In Christ #4—We are reconciled

2 Corinthians 5:17–21

Pastor Barry Kerner

Does anybody here have an enemy?  Someone with whom you are at odds? Or someone you just don’t like?  Don’t look at me that way!

We live in a deeply divided world.  People hate each other based on religion, race, nationality, economics, status, and even how someone looks. I’m betting that some of you have enemies; you have people with whom you need to be reconciled.

The good news is that in Christ, God has reconciled us to Himself.  God is your friend!  He is for you, not against you!  And when that’s settled, He reconciles us with each other.  That’s what we’re going to be talking about today.

This is part 4 of our series, “In Christ.”  Paul uses the phrase “in Christ” or some variation of it almost 170 times in his letters in the New Testament.  To be in Christ describes our position: we are in Christ like the ball is in the cup, or the check is in the mail, or like we are all in church!  And to be in Christ describes our relationship: we are united with Christ, we are following Him, loving Him with all we’ve got.  As we live in relationship with Jesus and follow Jesus, all that is true of us because of our position in Christ begins to work its way into our lives.

The Big Idea of this series is that: When you are in Christ, all that is true of Him changes what is true of you.  In Christ, we are reconciled with God and each other.

As we talk about this today, think about the two questions we raised last week. The first is, What will I do?  We study the Bible, God’s Word, not just for information, but transformation.  If you recognize a clear next step—“God wants me to do this”—write it down and do it this week.  The second question is, Who will I tell?  You may think of someone who needs to hear what you heard.  Write their name down and tell them this week.

First, in Christ, we are reconciled to God.

During the Revolutionary War, there was a pastor named Peter Miller who lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania and enjoyed the friendship and respect of George Washington.  In that same town lived a man named Michael Widman, a troublemaker who did all he could to oppose and humiliate the pastor, including spit in his face, trip him when he walked by and once even punched him.  One day, Michael Widman was arrested for treason and sentenced to die.  Peter Miller traveled fifty miles on foot to Valley Forge to plead for the life of the traitor.

“No Peter,” George Washington said.  “I cannot grant you the life of your friend.”

“My friend!” exclaimed the old preacher.  “He’s the most bitter enemy I have; but I don’t believe he is guilty of treason.” “What?” cried Washington.  “You’ve walked fifty miles to save the life of an enemy?  That puts the matter in a different light.  After some thought Washington said, I’ll grant your pardon.”  And he did.

Peter Miller took Michael Widman back home to Ephrata–no longer an enemy, but a friend. That’s what it means to be reconciled.  It means that enemies become friends.  It means that we exchange our hostilities for friendship.  In Christ, we are reconciled to God.

Here’s our text for today: 2 Corinthians 5:17–21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! If you are in Christ, you are a new person.  You are changing day by day, becoming a new you.

18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

God reconciled us to Himself in Christ.  Here are a couple things you need to know.

First, the enmity was all ours.  God was never your enemy, but you were at odds with God.  It was never that God felt enmity toward us, but that we felt enmity toward God.  We were rebels who declared our independence from God.  Some of us simply walked away and ignored Him.  Others actively resisted Him.  But all of us became enemies toward God.   The enmity was all us, not Him.

Many years ago in a church I served, a lady came to a woman named Dehlia after church and said, “I just have to confess this and get it off my chest.  I have always hated you.  You seem so perfect. Please forgive me.”

This was really stupid for two reasons.  First, this is not something you confess; you just deal with it.  Second, it was stupid because how could you not like Dehlia?  She was one of the nicest people on the planet!

But here’s the deal: Dehlia liked this lady.  There was never any enmity or bad feelings on Dehlia’s part.  It was all this lady feeling enmity toward Dehlia.

That’s how it was between us and God: the enmity was all in us, not in Him.  God has always loved you.  God has always been for you, not against you.  We were God’s enemies, but He was never ours.

In Romans 5:10–11 Paul tells reminds us, For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Notice that we were God’s enemies, but He was never ours.

In Colossians 1:21–22 Paul writes,  Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. Understand that you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your behavior.

Many years ago, a friend of mine suddenly dropped out of my life.  He avoided me.  He stopped calling, stopped hanging out, just stopped being friends.  I wondered what I had done.  What I discovered was that he had moved in with his girlfriend and they were sleeping together.  I hadn’t done anything—it was his behavior and the guilt he felt that made him pull away from me.  I still considered him a friend, but he wanted nothing to do with me.

That’s how it is with us and God.  The enmity is all on us.  God was never our enemy.  We were the ones who rebelled and walked away.

First, the enmity was all ours. Second, the reconciliation was all God.

God was the one who made peace.  Normally, we expect the person in the wrong to make amends, to initiate reconciliation. God was in the right, and we were in the wrong, but it was God who reconciled us to himself.  Peter Miller was never at odds with Michael Widman—the enmity was all on Michael; he was the one with bad behavior.  But it was Peter who made peace; it was Peter who reconciled Michael to himself.  

In the same way, God is the reconciler.  He reconciles us to Himself in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 reminds us, All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.

God reconciled us to Himself.  It is not a negotiation; it is a gift.  He acts, we receive.

Romans 5:10–11 says, For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

God is the reconciler; He is the active one.  We are passive; we were reconciled; we have received reconciliation.  We didn’t contribute anything to the reconciliation; we didn’t participate in a negotiated peace.

In the book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin, she tells the story of Ulysses S. Grant leading the Union forces against Fort Donelson in Tennessee.

After many had died, the Confederate commander, General Simon Buckner, proposed a cease-fire “and appointment of commissioners to settle terms of capitulation.” (In other words, let’s negotiate a settlement that will be good for both of us.)  On February 16, Grant telegraphed back the historic words that would define both his character and career: “No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted.” 

We don’t come to God and negotiate peace; we don’t dictate the terms.  He comes to us and declares the war over, and asks for nothing less than unconditional surrender to His love.  All we brought to the table was our enmity; what God brought was full forgiveness. He won’t count our sins against us anymore.  This is pure grace.  No one can boast and say, “I made peace with God.”  We can only boast in the Lord who made peace with us.  Michael Widman did nothing to make peace; it was all Peter Miller.  Michael only had to receive it: accept the pardon as a gift and walk home with a new friend.  God has reconciled you—forgiven all your sin—you only have to accept it and walk with Him as your new friend. God is your friend!  He is for you, not against you.

In Christ, God reconciled the world to Himself. God’s reconciliation is offered to all. So why isn’t everyone acting reconciled?  Why are so many people still at war with God?  The short answer is that we need to tell them the good news.  We need to tell them, “The war is over.  God has forgiven you.  He’s for you, not against you.  God is your friend, not your enemy.  Turn to Him and receive the gift of full forgiveness, total reconciliation.”  Or in Paul’s words: “God is making His appeal through us.  We implore you: be reconciled to God.”

Shoichi Yokoi was a Japanese soldier stationed on Guam in World War 2.  As the war drew to a close, fearing capture by American forces, he ran into the jungle and hid in a cave.  He learned later that the war was over by reading one of the leaflets dropped into the jungle by American planes, but he feared it was only propaganda and that he would be captured and tortured.  So he remained in his cave—for 8 years.  In 1952, he learned that the war was over, but he continued to live in hiding for another 20 years to avoid the disgrace of being captured.  So for 28 years he came out only at night.  For 28 years, he existed on frogs, rats, roaches and mangoes.  After 28 years, two hunters, Jesus Dueñas and Manuel De Gracia discovered and captured him.  When he returned to Japan in 1972, he said, “It is with much embarrassment, but I have returned.”

