God’s Part and My Part – In Changing Me
Most of you know the story of how I became the pastor here. It was not because of my theological education. It was not because of my denominational affiliation. It was not because I knew someone – who knew someone – who knew someone. It was because of the fruit trees that I have in my yard.
You see several years ago I planted some Asian Pears and about four years ago I had a fantastic crop of fruit. I did not want the fruit to go to waste – so I brought them to the Farmer’s Market that takes place here in the church parking lot and the rest is history. I guess you could say it turned out to be a very fruitful experience in more ways than one.
I considered my fruit to be so important that I did not want it to go to waste. But do you know that there is other fruit that we should care about? It is the fruit of the Spirit. The Bible says this about that fruit:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things
there is no law.” Gal 5:22-23 (NASB)
Here are nine qualities that describe the character of a fruitful – productive Christian. How do we get these character qualities? How do they become real in our lives? Obviously, God doesn’t just zap us one day and all of a sudden these qualities materialize in our lives. He uses a process. He uses a two part process to help us display these qualities. The process is found in Philippians chapter two where it says:
“…work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you.” Php 2:12b-13 (NASB)
It sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it? But it not – it’s a paradox. As you work out your salvation God is at work too. The key to understanding this paradox is the little word “out” in verse twelve. Notice that Paul doesn’t say, “work ‘for’ your salvation.” He says “work ‘out’ your salvation.” There’s a big difference here. To work ‘for’ something means you earn it – you deserve it. The Bible clearly teaches that salvation in not something you earn or deserve. It is not something we have to work for. It is a free gift of God. But as we are being saved – we should strive to become better Christians.
It is like saying, “If you want to be healthy physically – you need to exercise. If you want to be healthy spiritually – you need to exercise as well. Work out your salvation.”
What do you do in a physical workout? You exercise your muscles. What do you do in a spiritual workout? You exercise your spiritually.
I have found that when I exercise physically I need the right type of equipment. I need the right type of shoes – the right type of clothing – the right type of gym equipment. If I have the right type of equipment they help me become physically strong.
To become spiritually strong I need some equipment too.
Basic Equipment For Spiritual Growth
1. I Need A Good BIBLE
The first tool God uses in changing us is the Bible. Through Scripture God teaches us how to live. The Bible says:
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
2 Tim. 3:16-17 (NASB)
What this passage of scripture tells me is that if I read the Bible – if I study it – if I meditate upon it – it can change my life. It can equip me “for every good work” that God wants me to do. Has the Bible transformed your life? Has your life been changed by the reading of God’s word?
I heard about a converted cannibal on an island in the South Seas who invited an anthropologist to dinner. When the anthropologist arrived the native was sitting by a large pot reading his Bible. The anthropologist approached him and asked, “What are you doing?”
The native replied, “I’m reading my Bible.”
The anthropologist scoffed and said, “Don’t you know that modern civilized man has rejected that book? It’s nothing but a pack of lies – full of fairy tales. You shouldn’t waste your time reading that.”
The cannibal looked him over from head to toe and slowly replied, “Sir, if it weren’t for this book, you would be dinner instead of being invited to dinner!”
If you are serious about changing your life, you are going to have to get into the Bible. You need to read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, and apply it.
Folks – is your faith weak? Are you full of doubts and uncertainty? How much have you been reading your Bible? The Bible says:
“Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (NASB)
I like the way the Contemporary English Version puts it:
“No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ.” Romans 10:17 (CEV)
If Christians is to be spiritually fit – they must read and study their Bibles.
2. I Need A Good TRAINER
I can tell you this folks – it is very easy to get discouraged when you are exercising – but it is great to have someone there to encourage you along. Did you know that God has made us the family of God so that we can encourage one another? The Bible says:
“Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.”
Isa 35:3 (NASB)
And again:
“Encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” 1 Thess. 5:11 (NASB)
And again:
“Encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," Heb 3:13 (NASB)
Yes we are defiantly told to encourage one another – but that is not all. God gives us his Holy Spirit to encourage and train us as well. When we commit ourselves to Christ the Holy Spirit comes into our lives to empower and direct us. The Bible says:
“You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”
Rom 8:9-10 (NASB)
The Spirit of God gives us new strength and vitality and the desire and power to do what is right. As the Spirit of the Lord works, we become more and more like him.
