HE HAS DONE GREAT THINGS - Part 2: Jesus is Our New Nature | Pastor Rawee Bunupuradah

Welcome to ECB's weekly sermon podcast. ECB is

an international church in Bangkok, Thailand,

with dozens of nationalities worshiping together.

We invite you to connect with us from wherever

you are through our website ecb .asia or our

mobile app. And now we pray that you are blessed

by this week's sermon. Good morning, everyone.

I am really happy to be here this morning. As

we are in this season of celebrating 60 years,

I give thanks to what God is doing in this church.

We've just started actually coming to ECB maybe

almost three years, and we came out of a really

challenging time of ministry and realized that

I'd probably not be pastoring anywhere anytime

soon. And I asked my son, Where should we go

worship? And so the first time in my life and

in our whole family's lives, we began to church

hop for about three months through Bangkok. And

at the end of the three months, I asked my oldest

son, where do you want to worship? He goes, ECB.

So I go, here we go. We're going to ECB then.

And we've been here since. And I give thanks

because we've been welcomed very warmly. We come

here and we get to hear the word of God every

week, faithfully preached. And we just have loved

being here these many, many months. And so if

you're new here, actually, please stick around.

It's a great church to be a part of. But I want

to give thanks to God for that. And so today,

the topic that I'll be sharing is Jesus is our

new nature. put their faith and trust in Jesus

Christ, something radical happens. Something

amazing happens. And we look at this scripture

this morning just to bring our focus together.

I don't know where you've been this morning,

how the weekend was, how the week has been, but

when we come before God's word, it's really good

to slow down, to take a deep breath. And to just

meditate on something profound as we'll read

this morning. And so in 2 Corinthians 2, verses

2 Corinthians 2:5–17

5 -17, it says this. Listen to his word. Therefore,

if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has

come. The old has gone away. The new is here.

Take a deep breath. Hear it again. Therefore,

if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has

come, the old has gone, the new is here. Take

a deep breath. Amen. We arrived in Bangkok in

the year 2013. I make that sound like it's a

long time ago. 13 years ago. And we moved from

New York City, I moved my whole family to Bangkok

to serve as missionaries, focusing on discipleship

and church planting. And as I reflect on those

years as we began, I don't think anything could

have prepared us for how difficult and challenging

it would be to serve God in Thailand. And so

as years passed, And as we planted churches and

as we pastored people, I reached the point when

I just realized, why do I feel so joyless right

now? Why do I feel dry? Why do I feel fruitless?

You have to talk to God. God, I'm serving you.

Why am I feeling this way? Where is this abundant

life? Where is the truth of this scripture in

my own life? And so let me continue to seek after

the Lord and ask why is it this way? Ultimately,

it led me to this very important question. How

do we transform? And more accurately, how do

I? How do I experience Christ in such a way that

the truth of new creation, of new life, would

be in me? So when we talk about this topic of

Jesus' new nature in us, I want to share around

three areas and explore the idea of what is actually

biblical transformation. Why is it difficult

and also very important that we wrestle with

this? And then ultimately, how do we experience

it in our own lives? How do we experience the

transformation Jesus wants us to have? And so,

when we think about biblical transformation,

and especially if you read the scriptures and

you especially study how Paul writes, about the

Christian faith, you'll see that he engages three

specific areas. So when we talk about biblical

transformation, where is this transformation

supposed to happen? Firstly, it happens in our

actions and behaviors. Our actions and behaviors,

how we live our lives out. Secondly, it also

happens in our thoughts and our reasoning, what

we believe. how we perceive the world, how we

engage the world with our minds. And then lastly,

it's in our emotions and our desires, our loves.

In other words, if we were to look at these three

areas, what can we label these three areas? Firstly,

it's our hands and our body, right? That needs

transformation. It's our heart, it's our mind

and our head that needs transformation. And also

our heart and our spirit. I'm not sure if you've

heard the quote. A lot of people use this within

theological terms, but head, heart, hand. We

want to experience transformation in head, heart,

and hand. Now, just to introduce this does not

mean this is biblical yet. I think if you have

come from a different faith and become a Christian

or you are exploring Christianity, you will realize

that this is not new. What makes this biblical?

What makes this biblical is the direction of

the transformation of these three areas. And

so when we think about this, we have to ask ourselves

this morning, where is God calling us to be transformed?

Is it in our habits and the way we live out our

lives? Is it in the way we think and what we

believe? Perhaps we've been believing a lie all

our lives and it's causing certain types of fruit

to come out of our living. Maybe it's loves.

We love things that either align with Jesus or

don't align with Jesus. So it's really important

is what is the question we have to ask? And so,

for example, when we think about biblical transformation

of our head, heart, and hand, we're thinking

about asking the right questions. Where is transformation

going? So, for example, in our bodies or our

hands, right? We could ask this question, how

am I living more and more like Christ? How am

I living more and more like Christ? About thoughts

and reasoning. How am I knowing Christ more and

more each and every day? Or about our hearts.

