Being a Christian is Like Being a Pumpkin

Intro: I thought I would bring a message with a fall theme. It is amazing how nature presents us a picture of God's handiwork in mankind in a way we can't easily forget.

I. God picks you from the patch and brings you in. John 15:16 (NKJV)  You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. We did not choose Christ. He chose us. Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT) ⁴  Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. ⁵  God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Christians are the chosen and ordained of Christ, and they have been given the very same purpose of Christ Himself: to go into all the world and bear fruit among men.

II. God washes all the dirt off you. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Whereas we were living in sin and immorality, we now are a new creature living in righteousness and holiness. Whereas we had to face death, we are now a new creature that never has to die. Whereas we were doomed to judgment and eternal separation from God, we are now a new creature in Christ. We are destined to live eternally in the presence of God.

III. God opens you up and scoops out all the yucky stuff. Ephesians 2:1-7 (NKJV)¹  And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ²  in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³  among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. ⁴  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵  even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶  and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷  that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:6-8 ] (NLT) ⁶  We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. ⁷  For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. ⁸  And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. All of our sin has been removed by the blood of Jesus. We are free from our old sinful way of life. We are clean inside!

IV. God carves you a new smiling face. [Psalm 71:23; 32:11] My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed. Psalm 32:11 (NKJV) Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart! The Lord gives His people much to smile about and bring about rejoicing in our hearts. Our future in heaven with God is assured because of Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf on the cross. We are now children of God and joint heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ.

V. God puts His light inside you to shine for all to see. [Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV) ¹⁴  You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. “In the same way” that a light shines from a pumpkin, we as Christ’s disciples must let our light shine before others by letting our “good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise our heavenly Father.” Jesus made it clear that there would be no mistaking the source of a believer’s good works. Our light shines not for our self but to reflect the light back to the Father who chose us and so direct people to him.

Invitation: God has chosen for all mankind to be saved but you must respond to His invitation by confessing your sins to Jesus and asking Him to forgive you and save your soul from hell and for heaven. If you have never done that now is the perfect time!