Be Transformed
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“ In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one
calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’" John’s clothes were
made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt round his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing
their sins, they were baptised by him in the Jordan River. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and
Sadducees coming to where he was baptising, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned
you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can
say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise
up children for Abraham.”
What does it mean to become a Christian? Is it a matter of joining the church? Is it a matter of
becoming part of the Christian community and talking about religious matters together? Is it a matter
of changing what you call yourself? (I used to be a Muslim, but now I am a Christian.)
John came preaching and used the word “repent”. This word literally means “to change the way you
think” – “to change your perspective on life” - “to change your direction.” To become a Christian
means to undergo a ‘radical change’ – a transformation. A radical change means that you change in
the deepest part of your being. You don’t just change your actions and your words – your heart
changes. Your purpose changes.
I know a lot of people who are on diets. Most of them gain the weight back. That’s because they
change the way they eat, but eventually they go back to the way the always ate and they gain the
weight back. The ones who keep the weight off are the ones who change their attitude – they change
the way they think about food and about eating.
Real Christians are people who have not only changed the way they live – they change the reason
they live. God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel and said that he would give us a new heart.
Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart
of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
You see, the Jews that John the Baptist was speaking to thought they would okay because they were
children of Abraham – they had inherited a ‘relationship’ with God. But they were wrong. It is not a
matter of heritage. It is a matter of personal choice. It is not a matter of where you came from or what
you act like. It is a matter of what is in your heart.
I have some friends in Tirana, Albania who are from America. They were born in America. They grew
up in America. They speak English as a primary language. They have American citizenship. But,
they have become Albanians. Why? Because their hearts are in Albania and Albania is in their
hearts. Some of you here are from Albania, but you have become Americans – by choice – because
you have left Albania and immersed yourself in America. You have changed your allegiance.
Paul says, in Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind...
When a caterpillar goes into a cocoon and comes out a butterfly, he goes through a radical change.
He is transformed. He goes in as one thing but comes out as something different. This is what
conversion is all about.
The prophet Samuel said to King Saul, “The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you
will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.” (1 Samuel 10:6)
This is what happens when a person really becomes a Christian. Jesus spoke of men being “born of
the Spirit” or “born again”. This is what Ezekiel was talking about when he spoke of God giving us a
‘new heart’. It is not just a change of behavior and thinking. It is a change of the heart. It is a change
from the inside out.
I was in the hospital a few years ago, and the nurse gave me a medication called Adavan to help me
sleep. But Adavan didn’t make me sleep. It turned me into a different person. I started screaming
and throwing things. I pulled the IV out of my arm. I tried to run out of the hospital. I accused my wife
and son of trying to kill me. Now, I’m normally a pretty nice guy. But this medicine ‘transformed’ me
into another person.
On the other hand, 35 years ago, I was a very self-serving and sin-loving person. I lived for myself
and didn’t care about others. I just wanted to sing and get as much enjoyment out of life as I could.
But then Jesus came into my life, and he ‘changed me into a different person”. I became the
wonderful, kind, generous, handsome, and most of all, modest person I am today.
Now, why am I telling you this? Because I want you to ask yourself this question – Are you a Christian,
or do you just call yourself a Christian? Are you following Christ? Has your life been transformed?
And I don’t mean just once. Are you living a transformed life today? Some people convert to Christ
and then return to the way they used to live. That doesn’t work. When God changes your heart, he
destroys the old one and you keep the new one.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.
If a man claims to be a recovered alcoholic, but he still drinks, he is mistaken. He has not really
changed.
If a man claims to be a recovered addict, but he still uses drugs, he has not really changed.
And if a person claims to be a Christian but still lives they same way he did before he received Christ,
he is deceiving himself. Jesus will change you. He will transform your life.
And best of all, that transformation will prepare you for heaven, because you cannot get there without
it.
