Transformation Series

Matt 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore* and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." NKJV

Introduction: Matt 28:19-20 has been dubbed as the “Great Commission” for the Church. In the broad stroke of this text we tend to over look the issue of disciple making. Even though of primary importance of the gospel it to bring people to Jesus. Once a person has given his/her life to a commitment of following Jesus (disciple) we must then begin to teach them what being a disciple is. It is simple to say follow Jesus but, what does that really mean? One would suggest that following Jesus is just a modification of how we live but, just as everyday living and our actions don’t cause us to be subjected to eternal punishment being a disciple means much more than that.

Colossians 1:25-29

25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

NKJV

1. Being a disciple

a. To become perfect in Christ Jesus.

“Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Perfection only comes from developing the inter man/woman to by teaching them to be a disciple.

I have come to a place in my life that we should not teach or preach in order to correct how a person lives but to develop the disciple and that in the process of learning to be a disciple will change how we live.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. NKJV

b. Paul makes 3 statements in this text that relate to our “perfection” (Col 1:28)

i. Do not be conformed

ii. Be transformed

iii. Renewing of your mind

c. Do not be conformed

NT:4964 ýsusxhmati/zw ýsuschematizo (soos-khay-mat-id'-zo); from NT:4862 and a derivative of NT:4976; to fashion alike, i.e. conform to the same pattern (figuratively): KJV - conform to, fashion self according to.

i. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. NKJV

Illustration: When people look at us, our character and disposition should look like that of Christ. This story illustrates my point.

The Mirror: In Discipleship Journal, Carole Mayhall tells of a woman who went to a diet center to lose weight. The director took her to a full-length mirror. On it he outlined a figure and told her, “This is what I want you to be like at the end of the program.”

Days of intense dieting and exercise followed, and every week the woman would stand in front of the mirror, discouraged because her bulging outline didn’t fit the director’s ideal. But she kept at it, and finally one day she conformed to the longed-for image. ( Sermon Central-Contributed By: Donnie Martin)

Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. NKJV

James 4:4 Adulterers and* adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. NKJV