 We're going to be starting a new series that I'm calling identity if you guys turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 We see here very clearly that as we look into this we're going to be looking at some interesting things here This study is going to take us to the end of the year. I purposely Created this series for the rest of the year before we get into our new book in the new year Which I don't know what book to go into next But I figured to take a break since we went through 12 chapters of Ecclesiastes I figured you know what? Let's kind of have a little a little series a mini series here for the next few weeks And I came up with this series called identity. Who are you really? That's what that that's what I'm kind of looking at. So let's read verses Actually, even though we're looking at verse 17, that's going to be the main text for us I'm going to go ahead and read though verses 12 through verse 20 2nd Corinthians 5 at verse 12 for we do not commend ourselves again to you But give you opportunity to boast on our behalf that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God or if we are of sound mind It is for you for the love of Christ compels us because we judge thus that if one died for all then all died And he died for all that those who live should no longer Live for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again Therefore from now on we regard no one according to the flesh Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh yet now we know him thus no longer Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation all things have passed away Behold all things have become new Now all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and he has given us the ministry of reconciliation That is that God was in Christ Reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses to them and has committed to us the word of reconciliation Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us We implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God Why is identity important? That's the question According to the good therapy org this website They said this about identity Not having a strong sense of self or struggling with identity issues may lead to depression Anxiety and other psychological health problems in addition to even physical health problems our world says if you struggle with your identity you are gonna have problems with you're gonna have problems emotionally and Physically that's the way the world looks at this when it comes to identity now when we talk about identity Perhaps there are some here that probably think of Bruce Jenner When you think about identity Of course, he struggled with gender identity That was his that's his that was his struggle in fact Jenner most of you guys know Announced earlier this year that he intended to live the rest of his life as a woman In fact just this past week in new york He was honored as one of glamour magazines women women of the women of the year And it's interesting because they actually interviewed this Him when he got this this award or this recognition he said this and I quote I came to the conclusion that you know what? Maybe this is why god put me on this earth to tell my story And maybe make a difference in the world. What a great opportunity in life to have I find that interesting because he included god in this old equation He's basically saying that listen the the reason why i'm who i am today according to him This is his identity. Maybe god put me on this earth to tell my story to tell people This is my identity and maybe god will help others through me Now it is a great opportunity as as as christians to influence or impact lives Through our identity but our identity in christ In fact We see that Some people in our world today when it comes to identity they try to identify themselves perhaps By their jobs or whatever they do that's kind of like how they're identified Another another area that they actually identify themselves is in their jobs their position You know their jobs or i'm sorry their degrees rather Whatever degree you get that's your identity if you get a phd. You're not going to be called what doctor You know my wife has two masters degrees And she said you know what I don't want a phd. I'd rather be called master than doctor. I said I like that I like that I like that. Why can't we call her master? Right anyways But some people identify themselves by their income level how much they make Are they poor are they are they rich? Some search for their identity in relationships And you see this of this variety of of search when it comes to identity and when it comes to the christian Christians can struggle with their identity as well You know, why am I here? I know I know jesus I i'm saved but but what is my purpose on this side? Of heaven They tend to kind of get lost who am I what is my purpose? The question is who does god say we are? That's the question I want to answer today and actually for the rest of the year to be honest with you That's the overall theme of this series that i'm calling identity. Who are you really? now We can either let the world tell us who we are Or we let god tell us who we are that's your choice And the question is who exactly are we in christ? Who are we in christ? Well, the christian faith is a very deep faith yet. It's very practical too It's very practical and I don't assume that every christian In this room and just in general Pray all the time read and study their bibles all the time Perhaps they don't do any of that stuff and when they don't they become kind of shallow in their faith They don't really know who they really are in christ because they're not giving themselves an opportunity to read the bible to study the bible And to understand their identity in christ And because of that they become limited in their knowledge You know one of the passions that paul the apostle had for the christians Especially in Ephesus was that he wanted them to understand their christian faith He wanted to understand the depth of their of their faith The power of their faith and he prayed for them and I wanted you guys to see this turn with me to Ephesians