sermon preview: turning and living

"Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live!" (Ezekiel 18:31-32)

In order to live--not just to draw breath, but to respond fully to the life we've been given, to live to the fullest, we must change. The "default setting" in sinners is warped. We have to reset the system. The problem is, though it sounds good, we don't have in us the power to "make ourselves a new heart and a new spirit." But Jesus does have that power. If we allow Him, Jesus will renew our wandering and exhausted hearts. He will turn us homeward, and cause us to really live. This, indeed, is the Father's joy.