Conformed to the World (No Longer!)

Prayer

The great challenge to becoming like Jesus - we are already conformed to the world

We’re back into our course on what it means to follow Jesus, Practicing the Way, starting week 4. In our small group sessions, we’ll be looking at spiritual practices. But here in our time this morning we’re going to focus on goal #2 of following Jesus, becoming like Jesus. Basic idea of formation, of spiritual formation. Our goal is to be formed into the likeness of Jesus.

Here’s my hope - that you would share with me the desire to become like Jesus. That this would be a primary reason why you choose to follow Jesus. You want to be like Jesus, see his beauty, his goodness, his truth made manifest in your life. A person who knows the peace of God. Who has the heart of a servant. Who is filled with joy. Has a generous spirit. Who loves - God above all else, loves your neighbor as yourself.

Of course this starts, as we talked about a couple of weeks ago, with being with Jesus - that’s the first goal of following Jesus. Abiding in him. We keep coming back to make our home in Jesus, our minds and hearts set on him throughout the day, every day.

But just like there were challenges with being with Jesus - in particular for us in our contemporary culture, how hurried and distracted we are - we have a great challenge here, in becoming like Jesus. The great challenge is this - we have already been formed, or perhaps more accurately, deformed - in ways that are absolutely not like Jesus. The stories we’ve come to believe to be true about God, about ourselves, about where life is found, the habits we’ve formed, the environment we live in, the relationships that influence us - all these things have already formed us - sometimes for the better, but all too often, for the worse. And that’s still ongoing, happening bit by bit, day by day.

Paul describes it this way, Romans 12:2 - Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will. And it’s that first part - do not conform to the pattern of this world. It’s helpful to know that the verbs here - both conform and transform - are in the present passive. Do not continue to be conformed to the pattern of this world - it’s ongoing. But rather, continue to be transformed by the renewing of your mind - mind renewed by teachings of Jesus (more on that next week).

And this being conformed to the pattern of the world - just to be clear, that’s code for sinfulness. We’re not living according to the pattern of Jesus, becoming like him - but in opposition, according to the ways of the world. This isn’t new to us - it’s been the great challenge for believers throughout history - that we are more shaped and formed by our culture, rather than being formed into the likeness of Jesus.

We see this throughout the Bible - challenge for the Israelites. After being enslaved in Egypt for over 400 years, the great challenge was not getting them out of Egypt (especially not for the Lord God), it was getting Egypt out of Israel. They’d been so long shaped and formed by living in Egypt, they didn’t know how to be the people of God, to live holy, faithful lives. That’s why God had them wander through the wilderness for forty years - it was training ground for them, to teach them his commands, to give them tests of faith, for them to learn daily dependence on him, so they could learn to become like the Lord God. The Lord gave them commands on worship (the Sabbath!), on sacrifices, on celebrations - trying to instill in them habits that would shape them into holiness, to be like the Lord.

Same dilemma for the Israelites as they made their way into the Promised Land, as they conquered the Canaanites and took the land the Lord had promised them. And yet, because they failed to destroy the Canaanites completely, they were constantly influenced by their neighbors away from the Lord. In other words, they kept being conformed to the pattern of the world around them - they worshiped the Canaanite gods because they bought into what the Canaanites believed, their stories, their practices. They intermarried - relationships that would deform them.

I hope we’ve done enough in our journey through the story of the Old Testament that you get a sense of what I’m trying to say here, how God’s people have always faced the challenge of being conformed to the pattern of this world. That challenge continued right into the New Testament as well.

Perhaps you remember the story where Jesus caught the disciples arguing about which of them was the greatest. They had been conformed to the pattern of this world - and Jesus called them out. Mark 10:42-43, Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. In other words, don’t be like the world! Don’t think it has to be all about you.

Jesus continues, inviting them to be like him - he’s renewing their minds here, this is transforming work. Mark 10:43-45, Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. It takes a whole new mindset to embrace the idea of being a servant to everyone - one we don’t readily have because we - like the first disciples - have already been conformed to the pattern of this world.

Throughout New Testament as well - so many of Paul’s letters, writing to believers who have been conformed to the pattern of this world. 1 Corinthians is a perfect example of this. Paul has to challenge them because they are fighting amongst themselves, arguing (like the first disciples) about whose greater because of whom they were baptized by. They were filing lawsuits against each other. There was terrible sexual immorality. They, like us, needed formation into the likeness of Jesus.

All that to say, it would be foolish of us to think that it is any different for us. To fail to recognize that this is the great challenge in becoming like Jesus - that we have already been - and are even now being - conformed to the pattern of this world. And these patterns are deeply, deeply ingrained in us. Formation to become like Jesus will not happen easily - and certainly not without great intention on our part.

Listen to how Ephesians 2 describes us, the state we were in when we came to faith in Jesus. Ephesians 2:1-3, As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Hear what Paul is saying here about our condition before Jesus - dead in our transgressions and sins! And what brought about this death? We followed the ways of this world. We were led by the wrong ruler, the ruler of the kingdom of the air, Satan. You’ve heard the saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? It’s worse for us, we were dead. We’re trying to learn new tricks, new ways of being (like Jesus), coming out of spiritual death. That’s how deeply ingrained our sinful nature was in us. Resistant to the ways of Jesus.

Why I hope you’ve taken the time to go through the Formation Audit, take the time to consider different habits you’ve developed over the years, ways of thinking - stories that you’ve grown up with, relationships, your environment, experiences - all the things that have formed you - and deformed you.

