[영어 예배 / English Sermon ] A New Creation
A New Creation
There was a funeral at a church in Chicago for a three year old girl who starved to death. An alcoholic dressed in dirty clothes came to the little girl's funeral. He took the little girl's shoes off her feet while everyone was praying and sold them to get drunk. The man who stole the shoes was the girl's father.
20 years later, a man stood and spoke in front of thousands of people at Chicago First Presbyterian Church.
"The father who stole his little girl's shoes at her funeral was me! It was God who saved this worthless, filthy man and gave a new life to become his disciple."
It was Mel Trotter, an evangelist of Chicago.
God restores those that seem worthless and useless to men and leads them to live a new life. God leads them to a new path where a dead soul comes to life again and lives a life for God's glory.
2 (Second) Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
"A new creation" has come!
What does it mean to be "in Christ"?
It means to be in God's Kingdom. Since Adam disobeyed God and let sin into our lives, we have fallen from God and have been wandering in a world ruled by Satan.
But by the love of God, when a person believes that Jesus Christ has died on the cross and resurrected, he or she begins to live in God's Kingdom where God is in control.
Colossians 1: 13-14
"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Now, let's take a closer look at the differences between the old creation and new creation.
Who is an old creation?
1) An old creation is a man who is spiritually dead.
If you are spiritually dead, you cannot know God's existence. Your heart is filled with worldly things.
2) An old creation is a man who follows the world of Satan.
He or she seeks Satan's temptations that provide instant pleasures.
3) An old creation is a man who follows the desires of flesh.
He or she hates God and engages in injustice, abomination, greed, arrogance, boast, envy, murder, argument, drunkenness, debauchery, and lust.
Ephesians Chapter 2 Verse 1
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins"
First Peter Chapter 1, Verse 24:
"...All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,"
Who is a new creation?
1) A new creation is who is born again through faith in Jesus Christ.
It is he who believes that Jesus Christ is his Lord and Savior and therefore belongs to Jesus Christ.
It's a life that is no longer ruled by Satan, but a life that follows God's Word and walks with Christ.
2) A new creation is who lives in Christ.
Before, he was a slave of the world ruled by Satan, but now lives in God's Kingdom under God's rules.
3) A new creation lives life that is led by the Holy Spirit.
It is he who bears fruit of the Holy Spirit in his life. He lives in the light of Jesus and lives in gentleness and humility.
First John Chapter 2, Verses Fifteen through seventeen.
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life- comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."
Galatians Chapter Five, Verse Sixteen.
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."
Now, how can we become new creation in Jesus Christ?
Ephesians Chapter Four, Verses 22 through 24:
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
God tells us "to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires".
People who live in their weak flesh are easy to fall into Satan's temptations and chase after instant pleasures of this world. It's a life that is ruled by the desires of flesh.
The desires of flesh go against the Holy Spirit, and the desires of the Holy Spirit go against the flesh.
When we are tempted by the worldy things and in the midst of sins from earthly desires, our spirit is dead and therefore we cannot know God or see God. But, when we live in Jesus Christ who saved us and follow the Holy Spirit, we are freed from Satan and this world.
We no longer live as slaves of our flesh.
We no longer live as slaves of Satan.
We no longer are consumed by worldly pleasures.
We no longer live as slaves of fear, worries, darkness, sadness, and sins.
We put on the new self, in God's likeness, and live a life of peace given by God.
We live an eternal life of Heaven where we live and praise God forever.
All of this is the work of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Father blots out our transgressions.
Isaiah Chapter 43, verse 25:
"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more."
The Son, Jesus Christ, cleanses us with his blood.
Hebrews Chapter 9, verse 14:
"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"
The Holy Spirit makes us holy.
Second Thessalonians Chapter 2, verse 13:
"But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved thorugh the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth."
We, who are gathered here to worship and praise God, are those who are in God's grace.
God will give us bigger faith, to those that come out to worship God by God's grace. God will give us the strength to fight off Satan's temptations.
God will take away all of our darkness and sadness.
God will give us victory in our daily lives as we live as His children.
Let us pray.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for giving us Your Living Word today.
Touch each and every one of us with your Holy Spirit and open our hearts.
We no longer want to live as slaves of this world, as slaves of Satan.
Holy Spirit,
Fill our hearts.
Help us to live in your guidance.
We prayed all this in Jesus's name, Amen.
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