When Steve and I were in the USA recently, we learned a stack of great new songs at the Worship God 09 conference hosted by Sovereign Grace.  One of these songs could have been written just for our church because it too is based around the Bible verse, 2 Corinthians 5:17.  The song is on SG’s new Sons and Daughters album, and is called Completely Done. Here is the chorus:

The old is gone, the new has come

What You complete is completely done

We’re heirs with Christ, the victory won

What You complete is completely done

With us at 5:17 church, the song celebrates the complete transformation Jesus works in our lives when he saves us; as Steve likes to say: the past no longer needs to govern our present nor our future.  This truly is a blessing and privilege isn’t it?? – and something we want to keep inviting others to experience.

And yes, as per the title of this post, Sovereign Grace is generously giving this song (MP3) away for free!  You too can download it here so you’ll be all ready to sing it at church soon.  :)

“It’s a shame, but many –  if not most Christians – will spend a lifetime trying to become something they already are.”

I recently read that statement (from Bill Reiser’s White Jesus) and I’ve come to realise that it’s so very true. So many Christians struggle with a low sense of self worth. I recently termed the phrase “functional worthlessness” for myself – which means that if I’m not as productive as I’d like to be (at work, home etc), then I feel worthless. As a pastor:

I should know better than to think that my self-worth is wrapped up in my productivity.
I should know better than to think that who I am isn’t worth much.
I should know better than to have identity crises – struggling to know who I am and what my place is in this world.
I should know better, but I have to admit that I do succumb to these struggles.

That is why Ephesians 1:3-14 is so important. It tells me that I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. I don’t have to try and become a better me. Why? Because I already am something that I could never become through my own efforts.

What am I? Who am I? According to Ephesians 1, I am the recipient of the following:

I am the recipient of every spiritual blessing in Christ: 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

I was chosen by God before He created this universe. I was chosen by God; not because He needed me, but because He wanted me: 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

I am a child of God – adopted into God’s family: In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

I have been redeemed. On the cross, Jesus died the death I deserve so that my past will never have to govern my future. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

My future is bright – full of hope, because of the inheritance God has given me (peace, heaven, seeing God face to face, no condemnation etc): 11In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

My future is secure: when God opened my eyes to the gospel and led me to turn and trust in Jesus, I received the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee that I will find rest and infinite joy in heaven:  13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

The Apostle Paul never got over the shock of who he once was (a persecutor of Christians), and who he had become (a dearly loved child of God). May we never get over the grace of God – how God has changed us from His enemies to His friends – no, more than friends, we’re now His children, who He lavishes His love on.

In the closing chapter of his book, ‘Knowing God’, J.I. Packer urges all Christians to know their identity and thus to claim their destiny:

I am a child of God

God is my Father

heaven is my home

every day is one day nearer

My Saviour is my brother

every Christian is my brother too

That list almost brings tears to my eyes. It’s almost too good to be true. But, praise be to God’s glorious grace, it isn’t!

At 5:17 church, we’re all about connecting with people and connecting people with Jesus. As an outworking of this, we’ve recently decided to support a great ministry called Teen Challenge. As their website tells us, for over 30 years Teen Challenge has given young people who struggle with life-controlling problems a second chance at life. The program aims to eliminate their self destructive habits by meeting the needs of the whole person… not only dealing with the addiction, but also rebuilding their self-image, work ethic, spiritual awareness and relationships.

Last week, Keiyeng encouraged me to read a biography of one young girl who went through the Teen Challenge program. The book was so captivating that I read it in one afternoon (that doesn’t happen very often!!).

Jodie Cadman was a young woman running away from life. In her early teens, her parents went through a messy divorce, and neither of her parents showed her love and acceptance. Her only love and support was her brother - Jonathon. But in her late teens, Jonathon was killed in a motorbike accident. For Jodie, life had lost its meaning. What now? Where to from here?

Jodie fell into a life of self-destruction in the world of drugs and prostitution on the streets of Kings Cross. It’s a brutal read – the author doesn’t leave us guessing about the depravity that Jodie had fallen into. But hope rose out of hopelessness when she discovered Teen Challenge. Through a long and gradual process (including both successes and failures), with the love and care of Teen Challenge, Jodie escaped the clutches of heroin addiction.

In time, Jodie came to trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour – and her healing and vibrant love for God powerfully speaks of the wonderful grace of God. It is a striking testimony of the great truth that if anyone is in Christ, he (or she) is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I’d recommend this book to all 5:17ers – it’s a challenging read, and it’s good to read more of a ministry that we support. Alongside financial support (part of our Sunday financial giving has been channeled to Teen Challenge), we also hope to prayerfully find more ways that we can be involved in this terrific ministry.