Notes
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.
Ezekiel 36:26
For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Romans 6:4
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.
Revelation 21:1
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17
The focus of the Church is evangelism and discipleship. When many people come to Christ, they are at rock bottom. But God doesn’t just take our broken pieces and put them back together; He makes us brand new.
When we first become Christians, there is a honeymoon period; we are so excited and eager to learn. Then, as we get closer to God, the more we realize just how perfect He is and just how flawed we are.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2
This is the work many of us neglect because it can be difficult and painful. We cannot mature our faith by remaining as spiritual toddlers. If your story isn’t good yet, it isn’t over; He still has things for you to do, but it takes work.
Sometimes we use God to run or hide from Him; we use church attendance, small groups or Bible studies, or religious acts or works to hide what’s really going on in the battlefield of our minds. Instead of hiding, acknowledge the way you feel, submit it to Jesus, and then ask Him what He is going to do with it. It’s not our work that changes us but the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
Be real with God. We need His help. With Him we can be whole, redeemed, and brand new. We can be a Church where people know they can go when they’re at the end of their rope, displaying a love so kind and generous that hell shudders.
Group Questions
- Can you share a personal story of how you felt renewed by God?
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that anyone in Christ is a new person. What changes have you noticed in yourself since you started following Christ?
- What are some practical ways we can allow God to transform our thoughts?
- Have you ever found yourself using religious activities to hide from deeper issues? How can we move past this and address the real battles in our minds?
Prayer
Thank you for your promises of transformation and renewal. Help us to embrace the new lives we have in Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us.