Three Choices For A Wonderful Life - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ just like in every way they can make. We divorce at the same rate. We abuse our children at the same rate were under psychotherapy at the same rate. Everything about us worse materialistic at the same rate would just like them even conform. They squeezed us into the more it all happens between our ears. This is what happens. Joining us today on this additional fellowship of the word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie when pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows up how God's word meets our world God gave us so much and with mercy should motivate us in some way you doesn't for so many of us it doesn't. This is a very interesting thing because notice what he says then he said it's acceptable to God and he says, which is your spiritual service of worship, so unique about that is the word spiritual is in spiritual is not the work spiritual work spiritual as Newman taught using Numa spirit is not talking about spiritual this actual word is the word logger costs we get an English word from logic Newman the King James translators understood this and they said reasonable notice, I'll say it that way though. He said, present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your logical service of worship. Consider when God's mercies of God in your life. Why wouldn't you isn't logical when God is done for you. Isn't that logical that you would do it.

Notice he says when you do that, that's worship. I think about that we normally don't do it, but we redefine worship all kinds of other ways. Not this way. We don't care for this much. So we divine worship and worship as if I attend church most Sundays I'm worshiping that's worship. Worship is liturgy. If I go to a liturgy that means I worship God. Worship is stained-glass windows are flowing robes. That's worship worship at all I worship is really snappy music that's worship that's really what worship is none of those things are worship. They can be in the context of worship.

Worship and by the way this is so important to God. Remember Jesus talking to the woman at the well and John for said God is seeking worshipers of God doesn't have many needs. There's very few things that God is seeking he seeking worshipers because of his grace is love his mercy he seeking worshipers is an important thing to God. So what is he saying here he saying I heard you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, except the word of God which is your logical service of worship.

Worship is total devotion to God. You want to know worshipers that's what it is I'm all in. I'm totally devoted that's what worship is it always begins with this choice you make this choice.

You don't worship, I forgot to say if you worship to me you better give me to give me. Logically, what's my I give you all the mercies all the grace all the love how you present yourself to me, that's what worship really is and he goes and into the next choice. The third choice and he tells her it's it's in two spots what not doing what to do what he says. In verse two, he says, and then to continue my idea. Do not be conformed to this world. This is part of the choice is the second part do not. He says be conformed to this world, not just the word may strongest negative to the Greeks. He said absolutely. Do not be conformed to this world. The word conformed is Sue's commit to. So it means an outward expression that doesn't really reflect what's going on the inside and this is really a neat play on words or what he does here, he said, do not allow the world to make you look like your of the world because that's not who you are, your child of God.

Your new creature in Christ all the old things are passed away that you are in the inside.

He said don't let the world make you look like you're one of them. Whatever you do don't let that happen. Don't be conformed. JB Phillips and his grade.

Paraphrase the Greek scholar said don't let the world squeeze you into its mold. This is hard for us. Kenneth Weise the New Testament scholar says stop assuming an outward expression which is patterned after this world and expression which does not come from, nor is representative of what you are in your inner being is a regenerated child of God. This is what we fail we don't do it. We allow the world to squeeze us into its moral its mold and we look just like the world in the New Testament, there was only one church. It did know was a church of Corinth was the worst church and Paul said, you know, when I look at you. People in the lives that you live. I can tell any difference between you and unbelievers at all. I just don't see it actually call them the word carnal. They were carnal Christians. He said you look just like people in the world. Every study that's done every poll that's done the last 40 years, says the church in America is exactly like that.

We look just like the unsaved world in every way they can measure. We divorce at the same rate.

We abuse our children at the same rate were under psychotherapy at the same rate. Everything about us words materialistic at the same rate were just like them.

We been conformed. They squeezed us into the mold and it all happens between our ears. This is where it happens, will come back here but go with me now. The second Corinthians chapter 10 second Corinthians chapter 10 in verse three. Listen to what Paul says Paul says this, he said, for though we walk in the flesh. That means we live in the real world. You and I live in the real world were real people in the room were we just walk around in the flesh. He said we do not war according to the flesh, that's not where our battle is he goes on, he says for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses we are destroying the watch speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God.

We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Where's the war between arrears the wars. How do you think were trying to destroy.

As he says here speculations of what the world says you see that's hard for us. God says consider everyone else is more important and you are the world says look out for number one. And your number one see which one we do more often. Which one do we allow to be part of our lives we conform to the world doing time were different in the world is are probably sleeping to Baltimore this morning. You're sitting there like that's the difference but has to be more than that, there has to be much more than that. That's what he finds me show you why this works so well go with me to first John chapter 2 first John chapter 2 verse 15 and went to see what John says about this.

