Sep 11, 2023
We all love new things. There is something about buying it,
unwrapping it and using it for the first time. There is one thing
that we want to be new, but just really don't know how to go
making it happen: the person in the mirror. There are
all sorts of things about us that we want to be new; whether it's
physical appearance or personality traits or maybe something that
is broken in our lives.
Because we want a fresh start we pursue self-help books, social
media influencers and podcasters to find the secret
bullet in creating a new you. Consider
this: What if there was a solution? The best part, it's
right there available to all of us we've just never really
considered it. This reminds me of the story about John
Helinski.
A homeless man with no ID walked into a shelter, and then left with
enough money to buy permanent housing and get back on his feet.
John Helinski was homeless and nameless for three years. Suddenly,
he's set to buy his own place and collect a nice pension. Thanks to
a determined caseworker and police officer, they were able to track
down the man's social security number and birth certificate. This
led to the discovery of a bank account where the former homeless
man's social security had been getting deposited into and
collecting interest. "I guess I'm exhilarated, excited, you know,"
he said. Homeless to homeowner in a few days!
For John Helinski, it took a determined caseworker and police
officer to help connect him to a new life that was right there,
literally waiting for him. Is the same thing possible for you?
For you and me it's Jesus. When most Christians think about
following Jesus they focus only on the love of Jesus, forgiveness
of sin and the hope of Heaven, all good things! However, Jesus also
provides a new life; a new way to live as a human here on earth and
for eternity. This is a big deal and it often gets overlooked, and
yet we all long for that fresh start. So how does pledging my life
to Jesus give me a new life?
In part four of our Rooted sermon series, we will study how the
apostle Paul lays out three essentials in experiencing the new life
Jesus provides. To be a part of the conversation, give a listen to
part four of Rooted.