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New Year, New Creation
21 Plays7 months ago
Happy New Year! Join Rob and Chris as they explore a promise even greater than a New Year’s resolution. Dive into the transformative power of Scripture and discover how, through Christ, we can become a new creation. Start your year with hope, renewal, and a deeper connection to your faith.
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Transcript
Welcome Back, Rob
00:00:21
Christian McKenzie
Welcome to the Faith 168 podcast. My name is Chris. I'm one of the co-hosts here and we're here with another co-host, but as always, one co-host is missing, but this time we have a drum roll, please.
00:00:39
Christian McKenzie
Rob is the co-host that has returned.
00:00:41
rob
so
00:00:43
Christian McKenzie
How are you doing, brother?
00:00:44
rob
I'm doing well. Well, and it's good to be back with you and all of our listeners after what seems to have been a very long time away.
00:00:54
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. Well, out of the three of us, you have an adult job. So that's what I think about him.
00:01:01
rob
and for right
00:01:02
Christian McKenzie
I'm like, well, he's the real adult here. he He's not just pastoring and and working within the ministry,
00:01:03
rob
sir
New Year's Resolutions: A Humorous Take
00:01:08
Christian McKenzie
but he's also teaching.
00:01:10
Christian McKenzie
So, uh, yeah, that's, that's one of the things I'm sure that that's really busy.
00:01:10
rob
Right.
00:01:14
Christian McKenzie
And on top of that, you've got, uh, you know, several kids, you got three kids to care for.
00:01:19
rob
Yeah, absolutely.
00:01:22
Christian McKenzie
So. But yes, it's good to have you here and be back and record another episode with you.
00:01:26
rob
Absolutely.
00:01:28
Christian McKenzie
And if you're watching this, it's the new year. It's 2025.
00:01:34
rob
That's right, New Year's.
00:01:34
Christian McKenzie
Finally, right? Yeah. And everything's going to change this new year, right? Uh, I mean, I got on the scale and I got to tell you, Rob, I wasn't pleased with, with what I saw.
00:01:48
Christian McKenzie
So I'm going to go ahead and get a gym membership. and go three times and quit after that.
00:01:55
rob
Right. That's what you're supposed to do.
00:01:57
Christian McKenzie
And I fulfilled, yeah, that's my new year's resolution. And i'm I'm being realistic about it. You know, my new year's resolution is specifically get a gym membership, go three times and quit.
00:02:05
rob
There you go.
00:02:08
Christian McKenzie
So I'm not going all year. I'm just going to eat lose like five pounds, gain it back right after.
00:02:10
rob
Right.
00:02:12
rob
Yup, absolutely!
00:02:14
Christian McKenzie
So, but as we look at the new year, that is something I think that we talk about quite often is is the new year being the new year. Something's going to change. You're going to do something different. And this year is just going to be different from all of the other years. But I look at it a little bit differently. Sometimes it can just be another day that we're we're going into. And we can say that we want to make all these changes. But without a true commitment, without a true desire to be changed, really what's going to happen is nothing changes at all.
Becoming a New Creation in Christ
00:02:52
Christian McKenzie
And we can say, this is the day it all changes. This is the new year. It's 2025 now. I'm not gonna do what I did in 2024, but the simple changing of a year will not change your life unless you submit to something bigger and greater and holier than you.
00:03:12
rob
you.
00:03:13
Christian McKenzie
And so that's what we're gonna talk about today. We're gonna read some scripture out of 2 Corinthians chapter five, talking about becoming a new creation. And if you're really wanting to make a new year resolution where this year is going to be better as a Christian, we can look at this passage and say, you know what? We have been made into a new creation. Why are we holding on to the baggage of the past? And if you're not a Christian, this can be a call that as we look at it that says, hey, it's time to do something different. It's time to turn away from my sin. It's time to turn away from the world and to follow Jesus. And let me tell you,
00:03:52
Christian McKenzie
when you follow Jesus, he makes you into a new creation. And so that's what we're gonna talk about. I'm gonna read verses 16 through 19 of 2 Corinthians chapter five. And here's what Paul writes, from now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
00:04:19
Christian McKenzie
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. And so there's a, there's a huge sermon in that, I believe. And I know we've talked about this in the past at times, and we've studied through this before on our own times and with our own churches and groups. And I just want to hear a little bit of what you think about that reading right there,
Viewing Others Through God's Eyes
00:05:12
Christian McKenzie
Brother Rob.
