Here are some advertisements I found on the web this week. Become a property millionaire! Quick and effective workouts! 7 Reasons to become a real estate agent. A screen grab from a wellbeing app.
Who is it that is being appealed to to change in each of these? Me - You - US!
They are all self-growth orientated. We are the ones making the changes. We are the ones being appealed to. We are the ones with whom it lies to make the decision to shift our lives, our selves, up!
We are being appealed to as the source of and director of the change in our lives.
Without our decision, nothing is going to happen. The advertisers here understand this - and they know that if they can sell us a vision we will make that decision and they hope use their product to make the change we seek.
So is this how change works with Jesus our King and Savior?
Our willing participation is certainly important. But change when Jesus is involved is quite different to the most common message on personal change out there around us today.
The evidence of such change in our lives is real and powerful as we explore through our Galatians text this week.
We are going to work through the book of Galatians together. Select passages. We are going to let this letter, written to a bunch of Gentile believers in Galatia, which is modern day Turkey. The churches of Galatia have been invaded by some agitators (5:12) who have questioned Paul’s gospel and his apostleship; apparently some Galatians are on the verge of capitulating to them, which sparks a vigorous defense by Paul of his gospel and his calling.
This week as we read we find the scripture askes of us, "How does Jesus change us?"
Lets read:
How does Jesus change us, as described in this passage by the apostle Paul?
In this passage, Paul is describing how he changed with Jesus. Let's learn what we can. What do we observe here?
JESUS CHANGES US by His revelation to us.
What is Jesus revelation? Revelation is the revealing of Jesus himself to us. Jesus makes Himself obvious to us, such that we know we are in the presence of the living God. This is a key point of difference between Christianity and all other religious systems of the world. In other religions God or the gods remain hidden. And we need to discover God or the gods. We need work out the right methods to have God or the gods reveal themselves to us. But this is NOT THE WAY with Jesus. There is no right method for getting Jesus to show Himself to us. Jesus, freely and lovingly, chooses to come to us to make Himself clear and evident to us.
This is what changes our lives. Jesus revealing Himself to us. Things will not stay the same in our lives after this fact. How can they?
JESUS moves us in a new direction for life. Paul's own story is one of being completely about-turned. As he notes here in these verses:
• vs. 13-14 - "For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers."
• AND THEN, the report starts going around the church, vs. 23 - “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” Paul went from a church destroyer to a Jesus preacher.
This is the definition of repentance.
Paul was, in his own words spoken elsewhere, once "a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man…" [1 Timothy 1:13, NIV] But Jesus changed all that!
Our testimony, whilst not needing to be as dramatic as Paul's, is no different. Jesus moves us in His direction for life. For the REST of our lives… THIS IS THE WAY - For us. Repentance is a way of life, not a once off decision. Why?
Because we stray, and we are good at it.
JESUS CHANGES US by His grace.
This is the other key way that Christianity is different from any and all other religions and religious systems. Paul states: vs. 15-16 "…But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles…" The change that takes place in Paul's life is clearly attributed to God's grace alone. Paul was a convinced and passionate church destroyer. He was completely convinced of his life direction and efforts. He was passionate. And YET He was passionately destroying what God was building in the world. WHAT OTHER - God comes with powerful kindness to His enemy? To one of the chief opposers of His purposes in the world? Comes to melt His hard heart and call him into God's destiny for His life. We are all of us enemies of God because of our sin (Romans 5). And yet this is the grace of God. He comes to us in the midst of our opposition to change us.
Are you changing in response to Jesus' grace, or perhaps you are trying to change without a sense of Jesus' grace? Start from His grace, it's the only way to walk in change that transforms who you are into who you are destined to be.
JESUS CHANGES US for Himself.
Paul had no need to consult with any of the other major leaders of the early church when Jesus came to him. He did not seek their approval for the transformation that Jesus worked in his life. Jesus change in our lives is for His name, His sake, and His glory.
There are many reasons for change, as we started out this blog:
• To get fit, or to feel less shame about ourselves and our health.
• To make more money, to get more financial security.
• To be more settled in ourselves.
The change that Jesus makes in our lives is for Him. Empowered by Him. And for His glory. It's that simple and clear. Here is the difference - whatever reason we change for, in the end, is who or what we serve in making the changes.
If I change:
• For fitness sake, fitness is my reason.
• To be less ashamed, shame is in real ways driving me.
• To make more money, money is motivating me.
• To create more wellbeing, my own wellbeing is what I serve.
The truth is, these are all great servants, but terrible masters. Only Jesus is worthy of the status of being my Lord and leader, and the master of all change in my life.
• Fitness is a great servant, but a terrible master.
• Shame is neither a great servant or master.
• Money is only ever a great servant.
• Wellbeing is a great servant, but an unworthy master.
JESUS IS the great master of our lives, who came Himself as our servant. And yet, He is God - the one who spoke the universe into being.
Change made by Jesus is change that is truly healthy, truly freeing, and truly renewing. Eternally so!
What do we learn about how Jesus changes us?
We learn that the best, healthiest, and TRUEST change in our lives happens when Jesus is the source and director of the change initiative.
In love, He is willing to make profound, destiny shaping changes in all of us today. Are you willing to trust Him to make them?
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