Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
It has been some years since I was told of a small town newspaper which ran an article about the city council.
The owner of the paper, somewhat upset by recent events, had written an editorial which, in big, bold type, proclaimed, "Half the City Council Are Crooks!" While the editor expected some would demand a retraction, he never thought people would begin to cancel.
Finally, fear of having to shut down the paper permanently made him promise that he would, as many had suggested, print a retraction. The decision was made with great reluctance. Even so, being a man of his word, the following week the paper did come out with a retraction printed on the front page.
Along with the retraction, the newspaper featured a headline in big, bold type. That headline read,
"Half of Our City Council Are Not Crooks!"
Now I can't tell you whether that town's city council was dishonest. On the other hand, I do know that all of us are sinners -- every last one of us.
We are all sinners whom Jesus wishes to receive and change. Yes, that's right. Jesus will receive us and He will change us. You didn't think He was going to leave us the way we were, did you?
What would be the point in that?
If we were going to stay the same, there would have been no purpose in Jesus living and dying for us. No, Jesus will receive us as the sinners we are and then He will remake us into what God wants us to be.
Jesus will receive us, and give faith to us, and forgive us, and change us.
Now understand this God-performed transformation is not painful. On the contrary, it's wonderful to be redeemed, recycled and remade with a new heart and a new life filled with forgiveness. It is a blessed thing when God lifts you up and presents you with a wonderful life that will never end.
And all this happens because Jesus, the Savior, receives sinners.
How do I know? Well, I know because He changed me just like He has changed hundreds of millions before me. He has changed big sinners, little sinners, and large, and economy-sized sinners. He has changed ... well, you get the idea.
In short, you have a Savior who changed and became one of us. God's only Son became Mary's Firstborn. He who was present at the creation of the universe and called everything into being with a thought, was willing to live and die for us so that we might be rescued ... and changed.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, we will all experience many changes in our lives. Still, none of those changes will be any better than the one that takes us from damnation to salvation. Grant that we may do our best to show appreciation for the changes You have wrought through Jesus. In His Name. Amen.
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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