00:05:13
rob
Yeah, absolutely. So the first thing that that I like ah to, as I read something that jumps out to me in the first sentence, we're not supposed to regard anyone according to the flesh.
00:05:33
Christian McKenzie
listen Right.
00:05:34
rob
that's That's really important if we are going to be changed. oh is if we're If we're looking at people in the flesh, it's a lot easier to fall into temptation.
00:05:46
rob
It's a lot easier to take advantage of people when you look at them as the flesh and not as how one sees them, not as um you know a brother and sister in Christ or somebody who is far from God, who God wants to bring close to himself.
00:05:47
Christian McKenzie
Right. Mmhmm.
00:06:02
rob
And so I think that If we regard people as God has called them or as He is calling them, then we have an easier way to walk in the newness of life that Christ have has given us.
00:06:12
Christian McKenzie
Mm hmm.
00:06:18
rob
And so I think Paul is giving us some, right up from the beginning here, is giving us a way to live in this new life.
00:06:29
rob
We are a new creation and as a new creation, we see things differently.
00:06:30
Christian McKenzie
Right.
00:06:35
rob
One of my favorite Bible studies as a youth ah was when my youth pastor, Brother Norman Cotton, led us through a a book called God Colored Glasses. And it was looking at everything through God's perspective. And it really opened my eyes to see things in a new light. And so I think that if we're going to operate in this new light, maybe this year we ought to look at people differently.
00:07:05
rob
you know It's a lot harder to to look at a woman with lust when you know that they're either your brother and sister in Christ or somebody that's far from God who God desperately wants to be his child and and to be
00:07:05
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
Reconciliation Through Jesus
00:07:21
rob
our brothers and sisters.
00:07:22
rob
It's a lot harder to to take advantage um financially of ah ah somebody who is your brother or sister. And so no matter what angle you look at it, the way we look at people um is vitally important.
00:07:40
rob
And that is because the way we look at God is vitally important.
00:07:41
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:07:45
rob
And I like what he said here. So so Jesus came in the flesh. but he wasn't just flesh. Although he was fully human, he was also fully God.
00:07:56
rob
Now he sits at the right hand of the Father on high, um and he is God overall.
00:07:57
Christian McKenzie
Right.
00:08:03
rob
He is the one sustaining all of creation.
00:08:04
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:08:07
rob
He is the one who's sending his spirit um to me and you to give us the boldness to preach the gospel, sending his spirit to lead people into repentance.
00:08:18
rob
Um, and so if we look at Christ as who he is, he took on flesh for a purpose to save us, but that's not all of who he is.
00:08:30
rob
He is God. And if we understand the ramifications of that, then it completely changes us. Um, and so just changing the way we look at things is going to do a tremendous work this year.
00:08:39
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:08:48
rob
as we seek to be a new creation in Christ.
00:08:50
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:08:52
rob
I said a lot, so I'll pause there and and give you a chance to respond.
00:08:56
Christian McKenzie
Oh yeah. And then when, when you only regard Christ as a man, it makes his sacrifice a common thing, a man dying for a man. That's about natural that happens.
00:09:09
Christian McKenzie
Men die all the time at war for their loved ones, for their country, for their kings, whatever it may be. But this is not just a man dying for man.
00:09:20
Christian McKenzie
This
Letting Go of Past Transgressions
00:09:21
Christian McKenzie
is God dying for man and not just dying for us so that we can continue on in sin, but dying for us so that he can save us from our sin and save us from the penalty of sin.
00:09:22
rob
Right. That's right. That's right.
00:09:37
Christian McKenzie
And another thing about looking at people in the flesh and becoming a new creation is not holding their past or even your past against yourself.
00:09:42
rob
Right.
