Some Thoughts on Change
Why Would ANYONE Look Forward to Being Different Than They
Are?
January 6, 2013
AM
Pastor Craig
Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Luke 9:23-25)
A.
Luke 9:23-25 And he
said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall
lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself,
or be cast away?
B.
Why should an Irish
man or woman throw away their life, lose it, in order to find and live another
life?
C.
Most don’t want to
change at all! Almost no one wants it – no one is seeking it
1.
It is almost
impossible to find someone actually WANTING to be different than the world;
different than they used to be
2.
Maybe it is because
nothing has worked before
3.
Maybe because they
really don’t think it matters – all that matters is that they are happy – and
yet they never really are!
D.
Let me ask it this
way… Why should a caterpillar change? Why not just stay a big, ugly, fat insect?
1.
You’d say, because
there is something better for them if they would just change
2.
They could fly,
enjoy the wind and breeze
3.
Travel
4.
See from ABOVE
instead of always surrounded by their food supply
E.
Most of the Bible is
about change – not leaving us AS we already are, but changing us
F.
Most of our lives
are spent changing for sure, but in the wrong direction
1.
From well mannerly
children, to such vicious and angry teenagers
2.
From hard workers,
to lazy bums
3.
From kind, and
considerate ladies and gentlemen to selfish, self-centred jerks
G.
But God designed us
to change in the right direction – to save our lives
H.
And the only way to
do that, is to lose our lives – losing control over the process that God uses to
change our lives!
II.
Message
A.
Because We
Are Messed Up – Depraved (Ephesians 2:1-3)
1.
Spiritually dead in
sins
2.
Walking along a
course
a.
The same course that
everyone who has ever lived, has walked
b.
A deeply cut rut,
that we can never get out of – just like everyone else – headed away from God!
3.
Led by the devil
himself
a.
The god of this
world
b.
The prince and power
of the air
c.
The spirit of
disobedience – the spirit behind all disobedience!
4.
Our Conversation,
Our way of living
a.
Lived in the lusts
of the flesh
b.
Fulfilled the
desires of our flesh - selfish
c.
And the desires of
our minds – always inventing new things to do for “fun”
d.
We were only
“religious” when WE got something out of it
5.
We were by nature,
the children of wrath – not the children of God
a.
We sin naturally
b.
It is in our nature
to disobey, and to be selfish
6.
It is in our very
hearts (Mark 7:21,22) “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed:”
a.
Evil thoughts – how
you think about others
b.
Adulteries
c.
Fornications
d.
Murders – it starts
in the heart
e.
Thefts
f.
Covetousness
g.
Wickedness – the
opposite of godliness
h.
Deceit – trickery,
and lying
i.
Lasciviousness -
lusts
j.
An evil eye - hatred
k.
Blasphemy – blaming
God, and abusing God with your words
l.
Pride – pumping
yourself up
m.
Foolishness – acting
the fool – living like there is no God
7.
Listen to Romans
1:28-32
a.
What follows are
Man’s Sins (1:28-31). There are 22 in all. Notice how that ALL movies today
(with very little exception) are filled with these things! Being filled with
all unrighteousness - not just dabbling in it, but being filled with it
(count all the hours people spend in front of the TV an ingest all that ungodly
filth)!
1)
Fornication
- wrong sex (outside of marriage)
2)
Wickedness
- wrong actions, wrong motives!
3)
Covetousness - now comes the knock-out punch!
Focused on possessions, and getting, and having more than others!
4)
Maliciousness - only wanting to hurt other people
5)
Full of
envy - never satisfied, content, or able to be
happy
6)
Murder
- Not self-defense, but hatred of life!
7)
Debate
- always attempting to justify your actions
8)
Deceit
- living a lie. Lying doesn’t bother them.
9)
Malignity
- relating to maliciousness, but more an attitude problem, than an action
problem - malign or speak evil about something or someone (speak evil about
those who are good, about God, about things they have no idea about)
10)
Whisperers
- gossips, people who talk about you behind your back
11)
Backbiters
- people who bite at you, attack you behind your back
12)
Haters of
God - People hate Him personally!
13)
Despiteful
- defiant attitude. Only wanting to prove themselves right
14)
Proud
- measuring themselves by their accomplishments, and not by God’s measuring
stick!
15)
Boasters
- caught-up in themselves and in the praise of men. Not “thankful” toward God.
Definitely not humble
16)
Inventors
of evil things
a)
Majority of games
now are evil! (Nintendo Sega, board games)
b)
Look at what
scientists have given us over the last 50 years - atomic bombs, pesticides that
kill humans, nuclear disasters, chemical weapons, computer sex
17)
Disobedient
to parents - the most fundamental unit of society
is the home. In this family unit, there must be respect, trust, and obedience
(parents no longer are trustworthy, and kids no longer trust)!
18)
Without
understanding - no desire to know anymore, just
want to DO, DO, DO! Live for the excitement, action!
19)
Covenantbreakers - no promise keepers (marriage,
friendships)
20)
Without
natural affection - the heart is all wrong. Love
is now spelt LUST! Not loving the things that people used to naturally love
(children are only a bother that can be aborted; God is only someone’s opinion
that can be refuted; Friends are only for advantages; Bible is only a book that
can be dismissed). People rather substitute natural loves with un-natural loves
(loving possessions; destruction; cruelty; self)!
21)
Implacable
- not submissive, inflexible, not soft
22)
Unmerciful
- always wanting mercy, but never giving it!
b.
“Who knowing the
judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not
only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
8.
Do you want to know
what you are like without God? THAT is what you are like!
a.
