Have you ever had a movie that you loved but you were almost ashamed to admit that you liked it because it was so utterly stupid?
My life is filled with those movies. One of my all-time favorites that I am embarrassed to admit that I like is the movie “Dodgeball.” I am laughing tears to my eyes just typing about it. There is something about “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball,” that just cracks my funny bone.
Lance Armstrong, the famous cyclist, makes an important cameo appearance in the movie. Some time ago, he was quoted as saying, “If you ever get a second chance for something, you’ve got to go all the way.”
The quote prompted the thought that God is a God of second chances. The concept emphasizes that God demonstrates His grace and the opportunity for redemption, despite our past sins. One of my long-time favorite verses encourages us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2 ESV).
Let me remind you of Paul’s first two verses in the 12th chapter of Romans:
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 (Romans 12:1-2 ESV).
Ingredients for Renewal
As we journey through the forty-some days to Easter, we will be emphasizing our need to Resolve, Recharge, and Renew. Let’s think today a bit about how we renew – how we begin again with vigor and passion – our spiritual commitments.
As I read these verses, two ideas jump out at me that are vital for real renewal to take place. (I am sure there are more than two ideas that we could talk about – but these seem to be important for renewal.)
Paul urges us to be transformed – to be different – by the renewing of the mind. He emphasizes renewal starts with how I think about things. The concept is not new for Paul. He tells the Philippians that we should focus our thoughts on the things that are true, noble, and right (Philippians 4:8). Solomon summarized that as a man thinks, so he is (Proverbs 23:7).
Follow Paul’s reasoning in Romans 12. Renew how you think about things because that will help you understand what the will of God is for you as you put it to the test during your day.
The Will of God in My Moments
Renew – change, refresh, start over – how I think about the will of God. If you are like me, you think about the will of God about the “big picture” items. His ultimate will for my life is to love Him with all of my heart. He wants me to spend eternity with Him. That is a big picture item.
Other big picture items enter the conversation. Whom will I marry? What will be my career? Will I work for this company or that company? In what city will I live?
I also consider God’s will in decisions that have lasting effects upon my life. Should I buy a house or rent one? Do I purchase a new car or a used one? With what church should I worship? Into what ministries of the church should I become involved?
But the small things that fill my moments, I don’t think first about the will of God. My brain tells me that God has more important things to deal with – like wars in Israel or the Ukraine or Minneapolis.
But if I want spiritual renewal to happen in my life, I need to renew how I think about God’s will. God may not care about whether I order a burrito or a taco when I “head to the border,” but would the $10 I spend for lunch out be better spent given to church and my lunch be tomato soup eaten at home?
Thinking about God in my moments just makes sense. If it is important for me to consider God’s will when I choose a mate, isn’t it also important to think of Him as I make decisions about how to treat my spouse “in the moments?”
Renewal from the Inside Out
For renewal to happen, I need to change how I think about God’s will. I need to be concerned about God’s will in all of my moments. If I want renewal to happen, I need to not conform to the world, but I need to be transformed.
We spend a lot of time conforming the church so that the world will understand and accept it. Don’t misunderstand what I am about to say. Of course, we want to explain biblical truths in terms that can be understood by non-believers. But think about how we have shifted our biblical teachings over the years.
Has your church changed how it structures your corporate worship? Does it still have Sunday evening services? What about Wednesday prayer meetings? Has the music you sing changed? Do you still have revivals?
What about some of your beliefs? Has the content of your messages changed? Does divorce seem more acceptable? What about gender issues? Is the Bible still considered the ultimate authority for your teaching? Are there a host of other topics that are treated differently today than they were fifty years ago?
It is easy to want to conform. We don’t want people to object to our beliefs. We try to avoid conflict whenever possible. But Paul says if you want to be renewed you need to transform and not conform.
Let’s Be Transformed This Easter!
The word we translate “transform” is the Greek word from which we get the English word “metamorphosis.” Your junior high science classes emblazoned the idea of the butterfly beginning life as an egg, living as a catepillar, then undergoing a complete change into a butterfly. The change takes place on the inside and it alters how the outside body appears.
Something happens on the inside of a Christian that alters how the outside looks and behaves. The believer undergoes a metamorphosis. Their mind, soul and body becomes transformed.
This word “metamorphosis” occurs one time in the gospels. The word describes Jesus on the mountain of “transfiguration” – transformation, metamorphosis. “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shown like the sun, and his clothes became white as light” (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2). Notice that something inside Jesus changed, and that change even affected the clothes that he was wearing.
For the believer, something happens first on the inside – spiritually and morally. Then later it happens on the outside. Jesus says, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:43).
This Easter, first resolve to allow God to create a clean heart within you. Next, recharge your life so that you have the energy, motivation, and passion to allow change to happen. Finally, renew your mind by considering God’s will in every moment of your life. Rather than conforming to the standards of the world, transform your life from the inside out.