South County Church
Over the Past
Locations & Times
South County High School (Entrance 15)
Thursday 10:00 AM
What has been your greatest mistake in this life?
Big Idea: Your past does not define you when you surrender fully to Jesus.
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 HCSB – 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Why does our past not need to define us?
• In Christ all things are New
o God has made you new and is making you new!
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV – 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.
1. New faith – believing in Jesus
2. New birth – you have been born again
a. John 3:3 NLT – 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
3. New outlook beyond the here and now
a. 2 Corinthians 4:18 HCSB – 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
4. New mercies
a. Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT – 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
• Our past has been forgiven
o Luke 7:41-43 NLT – 41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
o Psalm 103:12 NLT – 12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
• We have been made right with God
oJustified in Christ – Made Right!
- Romans 5:1 NLT – Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
What do we need to do if we have been made new?
• Out with the old and in with the new
o John 8:9-11 NLT – 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
o What areas of your heart need to be demoed by the Lord?
• Remember that You represent Jesus!
o 2 Corinthians 5:20 HCSB – 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
What part of your past is weighing you down?
• Romans 8:1 NIV – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Next Steps
Memorize: 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
Evaluate: What is an area of my past that I need to forgive myself for? Allow Christ to make it new!
Action: Let all of your world know they can be reconciled to God.
Big Idea: Your past does not define you when you surrender fully to Jesus.
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 HCSB – 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Why does our past not need to define us?
• In Christ all things are New
o God has made you new and is making you new!
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV – 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.
1. New faith – believing in Jesus
2. New birth – you have been born again
a. John 3:3 NLT – 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
3. New outlook beyond the here and now
a. 2 Corinthians 4:18 HCSB – 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
4. New mercies
a. Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT – 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
• Our past has been forgiven
o Luke 7:41-43 NLT – 41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
o Psalm 103:12 NLT – 12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
• We have been made right with God
oJustified in Christ – Made Right!
- Romans 5:1 NLT – Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
What do we need to do if we have been made new?
• Out with the old and in with the new
o John 8:9-11 NLT – 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
o What areas of your heart need to be demoed by the Lord?
• Remember that You represent Jesus!
o 2 Corinthians 5:20 HCSB – 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
What part of your past is weighing you down?
• Romans 8:1 NIV – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Next Steps
Memorize: 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
Evaluate: What is an area of my past that I need to forgive myself for? Allow Christ to make it new!
Action: Let all of your world know they can be reconciled to God.