2 Corinthians 5:9-21

Good morning, as you as you know here at New Covenant Fellowship is give me two weeks in a row. We generally when we are in a book we stick with a book and and don't change. We Pastor Corey. He took us to the gift of God and this week is with a new year coming Lord just laid on my heart 2nd Corinthians in chapter 5, don't do that to turn there. So it's of Christmas is just about a week past not even a full week. And When Christmas Comes comes a whole lot of new stuff new gifts new things that that that that we receive and when we do that in celebration of God sending forth his son. That's what Pastor Corey brought to us last week a man born of woman for the purpose of the Redemption of Those whom he is called according to his purpose and this is a new thing that happens in a life, but if we received gift we received new stuff I I believe all of us probably really received a little little something I received at a set of a spin shoes like I use tennis shoes like everybody else does but but I have like, I think I'm on the official side of a spin instructor now cuz I have spin shoes but I will not wear the suit like Joel wants me to From Here Comes the Boom the guy that wears those type but I forgot a new pair of sin spin shorts, but there's also pants that go over him. So I'm not indecent. Yes, but there is newness that comes with gifts and and we're excited about it. We get a new car. Not that I know anything about that. You see what I drive my little pink truck. I've embraced it. But there's the newness what happens to that new car smell after a while. What happens soon as I know what it's like to get a new car or a new home if you ever walked into a new home, you know, what you go through and you look a new home that smell. But those things tend to go away.

Botanical it is as I thought about this has been praying about this time. I thought about Tracy's encounter with with Obadiah our grandson in the store with Caleb and Kelly and Toby and only had money burning a hole in his pocket because he got Christmas money and he was going to buy something with it and and he had this little game that Caleb and Kelly said look over if you get that it's going to do the same thing over and over again. It's going to get boring. It's going to wear out, like that new car smell like new home smell my new spin shoes smell I guarantee that's going to go away soon quick.

But they told him it doesn't same thing over and over again and it's going to lose its interest you're going to be born with it. I fear that this happens with people who get saved. Say that again. I fear that this happens with people that get saved. Victim to lose the newness of that new creation that begin whenever they were saved God is Not performing quite the way I think he should I'm not at this excited and and ardor the newness of a of a new church. Maybe it's worn off. I I don't know those things that they seem to wear.

And I hope in our desire here at New Covenant Fellowship is that we help. The continually reminder bring the for you the newness of every day with a gift of Salvation the new creation. I like the way I was there beg put this he said it well, he said a Christian is not somebody who said I need to do something about my life. A Christian is someone who is made the wonderful discovery that God has done something amazing in his life. You see we approach Christianity and salvation as a self-help program like I got to pull myself up by the Boost boot straps with God's help. No that's wrong. That's false. That's not the right way to think about it. It's God has done something amazing and we just saying about it. We just saying about it. God is done something amazing. He put the debt on that cross for my life so that I wouldn't have to His love for me is on comparable. I got to take tracing. I just celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary on December 27th husband learn. I knew the year how many years and the date cuz it's two days after Christmas hard to forget. But but with but we just celebrated that. And I forgot what I was going to that second time. This happen to me Joe is just one way. But a Christian is someone who has made the wonderful disco. I know Tracy loves me like nobody else on this Earth. There's no doubt in my mind, but Tracy's love for me pales in comparison to the love that Christ has for me.

And it's not a Slam against Tracy's love because you're not going to find another person that loves deeper and more than that young lady right that. It makes me feel alive in that way. But it pales in comparison to what Christ has done. There is Not Another Love on this earth. That is parallel. A Christian is someone who has made the wonderful discovery that God has done something amazing in his life when we realize that. Yes what the newness of Salvation will never wear off today. We're going to look at the newness and and what it means for us as believers. This message app called Genesis. Why because it's a new beginning the grace or gift of the Gospel. Genesis the grace for the gift of the Gospel Romans 6:4 says we were buried there for with him by baptism into death in order that Jesus asked Christ in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father. We too may walk listen to this in the newness of life. We don't walk in the olnes of life. We walk in the newness of life because of what he has done in us and for us this amazing gift. Did he's giving us? Something I want us to remember when we are in Christ. We are a new creation and should live with a purpose of pleasing God and God alone as his ambassadors a new creation. The old has gone. Let's go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 starting at verse 9. Will you stand with me and onto the reading of God's word?

