1
The Message for May 8, 2016
Luke 24:44-53 & Ephesians 2:10
Reformat
Rob Miller, Pastor
I love it when I get a new computer! Everything is quicker and easier –searching the net is a breeze. You click on a link and you are there in no time. It’s amazingly fast. But as time goes by… you add more programs…stuff builds up on your computer… andpretty soon it slows down.
When my computerslows down, I getfrustrated… too many programs… too much stuff… and sometimes it locks up. When that happens I take drastic measures. I take “The Reformat” route… Ever have to do that?
Your computer locks up and you can’t do anything with it. Or you get a message on thescreen that looks like this: WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK DRIVE C: WILL BE LOST! Proceed with Format (Y/N)?
I panic when that happens. Because once you press that “Y” button, you can’t go back. If you forgot to back up some files or documents, well it’s too late…
And yet–there is this incredible peace that comes with hitting that “Y” button. You start anew. The old is gone, and the new has come.
Question:Ever feel like you need to reformat your life?
This morning we continueour 4-week series on Ephesians 2:10.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.(Ephesians 2:10)
Last week we considered the first part of that verse - we are God’s masterpiece. This week we consider the second part of that verse -He has created us anew in Christ Jesus.
Being created anew in Christ Jesus islike beingreformatted. That’s what I invite you to consider here this morning. The question is How… How do we experience this reformatted life that Jesus offers? In three ways...
1.Forgiven Life
Ever wish you could go back and change something you said or did? Ever make a mistakethat had really bad consequences? Believe it or not mistakes happen to everyone. St. Paul tells us in Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
We make mistakes… We’re all sinners… But we are a special kind of sinner. We are forgiven sinners. Sin has no power over us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. As forgiven sinners we don’t see mistakes as mistakes – we see them as learning opportunities…
Jesus forgives us… the question is can we forgive ourselves? Can you? Can you forgive yourself?
I am helping to coach my son’s baseball team. One of the boy struck out at the end of the game and was upset that others would blame him for losing the game.I had to remind him of all the good plays he had made and that striking out didn’t define him. Our mistakes our strikeouts do not define us either.
This forgiven life -- this reformatted life in Christ begins by confessing our mistakes our sins…
If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.(1 John 1:9)
We confess here in worship… That’s the easy part. Turning away from our sins and turning towards Jesus is the hard part…
Let me put it this way--Who or what is on the thrown of your life?
We put all kinds of things on the throne of our lives. Our job, ourselves, our stuff, our sins. Whatever we put on the throne of our lives is what we worship we give it power over our lives. Who or what has power over your life? That throne belongs to Jesus.
Say this with me -- Jesus, I am giving you control… I am putting you on the throne of my life.
I’ve learned that when I do that, when Jesus is first in my life there is a certain peace that comesover me. He is in charge.
The first way we are created new in Christ is through a forgiven life. The second way we are created newis through…
2. Abundant Life
Jesus came so that we can have life – not just any life –but abundant life. We read in John 10:10…
Jesus says, the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.(John 10:10)
Jesus is all about life – abundant life.
A few months ago my computer locked up. So I took it to Doghouse Computer and they reformatted it for me. If you have computer problems go to Doghouse. When I got my computer back it seemed better than new. They took off a bunch of applications and programs I didn’t need. It doesn’t randomly shut down or lock up. It doesn’t take an hour to check my email.
I starteddoing what you do with computers. I started putting more and more stuff on it. Adding this program and saving that document, downloading this ebook and that video. I added all kinds of applications and lots of data. Now it’s slow again.
Computer experts will tell you that when you add programs to your computer, it adds instructions, telling your computer what to do when it turns on and what to do after it is turned on. Some of these instructions don’t agree with some of the other applications or program on your computer, so it slows down as it tries to sort out everything. Now, when I turn it on, it has run a gazillion applications.
My computer is not experiencing the abundant life! It is experiencing the bogged down life!
I believe the samething happens to us. As we go through life, we let the world install all kinds of applications to our lives, some good – some not so good. We add more stuff and we get bogged down with life.
Many people are not experiencing the abundant life that Jesus offers. We need to reformat. We need Jesus to come into our lives and clean up our application to life.
Ever feel like you are experiencing application overload? Ever feel like there are so many mixed messages going on in your brain that you want to just shut down? Too many things to do… Too many expectations…
If that is you – maybe it time to reformat your life and installthis one operating system…
LovetheLordyourGodwith allyourheart, and with allyoursoul, and with allyour strength, and with allyourmind; andyourneighbor asyourself. (Luke 10:27)
That’s it. That’s THE APPLICATION for our lives.
Oh… If we could operate according to this one systems application, life takes on a whole new meaning and purpose for us.
I’ve discovered that there are many life-applications out there thatbog us down. We hear them on the TV, in movies, from famous people, from politicians, from our neighbor next door… Soon we start to believe and live by these things:
- money buys happiness
- the one with the most toys wins
- do whatever feels good for you
- God doesn’t love you
- you’re not good enough
- please yourself, not God or anybody else
- life works best without Godin the way
- me, me, me - it’s all about me
We read in Romans 12:2…
Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
We are to renew our minds by letting God change the way we think about ourselves, about people, and about God.
I’ve also discovered that after about seven days we begin to forget about God and God’s ways. We get out of the habit. That’s why it’s so important for us to
- Come to worship weekly
- Read the Bible regularly
- Pray by listening to God
- Participate in a small group
- Serve in and through this congregation
The devil hates it when we apply these things to our lives. I don’t know about you -- but I love it when the devil is mad at me. My focus is on Jesus and his ways.
Question:What are you focused on? Does your life need to be reformatted?
Pray this with me.
God reformat my life right here and right now and make me anew in Christ Jesus. Amen.
The first way we are created new in Christ Jesus is to live a forgiven life. The second way we are created new is through an abundant life… The third way we are created anew is through…
3. Eternal Life
C.S. Lewis writes thatpeople long for immortality. We want to live forever. Time passes, and we act surprised! We say things like, “Wow, they grow up so fast!” Or… “That seems like just yesterday!” Lewis says that it’s funny how we talk as if the passing of time is always surprising us!
Are you surprised that the sun rose this morning? Of course not! It is nothing new! The sun rises every morning. So what is the deal with us being so surprised that time is passing?
Lewis suggests that this is evidencethat we were made for immortality. We were made for eternal life!
We were not made for this world alone. God created us to live with him forever. We live a life that starts in this world but doesn’t end here. Think about that for a second. We were made to live forever -- just not forever in this world.
We read in John 17:3…
And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3)
We were made to know Jesus forever. That’s life -- in this world and the next -- knowing Jesus.
Have you ever listened to how some people talk about heaven – that it will be better and yet similar to what they are experiencing now.
In heaven are…
- The best golf courses.
- The fastest cars.
- The most beautiful beaches.
- The best hiking trails.
Who knows, maybe all of that’s true! But one thing I do know is that heaven is all about Jesus. It’s about being with Jesus.
He is the one who makes life possible. He knows you. The question is do you know him? The only way we get to know someone is by spending time with them… Spend time with Jesus and we come to a point in life when nothing else matters.
As St. Paul writes in Philippians 3:8…
I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Philippians 3:8)
Oh if we could all arrive at that point in life.
My hope is that Jesus will reformat your life here today because he alone offers a forgiven life, abundant life, and eternal life.
We are God’s masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Please, please, please don’t ever forget that. Amen