Steps to Life Transformation
Luke 5:8-11
Romans 12:1-2
Is life transformation possible, or is the possibility of persons making a radical change in their behavior, character and outlook on life merely a fantasy? Is life transformation a fairytale or a fact?
In the original story of the Beauty and the Beast, Beauty finds the Beast lying in the garden next to a canal near death. She quickly gathered some water from the canal and threw it on his face. The Beast told her that he was glad to see her one more time before he died.
Beauty told the Beast that he would not die because she loved him and could not live without him. At that moment the Beast transformed and became a handsome prince. The prince thanked Beauty for putting an end to his enchantment. The hideous looking Beast was transformed into a handsome prince.
Transformation often happens in fairytales. John Eldredge in his book, “Waking the Dead,” gives examples of transformations in fictional writings, “Phoenix rises from the ashes and Cinderella rises from the cinders to become a queen. The ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan. Pinocchio becomes a real boy. The frog becomes a Prince. Wretched old Scrooge becomes generous and a friend to all. The Cowardly Lion gets his courage and the Scarecrow gets his brains and the Tin Woodman gets a new heart.
Is life transformation possible for real people? Can Jesus give a person a new nature with new goals and a new perspective on life?
In both Scripture and in life we see transformations. A person walking in sin and darkness begins to follow Jesus and walk in the light of righteousness and holiness.
The Scriptures makes it clear that all people need a transformation not a transfusion. A transfusion may help but it doesn’t touch the core problem – the heart. King David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” (Psalm 51:10) The Lord promised, “I will give you a new heart.” Ezekiel 36:26
Nicodemus a very religious man, a clean living man, and a model citizen came to Jesus at night. Jesus knew his basic need and said, “Nicodemus you need to be born again.” Nicodemus had a physical birth; he needed to be born from above. He needed a spiritual birth that only God can give.
2 Corinthians 5:17 gives the promise of a life transforming experience, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
The Apostle Paul talks about “Life Transformation” in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” The Greek word used here for “transformed” is “metamorphousthe” be metamorphosed - changed by the power of God.
A caterpillar goes through a metamorphous in becoming a beautiful butterfly. By a transforming miracle of God our life is transformed from walking in darkness of sin and rebellion against God and is radically changed into a life committed to loving God with all our heart, mind and strength.
Regardless of whether you are saved from a life that makes the headlines: “I once was a drug dealer, cheat, full of hate, drunkard, atheists and hard hearted, but then Jesus came into my life and took all that bad stuff away.” Or if you have lived a decent life full of self-righteousness, kind and good willed and you came to Jesus and you are now A Christ follower. It takes a miracle of God to transform a life regardless of your background.
We sometimes sing, “It took a miracle to put the stars in place; It took a miracle to hand the world in space; But when he saved my soul, Cleansed and made me whole, It took a miracle of love and grace.”
I asked Steve DeTata to give a testimony of how God has answered prayer in his life and brought life transformation. Steve began coming to Willow Vale in May 2005 the same month he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Steve prayed and received Jesus as his lord and Savior not long after he started coming to Willow Vale. He gives this witness: “Not only has the Lord answered our prayers regarding my health, but in my personal life and business. I have been so fortunate lately with losing a good deal of business (30%) and then, through prayer and faith that has been replaced with new opportunities that I didn’t expect. It’s totally amazing what the Lord has done in my life lately. I’m so blessed by your prayers, the lessons I’ve learned from the Sunday sermons and our times of individual Bible study together.” (Steve, stand and let us show our appreciation)
I personally experienced a life transformation primarily through the love of my mother and the love of a high school Sunday School teacher. On a Sunday in October when I was 15 years old my S.S. teacher, who was preparing to be a missionary, gave the morning message and an invitation to receive Jesus. I thought about making a public profession, but I didn’t.
At the end of our Sunday dinner my mother turned to me and with tears in her eyes asked, “Raymond, why didn’t you go forward and accept Jesus this morning.” I told my mother that I wasn’t quite ready. Sunday evening when the invitation was given I was the first one to respond. That following month I gave a public testimony by being baptized by immersion.
In Luke 5:8-11 we see the life of Simon Peter undergo a transformation.
Last Sunday we looked at Luke 5:1-7 and focused on the themes that from a human perspective life is hopeless, but from God’s perspective there are no hopeless situations. When Jesus is near there is always hope.
When Simon Peter reached the shore with his boatload of fish he cried out, “O Jesus, please leave me – I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” Luke 5:8 - Peter observed the results. He fished all night and caught nothing. At the word of Jesus two boats were filled with fish. Peter was transformed from going his way of fishing for fish to following Jesus and catching people with God’s love.
In the life transformation of Simon Peter we have the steps to life transformation.
1. Conviction. Simon Peter cried out, “Oh Lord, please leave me, I’m to much a sinner to be a round you.” Conviction is realizing that the best in us falls far short of God’s holiness. Conviction is admitting that I’m a sinner. “It’s not my mother, or by brother or my sister, but it’s me O Lord standing in the need of prayer.”
When we get a glimpse of God’s holiness we see our sinful condition. The prophet Isaiah was in the temple praying. Isaiah 6:1, “I saw the Lord.” As Isaiah was worshipping the Lord, he sensed God’s presence and God’s glory. He prayed out, verse 5, “Woe is me, I am ruined. For I am a man of unclean lips.” Isaiah acknowledged that he was a sinful man and a member of a sinful people.
Conviction of sin comes in many different ways. Conviction comes from reading or hearing God’s Word. The Holy Spirit brings conviction that our life is empty and void. Conviction is the realization that I lack peace in my life. I have no joy in living.
On the day of Pentecost, 50 days following the resurrection of Jesus. The disciples were gathered in Jerusalem and Peter stood up and preached to the crowd of people that come together. Acts 2:37-38, “When the people heard this (Good News, Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead) they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers what shall we do?’ Peter replied, repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Conviction of sin is having a sense of guilt and the Holy Spirit convinces us that there is hope and not despair. Jesus alone is our hope.
2. Confession. Simon Peter confessed that he was a sinner and not worthy to be around Jesus. Confession is being honest before God.
Jesus told the story of two men going to the temple to pray. One was a publican, a dishonest tax collector and sinner and the other a religious Pharisee. At the altar the religious leader looked at the publican praying at the altar and said, “I thank God I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that poor publican sinner and tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.” Luke 18:10-12
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me for I am a sinner.’
Jesus said the tax collector made true confession and his prayer was answered. The prayer given by the Pharisee was only heard by the people in the temple.
Confession is agreeing with God that we need His forgiveness. Confession is being open and honest before the Lord. When we make confession from our heart we have a warning and a promise: I John 1:8-9, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
3. Repentance
Repentance involves a turn around. We are living our self-centered life going the way we want to go. We hear or read the good news of the Gospel that Jesus loved us and died for us. We are convicted of our sinful living and make confession and turn to Jesus for salvation.
Jesus is in the business of restoring broken and shattered lives. You may not be able to totally explain your transformation. After Jesus healed a blind man the Scribes and Pharisees asked him who had healed him. He said, he didn’t really know, but one thing he did now, “Once I was blind, but now I see.”
Acts 3:19 “Repent then, and turn to God, so that yours sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come form the Lord.” Repentance involves a turnaround. By the grace of God I stop doing things that are harmful to myself and others, and start doing some things that are helpful to myself and others.
If any of you have gone through the AA 12 step program you know that the steps involve making changes. Step one begins with the acknowledgement of the true condition of your life that is beyond your control and second with God’s help you can experience a turnaround. Step three is to let God have control of your life.
Step four is admitting all the sins you have committed and step five is confessing your sins to God and one another. Next your make restitution, where possible, to those you have hurt. Finally you give witness to others how you are making progress and finding victory.
Forgiveness comes as the result of experiencing conviction, confession, and repentance. Forgiveness comes when we take God at His Word and confess our sins and repent and turn from sin and invite Jesus to become Lord of our lives. When we experience God’s forgiveness the guilt of sin is taken away and we are set free to be the person that God created us to be.
Only God can bring forgiveness and healing and restore broken and hurting people. Only God can bring healing to hearts that have been damaged through past hurtful experiences.
John Eldredge in “Waling the Dead” tells about a woman who had a compulsive behavior to collect all kinds of dogs – pictures of dogs, plates, pillows, posters and hundreds of stuffed puppies and dogs of all sizes. In time the stuffed dogs filled nearly every room in the house. Her husband had reached his limit of putting up with her obsessive-compulsive behavior.
The woman told John Eldredge that when she was five years old she had a toy puppy that was her playmate. Everywhere she went the puppy went along. When she started Kindergarten she toy puppy was in her backpack. The little puppy, she called Scruffy, slept on a pillow next to every night.
Then one day her father in a fit of rage ripped off the head of Scruffy while his daughter stood crying before him. The experienced shattered her little heart and fifty years later she could not stop collecting puppies.
Only Jesus can heal broken hearts and bring restoration and life transformation to people with broken and shattered lives. Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
The Psalmist sang out: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-3)
Jesus said He came to “Heal the brokenhearted.” Luke 4:18
Life Transformation involves being restored to the Family of God. Because of sin we all become separated from God’s family. Romans 3:23 ‘All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, Adam, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:15… How much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to many.”
Every Christ follower is adopted into the Family of God. We all have the same Heavenly Father. We all become part of God’s family through His Son, Jesus Christ. We are all born anew, born from above and are brothers and sisters in the Lord. I Peter 1:23, “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.”
Call to Commitment
Simon Peter confessed that he was a sinner and needed God’s forgiveness. Jesus called Peter to make a comment to become His disciple and follow Him. Jesus called Peter to follow him and begin to catch people. Peter, James and John made the commitment to follow Jesus. “As soon as they reached the shore – they left everything to follow Jesus. Luke 5:11
Have you taken the steps to Life Transformation? Have you experienced conviction of sin, have you made confession of your sin, have you repented and turned form sin? Have you experienced forgiveness and restoration? Have you experienced a life transformation? You can take the steps toward life transformation this morning.
