The All-New You

[00:00:01] Good morning. [00:00:02] I ask that you will accept my apology. My voice is a bit scratchy this morning, so if it fades, it may be to your blessing, but we'll just see how we go there. [00:00:15] Let us pray. [00:00:19] Father, we thank you for this day. We thank you for the blessing that it is to live in a state and in a country where we are blessed abundantly by your grace, your love. [00:00:31] We thank you, Father, that we can come freely together to worship you and praise you and give thanks for all that you're doing. [00:00:39] And we pray, Father, this morning that you would open our hearts and minds to you, that you would reveal your truth through us and into our lives, that we may live for you and serve you obediently throughout this day and this week. [00:00:56] Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. O God, my rock and my redeemer. [00:01:03] In Jesus name we pray. [00:01:05] Amen. [00:01:10] To get your mind operational. [00:01:15] As we start, I have some big words. [00:01:21] Transformation is to salvation and transformation through sanctification. [00:01:30] I almost had to look up each one individually to understand what they mean. [00:01:37] What this boils down to is, have you been changed? [00:01:46] As Mark mentioned, if you have come to Christ, if you've given your life, have you been changed? [00:02:00] I titled this sermon the all new you. [00:02:05] It appears that every time we look on an advert or a screen somewhere, it says the all new model, the all new car, the all new product. [00:02:20] So we're going to focus on some change. [00:02:24] Who loves change? [00:02:27] Oh, we've got a couple. [00:02:29] That even surprises me who gets excited when you need to change. [00:02:39] It may be a job, it may be where you live or it may be some of the other favorites like you need to change your diet or you need to change to an exercise program. [00:02:59] Change can be exciting. You're getting married or you start a family. [00:03:07] But other change can be difficult. [00:03:11] You have to move away from family for work or for study. [00:03:16] You receive a diagnosis of a life threatening disease or you get injured in an accident and your life changes forever. [00:03:27] We have all experienced change in our lives. [00:03:31] Some awesome, some unimaginably difficult, but change just the same. [00:03:43] Mr. Don Barnes shared with us last week and he asked, are you willing to be trained? [00:03:52] Are you willing to be changed? [00:03:56] And he explained that being in the yoke with Jesus is where we get to learn from walking with him, working with him and being obedient to him. [00:04:12] It is said that change is inevitable, it is unavoidable, but it is also absolutely necessary for healing, for growth and for life. [00:04:28] CS Lewis said, as only CS Lewis could It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird. [00:04:39] It would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. [00:04:46] We are all like eggs at present and you cannot go on indefinitely being just ordinary decent egg. [00:05:01] We must be hatched or go bad. [00:05:09] What Lewis is saying that not facing change or staying still is not an option. [00:05:19] So this begs the question, if change is necessary and unavoidable, how can we not only accept change and work with it, but thrive and prosper through it? [00:05:37] This morning we will focus on the changes that are a combination of those I've mentioned. [00:05:44] We are looking at transformational change. [00:05:48] They can be difficult and a blessing at the same time. [00:05:52] They can frighten us and excite us simultaneously. [00:05:58] In some ways this is such a time for God's church here at Summer Hill. [00:06:04] Last year we had Pastor Matty After 10 years leading us, moved on and we're now looking forward to our new pastor, Steve Fitzallen, to start very soon. [00:06:17] For many this is exciting. [00:06:19] It's a new direction, fresh teaching and a hope of engaging with our community for Christ. [00:06:25] But for others it is a concern. [00:06:27] How is church as I've known and loved going to be different. [00:06:36] There are two areas of transformational change that we each need. [00:06:42] One the need to begin the journey with Christ that is salvation and two the need to become like Christ through the journey that is sanctification. [00:06:58] Salvation for all people is the same in that Jesus death on the cross paid for the sin of all who will come to him. [00:07:07] But the sanctification process is different for every one of us. [00:07:15] Let us begin with two examples of transformation from Scripture that reveal our desperate need of salvation. [00:07:24] Firstly, and arguably the second most transformational event in history, from Genesis 1, verse 27 so God created mankind in his own image. [00:07:40] In the image of God he created them male and female. He created them. [00:07:45] From verse 31 God saw all that he had made and it was very good. [00:07:51] Then from chapter 2, verse 25 Adam and his wife Eve were both naked and felt no shame at creation. God made everything perfect, every element working together in perfect harmony. [00:08:11] The first couple living as one with God. [00:08:15] This was the design and desire of God for his creation. [00:08:22] No sin, not corrupt, nothing crude, only love and obedience. [00:08:32] Simply love and obedience. [00:08:35] Can you imagine how that must have been? [00:08:39] The potential for mankind at the beginning? [00:08:42] Love for God, love for each other, and an obedience to God's direct instructions. [00:08:49] How simple, how free would life have been if we could have simply left perfection alone. [00:09:04] Sometimes I wonder if Eve was the world's first engineer, looking at what was working just