[0:00] I'm going to raise you in the name of Jesus this morning. It's good to be here. Good to be here.
[0:13] Lord, it brought us together again. This morning, I want to start in 2 Corinthians 5.
[0:30] You know, has God changed us? Has he made all things new? And if he has, then his power can work through us.
[0:48] You know, after God took Elijah, Elijah came back to the Jordan River, and he said, you know, and just think of how he had followed Elijah all this while, and Elijah had always taken care of everything, and he was his servant.
[1:15] And now he comes back to the River Jordan, and Elijah's gone. And he says, where is the Lord God of Elijah?
[1:30] Where is he? And with that, he took the mantle, and the river parted, and he walked through. Where is the Lord God of Elijah today?
[1:44] Is he in your heart? Is his power in you? Has he transformed you into a new creature, into a new creation in Christ Jesus?
[2:01] How is it with us today? And we will... We will... I struggle a lot, but we will go into the Word and see where the Lord takes us this morning.
[2:27] Let's start here. Let's start here. Let's start here in verse 14.
[2:42] 2 Corinthians 5, 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead.
[2:54] That he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again. You know, we can find scripture.
[3:07] You know, the wages of sin is death, and all humanity is dead in sin. And so Christ died for us.
[3:20] He died for humanity. He died for the human race. That he gave his life for us, that we can have life, and we can have it more abundantly.
[3:34] That we can have eternal life. And so, because he gave his life for us, what less can we do but live for him?
[3:48] And give ourselves to him wholeheartedly, unreserved, surrender to the will of God, that he can come, that he can come, and he can live his life through us, that he can fill us with his power, that he can fill us with his love, that he can work in us and through us out to a lost and a dying world.
[4:15] that we would not live unto ourselves, but that we will live unto the one that died for us, Jesus.
[4:31] Wherefore, henceforth, know we no man after the flesh. Ye, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now, henceforth, know we him no more.
[4:43] And, you know, I pondered this verse for many years, and I've come to the conclusion, and what this verse is saying, it says, we don't know men after the flesh anymore.
[4:56] This morning, as I look at you, I look at Brother Joe, and, you know, if I would, I haven't known Joe for all that long, but if I would know him from his past life, I would have a whole list of things that would be in my, that I could come, could come back into my memory of how he used to be.
[5:17] But today, I know Joe as a man that is born by, born again, and washed by the blood of Christ, and he's no longer the man he used to be. And so, we don't know each other after our old life.
[5:33] We don't know each other after how we used to be, but we know each other as a man, as a woman that we are today, born again, and washed by the blood of Christ, a new creature in Christ Jesus.
[5:49] Verse 17, therefore, because of this, if any man be in Christ, you know, because that Christ gave himself, and now we live our life for him, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
[6:06] All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new, and all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
[6:23] If any man be in Christ, if we are in Christ, if we are born again, if we are full of the Holy Ghost, we are a new creature. We are no longer that old person.
[6:35] We are no longer the old man that we used to be. We no longer, we no longer wallow around in sin, but now we have victory over sin, because that new creature in Christ Jesus, it has victory over the old life and over sin.
[6:57] I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless, nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but it is Christ who lives in me, and the life that I now live, I live by the power of the Son of God who gave himself for me.
[7:15] You know, we now live a new life. We live for Christ. We live for him. As we allow him to live his life through us, his life will flow through us.
[7:31] His life will come and meet the need to run about us as we live this life, this new life in Christ Jesus.
[7:43] Says, he has given us the ministry of reconciliation. You know, just think, you know, why did Jesus come to earth?
[7:54] He came to earth because, because humanity was separated from God. He came to earth because there was no, there was no way for humanity to have fellowship with God.
[8:11] We were separated from God. And so Jesus came to, to be that sacrifice, to lay down his life for us, that we can have forgiveness, that we can again come back into fellowship with God.
[8:27] And so, now as we are a new creation in Christ Jesus, he gives us the ministry of reconciliation to walk in this and to, to complete the work that Jesus began here on earth.
[8:49] To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. Not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
[9:06] Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. And so God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God.
[9:20] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
[9:33] We are ambassadors for him. Here in this, in this dark and sinful world. Here in this world that is ruled by the devil.
[9:43] It is ruled by Satan. But God, but God is still in control. God, it still has his church here.
[9:55] And, and he desires us to be his ambassadors in this dark world. And to take the glorious light of the gospel out to those that, that we meet out to, to, to wherever we go.
[10:11] And wherever he will take us, he wants us to be his ambassadors and to, to share the gospel of Jesus and to shine a bright light for him.
