“A New You…”

November 15, 2015

Stetson Memorial UMC

John 4:7-15 The Message Bible

Acts 11:1-18 The Message Bible

 “A New You…”

Prayer for the Spirit’s leading…

I have noticed that when people come together they are no longer just a person; they become something much larger than themselves. They become a community…they are no longer all alone. I have seen it happen in so many different ways. When teens get together they become extended family with on another. Even the parents get to become part of their community at times. I don’t know how many adopted children I have had that are my daughters friends.

We as adults seem to do the same thing. When we have friends that are close they become family members to us. When things go the way God plans them to go, we become members of Christ’s body…we become brothers and sisters in Christ. We were born into a community, our families, and we need community to thrive and become who we were created to be and to fulfill the purpose that only we can fulfill.

Last week we all received a piece of beach glass to remind us that through all the pressure and storms in our lives the sharp edges we have are being smooth out so that we will become who God intends us to be. We are broken and may have been discarded by the world but God sees that thing of beauty in us and it is from there our reconstruction comes and we are created new.

Last week we also talked about a safe place. Now some people unfortunately don’t have a safe place in their lives. But we all NEED to have that place where we are safe from all the negatives in life and can be who we are… broken vessels that God uses for His glory. You know…those imperfect perfect vessels for God… Now remember, it is in our brokenness that God’s light shines through the cracks. Remember also that there something amazing about our brokenness; it is within this brokenness that Jesus’ light shines through us. If we were perfectly made…there would be no cracks in which our light can shine through.

The safe place is in community and it is within the community of the church…the body of Christ…that we should feel the safest. The story of the Samaritan woman that we read this morning is a story of healing. Now Jesus spoke to this woman which alone was something liberating. Jews didn’t talk to Samaritans, let alone a woman. But Jesus reach out to her with the living water and it gave her the freedom to go and tell her whole family…her whole community about Jesus and this living water He offered and many were saved.

Like each piece of beach glass we may find, we too have a story about how we came to be who we are at a certain moment in time. It takes time to find out the story behind the old sea glass we encounter as it does with the people that are in our community, however that community may look. There is change in how we think and how we see community as we strive to live together as the body of Christ.

Sometimes it is our vision that needs to change. There is a story in the bible that changed how the church would look and include us…the gentiles of the world. It is found in Acts 11:1-18 read the scripture from the NIV.

A new way of thinking that includes all in the community …the family of God. As each of us represents a piece of beach glass, when we are put together we create a beautiful mosaic of God grace. But there are times when we let stereotypes and preconceptions that rob us of the image of God in others and we don’t see the holy vessel before us.

There is a wonderful song called “I will change Your name” from the Renew Hymnal. There are these words in it that should make us all stop and think about those who we may exclude but God doesn’t…there are times when we act very much like Peter did with “those” people…”

I will change your name,

you shall no longer be called

wounded, outcast, lonely and afraid

I will change your name,

your new name shall be

confidence, joyfulness, overcoming one,

faithfulness, friend of God,

one who seeks my face.

(End as the spirit leads with the friendship bracelets)

Amen