I love it that the two hunters who found him were named Jesus and Manuel: Jesus and Immanuel (God with us).  God came hunting for us in Christ, and now sends us out to be the hunters who find others and tell them the good news that “The war is over.  You are reconciled to God. God is your friend,” and bring them home.

There are people all around us running from God, hiding from God, at war with God.  They need to hear the good news that the war is over, that God is not holding their sins against them, that they are forgiven and reconciled to God.  We are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us.  Be reconciled to God; He is your friend. God is your friend!  He is for you, not against you. We need to be open for business this week.  We need to be ready to tell people that the war is over and they are reconciled to God.

Second, in Christ, we are reconciled to each other.

In Christ, we are not only reconciled to God, but also to each other.  In Christ, the barriers between us have been destroyed, and we have common ground on which to stand.

Ephesians 2:11–22 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

In the ancient world, the division between Jews and Gentiles ran deeper than you can imagine. Notice how Paul describes Gentiles: separate, excluded, foreigners, without hope and without God, far away.  There was a huge chasm separating Jew and Gentile.

For a Jew in the first century, there were only two kinds of people in the world: Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews).

How would you finish this statement? “There are two kinds of people in the world: _______________.”  You can finish that sentence in a million ways, depending on your perspective. Here are a few.

• There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who make your life easier — and those who make it harder.
• There are two kinds of people in the world: those who walk into a room and say, ‘There you are!’ and those who say, ‘Here I am!’ ”
• There are three kinds of people in the world: Those who know math and those who don’t.
• There are two kinds of people in the world: those who think there are two kinds of people in the world, and those who don’t.

“There are two kinds of people in the world…”  You can finish that sentence in a million ways, depending on your perspective.  For a Jew in the first century, they would have said: There are two kinds of people in the world: Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews).  Jews considered Gentiles unclean; they weren’t allowed to eat with them, or visit their homes.

All that changed in Christ.

In Ephesians 2:14-22 the Apostle Paul tells us, 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In Christ the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Christ you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

The barrier is destroyed, the two are one in Christ.  If this could happen for Jew and Gentile, the deepest division in the ancient world, it can happen for us in our divisions.   In Christ, we are one.  In Christ, we are reconciled to God and each other.  In Christ, the old divisions and barriers have been destroyed.  In Christ, we are one new humanity.  We are no longer enemies, but friends.

Galatians 3:26–28 says, So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

• In Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile: race is no longer a barrier. Red and yellow, black and white—we are one in Christ.
• In Christ there is neither slave nor free: social and economic status is no longer a barrier. Rich and poor, high and low—we are one in Christ.
• In Christ, there is neither male nor female: gender is no longer a barrier. Paul isn’t saying that we cease to be men or women—our faith in Jesus doesn’t neuter us.  But gender no longer divides us.  In ancient society women were oppressed, but that changed in Christ.  Men and women are equally called to follow Jesus—we are one in Christ.

In Christ, all the old barriers cease to matter.  We are no longer enemies but friends.

What is the best way to get rid of an enemy?  Turn him into a friend.  Here’s what Jesus said: Matthew 5:43–48 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

When you love your enemy, you turn him into a friend.  When Jesus said, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” I think he was talking about being perfect or complete in our love.  We are to love as God loves, and he gives the sun and the rain to everyone, both the good and the bad.  That’s how we’re to love; we’re to do what’s best for others whether they deserve it or not, whether they like us or not.  And when we do, we may turn an enemy into a friend.

One of the best true stories of loving an enemy is told in the movie, “The Scarlet and the Black.”

Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty was an Irish priest who worked at the Vatican during World War 2 and led an operation that hid and transported Jews, Allied soldiers and conspirators out of occupied Rome to safety.  Colonel Herbert Kappler was the head of the Gestapo in Rome and was in charge of the Nazi occupation of Rome.  He knew what O’Flaherty was doing and tried desperately, but futilely, to catch him.

In the process, Kappler captured, tortured and murdered several of the priest’s friends; and he confined the priest to the Vatican grounds, threatening him with death if they ever caught him outside the Vatican.  O’Flaherty continued his work, moving freely through Rome, by wearing dozens of ingenious disguises, including a nun’s habit.

When the Allies neared Rome in May of 1944, Colonel Kappler met privately with O’Flaherty and begged him to spirit his wife and children out of Rome.  The priest refused to have anything to do with the Nazi overlord, and left with Kappler yelling at him that he was no different than anyone else, that his rescue work was not done on principle but just on self-preservation.  But after his capture, at his interrogation, Kappler learned that his wife and children had mysteriously escaped to safety; and he knew who did it!  The man he had sworn to destroy had saved his family.

By the way, the end of that story is even more amazing. After the liberation, Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty was honored by Italy, Canada, and Australia, received the US Medal of Freedom and was made a Commander of the British Empire.  Herbert Kappler was sentenced to life in prison for war crimes. In the long years that followed in his Italian prison, Kappler had only one visitor.  Every month, year in and year out, Father O’Flaherty came to see him.  In 1959, the former head of the dreaded Gestapo in Rome was baptized into Christ at the hands of the Irish priest.

In Christ we are reconciled with each other.  In Christ, enemies become friends.

God is your friend, and wants you to extend that friendship to each person you know.  Is there someone with whom you need to reconcile?  Pray that you will bury the hatchet!

Remember our two questions?

First, What will I do?

• Will you be reconciled to God? Will you unconditionally surrender?
• Will you stop fighting against God-Kicking against the goads? Will you believe the He is your friend and wants the best for you?
• Will you love your enemy? Will you go something good for that person who dislikes you?
• Will you today reconcile a broken relationship?

Second, Who will I tell? Who will you tell of the things God spoke to you this morning?

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In Christ #3—I have all I need

Philippians 4:18-19

Pastor Barry Kerner

This is part 3 of our series, “In Christ.” The apostle Paul uses the words “in Christ” or some variation of it almost 170 times in his 13 letters.  It is one of his favorite phrases and is theologically rich and practically important.  To be in Christ is to be united with Him, to be in a relationship, following Jesus. 

The Big Idea for this series is, When you are in Christ, all that is true of Him changes what is true of you.  In Christ, you have all you need.

As I talk with you, I want you to be thinking about those two questions, “What will I do?” and, “Who will I tell?” First, “What will I do?”  Whenever we study the Bible or hear God’s Word it should result it obedience, in action.  It’s not just about information, but transformation.  It’s about changed lives.  If something comes to mind that you should do, a next step, write it down there.

The second question is, “Who will I tell?”  You may hear something that makes you think, “I wish so-and-so could hear this.”  They can. You can give them a copy of today’s message or direct them to the church website for the entire series..  But even better, you can tell them.  When you learn something, share it.  Pass it on to someone who needs it.  If someone comes to mind, write their name down.

Here we go. First, In Christ, I have all I need.

Let’s start in Philippians 4 where Paul writes a thank you to the church in Philippi for their generous support. After receiving their gift, he gratefully wrote:

Philippians 4:18–19 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

After thanking them for their gift, he gives this promise, “my God will meet all your needs.”  “You have been generous with me for the sake of the gospel, and God will be generous with you.  He will meet all your needs.”

God will meet all your needs.  Just that alone is a wonderful promise, but Paul expands it. God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ.  Paul loved to talk about the riches of Jesus.  A couple examples:

Ephesians 2:7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Ephesians 3:8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,

Notice that Paul preached “the boundless riches of Christ,” “ the riches of His grace,” His power, His love, His wisdom, and on and on.  All these riches are ours in Christ.

So when Paul promises that God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ, what does that mean?