starting at verse 9 Paul writes these words So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him for me. We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ. So that each one may receive what is due for what he is done in the body whether good or evil. Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord we persuade others, but what we are our is known to God and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not committing ourselves to you again, but given you cause to boast about us so that you may be able to answer those who boast about the outward appearance and not about what is in the heart for if we are beside ourselves. It is for God if we are in the right mind it is for you for the love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this that one is died for all there for all have died and he died for all that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on therefore. We regard no one according to the flesh, even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh we regard hymns us no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away behold. The new has come all this is from God and through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. That is in Christ. God was reconciling the world to himself not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore. We are ambassadors for Christ God making his appeal through US win for you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that we might become the righteousness of god. Let's pray by the we love you. We praise and we thank you. I pray for the guy that I would let that you would get the messenger out of the way that the message would come across. We thank you for the newness that salvation brings. And I pray father that with this new weird year that we would. Be renewed. Then our faith would grow. That we would be ambassadors that make you one day say Well done thou good and faithful servant. Would you bless this time as we looked at your word father God in Jesus name we pray. Amen. You may be seated. It's on the book of 2nd Corinthians. Paul is addressing false prophets. Once again, what is he doing? He's correcting stinking thinking and that's what what the majority of the Old Testament is about. But these false prophets say they attack Paul's Authority is authentic city as a as an apostle. And they say that they have false teaching about the Gospel of Jesus. and in Paul throughout the Book of 2nd Corinthians, this is correcting this But in chapter 5 I love it how he starts off speaking of the temporal versus the Eternal especially where our bodies the temple is concerned.

I got to tell you this morning when I woke up. I I coach a weight class in and generally I do it every other day, but there are some Saturday swear. I'll coach it two days in a row and this morning when I got up my temple my body cause me to grown and Timon and that is a Biblical thing. It happens. But that's the temporal cuz there's going to be one day when I don't even have to coach classes to stay fit or kind of fit. Because there's that Eternal for one day will be with father with a father God With Our Father God. In Christ Jesus and we'll have a new body a new Temple that's made to praise him and worship Him perfectly. We won't grown anymore 2nd Corinthians 5 6 through 8. He says so we are always a good courage. We know that while you are at home in the body. We are away from the Lord for we walk by faith not by sight. Yes. We are a good courage and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. There's one that reminds me of that often. And since I met him and Trent is constantly saying how come Lord Jesus my body's tired my knees hurt. But one day they're not going to a man one day that hand is going to be completely healed one day whatever is going on. If your in Christ books is going to be gone. What an encouragement to Paul is encouraging the body in and he's trying to get them to look to the Future. But today we're going to go to pick up at verse 9. All right, and in our spot number one is graded. Do you know that one day you going to be graded for what you do on Earth as a Christian verse 9 the weather we are at home or away. We make it our aim to please him. Listen to this for we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ. So that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body whether good or evil understand these folks Paul is writing to the church. He is riding to Christians when they come to this point of judgment. It's not whether are you going to go to heaven or you going to go to hell? That's not what that judgment seat is about that judgment seat is about this as a born-again believer in Christ. Did you follow what he said in verse 9 and that's this we make it our aim to please ourselves. Is that what he says there? No, what is it? Say, we make it our aim to please him check this out. If you make it your aim to please God the Father Almighty through Jesus Christ the son you are going to serve him well. You are going to serve him. Well, our life should be live for Christ. So as to please him and him alone Christ should be first and foremost in our minds in all that we do if ever I get up to preach for my glory. I better quit preaching If Ever I leave worship for my glory my goodness to see how well I perform I better quit doing it. If I preach the gospel and live my life to please others, I better quit it. It better be to please him now will leather receive others receive the benefit. Yes, but one day I'm going to stand before God. And he's not going to say Anthony. How do you think Jeanne stiglmeier II thought you did in your Christian walk. How do you think Tristan felt about your walk with the Lord Anthony Trends known you a long time? How do you think Trent felt about your walk? Tracy's known you more than most of your how do you think Tracy felt that? No, I'm going to stand before him one day. And he's going to say you did this and you didn't do that, but my hope and my desire. Is that I'm living my life for his glory to please him and that one day. He will say Anthony well done thou good and faithful servant. but if ever I beer from that and live for my glory If Ever I do that and I live to please Justin

I'm wrong.

