Transformative Renewal: Resisting Conformity in Christ
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the profound challenge of resisting conformity to the world's ways and embracing the transformative renewal that comes from living in Christ. We began by acknowledging the pressures we face daily, whether in our personal lives, workplaces, or broader society, to conform to norms that are often contrary to our faith. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, calls us to resist this pressure and instead be transformed by the renewal of our minds, presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
We delved into the historical context of Paul's message, noting the significant divide between Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome. Paul’s call for unity among these diverse groups serves as a powerful reminder that our collective unity in Christ is a testimony to the world. This unity is not something we create but something we preserve, as it has already been won by Christ's sacrifice.
We also examined the concept of sacrificial unity and transformative renewal. Sacrificial unity involves presenting ourselves collectively as a living sacrifice, embodying the purity and holiness required by God. This unity is a counter-cultural stance in a world rife with individualism, sensuality, and division. Transformative renewal, on the other hand, is the ongoing process of being made new by the Holy Spirit, allowing us to live out our faith in ways that stand out and shine brightly in a dark world.
We looked at various scriptures, including passages from Malachi and Isaiah, which anticipate a purified offering from all nations, and how Paul reconfigures these Old Testament concepts around Christ. This collective self-offering is an expression of Christ's sacrifice and a demonstration of God's new world breaking into the present.
Finally, we discussed practical steps to live out this transformative renewal, such as spending time in prayer and scripture, and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us. We are called to be outstanding in our faith, not conforming to the world but being set apart, holy, and shining as lights in the darkness.
### Key Takeaways
1. Resist Conformity, Embrace Transformation: The world constantly pressures us to conform to its ways, but as followers of Christ, we are called to resist this and embrace transformation through the renewal of our minds. This transformation is not just individual but collective, as we present our bodies together as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. [02:31]
2. Unity in Diversity: Paul’s message to the Roman house churches highlights the importance of unity among diverse groups. This unity, already won by Christ, is a powerful testimony to the world. We are called to preserve this unity, which often requires sacrificing our own preferences and pride for the sake of the body of Christ. [03:50]
3. Sacrificial Unity: Our collective unity as believers is a living sacrifice to God. This unity is not based on cultural or political similarities but on our shared identity in Christ. It is a counter-cultural stance that stands out in a world divided by individualism and hatred. [08:34]
4. Transformative Renewal: True transformation comes from the Holy Spirit, who renews our minds and hearts. This renewal is an ongoing process that requires us to be open to the Spirit’s leading, allowing Him to change us from the inside out. This transformation is meant to be visible, shining brightly in a dark world. [19:03]
5. Living as Citizens of God’s Kingdom: We are called to live as citizens of God’s new day, even while the rest of the world sleeps. This means putting on the armor of light, walking properly, and making no provision for the flesh. Our lives should reflect the transformative power of the gospel, demonstrating God’s new world breaking into the present. [35:46]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:29] - The Pressure to Conform
[02:31] - Embrace Transformation
[02:58] - Misunderstanding the Gospel
[03:50] - Unity in Diversity
[05:11] - Sacrificial Unity
[07:02] - Presenting Our Bodies
[08:34] - Living Sacrifice
[10:22] - Pure Sacrifices
[11:48] - God's Love for All Nations
[13:13] - Gathering the Nations
[14:40] - Worthy Worship
[16:12] - Unity in Christ
[19:03] - Transformative Renewal
[20:30] - New Creation People
[22:06] - Demonstrating God's Power
[23:34] - Holiness vs. Conformity
[25:27] - Standing Out in Faith
[26:46] - Transfiguration and Transformation
[28:17] - Reflecting God's Glory
[29:56] - Disruptive Power of God
[31:21] - Loving Your Enemies
[32:52] - Good Citizenship
[34:15] - Practical Steps for Renewal
[35:46] - Living as Citizens of God's Kingdom
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Romans 12:1-2 (ESV): "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
2. Malachi 1:11 (ESV): "For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts."
3. Isaiah 66:20 (ESV): "And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul urge believers to do in Romans 12:1-2, and how does he describe this act of worship? [07:02]
2. According to Malachi 1:11, what will be offered to God's name from all nations, and how is this offering described?
3. In Isaiah 66:20, how are the brothers from all nations brought to the Lord, and what is the significance of this act?
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice challenge the way we live our daily lives? [07:02]
2. What does it mean to be transformed by the renewal of our minds, and how can this transformation be both individual and collective? [19:03]
3. How does the idea of a pure offering from all nations in Malachi 1:11 and Isaiah 66:20 relate to the unity and diversity within the body of Christ? [11:48]
4. How can the sacrificial unity described in the sermon serve as a counter-cultural stance in today's world? [08:34]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt pressured to conform to the world's ways. How did you respond, and how might you respond differently in light of Romans 12:1-2? [01:29]
2. In what ways can you actively resist conformity to the world and embrace transformation through the renewal of your mind this week? [02:31]
3. How can you contribute to preserving unity within your church community, especially among diverse groups? What practical steps can you take to foster this unity? [03:50]
4. Think of a specific area in your life where you need to present yourself as a living sacrifice. What changes can you make to ensure that this sacrifice is holy and acceptable to God? [07:02]
5. How can you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in the process of transformative renewal? Identify one specific practice (e.g., prayer, scripture reading) that you can commit to this week. [19:03]
6. Consider the concept of living as citizens of God's kingdom. What does it mean for you to put on the armor of light and walk properly in your daily life? [35:46]
7. How can you demonstrate the transformative power of the gospel in your interactions with others, especially those who may not share your faith? [22:06]
Devotional
Day 1: Resisting Worldly Conformity
In a world that constantly pressures us to conform to its ways, followers of Christ are called to resist this pressure and embrace transformation through the renewal of our minds. This transformation is not just an individual endeavor but a collective one, as we present our bodies together as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, emphasizes the importance of not being conformed to this world but being transformed by the renewal of our minds. This transformation allows us to discern the will of God, what is good, acceptable, and perfect. By resisting conformity, we stand out as beacons of light in a dark world, showcasing the transformative power of the gospel.
Paul's message is a call to action for believers to live out their faith in a way that is visibly different from the world around them. This involves a daily commitment to renewing our minds through prayer, scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As we do this, we become more attuned to God's will and are better equipped to resist the temptations and pressures of the world. This transformation is not just for our benefit but serves as a powerful testimony to those around us, demonstrating the reality of God's kingdom breaking into the present. [02:31]
Romans 12:2 (ESV): "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Reflection: In what specific areas of your life do you feel the most pressure to conform to the world? How can you actively resist this pressure and seek transformation through the renewal of your mind today?
Day 2: Unity in Diversity
Paul’s message to the Roman house churches highlights the importance of unity among diverse groups. This unity, already won by Christ, is a powerful testimony to the world. We are called to preserve this unity, which often requires sacrificing our own preferences and pride for the sake of the body of Christ. The historical context of Paul's message reveals a significant divide between Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome. Despite their differences, Paul urges them to come together in unity, recognizing that their collective identity in Christ transcends cultural and ethnic boundaries.
This call for unity is a reminder that the body of Christ is made up of diverse individuals who are united by their faith in Jesus. Preserving this unity requires humility, patience, and a willingness to put the needs of others above our own. It is a sacrificial act that reflects the love and sacrifice of Christ. By maintaining unity, we demonstrate to the world the transformative power of the gospel and the reality of God's kingdom. [03:50]
Ephesians 4:3-6 (ESV): "Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
Reflection: Think of a situation where you have experienced division within the body of Christ. How can you contribute to preserving unity in that situation, even if it requires personal sacrifice?
Day 3: Sacrificial Unity
Our collective unity as believers is a living sacrifice to God. This unity is not based on cultural or political similarities but on our shared identity in Christ. It is a counter-cultural stance that stands out in a world divided by individualism and hatred. Sacrificial unity involves presenting ourselves collectively as a living sacrifice, embodying the purity and holiness required by God. This unity is a powerful testimony to the world, demonstrating the reality of God's kingdom breaking into the present.
In a world that often prioritizes individualism and self-interest, the call to sacrificial unity is a radical and counter-cultural act. It requires us to lay down our own preferences and desires for the sake of the greater good of the body of Christ. This unity is a reflection of the love and sacrifice of Christ, who gave Himself up for us. By living out this sacrificial unity, we become a living testimony to the transformative power of the gospel and the reality of God's kingdom. [08:34]
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (ESV): "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit."