James Bryan Smith tells the story of a woman whose father ran a family business. And that business caught on fire one day. Her father raced in to say what he could - and even though it was burning hot - to the point it left scars on his arms - her dad made sure to pull out the cash register. That story left a deep imprint on that woman - about how valuable money was. Her dad risked his life for it - and she spent a lot of years well into adulthood pursuing money.

Just having traveled by air last week I was reminded, too, of the story James Bryan Smith tells of the man who, because of business, traveled a lot. And when things didn’t go smoothly, as they often don’t when it comes to flying, he would quickly get irritated and angry. I know the temptation. That’s result of having been de-formed by the patterns of the world, the expectation that everything should work to suit me, and I shouldn’t have to be inconvenienced. Rather than thinking like Jesus, who always knew he was well in the hands of our heavenly father, no matter the circumstances. Even delayed flights.

And it’s as we seek to become more and more like Jesus, that all the ways that we’ve been deeply conformed to the pattern of this world get revealed in us. C.S. Lewis writes about this beautifully:

No man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is; after all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by walking against it, not by lying down. A man who gives into temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would be like an hour later. That’s why bad people in one sense know very little about badness. They’ve always lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find the strength of the impulse inside us until we try to fight it; and Christ, because he was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means - the only complete realist.

Our great hope - the power of Christ in us

We’ll go into greater detail about this next week, about how we are actually formed to become like Jesus, but I don’t want to leave us on such a negative note. Though I do want us to take seriously how deeply conformed we are to the pattern of this world. Those patterns of sin are well formed tracks, deep ruts, in our lives. I resonate with Lewis’ quote - that gets revealed when I try to live differently, like Jesus, realize how deep a hold anger...and pride...and fear...has a hold of my heart.

Listen, as great as the challenge is, we have a great hope. A greater hope. The gospel - the good news - that which we could not - and can not - do for ourselves, Jesus has done for us. Ephesians 2:4-5, But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.

Hear who God is here - God of great, great love (one description I’ve heard recently, Love Loving, that’s who God is, he is Love Loving). Receive that love, that great, great love. And not just his love, but his mercy, God is rich in mercy - it’s not stingy, limited, weak. It’s rich, full, abundant. Our Lord pours it out generously - we can drink it in, there’s plenty more.

Out of this great love, out of this rich mercy, God made us alive. We were dead - so captured, so bound, by our sin, we were helpless - and Jesus filled us with life, his spirit, his power, his presence - in us. The gospel is so much more than a ticket into heaven, so, so much more. It is the reality that in Jesus, our wounds, our pains, can be healed. In midst of our weariness and worries, we can know peace. All the ways we feel trapped, burdened, stuck, we can be made free. That’s the promise of the gospel. Of Jesus. His power, his life, his spirit, in us. We can become like Jesus.

We had our East Central Presbytery meeting this weekend and the pastor who preached, Rob Burns, preached on Jesus calling Levi, or Matthew, the tax collector, as his disciple. And pointed out how ridiculous that was - to call the worst of sinners to follow him. Total discredit to the ministry. Traitor to the enemy. And yet, Jesus did it. And told why he did it. He came to call the sick, not the healthy. Jesus doesn’t call us because we have it all together, because we’ve been good enough - he calls us because he wants to bring healing into our lives, to bring us out of death into life, to transform us to become like him, and to do the things he did.

This section of Ephesians ends with this beautiful word, Ephesians 2:8-10, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Again, Paul emphasizes the beautiful truth that all of this is by grace, God’s amazing gift of life, given freely, unearned. But what I really want to point us to is how it finishes, because it’s a powerful promise for us to hang on to. The declaration that we are God’s handiwork, his craftsmanship (think handmade by a master craftsman), created in Christ Jesus to do want? To do good works. This is what Paul is saying here, that God has a plan for you specifically, good works just for you to do.

It is God’s intention to enable that. Just like he told those first disciples, Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Jesus did that with Peter and Andrew and James and John - and even Matthew, the tax collector. And he will do it with us. That’s why we make the effort to be with Jesus, so we can become like Jesus, so we can do the things Jesus did. So we can do the good works God has prepared in advance in specifically for each of us. God intends to use you and I for his good purposes.

Session #4 stuff

Spiritual Practice this week, Daily Reading of Scripture (include as part of Daily Prayer Rhythm) - find that quiet place, that quiet time, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Start where you are not, not where you think you should be. Make a plan.

If you haven’t done it yet, Formation Audit. Very helpful in recognizing the ways you’ve been conformed to the patterns of this world.

Of course, small groups meeting this week (Tuesday & Wednesday). Watch the Session videos and go through the Companion Guide on your own (set an evening / time to do this).

Reading for the book is pages 117-155. Episode #4 of the podcast is available on the weekly newsletter.

Final word - as I prepared this message, as we go through this course - hold these three things: How absolutely vital this is, this call, this invitation to follow Jesus and our response to it. Are we willing to organize our lives around those three goals - to be with Jesus, to become like Jesus, to do what Jesus did? Not just as a part of my life, but the very center of my life, my core identity of who I am and what I’m about, before anything else, even all the important and beautiful roles that make up our lives. Jesus first.

That’s the first. Second, what a great, great challenge this is. Hardest thing we’ll ever do. It’s hard because we resist it, it requires ever deepening surrender to Jesus. It’s hard because it’s absolutely counter to the culture we live in. It’s hard because there’s a cost to it. Therefore it requires being intentional. Requires effort on our part.

But last thing - there is nothing more worth it. Nothing. There is no greater good. This is our eternal destiny, who we are becoming. I pray, like Jesus.

Closing Prayer - time of reflection