How am I growing in love for God and for others?

In summary, when we think about biblical transformation,

if we think about... Discipleship and spiritual

formation. Especially as I've helped others to

grow in their faith, I'm asking these type of

questions. I'm super curious about where God

is working in this person's life to cultivate

transformation in their lives. So, spiritual

formation, discipleship, is... The ultimate goal

is to become more and more like Jesus. How have

we been discipled? How have we been formed? Has

that led us to become more and more like Jesus?

Where are you right now? Where's the journey

taken you? Where have you seen Christ grown in

you? And where do you see that Christ needs to

grow something new in me? Right? If you've been

in the faith long enough, you'll realize that

this journey is not an easy one. Even in the

scriptures, we read how the spiritual journey

is sometimes experienced as having to travel

through the valley of the shadow of death. It's

not easy. We have to experience the sin of others,

our own sin. We have to experience the broken

world and asking God, why is it like this? In

reality, this is why it's difficult to be disciples

of Jesus Christ because we're always being discipled.

Always. And the question becomes, who and what

is discipling us? And for what end and purpose

is this happening? What are we engaging in our

daily lives? Those things are discipling us.

And then we have to ask the question, is this

leading us to Jesus? Is this leading us to Jesus?

Comer writes this. Formation will happen to you,

but formation into a person of love in Christ

will not. What does this mean? It means that

if we want to be transformed into the likeness

of Jesus Christ, if we want to see discipleship

and spiritual formation bear the fruit of Christ

in our lives, it does not happen. by accident.

It doesn't just happen. It requires from us an

intentionality and a deep awareness of those

places in our lives that need transformation.

What might that be for you this morning? Where

do you see God inviting you to have courage?

To say, this is an area that I know, Lord, I

need to give to you. I need your help. I need

your transformation. The other reality is this,

is that why is it difficult? It is a constant

checking in with God of where we are and who

are we becoming. I don't know about you, I've

lived in New York City for one part of my life

and now Bangkok for the other. They're very similar

contexts. Super busy, always feeling like you

have to be on. And the question is, for all of

us, is do we have that, do we allow ourselves

that opportunity to slow down and to ask and

reflect? Upon where we truly are. And where is

God leading us. Because Jesus warns us. If we

don't take this intentionally. And check in.

And really understand where we are. It can be

very dangerous. Jesus in Matthew chapter 7 says

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

this. Beware of false prophets. Who come to you

in sheep's clothing. but inwardly are ravenous

wolves. Do you hear this warning? Beware of false

prophets who have come to you in sheep's clothing,

but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Jesus is helping

us to realize that there will be and are false

prophets, false teachers, false messages and

with false promises that we can access so easily

now. Who are you listening to every day? Whose

social media page are you following? What messaging

is being communicated to you? Is that content

taking you away from Christ or bring you to Christ?

And so the question we have to ask, if this is

the reality that we live in, what are we sowing

into our lives? What are we watching? What are

we listening to? What are we captivated by? And

are these things leading us to Christ? He continues

on in this passage. A healthy tree cannot bear

bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good

fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit

is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you

will recognize them by their fruits. Jesus here

is saying, I'm looking for something. I'm looking

for people whose lives are characterized by things

that are everlasting, eternal, good. And if it

isn't, these things will be cut down and burned.

So the question we have to ask here is, What

is growing out of our lives right now? When people

experience us, what are they experiencing? Is

it Christ? Or something else altogether? What

are they recognizing in us? And ultimately, we

have to ask the question, What does God recognize

in us? What I'm going to read next will be startling.

And this is why it's so important that we understand

how we're being formed and where we're going.

Jesus continues on and says, Not everyone who

says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom

of heaven. but the one who does the will of my

Father who is in heaven. On that day, many will

say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in

your name and cast out demons in your name and

do many mighty works in your name? And then will

I declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from

me, you workers of lawlessness. Jesus is painting

a picture of the future where all people will

be standing before him. And some will go, Jesus,

Jesus! And he will say to them, It calls us to

wake up this morning. It calls us to go, how

am I taking my formation? Is it, I'm being serious

about it? Is my deepest desire to become like

Jesus or not? Because these passages tell us,

they ask us this question. What is Christ looking

for? You have many people on that day who did

many good works. And many will hear from Jesus,

I never knew you. What is Jesus looking for?

As I study this scripture, I can't help but believe

that what Jesus is looking for is himself in

us. He desires to... See transformation in us

that's so radical that on that day, we will not

be going, this is what we've done for you, Jesus.

This is what we've done for you, Jesus. This

is what we've done. No, it will be, Lord, you're

all I've ever wanted. I've wanted and I've tried

to follow you all the days of my life. And Jesus,

I hopefully will say, I know you. I've seen you.

