Gospel-Centered Change, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Jeannie Greer external pressure model transformation.

But how does that internal transformation by abiding in the news of his love the gospel saturation with the reality of his love. Just what happens your heart because love you. What I think we love him because after author and theologian Jeannie Greer. I'm your host Molly bit of edge our journey with God begins when someone explains the gospel to us how Jesus died for our stand and rose again to bring us new life as we believe that truth and begin to grow in our faith, we start to wonder. Okay, now what will he do next, but today Pastor Judy Greer explained that true growth in the Christian life doesn't come from doing or learning more things.

Growth happens when you plunged deeper into the full gospel message, and whether you've been following Christ for several days or several decades.

There's always a longer and deeper path to follow. Pastor JD titled today's message gospel centered change without which it open it. John Chuck 50 father has love me so I have loved you abide in my love. What this state the father's love for his son must be like if I got the perfect father's well son, love your children love that you have for your children is a reflection of the eternal law of the father for the son that is the love but the father that Jesus loves us with Jesus as your hold it back home and that abiding means resting in his love, abiding in him is not so much about things that you want to do for him as it is resting in his thoughts about you. These things are spoken to you, that my joy might be in you and that your joy may be full. Verse 12 this is my commandment that you love one another's. I have loved you.

Greater love is the one the best and someone laid down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you, but let's try this verse on my friends and it doesn't work, you're my friend just government number 16 not choose me, but I chose you. I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide so that whatever you ask the father in my name they might give it to you.

Verse 17 these things I command you so that you will love one another. This passage shows us first of all number one this passage shows us what spiritual change is just make sure to summarize this in case you didn't totally get what changes spiritual change of the life of Jesus coming into you got a hold of the day they been fruit that they would surely die never register you will notice that it brought Deb motivated fruit so you like what happened today� Lord knows the bodies begin to die, but really the spirit that part of them that was alive in God died, and the result was the heart begin to decide on the wrong thing, no longer the delay desire God's glory. They desired their Lord no longer they put God first at what other things first no longer with a God center. They became radically self centered.

That was spiritual death so that you and I are now in a condition where we choose sin because of the heart desire write this phrase before but were not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners. Spiritual death is at work in our heart and so we just choose that point is any change that lasts has to happen on the desire level so that we begin not just to do right things again, but we did get to decide right things which would be the number two and that is how spiritual change happens. Customer change happens is by abiding in Jesus's love for you to make your home and in the gospel are all the resources necessary for spiritual growth and by abiding in the gospel dwelling in it. We change the gospel is not a list of things were different.the gospel was the glorious good news of what God has done for us.

It's not a list of behaviors to be adopted. The gospel is an announcement to be believed.

It's not good advice. It's good news. So by resting in the news of God's love given as a gift in Christ. That's how the life of God flows into it. That's how the Holy Spirit is released inside of us is really quickly from a couple of the places in Scripture. Just so you don't think I'm making this up. Colossians 1 verse six Paul be a possible element in the whole world.

The gospel is bearing fruit growing just as it does. Also among you? When Paul think about gospel growth.

What you talking about is getting saved. Yes, but is also thinking about the church that is already saved growing deeper in the gospel what to me for the summer church to grow the gospel doesn't mean that we grow and expand reach more people. Absolutely nuts. Growth in the gospel but also means that the members of the summer church grow in their understanding of the greatness of God. What links God went to to save them and how great and good God is his work in the gospel and like I would tell you that until were good at that part of the gospel will never be really effective at the other part is, as we are convinced of the power transformation in our lives that we have the confidence to go into the home was at work in the prison right on when mother Nigel brought about declared freedom of Christ that is growth in the gospel.

