9-22-2019

Good Morning All,

      2 Corinthians 5:17; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

    Who doesn’t like new stuff?  I know that we all make a big deal about the old comfy chair or the old comfy shoes or shirt.  I know we all have a favorite pair of jeans that should have been tossed years ago; but really, we like things new.  We like the smell of new things.  We like the feel of new things.  We like the idea that no one else has possessed or touched it.  We almost always are a little saddened when the first scratch, dent or tear shows up.

    Even when it comes to experiences in life, we tend to enjoy new things.  The first time you drive a car, the first time you ride on an airplane, the first time you meet someone or your first child or grandchild.  When it is all new, everything is exciting and awesome.

     We even view newness as a fresh start.  When a student starts a new year, sometimes we like to view it as a new start, a clean slate from last year’s struggles.  Perhaps a new job or moving to a new community will let us leave the failures of the last job or home and we want to wash the bad away and get a clean, new start.  The trouble with that is we usually bring our old struggles with us.  Whatever caused problems for us before are probably still with us.

    Yet this is where with God it is different.  God actually makes us new.  It isn’t just a wash job and a little paint; it is all new.  Through the atoning blood of Jesus, you are made new.  We really do get a clean slate.  Even when it is something that the world may condemn you forever for.  Perhaps you are a woman who had an abortion; perhaps you are a father who abused your children; perhaps you are a child who stole from your parents; maybe you struggle with drugs and alcohol or other addictions; maybe you think that whatever is in your past will follow you and keep you down; but it won’t.  In Jesus, you are a new creation.  God is making everything new all we have to do is to trust this to be true.  We only have to have the God given desire to believe.

    The devil will lie to you and tell you that you just can’t do it; but the empty cross and the open tomb tell us we can because Jesus did it for us.  Jesus made us new and so we are.  The struggles of the past may rear their ugly heads; some inner demons die hard; yet we know for certain that these words are true and faithful for God is making everything new.

Dear Father, you make us new each day by washing away our sins.  Give us the joy to celebrate this and the peace to take comfort in this great message.  Help us to live the life which you have laid out for us.  Give us courage to speak your truth in a world which speaks only lies.  Strengthen us as your voice; allow us to boldly call you Lord of our lives.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret