The Winds of Change Are Upon Us
Introduction: Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion states: "Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it."
In other words, change is dependent upon some other source or force. At first thought, we would say, well, everything changes. That assumption is good but not detailed enough to truly stand on its own. Change requires another an activating source or force. Consider yourself now versus the you of 5 years ago. Consider our city now versus how it was 10 years ago. If any of us was to slip into a coma and awake 10 years later all the changes around us would make it most diificult to get from here to there. Some of the people we once knew would have changed so much we wouldn’t even recognize them. No doubt change happens. Change is simply a part of life. The seasons change. The weather changes. Everything around us goes through cycles of change. But, that change is occuring because of other forces acting upon them.
I want to focus on change today - the change that you and I need to go through in our lives. If we were to just get honest with ourselves today, everyone of us would admit that there are things that need to be changed in our lives. The problem here is not really knowing that we need change in our lives, we know that, but rather it’s realizing that a changed life requires you actually bringing about a change in things in your life - that’s Newton’s Law - another force acting. It means bringing the will into subjection so the will can then activate the necessary force within us to bring about the change we need.
For instance, if I want to lose weight, I must do something about it. The weight will not just fall off because I want to loose it. I have to change my eating habits, change my exercise habits, change my attitude about food. Without changing these areas of my life, the weight will not come off. There is really no miracle cure that will cause me to change my weight without my changing some things in my life.
This is how it is in every area of our lives. Change just doesn’t happen. We must make a determination to identify the problem areas and set out to do whatever is necessary to bring about the desired results. Consider your life with Christ for a moment. How many of you are totally happy with where we are in your relationship with Jesus? I would bet very few to none of us are.
When we gave our lives to Christ, we heard about this new life we are supposed to have in Him. The problem is many of us never have experienced the fullness of it. Too many of us had our salvation experience and then simply sat back and waited for change to happen. The problem is that that change we’re waiting for just never happens. Change requires personal intervention and action. If you don’t put anything in to it, it will never come about.
Jesus Christ has a wonderful life planned for all of us. But living out that life He has for us requires change. The winds of change need to sweep through our lives today in order for us to have the healthy relationship with Jesus that we are meant to have. As we look at three particular areas in our lives that need change today, I want to encourage you to allow the convicting wind of the Holy Spirit to sweep through you in order to bring you into that place in your life where God wants you to be so that you can experience the fullness of His blessings for you and for your life. Look at Colossians 3:5-10 with me.
Text: Colossians 3:5-10
The winds of change need to bring:
1. A CHANGE OF DIRECTION
- vv. 5-7 - "Therefore, put to death whatever in you is worldly: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath comes on the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them."
A. These verses give us two lists of things we need to make sure we get rid of.
B. At first glance, you may think you are immune from these items Paul has listed; but on further investigation of the root problems Paul is discussing, I believe we will see they do apply to all of us here today.
C. Four things Paul teaches:
1. We must be dead to the old life.
a. We are to "put to death" these things Paul has listed.
b. To "put to death" literally means we are to hold these items in check, to restrain them. If left unrestrained, they will lead us in the wrong direction.
c. This all entails a personal action on our part.
d. We have a part to play in our walk with God.
e. We need a change of direction!
2. We need to change our direction from self-gratification to pleasing God.
a. Verse five lists those things that we are to consider ourselves dead to.
b. These things are "flesh-gratifiers."
c. We must change directions in our lives from the natural urge of pleasing ourselves to pleasing God.
3. We left the old life because it does not get us where we want to go.
a. The old way of life leads to destruction, it separates us from God and it opens us up to being subject to the wrath of God.
b. The old way of life had nothing good for us, it used us and tossed us aside.
4. Our new direction is to walk with God.
a. When we sin, it is because we are doing what our flesh wants instead of what God wants.
b. When we are immersed into Christ, we are fully saved, our life then reflects that new position with Christ.
