Creekside Church Sermon of March 25, 2001 "The New You" II Corinthians 5:16-21	Rev. David Bibbee
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I had a friend named John who died in 1985 at age 87. I was a benefactor of his sage wisdom. Now and then I pull out a file I've labeled, "The Good Stuff". Inside are gems of insight, wisdom, and humor I have gleaned over the years. When the mood strikes, I pull out a list of original verses written by John back in 1920 and I read sayings like this:

"I notice that a person who talks a lot is sooner or later going to say something mighty foolish."

"You can learn from everyone. Even the most uninteresting personality carries a secret for you to discover."

"More arguments can be settled by keeping the yap shut than are settled by all the yapping that yappers yap."

Then there is this little gem to get us thinking about the matter at hand. John said, "Have you ever wished for a different face?" I'll say! Some of us might answer, "Yes, every time I look in a mirror." This is the reason we are like mush in advertisers hands. Everyone, the good looking included, believe they have room for improvement. "Oil of Olay your skin. Mabeline your eyes. Clearasil your acne. While you're at it look at the rest of you! Work out…get rippling abs and a firm fanny, and for goodness sake, try some Rogaine and get a tan!"

There is so much emphasis upon "superficial" change. "There's nothing like a makeover, dear, to make you feel like a new you." We work so much at superficial change, but not "substantial" change…the kind that can transform our lives. The theologian Paul Tillich said the whole Christian message can be summed up in just two words…New Creation. With the coming of Christ into the world, a New Being, a New Reality has come into existence. Since he has come, the old state, the old ways of thinking and believing and living are no longer life's only options. By virtue of being born into the world we live in the old state. We order our lives around its organization, we are part of the old structure.

But in Jesus God did something about it. Paul puts it this way: "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new." Now that Jesus has come we don't have to stay where we are and how we are. By becoming part of this new being Jesus has brought to life, we can become new creations. But let's ask a question. Why would you want to change in the first place?

I have a book called, Dealing With Your Discontent. Discontent is an accurate word to describe our condition. In the marrow of our bones we sense that something about life is askew. Whether you are poor or rich, average or gifted, discontent does not go away. You can pad it, but eventually it will rub you raw, this dissatisfaction, this discontent that is a part of the old creation. We know that all is not so well with us, yet we are not sure what to do about it, which, in turn, makes us targets for those who happen to have just what we need.

The other day while I pumped gas at the service station, I looked across the street to the Flavor Freeze. It was still open, and a hot fudge sunday with chocolate ice cream sounded really good, but I have been putting on weight and considering a reduction in my sugar and chocolate intake. I've been meaning to do this for a couple of weeks now, but when I am close to the Flavor Freeze, my car has a mind of its own and the next thing you know I'm in the drive-through line. In my line of sight to the Flavor Freeze I saw a sign nailed to a telephone pole. It read, "I lost 40 pounds in two months. Call 800-815-lose. Free sample." Then I started thinking. "You know, with the right plan I could slim down to a 34 waist and still have ice cream and chocolate."

There is a reason we keep making promises and resolutions. It is because we keep failing. We continue holding out hope for ourselves. Maybe this time. Maybe this is the book to help me over the hurdle. Maybe today I'll hear that sermon I've waited all my life to hear. If I just go to the right church. If I buy a Bo-Flex. I'll eat organic and cut out refined foods. I'll eat oat bran, or get a good therapist…then I will be a new person…maybe. But I wouldn't hold your breath.

The author of Ecclesiastes describes the old creation for us. "All things are wearisome, more than one can express. What has been is what will be. There is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, 'See, this is new'? It has already been in the ages before us." Yet, this doesn't keep us from trying on our own to be renewed.