[10:28] So he has given us the ministry of reconciliation, the work that Jesus came to begin here on this earth. He has committed that word of reconciliation to us.
[10:44] We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
[10:56] You know, he has given us his grace. He has given us his spirit. He has anointed us with the Holy Ghost. And then he, he beseeches us, he asks us, he begs us that, that we have not received this grace in vain.
[11:15] We've not received the power of the spirit of God in vain, but that we walk in it and we allow the life of Jesus to, to flow through us out to a lost and a dying world.
[11:32] You know, Jesus, you know, just before he ascended, I want to, I'll just read this in Matthew 28. We all know these verses.
[11:44] I want to read them so we get them right. Matthew 28, verse 18, 19. You know, before Jesus ascended, he gave them this command.
[12:03] Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
[12:25] And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. All power is given unto me. You know, the verse we just read in Corinthians said, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
[12:40] The grace of God, the Holy Ghost, it's available to us as his people. It's available to us as a church. It's ours to walk in if we will give ourselves to him and if we will walk in it.
[12:57] Wednesday night we talked about the church and how Jesus is the head of the church and we are his body and this is his desire, this is his will that he can walk his life through us.
[13:15] You know, when Jesus was here on this earth, he went about doing good. He healed all the sick and met their needs and all of that and preached to them the kingdom of God.
[13:31] And now he's continuing his work through you and me. That's how his work will be accomplished here on earth is through the church.
[13:43] Amen. Amen. Jesus had promised the Holy Ghost and in Acts he says he told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they be endued with power from on high.
[14:06] Endued with power. You know, have you been endued with power? Have you have you availed yourself of the power of God?
[14:18] You know, Luke says how much more will the Father give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him? You know, if we are asking him and if we are willing to lay down our own life and willing to lay down our own agenda, our own plans, our own life and allow him to direct us and live through us and to live in us, yes, he will give us the power of the Spirit of God.
[14:51] Born again by the Spirit of God and living in that power. on again verse very provoking, thought-provoking verse from Timothy.
[15:17] We are in 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy 3. Here he's talking about the last day and perilous times will come and all of that.
[15:35] And Wednesday night we read the end of chapter 2 there and talked about that. But here he says in the last days perilous times shall come.
[15:49] For men shall be lovers of their own selves. And he goes on through that list and despisers of those that are good and traitors, heavy, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.
[16:03] Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away. Having a form of godliness.
[16:15] You know, we see many people that go to church this morning. They went to church because it was Sunday morning and they go and they get together there and then after an hour and a half or so they leave again and nothing happened.
[16:34] They're the same person they were before and then they go out and they live their own life. They live after self. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.
[16:46] I believe what he's saying is it is a people that they profess to know God but their life does not show it. There's no power in their life.
[16:59] There's no power over sin. There's no power to live in victory. There's no power to witness. which one are we today?
[17:10] Are we full of the power of God or do we do we have a form of godliness without power? How is it?
[17:22] How is it? Let's go to John 3 the gospel of John Here we have Nicodemus and he came to Jesus the night and he acknowledged he said we know that you are a teacher come from God no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God being with him just think of what he just said he acknowledged that Jesus was a God that he was a prophet and that the power of God was working through him Jesus answered and said verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God
[18:27] Nicodemus saith unto him how can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born you know here Nicodemus he asked a logical question Jesus said unless you be born again you cannot see the kingdom of God born again what's he talking about Nicodemus this has brought all kinds of the questions to Nicodemus what was Jesus saying he said except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Jesus without preaching the kingdom of God the kingdom of God has come the kingdom is you know and all of that preaching the kingdom of God that was his message and now he's telling
[19:33] Nicodemus unless you be born again you cannot see the kingdom of God you know I believe what he's saying here is that our old man the natural man he cannot see the kingdom of God he cannot comprehend the kingdom of God he cannot understand it like Nicodemus we try to figure it out but it doesn't make sense if we can't figure out how it works but if we will if we will but give our heart and life to Jesus and if we will believe that Jesus is the son of God then that seed of Christ will come in our heart and birth that new man within us and then we can comprehend the kingdom of God so we need that seed of
[20:49] Christ within us we need to be born again before we can even see the kingdom of God that is why there's so many people that they have a form of godliness they want to live for God and they try so hard and they keep the standards in the church they walk in obedience to what they're taught but they never come to a place that they have the power of God in their heart they never come to the place that they can live a victorious life that they can overcome the power of sin and Satan they never surrender the heart life completely to him and so they go on through life going to church on a Sunday morning just to ease their conscience in the field good but Jesus answered him and he said verily verily
[22:01] I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God that which is born of the flesh is flesh that which is born of the spirit is spirit marvel not that I said that I said unto thee ye must be born again the wind bloweth where it listens thou hearst the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whether it goeth so is everyone that is born of the spirit Nicodemus answered and said unto him how can these things be how can this be how can this be possible you say you say a man must be born by water and the spirit you know I believe the water it's referring to is the word of
