Dismissed for children's church at this time. Take your Bibles if you would and turn to Ephesians. I know it says second Corinthians up there. We'll get there in a second. But if you would, Ephesians chapter two.

Really, I'm shortchanging you a bit by just reading from chapter two. If you wanna get the the fullness of this that Paul is teaching Ephesians, you really have to start back at chapter one and verse one. But we're gonna pick up this morning at Ephesians two and verse one. And you hath he quickened. The word quickened means made alive.

Okay? Revived. You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince and power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation, our conduct, our lifestyle in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind, and we're by nature the children of wrath even as others. But God that's one of the, several passage. But God.

This is who we were. This is the mess we made. But God stepped in. God intervened. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ by grace are ye saved, and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, then the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus under good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore, remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in this world. But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who were sometimes were far off or made nigh, made near by the blood of Jesus Christ, for he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.

Let's stop there at the moment. Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, for your word. Thank you, Lord, that you stepped in, that you sent your son to redeem us. Lord, that we might not face your just wrath, but, Lord, by your grace and mercy, we might receive everlasting life. Lord, thank you for Jesus Christ, our savior, and that you now see us differently who are in Christ by faith than before we came to know him.

You have forgiven our sins. You have given us eternal life and are preparing a place in heaven for us. Thank you, Lord, for that today, and we pray for those whom we know, who do not know you. We pray if there be any here this morning that have yet to receive you, that today might be their day of salvation, that all these things that are new might be true of them also through faith in Christ. In Jesus' name we do pray.

Amen. If you take your Bibles and turn back a few pages to second Corinthians Second Corinthians chapter five and verse 17. Make sure you got second Corinthians and not first or you'll wonder why there's not enough verses in the chapter. Second Corinthians five seventeen. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. Everybody wants to change something about themselves or their circumstances, their appearance, their upbringing, their talents or lack thereof, their weight, the consequences of something they did, or something someone else did to them. Thus, we come to something that people do often at New Year's. They make what?

New Year's resolutions. Is that a bad thing? No. I don't think so. I think it's maybe bad that some people only do it on New Year's.

I think it's maybe bad that oftentimes we make the resolutions and we do not what? Keep them. Okay? Making them is not altogether wrong or bad at all. A matter of fact, part of the Christian life is changing.

Changing means recognizing things that need to change, repenting of things that we've done wrong, and learning to walk in the steps of the savior which requires goals and resolutions. Praise God. We're not in it alone. The grace of God enables us. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

I challenge you to make resolutions, but not just on January 1, but whenever the Lord speaks to your heart, to be willing to repent, to be willing to change, and be willing to listen, form convictions and goals that are in keeping with the word of God and the will of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This should be in every day or every week or every month. This should be a regular part of the Christian experience changing to be more like our savior. So many people come to church. They see a pastor.

They see a priest. They see a counselor. They see a psychiatrist to ask for help. But they are not looking to change who they are, often just their what? Their circumstances.

Most of the time, people are looking for a quick fix. They're looking for temporary relief. I have this problem with my spouse. I have this problem with my addiction. I have this problem at work.

I have this problem with my health. I have this problem and that problem, and they want relief, and they want a quick fix. And then that's understandable. However, God wants so much more for you than just a quick fix and a temporary relief. We're not here this morning to offer you temporary relief or a quick fix.

We're here to introduce you to the one who can eternally fix, not just your circumstances, but more importantly, you. You. Yourself. So oftentimes, people just want a quick fix, change circumstances, get out of what? Trouble.

How many times have you prayed and asked God, Lord, I got me into this mess. Now get me out. Now praise the Lord, we have a gracious and merciful God, and sometimes he does that very thing. Sometimes he says, no. You're gonna have to learn this lesson the hard way, and that's okay because, well, he knows what he's doing.

And just like good parents, sometimes children have to learn the lesson the hard way. Yeah. I I remember as a youth pastor, I stood on the front porch with one of the young men in my youth group. His name was Brian. And Brian was there, his dad was there, and the police were there because his dad had called the police on him because of assault.

Dad claimed that he had assaulted him. Very, very messed up, dysfunctional home. We had a large bus ministry in Georgia and dealt with a lot of teenagers that were from very dysfunctional homes. And I stood there on with Brian on the porch and he said, what do I do to fix this? How can I fix this?

And I asked Brian a question. I said, do you do you just wanna get out of trouble or do you want to change let God change who you are? Because getting you out of trouble today isn't going to get you out of trouble tomorrow. You need to be willing to look inside, examine yourself, and see where God needs you to change so that you don't get yourself into trouble and he can bless you. God, in many cases, needs us to do something called repent.

Repent. Have a change of heart. Be willing to look at yourself more objectively from God's point of view. Compare yourself to Christ and not to those that are worse than you or when you were worse than you are now, but truly be willing to repent and change and change. And who can do that?

God can. Jesus can change your life. God isn't interested in a new car, new attitude, a new location, a new job, a new hairdo, which wouldn't do me any good. What God is interested in is changing who you are in 2026. Thus, the question this morning, are you a new person?

The new person who God died to make you. Is that what you desire? You just desire relief, a band aid, a few less pounds, a pat on the back, and encouraging? Well, it will all turn out right in the end. It'll it'll all turn out.

Don't worry about it. Is that scripture? No. It's not. God says it can turn out right in the end, you have to do what?

You have to choose to trust in trust in him. Christ died not to bring reform to our old lives, but to give us a new life, eternal life, abundant life in Christ. Thus, Romans six four, reads, therefore, we are buried with him and by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in what? In newness of life. What Christ has to offer all is a new life, to make you a new person, to give you life in Christ, to restore the life that was lost way back in the Garden of Eden.

Now, that doesn't happen when you get dunked in water up here. That happens when you trust Christ and you're born again and you're baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, not by the pastor as he gets you wet. This is just a picture of what happens when you trust Christ and you are born into a new life through faith in Jesus Christ. If any man, the audience of this verse, if any man be in Christ, no limitations, no exclusions, tall, short, skinny, fat, genius, average, poor, rich, black, white, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. The importance in life of eternity, in light of eternity and the subject of salvation is not your natural attributes, your heritage or your past, but your position in reference to who?

To Jesus Christ. Your position. Not your past, not your heritage, not your talents or your physical attributes, but your position in Jesus Christ, your relation to Jesus Christ is the thing that matters. And any man, anyone, any person can be in Christ. God's offer of salvation is open to all.

Second Peter three nine, God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. There, the word repentance is used synonymously with salvation. John three sixteen, for God so loved the world. Romans ten thirteen, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be what? Satan.

Romans one sixteen, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of a god, power of God and the salvation to everyone that believeth. To the Jew first and also to the to the Greek, to the Jew and to the Gentile, to the religious and to the irreligious, to the poor and to the rich. God's offer is the same. Any man, any person, anyone. When I was a kid, I sang a song in church that we we don't sing anymore because it's not politically correct, I guess.

And it was Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. The next verse was Jesus died for all the children, all the children of the world. Yes, we know it's taboo to refer to people as the color of their skin or so forth, But that's not the point of the song.

You're missing the point. The point is it doesn't matter. Jesus died for the sins of the world. Every, any, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The offer is available for all.

You ever watch those commercials on TV? It's the the car dealership commercials, the and, some of them say, you know, come here, and we can give you a car loan. It doesn't matter your credit. We won't check your credit. None of that matters.

Just come to us. You'll be approved to get a loan on a car. Now, what they might not tell you is that car might not run. But anyway, you can get a approved loan on a car. Doesn't matter what your credit is.

Now, there are some maybe stuff going on behind the scenes in those advertisement, but you know what is true? God's offer of salvation is approved for anyone who comes in repentance and faith to Jesus Christ. He says, he that cometh to me, I will and what? No wise cast out. God says, if you come in faith and repentance, I will receive you.

No one will be turned away. All you need do is apply in faith and you will be accepted. Not based upon your credit or your merit, but the merit of who? The merit of Christ Jesus who gave himself as our pledge on the cross of Calvary. He is our cosigner.

He is the one on which this loan, on his name and his death and his resurrection is taken out in our behalf. And as Paul states, my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. And Paul isn't just talking about your physical needs. More importantly, what God has to offer is the fix, the supply for your spiritual need, which was won for us by Christ on the cross. The message of salvation and of this verse is for all.

So listen close. This message is for it's for you. If any man, if any person be, what, in Christ, The position in Christ Jesus is a new creature. For this to continue to be applicable to you today, you need to consider, examine your position relative to one person, Jesus Christ. Not not your membership in the church, not how many times you've been dunked under the water, not how many times you mowed the grass for your neighbor, not whether you've been a good son or a bad son or good daughter or bad daughter.

No. Your relation to Jesus Christ. Are you in Christ? If you are in Christ, then the latter half of this verse describes you. You are a new creature, a new creation.

If not, it can, but only if you enter into this relationship with Christ by faith. Being in Christ is a description of our salvation. If any man be in Christ, that person who is in Christ is saved, saved through faith in Christ Jesus who died and gave his life for you. It is meant to emphasize a new found security and identity, the new found security identity of the Christian in their savior. And who is your savior?

Yeah. Jesus Christ. When you receive Christ and God's offer of salvation through faith in him in him, you become in Christ. Born again. Moved from a position of outsider to insider.

Outside of Christ to inside. Outside of salvation to inside. Outside of the family of God to inside. Outside of the blessings of God to to inside. That's what it means here.