If I promise to meet your needs according to my riches, that means I will do the best I can with my limited resources.  It may be pretty skimpy. But if Warren Buffett promised to meet your needs according to his riches, that’s a different story!  Buffett is one of the wealthiest people in the world, with personal assets well over $60 billion.  He is also one of the most generous people in the world, having promised to give away 99% of his wealth.  So if Warren Buffett promises to meet your needs according to his riches, you’re in good shape.

Paul goes one better than Buffett: God will meet all your needs according His glorious riches in Christ.  And God owns everything!

If Warren Buffett promised to meet your needs according to his riches, would you ever worry again?  Of course not—he’s got more than enough to meet your needs.  How much more is this true of God?  This is why Jesus told us not to worry about our necessities. He tells us, “don’t worry about what you’ll eat or drink or wear.”  God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ.  He’s got you covered.  Don’t worry; trust Him.

When I am in Christ, I can relax: God will meet all my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ.  Generously.  He will take care of me. In Christ, I have all I need.  So let’s get specific.  What kinds of needs will God meet in Christ?  Of course, it says He will meet all of them—and all pretty much includes all of them.  But here are a few that are specifically named.

 In Christ, I have forgiveness. This is one of Paul’s favorites; he says it several times.

Ephesians 1:7 tells us, In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

There’s “the riches” again!  In Christ, we have forgiveness in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.  God isn’t dribbling out forgiveness; He’s pouring it out according to the riches of His grace.

God’s forgiveness is like that.  He forgives us out of the riches of His grace in Christ.  No matter how big or how many your sins, God’s grace is greater still.  In Romans 5, Paul says, “Where sin increased, God’s grace increased all the more.”  God’s grace is always greater than our sin.  So you never have to wonder, “Can God forgive this?”  In Christ, we are forgiven in accordance with the riches of God’s grace, and God’s grace is always greater than our sin.

Colossians 1:14 says, “in Christ we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Ephesians 4:32 reminds us, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

In Christ, God has forgiven us, and now we are to forgive just as we’ve been forgiven. How has God forgiven us in Christ?  Fully, freely, for everything. Colossians 2:13 tells us He forgave us all our sins. How many?  All.  And all pretty much covers all!  God’s grace is greater than your sin.  No matter what you’ve done, no matter how big your sin, no matter how many your sins, God’s grace is bigger still, and in Christ, God has forgiven all your sins.

I need forgiveness.  I sin.  I know that shocks some of you who think I’m perfect, like my wife!  Actually, nobody knows how imperfect I am more than Cheryl. She has to live with me! Remember last week when I asked you to turn and tell your neighbor, “You are God’s masterpiece”?  I’ve said that in the past and once one guy told me that he tenderly said that to his wife and she replied, “You are a piece of work!”

I get it.  I’m a piece of work!  I am a work in progress—I’m getting better—but I’m a piece of work.  I need forgiveness.  I like to remind people that if you stick around me long enough, I will disappoint you.  Bank on it!  I’m a piece of work!  When I disappoint you, you’ll have a choice to make: leave and find a perfect pastor at another church, or forgive me and stay in the saddle.  Here’s Paul’s recommendation: 

Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Paul says we should forgive each other just as in Christ God forgave us.  We receive the riches of God’s grace; now we must share them with each other. I need forgiveness.  In Christ, I have all I need and I find forgiveness for all my sins.

Next, In Christ, I have access to God.

A few weeks ago, I fell and hurt my back; I’ve waited for it to heal, but sometimes it’s still keeping me awake at nights.  When we lived in Pittsburgh Cheryl had a friend who was a chiropractor.  She told us “Call anytime.”  So when I hurt my back, I knew she wouldn’t mind if I called. I would never do this with my regular physician, who is a wonderful doctor, but is not a personal friend.  A call to him after hours at home would be completely inappropriate.  But because this other doc is our friend, she has given me access to, “Call anytime.”

Access is a wonderful thing!  Imagine having access to someone who can meet every need, someone who can help you with anything that comes up!  In Christ, you have access to God. Ephesians 3:12 lets us know that, “In Christ and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”  In Christ, we have access to God—free and confident access.

Now it wasn’t always this way.  In the Old Testament, God could only be approached with a sacrifice, and then for common folks, only from a distance.  Jews would bring their sacrifice to the temple to the Court of Israelite’s, then the priest would take it for them into the Holy Place, where only priests could go.  And even the priests had limited access.  God’s dwelling place was behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies.  Only the High Priest could go in there, and only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, when he took in a sacrifice for the sins of the whole nation.  It is said that they attached bells to the bottom of his robe and a rope around his ankle.  The bells were so they could hear him moving and know he was still alive.  The rope was in case God struck him dead, so they could pull him out!  All of this was designed to emphasize the gulf between a Holy God and sinful human beings. No access.

The curtain or veil in the Temple reinforced this idea.  Don’t think of a gossamer veil, transparent and thin. Think of the thickest curtain you’ve ever seen—maybe a stage curtain—and multiply by 10!  Josephus said it was as thick as a wall!  And it served as a wall to keep everyone out. If you went behind it into the Holy of Holies, you would die.  Only the holiest man on the holiest day of the year could go behind the curtain into the presence of God.  For everyone else, that curtain said, “No access.” When Jesus died, all that changed.

Mark 15:37–38 says that, “With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. 38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” God tore the curtain in two.  It was a graphic way of saying, “Please come in. Let’s hang out!” In Christ, you have access to God.  God has thrown open the door and invited you in.  And you don’t have to come to God tentatively, fearfully; you can come with freedom and confidence.  Look again: Ephesians 3:12 says, “In Christ and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” 

The word “freedom” is a really cool Greek word.  Parresia means freedom of speech, outspokenness, frankness, to speak plainly, openly, freely; boldness and courage in speech.

Imagine a soldier asking his commanding officer, “Permission to speak freely, sir.”  He’s asking for permission to say what he really thinks and feels without fear of reprisal.  The officer can say yes or no to his request.  If he says yes, the soldier can speak freely; he can say whatever is on his mind, but must still respect the rank of the person to whom he’s speaking.  If the officer says no, the soldier keeps his mouth shut.

In Christ, we have permission to speak freely.  He tells us, “Please come in, and tell me what’s on your mind.”  Nothing is off limits.  You can speak freely.  You can be completely honest with God.  You can tell God anything.

Hebrews 4:15–16 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Our high priest is Jesus, who understands our weakness.  So let’s approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.  Guess what that word for confidence is? parresia.  Come and speak freely.  Tell God what’s on your mind.  And you’ll receive mercy and find grace to help you in your time of need. God says, “Please come in.  Tell me what’s on your mind.” In Christ, I have all I need and I have unfettered access to God.

Next, In Christ, I have peace.

So God invites us in and tells us to speak freely.  And Paul adds one more promise to this.

Philippians 4:6–7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Paul says, “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything, and you will have God’s peace.”  In Christ, you have access to God; you can pray about anything anytime anywhere.  Speak freely!  And when you pray, you’ll have God’s peace. I think it’s interesting that Paul doesn’t promise that we’ll get whatever we ask for.  He promises that we’ll receive God’s peace.  I’m not saying that God won’t answer your prayers.  He often gives us what we ask for; other times He wisely says no or wait.  But yes, no or wait, God’s answer comes with His peace. When you pray, you’ll experience God’s peace.

Do you ever wonder what you should pray about?  Paul says, “How about your worries?”  Let every worry be a catalyst to prayer.  If you find yourself worrying about something, uncertain, unsettled, or fearful, that should be a signal to pray.