I'm wrong. I hope this better see this also in in 1st Corinthians 3. Let's go there with me. 1st Corinthians chapter 3

starting at verse 11

for no one can lay a foundation. Other than that, which is laid which is Christ Jesus. Now if anyone build on the foundation with gold silver two stones wood. Hay straw each one's work will become manifest for the day. That's that day of judgement that we read about in in 2nd Corinthians for the day will disclose it because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survive, he will receive a reward if anyone's work is burned up. He will suffer loss though. He himself will be saved but only as Through Fire, do you see that? It'll be tested. Our works will be tested. Nnnn, the test will reveal. Was it done for my glory or was it Done For Your Glory Anthony? Was it done for my Glory Church at Corinth or was it done for your glory and your personal gain church at Corinth one day we will be great. We will stand judgment for the works that we have done as born-again Believers in Christ.

Next going to go on number to the gifts of Grace. Gifts of Grace I love these few verses he says this therefore knowing the fear of the Lord we persuade others. All right. So I love that a gift of Grace is the fear of the Lord. And what is the fear of the Lord? That is the beginning of what?

It's the beginning of wisdom.

All right, that is a gift to break their for knowing the fear of the Lord. We persuade others know. What do they do with that gift. They're taking in their persuading others with it. We feared what we want to teach you the fear of the Lord, but what we are known. What we are is known to God, that's another listen to that. What we are is known to God. I want you to think about that. Eternal No Beginning No End same yesterday today and tomorrow Paula same we are known by him tell me that is not a gift of Grace being known by the creator of the heavens and the Earth. But what we are is known to God and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not listen to this. We are not committing ourselves to you again, but given you cause to boast about us so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearances and not about what is in the heart for if we are beside ourselves. It is for God if we are in a right mind it is for you. So knowing the fear of the Lord as we said it's a gift of Grace being known by God is another gift of Grace and Paul says I do it. Why because I want to please the Lord not because I want to please you but if I'm pleasing the Lord and it pleases you you're going to talk about how I please the Lord because of what God has done in me for me and is doing through me and you can go to those who are boasting about how good and great thou are they are you can go to those pastors who are growing church because they're preaching down a watered-down gospel and they're making money hand-over-fist. You can go to them and say it's not about that. It's about your life in Christ being a new creation and living according to his purpose living according to these gifts of Grace that he is giving you.

Am I saying we don't care about what people think? No. Paul says follow me as I follow Christ, but if I'm following Christ in the right way. Then I can go to you. And I can say Rebecca follow me as I follow Christ. I can say Chris follow me as I follow Christ not to bring glory to myself but to bring glory to God Church of Corinth. Follow me as I follow Christ.

Because he's giving me this gift of Grace. And I know the fear of him. We we live in a world that doesn't want to preach the fear of the Lord. But they don't want to do that. Why because it might offend somebody. It might bother somebody if they're an alcoholic and I tell him that they're an alcoholic. It might hurt their feelers. Is there an adulterer and I go to him and I confront him and I tell him you're an adulterer you're living in adultery. It might hurt their feelings.

If I go to somebody that the homosexual and I tell him you're you're homosexual and that's wrong against the word of God that's going to hurt their feelings. We have a world that doesn't want to hear those things. I'm sorry you just lied and that's not what God wants for you. But if we fear the lord I'm going to go to people and confront them in those things other believers. We handled Believers and non-believers differently with his gift of Grace. We stand firm in the truth. We live at follow me as I follow Christ. It's a gift that he's giving me. Come let's walk with me. But I tell you you're walking on Shaky Ground. We live in a world and there are Church churches upon churches that don't want to preach about Sin.

Because they fear be being disliked more than they fear the lord.

