For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

                                                                                                     II Corinthians 5:14-17

Paul says that the love of Christ constrains us; it compels us; it urges us.  It's the love in knowing Jesus Christ that causes us to do the things we do.  We are in this building today because we love Jesus.  His salvation is a gift offered to all who will receive it.

There was a lot of nasty sin in my life before I became a Christian.  The good thing is that I don't have to answer for those sins because,  when I became a child of God, He cast them as far as the East is from the West, never to be remembered again.  He forgot yours, too, Child of God!  Christians will not be judged by past sins.  Let's never judge a brand new Christian for his past sins; they're no longer that same man or woman.  Paul says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature."

I'm going to preach two sermons this morning. (Two for the price of one.)  The first will take my normal amount of time and the second will take about five minutes to preach.

Do you know that in Christ I have everything I need?  There is nothing I need outside of who Jesus is.  It's the same way with you, Child of God.  Jesus is all you need.

How do you be in Christ?  Simple answer -- How were you born in the state of Kentucky, United States of America?  How do you work in Danville?  You see, your life is affected by your circumstances.  I was born in the USA; therefore, I am an American.  I was born in the state of Indiana; for some reason my parents took a  trip to Terre Haute, Indiana, and out comes JR Fields.  I spent the first few months of my life there and I've never been back.  I now live in the downtown, sunny, beautiful metropolis of Alum Springs.  But, you see, it's not that I live there that means anything; it's my circumstances that affect who I am.  Christ has affected my life.  It's who Jesus is that determines who I am today. It's not because I am anything special; it's not because I have done anything good.  The Bible talks about our righteousness being as filthy rags.

• First, in Christ there is salvation.  Friend, if you're not a Christian this morning, and you're afraid of that hour when death comes knocking at your door, you don't have to be afraid.  Jesus is all you need.  The Bible says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature."  The moment I bowed my head and asked Jesus to forgive my sins and come into my heart, He recreated me.  I came up looking the same on the outside, but I was changed on the inside.  Some outside changes would have been okay (like a shorter nose), but this old body is going back to dust from where it came.

• Second, in Christ there is forgiveness.  There are so many things in my life I am embarrassed about; but, thank God I will not be held accountable for those.  Old things are dead and buried; they have been cast as far as the East from the West; cast into the depths of the oceans never to be remembered again.  Forgiveness is powerful.  To know that God will look upon the wicked and say, "You are forgiven, Child." is powerful.  Every sin will be removed and every black spot on the heart will be erased.  There is forgiveness in Jesus.  Our friends may not forgive us; our family might not forgive us; but, if I have the forgiveness of God that's good enough for me.  He's truly all I need.

Oh, Preacher; "I've done so many things wrong; I've been a wicked person."  Join the crowd! The pews are full of people with things in their past.  If not for the hand of God they would be miserable today.  I am not special, just forgiven!  The moment we believe, there is completeness; old things are passed away.  The old man is gone and all things are made new.  At the moment of forgiveness things change.  Let me tell you a few things that changed for me.

• My future changed.  I was on my way to hell but Jesus stood in my path and said, "Here, Child, come unto me."  He lifted me up and the journey is getting sweeter everyday.

• My present changed.  I don't do the things I used to do.  I don't go to the places I used to go.  Things may not change overnight; sometimes God may have to get us into a headlock and say, "Come on, Child; give it up."  In return you must say, "Okay, God, if you insist."

• My mind changed; my heart changed; my walk changed; my talk changed.  Everything about me changed.  I was made complete.  We have people in this church that have been saved in the last year.  Nobody had to beg them to turn their life around.  They became complete in Jesus by their own free will. 

Salvation -- Forgiveness -- Completeness -- if any man be in Christ.

Now for my five minute sermon ---

Here's a conditional promise -- I mail you a letter that says, "When you receive this letter you must take it to the courthouse and pick up a check for a thousand dollars.  You must bring this letter with you when you respond."  Most people would say, "Yippee!" and hurry to the courthouse with their letter in hand as fast as they could get there.

Salvation, forgiveness and completeness are contentious and conditional with God.  You don't stumble upon the presence of God; you must go to the source.  Unsaved people will say, "God is so good to me.  I pray daily and thank Him for His blessings, but I don't need to do anything else."  The Bible explains it like this -- He causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust.  The sun will shine on the just as well as the unjust.  But, if you don't know Christ, you don't know His full favor; nor do you have His eternal promise.  It's time to stop running and accept Christ.  If you're in Christ, you fall asleep down here on earth and wake up over there with Him.

First message was that in Christ there is salvation, forgiveness and completeness.

Second message is to know that these things are conditional upon knowing Jesus Christ.  No one experiences the love of God unless you go through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Bro. Jr Fields........August 27, 2006.

Sermon edited by Mary King

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