The SIGNIFICANCE Of A NEW CREATION-II—2Corinthians 5:9--6:10
Attention:
The Old Fire Truck...
A fire started inside the Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta. Before long it exploded into flames & an alarm went out to fire departments from miles around.
After fighting the fire for over an hour, the Coca-Cola company CEO runs over to the fire chief & says, "The secret formula is in the vault in the center of the plant. It must be saved! Coca-Cola is done if the secret formula burns up! I’ll give $50,000 to the engine company that protects that vault!"
As soon as the chief heard this, he ordered the firemen to strengthen their attack on the blaze. After 15 more minutes of attacking the fire, president of the company offered $250,000 to the engine company that could protect the secret formula.
From the distance a long siren was heard as another fire truck came into sight. It was a rural volunteer fire company composed entirely of aging men over 65. To everyone's amazement the little fire engine burst through the closed gates & drove straight into the middle of the inferno. In the distance the other firemen watched as the old timers hopped off of their rig & began to fight the fire with an effort that they had never seen before.
After 30 minutes of intense fighting the volunteer company had extinguished the fire & saved the secret formula. Joyous, the Coca-Cola CEO announced that he would double the reward to $500,000 & walked over to personally thank each of the volunteers. After thanking each of the old men individually the CEO asked the group what they intended to do with the reward money.
The fire truck driver looked him right in the eye & said, “Two things will take priority...We’ve got to fix our firetruck, especially that gas pedal that hangs up, & fix its brakes!”
The reward money gave them the opportunity to avoid the previous disaster!
A true Christian receives a new nature.
How will you avoid potential disaster with your new life?
Need:
My life seems hollow...I’m missing something.
I can’t seems to rise above the sinful desires of my heart.
The key to our verses is 2Cor. 5:17—“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Paul clarified the significance of being a new creation in Christ to the Corinthian church.
There is significance to being a new creation in Christ.
But what is significant about being a new creation in Christ?
3 significances of being a new creation in Christ.
Last Sunday we found that A new creation is significant in its New...
1. PLEASUREs(5:9)
2—A new creation is significant in its New...
RECEPTION(5:10)
Explanation:(5:10)
5:10—“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
"Appearance before Christ's tribunal is the privilege of Christians. It is concerned with the assessment of works &, indirectly, of character,”... [it regards]...“reward, not status.”—(Harris in D. Guzik)
Christians are fearless/bold in their acceptance of God's decisions regarding their lives lived while on earth in the “body.”
1Jn. 4:17-21—“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” & hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”
Heb. 4:16—“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy & find grace to help in time of need.”
“...What we have “done” will be judged. It is possible to have a saved soul & a wasted life, & that [wasted life is what] will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ."—D. Guzik
“...Our motives...will [also] be judged. One can be doing the right things, but with a wrong heart. God will often still use such a person, & even bring great blessing through them. Yet in the end, it is as if they did[had done] nothing for the Lord, because their motives for service did not stand up at the judgment seat of Christ."—D. Guzik
Who/What determines “goodness” or “badness”? God does! He is the originator of right.
The thing “done” is not nearly as important as the attitude of the heart in the doing. Everything we do as Christians must be approached & accomplished by means of a sincere love for the Lord. We are comfortable with that statement, right?...
But what if that thing you “do” is not actually motivated by & empowered to be done by the Lord Himself thru you? We love to do things “for” the Lord, however, such may not be done “by” the Lord! If so, then our deeds are nothing more than humanly attainable tasks we see as needing to be accomplished, like sweeping the house or taking out the trash or replacing the air filter. It becomes humdrum, routine, maintenance accomplished by & in the flesh...rather than joyful sacrificial service by/in the God who loves you & Who has done everything just to have you in His presence both now & forever.
Yes, there are definite daily maintenance issues to tackle. But we should never approach them grudgingly. And...We should never be offended by anyone who would come along who, directed by the Lord, would lovingly & joyfully approach that same task in the Lord’s power.
If a saint grudgingly approaches any aspect of the Church, including worship, then there is a resident evil of inward bitterness that the devil will use to his advantage, in order to gradually demolish the work of God in the Church & elsewhere...Not only in you personally but in those around you. Yes, brothers & sisters, one rotten ‘apple’ can indeed spoil the whole bunch. Making God’s movement an ‘attempt’ rather than a certainty. Taking what God intends as ministry(ministries) & perverting it into distasteful, hateful, complaint-ridden, drudgery.