Follow me as I follow Christ. It's a gift of Grace third. Third and its Genesis in this new beginning in this new life. We're guided. Not some weird spiritual guide thing. Alright verse 14 listen to this for the love of Christ controls us. Do you see that for the love of Christ controls us? Because we have concluded this that one has died for all therefore all have died and he died for all that those who live might no longer live for themselves. But for him who for their sake died and was raised by the love of Love Of Christ. You see the Greek word for loving in this verse. Is agape. It's a noun. It's it's who Christ is in me. You see what I'm a day of salvation he abides in me.

Because he woke me from the dead and said here's a new life. Now his love is agape. This is a noun that represent who we are in him. Not on the bed. I'll go pay. Oh, that's another Greek word for love, which is what we do how we show our love but this is agape. It's it's What flows out of me? Because of who we are Christ is in a we are controlled by the desire to please him and her and our love for him alone. It goes back to that verse 9.

We make it our aim to please him therefore. He guide us in those directions. He controls Us in that way. Why because we understand that we know this that Christ died for all who are called according to his purpose. And in that we all have died in Christ as we as we read in that that verse we are buried there for with him in baptism. We died. We came up in the newness of life in baptism. Why because he died for us and his love compels us to continue on and that love were Guided by him because of this gift of Grace he died for all that. He's called according to his purpose there for all that died have died for him to him. And we are raised to this newness of life. And this is what controls us. This is what should guide us in our lives. It's not what I want for my personal gain. It's not about what I want to feel good to me because quite frankly following Christ is not does not always feel good. There are things that he doesn't our lives that hurt.

Jennifer going through those things in him. Asking and begging him to help us. And being Guided by him. He's the one that controls Us in that.

And we walk in him trusting him.

Living in these gifts of Grace knowing that one day. We'll stand before him and be graded or judged by what we have done. And again, if we do this if we live our lives. To please him and him alone.

amazing rewards benefits And this is not a name it and claim it thing you believe enough you're going to receive and you're going to be rich and you don't have to worry about no, no, no, no, no. That was a case of how Christ would have come and lived, right? What is we saying Man of Sorrows? That was he? We're live. That way we're going to have difficulties and sadness.

But be control by the love of Christ now it says he abides in us and we're guiding were controlled by him number for we should have glasses of Grace. glasses of Grace Anthony when I look at trains, I should never look at Trent through my eyes. I should look into the eyes of Christ. When I look at the most challenging person in my life to me. I should look at them through the do the glasses of Grace rather than the eyes of the flash. Paul says he remember 16th from now on. Therefore. We regard no one according to the flesh. Don't ever look at anybody is hopeless. You don't know the struggles. We went through with our daughter.

We we we we we did our best to teach in the train at the model until love into teaching the train into modeling to love in the teeth in the train and the model in the love, etc. Etc.....

Yet as far as we know right now. She's not walking in the Lord. And I got to tell you there are times where I looked at her through through through my flesh and thought she'll never get it. But there is always that reminder that when I was 25, I finally got it not because of what I had done but because of what Christ has done in me from now on therefore. We regard no one according to the flesh even though we were once we once regarded Christ according to the flesh we regard him the no longer.

Paul speaking of those that it seemed Christ in the flesh May regard him as a man of the flesh, but he is no longer there. He suffered died rose again ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father.

in his rightful place with that comes the hope of Salvation and we should live our lives looking at everybody is one or two things are brother and sister in the Lord. Are potential brother or sister in the Lord Place? I'm going to get on this as we go as a new creation. I become an ambassador. And if I look at them through the glasses of Grace just trust in the Lord. With a desire that and I have that desire to please him and to share him with them. It's got it. Does that work? Just like he did on the day of your salvation that day when he said you were mine come. And you said I am yours here I come I'm Yours. Any rays that dip? Glasses of Grace Grace. I love how the Reformation Study Bible emphasizes first. He says Paul emphasizes spiritual judgment and spiritual insight into people's lives and situations. Our experience of Christ. Love moves us to stop viewing others according to worldly standards and to learn how to view them from the standpoint of God's Great ACT of Salvation in Jesus Christ. I'm going to read that one more time. Our experience of Christ love moves us to stop viewing others according to the worldly standards and to learn how to view them from the standpoint of God's Great ACT of Salvation in Jesus Christ.

