Change the Child...Change the World part 2
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 11 viewsNotes
Transcript
Dean W. R. Inge once wrote that
“A man’s soul is dyed the colour of his leisure thoughts.” Dean W. R. Inge
“A man’s soul is dyed the colour of his leisure thoughts.” Dean W. R. Inge
The quote made me ask, “Jason what is the color of your soul?” What do I think about most?
What topic occupies my mind? Who do I dialogue with when I am left to myself? Is it me? is it God? Is it someone else?
Your thoughts are important. They matter to God. What you think and how often you think it will have an effect on how you live. Jesus makes it clear to us that our thoughts can affect our feelings and our actions.
For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”
God has wired our hearts and minds to work together together. Both have a profound affect on each other. A mind that is unregenerate (Jeremiah 17:9) will be prone to evil thoughts that lead to evil desires that leads to evil actions. A heart that is regenerate (born again) will have Christ-like thoughts with Christ-like desires that lead to Christ-like actions. One leads to death and one leads to life.
For example, considering how your heart affects your actions, Jesus says
Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
Jesus confronts the Pharisees and say to them, in so many words, you cant’ speak well of anything because evil has filled your heart. Do you know, from whatever fills your heart that is what comes out of your mouth? The Pharisees heart was filled with evil so it spoke death. Death, says Paul, is what comes out of an unregenerate heart’s mouth.
Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Vipers’ venom is under their lips.
Another example, on where your thoughts affect your desires (heart) and your action is Paul
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Your heart is anxious, filled with worry. Why is your heart anxious? Well, your thoughts are out of control. I come to that conclusion because he says God’s peace will surpass all (every) of your anxious thoughts. He also says that God’s peace will guard your mind and your heart. Why does your mind and heart need to be guarded? It needs to be guarded because your mind and your heart can become infatuated with unhealthy fear and the works of the flesh. Paul’s solution to this is to ponder, dwell on, or think about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, things that are morally excellent and praise worthy. By thinking on these things, you will guard your heart from desiring the works of the flesh and your mind from thoughts of the works of the flesh, and in turn keep yourself from acting out, or patterning your life after the works of the flesh.
Your thoughts and desires will determine how you live your life.
The gospel has the power to transform your unregenerate heart and mind to a living heart that desires what he desires and a mind that thinks the way he thinks.
With this in mind, let’s turn back to
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
A Jesus-transformed life is committed to a continual transformation of a God approved mind (Romans 12:2)
A Jesus-transformed life is committed to a continual transformation of a God approved mind (Romans 12:2)
In 12:2, Paul says, “Do not let yourself be conformed to this world.” The word conformed conveys the idea to be molded after a pattern, or "be formed like, be conformed to, or be guided by.” Don’t let yourself be molded in the same way a potter molds clay into a pot.
Molded by what pattern? Paul warns to not be mold by the pattern of the world. Paul uses the word "αἰῶνι" for world. Paul has used the word “world” eleven times in Romans. It refers to this present evil age. He has used this phrase other times in other letters. For example he says in
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
That is the idea behind “world” in 12:2. Do not allow your life to be patterned after this present evil age. This present evil age is ruled by Satan and wrought with the works of the flesh
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.
Before you were transformed by the gospel, your mind and heart were dead, morally bankrupt, ruled by the spirit now working in the disobedient. You were all sons and daughters of wrath living in your fleshly desires and being carried away by the inclinations of your fleshly thoughts.
The inclinations of your flesh and thoughts have a pattern of living. The bible calls it the “works of the flesh.” Paul describes the works of the flesh in Galatians
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The works of the flesh are the pattern of the world. Consider Paul’s list in Galatians and compare it to the average T.V show on Netflix or Amazon Prime. Why is Netflix getting so much attention right now in the media? They made a movie glorifying twelve year girls who dance in a sexually provocative manner. Its so distasteful that even secular non-church going atheist are crying out against it. It just feeds the pedophiles lust and encourages the sex trafficking of young girls. I watched one preview of thee show and felt sick to my stomach. And yet, many people watched it and felt it was a legit show. According to screen engine, 72 percent of people who watched it said the controversy was overblown.
Jesus already told us where the works of the flesh come from; they come from your heart and your mind. Infidelity does not just happen. It was first felt (Jesus says lusted in the heart) and it as fantasized about in your imagination. An outburst of anger does to just happen. It was first felt in your heart when you were offended. Then your mind took over and fantasized about giving that person a piece of your mind. When the right opportunity provoked you, you burst out with your mouth and even your fists. Drunkenness does not just happen. Your heart wanted to be intoxicated. You said things like, “Man, I’m going to get wasted this weekend. Your mind took over about the kind of partying you wanted to do. Then, when the opportunity presented itself, you drank yourself into a stupor.
