How the Gospel Changes Us

About this sermon

What causes a person to change radically and deeply from the very core of their being? And, what causes that change to last? We all have theories, maybe they aren’t developed or written out, but they are there non-the-less. If you want to know what your personal theory of change is - look at:    How you Parent  How you Criticize  Different THEORIES exist concerning how people change: Shame - That is guilt and fear motivates change. This parent tends to shame their child into change. Putting them in an emotional if not literal, “time out”.  Reward - That is, if I do this I will get a reward. This person tries to obey God because of a cost benefit analysis. God has to bless me. The fact is, there are blessings to obedience. But be careful with this. It has a tendency to cause you to make God a genie in the bottle that is there to serve your true IDOL.  Pride - You are better than that. You come from a better family, you were raised better. Do you parent that way?  Mysticism - That is somehow God is going to zap you. The problem with Mysticism is that I am not at all responsible. If God wants to change me, he must zap me. You can hear this in prayers.    Those are NOT the primary means that God uses to change us. But rather - God changes us through the Gospel.    Now when I say the Gospel what comes to mind? Several years ago Dr. Grey Allison asked the students of Mid-America Seminary that question and he got a variety of answers. Some said it was basically the bible, others it was a style of music. But Dr. Grey showed them how the essence of the Gospel is found in TEXT: 1 Corinthians 15:1–4 (ESV) 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,   That is what we would call the MICRO or SPECIFIC gospel. The MACRO Gospel refers to God’s plan to set right all that went wrong in Eden and it does cover the whole story of God throughout human history. But it’s climactic focus is still the cross.    So in what way does God change people through the Gospel? Some would say - the Gospel communicates those elementary aspects of Christianity. It’s the front door of faith. It’s the abc’s of christianity. But what I want this church to know is that IT IS SO MUCH MORE. The Gospel is the front door, the living room, the kitchen, the roof and the floor.    Colossians 2:6 (ESV) 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,   So what you will notice is that the NT writers constantly point back to the Gospel as a source of direction and motivation or power for change.    NOW I could give you tons of examples but let me show you three that are of supreme importance. Notice how the Apostles dealt with three of life’s most difficult issues: Marriage, Money and Sex.    EXAMPLE: Marriage and GOSPEL Ephesians 5:25–27 (ESV) 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,   Do you see it - look at the Gospel and draw implications for how to treat your wife. EXAMPLE: Money and GOSPEL Paul didn’t use guilt or fear to motivate… look at these pitiful people. 2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV) 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!   EXAMPLE: Purity and GOSPEL In Corinth sexual immorality was rampant. It was the most normal thing in the world for them to consort with prostitutes. How will Paul motivate them to stop?  1 Corinthians 6:13–15 (ESV) 13 …The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! DO you see how the essence of the Gospel is the way of Change? That is what Paul meant in 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.   OK, but HOW does it happen? Three ways -  The Gospel is an Effective Counterweight  You see this all throughout the scriptures -  Isaiah was a proud, accomplished man - when he sees God, he falls down and trembles.  Jeremiah was a fearful man - when he sees God, God tells him stop trembling. James 1:9–10 (ESV) 9 Let the lowly brother...