Being Transformed

Happy New Year!

This is a sermon that was preached Sunday January 1,2012--I hope that you can get some encouragement from it.

We ended December with some desperation, we were not sure what to do, we were lucky to have $10.00 in the bank. There was a futile sense in the air. I have read many books on the Church and on building the church, new member assimilation and so on. I have studied every book known to humanity on Church Planting with an attitude of “that will never work at my church”. I must say that vacations are good things. They are great times to reflect on what has been going on in a person's life—and in the life of a Pastor it comes to what has gone on in the life of the church.

What was learned in this time of reflection is that we, as the church, should remember that the one thing that can destroy a church is the attitude of a person. If our attitudes say It will never work, then it will never work and the church dies. However, if our attitudes are it is possible, or we can do it... We may not know how it will do it, but we will do it, it keeps the hope alive.

There have been many things which have changed the climate of this congregation. I think that this last year has been a year of transition for the congregation. We have gone from being a home fellowship that had very little recognition very little influence, to an established congregation in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. There was a time where we needed to be a fellowship of close knit kindred care. We have continued this attitude even now as we have been recognised and chartered as a sound assembly of Christian Faith.

We have come to a cross roads. At this cross roads is a decision. The decision is continue placating the pastor—I'm just going to church so that guy who thinks he knows what he is doing will be appeased. The other decision is to be resolved to be the body of Christ and stand together as the church and do the work that God has given us to do.

These are the decisions we are faced with. Now the choice is up to you. Will you make effort to be the that Jesus called you to be? Or will you be the one who makes every excuse this is not going to work? There are some who will say with great enthusiasm that they are going to make an effort—but their attitude will remain I did not really mean it. There will be some who enthusiastically say I am going to make every effort and mean it. I am sure if I asked for a show of hands right now, I know the answer. I am sure that if I was to ask if you were to make and effort, every hand will go up saying yes, I will make every effort. I also know that there will be very little change. It is for this reason that I want to clear up some things with regard to attitudes of effort and excuses.

When a person says that they will make an effort but will try to find a way out of it, they are making a statement that they are not truly committed to the vision of the Word of God. God calls all believers to the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5.10-6.1-2) . We bring reconciliation with God to others through the work of Discipleship. Matthew 28.18-20 makes every believer responsible for the work of making Disciples. To make a commitment of words without action, is to shirk the responsibility of the believer. Effort without action is simply a veiled excuse, and a termination of one's commitment to Christ. We will come back to this shortly.

Have you ever heard the saying “it is better to try and fail than to never try at all”? In the same way, when a person commits to making an effort to be the Church, tries and fails, it is better than never trying at all. In the passage in 2 Corinthians 5.10-6.1-2 we can see that there are some very clear points here

2 Corinthians 5.10-6.1-2

10-13 If we shirk our responsibility and do nothing, we will still have to answer for our actions.

14-16 A true believer is compelled by the Love of Christ to make disciples because Jesus Christ died for all.

17-19 If a person is in Christ that person is a new creation.

20-21 An attitude of excuses ceases God's plan.

6.1-2 Do not partake of God's grace in the vanity of your flesh.

SUMMARY

If we shirk our God given responsibilities and do nothing, we will still have to answer for our actions—or lack thereof. The believer must come to a real understanding that God is going to judge us on the basis of what we do at a heart level. God is not concerned so much with what one does in their self will. We are called to be separate from the World. We are responsible to persuade others for Christ. It is also clear here that we are to have an outward example as well as a heart relationship for those who are looking at us, who do not know Jesus. There is a Christian song title “You're the Only Jesus Some Will Ever See”. The point here is that if we are truly a Believer then we will be an example. We will be a good example or a bad one. But the truth of the matter is that we will be an example.

A true believer is compelled by the Love of Christ to make disciples because Jesus Christ died for all. When a person becomes a follower of Jesus Christ he or she realizes that it is completely by God's grace that they are truly saved from a fair judgment against their sin. A true believer no longer deals on their own terms . They will take responsibility and make an effort. They may try and fail, but the effort does not go unnoticed because it is not for our human efforts, it is for Jesus Christ who died and rose again in love for those who believe. It is also important that we look at individuals through the eyes of Christ's love instead of a worldly view. As the church we must remember to look at Christ on the basis of our relationship with Christ and no longer as a person who is on the outside looking in.

If a person is in Christ that person is a new creation. The old ways of thinking no longer exist because a person who has a real relationship with Jesus Christ is completely new. The ability to be a new person is not something we can do on our own, it is by the power of God who has reconciled those who believe. God has reconciled the world to Himself through Jesus Christ. The call of reconciliation comes from God, not us, this is why believers are given the ministry and message of reconciliation.

An attitude of excuses ceases God's plan. As Ambassador of Christ, the believer is the mouthpiece of God. We are called to bring the message of reconciliation through Christ to the lost. You are Christ's Ambassadors and God desires to make His appeal through you. God has a message for everyone, it is simple, be reconciled to God, but why? Be reconciled to God because God made Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin so that we can become holy unto the Lord.

Now for those who would make excuses or veiled excuses, here is a verse for you. Do not partake of God's grace in the vanity of your flesh. In the time of God's favor He has heard you and in the day of Salvation God is here to help you. Right now is the time of God's favor, today is the day that God meant for you. Today is the day for Salvation.