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 Series Theme:  "Faith Sermons"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:  27. God of Transformation (4)

  

                      

4. Having a Transformed Mind

 

1. Introduction

 

•  How do we view the day?

•  oh bother! oh dear! oh no! or
•  wow, another day of opportunities

•  How do we view going to church?  

•  oh no, another meeting! or
•  wow, another opportunity to meet with God, or
•  wow, another opportunity to meet with and bless people

•  How do we view going to work or going out into the world generally?

•  oh no, boring, hard graft, people!
•  oh no, another chance to struggle against the world's values, or 
•  wow another opportunity to be salt and light, 
•  wow, another opportunity to bless people and influence the world for good!

 

Reading : Rom 12:1-3

 

 

2. A Transformed Mind?

   

•  v.2b be transformed by the renewing of your mind

•  v.2c Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will

•  or then you will be able to check out and confirm what God wants for you, which is good, pleasing and spot on for your particular life.

•  set against v.2a Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world

•  i.e. don't be godless, self-centred and unrighteous in your thinking and lifestyle
•  our minds need renewing or transforming or remaking to being them into line with God's way of thinking.

•  Moses said “Teach me your ways” (Ex 33;13) i.e. how you think and work

•  God said of Israel in a bad time, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isa 55:8)

•  A transformed mind works on a different reality

•  today is a day when God can bless me and others through me

•  Why should we think that?

•  Because of the descriptions of God in the Bible – a God of love (1 Jn 4:8,16)

•  Love is always active

•  Love cannot sit still – it wants to bless the object of its love

•  Jesus said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” (Jn 5:17) 

•  God is constantly working to bless His world – He's just looking for co-workers (1 Cor 3:19 ) – those through whom He can bless His world.

 

3. Awake to Opportunities? 

    

•  Mt 14:13-17 

•  A large crowd – Jesus heals – v.14 

•  a large crowd – hungry – disciples are OK on healing but not feeding 

•  it's just a different sort of provision from heaven

•  the disciples actual answer: “we have here only five loaves…”

•  a faith answer would be, “Lord, how do you want us to go about this?”

•  a transformed mind looks to see what Jesus wants to do.

•  do we have that sort of mind?