chapter one Ephesians chapter one verse 17 I love this prayer because paul you could tell his heart was just so pumped for these christians to grasp Who they are in christ to grasp their amazing faith in chapter one Of Ephesians at verse 17 notice what he says here He says He says I pray making prayers that the god of our lord jesus christ the father of glory May give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of him The eyes of your understanding be enlightened That you may know what is the hope of his calling What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints And what is the exceedingly greatness of his power toward us who believe According to the working of his mighty power Which he worked in christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in heavenly places And he says far above all principalities and power and might and dominion and every name that is named Not only in this age, but also in the in that which is to come And he put all things under his feet and gave to him I gave him to be the head over all things to the church Which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all Notice that paul's heart in verse 17 of chapter one of Ephesians He says i'm praying that god may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him That's a good prayer to pray for yourself I want to go deeper lord I want to understand you more because nobody in this place is never going to get to a place in their christian life Where you're going to say i already know everything to know that there is to know about jesus I already know everything about the christian life Nobody will ever get to that point And we see here that paul himself prayed that the christians Would be enlightened they get they would go deeper and understand the faith that they have in christ Because our faith in christ is amazing our faith in christ is powerful And paul says i don't want you guys to miss it And it's sad that there are a lot of christians today who are very shallow in their understanding of their own faith in christ They're not growing they're not understanding christ too much except just john 316 That god died for me on the cross nothing wrong with that, but there's more beyond the cross right There's more beyond the cross that christ wants to show us and that's what paul prayed So the question that i want to answer tonight one of the questions or one of the uh Yeah questions that i want to answer is who are you in christ? Well, the answer to that is you are a new person According to second corinthians 5 17 you are a new person. That's pretty simple, right? Well, what do you mean by a new person? Well, this is what i'm going to dissect chapter 5 Verse 17 for you tonight I'm just going to expound on this one verse Because this verse has so much and i'm not even going to do justice honestly I'm barely i'm barely going to touch the surface here because this verse has so much in it that because of our time I'm going to try to pull out as much as I can so let's look at verse 17. He says Very clearly therefore if anyone is in christ, he is a new creation All things have passed away behold all things have become new very first word therefore The word therefore refers back to verses 14 and six through 16 Where paul tells us that all believers have died with christs and no longer live for themselves I think that is a very first thing that a christian a born-again believer a brand new christian should understand that they no longer are living for themselves You have lost your rights There's nothing wrong with that I know today we're fighting for that right it's our rights But when it comes to the christian faith Having god call the shots is not bad It's okay with that. I'm okay And we see here clearly that paul says that our lives are are no longer worldly We are we are now spiritual people. We're spiritual people. We have been awakened Spiritually and I love that part. We have been awakened spiritually so Therefore anyone in christ notice what he says anyone in christ This is another thing that's important to establish right away that this truth are for those in christs That's very important Those who are born again You see a non christian cannot experience what paul here is talking about here. They cannot experience transformation Until they are united with christ Until they're united with christ listen to what paul said in first chrithians 2 14 He says the natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of god For they are foolishness to him nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Have you ever Had a conversation with a non christian And you trying to explain to them that your relationship with christ and they kind of look at you like you're crazy Or like really you really believe in this stuff See to us is real it's a life But to a non christian they look at you like what are you talking about? We see here very clearly that This is for those who are in christ and Notice this is also a promise To everyone Anyone that is united in christ will become new I mean god is a very creative god if you haven't noticed that as you read your bibles god is very creative A creative god can reach the most hopeless dark Tarkists lowliest the worst and the farthest away And he can reach them and He can make them new completely new You know as we come closer to the end of the year there are a lot of people today looking for change in their lives Perhaps some of you in here are doing that are probably looking forward to that There are people today. They want to experience newness something different in my life I am tired of living the way i've been living 2015 has been just nothing but problems and and issues I want to do something different There's there's a desire in people to want to have new things in their lives And they begin to change their lives Perhaps they want to change jobs. I'm tired of working here. I've been here for 10 years. It's time for me to move on Or perhaps is to have a promotion. I've been here for 10 years and I need to make more money Therefore i'm going to hit up my boss and say I need a promotion Something new something changing Or maybe it's maybe getting