John Mulligan’s lesson was on “No Wasted Years, No Meaningless Days - Being the person you were meant to be.” Once we choose to follow God’s path, we can enjoy a new beginning where every day is full of meaning and opportunities. The lesson is taken from Ephesians 4:17-5:3.
First: Leave the life you buried. Romans 6:3-4 asks, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” With baptism, we leave that old life for good; it’s meant to stay buried.
Then: Embrace Who You Were Meant to Be (Eph. 4:23-24). God takes us just as we are and makes us new: “...to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness.” Take care, though, not to fall into self-righteousness. We must stay humble and grateful for God’s mercy.
We then Exchange Bad Behaviors for the Opposite (Eph. 4:25-32). For each bad behavior we might fall into, there is a biblical alternative to aspire to. We can learn to address anger in healthy ways, rather than “letting the sun go down” on our anger. Rather than criticizing others, we look for the good in them. Even at our worst, we all have good in us.
Finally, Model the Example You Have in God. Rid yourself of bitterness and malice. Eph. 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate… forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Remember, He loves us (Eph. 5:1) as dearly loved children. With His amazing love surrounding us, we can become new people - the people He meant us to be. What better kind of life could we possibly wish for?
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