Sermon: What’s “New”?

Good morning. I would love to invite you to pray with me now as we come to God's word.

father we just saying my debt is paid. And the Victory one. The Lord is my salvation. And that's the gospel Lord. That's our hope. It's our confidence. It's our security. It's our greatest joy. My debt is paid and the Victory one. Lord as we come to your word now we pray. That the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts would be acceptable in your sight. Our Lord our Rock and Redeemer. And now Lord we pray that in Jesus name you would speak to

us or your servants are listening. We pray this in Jesus name. amen When I was in my early teens maybe 12 13. I became painfully aware. That I was a sinner. And I grew I grew increasingly scared of being punished by God and I lived in pretty much constant fear. I knew that even though I was just a young boy, I had accumulated several years of sin and guilt. And so in order to remedy this really frightening situation, I did what many people of

all ages do. I became very religious. And I tried desperately to fix myself essentially. I became a young Pharisee working hard really hard to be good to be better all the time. And if the truth be told my

self-salvation project was an absolute and utter failure. I did not get any better. I did not get good. I just got more fearful more self preoccupied more confused and honestly, I just got more weird. Now, I don't know about you but 12 13 year old boys. No offense. They're weird enough already. I did not need to become more weird, but I did.

What I realized now is I didn't need to become better or good. That was a feudal project. What I needed was to be made new. There is a huge difference between self-improvement by trying harder. And being made new by the power of the Gospel. And I see now that the human default mode when confronted with sin and failure is what I tried self-salvation. Just work harder at it.

And the evidence of that mentality is all around us. There's self-help books. There's religions and and therapies and theories that abound and they increase every year. what I needed And what each one of us needs? Is something profoundly deeper than anything that's out there in the world? Something that radically changes us on the inside. and the out something that's so new and so revolutionary that the world would never even think it

up. What we need is the Deep cure of the Gospel. And Paul explains this deep cure and second Corinthians chapter 5 verses 14 through 21. So I'd like to invite you to grab your Bibles. and turn to Second Corinthians 5 and we'll read from verses 14 through 21 and Paul In this passage is going to reveal to us for New precious things in the good news of the Gospel So four new things in the good news, so as we look at this passage today, we want to be asking the Apostle

Paul Paul. What's new in the good news? So second Corinthians 5 verse 14 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? From now on therefore. We regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh

we regard him thus 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 who 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. And we implore you on behalf of Christ. Be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin. So that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Paul said that whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction. So that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures. We might have hope. So what new in the good news according to Paul?

The first of the four new things is in verses 14 and 15. It's a new motivation for living. Paul says the love of Christ controls us 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 the Bible teaches us that what motivates our actions is even more important than our actions themselves. And Paul teaches us that Jesus did not die merely so that we could go to Heaven someday.

He also died so that we can have a whole new reason for living today. The deepest problem with us is not just that we do bad things. But that left to ourselves we do everything good or bad. for ourselves in his books surprised by Jesus Dane ortland calls this phenomenon disobedient obedience. It's the religion of Pharisees. And we all have an inner Pharisee. everyone in this room Or the way, Paul puts it is we all naturally live.

for ourselves And as I said my disobedient obedience myself salvation project as a young boy. failed utterly I realized that everything I did Growing Up. whether religious or irreligious whether earnestly trying to keep all the rules or recklessly breaking all of them. It was all about me, and it was all for me. the love of self controlled me And I relentlessly live that out whether religiously or irreligiously. So I didn't just need to change

some bad habits. I needed to be set free. from me I think CS Lewis has captured this beautifully in a poem that he wrote and called as the ruin Falls. Listen to what Lewis says. All this is flashy rhetoric about loving you. I never had a selfless thought since I was born. I am mercenary and self-seeking through and through. I want God. you all friends merely to serve my turn. peace reassurance pleasure are the goals. I seek I

cannot crawl one inch outside my proper skin. I talk of love. Scholars parrot may talk Greek. but self imprisoned always end Where I begin? See, that's the problem with all forms of self-imprised self-improvement. self-imprised always end Where I begin? Can you relate? I not only do bad things more often than I would like. I do I do good things for bad reasons. to advance my kingdom and my glory self-love is deep. It's pervasive and

it's tenacious. It's like the roots of a hundred year old tree. So much so that Paul cried in Romans Wretched Man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death. We might say who or what can free us from the Twisted roots of self. Brothers and sisters there is only one thing in the universe that's strong enough to free you from yourself. He died for all. so that those who live might no longer live for themselves.