00:09:48
Christian McKenzie
Don't regard all of that baggage, all of that junk that you had before Christ. Those things are no longer remembered. We talk about that.
00:09:59
Christian McKenzie
That's what's talked about right there about not remembering those trespasses. And if God doesn't remember your trespasses, And it's not saying that he doesn't have knowledge of your wrongdoing or anything like that, or he didn't see what you did. So you're allowed to keep going, but he does not hold it against you. Neither are we to hold anything against anyone else. ah For example, we see people a lot of times that come from drug addiction out in this area where I live.
00:10:33
Christian McKenzie
And it's very easy when you see them to say, man, they're they're a drug addict. I know that they will steal for drugs. I know that they'll hurt for drugs. and And when they come near you or they say that they want to change or they want to grow, you can be skeptical. And to not hold something against someone isn't to you know not realize that there are dangers in processes like that. But to say, you know what? If God can change me, God can change them.
00:11:03
Christian McKenzie
And when Jesus makes them into a new creation, you accept it and you move on. and And let me tell you, you'll see when someone is made into a new creation. You know, it's not saying that you have to ignore like, all right, they came up to me and they said they put their faith in Jesus and they're a new creation. But yesterday I just saw him breaking into someone's car. And I guess by scripture now I need to ignore that.
00:11:29
Christian McKenzie
No, that's not what it's saying. It's saying when you see this, when you see that they have put their faith in Jesus and they're following him, that he has wiped them clean just as he has wiped you clean and he is working on them and dealing with them. And sometimes change isn't always fast with humans too. We still slip up and we mess up. And that's another thing I have to remind myself of when dealing with people. I can get mad about certain things. Robbie knows that I can be hot headed sometimes.
00:11:59
Christian McKenzie
And I get really frustrated when things don't go as planned. and And I have to take a step back and say, you know what?
00:12:10
Christian McKenzie
People mess up. I mess up. And if I mess up, I know they mess up and my mess ups are probably greater than their mess ups and they don't even know it. and And so we have to move forward. And the only way we can move forward is to treat people like Jesus treated us. He saw us in our sin and instead of judging us, he chose to save us. And so I think there's a couple of messages in that. I'm not going to get into the depth of it right now because we would have a, you know, 30 hour discussion for, you know, a 30 minute type of podcast, but we might break that down at a later date, but
00:12:53
Christian McKenzie
We see this, that we were separated from God. that's That's why that word reconciliation is there, that we were brought back, that we were pulled back. and And it shows this idea that we were over here, God is over here. And it wasn't that we started to inch closer to Him, but He started pulling us back to Himself. And how He did that was through the finished work in the shed blood of Jesus
Hunter's Transformation Testimony
00:13:22
Christian McKenzie
Christ.
00:13:22
Christian McKenzie
who came not to die for the righteous, but to die for the sinners, to die for the ungodly. And so I remember I was asked one time to be a chaplain in a jail for a certain prisoner who did a heinous crime. So horrible. I'm not going to talk about it a lot on here, but when when I got the call, when I heard the crime, I said, no, I can't.
00:13:53
Christian McKenzie
God, you can't work with someone like that. And let me tell you, when I said that in my heart, God humbled me quick. If I can save you, I can save him. And then man, I was like, all right, God, I'll go. I will go. And so we we can't hold the past against people. And we also had to remember that with ourselves. We can't hold the past against ourselves.
00:14:22
Christian McKenzie
I did some stupid stuff in the past. And it's not that I don't remember it, but we can take that stuff that we remember and let it weigh us down and keep us from doing what God has called us to do. Instead, I say, man, look at that. That was stupid. I shouldn't do that anymore. That's not pleasing to God. That doesn't help me in my walk with Christ. Therefore,
00:14:51
Christian McKenzie
I'm gonna leave it where it was in the past and I'm gonna continue to walk with Jesus because he's already forgiven me. He's already wiped the slate clean and I need to keep moving forward. So you got anything else to add there is as we look at reconciliation? I know you you have a lot to say on on reconciliation. I've heard you speak on it before and I always love hearing what you have to say on that.
