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April 5, 2021 6:00 am
Are you tired of making resolutions that you never keep and never amount to much, you know I'm gonna work out I'll lose weight. I read my Bible framework. You have good intentions but you just keep fizzling out in the change never really happens. What I want you to know doesn't have to be that way. God has a word for you and me today and were going to learn how to change life changed deep change, supernatural change, change that can happen to ordinary people just like you just like me stay with. Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge with shipping chips or Bible teacher of this international discipleship ministry to start helping Christians live like Christian. This program trip starting a series called yes really can we all long to be the best version of ourselves time sister pointed out fall short of the next several programs to explore what God says about making lasting change will set a reminder to be with us for this entire series. If you have your Bible open it down to Ephesians chapter 4 trips message is a changed life really possible if you could change just one thing about you, what would it be if you could change one thing about how you look how you think how you respond to change one kind of private struggle or something that just you feel like you made progress but it just keeps coming back at you if you could revamp it have a makeover. Modify it literally revolutionized something down deep inside your life, what would it be effective maybe more importantly as we start the series is do you believe that life change. I mean real life change, not just exterior stuff can really happen.
Do you believe it lifelong addictions or things that happen out of maybe a family of origin, the dysfunction or fears and struggles and just kind of the way you are that you've just said, you know, I guess this will never change.
Do you really believe that God can and will change that in ordinary followers of Jesus Christ like you see the Bible teaches. And God promises that when a person is born of the spirit and if that person born of the spirit lives in vital union with Christ that he will so radically change you from the inside out that if someone knew you today, and then met you 10 or 15 years later there's parts that they would just say it's hard to believe you're the same person is not just some cleaning up on the outside there's a fundamental change that happens when Christ enters your life in the spirit of God is allowed to have control as you connect with other people and his word begins to birth the very life and personality. In Jesus in you.
God promises he actually commands it. The Scriptures declare it in nature sorta gives us a object lesson because you see a little green caterpillar stage one who goes into a cocoon or a chrysalis stage II were you can't see what's going on and emerges. Stage III is a beautiful monarch butterfly. It's called meta-amorphous is meta-means to be transformed or changed more process has the idea of substance or structure back Webster says metamorphosis is a change of a physical form structure or substance that I love this, especially by supernatural means, especially by supernatural means. That's the picture that's normal. Christianity that's what happens when the spirit of God comes into the human heart of a person who is been forgiven of their sin there born again from above and that's the journey of the process that occurs not there's a problem and the problem is that we all long to change and improve and grow and be transformed but we find it really difficult right. I mean there is a multi-multi billion dollar self-help industry.
I mean every commercial depending on what their advertising. There is a before and there's a after and so I mean if I have PX whatever or I have insanity, or if I have total gym or if I have, I mean on and on and on and on but I'm to have a body like that and Weight Watchers and Nutrisystem's enemy were bombarded by what I used to be like this, but for 1995. Instantly take this pill and you will and whether it's diets or fitness or advertisements of recovery programs for addictions or anger management. And there's something now men were you, lean forward and think you think about order that would really work right. You know there's something in you. God made you and made me with the DNA you want to change you want to grow you want to improve the quite often subtly hard doesn't work statistically. Even people who lose a lot of weight.
Statistically, most all of them gain it back. Statistically the people who do the fitness program can really get in shape sister. Statistically they actually get back out of shape very quickly. Statistically, those who go through recovery programs for alcohol or drugs. The great percentage of them have relapses and sadly statistically people who come to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior. After some incremental beginning changes rarely live like Christians. According to Barna.
According to Gallup, and probably according to the anecdotal evidence we have in our own life. So we got a picture of what God wants to do. We've got a problem and what I want to talk about his a process of spiritual metamorphosis meet. Why is this what, what's the problem why don't we change what is it that we don't understand or that were not appropriate. God has given us everything we need to be completely transformed.
It is a process, it is a journey, but I'm to suggest that most people don't understand the process they don't understand the journey and you don't have the tools and that's why a lot of Christians don't live like Christians to give you an overview and some of this is like core theology of the Bible and I wish I could spend more time but you need to know the process. Stage one in the Christian life and spiritual metamorphosis goes like this.
There's a spiritual birth. Jesus gives me a new life. The Bible calls this the moment that happens justification. It's a legal term in John chapter 3, a religious leader came to Jesus and said, we know that your from God by the works that you do. He was religious.
He knew the Bible but Jesus said unless you're born again unless you're born of the Spirit.
Unless you're born from above. In other words, physical life requires a physical birth spiritual life requires a spiritual birth. It's not an intellectual thing of agreeing with God about certain doctrines or teachings. It requires a spiritual birth at a certain day at a certain time you need to realize that Christ died upon the cross in your place that he rose from the dead. These patent covered your sin and the sins of all people and all time in the spirit of God will convict you that you are separated from God and you will turn from your sin and an empty hands of faith. Ask Christ to come into your life and forgive you and it moment God is legal judge justifies you some of you for the definition. It's just as if you didn't sin.