One of my favorite sports stories is about a man named Harvey Gartley. He was a gangly guy from Breckenridge, Texas. He dreamed of becoming the middleweight boxing champion of the world. He trained at a ferocious pace, and everyone at the gym was moved by his passion. Then came his first fight. He was totally wound. When the bell rang he buried his face in his gloves and charged across the ring to engage his opponent, who, when he saw Harvey's full frontal attack, simply stepped aside and Harvey smashed into the ring post, knocking himself out. Not a punch was thrown, yet the fight was over in less than 14 seconds-four for Harvey to charge and be knocked unconscious, and a 10 count after the post dropped him.

This is a parable of what happens when we try the self-help approach to change in our lives. We knock ourselves out. Last Sunday John Berkebile talked about the state we get ourselves into when we try to change ourselves by ourselves. The end result is frustration and futility. Acts of good will and good deeds benefit others and ourselves, but do not appease God. A life of prayer, service, and moral behavior makes for a fine life and witness, but it doesn't move God. Will power can create great achievements, but will not make us acceptable to God. There is a very old children's song that goes:

"Oh who can make the sun shine? I'm sure I can't, can you?
Oh who can make the wind blow, and the raindrops and a flower?
I'm sure I can't. Can you?"

There's little we can do about what matters most. "Oh who can change their life? I can't. Can you?" "Who can reconcile themselves to God? I can't, can you?" Do you know what happens we spend years consciously or unconsciously working at good will, good graces, good behavior, and good deeds? In addition to knocking ourselves out we end up hating God. How would you feel toward a demanding person if you had given years of your life doing things to win their approval, yet they remained unmoved saying, "It is not good enough!"? Would you love them? Hardly. Yet this is how many of us relate to God.

Self-help schemes can hurt you, but can't help you. They may offer insights, but cannot produce lasting change. The bad news is, "You can't change you." The good news is, Someone can. Who can make a new you? Who is the architect of New Creation? The answer is in verse 18. "All this is from God who has reconciled us to himself through Christ."

I have a friend who is a recovering alcoholic. He went through nearly 40 years of hell trying to get himself sober, but he couldn't. Now he knows who can. Kermit was always wanting me to pass along books to help him in his walk of faith. When he returned them I always found Post-It notes with commentary and reactions to the author. One note in particular stands out. It said, "Oh David. This answers so much. I can understand it and it solves so much for me." He was responding to these words:

"Be reconciled to God. It doesn't mean to try to reconcile yourselves. You will fail. But in Christ a new reality has appeared in which we are reconciled. To enter the new being we do not need to show anything. We must only be open to be grasped by it, although we have nothing to show."

Real change is difficult. Maybe we make it so hard because it is so easy. You can't make a new creation of yourself anymore than you can sit in your own lap. But Someone can. He has a name. The new creation's architect is Jesus. He has a design for all of us. God's original creation started out fine, but we altered and distorted it. When we give Christ access to our lives, he doesn't destroy the old creation…he transforms it. He pulls together that which we pulled apart. He re-news us. He re-unites us. He re-conciles us. He re-surrects us.

50 years ago a disheveled college student slipped into the back pew of a New York City church. He had been partying all night and was hung over. He was a mess. He had no idea why he was even there. During the morning prayer his eyes were open and he gawked at the people. "Why are they here?" he wondered. "What difference does this malarkey make to the seemingly intelligent, happy people?"

Then his eyes locked on a man across the aisle. It was one of his science professors at Columbia, a man with a long list of degrees and academic honors. There he sat, head bowed, humbled before God. Then the party boy thought, "Now I know why this guy is so kind and understanding. Now I know why he listens closely and takes extra time when a lesson is not clear. If he can believe in God, so can I." The student who walked out of church that Sunday was not the same one who stumbled in. A new creation had come into being.

The professor didn't know the student was there until 20 years later, long after he retired from teaching. There was knock on his door and he was met by a middle-aged man and his wife. They were missionaries on furlough from Africa. In the professor's study he said, "I don't know what it was, sir. I think it was the look on your face, the fact that you were there, the fact that the way you live matched the faith you confess. Whatever it was, Jesus made me a new person through you."

Be careful, you never know whose watching, do you?

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