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This is the audio from the February 12, 2023 sermon, “A New SELF!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Colossians 3:1-17

“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
Colossians 3:9-10 (NIV)

Today continued a sermon series with a focus on being Made New In Christ. Being made new in Christ will change who we are because it involves dying to self and living for Christ.  While there is so much that God wants to clothe us with, for that to change us, we must put off the old self before we put on the new . . .

• Seriousness.  Colossians 3:1-4
  • When we put on a new seriousness, it’s all about changing the things we are serious about.  We must put off the serious pursuit of self and the things of this world in order to put on a seriousness about the things of God.
• Example.  Colossians 3:5-11
  • When we put on a new example, it’s all about changing what people see in us.  It’s not so much that the things of this world bother us when they’re done by the people of this world, but rather they appall us when they are done by us.  We must put off the deeds of the flesh in order to put on the example of Christ for others to see.
• Love.  Colossians 3:12-14
  • When we put on a new love, it’s all about changing who we value most.  We must put off the worldly love that is really all about self so that we can put on the godly love that pursues God above all else and considers others better than ourselves.
• Focus.  Colossians 3:15-17
  • When we put on a new focus, it’s all about changing the direction of our gaze.  We must put off the old focus that kept us looking at our self and the things we desire so that we can put on a new focus to see Christ as the purpose in all we do.

Today, how will you put off the old self in order to put on a new SELF?

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This is the audio from the February 5, 2023 sermon, “A New Covenant: The TIE That Binds!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Galatians 3

“In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”
1 Corinthians 11:25 (NIV)

Today continued a sermon series with a focus on being Made New In Christ. Being made new in Christ will change the way we act because it is defined by a new covenant.  Covenant does not seem to be a popular term these days and I suspect that part of the reason is they are considered to be more binding than we like.  However, when God makes the covenant with us, we should be eager to accept the . . .

• Truth that binds.  2 Corinthians 3:1-6
  • The covenant that has been established between God and mankind through the blood of Jesus is a covenant of truth.  The authority of living within this covenant is not based on the approval of any person or their recommendation, but rather each person who enters into this covenant relationship with God carries the truth of it with them.  When we value God’s truth residing through His Spirit in each other, we find a tie that binds us together.
• Intensity that binds.  2 Corinthians 3:7-11
  • The nature of this covenant established by God through His Son is one that is filled with an all-consuming glory and intensity.  This is not a half-hearted covenant that we can quote when convenient and ignore when inconvenient.  When God calls us to Himself to live in a covenant relationship, He does so as One who calls us to die to self and live in a new life that is completely devoted to Him.  When we see and value the intense nature of God dwelling in our brothers and sisters in Christ, we find a tie that binds us together.
• Encouragement that binds.  2 Corinthians 3:12-18
  • The result of this covenant established by God with the power of the resurrection is an encouragement that should fill each person with hope.  Entering into a covenant relationship with a God that has set forth terms designed to give us freedom ought to change the way we speak to the people around us.  When compared to a covenant of law that exposed our guilt, this covenant of love is not only something that each of us should desire, it is something we ought to us to encourage one another.  When we live with the encouragement God offers to each of us in this new covenant, we find a tie that binds us together.

Today, how will you live with a TIE that binds?

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This is the audio from the January 29, 2023 sermon, “A New MIND!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Ephesians 4:20 – 5:2

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2

Today continued a sermon series with a focus on being Made New In Christ. Being made new in Christ will change the way we act because it changes the very foundation of our thoughts through a transformation of our attitude.  To do that well, it is important to realize the in Christ we live with a new . . .

• Motive.  Ephesians 4:20
  • Being made new in Christ will cause us to examine why we do what we do as we allow God to purify every motive that we have.
• Instruction.  Ephesians 4:21-24
  • Being made new in Christ will lead us to make use of God’s Word as instruction for how we live.  The instruction of God’s Word is not simply for filling our minds with new information, but for transforming the way we think and act.
• Nature.  Ephesians 4:25-32
  • Being made new in Christ will change the very nature of who we are as we are transformed through the renewing of our mind.
• Direction.  Ephesians 5:1-2
  • Being made new in Christ will cause us to walk, live, and think in a new direction.  Godly repentance is not only about our actions, it is also about turning our thoughts completely around and thinking in a new direction.

Today, how will you live a new MIND?

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This is the audio from the January 22, 2023 sermon, “A New LIFE!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Romans 5:20 – 6:7

“But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.  ‘Go, stand in the temple courts,’ he said, ‘and tell the people the full message of this new life.'”
Acts 5:19-20

Today continued a sermon series with a focus on being Made New In Christ. Being made new in Christ will not only give us new life, but it wall also call us to tell others the full message of that new life.  To do that well, it is important to realize the in Christ we have been given a new . . .