The really important thing is that we are not just citizens of Albania or America – we are citizens of
heaven, and are lives should show that. We should live like citizens of heaven and children of God.
kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one
calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’" John’s clothes were
made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt round his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing
their sins, they were baptised by him in the Jordan River. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and
Sadducees coming to where he was baptising, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned
you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can
say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise
up children for Abraham.”
What does it mean to become a Christian? Is it a matter of joining the church? Is it a matter of
becoming part of the Christian community and talking about religious matters together? Is it a matter
of changing what you call yourself? (I used to be a Muslim, but now I am a Christian.)
John came preaching and used the word “repent”. This word literally means “to change the way you
think” – “to change your perspective on life” - “to change your direction.” To become a Christian
means to undergo a ‘radical change’ – a transformation. A radical change means that you change in
the deepest part of your being. You don’t just change your actions and your words – your heart
changes. Your purpose changes.
I know a lot of people who are on diets. Most of them gain the weight back. That’s because they
change the way they eat, but eventually they go back to the way the always ate and they gain the
weight back. The ones who keep the weight off are the ones who change their attitude – they change
the way they think about food and about eating.
Real Christians are people who have not only changed the way they live – they change the reason
they live. God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel and said that he would give us a new heart.
Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart
of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
You see, the Jews that John the Baptist was speaking to thought they would okay because they were
children of Abraham – they had inherited a ‘relationship’ with God. But they were wrong. It is not a
matter of heritage. It is a matter of personal choice. It is not a matter of where you came from or what
you act like. It is a matter of what is in your heart.
I have some friends in Tirana, Albania who are from America. They were born in America. They grew
up in America. They speak English as a primary language. They have American citizenship. But,
they have become Albanians. Why? Because their hearts are in Albania and Albania is in their
hearts. Some of you here are from Albania, but you have become Americans – by choice – because
you have left Albania and immersed yourself in America. You have changed your allegiance.
Paul says, in Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind...
When a caterpillar goes into a cocoon and comes out a butterfly, he goes through a radical change.
He is transformed. He goes in as one thing but comes out as something different. This is what
conversion is all about.
The prophet Samuel said to King Saul, “The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you
will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.” (1 Samuel 10:6)
This is what happens when a person really becomes a Christian. Jesus spoke of men being “born of
the Spirit” or “born again”. This is what Ezekiel was talking about when he spoke of God giving us a
‘new heart’. It is not just a change of behavior and thinking. It is a change of the heart. It is a change
from the inside out.
I was in the hospital a few years ago, and the nurse gave me a medication called Adavan to help me
sleep. But Adavan didn’t make me sleep. It turned me into a different person. I started screaming
and throwing things. I pulled the IV out of my arm. I tried to run out of the hospital. I accused my wife
and son of trying to kill me. Now, I’m normally a pretty nice guy. But this medicine ‘transformed’ me
into another person.
On the other hand, 35 years ago, I was a very self-serving and sin-loving person. I lived for myself
and didn’t care about others. I just wanted to sing and get as much enjoyment out of life as I could.
But then Jesus came into my life, and he ‘changed me into a different person”. I became the
wonderful, kind, generous, handsome, and most of all, modest person I am today.
Now, why am I telling you this? Because I want you to ask yourself this question – Are you a Christian,
or do you just call yourself a Christian? Are you following Christ? Has your life been transformed?
And I don’t mean just once. Are you living a transformed life today? Some people convert to Christ
and then return to the way they used to live. That doesn’t work. When God changes your heart, he
destroys the old one and you keep the new one.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.
If a man claims to be a recovered alcoholic, but he still drinks, he is mistaken. He has not really
changed.
If a man claims to be a recovered addict, but he still uses drugs, he has not really changed.
And if a person claims to be a Christian but still lives they same way he did before he received Christ,
he is deceiving himself. Jesus will change you. He will transform your life.
And best of all, that transformation will prepare you for heaven, because you cannot get there without
it.
The really important thing is that we are not just citizens of Albania or America – we are citizens of
heaven, and are lives should show that. We should live like citizens of heaven and children of God.