00:15:14
rob
I love it. I'm going to go from a little bit of a different perspective today, just because this has been on my heart recently.
00:15:18
Christian McKenzie
Okay.
00:15:21
rob
and ah Maybe that's for a purpose, but so I want to look at some. Old Testament prophecies of of what the Messiah was going to do. So um Ezekiel 11, 19 through 20, and I will give them one heart and a new spirit I will put in them. I will remove their heart of stone and from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh ah that they may walk in my statues and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people and I will be their God.
00:15:56
rob
Isaiah chapter 43, 18 through 19. Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. um You can look at Joel and his prophecy of the Holy Spirit coming and and giving the Holy Spirit, it's the promise from the Father, to us to walk in His ways.
00:16:29
rob
One of the the big things about the ministry of reconciliation is that He is making us new daily. It's not just something that happened one time.
00:16:39
Christian McKenzie
yes
00:16:42
rob
I'm thankful that the day that I chose to make Jesus my Lord and Savior as prompted by the Holy Spirit, that That day I was saved, but the Holy Spirit's job wasn't done.
00:16:54
rob
He wasn't through with me. He is still making me new. There are still areas of my life that need reconciliation.
00:16:59
Christian McKenzie
right
00:17:02
rob
There are still places that I need continual sanctification on, and he is still working on that. But the good news is that I don't have to do the work.
00:17:15
rob
Jesus has done the work for me and he sends his Holy Spirit to give me the power.
00:17:15
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:17:21
rob
Where I am weak, his strength is made known.
00:17:21
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:17:24
rob
He shows his strength in using weak vessels like us. um And so no matter where you are, no no matter where you've been,
00:17:29
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:17:35
rob
ah God is is able to do exceedingly more than we could ever think or imagine. Actually, I was able to to preach this Sunday. And it's it's weird going from preaching three sermons a week to preaching once or twice a month. And so I get a lot more time to to focus on my message and and draw it out more. and And so it's been really good for me
00:18:07
rob
to to be able to have that process and just a refreshing in my ah preaching. And I think of um it's definitely benefited me from having a ah little bit of time to to refocus in on it. ah But this Sunday, I was able to to give a message about one of my really good friends. His name is Hunter. And I met Hunter in Arkansas. And I won't get into the story too much.
00:18:35
rob
um the I've given the testimony before and maybe sometime i' I'll give that testimony. Maybe we can have Hunter on a podcast, that would be awesome.
00:18:45
Christian McKenzie
Oh, yeah, that'd be great. yeah
00:18:47
rob
ah but So Hunter, the first time I met him, his grandmother asked me to go visit him in jail and he was on his last stint in jail before he was going to prison.
00:18:59
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:19:00
rob
In fact, the sheriff said that if he did not accept Um, the going to a rehab facility that, uh, he was going to turn him over to the state and the state was coming, going to come get him and put him in the pen, uh, penitentiary.
00:19:17
Christian McKenzie
Oh, man.
00:19:17
rob
And so he, uh, so I met with him. I shared my testimony about how at my lowest moment, when I had gone farther than, than I thought I ever would, and and that where I thought that God could never love me.
00:19:31
rob
He reached out and he spoke to me that that he still loved me and and that I was still his child. And um that day Hunter was saved, that day um there was a spark that that made Hunter new.
00:19:36
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:19:44
rob
And long story short, today, um just about two months ago, Hunter shared a picture on Facebook that he is now working with the sheriff that I worked with for him.
00:19:45
Christian McKenzie
yes
00:20:00
rob
to go into that same jail to reach people exactly where he was.
00:20:00
Christian McKenzie
Mm.
00:20:06
rob
So he's a part of a bigger ministry, but he's also working with that jail to go in and reach people and and get them the help that they need. um yeah ah I've got pictures and in like I said, when we do that podcast, um whether Hunter can can be a part of it or not, I've got his permission to use his pictures and his testimony.
00:20:14
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. Wow.
00:20:26
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hm.
