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KEY SCRIPTURE
19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
PRAYER
God, you are so good, even when I’m not. Thank you for your presence in my life. I want to know you more. Speak to me today, I am ready to listen.
In you name, Lord,
Amen
SERMON NOTES
I was reflecting on this theme of “God became so we might become” from Jason’s Christmas Eve sermon.
- God Became that we might Become Family
- God Became that we might Become Like Jesus
- God Became so we might Shine Bright in the Darkness
Ultimately, God became something new. That’s the name of the game isn’t it? Something new. We’re right on the cusp of a new year.
I’m terrible with “The New.” I’m the kind of person who is very comfortable with the status quo, and it’s predictable, unchanging nature. I’m comfortable with things remaining exactly the same as they are.
Let’s talk about this, let’s brainstorm this, let’s really dive into this idea and talk about what it means to become something new.
There’s a reason why we resist “the New.” And it isn’t so much the “newness” that’s a problem, we like new things.
We struggle with change.
You don’t become something new without a change to the old. You can’t make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or put on muscle, then keep eating the same way you have or exercise the same way you do now. You can’t make a resolution to make more time for family and friends and then keep spending inordinate amounts of time at work.
19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. —Ezekiel 11:19-20 NKJV
We see God embarking on this plan of change. He is showing Ezekiel a vision of what it will look like when His people are given a new lease on life.
Let’s look at this idea of change, and how we can become like God.
1: Change is Inevitable
No matter who you are, or what stage of life you are in, you will experience change.
6“A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.” —Isaiah 40:6-81 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance, —Ecclesiastes 3:1-4
There is a proper time for each one. We don’t live each one simultaneously, but change from one season to the next.
When we lean into change, we can direct things, we can walk a new path. We can choose to walk a path led by God. One with difficulties, sure…but one where God goes with us.
2. We change because God never does.
6 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. —Hebrews 13:8
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. —Philippians 4:8-9
Jesus is true, righteous, right, pure, lovely, admirable.
My king is enduringly strong, he’s eternally steadfast, impartially merciful, he’s unparalleled, he’s the only one qualified to be an all sufficient savior. He sympathizes and he saves, he strengthens and he sustains, he guards and he guides, he’s the road of righteousness, He’s the highway of holiness and the gateway of glory.
His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Well, the Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him. That’s my king. I wonder, do you know him? —“THAT’S MY KING!” EXTENDED VERSION - S. M LOCKRIDGE 1970’s
Do you know him?
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. —Psalm 86:1510 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. —Isaiah 41:10
God is good, and because he is good, we know his pathways are good.
We can also trust in God when we are forced to change.
Maybe you are experiencing a difficult season that you didn’t ask for. To you I say, it’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay to be a work in progress. It’s okay to be struggling.
What’s not okay is to pretend to be okay, to put on a face and say I’m fine. It robs you of relationship with others.
I want to encourage you that no matter what has come your way, God is still here with you. God is still the same faithful God he always is.
He loves you no matter what and is with you in the struggle even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time.
3. Change takes time
6 I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. —Philippians 1:6
That’s nice, and a wonderful promise from God. He will continue to work in and through us as we live. Just one small question - does it have to continue all the way until the day of Christ Jesus? Can’t we just, y’know, get it out of the way now? Can’t we just speed this up a bit?
We read our passage from Ezekiel and get the wrong idea. Oh, it’s a heart transplant. God’s taking out a heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh. Shouldn’t take long, right?
In reality, this heart shift is a process, it takes time. Our time with God is a relationship, not a race.
Taking one step of faith, one degree, can radically change your life. And that’s where we need God’s help. That’s where we ask him to guide us in that next step.
What does that step look like for you?
• Maybe it’s saying a prayer tonight
• Maybe it’s reaching out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while
• Maybe it’s confiding in a trusted friend or family member with how you’re struggling
5 Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you. —Hebrews 13:5
There is no circumstance, no change that God cannot handle.
Notice I said God cannot handle. There are plenty of things we cannot handle. That’s why God gave us the gift of Jesus, to show us a new way.
Let’s all take that next step together into a new year. Let’s step out knowing God walks with us. Let’s lean into Him for everything we need, and cast our cares unto him for He cares for us.
Lord, we need you!
SMALL GROUP GUIDE
Challenge: What is the next step, 1º change you can make each day this week? Write it down, find an accountability partner and check in daily.
WORSHIP THIS WEEK