2 Corinthians 5:17-21

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.¹⁸ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.²¹ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Since the fall of man and woman, people have been trying to recreate themselves.  Every new year, we hear the slogan NEW YEAR NEW YOU blazed across the headlines of beauty and fashion magazine — articles filled with tips and tricks to make yourself, your life over into something new. 

Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 5:17 how to have a New Year and New You. 

So using a format that our beauty magazines use let’s walk through the steps of the New Year and New YOU

Let’s pretend it is New Years Eve 2019.  You can say you had one of those years.  It was not all horrible but it just was not everything you expected it to be.  Blazed across the screens is Tips for a New Year and a New You.

Tip No 1:  Get Jesus:  Based on 2^nd Corinthians 5:17 If you are in Christ, you are a new person.  Everything old died with the old person when you claimed Jesus as your Lord.  Stop focusing on 2018 its 2019. If you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ then get one.  You need a new life and Jesus offers new life to all those who believe in him.

Tip No 2: Remember to wash your heart daily:  Jesus saw the dirt and grime of your life.  He cleansed your life with His blood.  Apply His blood daily and frequently.  Let His blood sit for a minute.  Apply to all sin in your life that you committed, commit today and commit tomorrow.  See Psalms 54 for details.

Tip No 3:  Stop focusing on yourself and focus on others.  Our biggest problem is that we focus and care about ourselves more than we should.  2 Corinthians 5:20 states that once you have Jesus Christ as your Savior you need to go and tell other people about Jesus.  Why are you still focused on your problems?  Why are you focused on your need?  There is someone out there who is on their way to a burning hell because we are to busy focused on a brand-new house, or car instead of doing exactly what Paul states in vs 20.  When God says in Matthew 28:19-20 to Go that is exactly what we need to do.  Go into the highways and the byways and compel men, women, boys, girls to come to Jesus.  Apply Matthew 28:19-20 and John 3:16-19 and let it set.

Tip No 4: Remember it is Jesus who does it all: Paul reminds us that in the end of it all Jesus is the one who does it all.  He is the one who died and raised for your and my justification.  He is the one who can create in us a new heart and create us to be a new person.  Guess what you do not have to wait until New Year’s to change your new year can start today.  Your “new you” can start tonight.  Eternal life begins today if you accept the Savior today.