Title: God’s “Undo” For Sin!
Text: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Introduction: I love my computer. Many features on it make my job so much easier and much more efficient. How many in our audience have their very own Personal Computer in their home?
1. What do you like best about them?
‒ Internet?
‒ Word processing?
‒ Games?
‒ One of my favorite things about a computers we all take for granted now, but when I first started using one, I thought it was the grandest things!!
“UNDO” When I make a mistake, I simply UNDO, and I can correct it.
‒ Where would bulletin articles be without UNDO?
‒ What would my schoolwork look like without UNDO?
2. Wouldn’t life be great if we only had UNDO?
‒ No more being grounded.
‒ No more bad grades.
‒ No more mistakes, accidents, or anything. JUST UNDO IT!!
1. Does God allow UNDO’s in our lives? Most Definitely!!
A. READ TEXT: Where’s the UNDO in the passage?
1. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
1. The “new creation.”
2. The phrase literally means “to make like the original state.”
3. In Christ we all are made just like we were before the days we sinned.
1. Little children. (Just like Larry and his grandson Anthony)
2. Brand new.
3. Sinless.
4. Awesome!!
2. Understanding the Old!! So many times we don’t know how to appreciate the new person because we don’t understand how terrible the old was!
A. God hates our sin.
1. It separates us from Him. Isaiah 59:1-2
2. It brings us a bad name and reputation to others.
3. Most of all, It nailed Jesus to a cross.
1. All sin, yes even yours and mine.
2. The innocent blood of Jesus.
4. Larry said it best this morning, what happened in the World Trade Center and Washington was nothing to the terrible injustice of God’s perfect Son being crucified because of things He did not do for all of time.
1. Our sin is no better in the eyes of God.
2. All sin and no sin is any less or more responsible than another.
B. Yes, God hates sin, but thanks be to Him, He loves the sinner!!
1. Romans 5:8 (NCV) "But God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners."
2. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NCV) "Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could become right with God."
1. Jesus took on our punishment.
2. Jesus was killed for you and me.
3. He was innocent!!
**That’s the bad news, Our sin was responsible. Jesus died for all sinners is the good news!!
C. Understand that when we are baptized into Jesus Christ, we become like we had never sinned before.
1. The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to take care of all the sins that ever will be committed, yet we must submit to Him!!
3. How do we react to the UNDOing of God? There are proper reactions to the “new creation” we become!!
A. Think of Others differently 2 Corinthians 5:16 (NCV) "From this time on we do not think of anyone as the world does. In the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks, but we no longer think of him in that way."
1. Our thinking is changed about how we see others!!
1. Turning the other cheek.
2. Allowing God to take revenge.
3. Giving to others instead of wanting selfishly.
1. So much of what we want is ridiculous.
1. Things.
2. Our way.
2. Our thinking is changed about how we see Jesus!!
1. What does the world think of Jesus?
1. It takes a horrible tragedy to get anyone to even think about Him.
2. All of a sudden people want to pray. (I’m glad, but why only now and not before?)
3. The world thinks of Jesus as an alright guy, but never as Lord.
1. Thinking of Jesus as Lord would require change.
2. Thinking of Him as Lord would require stopping some worldly pleasure. We are just not ready for that yet.
2. What do you think of Jesus now that you are a Christian?
1. He is Lord of my life! That means He rules my life!
2. It is a life of commitment.
B. We give up old ways 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NCV) "...The old things have gone; everything is made new!"
1. Let me ask you, What OLD THINGS are you hanging on to?
1. Old girlfriend that brings you down?
2. Old habits die hard?
3. Old language of the old person you used to be?
2. Why do we not let go?
1. Selfishness – “Mine!”
2. Pride – “You know I deserve this!”
3. Lust – “This _______ makes me feel good.”
C. We tell others about the peace we have within 2 Corinthians 5:18 (NCV) "...God gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with him."
1. Don’t you know that if you had all the answers for taking away terrorism in our country, you would do it in a heartbeat!!
1. Right now there is uncertainty in the minds of people.
2. People are looking for answers in their lives.
3. People have a need for peace in their lives.
4. WE HAVE THE ANSWER!!
5. We also have the responsibility to go for God.
1. CONCERN: Others are preaching the false doctrine that one can simply ask Jesus into their heart to be saved.
2. Of all times that we have needed to take away this false notion, it is now.
2. Many of us are afraid.
1. We have no need to be with the truth.
2. Take the truth that one must be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins in order to be saved to all who we can now while it is on their minds. Do it with love, but for God’s sake do it!!
1. The time will come again when people won’t hear the truth.
2. The time will come when this tragedy will not hurt so much to so many and people again will begin to leave God!
Conclusion: You see there is an UNDO button with God. There is a way to make our lives back like they were from the beginning. God’s grace is for everyone. It is the blood of Jesus Christ. But, you have to access it. Just like the button on your computer. You have to click the icon or hit the backspace key.
‒ Some of you tonight need to be restored back to God.
‒ Some need to come to God for the first time.
‒ What are you thinking?
‒ Why won’t you come?