[23:02] God the word of God that seed of the word of God it comes into the heart and as we believe that Jesus is the son of God as we believe that Jesus came to this earth and he shed his blood for us that by the power of the spirit we are born again into the church of Jesus Christ it is all a voluntary thing on our part you will never be forced into the kingdom of God it doesn't matter who tells you that otherwise and God has no grandchildren God only has children and we are born again by the spirit of God we voluntarily become a part of the church of
[24:03] Jesus Christ born by water and the spirit have you been have you experienced the life changing new birth when this happens you are forever changed yes you can you can backslide and all of that but you won't want to you will want to live for this Christ you will want to live in the power of God you will want to go on and you be all that he wants you to be in this life by the grace of God by the grace of God we live our lives born by the spirit of God that seed of Christ oh yes look at a verse in first Peter first Peter one what does it say here talks about talks about the seed of the word in verse 23 being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of
[25:37] God which liveth and abideth forever the word of God it lives and it abides forever and it is by that seed of the word of God coming into our heart and us believing it by faith is what borns us again it's what changes our life forever it changes us out of that old life into the new that is what happens that is how it does we are not born again by corruptible things that's that verse is right here verse 18 for as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of
[26:38] Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot who merely was foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God so we are redeemed we are washed we are born again by the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot and now verse 22 seeing ye have purified your soul in obeying the truth you know there's a part for us to do you know we are born again by the spirit of God and now we have to walk we have to walk in his grace we have to walk by the power of God and he says here we need to purify our souls by obeying the truth by obeying this word by walking by walking according to the word of
[27:47] God we purify our souls by obeying the truth through the spirit through the power of the spirit of God unto unfeigned love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently that is the body of Christ we love one another with a pure heart we love one another fervently with a pure heart why because we're born again by the spirit of God and the word of God it abides in us and it and the word of God it liveth this word of God it's a living word it's a living word by the power of the spirit of God you know this word you know Jesus said that the letter it kills but the word it brings life the word the spirit brings life the letter kills but the spirit brings life so the word of God the word of judgment kills but when the spirit of God brings this word along with you are a sinner it will also give the opportunity of life and this word it will bring life to all who find it to all who accept it to all who believe it it will born us again by the spirit of God of an incorruptible seed this word of God is incorruptible that is why that is why in 1st John you know what are those what are those verses in 1st John and there's some very very strong statements here he gives us some practical admonition here here in 1st John he says walk in the light as he is in the light it's as if we walk in the light then we have fellowship one with another and the blood of
[30:27] Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sins if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and he cleanses us from all unrighteousness if we are walking in the light and we allow the light to reveal our life then he can cleanse us if we confess our sin and forsake it he will forgive and he will cleanse us from all unrighteousness now let this go on in chapter 2 15 love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him you know some very practical instructions you know if we're born again then we have the new creation within us that old man is crucified with Christ that old man needs to stay crucified he needs to stay on the cross but he will always he will always try to get his own way he will always try to take us the wrong way but here
[31:50] John admonishes us he says love not the world neither the things that are in the world you know if we love the world if we give in to that old man that you know he loves the world so if we give in to him that is how we will walk if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him no it's not both it's one or the other either we will walk according to the spirit of God and according to the new man or we will walk in the old we can't walk a double life all that is in the world everything that's in the world all of it all of it the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but it is of the world and the world is the enemy of God it is the enemy of God the world passes away in the lust of but he that doeth the will of God abided forever is at us today is at us today will you abide forever now let's go to chapter 3 behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not you know if you feel like a stranger or if you feel you know you're out there and you just feel people just don't understand you people just don't understand how you're why you live the way you do it's because we're not of this world we are in this world but we are not of this world we are sons of God beloved now are we the sons of God it does not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is you know he is transforming us more and more into the image of Christ but someday we will see him and we will be like him hallelujah every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is sure and we have this hope in us then we will purify ourselves we you know we we get tempted we see things we don't want to look at we we're tempted with all kinds of things that we could do we're tempted with wrong attitudes we're tempted with getting angry we're tempted with taking revenge we're tempted with operating in the flesh he says if we have this hope in us every man that hath this hope in him if we have this hope in us we purify ourselves even as he is pure what a high what a high goal we must have to be as