John says in verse 15 do not love the world as a Christians are always like that I don't love the world John add something them do not love the world nor the things of the world. All we like the things it's the world we know why but we like the things of the world. You see we like money and fame and we like that. You see, we he said no do not. He said do not love the world nor the things the world. If anyone loves the world. Love the father's night in. That's really a strong statement. You can't say I love the world or things of the woman love God because is going to. He says, but all that is in the world boils down to this, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.

It's not from the father is from the world. That's how the world squeezes the first thing is, he says here notice he says the lust of the flesh passion to feel the lust of the flesh, the passion to feel. I mean they used to say to some commercialism if it feels good do it told that all the time that this feels good do it and by the way, if you do it enough, guess what you are your narcissist and our world is filled with narcissism. Whatever makes you feel good.

You just do it is he is on looking out for number one. I like the way that makes me feel so I'm going to do that and it creates narcissism.

Then he says, the lust of the eyes is the passion to have recovered. I want that I want that lust of the eyes. Do you think I will knows that how many commercials or advertisements do you see a day why do they do that it works. That's why they do it. They pay all that money so they can do it and the next thing you're there you sit near waiting for the game to start restart and you see you know I think I need a new car or up you want to pizza not what what yeah they just put in front of you. We covered the lust of the eyes, and we say we want that that not will not narcissist were materialist and we think that this whole idea of accumulating more is great the whole key in life is just to keep accumulating more more and more, but I want to tell you when you're dead you don't take anything with you nothing but we don't quite believe that we believe, I want to accumulate more. That's how the world squeezes and was mold and then he says in the boastful pride of life, the passion to be someone I really want to be someone my egotism.

I want to happen would be famous I want to be someone Jesus is the only one we should want.

He's the only celebrity of the universe. It's not me it's not you see me you can see how these things fly right in the face of what God is saying in Romans 12. Now back to Romans 12 for just a moment. He says do not be conformed. The negative to this world, but he said but I want you to be transformed. I want you to be transformed.

Perfect as a present, passive, imperative you know what it means when it's passive voice. You can do this on your own as a Christian you can't transform yourself.

You don't transform yourself. I did not know what I want to try harder to do that. I miss them a try harder. That's my problem. I don't try hard enough. Don't do that. That will be it. That's not how you change transformation is something God does in you and you only doing you if you make the choice. You see, he'll make it only if you make the choice. He says transform what a great word is the word metamorphosis its exact and metamorphosis means the reality on the inside becomes apparent on the outside. Just the opposite.

That's like green worms become beautiful butterflies.

That's called metamorphosis. It looks like a green worm, but it's not, by its nature when it comes out of a cocoon. It's a beautiful butterfly.

That's us who we really are on the inside to start showing up in who we are on the outside and unfortunately that happens only really to us to be another beautiful picture this, go with me to Matthew 17 gospel Matthew chapter 17 verse one it says six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and his brother and he led them up on a high mountain by themselves and he was transfigured before them in his face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as light that were transfigured same words transformed. It's the exact same word is metamorphosis with Jesus due there he he has a spring. The site was with them goes up on the mountain and he says it goes guys look at this. This is who I really am. You want to know who I really am looking at it just exactly what John Saul in the Revelation of John the John and chapter 1 you see Christ for all his glory.

That's called transformation or transfiguration and what he's telling us in Romans is that's what you happen to us on the outside was to start looking like what we are on the inside. Let's go back again to Romans 12 he says do not be conformed to this world but be transformed.

Another thing, it's amazing. It's imperative you commanded gotchas you got it you can be transformed. See what happens when were totally different on the outside and we are insiders Christians what the people call us hippo credits that I may see it easy, is it your hypocrite your talk one way but do not like that at all he sees is no we can't do that I have to be on the outside. What I am on the inside. He said, but be transformed. How does this happen he says by the renewing of your mind. That's how you do it. I have to renew my mind. You see Chip Ingram says the spiritual growth never comes by just hard effort. It's not enough. He said spiritual growth does not begin with focusing on behavior.

Spiritual growth is not even begin with focusing on our attitudes.

Spiritual growth always begins by focusing on our thinking. Spiritual growth is accomplished by the spirit of God's of the word of God.