If the putrefaction process is not arrested, it will eventually spread to every other ‘apple’(brother, sister & lost person) in close association with the complainer. And/Or rather, it will cause many of those around you to go where the rot is absent.
Mk. 6:1-6—“Then He went out from there & came to His own country, & His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! “Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, & brother of James, Joses, Judas, & Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, & in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people & healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.”
Jer. 17:5-10—“Thus says the LORD:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”
1Cor. 11:27-32—“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body & blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, & so let him eat of the bread & drink of the cup. For he who eats & drinks in an unworthy manner eats & drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak & sick among you, & many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”
“All”(See :)—pav—
“Must”—dei—Present Impersonal Active Indicative—1) It is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right & proper. Dei seems to be more suggestive of moral obligation[than crh], denoting especially that constrain which arises from divine appointment. It describes that which must be done. Strong—also deon; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; It is(was, etc.) necessary(as binding).
“Appear/Be manifested”(See 5:11—“Well known”)—fanerow—Aorist Passive Infinitive—1) To make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way—1a) Make actual & visible, realized, 1b) To make known by teaching, 1c) To become manifest, be made known, 1d) of a person—1d1) Expose to view, make manifest, to show one's self, appear, 1e) To become known, to be plainly recognized, thoroughly understood—1e1) who & what one is. Strong—To render apparent(literally or figuratively).
“Before”—emprosyen—Adverb—1) In front, before—1a) before--In that local region which is in front of a person or thing, 1b) before--In the presence of, i.e. opposite to, over against one, 1c) before--In the sight of, 1d) before, denoting rank. Strong—In front of(in place [literally or figuratively] or time).
“Judgment seat”—bhma—Noun Neuter—1) A step, pace, the space which a foot covers, a foot-breath; 2) A raised place mounted by steps—2a) A platform, tribune—2a1) At the official seat of a judge, 2a2) Of the judgment seat of Christ, 2a3) Herod built a structure resembling a throne at Caesarea, from which he viewed the games & made speeches to the people. Strong—A step, i.e. Foot-breath; by implication--A rostrum, i.e. A tribunal. Used 12X.
“Christ”—Cristov—
“Each one”—ekastov—Adj.—1) Each, every. Strong—as if a superlative of ekav(afar); Each or every.
“Receive/Be Recompensed”—komizw—Aorist Middle Subjunctive—1) To care for, take care of, provide for; 2) To take up or carry away in order to care for & preserve;—4a) To receive, obtain. Strong—from a primary komew(To tend, i.e. Take care of); properly--To provide for, i.e. by implication--To carry off(as if from harm; genitive case--Obtain). Used 11X.
“Things”—o, h, to—Article—1) This, that, these, etc. Strong—the definite article; The.
“In”—dia—Prep.—1) Through—With—Throughout—During—By the means of—By reason of—On account of—Because of for this reason—Therefore. Strong—a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; Through(in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional).
“Body”—swma—Noun Neuter—1) The body both of men or animals—1a) A dead body or corpse, 1b) The living body; 2) The bodies of planets & of stars (heavenly bodies); 3)of a (large or small)number of men closely united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body—3a)Of the church; 4) That which casts a shadow as distinguished from the shadow itself. Strong—The body(as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.
“According”—prov—Preposition—1) To the advantage of; 2) At, near, by; 3) To, towards, with, with regard to. Strong—a preposition of direction; Forward to, i.e. Toward(with the genitive case)--The side of, i.e. Pertaining to; (with the dative case)--By the side of, i.e. Near to; (usually with the accusative case)--The place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. Whither or for which it is predicated.
“Done”—prassw—Aorist Active Indicative—1) To exercise, practice, to be busy with, carry on—1a) To undertake, to do; 2) To accomplish, perform—2a) To commit, perpetrate; 3) To manage public affairs, transact public business—3a) To exact tribute, revenue, debts; 4) To act. Poiew denotes "to do", prassw - "to practice"; poiew to designate performance, prassw intended, earnest, habitual, performance; poiew to denote merely productive action, prassw definitely directed action; poiew to point to the action result, prassw to the scope & character of the result. These words are often used interchangeably. Strong—a primary verb; To “practice”, i.e. Perform repeatedly or habitually(thus differing from poiew, which properly refers to a single act); by implication--To execute, accomplish, etc..