[35:38] Jesus whosoever committed sin transgresses also the law for sin is the transgression of the law and ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin that's why Jesus came he came to take away our sins whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth has not seen him neither known him little children let no man deceive you he that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous he that committed sin is of the devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil whosoever is born of God doeth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of
[36:45] God in this the children of God are manifested and the children of the devil whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother for this is the message that you heard from the beginning that we should love one another this this new creation in Christ Jesus it cannot sin that seed that is now within us it is incorruptible the seed of Christ this new life the born again man he cannot sin it is when you sin it is because you have allowed that old man to again to again direct your life Jesus came it says here for this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil you know think back with me to the garden of
[37:50] Eden how the devil came to Eve and how he deceived her and all humanity fell because of Adam's sin all humanity is now born in sin and must be redeemed from the hand of the enemy Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil he came to destroy him he came to deliver us he came to deliver humanity verse seven verse six whosoever abideth in him sinneth not you know when you when you struggle when you struggle that struggle is between the old man and the new man and when you sin it is because you gave in to those old deciders you gave in to that old man who loves the world but if you abide in Christ and you walk in the new man you keep that old man crucified you keep him on the cross you keep that old man on the cross and you abide in
[39:16] Christ you will not sin you will not sin he that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous that new man is righteous he is holy and if we if we like Romans said if we by the power of the new man we keep that old man on the altar we keep him on the cross hallelujah we can live a victorious life and we can live for God we can live in the power of the spirit of God and we can be effective in the hands of Christ whosoever is born of God does not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God that new man cannot sin that new man you know this is uh this is such an amazing truth in in first
[40:31] Peter second Peter chapter one verse four he says whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust partakers of the divine nature when we are born again we we we we we become partakers of the divine nature the very nature of our Lord Jesus it comes in into our heart and it it births us in that new man that new man in
[41:32] Christ that is that is what it does it is by the power of the spirit of God that this happens but the spirit of God comes and it births that new man that new spirit man that can have contact and fellowship with God almighty we become partakers we have the very nature of God birthed in our hearts in our hearts that is what Nicodemus could not understand you and I cannot understand that in our old mind but the new creation in Christ Jesus can understand and can walk in that way in that hour let's read a few more verses here in 2nd
[42:37] Peter chapter 1 and it is this is written to us because it says here to them that have a pain like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ hallelujah we have a pain like precious faith verse 2 grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord that is how his grace comes as we increase in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and in God the Father as our knowledge of him increases then his grace increases in our life it increases in us and it works through us it works in us and through us to fulfill the will of
[43:38] God to walk in the will of God and to be his ambassador here on this earth according as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue his divine power the power of God himself by the spirit of God it comes and it dwells within us hallelujah and if we will yield ourselves if we will surrender our life to him he will live his life through us hallelujah oh yes you know Paul said it so so plainly so clearly so clearly he said how did you say that he is crucified with
[44:44] Christ hallelujah and now the life that lives by the power of the son of God who gave himself for us here in Peter Peter says he has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness us through the knowledge of Jesus and he has called us to glory and virtue he has called us to glory and virtue you know Isaiah you know Isaiah and Ezekiel they they got a glimpse of the new covenant they got a glimpse of the New Testament church and Isaiah says says that you know how dark that everything is but then the glory of
[45:47] God the glory of God comes upon us Isaiah 60 read it sometime time but this is the glory of God is to have his spirit upon his people and then take us out into this lost and dying world with his glory upon us hallelujah to labor in this world to labor in this dark world to take the power of God out there into the midst of a dark and a lost world he has given all things he's given us all things that pertain the life and God in us and he has called us to glory and virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these by these promises that he has given us we might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust and he continues on he gives us a lot of a lot of instruction here giving all diligence diligence so this doesn't happen automatically but we need to add our diligence we need to be diligent in this
[47:20] Christian walk we need to be diligent in this new walk with Christ he says add to your faith virtue to virtue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience to patience godliness to godliness brotherly kindness to brotherly kindness charity what a list but we don't have time to to dwell on each one of those but if these things are in you in a bound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our lord jesus christ but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins wherefore the rather brother give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our lord and savior jesus christ hallelujah an abundant entrance into the kingdom of god jesus told nicodemus unless you be born again you cannot see the kingdom of god peter said if we if we give diligence if we add these things to our faith and if we give diligence and we make our if we give diligence to make our calling and election sure we will never fall and if we give diligence to these things so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our lord and savior jesus christ hallelujah what an difference what an difference an abundant entrance into the kingdom of god yes that is that us that you is made all provisions that we can have you you you you you you you you