fine and asking, how can I make it better? [00:09:24] But from this perfect beginning came a dangerous change. [00:09:30] From Genesis 3:6. [00:09:33] When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. [00:09:43] She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. [00:09:49] Then the Lord God called to the man. [00:09:55] God asks man the saddest question that has ever been asked in history. [00:10:06] Where are. [00:10:13] You? [00:10:14] God knew where the man was physically. [00:10:18] What he is saying is, you've left our spiritually perfect relationship. [00:10:26] Where are you? [00:10:33] The man answered, I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid. [00:10:40] And God said, who told you you were naked? [00:10:54] In that moment, mankind fell into enmity with God. [00:11:00] We became enemies of God. [00:11:04] In the time it takes to eat an apple, disobedience transformed the whole direction of humanity. [00:11:16] And we can easily ask, what on God's new earth were they thinking? [00:11:26] But we need to be careful. [00:11:31] How many times in the past week, no, in the last day, no in the last hour? [00:11:44] Have you been disobedient to God for just 15 minutes? [00:11:54] Have you loved the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind for the past 60 minutes? [00:12:06] Or didn't you think about him at all? [00:12:13] Friends, we're no better than Adam and Eve. [00:12:16] Always wanting more, more for us. We want more power. [00:12:22] We want the control, more respect, more authority, more money, more love, more joy, more power, more time, more peace, more. More wisdom. [00:12:36] Have I missed anybody? [00:12:43] We want to control our own lives, live our own way. Essentially, like Adam and Eve, we want to be our own God. [00:12:52] Here is a challenging question, but it makes clear the seriousness of our sin. [00:13:05] If you were to pass from life to death tonight in your sleep, do you believe you are sinful enough for holy God to allow you to go to hell? [00:13:21] You can ponder that question for a moment. [00:13:25] While you do, we will look at the second, but probably the most transformational event in history. And that is what God did for humankind to restore that broken relationship with him. [00:13:41] In Isaiah 9:6, we read for us. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. And the government will be on his shoulders. [00:13:52] He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [00:14:00] The relationship God had intended between himself and us at the beginning of time would now be substantially restored. [00:14:11] The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. [00:14:19] 1 Timothy 1:15 the transformation from the men and women who were created to be in the image of God to sinners came through our desire to be like God. [00:14:36] From Genesis 3:5 we read, For God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God. [00:14:44] The transformation back from sinners to sons and daughters of God was only made possible by God's grace alone to us. [00:14:56] For Paul, read to us in the Bible, reading what Paul, the author of Ephesians, wrote in verses 2, 8 and 9. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves. It is a gift from God, not by works that none should boast. [00:15:14] I return to the question. [00:15:19] If you were to die tonight in your sleep, do you believe you are sinful enough for a holy God to allow you to go to hell? [00:15:34] You see, the choice is ours. [00:15:37] God doesn't send anyone to hell. [00:15:41] We choose. [00:15:43] He simply allows it. [00:15:45] If we decide we don't want anything to do with God here on earth, why would we want to spend eternity with Him? [00:15:57] Scripture tells us in Romans 3:23, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. [00:16:03] Who is included in that verse? [00:16:08] Everyone. [00:16:10] All have sinned and fallen short. [00:16:14] And in Romans 6:23 tells us, for the wages of sin is death. [00:16:18] Friends, you can see we all need this transformation. [00:16:23] We are all sinners. [00:16:25] Christ died. He went to the cross to pay for our sin. He simply asked us to turn away from our desire for more, for ourselves and submit our lives to him. Repent of our sin, turn from it and follow him. 1 John 19 tells us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [00:16:56] This is the first step into a journey that takes you from darkness into light, from death into a new life in Christ. [00:17:09] Jesus calls us in Revelation 3:19 those whom I love, I will rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. [00:17:19] Here I am. [00:17:20] I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in, eat with that person and they with me. [00:17:29] Jesus is pleading with us, those he loves, to be earnest and repent. [00:17:37] Please take this seriously. His invitation is to all. [00:17:47] If you've never committed your life to Christ, I plead as he does do it today, as Mark mentioned, look to his word. [00:18:01] Ask a Christian you trust how you can accept God's invitation into your life and his transformation for you will begin, you will begin the journey with Christ. [00:18:17] So now, what does it look like to become Christlike through the journey? [00:18:22] This transformation from saved sinner by the grace and love of God to Christlikeness is called sanctification. [00:18:31] And Paul the apostle tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4, 3, for this is the will of God, your sanctification. [00:18:39] Sanctification in the Greek hagiosmos means holiness. [00:18:44] It is closely related to the word saint. [00:18:48] To sanctify something is to set it apart. For special use to sanctify a person is to make them holy. [00:18:55] Set apart for God and the result of sanctification is