The Heart Of The Matter: Total Transformation
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Great to see you all this morning. This past spring when we moved, we had given ourselves somewhere between 4 and 6 weeks to move from one place to another. One of the things we worked on in the early stages was spreading some new paint on the walls, dusting fans, dusting vents and replacing a few light bulbs here and there, and patching holes in the drywall. In the first few weeks, we had many trips to either the paint store or the home improvement center, for either more paint or brushes. As we were getting ready to round 3rd base, we were all looking forward to seeing this minor transformation complete. The transformation was not on the scale of something you might see on TV, where there are walls being torn down and new interior features put into place. We weren’t professional painters, but we were please with the end result. Overall the paint provided a nice interior re-fresh, while leaving the interior features intact. When either interior or exterior transformations take place they can either be a minor as some new paint, or if you had a chance to drive to Farmington recently, you had an opportunity to see a complete building go through demolition there at West Main and Broadway (the old American Home building). Sometimes a total transformation requires a full an total demolition with a complete rebuild.
Our passage comes to us from the 12th Chapter of Romans. Chapter 12 begins a new series of teaching. Paul has just complete eleven chapters of “profound and stirring teaching about what God has given believers.” Verses 1 and 2 are considered to be among some the best-known passages in the New Testament. Paul summarizes what we as Christians, our “response to God’s grace in Jesus should be.” Part of our response to God’s grace is translating the doctrine we’ve learned into a type of practical theology, a theology that meets the road. And, that place where the rubber meets the road is taking what we’ve learned and applying it through the way we live. With that in mind, I’d like to invite you to open your Bible’s with me, as we read together the first two verses of Chapter 12. I’ll be reading from the Amplified Version, so there will be a little more there.
1 I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Prayer
Prayer
Paul starts us off with the HIGH ENERGY OF URGENCY! We see that with the words, “I APPEAL.” When we see words that are in all caps, whether it’s something we’re reading, writing or texting, when caps are used, we are just about shouting at the top of our lungs. We’re trying to make the point clear! That’s because it’s important. The Amplified version uses the word “appeal.” Other translations use the words “urge,” “beseech,” “exhort,” and “plead.”
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The meaning that’s attached is the same. Paul is saying, this is important, and his challenge to the heaters is “to respond to his instruction.” The thought why Paul is using this is “the Roman believers were surrounded by much temptation and distraction that could hinder their walk with the Lord.”
It’s also interesting to see the guidance offered by Paul. I APPEAL you therefore … He directs their thoughts back to what they have just read. He reminds them of their salvation in the Lord. The Christians in Rome are challenged to consider all Christ has done for them and what they have received in Him. This stems from the word “brethren.” Our application regarding the word brethren means every brother and sister in the faith. Regardless of the length of time we have been saved, we all have received much from Christ. We are redeemed in Him. If anyone ought to live for Christ, we should! That’s what the urgency is all about. The other side of the coin, if we add a couple more words, “I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God.” This talks about our ability in Almighty GOD!!
Paul was well aware of the difficulties the Roman’s faced. He knew they faced adversity and temptation. In themselves they would not be able to walk in a way that pleased the Lord, but they were not expected to go it alone. The Lord was there with them, enabling them to walk upright and live for Him. In their times of weakness and despair, the tender mercies of God would be revealed. God knew where they were in the journey, and He was more than able to equip them to endure. The “mercies of God” is a summation of mercy and grace Paul spoke of in the first 11 chapters.
30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. 31 Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
34 For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to give him advice?
35 And who has given him so much
that he needs to pay it back?
36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
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This is just but a snap shot. If you have your Bible’s open to Romans Chapter 11 (or taking notes), take a second look at verse 33: “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” This has an echo back to Isaiah 55:9, where the Bible says:
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
This means God is recognized as the incomparable Creator, that is far above us, a finite creation. It also means God is beyond our ability to describe or comprehend Him. What we do know is mercy, which comes to us today from the 1st century — our mercy seat — Jesus Christ. We see that mercy weaved into the fabric of John 3:16! Every believer has received mercy through Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ paid our debt, washing our sin. This is a call for celebration and praise to the One who paid our debt! Jesus Christ has made these earth suits that were once dead and walking to ALIVE AND WALKING!!! And, because of Jesus Christ with the mercy and grace that come package this ought to move you to a bold decision, a decision that the middle of verse number 1 points to!