Reflection: How can you contribute to the unity of the body of Christ in your local church or community? What personal sacrifices might this require from you?
Day 4: Transformative Renewal
True transformation comes from the Holy Spirit, who renews our minds and hearts. This renewal is an ongoing process that requires us to be open to the Spirit’s leading, allowing Him to change us from the inside out. This transformation is meant to be visible, shining brightly in a dark world. The process of transformative renewal involves a daily commitment to seeking God's presence through prayer, scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As we do this, we become more attuned to God's will and are better equipped to live out our faith in a way that stands out in the world.
Transformative renewal is not a one-time event but a continuous journey of growth and change. It requires us to be intentional about our spiritual practices and to remain open to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we are transformed, our lives become a testimony to the power of the gospel, shining brightly in a world that desperately needs the light of Christ. This transformation is a reflection of God's kingdom breaking into the present, demonstrating the reality of His love and power. [19:03]
Titus 3:5-6 (ESV): "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need the Holy Spirit's transformative renewal? How can you create space in your daily routine to seek and be open to the Spirit's leading?
Day 5: Living as Citizens of God’s Kingdom
We are called to live as citizens of God’s new day, even while the rest of the world sleeps. This means putting on the armor of light, walking properly, and making no provision for the flesh. Our lives should reflect the transformative power of the gospel, demonstrating God’s new world breaking into the present. Living as citizens of God's kingdom involves a daily commitment to living out our faith in a way that is visibly different from the world around us. It requires us to be intentional about our actions, choices, and attitudes, ensuring that they align with the values of God's kingdom.
As citizens of God's kingdom, we are called to be a light in the darkness, reflecting the love and grace of Christ to those around us. This involves living with integrity, compassion, and a commitment to justice and righteousness. By doing so, we demonstrate the reality of God's kingdom and invite others to experience the transformative power of the gospel. This call to live as citizens of God's kingdom is a reminder that our ultimate allegiance is to God and His kingdom, not to the values and priorities of the world. [35:46]
Philippians 3:20-21 (ESV): "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."
Reflection: What specific actions can you take today to live as a citizen of God's kingdom? How can you ensure that your daily choices and attitudes reflect the values of God's kingdom?
Quotes
1. "The world is definitely trying to squeeze us into a mold. And Paul, the apostle, is now saying we've got to figure out a way to resist conformity, embrace transformation, and live in a counter-cultural way. That kind of makes sense, right? I mean, that's... We would expect that the scriptures, when they hit us, they hit us sideways. Not, you know, not a long line. Oh, that's exactly what I was thinking. Yes. Love. Love my enemies. Oh, of course. Duh. I that's just normal. No, we expect it to be a side wind." [02:31] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "You submit to Christ as Lord. That's the gospel. And that's the power of the gospel to create a countercultural community, which is what we're supposed to live. And when we don't do that, cue all of the, you know, every, every TV show, every movie, every, every cartoon, every political debate, those Christians, what is wrong with They just, they look like everybody else. They fall right in line with all the same statistics." [02:58] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We just amplify the sacrificial unity... a unity that's already won by Christ by the blood his body broken you bloodshed and that sacrifice and our combined sacrifice and then just transformative renewal and this is all in the face as you know it of individualism of sensuality division have you noticed any divisiveness in our culture do you notice unforgiveness do you notice hatred of enemy as normal yeah hate them right any of you notice that like every every political ad every debate every conversation is like I know they're what's wrong with the world and in so doing we just continue division and certainly among Christians it should be on display that we have the unity." [05:11] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We then are embodying a sacrifice together as the body of Christ to offer a pleasing and acceptable offering to God and so we have this idea of a sacrifice now what do we know about the sacrificial system it has to be holy and pure right it has to be without spot without wrinkle can you imagine a Jewish person who's been enculturated into that whole system hearing that the Gentiles were going to be made an offering that was an acceptable worship to God those pig-eating vile idolatrous nations are going to be on the altar with us this is strange this is a strange sort of new culture." [08:34] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "How many of you are tired of tinkering with your own soul and you want god to do something radically inside it's just like transformative renewal i've been you know hacks and trying to figure things out and adding structure to different parts of my life but what i really want is just the spirit of god to lead me especially in the face of consumerism individualism sensuality division all the different things that we okay so why bother why am i saying any of this this is the way that god intends to demonstrate to the world his power not just by plucking one soul there one soul