Autumn comes early here in Minnesota, and already we can start to see the signs of the seasons changing in the leaves of the trees. While most of the trees are still mostly green, if you look you will see certain trees starting to turn their leaves yellow and orange, and very shortly all of the leaves will have fallen suit as the forest turns into an array of beautiful colors.
Just as the leaves in the forest change from one color to another, change is a very important step that people must take when they make their decision to follow Jesus. It’s a transformation from sin to righteousness, a change from darkness to light.
When something “changes” it becomes something different than it previously was. You can take a lot and fill it full of water, and that water at that moment is liquid, but if you turn on the burner of your stove and heat it up, eventually all of that water will evaporate and turn into a vapor, completely different than when you started. This is similar to the transformation that we must make when we become Christians. We must recognize our sins, confess them, repent of them, and never do them again.
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
When Jesus picked His apostles, they were just starting to undergo their transformation. Day by day they spent with the Lord, learning and gaining knowledge and understanding. They had made the decision to follow Jesus, turning away from the way that they used to live before and gave themselves to the service of the Lord.
We don’t start out as mature adults when we are born. We all start out as babies, and begin to learn things. How to walk, how to eat, how to speak. And once we learn those things, we learn how to do them even better, without making mistakes. We aren’t mature Christians the first day either. We have much to learn. How to resist sin and temptation, how to love others, how to love God, how to speak the truth instead of lies. How to forgive and how to reconcile. Day by day we slowly change and improve into something acceptable unto God.
1 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
In fact, we continually are getting worked on. Day by day, we are slowly being shaped and formed more perfectly each day.
Becoming a Christian requires a person to cut out certain things out of their life, little imperfections that are displeasing to God, and replacing them with the things of God. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed according to His Word.
As a potter takes a lump of clay and turns it into a beautiful piece of pottery, God takes and transforms us from wicked wretched sinners who have no hope of salvation into forgiven sinners who live their lives for the glory of God.
Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
The life of a Christian never ends. We never stop learning about God, studying the scriptures, or perfecting our lives. We are constantly growing each day, into what He wants us to be. But it all starts with a change. Turn away from your sins, and begin living for the Lord!
In Christ
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 