLC 11/16/02)
If you have your bibles, turn to 2 Corinthians 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.”
Let me start off by saying that there are a lot of people that are trying to be new creatures or trying to be new people. I’ve often heard the saying that, “I’m going to turn over a new leaf this year.” Maybe they want to be a better husband or better wife. A better father or better mother. But I want to emphasize today that we can not be new unless we’re in Christ according to what the word of God says.
We used to sang the song, “In the sweet Forever.” I want you to realize that as Christians that one day there is going to come a change one day after a while. Thank God the Bible says that the incorruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. But today we want to talk about what we are able to obtain right now.
When I was growing up, I couldn’t wait until my birthday and Christmas rolled around. The closer the dates were the more excited I would become. The reason why I would get so excited was because I knew that on both days I was going to get something new. I didn’t know what it was, I didn’t know who it was coming from, all I knew was that I was going to get something new.
The very thought of getting something new brought about an overwhelming bout of excitement. Even as an adult we get excited about getting new things. We get excited about getting a new dress, a new suit, a new pair of shoes, a new place to live, a new car to drive, a new job, a new position, a new relationship. Most of us in here are excited because we are in a new church.
A high level of excitement sets in when you anticipate and then finally get something new. As I thought about getting something new, I wondered to myself how many of us get equally excited about obtaining a new life in Christ. Oh yeah, many of us get excited about getting new stuff but how many of us can say that we really get excited about the new life in Christ.
The reason we can get excited about obtaining new stuff is because the only thing we have to give up is a little money. Some of us don’t mind giving up money to get what we want. But when it comes to giving up our lives, we find it hard to do. In order to obtain a new life in Christ, we have to give up some of those things, we like but God doesn’t like.
If we are going to obtain a new life in Christ, if we’re going to be made new, we can’t stop at just being saved. It’s all right to be saved and satisfied, but God wants us to be saved and sanctified. Too many Christian folk think that being saved is enough. God is not just looking for saved folk, but he is looking for somebody who is willing to give him a sanctified life. Being saved and being sanctified are two different things.
Being saved means that you have been freed from the power of sin and sin no longer has dominion over you. IN other words sin no longer controls you because you have a life under a new master. Where sin was once your master now Jesus Christ is your master.
Being sanctified means that you have been set apart from the worldly and fleshly pleasures to be used for the purpose of God. Just for the record: being sanctified doesn’t have anything to do with how much you speak in unknown tongues, how cute your dance is, what the name of your church is, it doesn’t have anything to do with how high you jump when you shout, but it has to do with how straight you walk once you hit the ground.
Being sanctified is not a religion but a lifestyle. God is looking for a Christian whose sanctification is not based upon how they work but it is based on how they live. It doesn’t matter how much work you do in the church, what matters what you do outside of the church. Anybody can act saved from 10:30 to 12:30, but God is looking for 24/7 Christians. 99 ½ just won’t do. You got to make 100.
If you are going to experience a new life in Christ, if you’re going to be made new, you have to change your lifestyle.
God is calling for this church to be a better way of living. We must change our way of living from what I like to be Christ-like.
Many folk want the blessings of the Lord to fall heavy in their lives but they don’t want to give anything in return. If I asked the question this morning how many of us want something from God, all of us would raise our hands saying yes, I do have a want list.
Somebody in here wants a new house; car; job; a big salary; a good relationship; a happy marriage;
Oftentimes we want God’s best but we give God our worst. I hate to be the one to tell you this morning, but it’s my job to tell you that God will not bless our mess. IJSB that God wants to make us new.
The bible tells us that all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. There are no big I’s and little You’s in God’s eyesight. We are all as filthy rags. We all have messed up along the way. We have done the things that God have told us not to do and we have failed to do the things that God told us to do. We have all messed up.
So Paul writes in this 17th verse and says that “if any man be in Christ. Before you can become new, the 1st thing that happens; you must first make a decision to be in Christ. That’s why Paul included the word If. In other words, Paul is telling us if we make the decision to be in Christ we can then be made new. The process must begin with making the decision. The Word of God tells us in Joshua 24:15 to choose you this day whom we will serve. This is the problem that so many church folk run into. We don’t know which way we want to go.
Some days we want to..: Other days we want to…:
Go to church God to the club
Pray in devotion Party at the disco
Sing in the choir Do the electric slide
The bible says that we have to be either hot or cold. If you’re lukewarm God said I’ll spew you out of my mouth.
One songwriter said, “Some folks would rather have houses or lands, some folks choose silver and gold. These things they treasure and forget about their souls. That’s why I decided to make Jesus my choice.
I wonder is there anybody in this room decided to make Jesus your choice. The reason I choose Jesus is can’t nobody do me like Jesus. Can’t nobody; (love me like Jesus) (hold me like Jesus) (bless me like Jesus) (heal me like Jesus) (bring me out like Jesus can). That’s why I decided to make Jesus my choice.
Once you make the decision to be in Christ, the 2nd thing that happens, you become a new creature. The New King James Version of the Bible calls it a new creation. God doesn’t give you a recycled life, he doesn’t give you a rebuilt life, he doesn’t give you a used life, he doesn’t give you a reconditioned life but he gives you a new life in Christ.
When you become a new creature: You don’t have the same desires you used to have. You don’t drink the things you used to drink. You don’t smoke the things you used to smoke. Places you used to go you don’t go there no more. Things you used to do, you don’t do them anymore.
When God does a new thing in your life, new things will come out of you. New ideas will come out of you, A new spirit will come out of you, a new outlook on life will come out of you.
The 3rd thing we must do, is allow our old things to pass away. Paul says, (1st you must be in Christ, 2nd you must become a new creature, 3rd Old things are passed away. In order to become new, we must be willing to get rid of some stuff. In order to get to the next level some things we have to dismiss.
That bad attitude, dismiss it That spirit of
laziness, dismiss it
The words I can’t dismiss it That negative
attitude, dismiss it
Those bad habits, dismiss it Those folk that
don’t mean you any good
The last thing I want to share with you this morning concerning being made new is found in the very last section of the 17th verse. 1. After you make the decision to be in Christ, 2. After you go through the developing stage of being new, 3. After you go through getting rid of old stuff. Then God will give you deliverance..!!!!
He will give you a new attitude… (New blessings) (A new calling) (a new destiny) (new enthusiasm) (new faith) (a new goal) (a new heart) (a new intention) (new joy) (a new life) (a new mission)
When God delivers you will be made new. Is there anybody in here that knows that God is going to deliver. Not only will he deliver you out of sin, but whatever you may be going through God will deliver you out. He will make a way out of no way. The same God that made a wa form Moses at the Red Sea. The same God that gave Joshua deliverance at the battle of Jericho. The same God that delivered David from the Giant Goliath. The same God that delivered Lazarus from the Dead. He will deliver you. Can I get a witness that the Lord will deliver…. Can you testify about the time when God brought you out….
