What's Old - What's New Series

5/11/08 – Mother’s Day – What’s Old: What’s New

Mother’s Day

Is there anything that has more to do with TRANSFORMATIONS in life than being a mother?

Being a mother is all about a myriad of transformations – to herself, her family, her emotions, her passions, and her priorities. Carrying a child inside your womb is nothing more than life changing!

Being a mother is all about raising your children from the time they were young to be good and Godly men and women. Watching that process and nurturing it along can be amazing. Who would think that a baby would grow to become an adult by just looking at it!

Take for example this picture of Tyler:

Who would think that this could become this strapping young man you see here before you…

That’s really no surprise. Take a look at this picture of Rick: I apologize on Rick’s behalf the color didn’t transfer from his pictures to the power point so all of his pictures are in black and white?

It seems like just recently that I was headed off to college and my parents were worried especially my mom. I think my dad was a little worried to but all he could think about was “the fridge is finally going to have some food in it… but after that he was worried too.

The worry comes from understanding the world and its ways. Our children are innocent and naïve. They don’t understand the dangers in this old world and get sucked into its ways because of not understanding and also their own selfish desires.

Being a mother is about bringing your kids into the world and then helping them become God’s children. It involves helping them to break free from the old ways of the world and to learn the new ways of God. Parents they are not your kids they are yours to feed and nourish, yours to protect and influence, but it’s about raising them up into understanding that we are God’s kids.

That’s why today we are launching a six week study of Spiritual Transformations. We begin with a look at Ephesians 4:20 and 21.

Transformation through Jesus

20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

Ephesians 4:20-21

Today I have prepared for you a six week study guide. Each week there are five two-page sessions for you to read and work through. 15 minutes a day will help you to start a process of spiritual transformation that you – and others in your life will be pleased to see!

To really have it take hold you will need to have a partner. Guys you’ll want to partner with another guy. Ladies, you’ll want to find another woman to meet with. Just plan to meet at a designated time and place once a week with someone who you can review your study booklet with and that you can talk with about the things you are learning. You’ll help them and it will help you.

In your bulletin today you’ll find a card. I’d like to ask you fill it out and to check off the appropriate boxes. I want to help you make this next six weeks the start of something truly exciting. A real, lasting, and powerful, spiritual transformation! Each Sunday during these six weeks Tyler and I are going to team teach the main lesson – Tyler will bring a young man’s perspective and I’ll bring the wisdom of an older and hopefully wiser man!

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

To Put off the Old Self

22 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;

Ephesians 4:22

When we were looking at this scripture together this week I thought of a character the Lord of the Rings that went by the name of Gollum. Do you remember him? He was a hobbit that went bad because of his love of the ring….

Gollum didn’t become this creepy little guy suddenly. It happened over time, step by step. That is how transformation occurs. All his steps were done moving in the wrong direction.

Unlike Gollum-

If some of you are as old as Rick then you might remember… Back in the 1960’s, John Kennedy challenged us as a nation to go to the moon. There was a beginning and then a whole lot of steps. Some were tragic and hard. Death was even a part of the process. Yet, some were exciting. They all moved us to the point that eventually Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin stepped off the last rung of the ladder and put his foot onto the moon.