Sermon Central
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A New Creation . . . A New Beginning
Contributed by Charles Lane Iii on Mar 5, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: We’ve all needed a second chance at one time or another. Truth is that many of us have also "blown our second chance" and maybe have despaired that it was our last chance. Well, God goes beyond the second chance to the new beginning!
A NEW BEGINNING . . . A NEW CREATION!
Text: Romans 5:20
Moreover, the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
Some time ago I was in a Christian book store and they were playing a song that kept repeating, "He’s the God of second chances." At first that sounded pretty good. How many of us have appreciated a second chance at some time in our lives? I know that I have more than once been in dire need of a second chance, and have been granted probably more than my fair share of second chances. But the more I pondered that promising phrase, the less adequate I felt it to be expressive of the infinite depth of God’s grace and mercy. For some reason it just didn’t seem to say enough.
For example, some describe Jesus Christ as a good and compassionate man, a wise teacher, a healer and worker of miracles. Well, those things are true. But those descriptive terms don’t go far enough. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, Lord of all creation.
Some describe the Bible as a good book, even The Good Book. Well, that’s true too. But it doesn’t go far enough. The Bible is the very Word of God.
In a similar way, it seems to me that the song, although expressing a wonderful hope, just does not go far enough in describing what God does. He doesn’t just give you another chance to get it right, struggling on your own, hoping somehow to succeed this time. What He does is create for you a new beginning, makes you and your life a new creation. And then He works with you and in you and through you to complete His plan for your life.
He’s not just the God of second chances.
He’s the God of New Beginnings!
To me there is a big difference.
Let’s take a tour of the Bible and I’ll show you what I mean:
GENESIS 1:1,31
"In the beginning . . . it was very good."
GENESIS 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Disaster. A different story. Not very good at all.
What happened?
But Noah was obedient.
"Then God blessed Noah and his sons . . . "
"Then God said to Noah and his sons ’I now establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you . . . "
The rainbow . . .
The sign of the covenant of . . .
A NEW BEGINNING.
The day the LORD’S divisions left Egypt.
A NEW BEGINNING.
All Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.
Joshua and Caleb and the new generation.
A NEW BEGINNING.
The king Josiah renews the covenant in the presence
of the LORD.
A NEW BEGINNING.
NEHEMIAH 2:17-18; 8:1-9; 9:1-3; 12:43
Let us start rebuilding. Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly and read it aloud from daybreak till noon (let some well meaning preacher try that these days!) and the people listened attentively and wept and repented. There was great joy.
A NEW BEGINNING.
Good news of great joy. The fulfillment of the promise of Messiah.
"And Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and with men."
"Today is this Scripture fulfilled in your hearing."
A NEW BEGINNING.
A man with leprosy touched and made clean.
A NEW BEGINNING.
A man once possessed and tortured by demons "sitting there dressed, and in his right mind."
A NEW BEGINNING.
A woman suffering for twelve years with an issue of blood is told, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
A NEW BEGINNING.
A woman taken in the very act of adultery is reassured, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."
A NEW BEGINNING.
The New Covenant.
A NEW BEGINNING.
The tomb is empty!!!
A NEW BEGINNING.
Repentance and forgiveness to be preached in the name of the risen Christ to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem . . .
A NEW BEGINNING.
ACTS 1:8; 2:1-4
The Holy Spirit to come; Pentecost.
A NEW BEGINNING.
A new heavens and a new earth.
A NEW BEGINNING.
The old has gone, the new has come.
A NEW BEGINNING.
A new creation.
A NEW BEGINNING.
Jesus told Nicodemus, "You must be born again."
The New Birth.
A NEW BEGINNING.
Peter denies Jesus.
Peter is restored by Jesus.
"Then Peter stood up . . . "
A NEW BEGINNING.