Another Second Peter chapter 1 what he does in this passage, the one the apostle Peter gives you, list. It's like a pyramid of spiritual growth is at your faith virtue virtue knowledge add to your knowledge, self-control that he asked with real things on top of, but I remember the first time I heard this passage: sitting there and I got actually use an overhead projector for those overhead projector flannel board over object or a truck takes so much out of flannel. So yes, the sum is this overhead projector and he puts up a picture of a spiritual basis. Here we go get the different levels of spirituality say virtue, which is being nice to people according knowledge which are traditional always meant not only more doctrines about eschatology in the rapture. Then on top of that was self-control, which for a guy was always in the filter. Such loss. He said that she said I want to figure out what level you're on, and then make a resolution to goal this week and climb up a level where I save another nice to be blunt, self-centered jerk under that thing then get on top that was. Now I don't know much about the rapture than the was like to be another self-control like all the things wrong as you point the computer was making wasn't giving you what to do list decline you a lot about verse nine he said these things are not developing in you naturally you forgotten the gospel. Some of the work the way that you begin to climb the pyramid. As you remember the gospel you think about the gospel because as you dwell on and abide in the gospel save virtue, knowledge, self-control, brotherly love, all those things begin to grow in you as naturally as roses on the rosebush because you were alive in there is life at work in you see, there are two kinds growth summarize what you got to record mechanical growth, which is growth external growth by external pressures really easy List of marriage counseling to recognize the scenario you get a couple comes in and one of the two has brought the other.

When you sometimes not always, but maybe usually the wife is dried, the husband in because the husband has no interest in having a good relationship. The wife is finally brought the hammer and said I'm leaving, so the husband in desperation comes with her to sit in front of the marriage counselor and she begins list of her complaints in the most unusual response takes over the sky.

The blotters sometimes he cries he makes promises that he is going to change because he doesn't want relief not in actuality all his promises to change of nothing to do with a new lover that is that he doesn't want relief to what happens. Almost invariably is you will change for a period of time until he thinks there's no longer a threat of relieving and then guess what got in the way that he wants because he wasn't changing genuinely changing because of external pressures will see the same way religiously change sometimes for the same reasons your punishment genuinely love it.if you want to go to hell that will got a person that you try this is what the Christian dogs to damage on the race. That's how I was raised. This is how we all were better than somebody else's race so you know who is tried to type this is what I am, you might be a desire for something else about May God bless my life to save a marriage that you have but if you� Loving God, mechanical changes, external pressures from the outside is another example is under pressure. This will also run a little nothing about how you change it was too late right one is you could sheet-metal up if you sheet-metal up and you can forge it into a different shape but if you don't do that you try to bend it. What happens want to things like this and you let it go and it snaps back to what it was or bricks. When people begin to change religiously.

That doesn't come from a change internally and their desires. One of those three things out as soon as the external motivation for gall to go back the way they work, which is why sometimes when.disappoint some people dream doesn't turn out. They did not.they leave God no, I got to be just another poly that was part of the deal. I did this for you. You did this for me. They were never following� Say they were followed because God is a better means to some in or the right spiritual point, like I hate this church and all of this.

I just want to be the summer here.

We leave the house when they leave the wife may do all the stuff that's is the real them coming out all around them and it broke spiritual gospel changes you would an entirely different way. It is in changing external pressure changes you threw in Arnold's Reformation. Nowadays we hear lots of thoughts on how to be more holy that learning to be holy doesn't come from working on various aspects of your character instead it comes by focusing on the true source of holiness. It's time to develop a better understanding of the gospel message and its implications for your life even more. It's time to replace the empty religious practice with gospel centered transformation. We'd love to send you an eight session Bible study including DVD video teaching and study guides. This comes as our thanks for your gift to the ministry today preserve it right now by calling 866-335-5220 866-335-5224 visit us online@jdgreer.com.

Thanks for being with us today. Now let's get back to the final moments of today's message is that internal transformation happened by biting him the news of his love the gospel saturation with the reality of his love.

Specifically, the announcement about what God did for you in Christ, guess what happens your heart because the love you. 419 we love him because he first loved us.

