Is My Past My Future?
2 Corinthians 5:17
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.
ILL - Jimmy Stewart shared the story about the filming of the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." "It's hard to explain. I, for one, had things happen to me during the filming that never happened in any other picture I've made. In one scene, for example, George Bailey is faced with unjust criminal charges and, not knowing where to turn, ends up in a little roadside restaurant. He is unaware that most of the people in town are arduously praying for him. In this scene, at the lowest point in George Bailey's life, Frank Capra was shooting a long shot of me slumped in despair. In agony I raise my eyes and, following the script, plead, 'God . . . God . . . dear Father in heaven, I'm not a praying man, but if you're up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I'm at the end of my rope, Show me the way, God. . . .' As I said those words, I felt the loneliness, the hopelessness of people who had nowhere to turn, and my eyes filled with tears. I broke down sobbing. This was not planned at all, but the power of that prayer, the realization that our Father in heaven is there to help the hopeless, had reduced me to tears." Guideposts, December 2005, p. 82
Introduction: Friends, the world is filled with people who feel like they have no hope, that they are forever, hopelessly mired in their past and that the future for them is an endless series of days and nights that seem to repeat themselves. They feel they are in a cycle of despair and despondency, like a hamster in a cage going round and round. These people are all around us. They are our neighbors, co-workers, family and friends. Some are seated in the pews of our churches maybe even this church. They are part of our First Church family and we think that they are alright but there are wounded, hurting people everywhere. Their past is like a millstone about their neck, a ball and chain or a set of shackles on their feet. These folks are convinced that nothing can be done, that there is help for others but no help for them. But I'm here to tell you that there is hope. You may be entangled in an addiction, or you may be bound by fears or phobias, or years of abuse may have you feeling worthless or that you are of little or no value but I want you to know that your past doesn't have to be your future. Someone said:
"There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.
Clare Boothe Luce.
"A number of years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the effect hope has on those undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why? Not because they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope!
Those animals somehow hoped that if they could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. If hope holds such power for unthinking rodents, how much greater should is effect be on our lives."
Today in the Word, May, 1990, p. 34.
Paul declares that the key to overcoming our past to insure that our past is not our future is to be found in:
I. The Person of Jesus Christ
Let's look at our text to see if it offers any hope. Notice the first word:
a. The power
Someone said that: "If was the biggest most powerful word in the English language." If is a word of hope; as wide and expansive as any other word you will ever find.
b. The possibilities
Next is the phrase: "...any man..." Now let we tell you what I found after an exhaustive study of these two word, after consulting several commentaries and doing a careful exegesis of this phrase I found that a translation would read, "...any man..." that means anybody, that means whosoever, that means everyone, that means you!
c. The possession
This hope comes not from religion or ritual or reason or self-righteousness. It comes from a relationship with Jesus. Jesus is all about hope! Look at the next three word of our text: "...if any man...be in Christ..."
The phrase to "be in Christ," evidently means to be united to Christ by faith; or to be in him as the branch is in the vine - that is, so united to the vine, or so in it, as to derive all its nourishment and support from it, and to be sustained entirely by it. John 15:2, "every branch in me." John 15:4, "abide in me, and I in you." "The branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me." To be "in Christ" denotes a more tender and close union; and implies that all our support is from him. All our strength is derived from him; and denotes further that we shall partake of his fullness, and share in his felicity and glory, as the branch partakes of the strength and vigor of the parent vine. Barnes Notes on the Bible
"Though no one can go back and make a new beginning -- but anyone can start from now and make a brand new end." - Carl Brand
Second :
II. The Principle of Change
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
From the word "transformed" we get the English word Metamorphosis This word means to transform, change, be different, and when we use it in a temporal context it is a way of life for us... we don't want to be who we are and we will try all sorts of things to change. Crash diets, plastic surgery, new hairdos, new clothes. In truth we really want to just change the outside covering. But some try to do it internally - Americans spend $50 million a year on subliminal message tapes designed to help them do everything from improve their self-image to stop smoking. But there's no hidden message in the National Research Council's verdict on such techniques. The Council's report, released in September 1992, concludes that subliminal messages simply don't work.