out of a relationship. You've been in this relationship too long and they're not asking you to marry them It's over Actually that I had a question like that Uh, just this past week And they said, you know, this guy i'm dating. This is a girl young girl like 30 It's like, you know, I've been with them and this and that and I think we're we're met We're in for each other. I feel god has said yes. This is the man. He says no It's that's like so I broke up with him. You know something new i'm changing. This is it. I'm done Maybe it's a relationship on your end Or perhaps maybe it's the other way around where you're like, you know what this year I'm gonna find a husband. I'm gonna find a wife. This is it. I'm done being single You want something new the newness a change And we see very clearly that People can change Things on the outside But they won't change things on the inside You can change a lot of stuff on the outside But when it comes to the inside the person only god can do that Only god can cause a change like that And that is why paul says anyone in christ notice. What what is he a new creation? We become members of a new creation You know, the rabbis actually use this term to describe those whose sins Had been forgiven But this is not what paul has in mind paul understood this this whole phrase and what jews used the rabbis But paul has in mind god bringing the new creation into existence By sending christ into this old creation to transform it or to reconcile it That's what he's doing. That's what he's thinking about here He's talking about christ coming here to offer something new which is pretty cool pretty radical to be honest with you And i love this fact notice what he says here in verse 17. He says if anyone is in christ, he is He is This is a for sure thing And paul doesn't say i think they're going to become new creations I hope they do he says no those who are in christ He says they become new creatures. He is a new creation. This is a fact You know, there are many things in the christian life That are for sure And this is one of them here This is something you can count on the person that you're witnessing to when they come to christ You can promise them Confidently with boldness to say you know what you are now a new creation That's something that the bible gives us the authority to say Because that's what it says here. He is a new creation Now there are other things in scripture that are for sure That you can count on that i can say to you This is god's will. This is what we see in scripture. Let me give you some examples John 14 verses 1 through 1 2 and 3 it says very clearly that jesus is coming back for you He's coming back for you. He's not going to forget about you He is coming back for you. That's that's an assurance that we have as christians is that jesus said it very clearly I go and prepare a place for you and when I go and prepare a place for you. I will come back I will come back That's awesome. Isn't it? It's kind of comforting My dad used to do that when I was little and I was left. I went to private school catholic school And I hated school. I think I shared this story with you. So i'm going to be quick But I hated school. I didn't want to go to school And I would cry throw up and all of that stuff as a little boy. I hated it, right? So I get in there and my dad drops me off and I just said you can't leave me And he would always say to me i'm coming back And so that kind of helped me out a little bit Still threw up a couple times during the day throughout the day But but it still but it helped me out my dad's words. I'm coming back So as I went to school went through my classes and whatnot at the end of the day Maybe about 30 minutes before the bell rang My dad would show up at the window because it was this big window I was sitting down and I remember the window was to my right and it was right there and the moment I saw my dad Man, I got so excited My dad came back That's so cool. He he promised to be back and he's back Well, listen, jesus promised that he'll be back for you. He's coming back And he's going to come back to take you That's a for sure thing we have in scripture another thing that we have for sure in scripture Is in philippians 1 6 that the work that god started in you he will complete it Isn't that great? Now, yeah, sometimes you're like I feel like man there's so much going on in my life It's really is he really going to finish this who you know this work? Yeah, he promised Philippians 1 6 he began a good work and you will complete it See the bible wouldn't use such strong terms if it wasn't sure So god will complete the work that he's doing in you right now You know the cool thing is that every person sitting here god is doing something different in you And he's going to complete the work. He's doing in you. That's so cool And god is so unique so creative that he's doing so many different things in your lives And the confidence that we have in scripture is that he's going to complete it Here's another thing that's for sure in scripture james 1 5. He says when we lack wisdom God will give you wisdom if you ask for it How many of you here have lack wisdom in life? Everybody better be on you. Come on if you don't I'm going to see a long line right here talking to me. How do you do that? Listen when we lack wisdom and we do I lack wisdom every single day in situations And decisions I have to make I said god I am stuck I honestly need some wisdom here and god will give you wisdom And he has a cool way to giving you wisdom It's very unique because the holy spirit will counsel you And all of a sudden you feel this tug heading in this Direction and you're like oh, this is the way you're supposed to go It's like god gives you the wisdom the direction of what you need to do and it's so natural but yet supernatural That's the thing that blows me away. God doesn't speak to me through clouds and lightnings and things like that There's just so simple things, but I recognize that god is in this That's the cool thing So I lack wisdom you lack wisdom Listen when you lack wisdom you go to prayer say god. I am stuck. I need your wisdom He will give it to you because he promised you that's what it says in james 1 5 Here's another for sure thing John 3 16 Very clear That if you trust in christ heaven is for you You have your way to heaven your ticket to heaven It's not a maybe but if you become born again as jesus says in john 3 16 Listen you have You will have your entrance into heaven. That's a for sure thing You don't have to wrestle with your thoughts in your mind. Am I going to go to heaven? Am I not going to go to heaven? What's going on this listen? It's a for sure thing if you are born again believer That's what god says So paul says here He is a new creation. It's a fact. It's a promise. This is what will happen Now this whole new creation this concept of new creation it freaks people out sometimes It does because the the conversations that that i've had with people sometimes people don't like new things People don't like new things. That's called neophobia Maybe you're neophobic today And what that means is basically the fear of anything new anything new Some of you probably have that If I were to move around your chairs here, you probably freak out. I was much I mean, you know, I mean as far as when it comes to church, right? It's like this is my seat I don't want nothing else That's beyond that. That's that's really low practically But what i'm talking about here though a neophobic a person who hates or fears anything that's new You know when I talk to people who don't know christ and most of the time when they reject jesus The reason why they reject jesus is because they don't want nothing changed in their lives They're afraid of a new life They don't want god in their life. Why because it's going to bring something new It's going to change their habits. It's going to change their passions It's going to change all of the things that they're doing even their addictions that they're comfortable with They don't want to go to god They don't want god in their life because they know that things will change They don't want that new stuff And and most of the time it's because of that that they don't come to christ's And like I said, there are some christians. I believe who are neophobic They don't like to be changed. They don't like new things. They become new creations in christ But they don't want to experience anything else new It's almost like listen just give me my ticket to heaven god and I will just sit here and wait for you Don't change anything in my life Don't make me do things that are new. I want to stay in my comfort zone But we have a problem with that or you'll have a problem with that because god is into new things He's always looking for for doing new things so how Are christians a new creation in what sense are we new? Well, first of all, let me add this that it is god who creates new things in us You and I do not have the power to Create something new in our lives. It's god. That's his creative power. He does it himself We don't have that power. It's his job. It's his work God created something entirely fresh and unique and that's you You and I are a fresh work of god And we continue to be a fresh work of god. That's the cool thing about it You see god did not reform us He did not rehabilitate us. We have completely become new and transformed This is the whole thing about what paul is trying to under uh make us understand and trying to communicate to us The god didn't just clean us up patch us up and says okay now you're new No, listen christ has made you and i brand new Brand new you know what that means You know what it means to have something new When you go from an old car to a brand new car You know that you know that that that that feel that experience of driving a new car versus your 1990 whatever oldsmobile Not that i don't like oldsmobiles if you do have one i'm not you know knocking down on your car But but you know what i'm saying I mean to get into a brand new car You know the smell of a new car that the the nice seats and you can't even hear the road because everything's so new There's not a creek in it. There's nothing. There's no cracking enough. It's just brand new listen your life has become brand new God did not just patch you up Put a bandit here bandit there Oh, there's a leak here. There we go. It's done He didn't do that He literally made you new And and and he did not reform us like i said, but he actually made us new no What do you have that's brand new? Well, what you have is this you have a new desire for the things of god You have a brand new desire for the things of god You did not have it before Well, robert i was a religious person. Yeah, i saw his eye And and there were some things that intrigued me about god But i'd never had the desire for the things that i have now when it comes to those things about god that those it was totally different Yeah, i was curious about god, but but being on this side now on this end. It's totally different. The desire is totally new Well, what kind of desires do i have now? Well? People have a new desire to know more of jesus To know more of jesus He's becoming exciting in your life You're not just satisfied with knowing john 3 16 and just your basic things But now you're like i want to know more of christ. I want to get to know more I want to study him And you begin to kind of study god What else do you have new for desire? I'm sorry for the new things for the things of god Well, another thing that you have is that you have a desire to read and study the bible The bible has become your Newspaper the bible has become Your devotional the bible has become your life manual Do you remember before you were christian did the bible really come into play in your life? Probably not right somebody might have handed you a bible like oh, so you thumped through it and you're like oh, this is kind of cool But now the bible has become something more Now you just can't wait To come to church to hear the bible taught you can't wait to get home to study a little bit more We have so many resources like i shared with you We have our chapel store with so many resources for you to Goodbye and to use at your own personal time to learn more of god's word that desire is brand new You do not have