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Feb 23, 2014

Becoming a Life Changer

Becoming a Life Changer

Passage: Ephesians 4:17-24

Series: Special

Category: Christian Walk

Detail:

Much of the story of life change I want to discuss involves this town of Keswick England. It has been the home an annual conference since 1875, originally called the Higher Life Movement, the conference sprang from the holiness movement that had its roots in the holiness movement of the 1800’s in America with notable leaders, such as Charles Finney.

F.B. Meyer (a English Baptist Preacher and friend to D. L. Moody) was a frequent speaker, as was Andrew Murray.

Scripture Reading

Now this I say … that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart…

 

… But that is not the way you learned Christ! … and were taught in him, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life … and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:17-24

Why do people come to Christ?

Two reason are most often the reason.

The first is a crisis of distress.

It is a crisis in our life. It could be the consequence of our own sin or it could be the overwhelming experience outside our control.

Whatever the reason it pushes change. Our life is out of balance and we are looking for something to bring in back to normalcy or balance.

The second reason is a crisis of potential.

Chuck Colson of the Watergate scandal, prison ministries and Angel tree is a good example of this kind of crisis.

My story involves Frank Buchman, a Lutheran pastor, who came to Keswick in 1908 after a failed ministry left him depressed, looking for F.B. Meyer. What he found instead changed his life forever and the lives of countless others.

As he sat in a Sunday morning service on the crucifixion of Christ, he thought of the six men he felt wronged him, but then began to see himself as he imagined God saw him. Realized how his sin, pride, selfishness and ill-will, had moved Christ from the center of his life. He had again become the center of his own life, thoughts and feelings.

His resentments against those men became an ugliness he need removed. Desiring God to change him, he felt God tell to put things right with them. This challenge to write a letters asking for their forgiveness released him from the resentments and filled him with a strong sense of the presence and closeness of God. It was an astonishing renewal.

What we can take home

Difficulty is an opportunity to refocus life.

Frank Buchman’s Story The Importance of Honesty

When he returned to the U.S. he became a director of the Penn State U. WMCA. He challenged the men on campus, that had been heavy drinkers, partiers and irresponsible in life to begin owning up to the shortcoming of their lives openly in small community meetings and challenge themselves to live differently. Within a couple of years the campus had significantly changed in character

 

… put off your old self… and… put on the new self, created after the likeness of God.

Ephesians 4:22-24

… put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4:25

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. James 5:16

What we can take home

Honesty and openness are the beginning of Life change.

Frank Buchman’s Story The Importance of the Holy Spirit

F. B. Meyer asked Frank, "Do you let the Holy Spirit guide you in all you are doing? He replied that he did indeed pray and read the Bible in the morning. "But," persisted Meyer, "do you give God enough uninterrupted time really to tell you what to do?

 

 

 

put off your old self… and… put on the new self, created after the likeness of God.

Ephesians 4:22-24

Who does the work? Us, God, or both?

Therefore, … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippian 2:12-13

Regarding sin we work with the Holy Spirit’s efforts remove sinful patterns

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13

 

But our goal isn’t just to die to sin by to be alive to our new nature made in the likeness of Christ.

To a church dependent on their own efforts to change Paul says,

… my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! Galatians 4:19

Paul continues on to tell the Galatians the hope beyond self-effort that they have in both living by the Spirit but also walking by the Spirit.

… walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh… if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control… If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:16, 18, 22, 25

What we can take home

Our reliance on the Holy Spirit is our only hope.

Frank Buchman’s Story Continued

Frank returned to England and began forming luncheon meetings on campuses where men would express where they were in life at the time. Struggling with a sin area or finding victory or Christian growth in character. These groups eventually became known as Oxford groups, named in South Africa when some of the men moved there and began to introduce the groups there. At its peak over 50,000 groups met throughout the world.

In the U.S. two men famously changed their lives in these groups and went on to model their experience in what is known now as A.A.

What we can take home

The body of Christ is God’s means of change.

Becoming a Life Changer

A husband and wife join one these groups in N.Y. Read the testimony in the Life Changers book

What we can take home

Personal testimony is our inspiration to change.

Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

1 John 3:2

What are some of the events in your life that have brought about significant changes, growing you as a Christian?

How has glimpsing the nature and love of Christ impacted you toward Christ-likeness?

When has sharing with a friend a gut level honesty about what is going on in your life helped restore and renew your spirit and hope?

What are some ways that loving “your neighbor” brought an unexpected growth in your life and a deepened love for God’s working in your life?