October 30, 2013

From Ben Fronczek... He Will Make All Things New

He Will Make All Things New

In Revelation 21:5 The Apostle John records Jesus saying 
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.”
I don’t know a person that doesn’t like and appreciate things which are new! Our children’s eyes light up when we talk of giving them a new toy, a new gadget, or a new book. Even we like new clothes, new cars, new appliances, new tools, jewelry, furniture, and even new ideas. In this respect, we are all like children.
So we should not be surprised, that the mere words of the text this morning sound like a pleasant song in our ears; but I am thankful that their deeper meaning is even more joyful. The newness which Jesus brings is bright, clear, life changing, ongoing, heavenly, and even enduring.
Most of us here this morning are ready for a new year. Most of us have grown weary of 2011 with all its hardships. We are glad to escape from what has been for many twelve-months of trials, and we hope that this newborn year will be better than its predecessor. At any rate, it is new, and we are encouraged, even happy, so we say to one another, “I wish you a happy New Year.”
It is a shame when people get stuck in the past and lose the joy because they don’t see the ever evolving progression of God’s plan for their lives. The Bible in 2 Cor. 5:17 declares that when we become a Christian we become a new creation in Christ. The Bible speaks a lot about new things; specifically of new songs, new covenants, new mornings, new hearts, new garments, new wine, new heavens, and a new earth. In fact, even in the closing words of the Bible, 
God finalizes His eternal agenda by declaring,
 “Behold I make all things new…” (Rev 21:5)
The Lord has been in the business of renewing ever since the beginning. From the Creation event where He manipulated matter itself, to making new covenants, to remaking lives and now even on a personal level of making us anew.
As we read thru the New Testament we read about individuals who after meeting Jesus, their lives were changes, made new.
Do you remember the stories of Zaccaheus and Matthew. When Jesus first met them they were both looked down upon because they were Tax collectors. And after their encounter with Jesus Zacceheus  choose to make it right with anyone he ever cheated, and then had Jesus into his home, and likewise Matthew opened his home to Jesus and eventually became one of the 12 apostles. Peter, James and John, mere fisherman also became his greatest spokesmen and apostles.
Those steeped in sin and immoral ways of life after meeting Jesus change their lives. Even Saul who persecuted the church and Christians with a vengeance after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus became a new man, even receiving a new name like Peter who was on called Simon, Saul was later called Paul, He was a new man and became one of Jesus’ greatest missionaries and apostles.
Over and over we read stories in the New Testament of men and women whose lives were changed when they came in contact with Jesus, and it’s still happening today.
Someone once said, “Newness can also come from rediscovering that which may be old.”
As people hear the old, old story about the Savior, lives change. Criminals give up their life of crime and become missionaries. Addicts give up their addictions and become servants and spoke persons for the Lord. You hear about the personal testimonies over and over again, of how Jesus can make us new.  I want to show you two videos that illustrate this:
IMPORTANT   
   
   Click on and View      
Then
            
               Video 2               
You may not believe how these men saw their visions but they do, and it changed them. Or maybe your story is not a dramatic as these two examples but it is happening every day. Why do we change and do things we never thought we’d be capable of doing because of Jesus? Is it because He forces something on us, twisting our arm saying, ‘you better do it or else?’
No, rather it’s because when someone reads or hears about Jesus, and learns about who He really is, and how much He loves us, and then what He did for us, some believe. Something touches our heart and we fall in love with Jesus. Faith wells up, a want, a desire, a hope for something better something new, and a life changes.
Some of you personally know exactly what I am talk about. You are not the person you were when you first learned about Jesus.  - You heard about Him, You learned about Him, how much He loves you, and wanted to save you from your sin and restore you back to the Father, How He was willing to die for us.                                                                      -
- You believed, you put your faith in Him, you asked Him to save you and take away your sin. You trusted Him as you went down in the waters of Baptism to remove your sin,
- and now you want to live for Him, asking Him to be the new Lord of your life,
And because of the new relationship with our Lord Jesus your whole life has turned upside down. Because of our relationship with Him, we think differently, we act differently, our priorities change, we become better people as we draw even closer to Jesus. Some of us are even different than we a year ago.
As we enter this new year, He still wants to work on you and me, renewing us and helping us become more than we ever thought we could become. Whether you realize it or not, if you are a Christian the best is yet to come.
In Philippians 3 Paul was basically saying, ‘Yea as far as my old life goes, I’ve given that up because knowing Christ and His way is so much better. Compared to knowing Jesus and doing His will my old life was no more than garbage.’
I think he was saying, ‘Yea even if I have to suffer and die like Jesus did, it’s still worth it just to be able to experience a resurrection and the prize of Heaven. He goes on to say, “Not that I already have it, (Just like none of us have it easy or perfect now) but he says, 
“but I press on to take hold for that which Christ took hold of me.’ He said,  ‘One thing I do: I try to Forget what is behind me and strain toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’  
 He goes on to say that you should all have the same attitude if you are a Christian.            To read entire context click on the following link  Philippians 3:7-14 And I think we should likewise seek a new righteousness that comes from God on the basis of our faith.  I believe that Jesus will help us and wants us to become all that we can be if we just let Him.
In John 14, John records Jesus saying,  
15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
In Chapter 16 John records Jesus saying,
 “12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what he hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”
When we think we can’t change, or conquer a sin habit, or change a lousy attitude, or overcome a fear, or do something we never thought we could do before on our own, Jesus tells His disciples, ‘You don’t have to do it on your own.
As this new year begins I want you to realize Jesus going to be there to help you. His Spirit will be with you and in you to help you make those changes. He will convict you from within. He will silently help and guide you.’
That promise if for everyone who is a Christian.
If you are not a Christian I encourage you to consider becoming one. Learn about who Jesus is and what He has done for you. He is God’s one and only son who was born with flesh and blood just like you and me. He lived a perfectly pure life and then was willing to give up that life as a sacrifice for us. He was beat and abused and was willing to suffer punishment and a cruel death on a wooden cross for your and my sin. If you believe that let others know as well a Jesus Himself. Do your very best to turn from your sin in repentance and follow Him. And then He tells us that He will take away and remove our sin in the waters of Baptism (see Acts 2:36-41 and Colossians 2:8-13 )   I encourage you to find a Church of Christ near you and let them help and assist you learn more about our wonderful savour.
So may challenge is to pick something you want to change about yourself or something you want to improve in your life and lay it before Him. If it’s something He wants to help you with, He will. If Jesus could change those men we saw in the videos, or dramatically change the lives we read about in the Bible I think is He strong enough to help you with an attitude problem or a bad habit.
Trust Him and just watch what He will this up and coming year.
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

No comments:

Post a Comment