but for him Who for their sake died and was raised? When you see Jesus Christ in faith. And you realize that he hung on that cross. Dying in your place out of magnificent marvelous matchless love when you see him doing that it begins to free you from the inborn and we could call it even insatiable craving to live for ourselves. My agenda my comfort My Success my kingdom and Glory. brothers and sisters the blood of Jesus

has the power not only to forgive all your sins but to free you from their tyranny. Including the tyranny of self-love. Forgiveness and freedom in the blood of Christ and that's why in this church. We love to sing. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. Or amazing love, how can it be that thou my God? Should die for me. Maybe a little more recently the lion of Judah who conquered the grave. He is David's root and

the lamb who died to Ransom the slave. This Blood Bought freedom from living for ourselves and this new motivation to live for Christ. Is revolutionary it's liberating and it's unimagined by all the self-improvement gurus in our culture. And this is what it means to be a Christian. And this is exactly what Paul says the gospel gives us a new freedom and a new motivation for doing everything. I'll say it again. Jesus did not die merely

so your sins be could be forgiven. Although that's foundational and essential and precious, but he also died so that we could be freed from the enslaving power of self. And empowered to live for Christ who died for us. today It sounds a lot like what the Apostle John wrote in first John 4. in this the love of God was made manifest Among Us. That God sent his only son into the world. So that we might live through him. In this is love.

Not that we have loved God. But that he loved us. And sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins and then he ends it beloved. If God so loved us. We also ought to love one another. So the first knew in the good news. Is to is the new motivation to be controlled by the love of Christ. The second new thing is in verses 16 and 17. It's a new identity. to grow up into From now on therefore. We regard no one according to the

flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh. We regard him thus no longer. Therefore if anyone is in is in Christ. He is a new creation. The old has passed away. The new has come. the gospel gives you a new way of looking at Christ a new way of looking at yourself. And a new way of looking at others. Paul Once regarded everybody according to the flesh including Christ. He regarded Jesus according to the Flesh and he

thought Jesus is an impostor. He's a blasphemer. He is a false Messiah whom God himself killed. And Paul looked at himself. as a champion for God So here's how identity went for Paul Jesus blasphemer. Paul champion And then he had that experience with Christ on the Damascus Road. and everything changed and he realized that this unlikely Carpenter from Nazareth was in fact the Son of God and the savior of the world. And now identity changed Jesus Messiah.

Paul sinner his sense of jesus' identity and his own identity changed forever and after that experience, he could never look at anyone else the same way again. You know, our culture is obsessed with the whole notion of identity. It's everywhere. Everybody's being urged to look Within. to discover or create our own sense of identity and there's something in that. The true part of it is this we always live out our deepest sense of

identity and we always respond to others based on our sense of their identity. So identity is important. But we've lost our true sense of our identity. And so we look at ourselves and we look at others as Paul says according to the flesh. What does it mean to look to regard people according to the flesh? I think it means to see and evaluate and respond to people. Whether it's yourself or others. according to what the world considers valuable

So what is that? What is the world consider valuable? Well, I just lumped them all into a bunch of peas. performance How much have you achieved? popularity who likes you position power possessions and pleasing appearance. That's what the world considers important. And unless that according to the flesh is confronted and we are instructed in our true identity. We're going to continually misunderstand misjudge and misfire.

in our relationships And we see this according to the fleshed dynamic all over scripture. Think about the Old Testament. Samuel comes to Bethlehem job description find the new king. So he comes to the sons of Jesse the first person he sees as the oldest brother eliab. And eliab is big and strong and he looks like a warrior and and Samuel is absolutely convinced. This is the one this is the new king. He's even bigger and taller

than Saul was. And God has to take Samuel aside and gently rebuke him and he says do not look at his appearance or the height of his stature because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees not according to the flesh. Man looks on the outward appearance. but the Lord looks on the heart. Hundreds of years later prophet Isaiah is prophesying of the coming Messiah. And of course everybody thought the Messiah was going to be the biggest and the

strongest and The Greatest Warrior and this is how Isaiah counterintuitively describes the Messiah.

