Introduction

Good morning, beloved family. It's a joy to gather together in the house of the Lord as we seek to draw closer to Him through His word. Today, we're going to be turning our hearts and minds to a passage in Ephesians that speaks to the very core of our Christian walk.

As the great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't." It's through the constant reading, studying, and applying of God's word that we find ourselves standing firm even when the storms of life rage around us. The Scripture we'll be focusing on today is Ephesians 4:22-24.

This passage, my dear friends, is a beacon of hope and a call to action. It's a reminder that we're not bound by our past, but we're called to a future that is brighter and holier. It's an invitation to shed off the old and embrace the new, not through our own strength, but through the transformative power of God.

Harnessing Hope for the Future

We all have a past. It's filled with moments of joy, moments of sorrow, moments of triumph, and moments of failure. It's a tapestry of experiences that have shaped us into who we are today. But the beauty of the gospel is that it doesn't stop at our past. It reaches forward into our future, offering us a hope that is steadfast and unchanging.

This hope is a confident expectation in the promises of God. It's the assurance that no matter what we've done or where we've been, God has a plan for us. He's working all things together for our good and His glory.

But how do we harness this hope? How do we take hold of it and let it guide us into the future? The answer lies in the transformative power of God's word.

The first step is to recognize the power of God's word. The Bible is not just a collection of stories and teachings. It's the living, breathing word of God. It has the power to change hearts, transform lives, and shape futures. When we immerse ourselves in it, we begin to see the world through God's eyes. We begin to understand His plans and purposes for us.

Next is to believe in the promises of God. These promises are not empty words. They are backed by the power and authority of the Almighty God. When He says that He has a plan for us, we can trust that He will fulfill it. When He says that He will never leave us nor forsake us, we can rest in that assurance.

The third step is to live in the light of God's promises. This means letting go of our past and stepping into the future with confidence. It means letting go of our fears and doubts and embracing the hope that God offers. It means living each day with the expectation that God is working in us and through us to accomplish His purposes.

Finally, it is to share this hope with others. The hope that we have is not meant to be kept to ourselves. It's meant to be shared. It's meant to be a light in a dark world. When we share our hope with others, we're not just offering them a comforting word. We're offering them a glimpse of the God who loves them and has a plan for them.

Heralding the New Self

Now, let’s consider the image of the "new self ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO