We are all New Creations in Christ

Jann Martin August 21, 2005

click for printable version

Luke 15:1-10
2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Lesson

¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹that 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. ²⁰Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Once we turn our life over to Christ, we are made new on the inside. Our old ways and thoughts gradually go away. We are not reeducated, reformed or rehabilitated, but made new or recreated and living a new way with Christ. We are beginning this new life with a new master of our life. Each morning when we wake-up, we should pray for God's guidance as to how we should live this new day.

In living this new life, we may have the desire to reach out to those in need. Christ told us when we take care of those around us, we are taking care of Him. For example, we will be starting the Stephen Ministry soon, and those who feel they are being called by God to serve in this capacity will bring the love and presence of Christ to those who are going through a tough time.

In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells us that our sins are a problem between God and us. On our own, we cannot make things right. Therefore, He sent Christ to us to teach us how to live our lives in service to Him. With Christ's death on the cross, He took away our sins. Each time we feel ourselves falter, we only need to turn to Him and seek His guidance. Each time He will make us new. Each time we will gain a better sense of how we should live our life in a way that is pleasing to Him. When we are tuned into God and feel His presence, we have a wonderful sense of peace within us. Our attitude has changed, not God's attitude.

With this new attitude, we must now live as Christ would live. We now have the responsibility and the authority to live as Christ's ambassadors. With this authority, we are to forgive, love and reconcile others to one another and to God.

In the first lesson this morning, Luke tells the story of the lost sheep. The shepherd knew that the 99 sheep would be safe in the sheepfold, but that the one that was alone and lost could be in real danger. Each of the sheep was special to him and of great value. It was well worth his time to go out and to look for his lost sheep. God feels the same way about each of us. We are each very special to Him. He still searches and reaches out to those who are lost and tries to bring them to His side. He forgives each of us our sins and wants to help us to live our life as Christ lived His.

I received this in an email the other day and thought it was a cute way to show how much God loves us:

What is the deal with Lightning bugs? I mean, here is this rather ordinary looking flying insect, but wait ... it has a glow-in-the-dark rear end! What was God thinking? I'm sure science has all kinds of explanations about how this fluorescent fanny is useful for mating and other stuff, but why did God choose to make the lightning bug glow? I wonder if when God was creating all the animals and everything around us, he came up with the idea of the Lightning bug and said, "The kids are gonna love this." We know that God loves us enough to create all the things we need to survive, but does God love us so much He created some things just to make us smile?

Just seeing Lightning bugs takes me back to those warm summer nights of my youth. I'd be running around the back yard with my empty Mason jar, racing toward the flashing lights all around me. I can still feel the joy and hear the laughter echoing through my memories. Lightning bugs were as much a part of summer as fireworks, fresh tomatoes, and big ice-cold slabs of juicy watermelon. (I also have a theory of why God created watermelon seeds the perfect size to spit, but that is another story.) God created so much diversity in this world, much more than is needed for mere survival. He made all of this for us, and He wants us to enjoy it. We can get so busy surrounding ourselves with man-made goods that we don't notice the living tapestry God has laid out all around us. I guess Lightning bugs do have a purpose after all. They are a reminder of a creative God who loves us so much that He'd even paint the rear end of a bug ... just to see us smile.

There are times when we just don't feel right; we feel a sense of turmoil inside. Those are the times when a strong shoulder and a good listening ear can really help. Through the lessons of Christ's ministry, we can learn how to help those who are struggling. It is our task to teach of the peace that God has sent us through Christ.

This is why we have begun to recruit Stephen Ministers. The training for these ministers will begin on September 15. We are asking you to look into your heart and to listen to see if God is calling you to serve as a Stephen Minister.

As a Stephen Minister, you will not be alone. You will receive 50 hours of training, with reading, discussion and practice in how to support and help others effectively. It is an intense time of study, but also a rewarding and faith strengthening time. Once commissioned, you will be assigned a care receiver, and then you will have sessions in supervision and will receive continuing education. You will not be asked to do something you don't feel comfortable doing. You will learn more about confidentiality, how to refer others to get professional help when it is needed, and also how to pray aloud, with and for others. And most importantly, you will learn how to be an effective listener.

When you meet with a care receiver, you will give them your care and support. You will not be the one to cure their problems. You will teach them to turn their cares over to God so He can cure them. God cures, you care, pray and support. You are there as the physical being for Christ to show them that you care about there needs. So, ask yourself these questions. Is this something that you feel God is calling you to do? Do you feel you have the gifts from God to be a Stephen Minister?

My time as a Stephen Minister holds very fond memories. The couple I visited wasn't able to get out much after his stroke. During the time we spent together, we talked about their kids, grandkids and mutual friends we had at church. I loved to hear the stories of when they were growing up and how their romance started. They just needed to have more contact with the outside world, and someone to care and to listen to them. I think I got more out of our visits than they did. I know each time I left, I felt truly blessed with the time we shared.

I once heard a story about a family at the dinner table talking about what that morning's Sunday school lesson was about. The parents asked the little boy how his Sunday school class had gone. "Terrible," he answered "Why?" they asked. "Because we read that we were to go out into all the world and make disciples for Jesus, and then we just sat in the room talking."

Have you had enough talking about your faith? Are you ready to take a step out in faith and serve Christ? Has God granted you the gifts to be a Stephen Minister? If so, make the next step and ask for more information about the Stephen Ministry.

Amen.

©Jann Martin 2005