Stop looking at people through your eyes. I don't like that person cuz they're

I dislike that person because they're I don't want to be around that person because they're that person will never understand the love of Jesus because Stop it, not our place to do that. a place to live we are loved by him. new outlook now we get to verse 17 love this verse number 5 genesis. It's a new creation. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. And should hold on dearly to his old self that what it says. Heck no techno.

Sorry children. Don't say that, my bad. He is a new creation. The old has passed away behold. The new has come. Did you hear that if anyone is in Christ that and is this it it's embedded. I am one with him. He is one of me where becoming one if I am in Christ. I am a new creation like God created the heavens and the Earth. God has created me. He created me in my first birth. To be the man that you see in the flesh in the bone, but he recreated me a new creation and my second birth. Yes. I've been born twice just as Chris read about about Nicodemus being born again. Into a new creation and that one went deeper than the flesh cuz I didn't get any prettier at Salvation. I guarantee you that. Not on the outside. But that Recreation took place on the inside and it said Anthony, you're an alcoholic. You're a liar. You're a cheap stop it. I said, okay Lord, I'm Yours.

And that new creation started now, it's perfect from there on.

I'm a work in progress.

And there's got to be times when God jumps into a Spanish moon goes i m e r i stand Tonio gas.

But I'm a new creation. You know what that meant that meant as a new creation. I had to quit drinking why because he made me no because the love of Christ controls me.

When I became a new creation. I had to leave behind my swearing. Why because I had to know because the love of Christ controls me. But how would it have looked if as a pastor I would have gone to die. After having a bunch of beer. Swearing and talking to him thing. Oh, yeah come and listen to print me preach on Sunday.

Mini scale it back a little bit before I before I was called to preach.

What if Ronnie would have known me? I have done to Ronnie drunk.

It's wearing it's a Ronnie price loves you any change you save me.

But I was still drinking and swearing.

Thank you. It would have been out together and then we would have been a wreck together. Yes. That that's right. But he saved me. Nnnn, and I knew that I couldn't continue to drink I tried but I'm going to tell you something. I tried non-alcoholic beer.

Shortly after I got saved. I told you all this. I tried non-alcoholic beer, but I started drinking it. Like I was drinking regular business like what's the point?

I'm a new creation. The old is gone, and the new has come in. Does that mean I'm perfect know you can ask anybody that lives with me that knows me that works with me. I'm still prone to lose my temper. Sometimes at work with my grandchildren.

I still do those things. Come back to Lauren. I say Lord help me. Help me. I'm a new creation and I want to be more like you not more like me. And the only thing they can do that for me is a very Jesus Christ who went and suffered and died on that cross and he took my shame and he took my guilt and he took my sin and he took all of it on himself.

So that he could make me a new creation. So that he could make Joe try on a new creation that is saved by grace through faith. Not of jewels works. But because of what Christ has done a Genesis a new creation, the old is gone. The new has come and the oldest passed away behold. The new has come.

Sometimes when I'm talking about these things because of what Christ has done in me, and I've seen it. And sometimes I feel like I'm going to explode cuz sometimes I think do I even get this?

Have to come to him and say Lord. I need you because I can't do it. And poor Miss Tracy has to say Lord do it in him cuz he can't do it. And I have to say Lord do it in Tracy cuz she can't do it.

And then we pray for one another and we helped one another But ultimately it's the Lord who helps the new life. And to get rid of the old.