it before i do not have it before But you do now You also have a desire to talk to god There's a comfort in knowing that you can talk to god You ever find yourself just pouring out your heart to the lord just sometimes you're driving or you're at home or whatever You're just like lord and you just and then you catch the wow i'm I'm talking to god. This is cool, but there's a comfort There's a peace that comes upon your own life because you know he's listening And you're not just talking up in the air. You're not just trying to you know Create this god in your mind. There's something real about it And it's so cool when you can carry on conversations with god There's a desire in your heart when you're going through a problem or an issue whatever it is the first thing that comes to your mind Is i need to talk to god Perhaps i need to talk to somebody who knows god. I mean all of a sudden things change And not only that but you also have a desire a new desire to be with god's people Church has become important to you You come corporately to gather together to fellowship to meet people other Christians and all of that and it's one of those things that you like to do It's a new desire And another thing is that you have a desire a new desire to pray over people all of a sudden you care for people People that are hurting You know so cool my little four-year-old sometimes when we're driving and there's an accident or something's going on The first thing she'll say to my mom my mom my wife not my mom my wife. I'm thinking of mommy, okay She'll say mommy daddy pray Four-year-old that's so awesome that she even understands the importance of praying over people when they're hurting That's so cool And that's the desire that we have as christians as a new creation is that all of a sudden We're praying over people that are hurting people that you don't even know You know when I see a high speeds chase i'll pray for that person lord in jesus name Just have them stop before they get shot or something You know have them stop protect the people that are that are you know that they're flying by and and all this I mean i just begin to pray because it's actual live. It's it's actually live right there We begin to pray for people to need desire that we have Another thing that we have another new thing is that we desire to sing praises to god Your love for jesus is not only expressed through the the study of his word But now you just want to sing to him and you don't it doesn't matter if you know how to sing, huh? It doesn't matter Going your car roll up your window man pop in that cd. You're singing you're thinking man I got to be with this heelsong group because I sound really good Right Doesn't matter how you sound. You know what I mean And even when we come here corporately, you know you just sing you just sing into the lord And it's something that you do because it's a new desire that you have you like singing to god It's a way of expressing your your your thankfulness and your worship And lastly you have a new desire to see others right with god You don't want people to go to hell You hear somebody who's sick first thing that comes to your mind. Are they are they christ? Are they born again? You want people to come to heaven you want your family members your friends You don't want them just to be left behind you want to see them in heaven Because hell we know is a reality I like what david said in psalm 73 verse 25 whom have I in heaven? But you and there is none upon earth that I desire besides you isn't that awesome Isn't that what happened when you became a new creation all of a sudden your desires change and now you're like lord You are my desire now You have become my prime desire Now insane all of that I just want to remind you that that at its roots christianity is all about what god did for us Not what we can do or should do for god He did it all It was him who put that desire in you It was him who transforms your life and you're just basically responding to the work of the holy spirit It was totally his work. You couldn't conjure up your own desire for god It was you're a sinful person and you needed a savior christ to intervene in your life Our our new identity in christ Should be recognizable both to ourselves And to others That's important Here's where I have a hang up. This is where I get kind of I guess um I don't know what word to use but anyways, I'm just thinking you know People that say they're christians and there's no evidence in their lives I never judge people eternally because god can always give people a chance to get right with him But when somebody says very confidently that i'm a christian and and there's no fruits Nothing in their life Would tell me that they're connected to christ I have a hard time with it And I try not to be judgmental. I try not to be mean But I try to explain That a christian there's got to be some evidence something in them Even if it's a little thing that they're connected to christ that they're united in christ Because if they're not showing any kind of evidence, then it's either one. They're not saved or two. They don't understand Jesus they don't know What it means to be a christian if we are in christ It should be evidence just as being in the world is Equally evident I mean, don't you know the people that are in the world, right? It's pretty evident, right? I mean really it is and you look at somebody totally living for themselves. You're like Yep, humanism there it is And you see a christian who says i'm a christian yet They're still living in this humanistic way you're thinking I'm having a hard time here because I could tell a worldly person I I you say yep, that's the person who's not connected to christ But if a person says i'm a christian yet they're acting like them there's a problem there We pray for them. We love them Our identity in christ should be recognizable both to ourselves and to others You know this past week I ran into this young guy early 20s. He just got saved recently and um Basically he was uh at work. I was working and um he was at the station k wave and I was there talking to the guy and And I just went out as I was leaving going