Ep 60: Shedding the Old

0:00 Well, good morning, I'm Daniel Dalp and this is for your Sunday morning drive, the short podcast with the goal of providing some motivation, Dr. and encouragement on your way to worship and helping you recenter your mind on those spiritual things on hectic Sunday mornings. I do appreciate you making us a part of your weekly routine. I've noticed we've picked up some new listeners lately. So if that's you, thank you so much for joining us and I hope that you're encouraged this morning. We are brought to you by the Ministry League network of podcast. You can always check out about the great resources and other shows that Ministry League help support through ministryleague.com and through their app. Let's go ahead and get into our episode today. This is episode 60, shedding the old let's go to church. Are we there yet?

1:01 Last week my wife and I celebrated 10 years of marriage, often called the tin or the aluminum anniversary. Well, my wife didn't ask for tin or aluminum or even diamonds as an anniversary gift. She asked for a pet snake, a ball Python to be exact. And surprisingly, I have no complaints. The little snake has actually been a fun addition to our family and the kids absolutely adore her. It's actually been fascinating to see how she feeds, goes about her everyday habits and grows. And part of that growing process is shedding her skin. And she's done that a few times since we've had her. And when this happens, one of the telltale signs is that her colors, usually full of yellows and whites and Browns, become dull and cloudy. Until, of course, she sheds off the old, and then her colors are new and vibrant once again.

1:53 The old, the dull and the dead are peeled away. The new is better and doing some curse reading on why snakes shed their skin, Part of it has to do with replacing what is dead, what is damaged, and what is worn out. You see, when a snake feeds, it grows and that will also contribute to a more frequent shed. Another interesting observation is that this process is not always easy for the snake, but it's necessary all the same. Observing Whitney Snake, which she lovingly named Lemonade, shedding her skin reminded me of the way the Bible describes us, US transitioning from a life of sin to a life forged by obedience to Christ. You see, there's this beautiful imagery that's used several times throughout Scripture that describes us putting off the old and putting on the new.

2:42 Ephesians chapter 420 through 24 says, But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him. Just as truth is in Jesus, That in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old cell which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit. And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. It seems we all have something to shed. Notice what it says in verse 20. But you did not learn Christ in this way. Now I would submit that this verse also emphasizes that learning Christ is a vital part of shedding off that old self.

3:27 Just like that snake. When we feed on the word of God, when we feed on those things that Christ taught, we grow. And in order to grow, we need to get rid of the old, get rid of the dull, and get rid of the dead. Colossians chapter 3, verses 8 through 10. But now you also put them all aside, anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another. Since you laid aside the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him. You see, we all need to be renewed and if we're following Christ, we have put on the new, the fresh, the vibrant, not in the image of what has been peeled off and put aside, but something completely new in the image of our Savior. Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 says, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away.

4:27 Behold the new who has come feed on the Word of God, grow and put all those sinful things aside. Shed the old, the dull, the damaged, and the dead. Don't hold on to it. Don't clothe yourself in the old skin of a sinful life because the new is better. And just like that snake, getting there is not always easy, but it's necessary all the same. Well, those are my thoughts for your Sunday morning drive. Now it's time to hear yours. And don't forget, you can always share your comments and thoughts on each episode on for your Sunday morning dr.com. Our discussion questions for this week are what are some things that you need to shed in order to be more like Jesus? Are there things you struggle to let go of?

5:09 And how can we glorify God by struggling through those things in order to clothe ourselves in Christ?