A Transformer Series

1. Transformer Toys and Movies (6 with a 7th on the way -- $BILLIONS)

The Autobots and Decepticons exert an incredible new force from the Allspark! Both sides use the power to master mysterious new abilities by converting Earth vehicles into Spark Armor: battle-ready gear they’ll use to take the fight to a whole new level! It is the classic good vs. evil story.

2. Transformation is an important biblical concept. 2 Corinthians 3:15-18

15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

3. It involves a new way of life with new attitudes.

There is the story of the lady who testified to the transformation in her life after becoming a Christian. She said, “I am so glad I became a Christian. I have an uncle that I used to hate so much I vowed I’d never go to his funeral. Now that I’m a Christian, I’d be happy to go to his funeral any time.”

4. Transformation involves the dreaded, “CHANGE” word. The bible teaches we are being transformed into the image of Jesus.

a. We can get stuck if we aren’t careful and not fully change.

b. We can be satisfied with the progress we have made and stop.

c. There are more challenging things as we go forward.

I. Objectives of Transformation

A. To Become Like Jesus

1. Behold His Glory

2. To Bring Him Glory

3. The point of discipleship – spend time with Jesus and start looking like Him

Have you ever noticed that the first thing people do when they see a newborn baby is to try and determine which family member the baby resembles?

• She’s got her mother’s eyes; He’s got his father’s forehead and chin

• It’s even been said that couples married for a long time begin to resemble each other

• --Researchers from Yale University studied this phenomenon and determined that people who live with each other for a long time often begin to unconsciously mimic each other’s facial expressions.

• --This mimicry becomes a form of “facial body-building,” literally shaping the way we look

4. One Step (Degree) at a Time (Romans 12:1-2)

a. Caterpillar to Butterfly

b. All at once is too much too fast

B. To Participate in the Transformation of the World – Acts 17:6

II. Obstacles to Transformation

A. Hardness of Minds/Hearts – 2 Corinthians 3:14

14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.

1. Self at Center

2. Resistance to Jesus at the Center – “LORD” aspect of our relationship with Him

B. Veiled Distractions – 2 Corinthians 3:15

15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.

1. Satan Doesn’t have to defeat us, only distract us

2. “Weapons of Mass Distraction”

a. With good activities

b. With bad activities

c. Moves our target or interferes with our aim so we “miss the mark” (i.e., ‘sin’)

C. How to Overcome Obstacles:

1. WANT TO Please God more than anything else – a Matter of will – Romans 12:1-2

2. Make the Kingdom our top priority – Matthew 6:33

3. Let the HS in – Ephesians 5:18 (be filled with the Spirit,)

4. Let the Word of God do its job – Colossians 3:16 (Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly)

HSV, TX Prison: Clyde Thompson was the youngest man to be sentenced to death in Texas history. His family went to church but Clyde went hunting. One day in 1929 at age 17 he met a man in the woods and for some reason, killed him. He went to Death Row in the Huntsville Penitentiary. He listened to a preacher on the radio and wrote to ask him to come and baptize him. The preacher did. Legal issues kept him from being executed but, he underwent harsh prison life and lost his faith. He made escape attempts and was wounded. He got into fights with prisoners and killed two. Over time he was considered the “Meanest man in Texas.” Eventually he was put into isolation in a building that had been the morgue with no running water or electricity. After 3 months of isolation he asked for a bible because he was bored in isolation. He decided to try to prove the bible was not from God and filled with contradictions so he read. He came to realize that Christianity is man’s only hope. He repented in tears wondering if God could forgive him. He changed. The guards noticed it. He was released from isolation back to Death Row where he began teaching prisoners. He taught and baptized 8. He was released from Death Row to the general population of the prison. As he studied, he took he took a 2 year bible course from a college in TN and became the Chaplain’s assistant. After 28 years in prison he was given parole. He went to the Lubbock County jail and began the chaplaincy program there. He died in 1979 of a heart attack.