home He he followed me and we were talking on our way out and he's explaining to me His new life in christ amazing when this guy was just on fire Jesus is my life now I am done living for myself and this and that and he's just going on and on and on and on and on And he was just sharing with me and of course at first i'm thinking oh, man You know this guy's kind of like tripping out on me here. You know what I mean? You know, it's just he's weird. I don't know why I thought that but but then as he was talking and talking And he's he's really being genuine about it And as we get out towards the parking light as I'm leaving I said, you know, because I'm I'm I'm wanting to get home You know what I mean? He just kept talking say hey man, keep it up, dude. He goes. Yeah, and the other thing too is you know, I quit weed I did weed last week, but now it's gone You know, he was this guy 20 years old totally on fire for god and then I said, oh man We'll keep it up man. Stay close to Jesus. Okay as I'm walking away. He goes. Hey, can I just have a hug? I was like Sure You know and it's like this guy was totally excited for christ That's evidence right there. Something happened definitely something happened and yet we see here that Paul is saying that you know what when you're a new creation something changes in your life Paul the apostle is a great example to be to be honest with you here He was a great example in x chapter 9. We knew exactly where his passion was. He hated christians He wanted them dead. He wanted them imprisoned and after his conversion. What happened? He began to pray for christians Love christians I mean all these things that he was actually doing was just amazing because he was literally transformed God changed his life. It was evident to the rest of the people there So now what does he say notice it says here in verse 17 Anyone in christ, he's a new creation All Things have passed away All things have passed away guys. Listen. This is huge Okay, huge The old refers to everything that is part of our old nature Natural pride love of sin reliance on works and our former opinions habits passions, especially the supreme love of ourselves and Self-righteousness self promotion self justification All things the word old things in the greek is just one word and The greek word means antiques or the original lifestyle It means that something is really old It doesn't refer to things that you have given up Since you've come to christ's because this word in the greek doesn't refer to This generation or past generation the word is always used for something that is ancient Or old really old So what is he saying here? Well, he's basically talking about something that is ancient This word actually was used or is used in scripture by jesus matthew chapter five verse 21 When jesus said you have heard of what was said of those of old speaking of the patriarchs of the prophets Revelation chapter 12 verse 9 same word is used speaking of satan that serpent of old something that was way back So it does not necessarily refer to your pasts But to your entire old sin nature It's old which is much older than you It's much older than you Listen to this roman's 519 for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners So also by one man's obedience Many will be made Righteous This is important because this is what paul says has passed by It's passed by the word pass means to disappear or to come to an end I'm going to explain this to you because i'm sure you're thinking wait, but sin's still in my life There's still we're living a fallen world I'll explain this in a moment But this has passed away. It's disappearing. It's disappeared. It has disappeared For example revelation 21 verse 1 I saw the new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away Also, there was no more sea Fast forwarding up to the revelation 21 our future Life our future world this world will pass away. It will literally disappear. It's gone We can't go back to it A day is coming when everything will disappear Well, all the stuff that we see we're going to experience this all the evil that we experience now all the suffering will be gone It will pass away And you know, that's why john actually encouraged us in first john 217 don't love the world remember that Well, why john because the world is what? Passing away and the lust of it, but he who does the will of god abides forever This stuff is just going to be gone. So all things have passed away All things have passed away You know when jesus came to earth He divided history into two sections Before christ and after christ The bc years i call them the bc years before christ when i was not in christ those days are gone Those days are completely gone. I cannot go back. I don't want to go back to robert baltadano I'm sorry 18 years ago That's my whole life that that's gone What paul here has in mind is more than just our past Our old position in adam Our old position in adam that brought spiritual death slavery Bondage all has passed away. What do you mean robert? That means that you are no longer held captive to sin It's gone. See that was part of your identity in adam You were in adam before you were in christ. You were a sinner. You were a person who was Destined to hell You were an object of wrath. You remember any fusions? All of this stuff was your position in adam, but now paul says you are a new creation that has passed away You're no longer in adam. Now your identity is in who? in christ It's in christ's our old position the presence of sin is still a reality. Don't get me wrong This is where i'm thinking you guys are like does it mean that we can live perfectly? No perfection will never be accomplished on this side of heaven Until you get into heaven and you leave this body But what i'm trying to say is that sin has lost its power Sin has lost its power. It's no longer it no longer has authority over you Unless you give it authority Do you know that Unless you give it authority If you give death or i'm sorry sin authority in your life It will take you for a ride and and some of you know what i'm talking about here We live in christ we strive to honor christ will never be