Sermon Tone Analysis

*                   8~/28~/05  Sermon: *

*         “Transformation, NOT Conformation!”*

*                  ( Romans 12:1-8 )*

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     This past Wednesday evening I met with parents in this congregation whose children will be in our 6th-8th grade Confirmation program this year.

Please note, I said Confirmation program, NOT Conformation program!

Confirmation means that one is being strengthened in one's faith as one meditates on the promises of Jesus and grows in the knowledge of His Word and His will for one's life.

In fact, I stressed to the parents and their children that Confirmation continues on after the program is finished because we Christians should always strive to grow more and more in our knowledge of God's Word as we follow Jesus.

Simply put, being a Christian is about Confirmation, NOT Conformation.

So then, what is Conformation?

Conformation is when we follow the evil ways of this world and pattern our lives after the desires of our sinful nature.

Conformation will lead us to avoid God and His Word after Confirmation!

For example, once there was this Lutheran Church that Called a new pastor.

The new pastor soon discovered that there were hundreds of bats in the bell tower of the Church building.

The pastor told one of the elders about this and the elder said:  /“Don’t worry about it, pastor.

Those bats have been there for many years.

We’ve done everything to get rid of them, but they refuse to leave.

So, I guess they’re here to stay.”/

The next week the elder came to the Church and noticed that all the bats in the bell tower were gone.

The elder then asked the pastor how he got rid of all the bats.

The pastor answered:

/“Easy!

I baptized and confirmed them, and they haven’t been back since!”/

That funny story reminds us of a sad reality.

So often our Confirmation is destroyed by Conformation.

We allow ourselves to be conformed to this world and the result is that we no longer have any desire for the things of God.

But that’s not how God wants it.

God wants Confirmation, NOT Conformation!

The Apostle Paul makes the same point in today's second reading from Romans chapter 12, except that Paul is saying it this way:  *Transformation*, NOT Conformation.

What does this mean?

Let's examine the first part of our reading from Romans chapter 12 and we will find out.

Listen again to Romans 12:1, *"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship."

*What is Paul trying to teach us?

First, Paul says *"In view of God's mercy", *which means that God wants you to live a certain way -- NOT because you're scared of His wrath if you don't and NOT because you're trying to impress God or earn His love.

No!  God wants you to live a certain way BECAUSE OF HIS MERCY!

 

     God loves you!  God sent His only Son to the cross to die for your sins so you could be forgiven and live as God's child now and for eternity.

Paul spends the first 11 chapters of Romans pointing us to Jesus and all He has done to save us -- even though we don't deserve it!

So, *"In view of God's mercy" *means that God's love is the motivation for all you do.

You don't have to do anything to earn God's love and mercy.

In fact, you CAN'T earn it.

Salvation is free!

You have the free gift of God's mercy and love through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

You are God's forgiven and dearly loved child!

That means you get to LIVE as His child.

In fact, His mercy makes you WANT to live for Him because His mercy transforms your heart so that doing God's will becomes your true desire.

That leads to a question:  What is God's will?

Paul says that you should *"offer your bodies as living sacrifices."*

But how can you be a LIVING sacrifice?

Have you ever noticed that all the animal sacrifices mentioned in the Old Testament were DEAD sacrifices?

But Paul says you get to be a LIVING sacrifice!

You see, Jesus took the death you deserve upon Himself and so now you get to LIVE for God and please Him with your LIFE!

 

     How do you please God with your life?

Worship!

But isn't that what we're doing right now?

Not exactly.

Oh sure, we're worshipping God with our words, hymns, prayers and offerings.

But that's not the main thing going on in this place.

You see, this event today is more properly called a SERVICE.

Why?

Because what takes place on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings in this sanctuary is about GOD serving US!

But if this is a SERVICE, then what is worship?

Worship is what happens when you leave the sanctuary after the final hymn.

Worship is how you relate to your family in the car on the way home.

Worship is how you treat your wife or husband during the week.

Worship is how you parents treat your children and how you children treat your parents.

Worship is about saying "No" to the sinful temptations that bombard you each day.

Worship is saying "Yes" to the forgiveness and love that God would have you offer others.

Worship is employees doing their best for their employers and employers doing their best for their employees.

Worship is telling others about Jesus when God gives you the opportunity.

Worship is giving food to a poor family.

Worship is living your life according to God's will.

Worship is life lived in response to God's mercy in Christ.

Now we're ready to hear Romans 12:2, which reads:  *"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but he 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."

*What does this mean?

Transformation, NOT Conformation!

Simply put, now that you are God's forgiven child you must stop being conformed to the ways of this evil world.

Listen to what Paul writes in Titus chapter 2: "*For the grace of God that brings salvation to all men has appeared.

It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."*

Did you hear that?

We are saved by God's grace and that grace transforms the way we live our lives.

Unfortunately, if you're like me, it's still very easy to be conformed to the ways of this evil world.

If you remember the children's sermon, we're like Play-do.

We are supposed to be shaped into Christ's image, but so often we allow ourselves to be conformed to the pattern of this evil world.

We allow evil thoughts to lurk in our minds.

We allow anger to shape us as we utter painful words that hurt the ones we love.

We let T.V. programs and the Internet influence our desires and the way we want to live.

We let the sinful temptations of this world seduce us because we believe the lies of the world that promises us happiness but actually gives us spiritual poison.

My friends, that's exactly why we need Jesus.

That's why we're here today.

We are Play-do people who have been conformed to the pattern of this world.

But Jesus is here today to transform you and shape you into something new.

Today God's mercy will transform you into a New Creation!

When you leave this place today Jesus will assure you that you are His forgiven child AND He will help you know what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will.

But how does Jesus do that?

How does He renew our minds and transform our lives?

How does He teach us God's will?

Jesus gives you His Word!  His Word that you hear in this Service.

His Word that you study in Bible Class.

His Word that is part of your life every day if you have family devotions and take personal time to meditate upon the Scriptures.

Jesus uses His Word to assure you that you are forgiven and that God loves you.