3/18/18 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
“Fudgesicles! Iced cold fudgesicles, here! Getch yer iced cold fudgesicles, HERE!” In my head, I can still hear those ice cream hucksters that roamed the beaches of Wildwood N.J. calling out their mantra over and over again on hot summer days in the 70’s. I never got a fudgesicle though, I always got an ice cream sandwich. Those sandwiches would be frozen solid as they came out of the freezer-boxes filled with dry ice the peddlers lugged around. It was a special treat, an oasis in the middle of scorching hot days on the beach. Sometimes, I would even go searching for them if they weren’t coming around soon enough or me. But usually I would just be on high alert for them, waiting to hear their familiar voices getting closer and closer. Which meant frozen goodness would soon be mine.
I don’t even know if they still sell ice cream down the shore any more. I just know my mouth started watering when I heard them bark out what they had to offer.
Now I’m not actually suggesting that we start barking out what we have to offer (the ministry of reconciliation), but what we have is so much better and longer lasting, that maybe we should.
Maybe from the soapbox, it should sound something like this: “New lives for old! Getch yer new lives for old, here!”
That is, we can trade our old lives for a fresh start, for a new life. Old things passed away, behold, new things have come (anybody remember a Wayne Watson song, “New Lives For Old?”) This is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What a deal!
Have you experienced this?
What is the most obvious new thing that has come into your life since you have been in Christ? It will be different for everyone. For me, I was once filled with rage. It was my go-to emotion. It no longer is. The new thing that Jesus has brought into my heart is peace.
Even after receiving my new life, I always thought I had to correct everyone I saw as having a wrong attitude or behavior. To the extent of really, really irritating people and or my getting angry when they didn’t appreciate my efforts… I wanted godliness in everyone, but I was not very contented or conciliatory in my approach. {1 Timothy 6:6}
Then I was confronted by one particular verse, that turns out to be a very humble life verse for me. “…for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” {James 1:20}
Peace and contentment is far more satisfying, and well worth the trade-off.
What’s new in you? Please don’t say, “Nothing.” If you say nothing, it’s sounding like you don’t/didn’t even think anything needed changing in your life. That your sins weren’t really that bad, especially compared to many others.
That right there is a religious spirit that needs changing.
What’s new in you? Share it with someone.
And if you haven’t been made new in Christ, make the trade! You’ll not regret it.
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