Paul is saying in Romans 12:2, do not pattern your life after the works of the flesh. Do not let your mind and heart be patterned after this evil age. Christians do not engage in fornication or premarital sexual intercourse. That would be sexual immorality, a work of the flesh. Christians do not harbour grudges. That would be a form of hatred, also a work of the flesh. God’s people do not explode with anger at any situation. We do not stir up factions or mutiny's against the church, community, or home. All of these are works of your flesh, patterned after the one who rules this evil age.
If your life is patterned after the works of the flesh, then you are not of the kingdom of God because Paul says people who live this way do not inherit the kingdom of God. You are still in the kingdom of darkness and your life is patterned after the kingdom of dark; really after the one who rules the kingdom of darkness. He has your mind. He has your heart. He has your life.
Jesus told the Pharisees
Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to My word. You are of your father the Devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of liars. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
Jesus indicted the Pharisees life as being patterned after the Devil. Their mind could not understand truth, nor could their heart desire truth, because their mind and heart was “conformed” to the devil’s heart. We know this is truth because they eventually kill Jesus on the cross fulfilling the devils desires. That is what an unregenerate heart does. It kills the Son of God. It kills faith. It quenches the work of the Spirit. Asa matter of fact, the works of the flesh are at war with the Spirit.
Paul’s solution to not being conformed to the pattern of the world is being transformed by the renewing of your mind.
To be transformed, according to Paul, is metamorphism. Metamorphism is what happens when a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. The gospel does not put wrapping paper on cow dung. The gospel transforms the sinner into a saint like a caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly. The old is gone and the new has come. You are a new creation. You have new name. You have a new family. You have a new inheritance. You also have a new heart and a new mind.
Go back, Christian, to the time you first saved. Remember the freedom your heart felt when were at peace with God. Remember how your eyes were able to see the world differently. The scales fell off and you now could see people made in God’s image, who were broken, but redeemable. Remember how your heart skipped and your mind hung on every syllable of God’s word when it was read, spoken,preached, or taught. You were transformed by the power of Jesus Christ by faith in His work of salvation. You repented of your sins. You asked for forgiveness. You accepted his substitutionary work on the cross. He died in your place, taking the wrath you deserved for your sin, and in turn he gave you his righteousness so that you can be justified with God. You accepted this gift by faith and cling to it today with all your heart and might. When you did this, you became a new person from the inside out. The gospel changed your life forever. It was a metamorphosis. And its an ongoing metamorphosis.
Paul says that the initial transformation came when you believed by faith the good news of Jesus. In our text, he implies that the transformation is ongoing. He says, “by the renewal on your mind.” The word by takes on the idea of an instrument that works to do something. It answers the question of how. How will you be transformed from this point forward? The instrument of transformation the renewal of your mind. The “renewal” is an ongoing process. Its continuous . Renew your mind everyday.
How does God renew your mind?
God regenerates (gives our hearts life) your heart.
He saved us — not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
God cleanses your heart.
God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
God continues to transform your heart.
Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.
God continues to transform your mind with his knowledge
you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds;
and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.
God’s knowledge is his revelation, his word. You live in the truth and you die in a lie. Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life. Life ad truth are always connected and are found in Jesus. God has give you Jesus. He lives inside of you. You received him when you were baptized in the Spirit upon your confession of faith. God has also given you his truth, His word, the Bible. It is a source of life for you. Jesus said man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. It is the primary way God reveals himself to you and transforms you thinking. This process is called sanctification. Its the process God takes to make you holy over time.
Put it all together. The gospel saved you and changed you. Jesu transformed your heart and your ind to be able to feel what he feels, desire what he desires, and to think the way he thinks. He has extended to you mercy and in turn has made you a conduit of mercy. its but the mercies of God you present you life as a living sacrifice. You live a life of worship by God’s mercy becoming a source of mercy to others. That is the idea of a conduit. God’s mercy transfer from you to others.
A living sacrifice is a consecrated life, a life of complete surrender and worship to God. Your life models holiness. It is filled with God’s character looking like Jesus more and more everyday. Your life is also committed to the kingdom of God. You are not cruising into heaven,but crash landing with all your might. Sold out living.
Your conduit of mercy and consecrated living are the fruit of a continually transformed heart and mind that is being renewed everyday by the word of God and his Spirit inside of you. Everyday you are committed to becoming more like Jesus, and everyday as you pattern your life after Jesus, God molds you into the image of His Son.
What does this have to do with Tending The Vine?
What does this have to do with Tending The Vine?
God has given us the gospel to give to them. We have the power to change the way they think and desire. We can help them break the power of sin in their life that has kept them bound in chains for generations. We can be the conduit of mercy that extends to them the mercy of Jesus Christ that turns their unregenerate heart into a heart filled with life. We can help them live a Jesus transformed consecrated life that brings abundant life, a glorious life that magnifies God and gives them joy. The church can then disciple them and their children and their children children. And Litchfield is forever changed. Illinois i forever change. Our nation is forever changed. Change the heart and mind of a child and you change the world.