sinless But as we get older in christ we will sin less We will know those areas that we were caught all the time now those things are kind of distant Those things are just moving away from us because we're smarter. We know what it's like But now it's different and this is what paul is trying to communicate to us that this has passed away And because your identity is no longer in adam What really has passed away is death Death has passed away spiritual death. You know that you will never experience spiritual death If you are a born-again believer here tonight, you are not going to experience death spiritually You're gonna still experience physical death That's something that we're all going to go through But spiritual death Will no longer apply to you. I think that's kind of cool I mean, this is what paul said in 1st Corinthians 1554 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality Then shall be brought to pass the same that is written death is swallowed up in what? Victory you're not great It's awesome. You're secured. You're it's settled Because you no longer identify in adam, but now you're in christ's That's the power Of the holy spirit and what christ has done in your life Now Let's come back to earth The circumstances of life sometimes can cloud our view So that we won't recognize the reality of being a new creation Because you're like, you know, rubber, I don't feel like a new creation dude. I'm telling you right now Well, you know what circumstances issues Sometimes we'll kind of Block us from understanding that that new creation We don't feel new the struggle of our with our old nature is for real but the cool thing is that We've been given a different nature the nature of christ, which is sinless Which is righteousness and now We have two things that we're wrestling with you have your old nature, but you have christ in you And those two natures what we'll clash right? This is where the struggle is this is where the battle is and we're going to battle this Till the end of the of our lives listen to what paul said in Galatians 5 17 For the flesh lusts after the spirit against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh And these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish how many of you guys Know what i'm talking about There's a desire to want to do right for god, but there's always something that comes against you, right? Your flesh Perhaps it's a friend You know you're here you're taking into scripture as you're like excited. You're like oh man This is good. I can't wait to get home and and talk to god and you get home Or you're on your way and somebody texts you and they want you to go out to a bar tonight And all of a sudden your flesh because oh well, you know i did go to church All of a sudden there's a wrestling there's a there's a struggle all of a sudden That's because there's a war going on see that the nature of christ is telling you Read my word talk to me Serve me stay in righteousness and your nature you're you're sinful that you're saying don't go there come here And there's this tug of war, but it's really not a tug of war the moment you yield to the holy spirit. It's it's a done deal You you will have victory We're the ones that caused this to become a struggle because We have that tendency to always be leaning towards doing things that are not right So he says it here very clearly that your position in adam has passed away because now you're in christ With new desires. You're a new creation. And this is why he said here. He says behold. I love that He explodes there in verse 17. He says behold all things have become new It's a sudden note of triumph and wonderment Behold he says All things have become new we are brand new people This newness is a continual action. It's everlasting. It doesn't grow old within time Christianity does not grow old Your faith in christ doesn't grow old When you hear people say, you know, I've been a christian for 50 years and uh, it's just boring It's kind of old. It was exciting back when I was 20, but now it's not That's not christianity Because christianity will never grow old You know what i'm saying? So when you hear people say that You're like you lost it there, sir ma'am because The wonderful thing about being saved is that you and I get to experience not only a new life But we get to experience a new work that god is doing in our lives daily He's doing something new daily. That's a great thing is that god is on he's he's into new doing new work He's always looking for new things to do in us practically. That is why paul says we are all A workmanship Remember that in Ephesians 2 10 We are his workmanship created in who christ jesus for good works We're his workmanship. He is constantly doing something new You're a work of art that he keeps doing he keeps working with you That's the hope that we have as christians no matter if you're 20 or you're 60 or 80 doesn't matter. He's doing a new work in your life That's who god is He wants to do new things in your life So to conclude The new creation is a wondrous thing formed in the mind of god And created by his power for his glory That the things we once loved We once held dear to us We now detest Part of the new creation the sin we once held on to We now desire to put away forever We are experiencing a newness in life Daily And as we transition into our communion tonight Let that be An exciting thing for you tonight As a reflect back on the death of christ Because of what he did on the cross You are now new people And because of that We should be thankful We should this this communion should have a totally different experience for you personally Because you can thank god for sending jesus to done the cross for you And we can thank them together As we take this communion we can praise god because the old has passed away. You are no longer in adam You are now in christ's you're no longer objects of wrath But your objects of god's love objects of god's grace And as we come together here To do this celebration of communion Just remember you have a lot to be thankful for And not only that But it's something for you to to spend time personally And say lord Continue