The renewing aspect. I begin to think differently. See, when I became a Christian I had all my thought process down. I know how to react almost everything and relatively to everybody.

I would probably been considered a good guy. Okay so and I had my way of seeing everything in the world. Then I started reading the Bible and start realizing wait a minute things that I think are acceptable. God is not the way I think God does not and I have been a sense, renew or change the way I think and so do you. I have to do. This is the only way I can be transformed. Grant Osborne, a New Testament scholar said it is clear that the minders were spiritual growth occurs and in the mines decisions and choices are made, they determine one spiritual direction in your spiritual destiny Griffin, said the only way to prevent an outward shape of our lives from being fashioned like that of the world is to take care of the inward spirit of our being. By being transformed by the renewing of our mine.

That's true for every one of us.

It's hard to imagine but in your life right now is a child of God you even being conformed in the world are you being transformed by God you can't be both. You see your one of the other worlds either conforming you or your being transformed and that's a choice. He says that you and I have to make here and this is present tense continually being transformed. God transforms me day in day out, week in, week out, month in, month, year in, year, decade in decade out as a process over a long haul and noticed and what the results of this renewal is so that you may prove what the will of God is that which is good, acceptable and perfect.

That's the result of my renewal. My life proves the will of God. That's what he says your life will prove what the will of God is it's good acceptable perfect or the word means complete a transformed mind, plus the power of the Holy Spirit would transform. I will, which changes my life. But God won't do it if I don't make the choice I have to choose to buy the field of the Pearl that's eternal life. I have to choose to present myself a living sacrifice to God. But I have to choose to allow the word of God to transform me by renewing the way I think three choices, and if we don't make these three choices we end up as defeated Christians reject and some of us try to immunize herself against becoming religious and doing activities but in our heart were still worrisome, fearful, guilty.

We have all these terrible emotions. We have no peace and the reason is we've never allowed to what's inside of us, who we really are to become part of the outside of us and who we are. John White delayed psychiatrist in Christian author wrote these words he said Bible study has torn my life apart and we made it. This is to say that God through his word has done so. If I could write poetry about it. I would if I could sing.

He said through paper I would flood your soul with glorious melodies that express what I have found I cannot exaggerate for there are no expressions made just my majestic enough to tell of the glory that I have seen in the of the wonder of finding that I I'm neurotic unstable middle-aged man now have my feet firmly planted in eternity. I breathe the air of heaven and all this comes to me with a careful study of God's word.

No shortcuts.

People I could testify that it changes you. And it changes me. JC Ryle writes this a long time ago. The Bible has worked moral miracles on thousands is made, drunkards sober unchaste people become pure thieves became honest, violent temper, people became meek. It is holy. All of the source of man's lives. It is taught worldly people to sing first the kingdom of God. It is taught, lovers of pleasure to become lovers of God. It is taught, the stream of men's affections to run upwards instead of running downwards and visit has done. He said in every part of the world, and it still doing it today because they made these choices because only says do we understand men and women. The power that God has given us and the potential that it has if we follow it carefully. If we allow these two agents and these two actions the work together. The word of God in the spirit of God in our lives into literally changes from the people that we are so that we can become finally the people that we've always wanted to be. That's true for all of us and yet we live so many defeated lives and I'm telling you it's because we won't make these choices sawing the way I started questions. If you to make the choice.

What are the risks if you choose to give your life to God as a living sacrifice, and you choose to allow the word of God to transform you through the renewal of your thinking what are the risks.

One of the potential rewards.

Most importantly, the last would you do, what are you going to do the choice spring father. It's an amazing thing that in some ways this seems simplistic, but in others. We all know how difficult this is if were honest with ourselves. Our problem is that our our values, our thoughts have been conformed to the world and we struggle with anything in any way.

To think in a different way but father, it's really becomes the key to our lives. It becomes not only what God wants for us, but ultimately becomes exactly what we want for us if we make these choices and we follow through on our choice. We all get to live the life that we so urgently want to live, we live a life full of joy and peace and hope no matter what the circumstances are.

Who wouldn't want a life like this, yet for some reason father. What we end up doing is never meant by your spirit convict us power to follow through this for a good pastor broke apart on the radio ministry or fellowship nor if you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just listen to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called in one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio programs that Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help with radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting monthly with just the 100 support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sensors are looking you can search by title. Once you find the message you're looking for. You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own. And remember all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website FVC Nola.org for pastor Bill Gebhart. I'm Jason Denhardt. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order