00:20:26
rob
um the difference between his first picture where he looked like death to where he is today with a wife and children and and leading this, or or at least ah a part of a leadership team of this ministry and able to go into the jail that he was set in many of the years from age 14 to 28 to reach people where he was.
00:20:52
rob
God can do... he he He has the power to reconcile anybody to himself. And that is the good news of the gospel, is that all of us are sinners.
00:20:58
Christian McKenzie
yes
00:21:03
rob
We've all fallen short of the glory of God. But while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, that we have reconciliation with the Father.
00:21:10
Christian McKenzie
i mean Yes.
00:21:13
rob
We are made right with the Father because what the Son has done, and we simply get to walk in it. And that's what this is all about, is that
00:21:22
Christian McKenzie
Mhm.
00:21:23
rob
Now that we have received it, we have to walk in it.
00:21:27
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:21:28
rob
We can receive it and just go on with the rest of our lives and and never really get into the depths and the love and the mercy, the grace and the the purpose of our life.
00:21:43
rob
But God's got more
Role of Personal Experience in Ministry
00:21:44
rob
for us and in our lives don't end at salvation for a reason because he's got a plan and a purpose for us.
00:21:50
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:21:52
rob
And most of the time, God uses the struggles that we've been through, the sin, the shortcomings, to reach other people exactly where we were with the gospel.
00:22:04
Christian McKenzie
you
00:22:04
rob
And we can see reconciliation in them because of our testimony. um And so I know I went a long way around that.
00:22:09
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. Oh, no. no Yeah.
00:22:15
rob
But God is reconciling humanity to himself. um
00:22:20
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:22:21
rob
And he's using us to do it. what ah What a blessing, but we also can't just sit back and do nothing.
00:22:24
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:22:26
rob
We have to walk in
00:22:28
Christian McKenzie
Right. When we've been reconciled, we, we have the desire now and scripture says, if you look at Romans chapter 12, a reasonable service to be a living sacrifice and reach others so that they can be reconciled.
00:22:44
rob
yeah
00:22:44
Christian McKenzie
And that's wonderful to hear that testimony of your friend over in Arkansas. that he was reconciled. he He was saved. He went from this person that was walking the path of the world to this person that was following in the righteousness of Christ. And instead of just keeping that to himself, he goes back to where he was to the people that were there and are still there that need that same reconciliation. And what a wonderful testimony that is.
00:23:19
Christian McKenzie
to share and that's something we should all have. we We have areas in our life, not all of us have been to jail, not all of us have if been, you know, under surveillance from the authorities and some of us look on paper like we've had a pretty decent life, but outside of Christ, you were falling in your sin and your evil desires and you were somewhere where other people were that were also so fallen in their sin.
00:23:34
rob
Yeah.
00:23:39
rob
Yeah.
00:23:50
Christian McKenzie
and need reconciliation like you, you can go back to places like that understanding that you have a deeper connection. I've done jail ministry, but I've never been to jail. And I've noticed that while I could preach the scripture to them that were incarcerated, they never truly connected with me fully. ah But there was a guy there that honestly couldn't preach worth a lick didn't really know scripture great but he man he was saved he was he was in love with Jesus he was completely changed and you he and he went to prison he went to prison for killing your guy and uh i sat by this guy and this was not a killer he was a killer but no longer was he a killer
00:24:42
Christian McKenzie
And as he would minister to these guys, he might not know where everything was in the Bible, nor be able to piece it together to make a little message for the guys. But they connected with him because he was once wearing the same uniform they were.
00:24:58
Christian McKenzie
And what a ministry he had with them. I couldn't compare. All I could do was help.
00:25:01
rob
Yeah.
00:25:02
Christian McKenzie
I was a helper in that. I was just the guy that helped pretty much lead everything back to the right part of scripture to make it make sense and that's all I did and ah I could go on with a billion other things where I've been and how I can reach people better in some areas. I tell the students the best way to reach a student is not for their youth pastor or their pastor to come into the school and try and reach them but for the kids to go in there because they're striving alongside those people those are their peers and they can reach them better but we have
00:25:38
Christian McKenzie
a reasonable service to be a living sacrifice because Christ gave him his all for us he reconciled us and we need to go out there and preach that gospel and then
David Livingstone's Missionary Journey
00:25:51
Christian McKenzie
there's an invitation to this I believe as we read verses 20 through 21 Rob do you want to read those
00:25:59
rob
Do they? God's word says, therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ. God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
00:26:12
rob
For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Man, what a ah beautiful scripture.