• Likeness.  Romans 5:20 – 6:7
  • While mankind began by being created in the image of God, the entrance of sin into the world has stamped our flesh  with a different image — the image of sin.  When we are made new in Christ, we die to sin and are made new in the likeness of Jesus.
• Individual.  Romans 6:8-14
  • In the ways of the world, our individuality is primarily all about us — we become ruler of our own domain.  When we are made new in Christ, our individuality is all about becoming one with Christ and with one another as the body of Christ.
• Freedom.  Romans 6:15-18
  • Most people long for freedom and believe that true freedom means they can do whatever they want.  When we are made new in Christ, we find a freedom from the bondage of sin as we are set free to live in obedience to righteousness.
• Example.  Romans 6:19-23
  • Many times our society will set people up as heroes and examples based on criteria that is very short-lived and even more short-sighted.  When we are made new in Christ, we find a “great cloud of witnesses” that teach us how to be examples of faith even as we become part of that great cloud for others.

Today, how will you live a new LIFE?

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This is the audio from the January 15, 2023 sermon, “A New WAY!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Hebrews 10:19-29

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.’
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’“
Jeremiah 6:16

Today continued a sermon series with a focus on being Made New In Christ. Being made new in Christ will call us to live in way that is new only because we are not accustomed to living that way.  In fact, this “new way” is a return to the ancient way . . . the way of God defined from creation forward.  When we know Jesus as “the Way”, we find He  is the One that gives us a new . . .

• Washing.  Hebrews 10:19-22, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
  • When we are made new in Christ, we are washed in a new way.  This isn’t a “good enough” wash or even a “that will do” wash but rather it is a full and complete cleansing of every part of our being.  To be washed in a way that is complete will require us to reject a “you tell them” attitude when the Bible talks about sin and instead take the message to heart and be cleansed.
• Assembly.  Hebrews 10:23-25, 1 Corinthians 11:33
  • When we are made new in Christ, we are called to a new assembly.  When we are put together and assembled by God into an organism that is His body, we discover the importance of one another.  The new way that is to be lived by those who are in Christ is not the “everyone for themselves” mentality of the world but rather an everyone for one another mindset that creates an eagerness to come together for fellowship, encouragement, and worship of God.
• Yielding.  Hebrews 10:26-29, Philippians 2:3-4
  • When we are made new in Christ, we experience a new yielding.  While our flesh often leads us along a path of least resistance and easy pleasure, God’s calling is for us to reject the allure of sin through a full submission to Christ.  The good news is that God can see and know the details of our heart in a way that realizes whether our sin is a continual practice or a stumbling of temptation.  When we yield fully to God, we no longer have a desire to practice sin even if that sin finds ways to creep in and tug at our life.  This new way of life is one that says God is in charge of everything and I willingly submit to Him and to one another.

Today, how will you be made new in your WAY?

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This is the audio from the January 8, 2023 sermon, “Made New In BIRTH!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: John 3:1-21

Today continued a sermon series with a focus on being Made New In Christ.  In John chapter 3, we find the account of an interaction between Nicodemus and Jesus which results in some teaching that includes one of the most famous verses in the entire Bible.  Being made new in Christ includes a response to the call of Jesus that we must be born again.  When we follow Jesus fully, we find that we are made new in . . .

• Belief.  John 3:1-3
  • Experiencing a new birth in Christ will result in a new belief that is more than just a verbal parroting of what seems to be expected.  While Nicodemus begins the conversation with a statement that would indicate some degree of belief, there is also the issue of approaching Jesus under the cover of darkness while very few of the encounters Jesus had with the Pharisees were positive.  The first response of Jesus to Nicodemus in this encounter was that something more was needed — the belief that Jesus had come from God needed to bear the fruit of a new belief that comes from a new birth.
• Inclusion.  John 3:4-9
  • Experiencing a new birth in Christ will result in a new inclusion that gives a place of belonging to all who are born both of water and Spirit.  This isn’t a universal inclusion that says anything and everything is just as good as anything else, but rather an inclusion that says in Christ you belong.  All who are born of the water and the Spirit are included in God’s family because of the new birth the experience.  I don’t set the criteria and no human institution can set that criteria to either include or exclude someone, that is done solely by God.
• Relationship.  John 3:10-15
  • Experiencing a new birth in Christ will result in a new relationship with God and with one another.  When we are born in the flesh, we are related to both those who gave us birth and to those they are already related to.  Being born by the Spirit brings us into relationship with God, with all those who are already in relationship with Him, and with all who will still come into the family.
• Truth.  John 3:16-18
  • Experiencing a new birth in Christ will result in us having a new understanding of the truth of God’s love.  While John 3:16 tends to be quoted often to describe the incredible love of God and His desire that none would perish, in context the truth expressed in this passage requires an active belief in God to escape the condemnation that we have brought upon ourselves.  It is by living in the truth of God’s Word and His love that we not only experience eternal life, but we have the tools available to share the good news of this new birth with others.
• Hope.  John 3:19-21
  • Experiencing a new birth in Christ will result in a new hope that endures all things.  It doesn’t take very long to realize the truth of the world living in darkness.  It is fascinating to me that Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night and then Jesus concludes this conversation with a statement that those who practice evil love darkness and those who live by truth will come into the light.  When you live with the light of Jesus in you, you have all that is needed to find hope in the midst of the darkness of this world.  While the darkness is plentiful, it is not powerful enough to overcome the true light of Jesus.