He had no form or Majesty that we should look at him. And no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men. a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief and as one from whom men hide their faces. He was despised. And we esteemed him not. You know why people couldn't look at Jesus? Because they were seeing their own ugliness in his disfigurement. He was carrying their sins and he became everything that

they did not want to see about themselves. When we regard ourselves or others according to the flesh we will inevitably treat people either as a superior or an inferior. There won't be any real relationships love will be compromised. We'll either end be and resent people or will look down and despise on them. And in doing that we will break both of the good two great Commandments. We will not love our neighbor as ourselves.

And because of that we will be not loving God with all our heart soul mind and strength. But Christ comes into the world the true Messiah an immersively shatters this according to the flesh perspective. He just turns the world upside down and all our perceptions. Faith in Christ that looking to Jesus understanding. I'm a sinner I need forgiveness. I need Grace. I need to change. When we look to Christ in faith, even a

little bit of faith. We we immediately find a whole new identity to grow up into You are no longer according to the flesh. If you're in Christ, you are a new creation. Not good not better brand new. You're a new creation with a new relationship with God. God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts. crying Abba Father So you are no longer a slave but a son and if a son then an heir through Christ. You're a new creation with a new security.

Whoever comes to me. Jesus said I will never ever cast out. You're a new creation with new values for you were called to Freedom Brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. But through love serve one another. You're a new creation with new potential. For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all people and training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled and godly lives in this present age.

And you're a new creation with a new. Hope of glory. When Christ who is your life appears and you also will appear with him in glory. That's what I needed as a young teenager. And that's what God graciously gave me some years later. And this is your identity if you are in Christ by faith today. And this new identity as a new creation changes everything. I mean think about it what would life be like if you consistently saw yourself and treated

others? as Blood Bought beloved Spirit-filled headed for heaven children of God I think we would live like Paul said we would walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us and life would be a little bit more like heaven. third new thing verse 20 God gives us a new purpose in the gospel. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ. God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ. You reconciled to God.

You have a new purpose in life. If you're in Christ, you're called to be an ambassador and to make God's appeal for reconciliation. You know maintaining Direction and focus in life is is hard for anybody. But if you don't have a sense of the meaning and purpose of your life, it becomes pretty much impossible eventually. It's possible to live that way for a while if you're young and everything's new and everything seems exciting.

But if you don't have any meaning and purpose in your life, eventually there's there's a sense of restlessness. There's a sense of frustration and some questions start to percolate maybe at three o'clock in the morning. Like why am I doing all this? What's it all about or for? Is this my life all there is? What is really worth living for? What should I be doing with my life? And the world is happy to step in at that point and tell you through the media.

Through education through politics even through entertainment that the meaning and purpose of life is achieve. acquire And be affirmed by others, that's the meaning of life. What happens if? That doesn't happen. What happens if it does happen and pretty soon? It's not satisfying anymore. Then there's a sense of Confusion And you lose traction and there's discouragement and cynicism. But thanks be to God the good news gives a durable.

Permanent powerful new sense of purpose in life that is clear and compelling. Paul teaches that your new ministry is to be an ambassador for Christ and to engage in God's Ministry of reconciliation. So if you're wondering today when you walked in this room. Who you're supposed to be and what you're supposed to do. This is it? You're supposed to be an ambassador. That means you are a high ranking official sent by the King of Kings to represent him in

this world and to plead with people to make peace with this king before it's too late. No matter what your vocation what your roles in life whether you're young whether you're a student whether you're a mom or a dad or a grandparent or whatever. That is your calling we are ambassadors. We represent his government in this world. We're not tourists in this world. Merely visiting in order to enjoy the culture and Sample its pleasures.

We're not. Citizens of this world just sharing all the same values and Pursuits as everyone else. Our citizens our citizenship is in heaven. We are ambassadors. calling people to be reconciled to the king and to become loyal subjects in his eternal Kingdom. So again, whatever your specific roles or Earthly vocation. Whether you're just pursuing that. Your purpose ultimately is to point and lead people to Christ by how you live by how you

serve and how you witness. To Noble purpose and it gives dignity and meaning and value to every single relationship and every smallest task because you're serving the king. finally number four the fourth new and the good news is in verse 21. God gives us a new permanent status. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin. So that in him we might become. the righteousness of God and we've been asking what's new in the good news. And Paula

said we have a new motivation. We're controlled by the love of Christ. We have a new identity where New Creations everything that's old and futile and evil has passed away. We have a new purpose to serve as ambassadors and agents of reconciliation. Again, this is a glorious calling has Eternal significance and will be eternally rewarded. but some of us were honest. Here all this and like yeah, it sounds really good. It also saw sounds really daunting.

