It’s Transformation Time!

IT’S TRANSFORMATION TIME!

INTRO TO TOPIC:

Are you tired of the usual? Do you want to get up out of the ruts of your life and see some major changes? If so, it’s time for TRANSFORMATION! Someone said once, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll have what you’ve always had.” If you’re ready to try something new, I believe God’s word gives us some keys to experiencing a transformed life!

OPENING TEXT: Great Bible verse to memorize!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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.” (Romans 12:1-2).

What does it mean: “Therefore… by the mercies of God?”

• Whenever you see the word ‘therefore’ in your Bible study, ask: “What’s it there for?”

• “When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?” (NLT).

• The first eleven chapters of Romans have talked about how much God loves us:

• “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).

• This call is a response to God’s love, not something we do to try to earn it!

THE BIG IDEA: It’s time to make a change! We need to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, to not be conformed to the world, and to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

1. PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE:

What does it mean to be a living sacrifice?

• Paul says it is your “reasonable service.” Also: “Your spiritual act of worship.”

• Worship isn’t just about the songs we sing; it is a lifestyle of worship!

Jesus said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34).

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20).

• Jesus died for you – will you live for Him?

• “Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering.” (Romans 12:1, MSG).

ILLUSTRATION: (Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations).

“There is a story told about a pig and a chicken walking down the road together. As they walked along they read a sign advertising a breakfast to benefit the poor. The chicken said to the pig, “You and I should donate a ham and egg breakfast.” The pig replied, “Not so fast. For you it would just be a contribution, but for me it would be a total commitment.”

2. DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE WORLD’S SCHEMATIC:

What does it mean to be conformed to the world? Greek word saschematizo = schematic/plans.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world.” (NLT).

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.” (MSG).

What is the world’s schematic?

“With the Lord’s authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do:

1. for they are hopelessly confused.

2. Their closed minds are full of darkness;

3. they are far away from the life of God because

4. they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

5. They don’t care anymore about right and wrong,

6. and they have given themselves over to immoral ways.

7. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed.

But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ. Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.”

(Ephesians 4:17-22, NLT).

• God doesn’t want us to live that way any longer! He wants us to change!

“Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness – righteous, holy, and true.” (Ephesians 4:23-24, NLT).

3. BE TRANSFORMED INTO THE IMAGE OF JESUS:

“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (NLT).

• Transformed = metamorphoo = where we get the word metamorphosis – change from inside out. This is something that the Holy Spirit does on the inside of us!