http://bible.com/events/43903065
Changed to Change: Our Mission in Action, Part 2
Our mission:
Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ.
Transformed defined:
1. To change in composition or structure
2. To change the outward form or appearance of
3. To change in character or condition
There are two dimensions of transformation:
1. We believe God can and does act in an instant to transform us
2. We also believe that transformation is an ongoing process
Today’s focus is going to be on the instantaneous transformation, the NOW.
2 Corinthians 5:14-17NIV
14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Human beings were created for a purpose, a purpose far beyond just being good little boys and girls in God’s garden.
N.T. Wright says, “Humans were made to be ‘mage-bearers’, to reflect the praises of creation back to the Creator and to reflect the Creator’s wise and loving stewardship into the world.”
Romans 6:19-23NIV
19I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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We believe that Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection is the only hope of transformation that we have
Prevenient grace is drawing us towardsrepentance.
The Church of the Nazarene says, “Repentance is a sincere and thorough change of the mind with regard to sin, involving a sense of personal guilt and a voluntary turning away from sin.”
1. We arejustified,which means we are forgiven of our sins and declared not guilty before God. We are reconciled, brought back into relationship with him.
2. We areregenerated– this is the act of the Holy Spirit in our life when we are made spiritually alive.
3. We areadoptedinto the family of God. We have been transferred from relationship with the world to relationship with God.
Colossians 3:1-14NIV
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.8But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.11Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.