Transformed (Youth)

Announcement about youth - Corri

Voting on the design - Hannah

Intro

Instagram

We are going to be doing our weekly reminders and communication through Instagram for now on....so keep a regular eye out on our youth page.

If there is a major announcement or cancellation or something along those lines, we will post it to Instagram and email it out as well.

Lesson Intro

What is Transformed?

This is the name of our youth group....we are Transformed Youth!!!!

What does that mean? Can somebody tell me what Scripture we get that from? Can you repeat it from memory?

Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Conformed vs. Transformed

“Don’t be conformed to this world”

Conform means “to comply with, or to be similar in form or type”

“World” means worldly way of living (Put on shirt)

1John 2:16

1 John 2:16 ESV

16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Pornography, Coveting, Greed, Lying, Arrogance, Gossip

Acceptance is a big word in our culture today…we are told we need and must be accepting of everything

The Bible says NO…we are not to comply with and be conformed to this worldly value system

By instinct, and by reason of our sinful nature, we chase those things in the pursuit of happiness and meaning! YOU WONT FIND IT THERE!

We are called to abandon this chase of pleasure, and possessions, and status. Stop living like everyone else!

God will supply those things but in different forms

What does God want for me? How does He want to use my life, versus how I want to.

Don’t be conformed to the church

Many young people make the mistake of thinking conformity to church culture is transformation. (Put on robe)

If you grew up in a Christian home, you come to church because your parents drag you there, you come to youth because they want you to, you don’t party or to certain things, because you were told not to.

Conformity to the church means you are externally avoiding worldly behaviors

But avoiding worldly behaviors is not the same things as transformation.

Transformation happens inwardly first, and then expresses itself outwardly

If the Christina life always feels like a burden maybe it’s because there has been conformity without transformation.

John Piper - Conformity to the world is a to-do list of the flesh, conformity to the church is a to-do list of the law.

Don’t steal, kill, covet, etc....

I have to live like this, and do this and that, and not do this, but you always are burdened by the feeling that you never measure up, live in fear that God is always disappointed with you.

2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Mere conformity to church culture won’t bring you freedom, it will bring you another form of bondage

Conformity to the world is a to-do list of the flesh, conformity to the church is a to-do list of the law, but transformation is a to-be list of Christ.

Transformation doesn’t start with what we do, it starts with who we are

In Galatians 5:16-24, the Apostle Paul replaced the to-do list of the flesh, not with the to-do list of the law, but with the to-be list of the fruit of the spirit.

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control

In other words, there is something that happens on the inside that begins to manifest itself outwardly! (Take off Robe)

2 Corinthians 5:17

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB95

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Renewing your mind

We are transformed how? by the renewing of our mind

How do we renew the mind?

The problem is that our minds before Christ, are self-focused, self-worhsipping, opposing God and his Lordship over us.

There are 2 things:

Firstly, the renewing of the mind is initiated by God through salvation

Titus 3:5

Titus 3:5 ESV

5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

God is the one that renews the mind!

Secondly, we come into agreement with the work He has initiated and empowered, and we pursue Him and to become like Him!

Bible-reading

Prayer

Fellowship in a community of believers

All of these things are a part of pursuing the renewal of mind that God has for us.

You might say, I’ve never taken that first step of being Transformed…what do I need to do.

Jesus said we all need to be born again.

ABC’s of salvation

Prayer (pray this in your heart, as I pray it out loud) Dear Lord Jesus I believe you're the son of God. I believe that on the cross you took my sin, my shame, and my guilt, and you died for it. You faced hell for me so I wouldn't have to go. You rose from the dead to give me a place in heaven, a purpose on earth, and a relationship with your father. Today Lord Jesus I turn from my sin to be born again. God is my father, Jesus is my savior, the Holy Spirit is my helper, and heaven is my home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Selah Moment