00:26:22
Christian McKenzie
Amen.
00:26:25
rob
It's something that I use very often. because it it just sums up the gospel so well.
00:26:32
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:26:32
rob
The God that created the world that fell into sin became the very thing that was killing us in order that we might be saved and reconciled unto himself.
00:26:45
rob
um One more illustration.
00:26:45
Christian McKenzie
yes
00:26:48
rob
for this and and then I'll let you um let you have some thoughts on it. So there was a, once again, I'm not gonna get deep into this testimony, so you can look this one up and read about it. ah There was a missionary in Africa, his name was David Livingstone. And David Livingstone went through a lot of trouble.
00:27:11
rob
to to preach in Africa. He lost his eye um while trekking through the jungle.
00:27:15
Christian McKenzie
Mm hmm.
00:27:18
rob
he He was attacked by a lion and it shattered his shoulder. um you know he His face was so marred by the the hot sun in Africa as he would go on these trips and journeys that every time he would go back to visit his wife and children, they they could recognize him less and less.
00:27:37
rob
He did all this for the sake of Christ. But um the history books tell us, now I think this is probably inaccurate, but going off what the history books say, ah he only made one convert.
00:27:49
rob
in in all of his many
Every Believer's Role in Reconciliation
00:27:51
rob
years, in all of his journeys, and he didn't just want to save people, he wanted to stop slavery. And so he was trying to to explore the Nile River to to find the natural resources there in Africa so that um the Africans could profit off of resources instead of people. um And so his his job was twofold, but his main work was to reach people for the case of Christ. and um But the one guy that he did convert without a shadow of a doubt was a chief of a village. And um at first the chief did not like the God of the Bible because he couldn't manipulate him. So he could manipulate the the rain god and the sun god by the the
00:28:45
rob
you know, the the different people in his village, the the medicine men, different things like that that would do their dances and manipulate their gods. But the god of of David, he couldn't be manipulated. And eventually, because of his respect for David and the the sacrifices that David did, the the guys finally listened ah to to David Livingstone and was finally saved by the grace of God. Now he struggled with the cross-cultural aspect of what it means to be a Christian like we all do. But the thing about this chief is he led his whole village to Christ. And then he started traveling with David and other people started to convert to Christianity because of David's willingness to do all of that for if it was just one
00:29:38
rob
just one soul, but that one soul then multiplied to hundreds of souls that I hope and pray then multiplied to hundreds of more.
00:29:44
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:29:47
rob
um That's the the amazing thing about the ministry of reconciliation, is that even if what we do is just for one person, you never enough you never know what that one person could do.
00:30:02
rob
David Livingstone was the one that that sacrificed his life.
00:30:03
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:30:06
rob
David Livingstone was the one that that gave everything up. He was the the missionary, the ah one that we all look up to. But the one who made the most converts, the one that won people to Christ was the one who was in their shoes, a part of their culture, a part of who they are, and they could see in him this change.
00:30:28
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:30:33
rob
that they wanted a part of.
00:30:33
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:30:34
rob
ah And so as pastors, it's real easy to say that we're a part of ah you know the ministry of reconciliation and we are, praise God.
00:30:35
Christian McKenzie
Mm hmm.
00:30:48
rob
But the truth is that the ministry of reconciliation is a work of the Holy Spirit through every believer.
00:30:54
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:30:56
rob
It's not a pastor pastoral job, it's not the job of your pastor.
00:31:00
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:31:01
rob
It's your job. It's my job as a Christian, not as a pastor. That's what I tell my people all the time, is that my job as a pastor is to feed the sheep.
00:31:06
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:31:12
rob
My job as a Christian is to share the gospel.
00:31:13
Christian McKenzie
Right.