Today, how will you live as one who has been made new in BIRTH?

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This is the audio from the January 1, 2023 sermon, “All In!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  2 Chronicles 16:9, Mark 8:34

Today began a sermon series with a focus on being Made New In Christ.  Before we dive into various things that are made new by Christ, we begin with a foundation of being all in when it comes to our relationship with Christ.  It can be far too easy and common to try to walk down the center of the fence in life in an attempt to keep one foot in the world and one in the kingdom.  God says that He searches the earth to find those who are fully committed to Him so that He can strengthen them.  When we choose to live all in, we do so with the help of God.  When I think of a snapshot of all in believers, I think of the events in Acts 2 when the church was born on the day of Pentecost.  When we choose to live a life that is all in, we become a church family that is . . .

• All INvited.  Acts 2:21, Revelation 22:17
  • Throughout scripture, we find that God is constantly inviting all to come to Him.  We begin the process of living all in by accepting God’s invitation to find life through Christ.  We live all in when we do our part in extending God’s invitation to all.  .
• All INstructed.  Acts 2:37-40, 1 Thessalonians 4:1
  • We grow in Christ when we are willing to accept all of the instruction contained in God’s Word.  Peter made it clear that the instructions of God were for all . . . all present that day and all who would come in future generations.  We live all in when we do our part in taking the instruction we have received and passing it along to all.
• All INvolved.  Acts 2:41-44
  • God’s invitation and instruction are both designed to involve every person who would respond to Him favorably.  We see the foundation of the church being established as a place for everyone to be involved and to use the gifting God has placed in their life.  We live all in when we do our part in both our activity within the body of Christ and in involving all.

Today, how will you live as one who is All IN?

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This is the audio from the December 25, 2022 sermon, “The Christmas Truth: The WORD of Truth!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  John 1:1-15

Today concluded our Christmas FEAST series as we looked at Jesus coming to earth as the Word of Truth.  Generally, how  you feel about truth depends at least partially on the context in which truth is being requested.  When you are cruising down the interstate thinking about everything except your speed, you are probably not such a big fan of truth when the flashing lights behind you turn out to be an officer who clocked you at 100 mph.  However, if that same officer shows up to investigate an accident in which your vehicle was hit in a manner that was entirely someone else’s fault, you are likely very interested in truth.  When it comes to our relationship with Jesus, we don’t get to choose whether the truth of who He is is convenient or not . . . we simply must decide if we accept Him as the Word of Truth that He claims to be.  Our encounter with Jesus should lead us to know Him as the . . .

• Wonder of Truth.  John 1:1-5
  • The truth of Jesus ought to fill us with great wonder as we consider His hand in creating all that exists . . . including us.  It was the Word speaking forth that called everything into existence that is.  To imagine the power of that Word to call light into being and by that same Word established an ecosystem that sustains life.  All that we see and experience ought to fill us with a great sense of wonder at this Jesus who is the WORD of Truth.
• Object of Truth.  John 1:6-11
  • It seems like nearly everything of great value and significance in this world draws people that want to imitate the appearance while substituting something far inferior.  Sometimes when we are the messengers of Christ that He calls us to be, it can be tempting to put our self in the position that is reserved for Him.  John wanted to make it very clear that while he was preparing the way for the One to come, that was the extent of who he was.  He consistently made it clear that he was not the real object the people were looking for, but rather Jesus was the genuine thing when it came to truth..
• Result of Truth.  John 1:12-13
  • Perhaps most importantly to us, there is a result of truth residing in our life.  When the Word of Truth shows up in our life, we find that by believing in that truth we gain the right to be children of God.  It is the truth of God’s Word that instructs us and calls us to repentance.  It is through an obedient belief in the Word of Truth that we have a place of belonging in the family of God.
• Deity of Truth.  John 1:14-15
  • All of this discussion of Jesus as the Word of Truth only makes sense when you accept the deity of Jesus as being the One who was with God and the One who is God.  When the  WORD of Truth include the element of deity, then the Christmas story is more than just a neat tale of a baby being born in the midst of difficult circumstances.  In fact, it is the deity of truth that leads to the calling of Jesus, Immanuel, meaning God with us.  The Christmas story then becomes a story of God taking on flesh and dwelling among us so that He could offer Himself as the perfect and spotless sacrifice to take away the sin of the world.

Today, how will you live with Jesus being the WORD of truth in your life?