A New Creation?

John 14:23-29

I have had many friends through the years that have also been faithful Christians.  I have had and continue to have friends that are not Christians. I have known people who have come to faith while I have known them and I have watched as the faith of those I care about get tested and stretched.  The one Characteristic I have found consistent with those who are mature in the faith is that they aren’t often surprised by God. When blessings come they seem to have a peace and a demeanor that everything is as it should be and the faith they profess is being reaffirmed.  When trouble comes, these giants of faith have a calm assurance that the storm will pass and they remind the rest of us where we can find shelter from the storm. 

Back when Alex was just a little guy and Savannah was still a baby, I was making my way through the process of becoming a pastor.  Diane and I came to some bumps in the road.  We had some financial difficulty and I could see past our problems.  I went to my pastor, Pastor Harry and told him that I didn’t think I would be able to continue the process.  He just asked me, “When has God ever let you down?” I didn’t need to answer; he knew I didn’t need to answer.  That was all I needed to hear. All I needed was a reminder of what I already knew. Some people have the gift of faith.  They know, not just with their intellect but with their whole being that God is present and in control. God wants us to be blessed and to have the best.

Some of those folks are sitting in the church this morning.  I know because others have told me about them.  I have heard your stories about how this person said the thing you needed to hear or that person was there at a critical time.  I heard about how this community of believers was the very presence of the love of God and that was enough to get someone through.  It’s those mature disciples that help keep the rest of us focused on Jesus.  The goal for the rest of us should be to grow into spiritual maturity; to be like those great examples in our community; more so, to be like Jesus, our prime example.

So how do we do that?  I know some will tell you, and is strongly taught in some circles that when you come to believe that Jesus was the Son of God and accept him as your savior that there will be an instantaneous change and you will never sin again and you will be like those wise sages sitting among us. Well, let me tell you, I have heard of this happening.  I have heard stories of great conversions like this, but I have never met anyone like this. 

I’ve met people with dramatically changed lives because of their faith in Jesus Christ but it wasn’t an overnight transformation.  It was a decision at a moment in time, yes.  It was turning point in their life where everything before that moment was one way and everything after that was another. But if you were to talk to any of the people in this place or any place that are clearly faithful and mature Christians, you will find that there are a lot of stories of battles fought, of wounds endured and inflicted and of scars that still remain that are reminders that it was not by human power that we are saved but despite ourselves God’s grace prevails.

So how does that happen?  How does God’s grace prevail over our broken and sinful nature? How does one become a sage?  How does one become a mature follower of our Lord Jesus Christ?

It happens when God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit make their home with us. 

As any college freshman moving into a dorm for the first time or a newly married couple can tell you making a home with someone is a difficult thing to do. There is a lot of give and take.  There is lots of compromising. It doesn’t often work out so well.

The thing is with God, He doesn’t compromise, but he does forgive.  So if God, The Father, son and Holy Spirit is going to make a home with you the only one that is going to change is you.

So how do we change? What do we change?

If we want God to make our home with us I suppose we ought to find out what God is like and be more like that.  That is, if we want this new living arrangement to work out. 

The best way to know what God is like is to come to know God in his human form, Jesus Christ.  Everything that Jesus did, everything that Jesus said, showed us what God is like.  Jesus is forgiving.  Jesus did not tolerate those that kept people from God.  Jesus loved people.  He loved them through his actions by healing them; by feeding them; by teaching them; by guiding them to the truth. Jesus loves us so much; God loves us so much that there was a crucifixion.  Jesus gave his life for us so that we could have eternal life. 

Jesus loves us and if we love him, he says in scripture, we will keep his commandments. We will keep his commandments to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.   We will keep the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves not because these are the rules to be saved not because we are compelled to do so but we will keep his commandments so that we will be more like him.  We will walk in his way.  We will understand his mind.  When we desire and strive to do that, Jesus promised that they would come and make their home with us. 

God reached out to us when Jesus born in Bethlehem.  God is waiting for us to reach out to him and to grasp his outstretched hand.  It’s one thing to come to church and to be a part of the fellowship of believers, which is a blessing in itself, it is still another thing to walk in his way and to deepen your relationship with the Lord and commit to a more mature faith life. 

Jesus told his disciples, “I have told you this before it occurs so that when it does occur, you may believe.”

Jesus was reassuring the disciples that he would be back for them, though they didn’t understand how. We have the promises of the faith laid out for us in scripture.  There is nothing hidden.  The way to live is plain and simple. It may not seem easy it may seem near impossible but answer this, “when was the last time God failed you?”

So how is it with you today?  Do you know and love Jesus? Do you know what he commands of us? Do you want Jesus as an honored guest in your home or do you want him to make his home with you?  May we all walk in his way.