Before, as an outsider, outside of God's family blessings, protection, his eternal salvation, we read this in Ephesians two twelve. We read a few minutes ago. For that at time for that that at that time ye were without Christ, outside of Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. That's pretty sad statement. Without what?

Without hope. Having not hope and without God in the world. Does that not describe the majority of the people on our planet today? Do we not see the repercussions of that hopelessness in our society? In Canada, clinics are popping up all over the country.

The purpose of those clinics? Places where people can go and take their own life with the assistance of medical professionals. Yeah. Not just people with terminal illnesses, but people that have just given up on life. It's happened there.

It's happened over in Scandinavia. And the suicide rate has never been higher in The United States than in the past five years without hope. That is a sad testament of the outsider. But you do not have to be an outsider. You can be a what?

An insider, a child of God, an heir of the king. And what is that like? Well, Ephesians two thirteen says, but now in Christ Jesus, you who were sometimes were far off are made nigh or made near by the blood of Christ. In verse 19, now therefore, you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. You were outsiders.

You were without Christ. You were without hope. But in Christ, all of that is what? All that has changed. From being without hope to be having eternal life.

From being without God to having God who says, I will never leave thee nor what? Forsake thee. From being foreigners to being fellow citizens with all of these saints we read about in here. Wow. John one twelve says, but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons or the children of God even to them that believe on his name.

In all forms, the apostle Paul used this term in Christ over 70 times to describe the Christian. 70 times in the New Testament. The apostle Paul described you, a believer in Christ, as being in Christ. I I think that that is no accident. I think there's a purple fullness behind that.

Philippians three nine, have that up here, and be found what? In him. In who? That him is Christ. And being found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ by the the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Paul's talking giving his own testimony. I gave up all of these things. I had all of these accomplishments. All of these credits I had earned to myself. I threw those away to embrace who?

To embrace Jesus Christ. And the righteousness that is attained through faith in Jesus Christ and not the righteousness that is attained by my own good works because those just didn't they weren't enough. I needed who? I needed Christ. And I needed to be found what?

In him. 70 times Paul talks of Christians in this manner. Consider this thing in my pocket back here, my wallet. Okay? Here is my card.

It's my debit card. Anybody read that number from back there real quick? Okay. Now you see my debit card. I'm from Virginia, so I'm a Virginia Cavalier fan.

That's on the front of my debit card. And it's all scratched up and, you know, ill used or abused or whatever you call it. But I take this here credit card. Am I still holding up that credit card? Is it still here?

Yeah. Do you see it? No. It is in my what? It's in my wallet.

Okay? So your your perception, understanding of that has changed because now the credit card is still here, but it's in my wallet. We are in who? In Christ. K?

Our standing before God has changed when we got saved. K? I'm still me, but now me, now I am in who? In Christ Jesus. And that has made a difference in the eyes of who?

In the eyes of God. K? Romans three ten says, as it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. Second Corinthians five twenty one, for he hath made him, that is Christ, to be sin for us who knew no sin that we, in turn, might be made the righteousness of God. There's your phrase again, in Christ.

Okay? So, Christ suffered and took upon himself the wrath and the punishment of our sins that we might receive in turn the righteousness of who? Jesus Christ and be found in him. Now, when God looks upon us, he sees the righteousness of Christ and we are safe and secure in our savior. In Romans eight one, it says, there is therefore now what?

No condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. There is no condemnation to those who are in who? In Jesus Christ, who have put their faith and trust in him, embraced him as their Lord and savior. We are forgiven. We have become the children of God, and we are in him.

The phrase, but those who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit is not a qualifying phrase. It is a descriptive phrase. It's not saying that you are now not under condemnation in Christ Jesus if you walk in the not after the flesh but after the spirit. Do you see the word if there? No.

Because it is not a qualifying phrase. It's a descriptive. If you are in Christ Jesus, you can now walk in the spirit and not in the what? Flesh. Can anybody who is not in Christ Jesus who does not have the spirit walk in the spirit?

No. But now you that are in Christ Jesus, you can walk in the spirit. You have been changed. The spirit of God now lives within you and you are in Christ Jesus. Consider Noah.

Noah got in the what? The ark. God shut the door, and Noah was totally secure in the ark till the day God opened it, and he walked out. That ark was the ark of safety and deliverance and salvation for Noah and his family. They were safe as long as they were, what, in the ark.

You say, well, they could get out of the ark. Well, I'm not sure if they could, but if they would could, why would they? That would be silly. They were safe in the ark. They were secure in in in the the deliverance of their God.

The Passover in Exodus chapter 12. God, tenth plague, kill all the firstborn of Egypt. But but for those firstborn who were inside the house with the what? With the blood of the lamb on the doorpost. And they were what?

They were safe. Because they were perfect? No. Because they were under the blood of the lamb. As we are under the blood of who?

