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Our Mission is Transformation

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audio/mpeg iconOur Mission is Transformation
Sermon Date: 
Sun, 01/24/2010 (All day)

Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) 

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.

Introduction: On the first Sunday of this New Year, I brought you a message on what the Lord has given us as our “mission” for this New Year and this coming decade. “Our mission is transition, transformation, and training of common people of our region to become uncommon followers of Jesus Christ.” Last Sunday, I spoke to you about “Our Mission is Transition.” That transition is passage from one form, state, style, or place to another. Our transition includes passage from being born to born again, from lost to found, and from the world, to the Kingdom. Transition is about harvest (reaching out to those who have not received Jesus as Lord of their lives so that this passage can take place). Today, I want to continue with our mission statement and speak to you about “Transformation.”

What does transformation mean?

1. Greek: Metamorphoo- to transform: change, transfigure, transform.
2. Dictionary: The act or an instance of transforming.
      • To change the nature, function, or condition of; convert.
      • To undergo or cause to undergo radical change: modify, refashion, remake, remodel, or reshape.
3. Therefore, transformation is allowing God by the Holy Spirit to transform (radically change) the way you think and act as He remakes and remodels us and our lives.

2 Cor. 5:17 (NKJV) 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
   
2 Cor. 5:17 (NLT) 

What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 

1. If anyone is in Christ, is a conditional statement. The condition is to be in Christ.
2. In NLT it says that “a new life has begun.” A process of change begins.

What has to change?

1. We will change the way we think and what we think about.
 Rom. 12:2- “but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

2. We will change the way we act. Ephes. 4:22-24 (NLT) 
Throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. 23Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. 24You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness—righteous, holy, and true. 

3. We will change the way we live our lives. Galatians 5:22-25 (NLT) 
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.

How will change take place?

1. Healing of our minds, spirits, emotions, and our heart.
2. Deliverance from addictions and evil spirits that have a place and influence in our lives and spirits.
3. By the power of the Holy Spirit. Gal.5:22 (NLT) “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
4. By following Jesus in prayer, the Scriptures, and in submission.

Conclusion: God calls for us to be transformed “by the renewing of our minds.” After our transition from the world to the Kingdom, transformation will take place “if we are in Christ.” A process begins as we allow God to heal and deliver us from all our stuff, get baptized with the Holy Spirit, and follow Jesus. It takes time, but it is the journey of a lifetime. You begin to think differently, act differently, and we change the way we live our lives. We become true Christians and we stop doing the things we always did. Life becomes exciting and our lives have new meaning. We become difference makers as men and women, as husbands and wives, and as fathers and mothers. Some of us are in process, others are beginning the process, and some of us are thinking about it. Choose transformation in God and it will be the best decision you will ever make.

Close: Luke 4:18-19 (TEV)

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has chosen Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed
19 and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save His people."