The Significance Of A New Creation-2 Series

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?...