• When your stomach rumbles, that’s a signal that it’s time to eat.
• When you can’t keep your eyes open, that’s a signal that it’s time to sleep.
• When you feel like your bladder is about to burst, that’s a signal that it’s time to tinkle.
• When you feel worried or anxious or unsettled, that’s a signal that it’s time to pray.

Let every worry be a catalyst to prayer.  And you will experience God’s peace.

Why would prayer lead to peace?  We are coming before the throne of grace where we’ll find grace to help us in our time of need.  We’re coming to a Father who loves us and promises to meet all our needs in Christ. When you feel worried, bring your worries to your Heavenly Father. His presence brings peace.  He tells us, “You’re okay; I’m right here.”

My pastor used to say that if you still feel worried, you haven’t prayed yet.  Sometimes we think about something, but don’t pray about it.  Or maybe we mention it to God in passing, but don’t really take time to talk it out or to speak freely to God about it.  Pray until you feel peace.  We used to call it “praying through.”  It’s not that we’re trying to talk God out of something; it’s that we’re trying to connect and experience God’s peace.

In the midst of a chaotic world filled with anxiety and fear, I need peace. In Christ, I have all I need and I can find that peace.

Finally, In Christ, I have hope.

1 Corinthians 15:19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Paul is writing to correct some of the Corinthian Christians who had concluded that there is no resurrection: no resurrection of Jesus, and no resurrection of us.  Paul makes a lengthy argument that Jesus’ resurrection is central to the gospel, and our resurrection is the logical consequence.

Here, he argues that if we have hope in Christ only for this life, we are the most pitiful people on the planet.  What does he mean?

First, we would be pitiful because we believe a lie.

Second, we don’t just believe it, but we’re staking our lives on it.  Many of the Christians of Paul’s day faced persecution, suffering and death for their faith.  Many in our day do also.  All of us are called to take up our cross and follow Jesus.  If the gospel is not true, all this suffering and death is for nothing.  It’s a pitiful waste.

In Bible College an Old Testament professor said that if they could disprove the resurrection of Jesus, if they could produce his remains and prove it was Jesus, he would still be a Christian because it is the best way to live.  It is the best moral system.

I raised my hand and disagreed and for the next hour he and the class argued this.

While we agreed that Christianity is the best moral system, I pointed out what Paul said here about the resurrection.  If it’s not true, if Jesus isn’t raised, our faith is useless and futile, and we are most to be pitied.  We are living a lie.  We are suffering for nothing.

Christianity isn’t a moral system. It’s not good views; it’s good news.  It’s about something that really happened: Christ lived, died, was buried, was resurrected and appeared to many. We are following a resurrected Jesus, who gives us eternal life.

For Paul, all the suffering was worth it because Jesus was raised and we will be too.

In Romans 8:18 Paul wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

2 Corinthians 4:17 says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

Without the hope of the resurrection, all the present sufferings would not be worth it.  Without the hope of the resurrection, our troubles wouldn’t be light and momentary—they’d be long and heavy and we should be pitied.  Without the hope of the resurrection, this life is all there is, and if we’re needlessly suffering, well…that’s just pitiful.

But that’s not the case.

In Christ, we have hope for this life.  Jesus promised life abundant, life to the full.  In Christ, we have all we need, including forgiveness, access, and peace.  I love my life in Christ!

But this life isn’t the end all.  There’s more!  In Christ we have hope for the life to come.  We have life now and life forever with Jesus.  We have hope that death isn’t the end, that justice will done, that wrongs will be put right, and that life will triumph over death.  We have the hope of eternal life and the resurrection.

Honestly, there are many days when that seems distant and insignificant.  Life is good and I’m enjoying it, and death and eternal life seem far away.

But then you get sick.  Or someone you love a lot dies.  Or you wake up one day and just realize, “Shoot, I’m old.”  And suddenly, this hope becomes very real, very important. 

• A friend, Dale Wightman, died a couple of years ago in his 80s; ask his family if this hope is important.
• A young friend in his 20s,Jeremy, also died a few years ago; ask his family if this hope is important.
• Carol Neubaugher, recently died; ask her family if this hope is important.
• Millions of Christians around the world are suffering incredible persecution and death for following Jesus. Ask them if this hope is important.

Friends, if this hope doesn’t seem important to you, wait—it will.  I promise.

I need hope for this life and I need hope for the life to come.  In Christ, I have all I need and In Christ alone I find my hope.

Remember the two questions I raised at the beginning? What are you going to do with what you heard from God today and then who are you going to tell?

Let us pray.

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In Christ

I Am A New Person
2 Corinthians 5:17

 Pastor Barry Kerner

In Christ, I am a new person.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

When you become a Christian, you become a whole new person.  There’s a new you! It’s a new you that is now “in Christ.” You’re now connected to Christ. And being in Christ and connected to Jesus means what’s true of Him begins to become true of you. Does that mean that your personality suddenly changes?  For example, that you go from an extrovert to an introvert?  No. You are still you, but a new and improved version of you.

I became a Christian in my mid thirties, and some changes were so obvious and immediate that some people began to ask, “What happened to you?  You’re different!”  I was so new to the faith that I didn’t have vocabulary to describe the change, so I said, “I’m religious now.”  But I was wrong,  because I wasn’t religious—I was a Christian—and there’s a difference.

Religion is what we do to reach God.  Christianity is what God has done in Christ to reach us.  Religion is all about what we do.  Christianity is all about what God has done in Christ. Religion is primarily about me; Christianity is all about Jesus.  Religion is spelled DO; Christianity is spelled DONE.  Big difference!

When I became a follower of Jesus, some things changed immediately. There were some immediate behavior changes that people observed that made them ask, “What happened to you?” But what I didn’t know at the time was that much deeper changes had started inside me, changes that would go far beyond surface behaviors and transform the deepest parts of me—changes that were far more important.  Here are four huge changes.

First, my relationship with God changed. Jesus said the most important thing is loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength—loving God with all you’ve got. I went from having no relationship with God to that relationship being the most important thing in my life. My whole life reoriented around God.  From no-God to God-first.  I can’t tell you how huge this is.  Loving God first changes everything else—which is probably why Jesus said it’s most important.

Second, my character changed.  As my relationship with God grew, I began to change.  My character started slowly changing.  You become like the people you hang out with, so if you hang out with Jesus, you start becoming more like Him.  I became more honest, disciplined, joyful, peaceful, and less angry, selfish and proud.  Not long ago, someone commented to me about a mutual acquaintance who had become a Christian, and said, “He is a different person.”  The change in this guy’s character was that obvious.  Hanging out with Jesus will change your character.

Third, my relationships with others changed.  My relationship with God changed me and that in turn changed my relationships with others. Every relationship in my life came under the influence of Jesus’ leadership, and because of that, got better. 

Fourth, my calling changed.  Following Jesus changed who I am and what I do in the world.  I became part of something much larger than myself—the Kingdom of God.  In Christ, I was called to serve God and serve people—every Christian is!  The question is how is God calling you to serve others around you?  This is a huge change!  We go from self-serving to God and others-serving.  We go from me to Thee to we.

When you look at those four things—your relationship with God, your character, your relationships with others, your calling—that pretty much changes everything about you!  In Christ, I became a new person!

I’ve got to emphasize that this is a process, not just an event.  It starts, like all processes do, with an event, with a single step.  You choose to follow Jesus.  You say yes to Jesus.  You enter into Christ.  Then, once you are in Christ, all that is true of Him starts becoming true of you.  Some of it happens quickly.  But much of it is a process—a process that will go on the rest of your life.  How many of you are works in progress?  I once saw a button that said: PBPGINFWMY.  “Please be patient: God is not finished with me yet.”  We’re all under construction!  It’s a process.  As you live in relationship with Jesus, you grow into all that is true of you in Christ.