there one soul there and he's like oh well at least i got a little i got a smattering he wants to see the unity of his people because he's always wanted his family." [22:06] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of god what is good and acceptable and yes individually but certainly corporately right this is a big thing for the church so let's find this word renewal in another passage and we're going to talk about it in a little bit in another spot here in titus paul writes to titus who's trying to settle the church and figure out the leadership on the island of crete all sorts of choice words for them but he does say remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities why would he have to say that maybe they're not doing it so much to be obedient to be ready for every good work to speak evil of no one to avoid quarreling." [19:03] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "The opposite of fitting in or conforming is holiness it's fitting in or being set apart fitting in or being set apart we we want to be outstanding outstanding in our field uh standing in the field no we want to be standing but we just don't want to stand out certain cultures amplify that more than others in australia it's called the tall poppy the tall poppy gets knocked down so you just kind of just hummer hover in the culture we have pieces of that in japan it's the it's the nail that's standing up along the deck that just gets hammered down to compliance those are those are variations of honor and shame type cultures and we're starting to see that happen in our culture we're starting to see that happen in our city in our nation with social media and censoring and you know calling people out and shutting people down and shame on you shame on you you're starting to see that more." [25:27] (68 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "When jesus comes into a place like this into a place like this it takes years to put things back right joking right when god comes he disrupts things and he changes your priorities he says things like love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you your enemy hates you and he's thirsty just give him water to drink that's an interesting passage right you probably read that one like coals of burning head uh burning coals on the head like what is that about that comes out of the psalms and it is meant to to say you know what i know you hate me and i know we're supposed to be enemies but i'm treating you as enemies and that's gonna fry their brain i think it'd be the easiest way to understand that idea that's gonna fry their brain like what are you why were you why would you do that for me because of the transformative renewal that the spirit of god is you may all you may not have very many enemies i don't know that i have any natural enemies but if you're mad at me let me know i'll get through but transformative renewal is going to be a work that the spirit of god does to just change us so to where people are going to be like what's happening here you're the one that stopped alongside the road you're my neighbor that i'm having a feud with and you're the one that stops to lend me gas or to help me tow to my house or whatever this blows my mind and then that lets god do the work of convicting and transforming because that passage before the burning coals on the head was saying leave room for god's wrath he's got it going on." [31:21] (93 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "One of the takeaways one one of the asks is is to just pick one area where you know you've been conforming to the world just the spirit's highlighting it and you're like wow i need to do it and just try to spend 15 minutes each day in prayer studying scripture and just just figuring that out with with jesus together i printed a few potential bible studies and i'm going to show you a few of them and i'm going to show you a few of these one on materialism and consumerism they're on the back table one on busyness and workaholism secular worldview individualism if you want to just a little prompt to start thinking that way but by by living church as transformed people we're going to demonstrate the power of the gospel and it needs demonstration yes speak of jesus yes speak of the truth of the fact that god is and that he sent his son and and that he's changed the world and changed your life but but we've got to demonstrate that together the world is clearly watching on the way to ignoring possibly already ignoring on the way to despising possibly already despising but that's that's the line that we're on as a church and so we get to transform our city by living the transformed life." [34:15] (73 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "The end of romans 13 is the last thing besides this you know the time the hour has come for you to wake from sleep wake up for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed the night is gone the day is at hand so let's cast off the works of darkness put on the armor of light isn't that beautiful that's going to shine isn't it let us walk properly as in the daytime not in orgies and drunkenness sexual immorality sensuality quarreling and jealousy those are the top six and he just kind of pulls off the top of his head by the inspiration of god like well that makes sense that makes sense well i don't know about quarreling and jealousy well put it on the list but put on the lord jesus christ and make no provision for the flesh your flesh is constantly saying hey uh just give me a shot here make no provision for the flesh these are footholds for the enemy of our soul it's time to be outstanding as a people and as we go from here let's just remember that we're called to live as citizens of god's new day even while the rest of the world sleeps so let's wake up put on christ and shine his light." [35:46] (82 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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