What Does Real Life Transformation Look LIke?
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Toy Story
Toy Story
Buzz and Woody are both what?
Woody knows who he is.
Buzz thinks he’s THE Buzz Lightyear.
Buzz is not operating in reality. Why?
Who you are directs what you do.
Who you are directs what you do.
Who are you?
What you do reflects who you believe you are.
What you do reflects who you believe you are.
What is the thing that MOST defines your life? What do you spend most of your time doing? Who are you when no-one is watching?
Whatever the thing is that most defines your life, will direct your actions.
James isn’t just about changing your behavior it is about changing your heart.
The verse that cuts to the heart of our identity crisis.
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Faith and Works are Inseparable
Faith and Works are Inseparable
Some folks die in offices one day at a time. They could live a hundred years, but their soul’s already died. Don’t let your spirit die before your body does. We’re terminal.
- Jon Foreman (Terminal)
James isn’t just about changing your behavior it is about changing your heart.
Surface level change
Caterpillar tied to a kite
Metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly
Every single one of us is like Buzz in one way or another. We all need to wake up to who we really are. We Need Change.
How does transformation happen?
How does transformation happen?
Who is James?
Who is James?
26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
“You don’t have a soul. You are a soul, that has a body.”
“You don’t have a soul. You are a soul, that has a body.”
Jesus’ Family
Jesus’ Family
James: didn’t always have the highest opinion of Jesus.
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
James is not a good candidate to get into our lives and tell us what we ought to believe about Jesus. What changed?
Jesus resurrection.
9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
How did this happen?
How did this happen?
James is Transformed by a Resurrection Encounter
James is Transformed by a Resurrection Encounter
1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
Anyone have a brother? Can you imagine the I told you so moment when Jesus appeared to him?
James is Transformed from a Scoffer to a Servant
James is Transformed from a Scoffer to a Servant
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
The Objective reality of the Resurrection. (The Encounter)
Recognition that it was all done for me. (The Realization)
Jesus stood silent before his accusers. (For you and for me)
Jesus was beaten beyond recognition. (For you and for me)
Jesus was hung on a cross and said, “it is finished” (For you and for me)
Jesus rose again claiming victory over death (For you and for me)
Transformation doesn’t come from a system, its comes from a person.
Transformation doesn’t come from a system, its comes from a person.
"Ooh!" said Susan, "I'd thought he was a man. Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
-Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Are you going to play it safe this week, or are you going to encounter the king?