Jump Start # 765

Ephesians 4:22-24 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

This week we have been focusing upon the concept of change. A new year brings the hopes and opportunities for improvement. We often call those things resolutions or goals. We looked at John 9 and the changes that came when Jesus restored sight to the blind man. We also looked at John 4 and Jesus’ promise to the Samaritan woman that an hour was coming when God would be worshipped in spirit and in truth.

There are really two types of changes that we face in life: one is voluntary and the other is beyond our control. Life is full of changes. The weather changes and there is little we can do about that. As we age, we change. The person of sixty doesn’t look like the person of twenty-five. A person can try to keep in shape but he will not be able to stop the aging process. Our kids grow up and move out. Solomon said a “generation goes and a generation comes.”

The voluntary changes in life is something that we all can work on. These are choices. We decide to do these things. Eating right, saving money, being content, becoming Christ like are all choices that we are capable of making.

Our passage today reminds us of those things. Paul told the Ephesians that there was the old man and a new man. The old man was the person they were before they became a Christian, the “pre-Christ” man. That person had a history and lots of baggage. He did basically whatever he felt like doing and sin and mistakes filled the landscape of his heart. Then he came to know Jesus. He learned, believed and followed the Lord. Grace and forgiveness took over. He now viewed life through the eyes of Christ. His character and nature changed. He learned patience, humbleness and righteousness. He became a new person.

That scene is the life story of every person who is a Christian. We all have a past. We now all have a different future. Jesus is the answer. That new person in Christ is a product of godly choices made every day. It doesn’t just happen.

Sometimes along the journey of life, we quit making those godly choices. We get lazy spiritually. We become tired on the insides. We become discouraged. We go through the motions but no longer are motivated to be that new person. We find the old ways, the old choices start reappearing again. If we are not careful what we find is that on the outside, we claim to be a Christian but  on the inside we have returned to the old self. It is the insides that eventually determine the outsides. Paul’s words are to a church. Christians need to be reminded to put on the new man. Right choices need to be made.

The wonderful thing about all of this is that a person can change if they want to. Someone who hasn’t been hitting on all cylinders can get fired up for the Lord and make great changes. Someone who has been on the sidelines of life can make the right choices and get in the game and make a difference. That choice is within each of us. You can know the Bible if you want. You can teach others if you want. You can become a spiritual giant if you want. You can be a man or woman of prayer if you want. You can change your family’s spiritual legacy if you want.

Things do not have to be the way they are. You are not stuck nor destined, you can choose to be a new person in Christ. Those choices come with consequences and effort, but they are within your reach.

People often take inventory at the end of a year to see how things are. This is true especially financially. A person will look at the year end mutual fund reports to see how things did. They may make some adjustments and changes. If they like what they see, they will keep things going. If they don’t like what they see, they will make changes. That works financially. It also works spiritually. If you don’t like where you are spiritually, make adjustments and changes.

If your prayer life stinks, do something about it. If your worship attendance is sporadic, do something about it. If your knowledge of God’s word is sketchy, do something about it. Put on the new man. Make the changes. You do not have to stay the way you are.

Put on…great words to remind us to make the right choices today!

Roger