Jesus Changes Everything

Jesus Changes Everything: Lessons from Abraham's Life
When we look at Abraham's story in Genesis 17, we see a powerful truth: Jesus changes everything. But this change isn't just a one-time event, it's an ongoing transformation that affects every area of our lives.

When We Fail in Faith
The last thing we saw Abraham doing was having a child with Hagar instead of waiting for God's promise through Sarah. Abraham, whose faith had moved him to follow God's word, had grown impatient waiting for God to fulfill His promise of an heir.

What happens next is remarkable. God comes to Abraham in the flesh and speaks face-to-face with him. This doesn't make natural sense, why would a holy God come to a man who wasn't living by faith? Because God isn't natural; He's supernatural.

Abraham wasn't where he was supposed to be in his life. When we're not living by faith, we're not where we're supposed to be either. The Bible says both in the Old and New Testament that "the just shall live by faith."

How God Responds to Our Failures
When God appears to Abraham, He does four important things:

1. He reminds Abraham of His name: "I am the Almighty God." Sometimes we forget He's God and allow ourselves to become the god of our lives.
2. He reminds Abraham of his responsibility: "Walk before me and be perfect." We're to follow God so He can make us whole and pour out His promised blessings.
3. He reminds Abraham of His promises: "I will multiply you exceedingly. I have given you the land we spoke of before."
4. He changes Abraham's name: No longer Abram (High Father) but Abraham (High Father of multitudes).

God's changing of Abraham's name signifies a different identification. Abraham's identity is no longer found in his history or legacy but is defined by the object of his faith, the Almighty God.

What Happens When We Let Sin Keep Us from God?
What if Abraham had let his sin of faithlessness and infidelity keep him from meeting with the Lord? Genesis 17, and indeed the rest of the Bible, would have been vastly different.
We often get so bogged down in our sin that it keeps us from pursuing Christ as we should. Whether it's some lascivious sin, an act of faithlessness, or pride, we get so wrapped up in ourselves that we forget our pursuit of His life.

Abraham didn't go to God; God came to him. It's natural for us in our sin to stay away from a holy Savior. We think, "I'm not where I'm supposed to be, so why would I talk to God? Why would I go to church? Why would I open my Bible? Why would I pray to Him?"

Our problem is that we don't want to get right with Him. We like being our own god. We like being in charge of our lives. We like doing things our way.

The Supernatural Grace of God
It's not natural for a God who despises sin to come to a sinner and remind us of who He is. That's supernatural. That's grace.

Think about a time when you knew you were wrong and weren't following God. But then someone texted you a verse, called you, or you read something that reminded you: "I'm still here. I still love you. Grace is still here. I'm still the Almighty God. My word is still true. I've got blessings and promises just for you."

When we are wayward, the Way comes to remind us of who He is, what we're supposed to be doing, what He has promised, and who we're supposed to identify as.

The Cost of Following Christ
As we continue in Genesis 17, we see there's a cost to following Christ. Not for salvation, Jesus paid that price, but for discipleship.
God establishes circumcision as the sign of His covenant with Abraham. While this may seem an odd request, it's deeply symbolic. There's not much more powerful a drive in a man than his appetite for sexual gratification. By requiring circumcision, God was essentially saying, "Cut off the part of it that drives you."

This physical act in the Old Testament represents a spiritual truth for New Testament believers. It's a picture of sanctification, denying our flesh, denying what drives us, and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us.

What Does Spiritual Circumcision Look Like Today?
Romans 6:6 tells us: "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
We are to reckon ourselves "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:11). We are not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies.
Romans 13:14 instructs us to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." How often do we make plans to fulfill our desires rather than His?
Galatians 2:20 says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." We are to crucify who we are. Jesus said if we're not willing to take up our cross and follow Him, we're not fit for the kingdom of God.

A New Identity in Christ
Galatians 6:15 tells us that "in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." 2 Corinthians 5:17 echoes this: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
When we become children of God, we're supposed to have an identity change. We may still mess up, Abraham certainly did, but our identity is no longer in ourselves but in Christ.
Colossians 2 explains that we are "circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." It's not about physical circumcision for salvation; it's about what we do with the salvation we've received.

Life Application
If you've truly met Jesus, He changes everything, not just once, but continually. This week, consider these questions:

1. Have you truly met Jesus? Has there been a point in time when you accepted His sacrificial death for your sins?
2. If you've met Jesus, do your desires and ambitions drive you more than the things of Christ?
3. Has Jesus changed anything in your life? If nothing has changed, have you really met Him?

Salvation isn't just about a free ticket to heaven or escaping hell. It's about being with Christ, not just for eternity, but today. If you've truly met Jesus, He will be changing things in your life.
This week, identify one area where you need to "put off the old man" and "put on Christ." Ask God to help you surrender that area completely to Him. Remember, Jesus doesn't just change our eternal destination; He changes our daily direction.