What reaction does that word produce? How do we feel?
Are we the kind of person who fears change? Are we the type of person who embraces change, looks forward to change?
Do we accept it or reject it.
Which button would we push?
The world we live in is increasingly open to change. This can be a bad thing. Last year’s phone? Get a new one that does something really useful like remind you what you had for breakfast last week. Bored with whats on tv? Change channels hundreds to choose from. Trouble with your marriage – get a new partner. People are quick to embrace change when they are in control and can see the benefit. (But compare Facebook – outrage if they change the layout!). In living memory there has never been such n openness and desire for change.
This openness to change is a great opportunity for the gospel.
Now to set your minds at rest this is not a prelude to me announcing change!
The first thing we should consider in regard to change is this – God doesn’t change.
However just because he doesn’t change it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want change. God is the one unchangeable force in the universe. Everything revolves around him. Everything else can move but not him.
God doesn’t change but our understanding of him does. I used to think of God primarily as a judge who would forgive me. Now father who loves me.
God himself doesn’t change but that doesn’t mean he’s happy with the status quo!
Danger of false comfort – it’s not that God doesn’t change so he wants everything to stay the same. You never change and nor will I!
Not true – He is the one unchangeable force in the universe. Everything can change except him.
God doesn’t change but what about us changing – how do we feel about that?
It’s all about perspective –
We could have two different viewpoints. God wants us to change because he loves us vs God wants us to change because he’s unhappy with us.
My sneaky suspicion is that the latter is what most people think.
Well let’s consider this verse about change
2 Cor 3 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- This is about change. Transformed = changed
- The change is “into his image” – to be like him
- Lit = transformed from glory to glory
Not saying we are rubbish now but when we reach glory we will be transformed
Not changed from rubbish to glory.
Not changed from rubbish to not quite so rubbish
But changed from glory to glory
But what is the key to this change?
- We have unveiled faces – in verse 16 Paul has said that when you turn to the Lord the veil is taken away
- Beholding his glory. NIV contemplate. Other versions speak of seeing his glory like in a mirror. The Greek word kataoptomahi includes the idea of gazing with wide eyed wonder. It has the idea of the wow factor. I remember going into National Gallery – Bathers at Asnieres by Seurat. I was walking past and looked through the doorway and was drawn in. It had the wow factor. So not just quiet contemplation, not just seeing.
Paraphrase: We all with unveiled faces gaze in wonder at the Lords glory and are being changed into his image from glory to glory
The change or transformation that the scriptures speak of is linked to seeing his glory. Not linked to seeing our failure.
Show me your glory. Change in us occurs as we meet with God as we encounter his presence.
So that sounds like a change that’s worthwhile.
Conclusion.
- God wants to change us from glory to glory
- God wants us to be agents for change in the world that we live
- God wants to use our prayers to bring change into this world. James – The effective fervent prayer of a human being can achieve much
Next week – look further at change and particularly how change can happen