So that we abide in him and we are gifts to one another verse 6 or number 6 God's growing gift. God's growing gift listen to this verse 18 all this is from God wait. I'm going to read that again. All of this is from God. Wait, I'm going to read that one more time all this is from God now listen to this who through Christ not through your good works not through your hard work not because you saw me but through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Do you see that that reconciliation came after the justification that reconciliation brought us close to God. Why because we're good enough know but because what price did on the cross was good enough and it reconciled us to him why so that we can reconcile others to him by preaching teaching living according to him verse 19th. That is in Christ. God was reconciling the world to himself not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

And I said justification reconciliation different things justification is is being cleansed by the blood reconciliation is being reunited to God as Adam and Eve were when they first started before they send its being reunited with him. He abides in us we abide in him. We are one. We are the vine that the branches that are living in abiding in the Vine. It's at reconciliation. You should should not be able to decipher Christ from Anthony or Anthony from Christ. We should be one that's that reconciliation. It's done growing gift in his eye as I studied his word is I listen to his preaching as I abide by him and according to his word. I grow in his grace and his mercy and his love. As I as I attend church in and I learn and study and hear the word of God preached or or listen to such things on on TV being careful who I listen to and watch.

I'm growing. I'm feeding and I'm watering what Christ has done in me and in this new creation is beginning to look more like Christ and less like me. You see that it's God's growing gift in US.

children Can I tell you something you're going to be like your parents?

That's right. And then you're going to be like your daddy someday just like him in so many ways. It happens parents going to become like you and you know that we should be come like our Father God. And that doesn't come through living selfishly. It comes to living selflessly. Because we ask him to help us with a balance. They're Tracing Our talking about this it's like so how do you do that? Because we have this bootstrap mentality if I just buy just work a little bit harder. I'll be more like, you know if I abide in him more. I'll see how he operates and functions and I'll become more like him. If I surround myself with people that are examples of godliness and love and grace and mercy. Guess what? I'm going to start doing those things parents. Do you want your children to be selfish? Then let them. If you want them to be selfless than model it. As Christ has done for you.

It's a huge thing. And again, you're you're you're not going to be able to do it on your own. Come to stunning through learning through growing through examining through listening. the people that are Godly examples number 7, finally

weird be grunts for Grace grants for Grace. What is a grunt does? Anybody know? What a grunt is you in the military, you know, what a grunt is. What is a grunt

that's right. It's a new got it doesn't know what's going on and has to do everything. the one that just does We're New Creation. We're God's we're growing got the gift in us. So we become grants for Grace. Listen to this. Therefore. We are ambassadors for Christ and Ambassador somebody that's in a foreign land that's pleading the case of the home country.

Check it out. We are ambassadors for Christ. Where in the foreign land we should be pleading the case for Christ? By Word by action by thought God making his appeal through us. You see that funny God is making his appeal of Salvation through you. When you're at work when you're at home, wherever you are Tristan when you're at college God is making his appeal of graced free that makes you a grunt the gospel. If you were in him. He's going to use you.

To make his appeal. And then pop it did this word implore. It's a it's a it's a huge word for heavy word. It's a it's a it's a command sort of word. He says we implore you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. He's telling the church at Corinth stop listening to the false prophets. Follow me as I follow Christ and I want you to be reconciled to God according to the gospel. It's not by your works in the things that you do that you are saved. It is only by grace and grace alone in Christ Jesus and what he has done for you verse 2021 for our sake listen to this for our sake who said those who are called according the grace of God the purpose of God for our sake he made him to be sin not to receive your sin.

but to be at I want you to think about that when I think about the sins that I have committed. When I think about might might might my tendency to jump back into sin. Whatever that may be for any of us. It is overwhelming. It is heavy it is this.

depressing it's frustrating. It is overwhelming, but I want you to think about this.

For every born-again believer in Christ, just in the sanctuary look around look at the people here. t-ball send every single one of us

became that sin. He took it all as overwhelming as it feels to me. I can't imagine could that be why the night before he died? He knelt down and he said father. father

if it's your will remove this cup from me because he understood that he was going to become sin.

Yeti forward it with what yet not my will father. but yours

for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin falta La perfectly so that in him listen to this so that in him we may become it's that growing gift of Grayson us the righteousness of God. I don't know about you, but the thought of being the righteousness of God is pretty amazing to me. And I know me well enough to know that I don't deserve it. But I know him well enough to know that he gave it. Genesis Anthony your new creation. The old has gone the newest here. It's a gift. Because you earned it not because you deserved it. But because God the Father made him to be sin who knew no sin so that I might become his righteousness. How do we apply this? And in the gospel? I got to ask you the question. Who do you live for and why no, we can all sit here for those who are born-again believers in Christ was I live for Jesus, but do you How to say this to guilt on anybody I do this because I think it's important for us to to self-examine. We're coming to a new year. The self-exam thing Lord, where do I need to grow on you? But really listen and read and study and learn and know. Who do you live for and why? II what do you give others do you give them Grace? Where'd you get them? Grandeur? Do they see the love of Christ flowing out of you or do they see you flowing out of you?

