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Donna S
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2 Corinthians 5:17
6 stars|4 comments|January 17, 2008|261 reads
 
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has
gone, the new has come!        2 Corinthians 5:17

Once upon a time a man lived in the streets, clad only in the dirtiest
and worst of rags. One day a person from the Palace saw him, and
approached him. There was going to be a banquet at the Palace, and he had
instructions to come and invite people from the highways and byways. Would
he like to come?

The man was indeed interested. However, he could not attend a banquet
dressed in his rags. The Palace representative assured him they would
exchange his rags for some suitable finery to wear to the banquet.

All was in order. The two arrived at the Palace where they went
directly to the dressing chambers of the King. Servants took the filthy rags,
bundled them in a little package, and proceeded to rub, scrub, and
clean the man from top to bottom.

He was then allowed to choose his robes from the closets of the King.
He was told that whatever he picked he would be able to keep, so he
carefully examined all the many garments in the closet. He chose an
exquisite inner garment of purest silk, and an outer robe of finest purple
satin. He was ready for the banquet!

As they left the dressing quarters, the man grabbed his old rags. The
servants told him to just leave them, because he wouldn't need them
anymore. However, he insisted on taking the bundle with him. Even though he
didn't need the rags now, he felt more secure somehow if he could just
hold on to them.

In the Palace banquet hall, the festivities were about to begin. Nearly
everyone was there, including the King himself. The man was seated,
looking resplendent in his new attire. He hid his bundle of rags on his
lap, underneath the tablecloth, so no one would see them.

The banquet was not to be believed! There was music and dancing, and
every kind of delicacy imaginable. As the trays were passed, the beggar
had difficulty getting the food onto his plate. He was constantly
juggling the package of old rags on his lap, balancing it so it wouldn't fall
off. It constantly distracted him from what was going on in the grand
hall.

Eventually the evening ended and the great gala event was over.
Everyone was stuffed to the gills except for the man clinging to his rag
bundle. He was as hungry as when he had come in. He never had eaten even one
morsel of the food. He had been too busy fixing and holding on to his
old rags.

Today, Jesus invites all of us to God's great banquet, to leave our old
ways and old rags, and to say, "Yes!" to Him and to a new and glorious
way of living.  That is good news!

 
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Kathy
Kathy
January 17, 2008
Great story, Donna!
sara burnette
 sara burnette
January 17, 2008
Great word picture.Really makes you think.Thanks.
R B
 R B
January 17, 2008

Hey ds13099,

This is by far one of my favorite verses, "therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17)."  The old has gone?  Does this verse say, it's on it's way out?  It's kinda gone, but not really? 

Oh, that more of us would believe this verse as written, and that our preaching and teaching would agree with it. - This is supernatural doctrine indeed... waaaaay beyond what most of us think about ourselves.

Bottomline: Cling to Christ and His Word, not to the old person you were.  Amen.

Prudence Ramos
 Prudence Ramos
January 22, 2008
Awesome!