We love him because why because we made a decision at church that we will start loving God, no you to decide to start loving something we love him because her heart got captivated by God and we begin to love him. Naturally, it is begin to flow out of us because we were change you followed this example use a few weeks ago was anxious to get you out run around when you got home as a friend of yours. Your porch is that while you out somebody came that you own a bill to what I think, therefore, the question is why won't you response me to the person answer and how much they paid. If it takes Monday postage you slap him back to River in Virginia doing that like if there like no well actually the IRS had finally caught up with you 10 years of back taxes of the hundred $60,000 and they would think you at that point you'll slap on the back said thank you all at their feet and save a man right when we are overwhelmed with what God is done for us in the gospel or heart begins to grow in love for him. So many Christians go off on this point. If you listen to her. All these alternate ways that Christians put forward for strategies for change.

A lot of churches that you and I grew up in. The emphasis was on the rules to live wax Patricia listen to what to say and not say the brain cannot drink smoke and not smoke and I drove a church like this now to I don't have problems just to be clear, this will not think our problems with guidelines brow Christians lived this patient will have been going. You have the most relaxed are pretty relaxed. Even the most-watched church is generally understood girls not come to church a bikini� Should not come in Speedo's fair so they'll guidelines when we understand that when you look at us and when you was a legalist. No problem at the church is that some of us grew out was that the emphasis was on the list of rules and on things we were to be for God in Ottawa got it done for us. We don't care how good, how lenient or how strict rules are when the focus is on what to do for God will never bring change in your lights. James only flows from standing in all of what God has done for you. Some churches say well the way that you changes by doctrine you learn more. So churches like the classrooms, would you get stuff for knowledge. Something I know it's not that radical obedience just lazy amount of generosity. That's how you really J know it just like spiritual baptism you get filled up with faith in the Holy Ghost, probably spiritual gift when you're. That's when your Christian life. Hyperdrive writer I little pulses is one favorable reverse equitable if I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, spiritual gifts, or you when you consider want to converse in an unknown language with an angel that I but I have not love him a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal got prophetic powers understand all mysteries and all knowledge is not only don't understand everything there is to know about systematic theology also understand mysterious things I can explain Calvinism I can fit exactly what Paul Savior and I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but I have not love, I am not but gave away everything I have delivered my body to be birds, but have not love on nothing. No suppose list is varsity here my anybody stated right spiritual Tilson grace they radical obedience when the "goes by. What a match and like yourself on fire that's that's radical little Lula agreed she will. Paul said, unless those things are flowing out of the heart of love is worthless and love in the heart cannot be produced by six love in the heart is produced by something different, something radically different. That is that we begin to love him because he first loved us.

Love in our hearts for God only be produced by a felt knowledge of his love for us. Love in the heart for God is produced by a felt sense of the love of God come over the Christian bookstore. The strategy that I see your nose is down, they open when the other data like all of the mega church is the problem I get this religious show everybody talking so we need to do away with the traditional church altogether and go to mystical communities that we want to know. I'm all for getting the audience out of the audience and into the ministry we set all the time you but I read these books and like I don't think they get. This is not a new strategy that's going to produce change in the heart after however the strategy is if the gospel you can live in a commune with the apostle Paul one on one for five years.

That's not to produce change in your heart standing in all what God is done for you. That's what restructures your hearts she hears why sin at its core is a worship problem. It's a worship problem is writable self-centeredness you worship yourself� Just what if sin begins a worship problem wake into sin's worship out of Santa's workshop worship of your study checks what religion can do that this religion can change the words of a guard John on the pure site religion trims off the fruits of sin, but it doesn't pull out the roots that take something altogether different.

That's what we need to be set free, not just from Samba from religious substitute for the gospel as well. For the most important single element of what we do here is the gospel like what you hear every sermon Charles Spurgeon of Bainbridge, Raftery said at the end of every sermon he filed a 12 pack of the gospel.