00:31:15
rob
ah And so the the ministry of reconciliation is something that we can all be a part of.
00:31:15
Christian McKenzie
right Amen.
00:31:23
rob
Why? Because Christ reconciled us and is using us as ambassadors. for his kingdom. We are part of the greatest kingdom that has ever existed under the the authority of the king that is the the king of kings and the Lord of lords.
00:31:32
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:31:42
rob
And we are the ambassadors.
00:31:43
Christian McKenzie
yes
00:31:44
rob
We get to go and share about the the greatest kingdom and about the greatest king.
00:31:47
Christian McKenzie
Yes. Yes.
00:31:51
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. This is what our King has to offer.
00:31:53
rob
That's right.
00:31:53
Christian McKenzie
He gave it to us. We're a testimony of his grace, his goodness, his authority. and here's what he wants to offer to you. And man, I can't tell you how many times I quote II Corinthians 5.21.
00:32:09
rob
Right.
00:32:09
Christian McKenzie
I think I can almost put it into every sermon because that's what we're really looking to, is that Christ switched places with us.
00:32:12
rob
Absolutely.
00:32:15
rob
enjoy That's right.
00:32:19
Christian McKenzie
He took on our sin and he gave us his righteousness.
00:32:21
rob
absolutely
00:32:24
Christian McKenzie
And that righteousness is so that we can stand before a good and righteous God
00:32:29
rob
That's
00:32:29
Christian McKenzie
and hear those words, welcome home my good and faithful servant, that it's no longer based on our works, but it's based on the finished works of Christ.
00:32:33
rob
right.
00:32:37
rob
man'am
00:32:37
Christian McKenzie
But also when we take on that righteousness, it changes us.
00:32:42
rob
Yeah.
Essence of Christ's Sacrifice
00:32:43
Christian McKenzie
we When we realize what Jesus did for us and the great debt that he paid on our behalf and that he gives us his standing before the Father, man,
00:33:01
Christian McKenzie
it it it changes you. When I put my faith in Jesus, I didn't put my faith in Jesus out of a fear of hell. And a lot of times I think that might be one of the places where we kind of veered off.
00:33:17
Christian McKenzie
Yes, hell is something that people need to understand. They need to know what they're being saved from.
00:33:22
rob
Absolutely.
00:33:22
Christian McKenzie
But hell is not what they need to know about so that they put their faith in Jesus.
00:33:28
rob
Right.
00:33:28
Christian McKenzie
It just It's what helps them understand the great love that Jesus has for them, that they deserve that, but he doesn't want them to go there.
00:33:33
rob
right
00:33:38
Christian McKenzie
And so while we were still sinners, as you quoted earlier, Christ died for us. That's how God demonstrates his love toward us. We were sinners, we didn't deserve it, but he gave it to us anyway.
00:33:51
Christian McKenzie
And so when we look at that, there's this understanding now too, of the great love that God has for us and I don't know where you're at who you are who's listening to this right now but but you need to understand this if you're a Christian right now God loves you and he saved you from your sin I feel unworthy all the time as a pastor I stand up in the pulpit and sometimes I wonder God why do you use someone like me and then I find myself back at this verse that
00:34:27
Christian McKenzie
he who knew no sin became sin so that I could become the righteousness of God and man what a beautiful thing that was to understand that because it emboldens me it reminds me of who I am and I'm able to stand up a little bit stronger for Jesus knowing that he wiped that away that he he made me clean and if you're not a Christian this is a thing you need to understand We have this thing I hear it all the time. Well, before I come to Jesus, I need to take care of a few things. No, he's already taking care of it. He's already done all the work. He who knew no sin became sin so that you could become the righteousness of God. If you truly want to become new, it's not through your work. It's not through your timing. It's not through you trying to get a couple of things right before you come to Jesus. It's you coming broken, sinful, ungodly,
00:35:21
Christian McKenzie
before the King of kings and the Lord of lords who knew no sin yet took it on himself on the cross and shed every ounce of his blood for you so that you could stand up not with your sin anymore but with his righteousness and if there's something you want to do this new year and you want it to stick do it with Jesus call upon Jesus follow Jesus put your faith in Jesus and let me tell you If you want something new
Conclusion and Prayer for Spiritual Growth
00:35:51
Christian McKenzie
to happen, it's only going to happen with Jesus. And that's all I gotta say. so
00:36:00
rob
I think that's a great place to end because um we know the truth. The truth is that in the fullness of time, God took on flesh. He lived, He died, He paid the price for us to reconcile us to God. And now now it's in our part, we get to to choose what we do with it. We can live for Him.