And that's true. It's only half the story. The moment you're justified legally. Here's what happens.
Imagine if you will a little computer screen on the side and it has your name on it and little computer screen over here. It has Jesus name on it and on your computer soon. But the moment you're justified. You have your righteousness, which is filthy rags and you have all your sins like I have all my sins and justification God those two things. One, he deletes the sin column and he takes it, and he puts it over on Christ. So all your sins are paid for by what he does and then he takes the righteousness of Christ and he pushes share and he brings in over here and imputes it onto your column.
So when the God of the universe looks at every child of God in terms of your position and your legal standing. He sees you the very righteousness of his son. Not understanding that is why many Christians lives never change, and so we turn Christianity into moralism and trying hard to please God or imitating Jesus's behavior when what you're going to learn is a spiritual birth occurs in the Christian life is living out who you already are. The second phase is spiritual growth. This is called sanctification to put these words in here very purposefully. I think for the last 20 years.
We tried to make everything so simple we don't teach people some basic theological language sanctification. The word literally means to be separate all those verses where it says be wholly be sanctified at sacred.
This is the same root word. This is not just a moment in time.
Notice, this is Jesus changes me to be progressively more like him. You often hear this is progressive sanctification, if any man is in Christ. The Bible says the old things passed away six printings 517 behold listen to the tense of the verb, all things are becoming new justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.
New relationship sanctification. Therefore if any man any woman is in Christ new relationship. The old things are passed away. Behold process. All things are are becoming new.
It's a journey to talk about the journey that this whole series is about spiritual growth that journey and how it works. The third phase is spiritual maturity in the word here is glorification that word maturity it's it's everywhere in the Scripture. But Jesus would say in Matthew chapter 5 in the sermon on the Mount verse 48 he he summarizes pointers. Be ye perfect. That's his word, even as your heavenly Father is perfect. What you think and whoa, for the apostle Paul would say the goal of all his life was we want to present every man, every woman complete or perfect in Christ. James one will open up and say the whole goal of difficulty and pain is we endure and we go through that we might be perfect or complete. The word is telling us, and II say that just so you hear you hear sort like telescope or for you apologist is the teleological argument. The word means is that something it's by design, and the design has a fulfillment in what God is saying is the fulfillment of your design when you coming to be a Christian is. He's going to make you like his son in first John 32 says we do not know little children what we will be like. But this is what we know when we see him Jesus. We will be like him and so all those verses about being mature and grow to maturity. It starts with justification, a point in time, a journey of sanctification and then there's one day when you will achieve maturity will actually be like Christ and be transformed. That's the spiritual life question then is this just for like superstars mean is this people to just make it to come to the Christian Hall of Famer a handful of pastors or missionaries around here. We talk about maturity being very clearly defined, is becoming a Romans 12 Christian right in verse one of Romans 12 we know it's being surrendered to God.
And then verse two talks about being what separate from the world's values and do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed circle that word by the renewing of your mind didn't say by trying hard to be transformed by the renewing of your mind and then noticed the result. Notice what God wants for you what he wants for me what he wants for every follower that you might literally the word is that you might test or experience or know by way of real experience the will of God. That which is good, acceptable and well pleasing or perfect unit that were transformed. It's are you ready meta-emphasis. Now that's God's goal for all of us and I think the issue is if that's God's goal. If that's God's agenda. I like to call it, it's the miracle of life change wording to talk about how it really works and how you can experience in Ephesians chapter 4 the entire chapter is about how this really works. Ephesians chapter 4 the context of course. Are you ready for this is Ephesians chapters 1 to 3 so for three chapters. He's told us this is what God is done for you doctrine.
Chapter 4, five and six. This is how you live in light of what he's done.
In chapter 1 he said you've been adopted. He said that you been chosen. He said that every spiritual blessing. All of all the world and Kevin is yours. He says that your part of the family.
He said you have an inheritance. He said you been sealed with the spirit. He said he been made part of the supernatural family meant everything you need. You already possess. You are in Christ tenant. Chapter 3 then he prays a prayer and please don't miss this prayer glanced points in your Bible go up to about verse 1415. And when Paul looks back at all that God has done for you and me and every Christian thesis.
For this reason I bow my knees before the father is the father. All the families of all the earth, and he goes, here's what I'm praying for you. I'm praying that God would strengthen you in your inner man down deep in your heart that you would be able to grasp the height and depth and length and breadth and to know the love of God.
It's beyond understanding that his love, you would begin to grass, not how hard you need to try you could grasp the chapters 1 chapters 2 chapters 3 all this truth is really just an expression that you totally apart from anything that redone you were so deeply loved.
You accepted your forgiven you. You got a purpose he's given you a gift. He prepared a place for you keys for you and then chapter 4 is going to open up and notice what it says he sits as a prisoner of the Lord then the healing light of that, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you received will Hal be completely humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit to the bond of peace.
And then he says why will there is one body and one spirit, just as you were called in one hope when you were called.