Angry, bitter,
stubborn, hard-hearted, unkind
b.
Filthy words, wicked
imaginations
c.
Unfaithful,
undependable, changeable like the weather
9.
And the way we live
keeps us Separated from God
10.
No wonder Most
People HATE the Way They Are!!!
a.
The way they look
b.
The way they
constantly fail and fall
c.
The way they feel
d.
No wonder they can’t
stand to be alone, or be bored – they HAVE to drink, or do some drug, or get a
buzz
e.
No wonder that they
HAVE to sit and scan the TV for hours trying to find something to thrill them
f.
No wonder suicide
constantly is in the back of the minds of people from 15 years old all the way
up to 85!
B.
The Cost of
Staying the Same (1Cor 6:9,10)
1.
The world wants
everyone to be tolerant of differences
2.
What they demand is
for everyone to ignore sins that God will not ignore
a.
It’s just the way I
“am” – that may be true, but it is not right
b.
I was born this way
– so what?
3.
There is a Price to
pay for being messed up. Our Depravity makes us in trouble with God (Rom 6:23)
4.
In other words, you
and I can never enter God’s heaven the way we naturally are!
5.
You want to live
that way, there is an eternal price to pay:
a.
Separated from God
right now in your sin
b.
And one day,
separated for ever, in Hell
c.
Under the Wrath of
God. Remember Noah’s flood?
6.
No one in this room
will do well to stay the same… we have got to change
C.
God Means
For Us to Change – to be Transformed (Romans 12:2)
1.
It means to be
Converted, Born again, Regenerated, quickened – made alive!
2.
No longer the same
3.
The devil means to
ruin you – Jesus came to give you LIFE (John 10:10)
4.
One day we will be
completely changed (1Cor 15:51-54)
5.
But right now, the
goal is to be Renewed daily
a.
Renewed course and
direction – we get off course
b.
Renewed heart and
love – grows cold and indifferent
c.
Renewed mind and
thoughts and imaginations
D.
God
Made a Way
1.
Some of you believe
you cannot live up to perfection. You will never be good enough.
a.
And that is right!
We cannot change ourselves (Jer 13:23) – we can only take on the characteristics
of the world around us
b.
Only God can
transform us – from the inside out (Psalm 51:10)!
c.
It doesn’t matter
what you have done, or thought, or felt, or said…
d.
GOD CAN forgive, and
God CAN transform anyone
2.
By Just Starting All
Over – from the ground up!
a.
Humbling ourselves –
admitting WE are wrong!
b.
Repenting – starting
over at zero
c.
Becoming like little
children (Matt 18:1-3)
d.
Jesus calls it the
New Birth (John 3:3)
3.
By Following Jesus
(John 1:43; 3:30) – what a great command to live by, “follow me!”
a.
“Following Jesus” is
not just a thought, or an empty belief
b.
But a decision – a
solid choice like a marriage vow!
1)
To follow Him
2)
To watch HIM, learn
of Him, spend time with Him
3)
To want to become
LIKE Him
c.
Something marvellous
happens as we:
1)
Spend time listening
to Him speak in the Bible (Mt 4:4; Lk 4:18-22; 1Pet 2:2)
2)
Learn how He reacts
to life and problems – follow in His footsteps (1Pet 2:21)
3)
Lean upon, trust,
and rest upon the same Holy Spirit that He relied upon!
4.
By Letting Go of
some childish things (1Cor 13:11)
a.
Old ways of thinking
and feeling – childish
b.
Old sinful habits
c.
Former loves and
attractions
d.
Let them all go as
the Lord has your attention now
5.
By the Grace of God
(1Cor 15:9,10) – His kindness and goodness towards you even though you don’t
deserve it. It has a marvellous effect!
6.
By the Holy Spirit
of God – Yielding to His unfailing work in your life
a.
Not ignoring it
b.
Resisting it
c.
Quenching it
d.
But seeking it
E.
No
Excuses
1.
Stop fearing change
– stop worrying about being “different”
2.
Stop trying to mix
Jesus with your life!
a.
People want to MIX
Christianity with their world – like chalk and cheese, oil and water
b.
He IS Lord – in
Charge. He does not do YOUR bidding, but calls us to do HIS!
3.
Stop fighting the
only thing that makes us better
a.
Men
b.
Husbands
c.
Wives
d.
People
e.
Students
f.
Servants and workers
g.
Christians
III.
Conclusion
A.
So, Why should an
Irish man or woman throw away their life, lose it, in order to find and live
another life?
B.
Because there is
something better for us if we would just change
C.
Most of the Bible is
about change – not leaving us AS we already are, but changing us
D.
God designed us to
change in the right direction – to save our lives
1.
Because
We Are Messed Up – Depraved
2.
There
is a Severe Cost of Staying the Same
3.
God
Means For Us to Change – to be Transformed
4.
God
Made the Only Way
a.
Are You Ready to
Start All Over? Some of you need to
1)
Humbling ourselves –
admitting WE are wrong!
2)
Repenting – starting
over at zero
3)
Becoming like little
children (Matt 18:1-3)
4)
Jesus calls it the
New Birth (John 3:3)
b.
Are you actively
Following Jesus?
c.
Are you still
holding onto some stupid childish things
1)
Like your past
failures
2)
Old ways of thinking
and feeling – childish
3)
Old sinful habits
4)
Former loves and
attractions
d.
Have you accepted
the Grace of God? It has a marvellous effect!
e.
Are you walking in
the Holy Spirit of God? Yielding to His unfailing work in your life
5.
You and
I have No Excuses! Each one of us should be changing this year! It must start
today!