This is why in John 15, Jesus used the illustration of a tree and its branches.  He is the tree, we are the branches.  If we abide in Him—if we stay connected to Him—we bear much fruit.  All these changes, the new person we become, happen as we simply abide in Him.  Stay connected to Jesus, and you will grow into all that is true of you in Christ.  Stay connected to Jesus and you will steadily become a new person.

In Christ, I am a new person!

Second, In Christ, I am a saint.

I love this!  How many of you are saints?  Most of us are reluctant to raise our hands because we think of saints as the super-good, extra-holy folks.  The Apostle Paul was a saint.  Billy Graham was a saint.  Bill Murray is a saint—Saint Vincent.  Ok, that’s a movie—it’s not real.  Saints are the super-holy, the very spiritual, therefore, I’m not a saint.  That’s what we think.  But Paul thought otherwise.  

1 Corinthians 1:2 Paul wrote, “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.”

Paul begins his letter to the Corinthian Christians by addressing them as “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.”  First, let’s remember that Paul is writing this letter to correct some terrible problems in this church: they were divided and fighting with each other; one man was sleeping with his step-mom; people were getting drunk at communion services.  You get the picture—this church was a mess.  Yet Paul calls them saints.  Sanctified in Christ.  The word “sanctified” comes from the same Greek root as the words “saint” and “holy”: hagios.  It means to set something apart for a special purpose; to take a common thing and make it special, different.  In Christ, we are made holy.  We are made special, set apart for God and His purposes.  In Christ, we are saints.  Paul thought this was true even of these messed up Corinthian Christians.  It’s true of you too.  It’s true of every Christian.  If you are in Christ, you are a saint.

There were other times when Paul referred to others as saints. In Philippians 1:1 he wrote,  “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.”

In Philippians 4:21he told them, “Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.”

And in Colossians 1:2 he wrote, “To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae, Grace to you and peace from God our Father.”

In the Bible, the word “saint” is not used of a handful of super-spiritual elites.  It is used of every Christian.  Every Christian is holy, sanctified in Christ, a saint.  Every Christian is set apart for God’s special purposes.

Turn to your neighbor, and introduce yourself. Tell them, “I’m St. Barry,” except use your name. So when you come to Christ, you become a saint.  That is your status in Christ.  In Christ, you are a saint.  Set apart for God’s purposes.  Then as you live in relationship with Jesus, it becomes more and more true of you.  You become more saintly.  You become more devoted to God’s special purposes for you.  You grow into sainthood.  You progressively live more and more like what you are!

In Christ, I am a saint.

Third,  In Christ, I am dead to sin and alive to God

In Romans 6, Paul explains to the Roman Christians the meaning of their baptism. He told them, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

They were baptized into Christ, into His death, burial and resurrection.  That’s what baptism means.  When we baptize someone we dunk them in the water—all the way under.  Why do we immerse?  That’s what the word “baptize” literally means: to immerse, to plunge, to dip.  And immersion is a picture of what’s happening.  You died with Christ—what do we do with a dead person?  Bury them.  So we bury you in the water—buried with Christ.  And then we raise you out of the water—raised with Christ to live a new life. Paul goes on to explain that when we die with Christ, we die to sin but we are alive to God.  Sin doesn’t have any mastery over a dead person.

Paul says this is what happens when we’re baptized into Christ.  We are baptized into His death, burial and resurrection.  We die with Christ and we’re raised with Christ. Here’s Paul’s conclusion: In Romans 6:11 we’re told, “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

You are in Christ.  What is true of Him is true of you.  You are dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ.  As you live in Christ every day, this becomes more and more true of you.  When you’re tempted, you remember, “I’m in Christ, and I’m dead to this.”  But even more importantly, you remember, “I’m in Christ, and I’m alive to God.”  You are unresponsive to sin, but you are responsive to God and ask, “God, what do You want me to do?”

The Christian life isn’t defined primarily by what we don’t do, but what we do.  What good is it if you avoid sin but aren’t responsive to God? The big goal isn’t just being dead to sin, but being alive to God.  In Christ, we live every moment alive to God, responsive to God’s love and His leadership in our lives.  This is what makes the Christian life such an adventure!  We’re alive to God!  We are responsive to His love and leadership.  That’s what makes life full and rewarding.

Just avoiding sin doesn’t work.  If you’re going to say “no”, you’ve got to have something better you’re saying “yes” to.  It’s the expulsive power of love.  When you love God, when you’re responsive and saying yes to God, it’s easy to say no to sin.  Our focus isn’t on avoiding sin, but on being alive to God in Christ.

In Christ, you are dead to sin, and alive to God.

Fourth, In Christ, I am created for good works.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

I love this verse!  Paul says that you are God’s handiwork.  The Greek word is poiema; we get the English word “poem” from it.  It means “that which is made, a creation,” and it was used of works of art.  You are God’s creation, God’s work of art, God’s masterpiece.

In the New Living Translation Ephesians 2:10 reads like this, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Turn to someone and tell them, “You are God’s masterpiece.”  You’re not only a saint, but a one-of-a-kind work of art!

Now we can’t stop there and just congratulate ourselves on being masterpieces.  Why did God create us as His works of art?  So we can do the good works He planned for us long ago.  We are created in Christ for good works.  God wants you to join Him in the good works He planned for you long ago.

Think about that.  When God dreamed you up, He also dreamed up good things you would do.  He made you as a unique work of art with a purpose.  No one else can do exactly what you can do.  God has planned good works for you, and designed you to do them.  Your design and your assignment match.

This is a Frisbee.  It’s designed for one purpose: to fly.  It’s designed to fly and by flying to bring pleasure to it’s users.  Now, you could use it for other things.  Like what?

• Dinner plate.
• Dog dish.
• Draw circles.
• Door stop.
•  

Those are ok, but none of those bring the pleasure of flying.  And none of those other things fly like Frisbee. You are God’s masterpiece, and He made you with a plan, with good works that only you can do.

What do we call God’s work?  Ministry.  And who does ministry?  Ministers.  For too long, people have thought that ministry is done in church by professional ministers.  But God’s work is done everywhere in the world, and it’s done by all of us.  Let me see the hands of the ministers in the room.  If you are a Christian, you are a minister.  The word “minister” just means servant.  To minister is to serve others.  We meet people’s needs right where we are as Jesus’ representatives.   How many of you are ministers?

I want to close with one of my favorite stories from Jerry Cook’s book, Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness. It is about a new Christian named Jackie.  She was shopping and noticed a women in prescription area who looked sick.  Jackie felt an impulse to pray with her, but thought, “No way; she’d think I’m nuts.”  After she finished her shopping, she passed that way again and noticed the woman sitting down, still obviously ill.  Again Jackie had the impression, “Go pray with her.”  Again she resisted.  She was halfway out the door and turned around and decided to become the classic fool for Jesus.

She sat down beside the sick woman and said, “I can see that you’re sick, and I don’t want to impose, but I’m a Christian and wonder if you’d mind if I prayed for you.”  The woman consented, and Jackie held her hand and with her eyes open said, “Lord Jesus, I know you love this lady, and I know you don’t want her to be sick.  Just because you love her, heal her and show her how much you care.”

That was it.  They exchanged numbers and Jackie went home.  The next day Jackie got a call from this woman asking her to come to her home.  Jackie went.  The woman’s husband had stayed home from work to meet Jackie.  Her prescription was on the table unopened.  The woman said, “I came home yesterday, went to bed and slept all night.  I haven’t slept through the night for years.”  With her particular illness, she slept only short periods.  Her husband thought she had died, and in his alarm, woke her up.  She said she felt great.