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The decision here in the middle of verse 1 is a challenge and a call to present “your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” Paul is revealing how we are to respond to the Lord. First, its personal. This is very simple, but many have trouble submitting to it! Presenting our bodies to the Lord, means to yield to the Lord. To yield to the Lord means total and complete surrender, just as the Bible says, “presenting all your members and facilities.” This means our whole person, everything about us, everything from A to Z belongs to God, it’s a complete submission. God wants us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices—daily laying aside our own desires to follow him, putting all our energy and resources at his disposal, and trusting him to guide us. Our new life is a thank-offering to God. Offering our body as a living sacrifice is holy and pleasing to God. To be a holy sacrifice is to be completely set apart for God and dedicated to His service.
Second, is the act of worship. As the Holy Spirit continues to work on our hearts, we begin a transformation. This transformation will be different for every person. Some times the remodel is not too involved, and other times it calls for a complete rebuild from the ground up. The transformation begins to change our worship. A person can begin to look for things that can be done to bring worship to God. Worship grows from standing, to words, to singing, to where our entire person is involved! Worship grows to a daily experience. Not just our time together as we worship together as a church family. God deserves our worship! We want to give him our all. We ought not to give under obligation, but to want to give cheerfully from a heart that is rejoicing. Verse 2 talks to us more about giving.
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The world wants to control our mind. Satan wants control of your mind. Just take a look at the digital content that is available. I’m not saying that watching a TV program or a movie is bad. There is a lot of really good content out there. We just need to search for it. Let me propose a scenario to you. Say you’re watching a program, would you have to turn it off or pause the show when your children walk into the room? Would you have to do that if your mom or grandma walked in? What if your pastor walked in? If you answered maybe or perhaps yes. What stopping you if you’re by yourself, and the you have the King of Kings and Lord of Lord right there with you — would you keep watching? Herein verse two, we see the word transform. It’s been said that, “the word has come into our English language as the word “metamorphosis.” It describes a change from within. The Holy Spirit changes your mind by releasing power from within. If the world controls your thinking, you are a conformer; if God controls your thinking, you are a transformer.” Our minds become transformed through His Word. As we spend time in Scripture, studying, meditating and memorizing it, God’s Word becomes part of us. I’m not talking about something that is unhitched, like unhitching a trailer that can be pulled from time-to-time. God’s Word fuses with our person. Just as our DNA is part of us, and cannot be separated. God’s Word cannot be separated. But here the deal! God’s Word becomes part of us on a much deeper level than our DNA could ever get! This is part of our transformation. As we continue to be transformed, things begin to change. Our minds change. Our thoughts change. Our actions change. Our prayers change. And, our will begins to change, as the Lord continues to lead us.
In the last half of verse, Paul talks about discerning “what is the will of God.” Many struggle with finding or knowing the will of God. Perhaps you feel that way this morning. Some might ask, “What does God expect of me; what does He want me to do? Where is He leading me?” These are all great questions. And, they can all be answered! Full confidence is possible. It begins with the root full surrender to Jesus Christ. We can have the full assurance of what God desires for our lived if we follow the teaching of His Word. God doesn't desire for us to wandering endlessly, frustrated that we can’t find His will.
In seminary, I had to read a book about 20 transformed lives (The Found The Secret by V. Raymond Edman). It was about how each person “found the secret.” The author titled some of lives as:
The Exchanged Life
The Cleansed Life
The Radiant Life
The Disciplined Life
The Overflowing Life
The Soul-Winning Life
The Yielded Life
The Holy Life
The common thread, or the secret what was found, is God. The author was able to reflect on the impact of God on each life! Reading about each life, each person was transformed from a conformer in the world to a transformer of the world, allowing God to work.
Application
Application
How do we the question the morning: Who Am I In Christ? One way we can answer in full confidence is — you are a child of God who sits at the mercy seat Jesus Christ who is working a transformation!! You are being sanctified. When God looks at the position of a Christian, He sees the separated, sanctified, righteous, and the perfect life of His son Jesus Christ. We can rejoice in how God sees us when we come to belief in His one and only son Jesus Christ! If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, you can stand before God, separated and righteous. You stand there not because of the path behind you, but because of the path of hope in Jesus Christ. Submit to Him, love Him, and seek to live a life that pleases Him, having the mind of Christ.
Have you offered yourself a sacrifice to Him, seeking His will for your life?
Maybe you are here this morning and you have never been saved. Are you seeking a means of peace and fulfillment? Jesus Christ can fill that. He can give you peace and fulfillment. That is only available in Christ Jesus. Come to Him!
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer