Today is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to share these messages.
It's been a busy week for me. I thank the Lord for the writing work that I've been able to do this week. We've had a lot of rain, and it is raining again today. Thankfully, we haven't had any flooding problems with this last batch of rain.
As we go to prayer this week, please remember to pray for those in the Bahamas and Texas who are dealing with all of the problems as a result of the storms. Pray that people will get the help and the aid that they need.
Continue to pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak in Congo. Pray that those who are sick will recover, and pray for the safety of those who are working with those who are ill.
It is about time for the flu season to get underway. Pray that this will not be a bad flu season. I lost a friend to the flu. It isn't something to take lightly.
Remember to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Yemen, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia need our prayers.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for those who live in the nations of Turkey and Brunei. Pray that many will hear about the love and grace of the Lord Jesus.
Over the course of the last few weeks, we have been engaged in a study of the important things that we can learn from II Corinthians 5. I would like to continue with that series today and next week,
Today, I would like us to focus our attention on II Corinthians 5:17 which states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
This verse of Scripture teaches us that when we come to faith in Jesus, there is a transformation that takes place. We are different from the way that we used to be. Jesus makes a difference.
When we come to know Jesus, He forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. We renounce sin and Satan, and we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Lord of our life. We no longer produce the fruits of the flesh, but we now produce the fruit of the Spirit. The Bible says that we are transported from darkness into the light of Christ.
A changed life is a characteristic of someone that has a true possession of faith and not just an empty profession of faith. True faith and trust in Jesus leads to a change in lifestyle.
When I think about this verse and becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus, I think about the difference that Jesus made in the life of my Dad. He is my example of the difference that Jesus makes.
My Dad did not have anything to do with Jesus when he was a boy. He didn't go to church, and he didn't have any exposure to spiritual things.
When my Dad was a young man, he was involved in many sinful ways. He drank heavily, and he was often involved in barroom brawls. Most of those who knew him at that time said that he was very hard to get along with.
When my Mom and Dad got married, neither of them was involved in church. Although, my Mom was raised in the church. After I was born, my Mom decided that she wanted to go back to church so that I would be exposed to the things of the Lord.
My Mom's parents had come for a visit, and my Mom and grandparents decided to visit a small church in the area. The next Saturday, the pastor of that church came to the house to visit with my Mom. She wasn't at home, but my Dad and Grandpa where there. The pastor came into the house, and took the time to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with my Dad.
My Dad knelt in prayer and asked Jesus to come into his life and become his Savior and Lord. From that forward, my Dad's life was transformed. He quit drinking and going to bars. He stopped being the violent person he had been. He would go on to be involved in evangelism and the church's bus ministry. My half-brother would tell me years later that the Dad I grew up with was very different from the Dad he knew.
What made the difference in my Dad's life. Jesus made the difference. My Dad left sin and darkness behind him, and he became a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Jesus is the one who makes the difference in people's lives. Jesus can make the difference in your life. If you have never invited Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior, I invite you to do that this very day. You will never be the same again.
Next week, we will conclude our series on II Corinthians 5. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will post a review on Wednesday. The sermon will be posted on Saturday. May God bless you all. Amen.
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