The Challenge of Change

March 21, 2010 by PastorDave.

#382, The Challenge of Change, Pastor David McIntosh, Sunday 03-21-2010

Text:  1 Peter 5:5-11

Introduction

• Letting Christ … CHANGE… us! Well Jesus is surely changing us, Amen! (baptism is a public declaration of personal change…Jesus is my Lord)
• One day a young Jewish girl was living in Nazareth and an angel appeared to her and called her name, Mary… and everything would change.
• God allows change into our lives. Just the fact that it is change makes it a challenge, not necessarily bad, but a challenge.
• God has all of us right now, in the middle of a change. Whether we like or not change is a real part of life. Especially for those whose hearts are set on following Jesus Christ.

Transition: When “change” knocks at the door of a church what are some things we need to consider? I have four questions today that are answered by God in His Word. These answers that the Lord gives are for us. To guide us, teach us, comfort us and inspire us.
Here are the four questions that the Scriptures will answer for us today. (When “change is happening):

1. What should we wear?
2. What should we get rid of?
3. How should we act?
4. What should we look for?

FOR THE ANSWERS LET’S TURN TO 1 PETER 5:5-11

1. WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR?
   1. 1 Peter 5:5 – All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
   2. God wants to pick out our clothes during this season of change. He chooses humility as the dress of the day.
   3. Humility: recognizing that in myself I am nothing and have nothing, and therefore, everything in life is a gift from God’s hand.
   4. This humility is certainly toward God but must be toward one another as well.
   5. Humility says we need each other during times of change, pride says I don’t really need other people, I can do it myself.
   6. “Humility is building life around God and others rather than around myself.”
   7. The choice of humility comes with a great reward…God’s grace. We will need God’s grace, Amen!!
   8. Grace: supernatural favor, power and desire to successfully carry out God’s perfect plan.
   9. V.6 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
   10. The word used here for “humble yourself” means to bring low, make oneself low.
   11. Let’s ask for humility right now.
2. WHAT SHOULD WE GET RID OF?
   1. 1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
   2. The Lord knows us very well. He knows that questions will arise. They always do in times of change or transition. These questions often lead to cares or anxiety.
   3. If we let anxiety take root we will be in big trouble. So the Holy Spirit gives us specific instructions; cast all your anxieties on him.
   4. It is not a sin to have questions & concerns and be a little uneasy when God starts changing things, but it is dangerous to let then turn into anxiety and let the anxiety rule the day.
   5. Whatever anxieties you may be experiencing right now I have a clear word from the Lord for you: Cast them on Jesus because He cares for you. (So let’s obey this right now together)
   6. Write it down on a card, collect using ushers, bring to the altar and cast them on Jesus!!
3. HOW SHOULD WE ACT?
   1. 1 Peter 5:8 – Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
   2. The enemy of our soul is prowling around. Especially during times of transition he is looking for someone to devour, someone to overwhelm with fear, anxiety & pride so they will give him and ear and hear his crafty (but false) perspective.
   3. So we are exhorted to be self controlled & alert.
   4. Self Control = rejecting wrong desires and doing what is right.
   5. “True self-control means willingness to resign the small for the sake of the great, the present for the sake of the future, the material for the sake of the spiritual, and that is what faith makes possible.”    -Hugh Black-
   6. Alert = being aware of what is taking place around me so that I can have a God response.
   7. The idea of alert presupposes that there are dangers. Our enemy is a master of deception (even to masquerade as an angel of light) & the father of lies.
   8. V.9 – Resist him, standing firm in the faith… (in faith we are self controlled & alert)
4. WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK FOR?    (Dismiss baptismal candidates)
   1. 1 Peter 5:10 – And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
   2. What do we look for? We desire the grace of God but we look for the God of all grace. We fix our eyes not just on the grace but on the God that gives the grace!
   3. In the book of Acts many changes were taking place in the lives of believers and the church. Word got out of a work happening where people were repenting and turning to the Lord so the church sent Barnabas (elder) to check it out. Here is the report:
   4. Acts 11:23 – When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.
   5. Hebrews 12:2 – Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

Conclusion: We put on humility, we cast of anxiety, we are self-controlled & alert and we fix our eyes on the God of all grace, who Jesus the author and finisher of our faith!! AMEN!!

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