Trans-Formation
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Hook
Inside Out & Formation
My wife and I watched a cartoon movie this past week called inside out.
I watched it before we had kids and loved it.
I think I love this movie because I love watching and learning how children and people develop.
But I will warn you watching it with children and without children is a game changer. It was actually quite emotional.
The storyline is this.
Riley Andersen is born in Minnesota. Within her mind's Headquarters, five personifications of her basic emotions — Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger — come to life and influence her actions via a control console. As she grows up, her experiences become memories, stored in coloured orbs, which are sent into long-term memory each night. Her five most important "core memories" (all happy ones) are housed in a hub; each powers an aspect of her personality which takes the form of floating islands. Joy acts as a de facto leader, and since she and the other emotions do not understand Sadness' purpose, she tries to keep Sadness away from the console.
Riley Andersen is born in Minnesota. Within her mind's Headquarters, five personifications of her basic emotions — Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger — come to life and influence her actions via a control console. As she grows up, her experiences become memories, stored in colored orbs, which are sent into long-term memory each night. Her five most important "core memories" (all happy ones) are housed in a hub; each powers an aspect of her personality which takes the form of floating islands. Joy acts as a de facto leader, and since she and the other emotions do not understand Sadness' purpose, she tries to keep Sadness away from the console.
What blew me away from this is how her experiences helped formed who Reilly was. You know we all have experiences and things in our lives that help form us and help us become the people we are sometimes for better or worse.
Today I want to talk about a different kind of formation. I want to talk about the process that Jesus takes through to form us. The kind of formation Jesus brings us through is called transformation.
Introduce Subject
Introduce Subject
Today I would like to talk about transformation.
Formation
Transformation
a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.
synonyms:change, alteration, mutation, conversion, metamorphosis, transfiguration, transmutation, sea change; More
synonyms:change, alteration, mutation, conversion, metamorphosis, transfiguration, transmutation, sea change; More
a metamorphosis during the life cycle of an animal.
FALLEN CONDITION FOCUS
People who confess to believe in Jesus but they don’t look a whole lot like Jesus -
Like a caterpillar going around saying I’m butterfly and i can fly and do all this stuff -
Imputed vs. Imparted - Actual Change
Lack of awareness of the work Jesus wants to do in us
Fire insurance
Heaven bound
Missing Out
My Hope
My Hope
Eyes Opened
Heart Encouraged
Inspired to Pursue Jesus
Transition to Text
We are going to look at a lot of Scripture today because it is loaded with God’s plan to transform us into the image of Jesus.
Raise Question
So what is Spiritual Trans-formation and how does God want to bring transformation into our lives?
Define Christian Spiritual Formation
Christian Spiritual formation is the process by which God conforms us to the image of his Son
Christian Spiritual formation is the process by which God conforms us to the image of his Son
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
This occurs through the power of the Holy Spirit and by God ministering his transformative grace into our lives. We position or posture ourselves to receive this grace through what Wesley called means of grace or spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines are not entitled access to the grace of God but posture our hearts and our bodies in a disposition to receive grace from Jesus if he so desires to grant us transformative grace for our lives. As God ministers his grace into our lives we are continually conformed to the image of Jesus. God’s grace manifests in and through our hearts and lives through both the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
. The gifts of the Spirit are identified in at least three different passages in the New Testament (, , and ).
The gifts of the Spirit are identified in at least three different passages in the New Testament. , and ).
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
1 Corinthians 12:4-
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
1 Corinthians 12:7-
Romans 12:4-
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;
if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;
if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.
Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.
And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
If they were all one part, where would the body be?
As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”
On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,
while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.
But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?
Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?
Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?
So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.
Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.
If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.
So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.
Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying?
You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
In the Law it is written: “With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers.
So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all,
as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.
For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.
If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?
If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.
But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
After a person accepts Jesus Christ they begin a journey with God where the Lord brings a believer through the process of maturing. Both and talk about the process of maturity. But foundationally a believer must first and foremost know and experience the love of Jesus. As a believe rests, abides and puts down their roots, using the language, the love of God is what enables and allows the believer to then live out action out of their state of being. It is not by accident that in Paul’s letter many times his letters are structured first describing what Christ has done for us and the latter parts describe what we ought to do in light of that. For instance, describes for us all that Christ has done for us and our new identity in Christ. It builds to the climax of where Paul prays that they might experience the love of God that passes knowledge so that they will be filled with all the fullness of God and the power that comes from them. It is experiencing the love of God that empowers the individual believer and the church to do the works God has called them to do. The believer is then and only then enabled to walk out the practice of . When you put the “ought-to’s” in front what Christ has done you end up with legalism and a whole lot of defeated Christians who feel like they are always failing God. When you have the latter, you have believers who know their identity in Jesus, know they are loved by God and live out of the power that comes from that reality. This is surely how God has called us to live.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
After a person accepts Jesus Christ they begin a journey with God where the Lord brings a believer through the process of maturing. Both and talk about the process of maturity.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character; and character, hope.
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,
and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
But foundationally a believer must first and foremost know and experience the love of Jesus. As a believe rests, abides and puts down their roots, using the language, the love of God is what enables and allows the believer to then live out action out of their state of being.
But foundationally a believer must first and foremost know and experience the love of Jesus. As a believe rests, abides and puts down their roots, using the language, the love of God is what enables and allows the believer to then live out action out of their state of being.