“Whether”(See :9)—eite—
“Good”—agayov—Adj.—1) Of good constitution or nature; 2) Useful, salutary; 3) Good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy; 4) Excellent, distinguished; 5) Upright, honorable. Strong—a primary word; “Good”(in any sense, often as noun)
“Bad”—kakov(TR)—Adj.—1) Of a bad nature—1a) Not such as it ought to be; 2) Of a mode of thinking, feeling, acting—2a) Base, wrong, wicked; 3) Troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive, baneful. These words[kakov, ponhrov, faulov] may be used with very little distinction of meaning, but often the difference is marked. Kakov frequently means evil rather negatively, referring to the absence of the qualities which constitute a person or thing what it should be or what it claims to be. It is also used meaning evil in a moral sense. It is a general antithesis to agayov. Strong—apparently a primary word; Worthless(intrinsically, such; whereas ponhrov properly refers to effects), i.e. subjectively--Depraved, or objectively--Injurious.
OR
“Bad”—faulov(Maj. T)—Adj.—1) Easy, slight, ordinary, mean, worthless, of no account; 2) Ethically, bad, base, wicked. Faulov is the bad chiefly as the worthless, the good for nothing. Strong—apparently a primary word; “Foul” or “Flawy”, i.e. figuratively--Wicked. Used 4X.
Argumentation:
**1Cor. 3:12-15—“Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; & the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Hosea 8:7—“They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meal. If it should produce, Aliens would swallow it up.”
Hosea 10:12—“Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes & rains righteousness on you.”
Mat. 5:43-48—“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor & hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, & pray for those who spitefully use you & persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil & on the good, & sends rain on the just & on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Mat. 6:1-4—“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues & in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; & your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”
In & from the love of your heart is where your “deeds” should & can spring from.
Mat. 10:34-42—“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. “For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, & a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; “& ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross & follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, & he who loses his life for My sake will find it. He who receives you receives Me, & he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
Heb. 12:25-29—“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence & godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.”
!Jesus came to Rock your World...but not to ‘rock out’ your world!
He came to shake everything in your life so that what remains is only His! To shake you so hard that all the unwanted & unneeded stuff that you allow to cling & stick to you will fall off, leaving you naked, helpless, & vulnerable...And desperate for & open to His healing!
Illustration:
*In the 1930s the Army Corps of Engineers set out to construct over 1800 miles of canals in the Everglades in order to drain them in preparation for a housing boom/Lake Okeechobee was shored up in order to keep it from spilling over which it did regularly/A winding river was straightened/They found out, after the fact, that everything was effected negatively, especially the water table & land they were trying to sell!/Now there is a 30 yr., $12 billion plan in the works to undo the previous work & return the everglades to its natural equilibrium rather than force it to do what they thought was right!/Our legislators & the Army Corp have had to ‘eat crow’ as it were/RECEPTION
Rock n’ Roll ‘legend’ Lemmy Kilmister(Motorhead) recently died(Dec. 28, 2015) at 70 yrs. of age/He was ‘legend’ because no one could figure how a person so given to self-destructive could survive as long as he did—He continually smoked, drank, did drugs, ran with women, etc./“He just nodded off & never woke up again” after a very short bout with cancer which he didn’t even know of until about a couple weeks before he died/a line from one of his most infamous songs was, “I don’t wanna live forever!”/What will he receive other than the praise of men?...The literal hell of having rejected his potential heavenly home!/RECEPTION
Decisions made that have effected & will effect your eternity.
Application:
?Are New RECEPTIONs apparent in your New Creation?
?Your New Creation Significant?
?Is yours a truly New Creation or a Creation by your own hand?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
The Old Fire Truck... Reward money gave them opportunity to avoid the previous disaster!
Action:
A new creation is significant in its New...
2. RECEPTION(5:10)
1. PLEASURE(5:9)
Pt. 2 only! presented 01/10/2016am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SE
Carrabelle, FL 32322
