April 29, 2018
True Transformation (John 21:15-25)
Transformation happens when you are willing to have the hard conversations with Christ.
Prayer 7:40am
-Crossroads serving
Open – Devo, Review, the Lie (5min)
-Devo Card – 8-year accomplishment – whole Bible, faithfulness, devotional thoughts, art
-Review of the Series
- Lies can ruin your life! The battle begins in your mind, Rom 12:1-2
- Easter – nothing is impossible with God.
- Victory over temptation – you can be free
- The mask of money – what we truly want is found in Jesus
- Rici – did awesome!! – connections matter!
- Today –True Transformation
-The lie – I can never change. People will never change.
- What do you think?
-Prayer
*Can People Really Change? (5min)
Clarifying: I don’t mean gradual change over time – what we call “growing up”
- Growing up and getting over partying
- Getting over selfishness through marriage and divorce
- Moving beyond laziness through work and bills
- NO – I mean deeper change; changing the direction of your life
Story – criminals don’t change
- Conversation with a childhood friend. In law enforcement, talking about “recidivism” – the tendencies of criminals to relapse back into crime. His take – a certain percentage of the population will always be criminal. I asked – can people change? His answer – No. But I have seen it happen! He didn’t believe me…not possible.
*True transformation IS POSSIBLE – I have seen it many times!!
- Why doesn’t it happen more? Because it is HARD.
- Deeper changes take more work…Harder conversations and decisions
- Most people run away from them.
-You? Do you invite people in your life to have these convos with you?
*The Hard Conversation, John 21:15-25 (5min)
John 21:15-25 (p.902)
13Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
15After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
16Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
17A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
- Three times – to match the three times that Peter denied Jesus
- Jesus predicted Peter would deny – but Peter was not strong enough
- Christ is not saying “I told you so,” but “See what needs to be changed.
- HARD CONVERSATION.
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
- Peter was HURT – wounds from a friend can be trusted (Prov 27:6)
- Do you understand that God may hurt you – to help you, to heal you, to grow you?
18“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
- Peter WOULD die for Jesus – crucified upside down.
- A fisherman who loved Jesus – and changed the world with Him.
- Peter was transformed, found leadership, found courage.
20Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” 21Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
22Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” 23So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
24This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate.
25Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.
* Transformation happens when you are willing to have the hard conversations with Christ. (5min)
There were TWO people who really let Jesus down – Peter…and Judas.
- Tragedy of Judas – he could have been forgiven. But he killed himself. He wasn’t willing to go talk to Jesus – the hard conversation.
- Many of our problems are because of us – go to Jesus: forgiveness
- Many of our problems are not because of us – go to Jesus again: strength
- BOTH are transformation. We need both.
Jesus wants to have some hard conversations with you.
- Are you willing?
- Peter had already changed a LOT – but then he hit a wall. Stop or move forward? He was willing to have the hard conversation, and he was transformed.
STORY – Acceptance and Change
- When I was in junior high, I wanted so badly to fit in and be accepted. I acted totally different around different people – home, church, school. Even at school I acted differently. I was an athlete and in the popular crowd, and I knew all the ways I was supposed to act, and dress, cool. But I was also in the Honors classes, and with my friends in there I would act like a total dork – silly inside jokes, goofy noises, the whole thing! I sat near a friend name Dan – and we even had funny nicknames for each other. He was a great friend.
- One day at lunch, I was sitting with my popular friends, and Dan came by – just to say “hi.” He wasn’t even trying to sit down, and he didn’t use my dorky nickname. He said hi as I was sitting down – and I had a CHOICE – I could tell my popular friends were looking at me. I was caught.
- I made the WRONG choice. Instead of saying hi, or even inviting him to sit down. I barely made eye contact, said a quick “hey”, and sat down. One of the people at the table said, “Who was that?” And I just said, “Some guy in one of my classes.”TERRIBLE.
- After lunch – I had class with Dan. I tried to play it off, but things were not the same. It was then I started to realize that something was wrong – in me.
- About a year later I went to Camp, and Jesus was having some hard conversations with me. Every time the speaker would preach, I felt like God was staring into my soul and showing me everything wrong in me. I was caught, but I knew I was loved. I was ashamed of what I had done, but I had a choice.
- I chose to face the reality of who I was and allow Jesus to change me.
- I chose to stop caring about the opinions of others, and just live for the approval of Christ alone.
- That was true transformation – and it led me from insecurity, anxiety, and guilt to confidence, speaking, and impacting lives. Bonus – I know I belong with God’s people.
*Be transformed through conversations with Christ. (Most will be encouraging!) (5min)
Read His word to hear His voice. Learn what it is like, His character.
-It is not enough just to pray, you need to listen to His word.
- What are You saying to me?
- How can I follow You today?
-Obey what He has already revealed – conscience, Bible, etc. If you won’t follow God in the general things, why would He reveal specifics?
-Many want the burning bush, but not the assignment that follows it. // Thomas (dad story)
Open your heart to the harder conversations and decisions. God will then reveal specific things in your life.
-You will know His character through step 1, stay in the word, and the lies die
-Specific weaknesses in your life will be shown through serving, groups, frustrations, failures – you are more likely to change because you have already been changed.
-Warning! All Christians will hit a wall. They are “better” than others (don’t compare), and they hit a wall – Jesus asked for something too hard.
Punch – I am done growing! (5min)
-Church growing, someone in leadership was struggling. I was about to speak but the cut me off, I know you will say that God is growing me, and I know that is true, but you know I am done with growing right now!
-That person is still in leadership and crushing it. It is HARD to follow Jesus sometimes, hard to be transformed. Let’s encourage each other. Let’s stay fully devoted to following Him, even when it is hard.
-What is the hard conversation Jesus wants to have with you?
-Are you willing to make the choices needed to change?
Prayer
Bumper Out:What is the hard conversation Jesus wants to have with you?
Are you willing to make the choice to change?
“To transform religious and irreligious people into Fully Devoted Followers of Christ.”