Trading Spaces

Trading Spaces

How to Be Redesigned from the Inside Out

INTRO:

Real salvation is not getting man out of earth into heaven…but getting God out of heaven into man.

- I want to talk to you today about “Trading Spaces” –How to be Redesigned from the Inside Out.

- P/T: When I made that most important decision of my life to become a Christ follower – I gave all I knew of me to all I knew of Him!

- The Bible says that God’s Spirit stepped into my life on that day and His presence inhabited my humanity—I became a dwelling place with a royal resident.

I Corinthians 6:19-20, “19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

- I traded a selfish life for a surrendered life.

I traded a self-centered life for a God-centered life.

- But God did not stop his redesigning process in my life and in your life just with salvation…He wants to make you more like Jesus.

EXPLANATION OF T.V. SHOW:

Trading Spaces. People agree to let their family or friends or neighbors come in and redecorate a room in their home, while they do the same to the other person’s house. Needless to say, it can get quite interesting with some of the things they come up with. Sometimes things get really messed up and the people aren’t happy. Other times, the rooms were in desperate need for a facelift and it helped a great deal.

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Women have this thing about getting bored with their appearance. Their hair, their clothing. Whatever. They feel the need to reinvent themselves every so often or they die from boredom. Guys on the other hand don’t care. I have worn my hair the same way since 1990. That’s twelve years. Some might consider that stale. I like to think of it as consistent.

Anyway, when a girl wants a new look, she goes into a salon, and often takes a picture with her. “I want to look like her.” Now in some cases, you know the stylist is thinking something like, “Girl, it would take a lot more talent than I have to make you look like that!” But there’s an image out there that they’re shooting for.

We need a spiritual image to set our sights on as well. We need to find a goal – a target to shoot for. No surprise to many of you, that goal – that image – is Jesus.

MAIN TEXT:

Ephesians 4:22-24.

”You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Before we get into talking about how to trade spaces, we need to know what the end result God wants to see in our lives…

Vs. 24, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

That’s God’s blueprint.

PROP: Now as you allow God’s Spirit to Redesign you from the Inside Out…you need to keep in mind that in the process of God redesigning you to look more like Jesus Christ…He does His part, but you must do your part.

Let me give you 3 RESPONSES we need to take to aide God’s redesigning process in our lives…

I. KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN – Trade Your Sin for God’s Holiness

On Trading Spaces, the first thing they need to do is come in and get rid of everything that can’t be used. They tear up carpet, throw out old furniture. They clean house. They can’t really do much else until all of the old junk is gone.

The reason we don’t feel the need to get rid of the junk in our lives is because we get used to it.

- We’ve lived with our mess for so long that it doesn’t even bother us.

- The hardest part about turning your life around is recognizing the need to do it.

- ILLUS: A group of college boys wanted to keep the football mascot (which was a live goat); so they made some elaborate plans to smuggle the animal into their dorm room.

”But what about the smell?” someone asked.

One boy said, ”The goat will just have to get used to it!”

- College guys may be content to live in a dirty place, but a holy God will not!