Application: As we allow God to begin to work in our lives, the winds of change will bring about a change of direction in our lives. But, we must recognize we need change; we must be willing to allow God’s Spirit to convict us of areas where we need change; and we take an active part in that change coming about. Let’s continue on here.
The winds of change not only need to bring a change of direction to our lives, but it needs to bring:
2. A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE
- vv. 8-9a - "But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another..."
A. . Because we have laid aside the old life, we need to develop a new attitude.
1. The words "put away" indicate an action on our part.
2. To "put away" means to take it off like taking off clothing.
3. We are to disrobe from these sinful attitudes.
4. These attitudes, if left unchecked, will build upon one another.
5. Anger is a deep smoldering bitterness. Unchecked it leads to wrath which is a deep determined anger that manifests itself in outbursts of anger. Unchecked, it leads to malice which is being bent on causing injury to another either physically or to their reputation. All these things can lead to slander and filthy language.
6. Get rid of these things.
B. Realize that bad attitudes lead to bad actions.
1. As I said, these things build on one another and each new step is a more hurtful action.
2. We must eliminate the bad attitude before it erupts into a bad action.
C. Our attitude toward others needs to be Christ-like.
1. In Ph 2:5, Paul tells us: "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" or another version says: "Have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had."
2. We are called and obligated to treat others in a Christ-like manner, even if they do not deserve it!
3. We have tossed aside the old self with its evil practices! The new attitude is the one Jesus has toward others!
Application: As the winds of change sweep through our inner man, change will come as we are willing to allow. In all honesty: Our attitudes are not what they should be. We do not look at others as Christ did. We need change. We need to develop attitudes of love and forgiveness. Attitudes that put others first. Attitudes that say I love you no matter what and I intend to accept you just the way you are.
With a changed direction and changed attitude, we now need to allow the winds of change to bring about:
3. A CHANGE OF PURPOSE
- vv. 9b-10 - "...since you have put off the old man with his practices and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of his Creator."
A. We are to have a new purpose. If you want to change, you need a change of purpose for your life.
B. We are called to be renewed into a true knowledge of Christ.
1. We cannot be renewed to a true knowledge of Him if we do not know anything about Him.
2. Many of the world’s problems come from a lack of knowledge concerning God. Our ignorance of God and His word hold us back on the transformation process.
3. We simply cannot be transformed into an image we do not know.
4. Learning about God is exciting, and it is transforming!
C. A true knowledge of Christ will lead us to new life.
1. By obtaining knowledge of Christ and His will, our spiritual being is being changed into the likeness of Jesus.
2. We learn to feel, act, and think like Christ.
3. Ro 12:2 says: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
D. Our new purpose is to be transformed into the image of Jesus!
1. What is God’s purpose for my life? - To be transformed into the image of Jesus!
2. Paul said in 2 Co 3:18: "We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit."
3. That is our calling in Christ!
Application: Change comes as we allow it. Remember Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion: "Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it."Transformation into the image of Christ is a work of God within us but it will not be forced upon us. It requires an openness on our part for it to take place in us.
Conclusion: Very soon now, the temperatures will begin to ease down and the leaves will begin to change colors. It is simply a way of life. Change is a way of life. You and I need to experience some radical change in our lives today. Some of us are headed in a different direction in our lives than we should be going. We need to change direction. Some of us have attitudes that need a radical adjustment. We need changed attitudes. Most, if not all, of us need a complete change in our purpose for being. We are not here to get rich, get things, become big in our company, or anything else. We are here to be transformed into the image of Christ and sometimes that can be painful.
These are all actions we must be willing to submit to. God will never force them on us. The winds about us will try to guide and direct but we must be willing to recognize that we have problems and then say "God change me." Are you willing to allow God to change you today? Are you willing to say by faith: "Here I am God, you do whatever is necessary in my life to make me what I need to be in you?" If this is you, stand with me and surrender to a radical move of God in your life right now.
Disclaimer: Not necessarily all original material. Some material contained in my sermons may be gleaned from other sermons.
