“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We hear often people saying:

• That changes everything
• It would mean the world to me

But, it rarely does. Even when someone wins the lottery, when someone gets four “yeses” on America’s Got Talent, when someone gets a yes from the person they’ve been wanting to date…even though people say that this would change everything or that it would mean the world, it almost never does.

Even after winning the lottery, or getting the four “yeses,” or getting a date with that special someone, we’re still the same. If we were insecure before, these things don’t change our insecurity. If we were dealing with depression, these things don’t change our depression. Because we are the same, nothing is changed.

There is, however, one thing in the created universe that can change everything: Jesus.

As a young man, I learned the verse for today as, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…” The implication was that when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior we are new creations. We are born again. But this was a poor translation and it failed to describe the astounding change that takes place when a person receives Jesus as Lord and Savior.

As you can see, modern translations of this verse correctly read, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come…” The most wooden translation of the Greek would read, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation…”

That’s the right translation. That describes the astounding transformation of salvation.

When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior it is not just a personal transformation. When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, the entire created universe is changed before us.

When Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Lord over all of his creation.

• That’s not just a pretty woman, she is God’s daughter. And that changes everything about how I am to interact with her.
• That annoying coworker is God’s child. And that changes everything in how I am to love that individual.
• Whereas, we used to live as if everything in the universe was for our personal consumption, when we receive Jesus as Lord we recognize that everything in the created universe is to be stewarded and managed for God’s glory.

Get it? Jesus changes everything.

When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, there is a new creation. The entire universe changes right before our eyes. All of it – all of time, all of creation, all of God’s children – are for God’s glory.

That right there, that’s a game changer. That changes everything. This reality means the world to us.

“When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’

“They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, ‘Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?’

“Jesus replied, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.'”

“Then Judas, the one who would betray him said, ‘Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?’

“Jesus answered, ‘You have said so.'”

Matthew 26:20-25

The setting for these verses is the Last Supper in the Upper Room. This would be the last time the disciples would all be together before the crucifixion of Jesus.

What is astonishing about this passage is that right after Judas says this, Jesus offers to him the holy sacrament of bread and wine. It would not be surprising to me if Jesus were looking into the eyes of Judas when Jesus broke bread and said, “Judas, this is my body broken for you. This is the blood of the new covenant which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

It’s as if Jesus was saying to Judas, “You don’t have to do this. You can repent. You can change your ways. But even if you don’t, remember you are mine. I will forgive you this sin as well.”

Astonishing grace.

Astounding love.

It’s not just Judas who would betray Jesus that night. Within a few hours, Peter will so vehemently deny Jesus that Peter curses and swears that he does not know this man!

It’s not just Judas and Peter who would deny Jesus.

When the chief priest and the elders of the people arrive with the Roman soldiers to arrest Jesus, Matthew tells us, “Then all the disciples deserted Jesus and fled” (Matthew 26:56).

In a matter of hours after the Last Supper, every single one of the disciples of Jesus deserted Jesus.

Jesus knew this. Jesus knew every single one of his disciples would betray him, disavow him, desert him and yet still offered up his body and blood for his disciples in the holy sacrament of communion and ultimately on the cross.

This is why we have hope.

How many times have we betrayed him? Disavowed him? Deserted him?

Yet, Jesus still offers himself to us to forgive our sins.

Astonishing grace.

Astounding love.

Thank you, Jesus.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

It’s midnight. You should be in bed. But the Mariner’s game went into extra innings. Not only should you be in bed, but now, you’re hungry. You ate dinner at five. It’s been seven hours since your last meal. What should you do?

• Your feelings say – I’m hungry!!! Let’s eat!!!
• Your brain tells you – Go to bed!!! No way are you eating at midnight!!!

It’s raining again. We do live in the Pacific Northwest after all. You should take a walk. It would be good for you. You made a commitment to get healthier. But it’s raining. What should you do?

• Your feelings say – it’s raining. It’s wet. You don’t want to put on all that gear and walk. Just call it a day. Besides, this sofa is so comfy.
• Your brain tells you – you made a commitment to be healthier. Commitments matters. Besides, you benefit the most from being healthier. Let’s get out there.

When it comes to living healthier lives you would never consider following your feelings. If you were truly serious about living healthy, you base it on commitment and to what you know to be right.

We know this when it comes to living physically healthy lives. And it just boggles my mind why we would allow our hearts to dictate how we live healthy spiritual and emotional lives. That’s dumb!!! Our hearts cannot be trusted. Feelings cannot be trusted.

In fact, our passage today tells us that we are to trust our hearts and our feelings to the LORD. That’s what it means to not lean on our own understanding.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE A GOD-HONORING LIFE BY LIVING BASED ON FEELINGS.

In all your ways submit to God and his rule. Then God will make our paths straight.

Whatever you do, DO NOT TRUST YOUR HEART. It will lead you astray.

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH YOUR HEART.

Got it?