Christ, The Catalyst for a Changed Life
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Intro: The apostle Paul is the posterchild for life change. All we have to do is read his testimony to know this.
Acts 22 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Philippians 3: 4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
ILL. One of the things we have done at New Bethel that has blessed my heart is to watch the series “The Chosen”! One of the scenes that stands out to me is the exchange between Nicodemus and Mary Magdalene. Nicodemus asks her what has brought about such a radical transformation in her from demon possessed woman to virtuous humble servant of the Lord. Here is her response:
She says: “I was one way, and now I am completely different, and the thing that happened in between was Him.”
In the first episode of the television series The Chosen, Mary Magdalene testifies to Jewish religious leader Nicodemus of the absolute transformation she experienced because of knowing Jesus Christ: “I was one way, and now I am completely different. And the thing that happened in between was Him.” This dramatic scene was fashioned on the apostle Paul’s teaching that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV).
I. The Relationship – In Christ
a. The opportunity – any man
b. The operation – be in Christ
II. The Revolution - New Creature
a. Our past
That union breaks the terrible chain that binds us to the past. ‘All died.’ The past is broken as much as if we were dead. It is broken by the great act of forgiveness. Sin holds men by making them feel as if what has been must be-an awful entail of evil. In Christ we die to former self.
The life of an unbeliever is characterized by what the apostle Paul calls “old things.” Unbelievers possess a sinful nature and are separated from God, a destructive combination. Consequently, their lifestyle displays the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19–21).
Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
While atheists may exhibit basic moral values—depending on upbringing and environment—they primarily live for themselves rather than God.
Further, religious people who are unregenerate cannot talk about an old life passing away. They are under the law and seek justification through it. This leaves them condemned when they fall short (Romans 3:19; Galatians 3:10). Without the new birth, they remain slaves to sin (Romans 7:14–23). Being religious without Christ leads to either despair or self-righteousness. One who lives under the law should also anticipate being perfectly judged by it. God is a fair judge (Psalms 9:7–8; 98:9; Romans 2:6–11; Revelation 20:12).
www.gotquestions.org
b. Our prospects
Galatians 5:22-25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
When a person encounters Jesus Christ and surrenders to Him as Lord and Savior, that individual is now “in Christ,” joined to Jesus in His death and resurrection: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). We become a whole new creation in Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:15). Our “former way of life,” or “old self,” which was “corrupted by its deceitful desires” (Ephesians 4:22), was “one way,” as Mary put it in the television series. But the “new self” in Christ, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24), is “completely different.” Scripture says that, when Mary Magdalene encountered Jesus, He cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:1–3). After being set free, Mary was forever changed into a devoted follower of Christ.
Conclusion:
ILL: You are not a Christian until you receive a new nature and if you receive a new nature there will be evidence.
ILL: One of Hitler’s bodyguards was a man named Kurt Wagner. He adored Hitler and reverenced him as a god. At the end of the war, with Hitler a suicide in a Berlin bunker, Kurt’s faith was shattered and he planned a suicide. Going for a final cup of coffee, he picked up a discarded Gospel tract and read it—first carelessly and then with interest. As a result of what he read, he sought out a pastor who led him to Christ. Kurt was transformed from a hardened man into a peace-loving man. He became a new creation in Christ.
You can educate a pig to stay out of the mud and eat differently but on a hot day with fellow pigs he will resort to his normal nature and dive happily into the mud. If you could give him a new nature, say, the nature of a cat, when the test of a hot day and welcome mud came, he would not be happy in the mudhole even if his friends persuade him to join them again, he has a new nature, new desires. He does not think he is better than them, he just does not enjoy those things anymore.
"If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation..." 2 Cor. 5:17.
2Peter 20-22 Wallowing pigs and vomit eating dogs are very happy in their activities and prove they do not have a new nature. I John 3:7,8. A new nature produces a new heart and desires and actions. "faith without works is..."
ILL: London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and needed repairs, had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior. As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg 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 this 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 slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God’s, the old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17). He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and permission to build.
ILL: Caterpillar Ugly, Butterfly Beautiful
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?
Though no one can go back and make a new beginning - anyone can start from now and make a brand new end.
-- Carl Brand