And there's a nagging question at the back of our minds. But what if I fail to live out all these news? I mean How often do you still feel selfishly motivated? And controlled by love of self instead of Love Of Christ. I'll often. How often do you fail to live out your new identity? Still kind of live and regard others according to the flesh. And how often do you fall short in being a bold and Winsome ambassador? And live more like a tourist or a citizen.

We all this is this is it's beautiful. It's high. It's holy and for some of us if we don't understand our new status as the righteousness of God. We're just going to feel like we have a lot farther to fall. A lot a lot more to fall short of and a lot more reason. Be constantly fearing. failing our King so in verse 21 Paul beautifully teaches us again, the heart of the Gospel and so precious and so important. We can call it the Great Exchange theologians have

called it that for a long time on the cross Christ exchanged. His righteousness for your sin. All of the sins of his people every ugly thought every perverse desire every mean-spirited word every Wicked action. Everything was imputed to Christ or credited to him. And he bore all of that. And he paid for it. Paul says it this way. God made him who knew no sin to be sin. He becomes sin incarnate and he is a sin offering.

Why so that in him? We might become the righteousness of God. Just think of it this way little illustration. Let's say your whole life is represented by a test and you get your grade your life before God F minus. And you've got to stand before God with an F minus. Now Jesus test says a plus plus. Perfect. And you've got to stand before God. And then right at the last minute Christ exchanges papers with you. And you stand before God with an A+ and on

the cross he pays for your F min. Us that's the Great Exchange he took our sins and gave us his righteousness. And that's our safety net in this life. when we fail and when we fall which we will no matter if you're having a good day or a bad day, you're permanent status before God is righteous. Paul said at another way in Romans. There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. And no possibility of condemnation condemnation is

gone because Christ was condemned in your place. But actually it's even better than that. Your status is not merely righteous. That would be pretty good. Your status is the righteousness of God. Will that please God his own righteousness? amen We are clothed we are covered in the perfect radiant righteousness of the god man. We sang about that earlier too Christ my righteousness before God. Isaiah again foresaw this this clothing this covering and

he wrote this in Isaiah 61. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord my soul shall exalt in my God. Why free is clothed me with the garments of Salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress. And as a bride adorns herself with jewels. Ah, that is so full of hope that is so beautiful. What a fitting conclusion and response to the good news. This new status of

the righteousness of God rescues us from fear and discouragement when we fall short of our calling and the enemy and our flesh relentlessly and ruthlessly accuse us. And you know what? That's like We Stand Tall in the security of our permanent righteous status and we press on to represent and serve our King remembering that as our former pastor Kevin DeYoung used to say it's not Perfection it's direction that counts Now again, no doubt the world will offer alternative remedies.

And they might bring some relief and they might make you better. But they don't deliver what you really need. They cannot save you from your sins and they cannot remake you from the inside out. Only the gospel can give you a new motivation. Love for Christ who died for you. Only the gospel can give you a new identity a new creation. Only the gospel can give you a new purpose. I am an ambassador of reconciliation. And only the gospel can give you a new status. I

we are the very righteousness of God. So as we close Listen to This Promise. God himself speaking to you. From Ezekiel 36. This is a promise to every single person who comes to Christ in faith kids. high school students middle-aged people old people like me. This is the promise. and I will give you a new heart. and a new spirit I will put within you. And I'll remove the Heart of Stone from your flesh and give you a heart of Flesh.

Don't need to be better good need to be new. So brothers and sisters don't settle for self-improvement when a new heart. A new spirit a new creation is being offered to you. pray

Lord what a glorious gospel.

The diagnosis is far worse than we want to admit we are. self deceived and desperately sick and mad Madness dwells in our heart and We are depraved and corrupt. But the but the Cure is beyond our belief. a new creation forgiven countered righteous born again set apart from this world set apart for God adopted as beloved children. Filled with the spirit being transformed serving witnessing being ambassadors and one day Jesus will come back and take us.

So your house father where we will be with you forever. Whether I pray if there's anyone here. That has not responded to Christ. I pray that you would move their hearts and open their eyes to see their need. And to see the Beauty and the power of the Gospel in Christ. And for all of us Lord, we need to be living as New Creations and as ambassadors this week. So would you help us to do that For Your Glory? We pray all these things in Jesus name.

amen