Sermon Tone Analysis

How God Changes Me.doc                                                                                              SD20

August 26, 2007                                                                                                              File E

*THE JOYFUL CHRISTIAN Part 4*

How God Changes my life

 

Philippians 2:12-13

 

Salvation is a process of change—it begins when you receive Jesus Christ by faith and it is completed when we are finally changed into His likeness when He returns for us…and there is a journey of step-by-step change that occurs between those two events…and we must stick with the plan of growth and change!

Salvation is both an experience of a lifetime and a lifetime of experience—

      I was saved…by faith at such and such a time…

            I am saved…by continuing in faith with the Lord

I will be saved when ultimately He finds me waiting and watching for His return—at His coming, whether at death or the second coming.

PRAY

 

What would you like to change about yourself?

Isn’t there something about you that you don’t like or at least recognize as an area that needs work?

The truth is—we are supposed to be growing in faith and growing in grace and growing in knowledge…and that means change!

But is it all up to me????  Or is it all up to God???

 

What is God’s part and what is my part?

Paul addresses this in 2:12-13 (read)

Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV) \\ 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

If we are going to have a more complete joy as Christians we are going to have to pay attention to what is God’s part and what is my part

—Do my part and leave His part to Him!!!!

 

Note a few things about this passage—

 

1.

“Continue” NIV  Continue to work

      Salvation is a continuing process---not just a one time act…

           

2.

“Continue to work out…”   “for it is God who works in you…”

You might want to circle “work out” and “work in”

One is God’s work and the other yours and mine!

 

Paul writes to people who are already Christians and he encourages them to continue to cooperate with God by obeying him and working with Him---

 

We too often work against God in this process of growth

But Paul will not minimize that fact that we must be growing Christians—

And to do that we must work out in our lives what God is working in---

            We must grow!

It is not an option!!!!

 

IT DOES NOT SAY WORK */FOR/* YOUR SALVATION

      It says work out—because you already possess salvation.

How many of you have bodies that need a little work out once in a while---all the time??

You already have a body—but are you taking care of it!

Are you giving it a work out!!!

You are saved—but what kind of shape is your salvation in!

 

Max Lucado uses this illustration:

“A similar dynamic occurs in marriage.

Are a bride and groom ever more married than they are the first day?

The vows are made and the certificate signed—could they be any more married than that?

Perhaps they could.

Imagine them fifty years later.

Four kids later.

…A cluster of valleys and victories later.

After half a century of marriage, they finish each other’s sentences and order each other’s food.

They even start looking alike after a while (a thought which troubles Denalyn (Penny) deeply).

Wouldn’t they have to be more married on their fiftieth anniversary than on their wedding day?

Yet, on the other hand, how could they be?

The marriage certificate hasn’t matured.

Ah, but the relationship has, and there is the difference.

Technically, they are no more united than they were when they left the altar.

But relationally, they are completely different.

Marriage is both a done deal and a daily development, something you did and something you do.

The same is true of our walk with God.

Can you be more saved than you were the first day of your salvation?

No.

But can a person grow in salvation?

Absolutely.

It, like marriage, is a done deal and a daily development.[1]

NOTE also--  “work out YOUR salvation”

      It is an individual assignment!

It is YOUR salvation we are talking about!

This is important for YOU!  God wants to work in and through you as you work with him—God is not looking for cookie cutter Christians—everybody looking like the pastor!!!

Acting like the pastor!

Thinking like the Pastor!

(that is a cult)

\\ God is wanting to relate to *you* individually and put you on your own personal growth plan---like a personal trainer!

Evaluating where you are and where you want to be in your growth—God has a plan for you and he wants to work in to you, His will and purpose; and he wants you to work it out in the everyday rub of life!

Now note some curious words—*“with fear and trembling”*

That doesn’t mean we have to be afraid of God like we are afraid of an intruder with a gun…

It means that we are to take this thing about personal growth dead serious!

Take your salvation serious—don’t take it for granted!!! 

It has eternal implications!

You must not play around with sin!

This is life and death!

Nothing is more important than your spiritual growth Christian!!  Brother, sister!

A challenge you to take your personal spiritual growth serious!

Get on a growth plan!

Stop taking it for granted!

If you are saved---work it out in your life!

Show it!

“…for it is God who works in you…”

That is God’s part!!!

      The word “work” here is /energeo/  it is different than the word used in v.12 for our part—

      v.12

implies labor intensive work!

      v.13

/energeo (/energy)  implies the assistance of power tools to get the job done!

God is the instigator and the energizer for change in our life—and growth means change!!!

He will give you the desire and power to change---and those changes that come from Him will increase your capacity for joy!

 

*GOD’S PART IN CHANGING ME*

* *

There are three power tools that God can use in our lives to build and change us!

 

*1.

He uses the Bible*

"The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is

right.

It is God's way of making us well prepared at every point..." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

 

The Bible changes our thoughts so it changes us.

If you want to get serious about change, you need to get into this book.