I used to think that was that he was talking about your thoughtfulness or your hard left turn and go for the four spiritual laws import the five alternate best known anything in the image of the 12 metropolis of the water floods the right one. He was saying was what I'm talking about marriage generosity, self-control, matter what I'm talking about the power to do whatever it is I'm saving flows in the cross of Jesus Christ. The water of life" the trolls that plow back to the gospel to place the power comes from reaching this cavity you will redo the surgery. It is quickly was of his cavity on no doubt some Christians need to be shaken out of the lethargy, but there are also a whole bunch of Christians you need to be set free from their performance by the shackles. I promise you that some of the best people in your churches are getting tired, but only more statistics and more stories about how bad everything is in the world they need to hear about Christ's death and resurrection.

They need to hear about how we are justified by faith apart from the works of the law they need to hear the old story once more, is the secret of the gospel is that we actually do more when we hear less about all we need to do for God and hear more about what God has already done for us. The gospel produces in us with no amount of religion ever good desire for God.

I want to introduce you to a gospel prayer that I have learned to pray, something I wrote for the last three or four years. I pray literally every single day just saturates my thinking in the gospel for phrases of the gospel prayer that I would encourage you for every day of the suit ever did a series to pray before phrases to see what happens here they are in Christ is nothing I can do to make you love him or not, that I have done and that you love me less gift righteousness you really believe that your whole mentality will be different this morning. If you live perfectly. All week long. I would not love you anymore and if you messed up worse than you ever messed up before this Friday is a lovely lass because it's gift righteousness God earned for you and your place, and did use against this mortgage works righteousness number two you all I need today for everlasting joy. One thing to know that God accepts you fully Christ is another thing for that to be the weightiest reality in your life.

Reselling the approval people I don't need the nice car that icehouse to raise the job is to be nice for Donna Noel Needham, you are on your presence, and approval are all on the prevalence of joint work is my idolatry toward works righteousness like when idolatry the third one is you been to me so I will be the others. That's radical generosity right as God has built for himself for me not to pull myself up, brothers, or as I pray I measure your compassion for the cross in your power by the resurrection student to make that audacious faith because when you start seeing the world to the lens of how God feels about them as expressed by the gospel that all the sudden you begin to pray his crazy big prayers, giving religion to his reckless faith, audacious faith and retrofit but was laid. What I mean is when God doesn't answer your prayer disappointed. Don't doubt his love for you because I was expressed to you across your compassion as measured by the roster, the resurrection, you will do what I thing you should do that, I'll trust the God was a real fancy red run run the state.

I want you to pray, that's for thinking saturate yourself as you watch the transformation of God to transform your heart today and keep plunging deeper into the gospel in your own daily life and in your local church and as you join us each day here on Summit life. If you are new to our program, you pick up great time to join us. We are just kicking off a brand-new teaching series called gospel study that absolutely central to our mission as a ministry actually have a couple of resource options for you this month. The first is based on something we call the gospel prayer this prayer is all about our identity in Christ and to help these tracing again when a simple bug of the gospel, prayer, catechism, catechism is a summary of Christian principles in the form of questions and answers used for instruction, so we are sending a copy to all of our gospel partners this month for their ongoing monthly support and we would love to have you join that team of regular givers. We are also featuring Pastor James gospel video curriculum that goes along with our teaching series. Each session begins with the video from Pastor JD and Fred based on that teaching you open your study guide and Bible and work through the questions and prayers for a gift of $50 this month will send you the DVDs and five study guides to get you started. Call right now. Our number is 866-335-5220 866-335-5223 can always get online.

JD clear.com Pastor Janie is also a best-selling author's books include time asking Jesus into your heart and gaining my losing as well as gospel and his most recent just ask. You can purchase a copy of this book is about as other biblical resources from Summit life when you visit us online.com hi Molly, benefits, and next time will discover how the gospel is revealed throughout all of Scripture getting to and as our series called gospel continues to be sure to listen next week Summit life for your ministry