She told her husband what had happened at the store, and he wanted to meet Jackie.  Neither of them knew anything about the gospel, so Jackie explained the love of Jesus to them and how He could make them new.  Both of them became Christians.

Jackie was just an ordinary Christian open for business, willing to do the good works that God had planned for her.  It can be as simple as loving someone, praying, listening, serving.

In Christ, God created you for good works.  You simply need to live with Jesus and be open for business wherever you are.

Let us pray.

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In Christ – What does it mean to be “in Christ”?

Ephesians 1:1-14

Pastor Barry Kerner

Today we start a new series, “In Christ.”  In his 13 letters, to churches and individuals, found in the New Testament, the apostle Paul uses the words “in Christ,” “in the Lord,”or “in Him (whom)” about 170 times.  It is one of his favorite phrases and is both theologically rich and practically important.  As an example, let’s read the first 14 verses of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, and look for how Paul uses “in Christ” or some version of it.

Ephesians 1:1–14 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

How many times does Paul use the phrase “in Christ?”  Ten times!  Here’s the list:

• 1—We are called “the faithful in Christ.”
• 3—God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
• 4—God chose us in Christ.
• 6—God has freely given us grace in Christ.
• 7—We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins in Christ.
• 9—God made known the mystery of His will in Christ.
• 11—We were chosen in Christ.
• 12—We put our hope in Christ.
• 13—We were included in Christ.
• 13—We were marked in Christ with the seal of the Holy Spirit.

It seems like being in Christ is pretty important!  But what does it mean? Here’s the Big Idea for this whole series. 

The Big Idea: When you are in Christ, all that is true of Him changes what is true of you.

Let me say that again, When you are in Christ, all that is true of Him changes what is true of you.

All ten of those things we listed from Ephesians 1 are true of you when you are in Christ.  You are blessed, chosen, redeemed, graced, included and much more.  And those are just from one passage; As I said Paul uses this idea of being “in Christ” almost 170 times!  I encourage you to begin to read through Paul’s letters and take special note of where Paul uses that phrase, “in Christ.”  Try it!  In the weeks to come, we’re going unpack some of these verses to see what’s true of you when you are in Christ.

But first, what does it mean to be in Christ? That’s what we’re going to think about today.  I’m going to come at it from two angles.

First, being “in Christ” is a status.

By status, I mean state of being. This is a ball.  This is a bucket.  If I put the ball in the bucket, what is the ball’s status?  It is in the bucket.

The word “in” is used to describe the state or position of one thing in relation to another.  The ball is in the bucket.  The check is in the mail.  This year the New York Jets were in the toilet.

So when Paul says that we are in Christ, he is describing our status, our state of being.  Like the ball is in the bucket, you are in Christ.  This is an imperfect illustration, but bear with me.  If I swing the bucket, what happens to the ball?  It swings too—because it is in the bucket.  What’s true of the bucket is true of the ball.  If the bucket is lost, what happens to the ball?  It’s lost too—because it’s in the bucket.  In the same way, but in a much deeper way, what is true of Christ becomes true of you, because you are in Christ.

For example, in Ephesians 2, Paul says that apart from Christ, we are dead in our sins.

Ephesians 2:4–6 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Apart from Jesus, we were dead in our sins.  But God made us alive with Christ, raised us with Christ, and seated us with Christ in the heavenly realms—all of this happens in Christ.  When Christ was raised from the dead, you were too.  Now Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and you are too.  When you are in Christ, what is true of Him becomes true of you.

So how do you get “in Christ”? John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Literally, the Greek reads, “whoever believes into Him.”  We believe into Jesus.  Like saying, “I put the ball into the bucket.” When we repent—turn from our sin and turn to God—and believe in Jesus, we believe into Christ.  We are in Christ. 

In Romans 6:3–4 Paul adds, “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

We believed into Jesus, and we were baptized into Jesus.  This is what happens in baptism: you are baptized into Christ.  You are baptized into His death, and into His resurrection.  Just like Christ died to sin, you died to sin in Him.  And just like Christ was raised to live to God, you are raised to live to God in Christ.

You believe into Jesus, you are baptized into Jesus, and you are in Christ—that is your status, your state of being.  What is true of Him becomes true of you.

Let me illustrate it with an every day example that is better than the bucket and ball. When you fill out an application, you are often asked about your marital status: married, single, divorced, and so on.  If you check the “married” box, you are indicating that your status is married, and therefore certain things are true of you.  Your life is not your own.  You share resources and liabilities.  You know how to say, “Yes dear.”  You have in-laws.  You are taken.  You are in a marriage.  This is your marital status.

A wedding ring indicates your status: you are in a marriage.  And that means certain things are true of you. You belong to your spouse. You are taken By the way, if you are in Christ, you are in a marriage.  We are the bride of Christ, and He is our groom.  We are taken; we are His.

To be in Christ describes your status.  All that is true of Jesus changes all that is true of you.  Over the next several weeks, we are going to unpack some amazing things that are true of you in Christ.  But there is more…

Second, being “in Christ” is a relationship.

To be in Christ means that you are in relationship with Him.  It is not just a static status; it is a living relationship.  This is where the bucket and ball fail us.  They are inanimate objects.  You and Jesus are living persons.  To be in Christ is to live in relationship with Him.  Marriage is the better illustration.

I said that to be in Christ is a status; it describes your position in relation to Christ.  You are in Him.  Some people call this positional theology.  What is true of Jesus is true of you because of your position: you are in Him.  Christ is righteous, therefore you are righteous in Christ.   Christ is risen, therefore you are risen in Christ.    These things are true, even though they are not yet fully realized.  I’m not risen yet, and I’m not always righteous.  So how does this work?

As we live in Christ (in relationship with Him), we grow into all that is true of us in Christ. All of those positional truths become practical realities as we live in Christ, in relationship with Jesus.  Living in relationship with Jesus changes you.  You will grow into all that He says is true of you.  Being in Christ is more than just a status; it’s a relationship.

Back to our marriage illustration.  You can be in a marriage, and not have much of a relationship with your spouse.  You can be married and checked out.  You can be married and distant, detached, alienated, gone.  Your status is married, but the relationship isn’t happening. Is that acceptable?  No!  No one wants that.

It’s not enough to say, “I believe in Jesus.  I am saved.  That’s my status.”  You need to be living in Christ, and growing into all that He says is true of you.  You need to be in a relationship.

David Platt, in his book, Follow Me, says that we are called to believe in Jesus and to follow Jesus.  It’s not one or the other, but both: believe and follow.  Many people only want to believe, not follow.  They want a ticket to heaven without following Jesus on earth. That’s like a marriage without love, without a relationship.

It’s possible to be married in name only, to have the status without the relationship.  And that is possible for Christians too.  You can be a Christian in name only, have the status without the relationship. 

Jesus warned about this in Matthew 7:21–23 where he said,  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

“Many will say to me…”.  Evidently there will be many people who think they are Christians but are not, who had the status but not the relationship.  Jesus says, “I never knew you.”  There was no relationship. If you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk.  We are called to believe and follow.  We are called to be in Christ, in relationship with Jesus, and to grow into all that is true of us.

Let’s say you join a gym; you buy a membership.  You are in the Y, or Planet Fitness, or Powerhouse Gym, therefore certain things are true of you.  You can use the facilities whenever you want.  You get newsletters and special offers! You are a member in good standing. This is your gym status.