a changed life. [00:19:03] The evidence of his transformation is a changed life. [00:19:10] So for you, the believer, have you been changed? [00:19:23] We return to the question in a moment, but let us look at three elements of sanctification. Firstly, it is a lifelong process. [00:19:32] You will be being conformed into his likeness every day of your earthly life. [00:19:41] Secondly, you are being called from participating in and being influenced by evil. [00:19:49] And thirdly, you are being called to grow in holiness and moral purity, in attitudes, thoughts and your actions. [00:20:01] We have been made perfect, yet we are still being made holy. [00:20:07] Hebrews 10:14 explains, for by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. [00:20:14] Jesus death paid for our sin completely making us perfect in God's sight. [00:20:22] But we're still being made holy through the process of sanctification. [00:20:27] Let us go to Romans 12:1 that our Paul read for us. [00:20:33] Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. [00:20:41] This is your true and proper worship. [00:20:44] Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is. His good, pleasing and perfect will. [00:20:57] Often when the Bible has a therefore it is followed by a directive, a call to move, a call to action. [00:21:08] This morning the call is for us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. [00:21:16] In other words, to be prepared and willing to be changed on an ongoing basis. [00:21:26] The sacrifice for sin in the Old Testament often meant you would kill an animal to atone for a sin committed or for cleansing. [00:21:38] Once the animal was dead and had been offered on the altar, that was it. [00:21:45] To be a living sacrifice, however, is not just a one off. [00:21:51] Salvation and sanctification are not events in your life. [00:21:55] They are a process. Through it often in today's world, the Gospel is presented as, pray, ask God to forgive you and promise to follow him and you're saved. [00:22:13] Or if you come forward and respond at an altar call, promising your life to Jesus, you're good to go. [00:22:22] Do not hear me wrong. The intent of these is good, but we need to exercise caution, as it is possible to do either of these things with absolutely no change in your heart, in your actions, in your words, or in your life. [00:22:42] As our salvation has been God given through Christ crucified and the Holy Spirit empowered, how can we not change? [00:22:59] Verse 2 goes on. [00:23:02] Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. [00:23:08] The Greek word for conform means simply to form according to a pattern or mold. [00:23:15] Paul is saying here, do not allow your life to be moulded into the ways of this world. [00:23:23] Do not think like the world thinks. [00:23:26] Do not talk like the world talks. [00:23:30] Do not act like those in the world around you act. [00:23:37] Who here works with other people? [00:23:42] Many of you who work with lives with other people. [00:23:48] For most of us, to avoid people is impossible. [00:23:54] As much as we search for that one spot where we can be on our own, the challenge exists when others don't think like we do, don't speak like we do, or they don't act like we do. [00:24:11] The process of sanctification is for us to become more like Christ in a world that is rapidly becoming less like Christ. [00:24:29] The solution? [00:24:33] Move up the bush. [00:24:35] Live in a cabin on your own. [00:24:37] Study your Bible every day without interruptions. Live on meat you caught and vegetables you grown in your own garden. [00:24:46] Pete, Garwood and I are going to give a cabin each. [00:24:51] We're going to need more cabins. [00:24:55] We're going to need a bigger boat. [00:25:03] The word goes on to say, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. [00:25:13] So how do we renew our mind? [00:25:18] By training, engagement and repetition. [00:25:26] In your day, there are things that you do almost automatically. [00:25:34] For some, you get up, you go to the loo, you get dressed, and all that before you've even woken up. [00:25:44] Or are you one of these gifted people who can type without even looking at the keyboard? [00:25:50] I wish I could do that when I was doing my server print. [00:25:56] In my job, I operate an excavator. [00:26:03] I move dirt. [00:26:05] I often put the dirt into a truck and the truck takes it away. [00:26:10] In my life, I would have loaded hundreds of trucks, and I do it without thinking. I move my hands and the dirt goes from the ground into the truck. [00:26:22] I sometimes feel like I could do that in my sleep. [00:26:28] But like getting up and dressed, typing without looking or loading a truck, we do it effortlessly. [00:26:38] Probably not so effortlessly getting up some mornings. Because of our training, engagement and repetition, our mind has been trained and our body responds to that training. [00:26:49] It is the same for living a Christlike life. [00:26:53] If we are willing to train our minds that's learned from Scripture, engage in the Christian walk and continue in it daily, we will become like him. [00:27:08] Verse 2 continues. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. [00:27:14] As we grow in knowledge of God's truths, commands and teachings, he it is incredible how we will begin to live more like Jesus lived. [00:27:25] Through this process, from unbeliever to believer, from unsaved to saved, we learn the basic truths of the Gospel message. God loves us. Christ died for us, and if we turn from our sin and commit our lives to him, we will be saved. [00:27:41] But then, as we grow in this faith, we remain committed to Christ. [00:27:46] We slowly build a deep understanding of what it is to live like Him. [00:27:56] For many of you here this morning, you have been on this journey for decades, for others only a year or two, or for some, maybe only a few days. [00:28:06] But regardless of the time you have been a believer, the journey always continues. [00:28:13] As we heard earlier, we need to go on learning what God is teaching us, regardless of our age, circumstances, position, or even disposition. [00:28:25] To that end, have you been changed? [00:28:36] Not once 30 years ago or even 10 years ago, but last week, yesterday, this morning, have you been changed? [00:28:51] Here are four questions we can ask ourselves to see if we are in fact becoming more like Jesus. [00:29:01] They are from a sermon by Vodi Baucum, a Baptist pastor in America that I listened to recently but felt they would be helpful for us today. [00:29:12] Number one, do the sins of your past continue to characterize your present? [00:29:23] The question is not do you struggle with from time to time with an old sin? [00:29:29] What it is asking is, are you still the same person you were then? [00:29:35] In 1 Corinthians 6, verses 9 and 10, Paul lists some of the serious sins of those in the Corinthian Church, after which he says from verse 11 and that is what some of you were but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. [00:29:58] He goes on to say in 2 Corinthians 5:17, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come. [00:30:09] Do the sins of your past Continue to characterize your present. [00:30:16] 2. Have you learned to love your brothers and sisters in Faith? [00:30:20] From John 13:34 5. Jesus directs us a new command I give you love one another. [00:30:28] As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [00:30:32] By this all men will know that you are my disciples. If you love one another, we need to remember that our Christian family are the family we will spend eternity with. [00:30:52] Look around at the people around you. [00:30:58] Your Christian family are those you will spend eternity with. [00:31:03] It's a little scary, isn't it? [00:31:08] I'm joking. [00:31:11] From Philippians 2 we read, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. [00:31:29] What Paul is saying is that we need to have an intense care and a deep sympathy for our Christian family. [00:31:45] Have you learned to love your brothers and sisters in the faith? [00:31:50] Number three. [00:31:54] This is a little more challenging. [00:31:57] Do you exhibit godly character when nobody's looking? [00:32:08] Where do your actions and thoughts go when you're on Your own? [00:32:15] Ephesians 5:8, 11, 12 for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. [00:32:22] Live as children of light have nothing to do with fruitless deeds or darkness, but rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. [00:32:36] Do you exhibit godly character when nobody is looking? [00:32:42] And 4. [00:32:44] Have those who are closest to you seen the change in your walk as well as your talk? [00:32:55] Maybe again, you've been a Christian for many years. [00:33:00] Have those around you seen you grow in faith? [00:33:06] Matthew 5, 14, 16 you are the light of the world. [00:33:10] A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand as it gives light to everyone in the house. [00:33:19] In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and and praise your Father in heaven. [00:33:27] Have those who are closest to you seen the change in your walk as well as your talk? [00:33:41] Have you been changed? [00:33:47] As we draw to a close, there is one point we should not let go of. [00:33:55] As we look back over what we have just learned about our need to become more like Christ, we can rest on the fact that we are saved and we can go on living the best we can. [00:34:10] Because what we often hear people say is but nobody's perfect. [00:34:16] And that is true. [00:34:21] This is dangerous, probably because the greatest weapon, the evil one uses against believers is apathy. [00:34:31] Regardless of our age, knowledge or experience to stop desiring to be more like Christ. Every day is like stopping eating. [00:34:41] You fall away, you grow weak, you no longer take an interest in life, and you pass away. [00:34:51] Romans 5:8 5 reminds us, those who are living according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires. But those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. [00:35:04] The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. [00:35:15] Salvation and sanctification are only ever evidenced by an outward change of an inward one. [00:35:25] Salvation and sanctification are only ever evidenced by an outward change of an inward one. [00:35:36] Christ did not die a horrible death on that cross for you and I to just be saved and live a good life. [00:35:47] Our purpose is to glorify God, our Creator. [00:35:52] And we do that by loving him and loving others, learning from him and serving him obediently. [00:36:02] As we grow every day into his likeness. [00:36:09] This side of heaven, we will not be perfect. [00:36:14] But if we remain faithful and we're willing to learn and change and grow in faith in him, we will be the most like him that we can be when we meet him face to face. [00:36:39] Let us pray. [00:36:42] Father, we thank you again for this beautiful day. [00:36:48] I thank you, Lord, for granting us ears to hear, minds to understand, the blessing of fellowship and friendship. [00:37:01] And I pray this morning, Lord, that you would strengthen us and help us to be transformed into the likeness of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. [00:37:13] And I pray, Father, that you would go with us before us this week, bless us in our journey with you, that we would lean into you, trusting you by faith, and become more like your son, Jesus. [00:37:29] And this we pray in the name of your son. [00:37:32] Amen.