Transforming Character: Embracing Resurrection Life in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Becoming a Force Multiplier for Kingdom Good

Our church's vision for 2027 is to become a force multiplier for kingdom good, focusing on spiritual growth and community impact. This vision involves being spiritually disruptive, healing and transforming lives through the love of Christ. By aiming for more baptisms, new facilities, and doubling our small groups, we seek to create more opportunities for spiritual growth and partner with non-profits through Chatham Serves. Our hope is to become a spiritually disruptive force in Chatham County, healing marriages, transforming lives, and spreading the love of Christ. As we embark on this series, "Change Your World," we are challenged to consider that we might be the answer to our own prayers for change in the places where we encounter brokenness and dysfunction. [00:00]

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV)

Reflection: What specific action can you take this week to contribute to our church's vision of being a force multiplier for kingdom good in your community?

Day 2: Character as the Foundation of Transformation

Character is the starting point for God's transformative work in us. It is who we are naturally and how we show up without thinking. Our character determines our capacity to carry God's goodness into the world. God begins His transformative work in us by reshaping our character, enabling us to be vessels of His grace and power. Character dictates our decisions at key moments and is formed over time through our natural temperament and habituated thoughts, words, and actions. By focusing on character transformation, we align ourselves with God's purpose and become effective agents of change in the world. [06:48]

"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out." (Proverbs 10:9, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area of your character that needs transformation. What steps can you take today to allow God to reshape this aspect of your character?

Day 3: Embracing Resurrection Life

In Christ, we are already dead to our old selves and alive in Him. This resurrection life empowers us to live without fear, embracing the abundant life God offers. Our hope is anchored in the eternal truths and promises of God. In Colossians 3, Paul reminds us that we have been raised with Christ, our lives are hidden with Him, and we are called to set our hearts and minds on things above. This passage frames the commands not as mere do's and don'ts but as part of a larger narrative of past grace, eternal truths, and future promises. [12:27]

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." (Colossians 3:1, ESV)

Reflection: What is one fear or worry that you need to let go of to fully embrace the resurrection life in Christ today?

Day 4: Putting to Death the Old Self

Paul calls us to put to death the old self, characterized by sin and dysfunction, and to put on the new self, marked by virtues like compassion and love. This transformation requires deliberate action and alignment with Christ's resurrection power. By renouncing the old self and embracing the new self, we align our lives with Christ's resurrection power and become people of character, equipped to change the world and carry God's grace to those around us. [20:48]

"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Colossians 3:5, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific behavior or habit you need to put to death in your life? How can you begin this process today?

Day 5: Practices for Spiritual Renewal

To facilitate character transformation, we must announce what is true, renounce the old self, put on the new self, align our lives with Christ, and repeat these practices. This process enables us to become vessels of God's grace and change agents in the world. By doing so, we become people of character, equipped to change the world and carry God's grace to those around us. These practices are not one-time events but ongoing disciplines that shape our lives and align us with God's purposes. [35:11]

"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." (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: What daily practice can you incorporate into your routine to facilitate spiritual renewal and align your life with Christ's resurrection power?

Sermon Summary

In our journey towards Vision 2027, we are praying to become a force multiplier for kingdom good, aiming for more baptisms, new facilities, and doubling our small groups. We are seeking wisdom to create more opportunities for spiritual growth and to partner with non-profits through Chatham Serves. Our hope is to become a spiritually disruptive force in Chatham County, healing marriages, transforming lives, and spreading the love of Christ. As we embark on this series, "Change Your World," we are challenged to consider that we might be the answer to our own prayers for change in the places where we encounter brokenness and dysfunction.

The focus today is on character transformation, which is the starting point for God’s work in us. Character is who we are naturally and how we show up without thinking. It dictates our decisions at key moments and is formed over time through our natural temperament and habituated thoughts, words, and actions. Character is crucial because it determines the size of our "bucket" to carry God's goodness into the world. God begins His transformative work in us by reshaping our character, enabling us to be vessels of His grace and power.

Change is challenging, but the power to change comes from what God has done for us in Jesus. In Colossians 3, Paul reminds us that we have been raised with Christ, our lives are hidden with Him, and we are called to set our hearts and minds on things above. This passage frames the commands not as mere do's and don'ts but as part of a larger narrative of past grace, eternal truths, and future promises. We are already dead to our old selves and alive in Christ, which empowers us to live without fear and embrace the abundant life God offers.

Paul urges us to put to death the old self, characterized by sexual immorality, greed, anger, and deceit, and to put on the new self, marked by compassion, kindness, humility, and love. This transformation requires deliberate action: announcing what is true, renouncing the old self, putting on the new self, aligning our lives with Christ's resurrection power, and repeating these practices. By doing so, we become people of character, equipped to change the world and carry God's grace to those around us.

Key Takeaways

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2. Character as the Foundation of Change: Character is the starting point for God's transformative work in us. It is who we are naturally and how we show up without thinking. Our character determines our capacity to carry God's goodness into the world.

3. The Power of Resurrection Life: In Christ, we are already dead to our old selves and alive in Him. This resurrection life empowers us to live without fear, embracing the abundant life God offers. Our hope is anchored in the eternal truths and promises of God.

4. Putting to Death the Old Self: Paul calls us to put to death the old self, characterized by sin and dysfunction, and to put on the new self, marked by virtues like compassion and love. This transformation requires deliberate action and alignment with Christ's resurrection power.

5. Practices for Spiritual Renewal: To facilitate character transformation, we must announce what is true, renounce the old self, put on the new self, align our lives with Christ, and repeat these practices. This process enables us to become vessels of God's grace and change agents in the world.

** [00:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Vision 2027 Overview
[02:30] - Becoming a Spiritually Disruptive Force
[04:15] - Introduction to "Change Your World" Series
[06:48] - The Importance of Character
[09:30] - Character and Decision Making
[12:27] - Resurrection Life in Christ
[15:00] - The Power of God's Grace
[18:21] - Freedom from Anxiety
[20:48] - Putting to Death the Old Self
[23:00] - Biblical Sexual Ethics
[26:45] - Overcoming Anger and Deceit
[30:05] - The Promise of Renewal
[32:30] - Practicing Spiritual Renewal
[35:11] - Aligning with Resurrection Power
[37:00] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

Character is mostly who you are and how you show up without thinking about it, right? How do you show up? Who are you when you show up? How do you show up without thinking about it, without having to work too hard? Who are you kind of intuitively, naturally, without working too hard? How do you kind of show up in those spaces? [00:04:29] (16 seconds)

Since then you've been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things, for you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with him in glory. [00:08:20] (19 seconds)

Your life is hidden with Christ in God. You've already been raised to eternal life. You are already living into eternity. Everything happening for the rest of your life is house, money, once you've said yes to Jesus. You've already died. Already been resurrected. This is the power. No guilt in life. No fear in death. [00:12:51] (18 seconds)

Resurrection life available to you in Christ Jesus. My prayer is that you and I would both align our lives to allow that flow of God's amazing grace, habituating that right here, right now, that you might be equipped and empowered to change your world. Let's pray. [00:36:41] (18 seconds)

We've offered some of those to you even now today. My prayer for my friends is that we would be deliberate, passionate, rabid even, like just day in and day out. Lord, some of us have habituated bad stuff in our character for decades. It's gonna take maybe a few more weeks, a few more months, a few more years of practicing the opposite. [00:37:02] (18 seconds)

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