I've seen your love for me. And I've seen how

that love has borne fruit out of your life that

praises my name. That's what he wants. He wants

to see that type of fruit. Okay, please take

a deep breath. These are real words of warning

for us this morning. Real words that we have

to take seriously. And so, are our whole lives

surrendered to God? Is the goal of our formation

and growth leading us to love, to follow, and

to become more and more like Jesus? Where are

you in this journey? Maybe you're a new believer

trying to figure out what does it mean to be

a Christian? Others may be decades in the faith

going, wow, this journey has been long. And this

is now the opportunity to go, where am I right

now? Can I be honest with you, though? I've been

a believer for over 20 years. I've been serving

the Lord vocationally in Thailand for 13 years.

And you know what? I still see parts of my life

that's very selfish. that yearns for comfort

over what is best in the name of Jesus. There's

still parts of me that rather avoid showing love

because of it being inconvenient. There's still

parts of me that is very active with certain

things because it defines and gives me value

and worth aside from Christ. And there's still

that lie that's ever present that says, your

good works will save you. And if that's true

in me, perhaps in you too, these words that Jesus

has said should not be surprising. Because he

wants more. He wants more from us than just that.

He wants a relationship with us. But he gives

us these words and we have to wrestle with them.

We have to go, Lord, how do I transform into

that person that you desire? And so Jesus Christ

who said, not everyone will enter the kingdom

of heaven. but the one who does the will of my

Father who is in heaven. This Jesus also said,

it is finished. Jesus on the cross speaks his

last words and says, it is finished. Why is this

so important? Why is this good news for us? Because

there's only one person in all the universe,

in all of creation, in all of history, that actually

deserves to walk into the kingdom of heaven.

And that's Jesus Christ. He's the only one who

has fulfilled the Father's will perfectly. Nobody

else. And he has made it such a way for us that

when we put our trust and our love and our allegiance

and our obedience in Christ, he says, you now

have access to into the kingdom. You now have

access into transformation. When he says it is

finished, he accomplished a treasure trove of

things for us who say we follow Jesus. I want

to point us to just one this morning. Let's turn

to Ezekiel chapter 36. And it says this. In Christ,

Ezekiel 36 · chapter mention

this is true for us. God will give you a new

heart and a new spirit. God will put within you.

And I, God, will remove the heart of stone from

your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And

I will put my spirit within you and cause you

to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey

my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I

gave to your fathers and you shall be my people.

And I will be. Your God. And when Jesus says,

it is finished, he's saying, this is now true.

This is now true for every one of you who have

said, I believe in Jesus. I put my faith in Jesus.

I love him. And he's the only one. Is that true

of you this morning? Because if it is, then access

to transformation is yours. It's yours. We don't

have to work for it. We have to receive it. We

have to adore Christ and receive it from him.

And so when we talk about transformation, we

start and end with Christ. Because Christ, again,

is the only one who fulfilled the Father's will

perfectly. And what will was he fulfilling? To

fulfill the will of the Father, to display his

love to a broken world, a dying world. What did

the Father desire? That Christ would come, die

on the cross for us, forgive us of all our sins,

and not only that, raise from the dead to give

us new life. And he gives us his spirit now,

daily, with us, moment by moment, so that that

transformation will occur. What does that firstly

require of us? It requires that we trust in Christ.

It requires that we follow him. Because he's

the one who promises to transform us. He doesn't

call us to transform ourselves. Again, as we

put our faith and trust and obedience in Christ,

we are allowing him to transform us because he

promises that. And where does he promise that?

This is a, I'll give you homework. If you go

through the scripture, you'll see many, many,

many, many more scripture verses that. Say, what

does our transformation look like? And I just

want to introduce you to three. In terms of our

body, what does it say? Romans chapter 6. When

Romans 6 · chapter mention

we think about the meaning of baptism, it says,

just as Christ was raised from the dead by the

glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness

of life that we would live differently. In terms

of our mind and our heads and the way we think,

1 Corinthians 2 .16 says something very radical.

It says, but we have the mind of Christ. We have

access to him and to the way he thinks. What

about our heart and our spirit? Galatians chapter

Galatians 4 · chapter mention

4, 6 says, And because you are sons and daughters

now, God has sent His Spirit of His Son, the

Spirit of His Son, into our hearts, crying, Abba,

Father. A God we may have experienced far and

away. Because of his spirit given to us. And

a new heart and new spirit we receive. We now

recognize that God is Abba. Daddy. Father. And

we can have a new relationship with him. As a

father to his beloved children. This is what

we have in Christ. Amen. Let us close in prayer.

Father, Abba Father, may your spirit never stop

doing the work of transforming us to be more

and more like Jesus. Lord, we worship you and

we praise you and we celebrate what you have

done here these 60 years at ECB. May we be a

church filled with people. Formed and transformed

by Jesus Christ through the gospel. May we celebrate

10 years from now, 20 years from now, 100 years

from now. May we celebrate how ECB has been faithful

to Jesus Christ. To his mission to make disciples

for global impact. May we continue to know and

be known for being a people discipled and formed

by the gospel, bringing Christ's power and presence

to this city and to the nations. It's in his

name we pray. If God is calling you to support

our ministries, you will find giving options

on our website. And remember to join us next

week. God bless you.