Living in the New World
Jerry Watts
Acts 1:4-8
Please turn to Acts 1. Our message series from Acts that we began last week is entitled ''A New World Coming''. Today, as we journey through the Acts, let's think about living in a new world, a different world, an unusual world. For that matter, in any new world. Let me illustrate.
In 2019, I was privilege to travel to Brazil for 9 days. (Map on the screen) This was an eye-opening trip. On that trip, I was privileged to preach to some wonderful people, make some wonderful friends, and lead many people to Christ, but you know what? This was a whole New World for me. Culturally, socially, dietary, and more. Here's my point, I had to adapt to it because it was not going to adapt to me.
All of us know this, but what we fail to recognize in Jesus is this: He came to setup a new world for all of us. He spent His life teaching His disciples about this 'new world', how it should be, and how to live in it. After He taught them and showed them all about it, He died on a cross and rose again to establish it. When you think about it, to believe in and receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior is to embark in a new life, living by new standard, seeing things differently than you used to, having a new vocabulary, responding to a new standard, and basically living in a whole new world. Honestly, this is difficult for us to get our heads and hearts around because, too often, we have worked hard to not make too many changes. And yet, everything Jesus tells, teaches, and demonstrates, points to changes that cannot simply be 'behavior modification.'
We used to be a part of the kingdom of darkness (how and where we were born). This is what Ephesians tells us. The Kingdom of darkness has its own set of rules, standards, and even culture. In Jesus' Kingdom of Light is a whole new world. Our environment, standards, culture, OUR LIVES have changed because we are now a part of His Kingdom of Light. Everything is differen ...
Jerry Watts
Acts 1:4-8
Please turn to Acts 1. Our message series from Acts that we began last week is entitled ''A New World Coming''. Today, as we journey through the Acts, let's think about living in a new world, a different world, an unusual world. For that matter, in any new world. Let me illustrate.
In 2019, I was privilege to travel to Brazil for 9 days. (Map on the screen) This was an eye-opening trip. On that trip, I was privileged to preach to some wonderful people, make some wonderful friends, and lead many people to Christ, but you know what? This was a whole New World for me. Culturally, socially, dietary, and more. Here's my point, I had to adapt to it because it was not going to adapt to me.
All of us know this, but what we fail to recognize in Jesus is this: He came to setup a new world for all of us. He spent His life teaching His disciples about this 'new world', how it should be, and how to live in it. After He taught them and showed them all about it, He died on a cross and rose again to establish it. When you think about it, to believe in and receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior is to embark in a new life, living by new standard, seeing things differently than you used to, having a new vocabulary, responding to a new standard, and basically living in a whole new world. Honestly, this is difficult for us to get our heads and hearts around because, too often, we have worked hard to not make too many changes. And yet, everything Jesus tells, teaches, and demonstrates, points to changes that cannot simply be 'behavior modification.'
We used to be a part of the kingdom of darkness (how and where we were born). This is what Ephesians tells us. The Kingdom of darkness has its own set of rules, standards, and even culture. In Jesus' Kingdom of Light is a whole new world. Our environment, standards, culture, OUR LIVES have changed because we are now a part of His Kingdom of Light. Everything is differen ...
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