All well and good.  But your status only benefits you if you use it.  You must have a “relationship” with the gym—the more often, the better.  When you work out regularly, then all the potential in your membership status can be realized.  You’ll be this guy. If you don’t use it, then you’re a gym member in name only and it won’t benefit you.  You’re just wasting your money, and you’ll be this guy.

Or let’s say you join a church; you become a member—this is your status. But do you know how many inactive church members there are? They are members in name only, and that status won’t do them a bit of good.  You need to have a relationship; you need to participate.  Status alone isn’t enough.  You can have a gym membership and be in terrible shape.  You can have a church membership and be far from God and end up in hell.

That’s why churches needn’t have formal memberships but they should have functional memberships. They should have participatory memberships.  We shouldn’t be interested in just getting a name on the church membership roll; we should be interested in getting people engaged and participating so that they can grow into all that God says is true of them.  When people ask us how to become members, we should say, “Participate!”  And here are five ways you can do that.

• Meet: meet together in worship, studies and church events.
• Seek: seek God in daily prayer, and daily Bible reading.
• Serve: serve in our church and community.
• Give: give to God and the poor.
• Share: share your faith by doing, by telling, and by bringing.

This is what church members need to do.  Why?  Because that’s how you grow spiritually, and that’s the whole point.  You need to have a relationship with Jesus so that you grow into all that He says is true of you.

In Colossians 2:6–7 we’re told,  “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

You received Christ as Lord—now you are in Christ.  But don’t stop there.  “Continue to live your lives in Him.”  Live you life in Christ.  Live in daily relationship with Jesus.  “Rooted and built up in Him.”  Put your roots down deep into Jesus, and be built up in Him.  The more you are rooted in Christ, the more you will be built up.  A tree gets taller only if it’s roots go deeper.  So how do you get rooted in Christ?   How do you go deep in Jesus?  Let me tell you a few ways.

• Soak in Scripture: Get God’s word in you and get to know Jesus better.
• Prayer: Relationships are built one conversation at a time.
• Follow: Jesus is Lord. Live your life under the leadership of Jesus.
• Learn: Disciples are learners. Learn every chance you can, every way you can.
• Fellowship: Learn from other believers. Christianity is a team sport.  We do it best together.  When the church doors are open try your best to be here!

Church members should be expected to meet, seek, serve, give, and share.  These are ways we grow in Christ, ways to go deeper in Christ, ways to live in Christ.

In Colossians 1:28 Paul wrote, “He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.”

Paul’s goal in his teaching was to “present everyone fully mature in Christ.”  That should be our goal as well.  I want you to live your life in Christ and become fully mature in Christ.  The apostle Paul told the Ephesian pastors, in Acts 20:20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you…

If it’s helpful, this year I’ll preach it.  And what do I want to help you do?  Live your life in Christ. I want to help you put your roots deep into Jesus and grow up in Christ until you become “fully mature in Christ.”  I want to help you to live your life in Christ.

This is what it means to be a Christian: we live our lives in Christ.  We live every moment with Jesus.  We are in Christ—in relationship with Jesus.  And this changes everything!

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” As we live in Christ, we change, we grow, we become new people.  Everything changes: our relationship with God, our character, our relationships with people, who we are and what we do in the world, our eternal destiny.  It’s all new!  This doesn’t happen because your name is on a church roll, any more than you get in shape because you pay for a gym membership.  It happens because you live in Christ.  A relationship with Jesus changes everything!

As we live in Christ (in relationship with Him), we grow into all that is true of us in Christ. That’s what we’re going to unpack for the next several weeks.

Let us pray.

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New Year: Make This the Best Year of Your Life

Matthew 11:28-30

Pastor Barry Kerner

1. S. Lewis once wrote, “What a sorry world it would be if it were always winter but never Christmas!” The chill of December has certainly been alleviated by the warmth of the holidays. As we begin 2021 we need remember what a sad life it would be if it were always the old year and never the new! Time, of course, does not know the divisions we give it. It is man who rings bells, blows horns, and throws confetti to usher in the new year. We do this because we, of all God’s creatures alone, have an awareness of time. And, we long for times of new beginnings.

Louise Fletcher Tarkington expressed the longings of many when she wrote: “I wish there were some wonderful place called the land of Beginning Again, where all our mistakes, and all our heartaches, And all our selfish griefs could be cast like a shabby old coat at the door And never be put on again.”

The new year is fresh upon us. Relentlessly, the pages of the calendar have fallen away so that the future is suddenly now. No thoughtful person can approach such a time without some introspection. We are bound to ask, “What will it mean to me?” “What can I do with it?” These are thoughts which come naturally with each year end and each new beginning. While we cannot know what the future holds, we do know this, it will largely be what you and I and God make of it. It is appropriate, therefore, that in these first days of the new year that we plan for the three hundred and sixty-odd successive days that will follow in this new year – 2021.

A long time ago Ralph Waldo Emerson expressed what ought to be the desire of every one of us, “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.” Despite the failures and mistakes of the past we can make it so. What can we do to make every day the best day for us? Here are some suggestions. If you follow them they can not only help make every day the best day of the year, they can also help make this new year the best year of your life.

First, we should live life one day at a time. Life is Not a Dress Rehearsal. Stan Ghetz, the outstanding jazz saxophonist, had a life-threatening bout with cancer. In a radio interview several years later he was asked, “What did you learn from this illness?” He replied, “I learned that life is not a dress rehearsal.” Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman emperor/philosopher wrote, “To live each day as though it was one’s last, never flustered, never apathetic, never attitudinizing — here is the perfection of character.”

There is no second chance at life. The only moment any of us ever has is the present moment. Time can’t be saved, only savored. In Psalm 118:24, the psalmist must have had this in mind when he resolved, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Some people live their lives in the past, weighted down by the mistakes and failures of their yesterdays. Others live on an expectancy basis, always looking for something in the future. A boy in high school anticipates college; in college, he anticipates the joy that will be his when he gets an engineering job; when he gets an engineering job, he believes the joy will come when he marries Mary and has a home; and so he goes on . . . anticipating.

Living one day at a time means keeping yourself responsive to simple things. For most of life, few wonderful things happen. For most of us, there are not big moments — only a pile of small ones. Most of us miss life’s big prizes: The Pulitzer. The Nobel. Oscars. Tonys. Emmys. But we’re all eligible for life’s small pleasures. A pat on the back. A kiss behind the ear. A four pound bass. A full moon. An empty parking space. A crackling fire. A great meal. A glorious sunset.

Art Rooney reminded us that if we don’t enjoy getting up and working and finishing our work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then chances are we’re not going to be very happy. If our happiness or unhappiness is based on some major event like a great new job, huge amounts of money, a flawless happy marriage or a trip to Paris, we will not be happy much of the time. If, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a brisk walk or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness. So we must not fret about gaining life’s grand awards. We have to enjoy it’s tiny delights. They are always near at hand and there are plenty for all of us. The motto of our life, therefore, ought to be: “Learn from yesterday, and hope for tomorrow, but live today.” If you will do that, this will likely be the best year of your life.