Jesus Christ. And if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, a new creation. We are of eternal value because we are in Christ. The Christian is forever changed at the point of salvation. Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God and such were some of you. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God. What is Paul saying? It used to be these things. Those things no longer define you because you are in who?

You are in Christ, and you are no longer these things that you were before. You are a child of the king. You have been forever changed because you're you have changed in position in relation to Jesus Christ and you now, through faith, have become a child of God and you are in him and you are a new what? Creature and new creation. Doesn't mean that you're not capable of some of these things, but these things are not who you are.

God sees you differently. Of course, God desires for you to live differently. That's one of the reasons he saved you. But these no longer define those who are what? In Christ Jesus.

We are a new creation. All things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. You have become a different person, a new creation. Everything of eternal value has changed.

All things the original person is gone. Old rules no longer apply. We're not under law but under what? Grace. Everything about life is new, fresh, different.

We were condemned. Now, we are accepted. We were dead, and now we are alive. We were slaves to sin, and now we are the children of God. We were without hope.

Now we have eternal life. We were all alone. Now we have a shepherd and guide. We were destined for hell. Now we are seated in the heavenlies.

We were powerless. Now we are powerful. All things. We are we're sinners. Now we are saved and forgiven.

We were guilty, and now we're guiltless because we are in who? Christ Jesus. Because we are in Christ through faith in him. Period. But it is not as though God finished with you.

God is finished with you yet. Each day, he is working in you by his spirit and his word to conform you, to mold you each day more into the likeness of Christ. Romans ten twenty eight and twenty nine, and we know that all things work together for good or for the benefit of those that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his, what, son. God saved you to change you into the image of his son, Jesus Christ.

And all things can be used for our good, for our benefit in his glory in changing us and molding us into the image. He doesn't say all things are good. He said they can work to our what? Benefit in making us more like who? Jesus Christ.

Is that good? Yes. It is. That is good. I don't want to be like that person I was before.

I want to be more like Jesus and praise God, I can. I can through he him that's working in me. It is similar to you it is similar to your first conception and birth. You were born a new person, opening your eyes for the first time to behold the world. So when you are born again in Christ, you open your eyes for the first time to a new world, not because the world has changed, but because you have.

But that is not the end. Just like with the birth of a baby, that's not the end. That's just the what. That's just the beginning. The beginning of your journey and growth and knowledge and stature and favor with God and man, as Luke put it in reference to the growth of Christ.

So it is our new birth. Yes, we are a new person in Christ, but we have much to learn. We have much growing to do, to be more like Jesus every day and learn how to serve him, to represent his interest, and of course, to love him more every day. Being new doesn't mean you've arrived. Being new means you have this wonderful journey in front of you that you're not taking alone.

And he will not stop changing you until you reach your eternal home. We're assured of that, Philippians one six, being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will, what? Perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. The day of Jesus Christ is described here in first John three two. Beloved, now we are the sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall but shall be but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.

How does that happen? Well, it happens when you accept Jesus Christ by faith and the holy spirit comes to live inside your heart and he places you in Christ and begins to change everything about you till the day, one day, when we stand before him and then we will be what? We'll be like him. We will be changed. Sin will be a thing of the past.

Praise the Lord. If you're here this morning and you are not in Christ, you haven't placed your faith in him, you haven't placed your life in his hands, you haven't yet placed your eternity, your soul in his hands, then this morning you are an outsider to the grace of God. But you must not remain that way. You can change that today. Come to Christ.

Become an insider. Trust in him. Ask him to be your Lord and savior and forgive all your sins. He will not cast you out. All you need to do is apply in faith and he will receive you because of the price has already been paid.

The work has already been done. But you must choose. Do it this morning. Come to Christ. He promises he will not cast you out.

If you are a Christian struggling with sin, do not forget your position in Christ. Do not forget who you are. Rest in him. Be secure. Know God's promises are for you.

You are in the beloved and you can do what? All things through Christ who strengthens you. So when the devil says you can't stop, tell him he's wrong. When the devil says you can't do it, tell him he's wrong. I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.

Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, he will lift you up. Repent of that sin. Call it what it is and accept God's help to get victory over it in your life because you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. Don't give in. Get on your knees before the Lord and you will win for you are in Christ and you are a new person.

Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord. That we're reminded as we enter a new year that we can be a new person in Christ Jesus and that we who are in Christ can become more like you this year than the year before, that you can give us victory and change us because we are yours. Lord, we pray if there be one here in particular that is yet to receive and embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, I pray that this morning will be their day of salvation. And as we sing this hymn of invitation that they might come, might have the opportunity to show them how they can be saved and know it.

And for those, your children, you have spoken to, that we would not leave this place until we've taken a moment to talk with you about what you are talking to us about today, That we might change and grow. In Jesus' precious name, we do pray. Amen.