Be transformed 24/11/2010

Be transformed

Called to be transformers!

I know at least one of you cried during the movie

“Transformers”, when one of the good guys or
good robots died. Isn’t it amazing how one
second they can be these ugly cars sold for a few
dollars. Something nobody cares about. And the
next second, they can be these amazing robots,
flying and fighting.

They’re the same material, and yet turn into

something amazing. They become what they are
meant to be: Amazing, incredible and powerful
things or people, depending on whether you
believe transformers are things or people.

Well, I believe we are called to be transformers.

The bible says we are the clay, and God is the
potter. We are those boring cars that are turned
into amazing and mighty people. We are called to
be transformed into Christ’s likeness. Friends we
are transformers.

Today we’re continuing our series on the book of

Philippians. We’re still in the second chapter, and
in my youth bible, the headline of what we just
read is “Be the people God wants you to be”. Or
another title you’ll find in the NIV is “Shining like
stars”.

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Both mean the same thing to me: We are called

to be different. We are called to become like
Jesus. In his character, in his holiness, in his work
while he was here on earth. We are called to
become like him and to act like him.

Obviously, this doesn’t mean we can’t be

ourselves. We still have different gifts, different
ideas, different senses of humour, different
tastes. Some of us like Hillsong music, others
wish they did. But it’s ok. We are called to be
transformed.

1. Transformed by truth

12 - Therefore, my dear friends, as you have

always obeyed—not only in my presence, but
now much more in my absence—continue to work
out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it
is God who works in you to will and to act
according to his good purpose.

God works in us to will and to act. That is to be

and to do what he wants to be and he wants us to
do.

And then Paul goes on:

14 - Do everything without complaining or

arguing, so that you may become blameless and
pure, children of God without fault in a crooked

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and depraved generation, in which you shine like

stars in the universe (…)

Paul talks about our attitude, our desire to be

blameless. This part of the text calls us to be
transformed by truth.
We are called to live according to the truth we
have learned from God’s word.

A few weeks back, I was watching the Matrix for

the 3rd time in my life now. Brilliant movie. And
there is a dramatic moment when one the crew
decides to make a contract with the “virus”.

The deal they made is that Cypher, the name of

the traitor, would go back inside the Matrix and
forget everything about “the truth”. He would
have a good life, he would never remember the
war. And to get all that, he gives the good guy to
them. Cypher says “ignorance is bliss”. Cypher
refuses the truth, because he doesn’t want to live
according to it.
Truth implies responsibility. If you don't know the
truth, you don't have to act on it. If you don't
know the truth, you don't have to make the
decision to live according to it or to refuse it.
You're not faced with a choice.

We are called to be transformed by truth. We

cannot live as before, when we knew nothing
about God. We have his word. The written word,

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and the word flesh, to guide us into becoming

who God intended us to be.

Why do we hear we should read the bible? Well,

because we are transformed by the truth. The
bible says, and this verse is quoted in the Matrix
as well: “The truth will set you free.”

Now let’s move on…

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2. Be transformed by trustworthy
saints

19 - I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to

you soon, that I also may be cheered when I
receive news about you. I have no one else like
him, who takes a genuine interest in your
welfare. For everyone looks out for his own
interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know
that Timothy has proved himself, because as a
son with his father he has served with me in the
work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him
as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am
confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

So Paul sends Timothy to Philippi. If you know the

background, you know Timothy was a young man
being encouraged by Paul in ministry. If Paul is a
guy who triggers riots where he goes, Timothy is
more like a peaceful kind of guy.

Paul challenges the society and the Church.

Timothy brings comforting, stability to the
Church. Of course, this is a very brief and
simplistic description of the 2 men.

The Church needs both. We, as individuals, need

both. We need a strong-handed Paul to challenge
us, even to rebuke us sometimes, so that we stay
on the right track. We need also the stability, the
pastoral comfort of a Timothy.

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In all that, we may find help to become the men

and the women God wants us to be. We are
called to be transformed by trustworthy saints.

So yes, I know, it sounds funny “trustworthy

saints”. I could say “Fellow Christians” or
“Brothers & Sisters in Christ”. But I needed the
alliteration “Transformed by truth, transformed
by trustworthy saints”. And as I couldn’t find a
biblical reference to use something like
“transformed by trifle”, so I thought “Trustworthy
saints” is not that bad. Andrew, who makes
everything start with the same letter, came up
with more contrived points once or twice.

We are called to be transformed by encouraging

& challenging each other. The book of Acts says
the believers met together in the Temple every
day. We are called to share, to be a family. And
God transforms us through sharing with others,
who maybe went through the same situations
we’re in, who can provide insight, wisdom. We
are called to be transformed by trustworthy
saints.

Listen to this: Relationships are more important

than work. This is a biblical truth. Read 1
Corinthians 13. “If I do not have love, I’m like a
crashing cymbal, a noisy tambourine…” and all
the rest. In God’s Kingdom, building relationships
is more important than doing work. And you
know, our communities reflect whether or not we
understand this truth. I don’t want to butter up

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this Church. Because there’s no such thing as a

perfect Church. But I met in Christ Church people
who live by this truth. Building relationships is
more important than doing stuff. We are called to
be transformed by trustworthy saints.

And the 3rd part of being a transformer…

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3. Be transformed by troubles

25 - But I think it is necessary to send back to you

Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and
fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom
you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs
for all of you and is distressed because you heard
he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But
God had mercy on him, and not on him only but
also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

Epaphroditus, that’s not a name you give to your

son, unless you hate him. Paul mentions the
troubles of this dude, this fellow soldier, who was
very ill and almost died. If people say you should
not be ill when you’re a Christian, well, it’s not
that simple. Sometimes we don’t know why we’re
ill, or why we go through financial difficulties. At
some point in the book of Psalms, David asks
“How come the unrighteous is having a good life,
when I’m in trouble?”… And to tell you truth, I
sometimes ask this question. And I don’t the
short answer.

But I can tell something… We are called to be

transformed by troubles. When people of this
world go through storms and get bitter, we are
called to come out better.

This is a cliché line from Romans 8.28:

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“And we know that in all things God works for the

good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose.”

And of course, it’s very insensitive to say that to

someone who’s going through pain or the loss of
a loved one.

But, still, I believe we are called to be

transformed by troubles. I don’t believe we are
called to endure troubles and remain the same.
God uses troubles to build our character. God
uses our pain to bring healing.

This is a messianic truth. Jesus bore our pain to

bring us healing. And our pain, because we will
know pain, like anybody else at some point in
their lives… Our pain can bring healing to others
if we let God transform us.

We are transformed by troubles. You heard this

cheesey story of the butterfly. When it’s still in
the cocoon, the butterfly will not succeed if you
open the cocoon. You’ll ruin its whole life. The
butterfly will develop the strength it needs to
open the cocoon itself. And then the butterfly will
be able to fly as it’s supposed to.

We are called to find purpose in troubles.

Having said that, I don’t know if I’m called to find

purpose in my lift being still out of service. But
maybe.

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Transformed by truth
Transformed by trustworthy saints
Transformed by troubles

Friends, you are called to be transformers. You

are called to be the Optimus primes of faith. If
you don’t know Optimus prime, Zen will explain
to you.

We may not look great at first. But we are

transformed into Christ’s likeness.

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