London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a
warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for
months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the
windows, and strewn trash in the interior.
As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took
pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew
to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.
“Forget about the repairs,” the buyer said. “When I buy
this place, I'm going to build something completely different. I don't
want the building; I want the site.”
After sharing this incident, Ian L. Wilson made this
application: “Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts
to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated
for the wrecking ball. When we become God's, the old life is over. He
makes all things new. All He wants is the site and the permission to
build.” *
Sin wreaks havoc in our lives; it is self-destructive.
But Jesus can
make our lives new. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become
new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Jesus died on
the cross for our sins so that we might have forgiveness and receive the
gift of eternal life (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23). His blood cleanses
us from our sins when we accept His offer on His terms (Revelation 1:5).
God will save and make new those who place their
faith and trust
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in
repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are
baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will
continue to cleanse from sin and “build a new life” for those who
continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).
“Bring Christ
your broken life, So marred by sin,
He will
create anew, Make whole again;
Your empty,
wasted years He will restore,
And your
iniquities Remember no more.”
-- Thomas O. Chisholm
Won’t YOU
give the Master Architect and Builder permission to completely renovate
your life and build something beautiful and eternal in you?
-- David A.
Sargent
* From “A New Creation” by Ian L.
Wilson as shared in
www.sermonillustrations.com.
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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