Second, we should live our life with a view to the end. You need to train for the final event

Ted Koppel interviewed Mikel Gorbechev the day before he stepped down as president of the Soviet Union. He asked President Gorbechev if there were some story, some Russian fable, that summed up his feelings. Gorbechev said that there was, and then told the story of a young prince who came to power in Russia. He wanted to rule the country well and so he asked the wise men of his country to share their wisdom with him so he could rule his people wisely. Ten years later they sent to him ten wagons loaded with books. He asked, “When can I read all of these? I must govern the people.” He asked if they could condense the wisdom contained in the wagon loads of books for him. Ten more years passed and they sent him ten volumes. This was still too much for him to read, and he asked that the wisdom in those ten books be reduced even more. Five more years passed and they brought him one volume. But, by this time, he was an old man and on his deathbed. He asked the wise men if they could sum up their message in one sentence. They replied, “People are born. People suffer. People die.” That is not the sum of all wisdom but life’s ultimate statistic is the same for all of us, one out of one dies. And if we are wise we will live it with that end in view. We would all do well to pause and think how we would like to be remembered when that time comes. We should then begin by doing those things for which we would like to be remembered such as loving, serving, giving, and so on.

Robert T. Morris said, “I hate funerals and would not attend my own if it could be avoided, but it is well for every man to stop once in a while to think of what sort of a collection of mourners he is training for his final event.” To do that will help you make this the best year of your life.

Third, we should give ourselves to others. You need to let happiness sneak up on you. Jesus, toward the end of his ministry, met with his disciples in the upper room. He wrapped a towel around his waist, took a basin of water, and moved among the disciples washing their feet. In so doing, he was assuming the role of a common servant. When he had finished, he sat down and asked the disciples if they understood what he had done. He, the Lord of glory, had become a servant. John 13:17 tells us that he then said, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done for you.” This is the only place in scripture where Jesus ever said he had given us an example. Then he concluded by saying, “If you know these things, happy are you if you do them” (John 13:17).

Jesus knew that happiness is like a butterfly — the more you chase it, the more it flies away from you and hides. But, if you stoop and serve patiently, it will light on you. The happiest people I know are the ones who work at being kind, thoughtful, helpful, and generous. And when they do, happiness sneaks into their lives.

Albert Schweitzer spoke to a graduating class in an English boy’s school back in 1935. He said, “I do not know what your destiny will be. Some of you will perhaps occupy remarkable positions. Perhaps some of you will become famous by your pens, or as artists. But I know one thing: the only ones who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”

Helen Keller said, “I find life an exciting business — and most exciting when it is lived for others.” And actor Danny Glover said, “We make a living by what we do. We make a life by what we give.” Elizabeth Barrett Browning put it beautifully when she wrote: “A child’s kiss set on by sighing lips shall make thee Glad; A poor man served by thee shall make thee Rich; A sick man helped by thee shall make thee Strong; Thou shall be served thyself by every sense Of service which thou renderest.” We are best to ourselves when we are good to others. It’s one of the things we can do to make this the best year of our life.

Fourth, we should learn to forgive and forget. Don’t hug a grudge. A person is what he remembers, but he is also what he forgets. One of the healthiest things a human being can do is become a master of forgetting. It’s good to have a good memory, but it’s also good to be good at forgetting. In Philippians 3:13-14, the apostle Paul gave us a part of the secret of his great life when he said, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We can’t be sure of all the things Paul had in mind when he spoke of “forgetting those things which are behind,” but I’m sure he must have included his failures and disappointments, the hurts he had suffered, as well as his successes and achievements.

To live a victorious life you can’t rest on yesterday’s laurels and you can’t harbor yesterday’s hurts. As someone has said, “The rewards in life go to those who are willing to give up the past.” Someone once said, “There ain’t no burden so heavy as carrying a grudge.” Bernard Baruch, advisor to six presidents, said, “One of the secrets of a long and fruitful life is to forgive everybody everything before you go to bed at night.”

In the movie, The Revengers, a rancher is searching for a gang that killed his family and destroyed his home. In a moving scene a woman who had befriended him said, “You must be careful what you put in your heart. If you fill it with hate, there will be no room for love and laughter and tears. And your heart will rot.”

Anger and bitterness are poisons just like strychnine. They can build up slowly in you until they kill you. So, whatever you do, don’t hug a grudge. Don’t lug into the new year your resentments, your hates, your frustrations, your disappointments, your regrets. There is too much impediment in that. They will wear you down. The thing to do today is to drop the past—forget it—skip it—throw it into the past—and look to the future. There is an old Chinese proverb that says: There can be no joy like peace There can be no gift like health There can be no faith like trust There can be no sickness like hate. If you want to make this year the best year of your life, forgive and forget. It’s the only way to live happily.

Fifth, we should face adversity with courage. Remember, life sees you coming. Most of us get at least one knock down punch in life—a death, a divorce, a disease, a wayward child, an alcoholic relative. As novelist Alan Patton, in a poem to his son, wrote, “Life sees you coming. She lies in wait for you; she cannot but hurt you.” Adversity is never pleasant, but it can be good for us. If responded to correctly it can bring out the finest qualities in our life. Christian graces are like perfumes, the more they are pressed, the sweeter they smell; like stars that shine brightest in the dark; like trees, which, the more they are shaken, the deeper root they take, and the more fruit they bear.

That’s a part of why Paul, in Romans 5:3, said “we glory in tribulation.”  Like Job, I don’t understand all of God’s ways, but even the Lord learned obedience through the things he suffered. I would not, therefore, ask to go through a world without adversity, for it is sorrow and suffering which increases our sensitivity toward God and others. And, if we could somehow keep pain from our children’s door, it would be life itself that we would be keeping out. Adversity is a part of life. There is no way to escape it, no way around it. You must go through it. But, by God’s grace we can do that and not be defeated by it. And that’s what we must do to make this the best year of our life.

Sixth, we should keep a sense of humor. Happiness is a choice. When Georges Pompidou became president of France in 1969 he created a new cabinet post. He called it “Secretary of State Charged with Public Opinion.” It was the responsibility of this person to keep his ear to the ground and report to the president any cause of discontent. The man who was appointed described his responsibility, “I am,” he said, “the minister of moans and groans.” We don’t have to go through life moaning and groaning. We can look on the bright side of life. We can be positive and optimistic. We can acknowledge the clouds of life and also see the silver linings. When my wife and I were planning to move from Pittsburgh to Homer, New York to be a Pastor in a local church, friends asked, “How are you going to like Homer?” I replied, “We will do just fine. We are happy people. We can be happy wherever we are.” Happiness is always a choice.

Abraham Lincoln was right when he said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” We especially need to learn to laugh at ourselves. Once when Lincoln was engaged in a debate with Frederick Douglas, Douglas accused him of being two-faced. Lincoln, who was far from handsome made a classic reply, “I will let the audience decide for itself. If I had another face, do you think I would be wearing this one?”

Proverbs 15:13 says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” So cultivate a happy, cheerful disposition. It is essential to making this the best year of your life.

Seventh, we should put our life in the hand of God. We cannot know what the future holds. We cannot see five years or five weeks or five minutes into the future. Therefore, we make a mistake if we presume on tomorrow. James 4:13-15 tells us, 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” Our life is like a vapor and no man knows what one day may bring forth. So, we ought to live it in conscious dependence upon God and surrender to His will.

I’ll close with these thoughts. In his 1939 Christmas message to the nation, King George VI of England expressed the faith we all need when he quoted the words of Lewis Haskins: I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, “Give me a light, that I might tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied, “Go out into the darkness and put your hand in the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.” In what may be the greatest invitation of the Bible, the Lord invites us to do just that, to put our hand in his. In Matthew 11:28-30 He said, 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Life was never intended to be borne in a single yoke. The Lord invites us to yield our lives to him and let him share and bear life’s load with us. The poet John Richard Moreland put it best: The hands of Christ Seemed very frail. For they were broken by a nail. But only they reach heaven at last whom those frail, broken hands hold fast. Take your hand of faith and put it in his hand of grace and it will be the best year of your life. And as you do, remember this: You can spend your life Any way you like. But you can only spend it once!

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