00:36:25
rob
and experience the joy of being his child, experience the joy of walking in freedom, the freedom from shame, the freedom from guilt, the the freedom from sin.
00:36:40
rob
Not that we don't sin, but that it does not hold us captive any anymore because Jesus has set us free.
00:36:40
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. Yes.
00:36:49
rob
And you want to talk about new and and being able to live You can truly live when you understand that that what has held you captive all of your life, you have been set free from.
00:37:03
rob
And the sad part, I think, is that many Christians don't understand that. And and we've got to do a better job of quipping the saints.
00:37:15
rob
And so if you're watching this, just like Brother Chris said, we all feel unworthy.
00:37:15
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:37:20
rob
It's because we are. But the good news is, is that The one who is worthy took our place. He took our unworthiness upon himself and he put his worth inside of us.
00:37:32
rob
um And so we get that freedom. And so this year we just challenge you to walk in the newness of life that God has either provided you or is offering you.
00:37:44
rob
And we would love to to help you out in any way possible.
00:37:44
Christian McKenzie
me
00:37:46
rob
Reach out to us um and we'd love to help out in any way. But if you don't have anything else, brother, I'll close us in a word of prayer.
00:37:52
Christian McKenzie
Yeah,
00:37:55
Christian McKenzie
yeah definitely go ahead.
00:37:57
rob
All right. Father, we thank you so much for this day for all your many blessings. Father, we thank you for your ministry of reconciliation, that he who knew no sin,
00:38:09
rob
became sin, that we might become your righteousness. Father, we thank you for what you've done for us, um the that you loved us so much that you left your throne in glory, that you stepped down.
00:38:21
rob
And just as Paul alludes to here is that ah Jesus was not a man
00:38:27
Christian McKenzie
Hey, Chris.
00:38:29
rob
only that died for us. He was fully man, but you are also fully God, and you step down to die for us. Father, help us to look at people as as you see people. Father, help us to treat people as as you have treated us and and you would treat others. Father, help us to live in this newness of life. Father, as we enter 2025, Father, we can have so many ideas and hopes and dreams about the year.
00:38:59
rob
But without the power of the Holy Spirit, we we cannot accomplish any of them. But Father, with your Holy Spirit, we can walk in the newness of life and see you do things in our lives that that only you can do.
00:39:14
rob
Father, we can have um we can have the the testimony of the Davids of the world. We can have the testimony of the hunters of the world if we would simply walk in the newness of life that you have provided.
00:39:23
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:39:28
rob
So Father, I pray that even in this moment, that as our listeners are praying along with us, that you would touch their heart. Father, that you would either um lead them to salvation or lead them to a full understanding of how good your grace is that you finish the work before us Father, we thank you so much for the ministry of reconciliation that it's not a one-time thing, but you are continually bringing us closer to you and reconciling us to you. Father, thank you so much for that. Thank you for our listeners. Father, we pray a a special spiritual blessing on each one. Father, we just pray that that you reveal to them your love, your mercy, and your grace
00:40:16
rob
Father, lead us and God is closer to you. Help us be led by your love to live for you. And it's in the precious and powerful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
00:40:28
rob
Thank you guys so much for joining us today.
00:40:28
Christian McKenzie
Amen.
00:40:30
rob
It was a ah great blessing for us to be able to do this and I hope that you are blessed by it too. um Go into 2025, the new year with the blessing of the ministry of reconciliation brought to you by the Holy Spirit.
00:40:45
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:40:47
rob
Thank you guys, we'll see you next week.