For this reason I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians
It is not by accident that in Paul’s letter many times his letters are structured first describing what Christ has done for us and the latter parts describe what we ought to do in light of that. For instance, describes for us all that Christ has done for us and our new identity in Christ. It builds to the climax of
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
where Paul prays that they might experience the love of God that passes knowledge so that they will be filled with all the fullness of God and the power that comes from them. It is experiencing the love of God that empowers the individual believer and the church to do the works God has called them to do. The believer is then and only then enabled to walk out the practice of . When you put the “ought-to’s” in front what Christ has done you end up with legalism and a whole lot of defeated Christians who feel like they are always failing God. When you have the latter, you have believers who know their identity in Jesus, know they are loved by God and live out of the power that comes from that reality. This is surely how God has called us to live.
where Paul prays that they might experience the love of God that passes knowledge so that they will be filled with all the fullness of God and the power that comes from them. It is experiencing the love of God that empowers the individual believer and the church to do the works God has called them to do. The believer is then and only then enabled to walk out the practice of . When you put the “ought-to’s” in front what Christ has done you end up with legalism and a whole lot of defeated Christians who feel like they are always failing God. When you have the latter, you have believers who know their identity in Jesus, know they are loved by God and live out of the power that comes from that reality. This is surely how God has called us to live.
b. Describe your understanding of the transformation by the Holy Spirit in the life of the disciple of Christ and the role of the believer to cooperate with God in this process.
One of the challenges with defining Spiritual formation is the tension between God’s grace and our response or action.
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
provides a perfect balance of both grace and understanding our action. “Continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” These two short verses illustrate some key things as it relates to Spiritual formation. First of all it is God who is working in us both to will and to act according to his will and purpose.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
tells us that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (or for living a godly life) according to our knowledge of him (knowing Jesus) who has called us by his own glory and virtue. In other words, because we know Jesus God has given us all the “goods” or “resources” to live a godly life. So are without excuse for living a godly life because he has given us the will and the power to do so. But it is so important to mention here that “it is all grace all the way.” God giving us the will and power and even the ability to carry out his will and use our free choice to do so is all grace enabled and grace sustained. It is with this understanding of grace that we appropriate the grace of God to our lives and work out our salvation. Dallas Willard said that “Grace isn’t opposed to effort; it’s opposed to earning.”[1]In light of grace we do have a part to play and are responsible to work out our own salvation. This has a lot to do with spiritual disciplines that posture us to receive the grace of God. Because the grace of God both conforms us to the image of Jesus and enables us to walk out a lifestyle fully pleasing to Jesus spiritual disciplines place in positions that can help us receive the grace we need to be and become the people God has called us to. This is all possible because of the atoning work Jesus accomplished for us on the cross when he proclaimed those words “It is finished.”
c. Reflect on the integration of the development of the fruit of the Spirit as well as the gifts of the Spirit in the process of spiritual formation.
A final thought as it relates to both the fruit and gifts of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit should be a natural by-product of abiding in Jesus and receiving his grace as we keep in step with the Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are activated in our lives once received by grace through means described in Scripture. They are then utilized by obedience to the Spirit’s prompting and leading. The exercising of these gifts, gifts that ought to be grounded with the fruit of the Spirit, the believer does his part through grace enabled effort to become and mature into the person God has called them to be.
As you can hear through these first number of paragraphs is that the role of the Holy Spirit is key in the process of conforming a believer into the image of Jesus, which in and of itself is incredibly exciting. We get the incredible opportunity to look like the most beautiful being in the entire universe. We as Christians need to get a hold of that and be blown away by God’s plan for us in Christ.
Bill Malone and the moon reflecting
“While driving to Barrington I am viewing the incredible sight as I look out into space, the celestial body that we call the moon is beautifully reflecting the rays of the sun, more beautiful to me is the reflection through nature of the Son our creator! How amazing that he spoke and this happened!!!”
Bear Point Moonshine - LOL! I’m not talking about the copper still I got in my backyard.
We are called to reflect the image of Jesus in the same way the Moon reflects the Sun; We are image bearers. Does that make sense
While driving to Barrington I am viewing the incredible sight as I look out into space, the celestial body that we call the moon is beautifully reflecting the rays of the sun, more beautiful to me is the reflection through nature of the Son our creator! How amazing that he spoke and this happened!!!
Lord Jesus help people to be blown away by this incredible reality.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
Jesus promised that he would send the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit would lead or guide into all truth. It is the Holy Spirit that pours the love of God into our hearts
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
And the Holy Spirit reveals to our hearts the reality of who Christ is and what Christ has done. I have often said that the Holy Spirit takes the realities of the word of God and makes them real, alive and active in the life of the believer.
A part of Spiritual Formation that is often, I think, overlooked is the process by which the Holy Spirit leads us into the truth not just about Jesus but about ourselves. As a Wesleyan I believe in the role of prevenient grace, where the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives even before we come to Jesus. Even in those pre-Christian moments the Holy Spirit is revealing to us the truth about God and the truth about us and our sinful condition and humanity. That leads us to the point of recognizing our need for Jesus. After we come to Christ the Holy Spirit reveals to us to an even greater degree our brokenness and areas of our life that are surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus. The Spirit of God also reveals to us our own humanity, brokenness and frailty. As we grow through the process of maturity the Holy Spirit continues to show us the truth about Jesus and the truth about ourselves. As we are confronted and yes, even affirmed, in our humanity this should lead us to greater dependency on God, a greater love for who God made us to be and a true understanding of who God made us to be as humans.
Sum Up
[1]
Suggestion
Spin Around
Stop