There's one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all and what he's going to do in these six short verses is explained to us now that you are justified. I'm going to explain to you how that spiritual green. The caterpillar gets transformed into a butterfly and I'm going explain the part that God does and I'm can explain the part where he asked you to cooperate its own.
Notice in verse one. He's going to say the call is to let Jesus live his life through you notice it says is a prisoner of the Lord, then a note in your notes. I urge you to we put a line under live a life live a life were to live a life and above that write the word walk. This is a very good translation but it's a metaphor he's really saying I want you to walk worthy of this calling that you receive what calling the calling of chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 you been chosen even placed in the body of Christ.
The spirit dwells in you. You been called into a group of people called the church a supernatural body you been called with the purpose your love.
Now he says what I want to do is I want you to walk worthy and maybe right below the word worthy, you might write the English word axis that the literal meaning of the word it was. It comes from you when they would measure things with scales like this. The literal meaning of this word means, bring up the green to the other side to make it level and so if you were going to buy something they would put in a like so much food or so much grain they would put so many weights over here and that would tell you how much it cost and what the apostle Paul is saying, for three chapters. Your loved your forgiven your cared for your part of the body. You have a future. Those are all the things you now believe in you possess. Now let your behavior reflect your beliefs.
Let your conduct say the same thing as your creeds let you what you profess and what you practice tell the same story let what your lips say are true come out of your life basically saying is this is not about trying harder.
He says you are in Christ. Now here's the command I call you to let Jesus have full freedom and rain to live his life through you.
That's the call to join as this application just a minute you been listening to the first part of his message is a change really possible from a series.
Yes, you really can dream you know there's so much practical insight in this series based in Ephesians chapter 4.
Four people desperate for something in the life to change. If you're looking to mend a broken relationship or overcome a recurring personal struggle, genuine life changes absolutely possible, but it takes a lot of work. Maybe a good way to get some help would be to share this message with a friend and then meet over coffee or jump on zoom to talk about accountability and community are essential in becoming what God's called us to be to find all the resources for yes, you really can change including chips book study guides and small group videos just go to LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA to 333-6003 chip before we get your application this series really is part of the core of everything we do.
We are Living on the Edge of talk for just a minute if you would about why it's so important, Dave. It really is. I mean all of the Bible is profitable for teaching and instruction in life change and yet there are certain aspects of biblical teaching that I call the core. Another words like having an accurate view of God or knowing what it means to be a disciple. This is the third one. How does life change really occur at this is based out of Ephesians chapter 4 this is a passage that I've lived in that I've taught. In fact, I not only do we have a small group resource out of this, the brand-new book is come out because I think more than anything else I meet people that want to change and they don't understand the trying harder just going to church were just reading the Bible a little bit is not how change happens. Ephesians 4 clearly articulates the source of change, the process of change.
The need for people in your life and how it actually happens.
I just cannot encourage your listeners enough stay with me for this whole series God wants to change your life not motivated by guilt or duty, but by love and by power and that's what organ to talk about will all definitely be here and I hope you'll make plans to be with us to and if you happen to miss a program you can always pick it up on the chipping roadmap or any time on our website LivingontheEdge.org will now here's chip with a final word.
You know, I wonder how many of you as you heard the very last line of my voice when I taught that would say to yourself, you know chip I've heard this before, I don't buy it.
I hear this that I have every spiritual blessing that God's given me everything that I need to change my life isn't changing. I know God really was to change my life. I have tried hard. I read the Bible. I've tried to go on a diet.
I've worked out. I I've you know you prayed a little bit more little bit longer little bit harder. I got news for you Ingram. It doesn't work and I'm frustrated and as I heard your voice today. Something inside said I want to believe this. I want to change, but I've got so much history and so much baggage down deep. Don't think it's possible what I want to tell you is give God one more chance.
What I want to tell you is you probably like me don't understand what God is already done and how holy transformation occurs in in the next few weeks will then walk right through a passage of Scripture. This not just gonna say what you ought to do, your gonna learn how to do it and I want to ask you to just let me sign up as your spiritual coach here for about three or four weeks and I'm gonna walk through this passage. I'm to share my own struggle but I want you to know change is possible. God's word is spirit in community with his power can bring about change in you so you don't want to miss the series and I don't want you to miss it.
My passion and if you listen this program very often you can hear my passion is that Christians live like Christians and not just for their own benefit, enjoying what it does for their marriage and for their kids and all the rest. That's wonderful, but also what it does for God and how important it is that we reflect him, so I want you to just kind of mentally decide I'm going to be on board for this series and you know if you're in the car you doing some different than you can pick this up on the Internet L OTE.org that Slote.org and you can stream it and get it. The days that you miss but I want you to sign up, change is possible. Step out, let's do it together.
That's a great idea chip banks as we wrap up, let me quickly tell you about a great way to listen to our extended teaching podcast your chip anytime on your echo or echo.to get started. Ask Alexa to enable the Chip Ingram podcast then just say Alexa played the chipping room podcast. It's that easy will join us again next time, Mr. continues in a series yes really can change. Until then, this is saying thanks for listing this Edition of Living on the Edge