“God’s number one purpose in your life is to make you like Jesus Christ.”
Folks – here is a great truth:
The Spirit of God
Uses the Word of God
To make the Child of God
More like the Son of God.
Folks we need someone to guide us and direct us. We need to encourage one another – and we need to seek God’s Spirit.
Also:
3. I Need Exercise SPACE
When I exercise physically I have to find a space to work out in. It may be walking around a track or walking on a treadmill but I need some space to work out. Do you want to know where the space is that you exercise spiritually? It is everywhere. It is in your private space where you pray – where you read your Bible – where you have your quiet time. It is there – but that’s not all.
It is in the space where you experience problems, pressures, heartaches, difficulties, and stress of life. It is in these situations where we can really “work out our salvation.” C. S. Lewis once said that “God whispers to us in our pleasure but He shouts to us in our pain.”
Romans chapter eight says this:
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Rom 8:28 (NASB)
Go ahead and circle the words “all things”. God uses the good times as our exercise space – but he also uses our bad times. “All things work together for good.” Boy that statement is a matter of faith isn’t is? Do you mean to tell me that every circumstance and every situation God can use for our good? The answer is – YES!
The interesting thing about how God uses circumstances is that the source of the circumstances makes no difference to him. We often bring problems on ourselves by faulty decision, bad judgments, and sins. At other times our problems are caused by other people. Sometimes the devil causes things to happen to us as he did to Job. But God says the source of the circumstance is irrelevant. “I will still use it in your life,” he says. “I will fit it into my pattern; I will fit it into my great plan for your life, to make you like Jesus Christ.” So there is no circumstance in life from which we cannot learn if we’ll just have the right attitude.
Maybe that is why James says:
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Jas 1:2-4 (NASB)
It seems that God is more concerned about what is going on inside of us than what is going on around us. I think this is true – listen to what this proverb says:
“Stripes that wound scour away evil, And strokes reach the innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:30 (NASB)
Perhaps you have experienced the truth of this verse. Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways. In other words – we are not as likely to change when we see the light but only after we are cast into the darkness.
Why? Because we are a lot like Jonah. We are stubborn – we are headstrong – we think we know what is best for us. But it was only after he was swallowed by a great fish that Jonah submitted to God’s will and then he did it reluctantly.
I don’t know about you – but I like to wear clothes that are comfortable and practicable. At home my normal dress is overalls. I just like the way they fit and they have big pockets. When I find something I really like – many times I will wear them till they wear out. Is there anyone else here that is like that?
A few years ago I bought some metal toed work boots. I liked them because they did not cost much and they protected my toes and they also had flat bottoms. It was easy for me to use my boot scrape after I had been out in my muddy chicken yard. I had them for several years until the sole started coming off. I would walk around on wet ground and because of the sole problem my socks started getting wet. I really did not want to get rid of them. I thought about using duct tape to hold them together. But that would create another problem – I would not be able to scrape off the mud with my boot scrape so finally I got rid of them. Wearing them turned out to be too much of problem – there was too much discomfort – so they had to go. Sometimes we won’t change until we find ourselves in a lot of discomfort.
But here is a fact Folks: What God has in store for us is his best.
He is more concerned about our holiness than he is about our happiness. He is more concerned about our character than he is about our comfort.
Shouldn’t we be concerned about those things too?
Shouldn’t we strive to “…work out our salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in us.” Php 2:12b-13 (NASB)
I think God knows what is best for me and maybe I should listen to him when he says:
“The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
Rom 13:12 (NASB)
“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” Rom 13:14 (NASB)
“Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Eph 4:24 (NASB)
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” Eph 6:11 (NASB)
“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” Col 3:14 (NASB)
All of these actions are within our grasp – because he who made the request also has the ability to empower us.
“…work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you.” Php 2:12b-13 (NASB)
(I would like to thank Rick Warren for the sermon starter ideas.)
