1. ! ? The necessity of transformation:  Paul has painted a dim view of the sinful state of humanity....
• ! Romans 3.9-18
• ! This leads us to understand how God's intent for us as persons has taken a nose dive into the area of destructive behavior that shed's blood, poisons the tongue.
• ! Can you imagine how real this is to some high school students who grieve the loss of two teachers due to a quarrel that led to death.
• ! As terrible as it is to compare Sasha to ourselves, I have to go there. I have to say that you and I were not supposed to be this way. As creatures in need of somebody outside of ourselves to name us, as creatures incomplete outside the companionship of God, our souls are born distorted, I am convinced of it. I am convinced that Moses was right, that his explanation was greater than Freud's or Maslow's or Pavlov's.

I believe, without question, that none of us are happy in the way we were supposed to be happy. I believe that nobody on this planet is so secure, so confident in their state that they feel the way Adam and Eve felt in the Garden before they knew they were naked. I believe we are in the wreckage of a war, a kind of Hiroshima, a kind of Mount Saint Helens, with souls distorted like the children of Chernobyl. As terrible as it is to think about these things, as ugly as it is to face them, I have to see the world this way in order for it to make sense. I have to believe something happened, and we are walking around holding our wounds.     Donald Miller, Searching for God Knows What (Nelson, 2004), p. 87-88

• ! Jesus tips us off to the remedy..."for God so loved the world."
• ! Paul speaks of the love of God...  10 times before he comes to these words...each time it is about the love of God...
• ! And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Ro 8:28 NIV

Ro 8:28 NIV

• ! Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Ro 8:35 NIV
• ! No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Ro 8:37 NIV

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Ro 8:37 NIV

• ! neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Ro 8:39 NIV

• ! When Paul comes to the end of this description he breaks into a song of praise.  A doxology.
• ! Then comes the "Therefore..."  It is the time of transition.
• ! "In view of God's mercy..."
• ! "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind...."
• ! The word which we translate as transformed is "metamorphosis"
• ! 1     a      : change of physical form, structure, or substance esp. by supernatural means        b      : a striking alteration in appearance, character, or circumstances

2           : a typically marked and more or less abrupt developmental change in the form or structure of an animal (as a butterfly or a frog) occurring subsequent to birth or hatching

• ! The video pieces.....
• ! What God has in mind for us is an incredible change...from the destructive ways of the world to the way of service...serving God and each other.

• It is the way of incredible beauty...
• You need to be a community of faith... you are going because you are persons who know Christ as the one who makes new life possible.
• You want to go to serve...to give of yourselves to others.  From a position of humility...just because we have great wealth in this land does not mean are better than they are.  You do not come representing Christ by being a level higher than they are.  You come with smiles, hugs, open hearts and willing hands.  The more you leave of yourself there, the more you will take back with you in understanding the world in which we live. 
• And it starts with you together...being a community of faith.
• Trusting each other.
• Building each other up.
• Making room for each other in your groups... making sure you do not exclude anyone.

• It is the way of incredible beauty...
• You need to be a community of faith... you are going because you are persons who know Christ as the one who makes new life possible.
• You want to go to serve...to give of yourselves to others.  From a position of humility...just because we have great wealth in this land does not mean are better than they are.  You do not come representing Christ by being a level higher than they are.  You come with smiles, hugs, open hearts and willing hands.  The more you leave of yourself there, the more you will take back with you in understanding the world in which we live. 
• And it starts with you together...being a community of faith.
• Trusting each other.
• Building each other up.
• Making room for each other in your groups... making sure you do not exclude anyone.