Cancel this for you. I'm going to challenge you this new year on on New Year's Day. I don't care. When do it after church. Sometime sit down with these questions and ask Lord.

Wednesday in the Salvation this new life third. How is your life? How is your life of spiritual disciplines? How was your night spiritual? This discipline would have a spiritual disciplines. You know that right?

Do you study the word you pray do you fast do you spend quiet time do you rest?

Is your life of spiritual disciplines? If you don't understand that set up a time with me, let's talk to the time with Pastor Corey or Joel. Talk to somebody. You see we need discipled. We should be discipling others as grunts of Grace. But we still need to be disciple. I got to tell you that Pastor can't has been a mentor for me. And I run stuff by him Joel and Corey. B kliban mentors in innocence We go to each other's. And we learn from one another.

Tracey Sesame Street, a lot poor girl has a hard job 32 years of it.

Fourth, how do you view others? When you first see, I got a pen I get so disappointed in myself at the thought that comes to my head when I see some some people sometimes. And I have to repent and say Lord. I don't want to be that guy. As a matter of fact, I did that work the other day. There's a guy that's kind of cantankerous in and he ignored me on the phone when I saw him come out like a cockroach man on him. and then the conviction comes

No, it wasn't you guy. then the conviction team and went back and I waited on him and it's like okay Lord.

And then he told me a terrible joke. And I didn't laugh and he said oh, yeah, when you're one of those good Christian boys, aren't you as a boy when I was your age.

Help me to love him and to share Christ with him. It's not always my first go to confession time. Sorry is a pastor. Yeah, I get annoyed with people sometimes.

V are you a new creation? Is your life different than it was before you were saved? This is like a whole bunch of questions in one is your life different than it was a year ago. Last year, did you sit down and say okay. I'm going to do this next year in this next year in this next year and this next year and you're back here this year. Is it different? How can you tell? And how will it change in this year to come?

I'm not saying pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I'm not saying try harder. I'm saying try less and spend more time in the presence of the Lord. asking him seeking him and it's pulsating verse 9 living to please him and him alone. finally As its new life cost you to serve others. Are you serving others? Are you serving others?

spray Father we love you, we praise and we thank you for being you. Almighty God that you are we thank you for the new creation that you make us in Christ. Not because we deserved it not because we are good enough, but because you've called us according to your purpose father for those that are in here that that that don't know you would you call them to yourself. Maybe there's one in here that says I've got a church my whole life. I I tried to follow the laws. They don't understand that Grace of Christ be coming soon so that we wouldn't have to but you do at work in that person call them to yourself father of all these youngsters in here. Would you call them in a mighty way to yourself make them a new creation that the old would go away in the new would just grow

weather for the one that is in here that Is professed you a savior and even been baptized into the faith yet? They're walking in their own way in and living and doing things opposed to your word. Heavenly father. I pray that you would bring conviction.

We know that you don't bring guilt. What is you as you did with the woman caught in adultery? You send them go and sin no more. I don't condemn you nor do I go and sin no more. Perfect life in here that struggling with send the believer that struggling with sin. We call them to yourself, but I hope to be men and women at church that that looks through the glasses of Grace. Through The Eyes of the flesh

brother fir for the one that's in here that's walking firmly in you and that there that is just any form of your truth and growing and learning and I pray that you would continue to encourage and grow that individual.

But I pray that we would all is as Elvis terbang encourages us realize that a Christian is someone who has made the wonderful discovery that God has done something amazing in our lives that we would live in that way. May we live to please you to glorify you to honor you we thank you for the Genesis for the new creation the new beginning. Understanding and knowing that it's a gift. It's Your Grace Are we walking you? We love you Lord, Jesus. We praise you. In Christ's name. I pray these things amen.