"Make-overs! We are a people obsessed with them these days. We restore our cars, pump botox into our chins and eyelids, remodel our homes at a record pace and are transfixed by the various shows on television whose story lines are founded on make-overs.
What is this fascination with being made-over? Some psychologists have suggested that it has everything to do with a deep-seated discontent that rules our lives these days. We grapple with the aging process that slowly but surely is claiming our youth. Where once we kept a car until it had 150,000 miles, more and more Americans are trading in the old before it even becomes "old." We are a people obsessed with reclaiming youth and newness. We long to be a Phoenix rising from the ashes of what was, restored to a new promise of what could be. After all of this effort, can we say that we are getting there? Will the "rebuilding" process necessary to this make-over finally find us content?" Mark Brunner
All these make-overs don't deliver the life-transforming power they promise. Only Jesus can affect a metamorphosis in us and on us.
"A man was selling an old warehouse; the building had been empty for months and needed repairs. Gangs had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and thrown trash everywhere. As he showed a prospective buyer the property, the man took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage. "Forget about the repairs," the buyer said. "When I buy this place, I'm going to build something completely different. I don't want the building; I want the site. Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse that is slated for the wrecking ball. All Jesus wants is the site and the permission to build.
What is this "new creature"
a. A member of a new family
Ephesians 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Josh McDowell says that we can translate "Abba" as da da!
b. A partaker of a new fellowship
1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
c. A promise of a new future
Now I want you to look at another two letter word in our text that is powerful as well. Notice Paul declares that if a man is in Christ he "...is..." a new creature! Think of it, not a think so hope so or maybe so by he IS! What a note of assurance and because of this word of affirmation we know that our past does not have to be our future. Our present is changed therefore our future is changed. Our up look changes our outlook! Our past is past and our destiny is different!
III. The Process of Change
In the last part of our text Paul describes a process by which we leave our past behind and live a new life in Christ. It commences in salvation and continues in what the Bible calls sanctification. This process is described in the Bible in three tenses.
a. The past -- I have been sanctified
1 Corithians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
b. The present -- I am being sanctified
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
c. The prospect -- I will be sanctified.
Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Conclusion: I want to close this message with a quote from a sermon by Terry Laughlin:
"It is a well-known fact that a caterpillar changes into a butterfly. The butterfly can truthfully say as he looks at the caterpillar, "Such was I, but now I am changed." Every Christian has once been a sinner, living for self and the momentary pleasures of sin and the world. But like the caterpillar, God has done a wonderful work in Christians. The caterpillar (sinner) knows nothing of the delights of the butterfly (Christian). They must be made into new creatures. The cabbage-loving caterpillar has no capacity for the new-born movements and delights of the butterfly. No more can the carnal nature of man enter into the enjoyment of the things of God without first being born again. Many caterpillars (sinners) try to mold themselves into the cocoon of a church, church clothes and Christian fellowship hoping to become a butterfly (Christian) by association. Disappointingly, they just stay their same old selves, wrapped up in things that can never regenerate their hearts. Thus they are overcome by self, the world and the temptations of the devil. Their lives are marked by disobedience to God's Word. They bounce from church to church looking to satisfy self. They desire social Christianity and avoid anything that will lead them to true holiness and intimate fellowship with God. The Bible says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Cor. 5:17) Having a church membership and clinging to false denominational teachings will not regenerate your heart. You must allow God to take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. The Lord desires to put His Holy Spirit in you and move you to follow His decrees and be careful to keep His laws (Ezekiel 36: 26, 27). Regenerated Christians love God and they find serving Him to be a delight. 1 John 5:3 says, "This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome." Christians have the liberty to say "no" to self-centeredness and sin-centeredness. They hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God. They know and live in that abundant life which is promised by Jesus Christ. They live a victorious life over sin. A person becomes a new creation only by accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord. Jesus said, "You must be born again." (John 3:7) The sovereignty of God alone determines if a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. Conversely, God asks you to choose to surrender to His will, which is for all to come to repentance and be saved. Not every caterpillar becomes a butterfly, nor will every person become a Christian. You could be like the butterfly saying about the caterpillar, "Such was I, but now I am changed."
Will you allow God to make you a new creature in Christ?"
