Transformational Newness

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
2 Corinthians 5:17

I believe in magic… well not magic like in Bewitched or Harry Potter, not even magic like David Copperfield. The magic I believe in - could, should be equated with the miracles of God’s movement on our lives and world - it is the power of Jesus to bring transformational newness to everyone and everything.

Leading up to this week’s passage Paul has been encouraging the Corinthian church and us by giving us a glimpse of eternity and reminds that because of all that Christ has done anyone and everyone that is in Him by faith have been made new. We experience transformational newness when we surrender our sin weary lives to the risen Savior. But transformational newness is more than just a change of heart for humans. Everywhere Jesus stepped while He was here was made new in some way. Everywhere His Spirit is allowed to work today is also made new in some way

Jesus didn’t just change lives, He transformed what religion had become, He created a radical change in the way people related to God. He encouraged transformational newness in the way people came together to worship God. He called the people out of the rituals and traditions that had grown out of the Law. He called them into community and relationship – with Him and with each other. Transformational newness isn’t a onetime thing; it is an ongoing process for us personally and for what is now known as the church.

I can imagine what those first gatherings must have looked like for the new followers of Jesus. Oh they probably sang the psalms they were familiar with, but I bet some new music was part of it. They gathered in homes, if they were lucky maybe one of the Apostles would be there and teach them personally or perhaps they listened to the latest letter from Paul. They shared a meal and talked about what God was doing in their lives and community. They no doubt shared their fears, tears and their celebrations. They cared for one another, it wasn’t “the leader’s” responsibility – it was everyone’s responsibility to care for each other and to care for those on the fringes of society too.

The Church has been renewing itself ever since, you see if we as individuals and as a community of believers to allow transformational newness happen on an ongoing basis, we get stuck in the muck and mire of ritual and tradition – it stops being about loving God and loving others.

The turning of the calendar page to a new year is a magical time; there is an expectation of change on the hearts and minds of people around the world. Let this be the moment we allow the power of Jesus to jump start transformational newness in our lives and in our churches.

I am a new creation, but I am not a finished creation – I need to keep experiencing His transformational newness and so do you. Let’s make the new year really new.

A Prayer
Father – thank you for the magic that is the power of Your movement in our lives and world. Thank you for making us new through Your Son Jesus. Show us the power of continually experiencing the power of transformational newness in our lives and in Your Church. As we are continually renewed may Your power shine through us into the lives of those who need You to make them new too. In the name of Jesus, who makes us new – Amen.