The Joy of Transformation
Trust God's Transforming Power
PART 1 — THE KICKOFF
“How will God work in me?”
Have you ever watched a plant grow — maybe some flowers or a tomato vine in your yard? If you’ve ever tried your hand at a backyard vegetable garden, you know it usually takes some patience and effort to finally grow something you could eat. You might stare at a plant for hours on end and not see anything — you’d think nothing would ever happen. That’s why nature photographers like to set up those time-lapse videos where — over the course of a few minutes — you can watch seasons change, seeds sprout into trees, and trees grow fruit.
Our spiritual transformation can feel slow, too, like sitting and watching a tree grow. But God does make the tree grow and he does bring new life to those who walk with him.
If you could speed up time on some part of life like a time-lapse video, what would it be?
ICE BREAKER QUESTION
PART 2 — LET’S GET INTO IT
Let’s get into it and put our trust in God’s transforming power. As we’ve seen, we must die to our old life of sin and be buried in the waters of baptism. And by the power that rose Jesus from the grave, we can rise to new life. We’re reborn — of the Spirit, born of God — and everything starts fresh.
Jesus compared being born of the Spirit to the way the wind moves around us unseen. We know it’s there as it whistles through the trees rustling leaves. Likewise, we don’t see the Spirit, but we see the Spirit's impact on our lives. Or to change the image, Jesus describes his work in us like a grapevine giving life and growth to the rest of the plant. He said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Who do you want to be that you know you need help to become?
REACH OUT QUESTION
To be raised with Christ means a total mindset transformation, with new perspectives, goals, and a changed way of living (Rom. 12:2; Col. 3:1-2). Our shackles of slavery to sin are broken and God sets us free, bringing life and peace as we set our minds on the things of the Spirit — God’s Spirit who dwells in us (Rom. 8:1-11)! So we lean on God, plant his word in our hearts, and continually pray for his help. We’re not calling the shots anymore and we’re not alone as we try to change. Right after the Bible says to “work out your salvation” it tells us that it’s God who works in you “to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13)!
God will work in you as you yield to him in faith.
THE BIG IDEA
PART 3 — INTO THE BOOK
We’ve been talking about “putting to death” our sinful desires and walking as a new person. But it might be helpful to realize that it’s not a one-time shift, but a daily battle. Every day we choose to let go of unhealthy, prideful, selfish desires and choose better. It’s described throughout Scripture as a “walk,” and we take it one step, one decision, at a time. In Galatians 5, the Bible gives two lists, first outlining the works we do when we follow our flesh, then describing the fruit God’s Spirit produces in us as we follow his lead. So, read Galatians 5:16-26 together to see the contrast between our old life and the daily transformation of the new.
After reading, take some time to discuss it.
How does the comparison to “walking” help you understand better the changes called for?
TALK ABOUT THE READING
PART 4 — GOING DEEPER
Ready to go deeper? The Bible opens with two chapters about creation. The first starts in the beginning as God says, “Let there be light,” initiating his creative work that brought order, fruitfulness, and life to the cosmos. The second chapter focuses on God’s creation of humanity, sculpting a man of clay and then breathing life into him. Then “God planted a garden in Eden” (Gen. 2:8) and it flowed with rivers that watered it. Humanity began in perfect harmony with God, each other, and even with the rest of God’s created world. But tragically, after eating of a tree that God commanded them not to, they were exiled from the garden and the tree of life planted there (Gen. 3:24). Nothing has ever been the same since.
These chapters give us a lot to think about, and the rest of the Bible continues to reflect on their meaning and implications, as we considered way back in our session focused on what the Bible’s all about. What’s eye-opening for our study today about God’s transforming power is how this same language describes our new life in Christ. It’s as if we’re back at the start of Genesis 1 and 2, enjoying a kind of life humans haven’t known since the fall. God’s work of new creation and restoration began in Christ and continues in us. Anyone in Christ is a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Cor. 4:6-7).
God’s blessing made creation flourish with fruitfulness (Gen. 1:22, 28). Now his life-giving power makes us bloom and grow, as his Spirit bears fruit in us (Gal. 5:22-23). And as we’ve read, Christ the Vine is the source of our life (John 15:5) — if we’ll stay connected to him, abiding in his words.
As the garden flowed with life-giving waters, Jesus promised: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive” (John 7:38-39). The Bible often uses water imagery for God’s Spirit. God “saved us … by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ” (Titus 3:5-6). Not only is the Spirit himself poured out, but “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:5). It’s like rivers of living water!
“In the beginning,” the Bible says, “God made the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). Someday, a new heavens and a new earth will come — a garden city with the tree of life in its midst. There “the river of the water of life, bright as crystal” flows from God’s throne. And we’ll dwell with God there in joy, where God makes all things new (Rev. 21:1-5; 22:1-2). It’s the life you were made to enjoy, a home that makes the journey worth it all, where we’ll delight in the Lord who has loved us forever.
Are you starting to envision the new kind of person God wants to help you become?
THE BIG QUESTION
PART 5 — WRAPUP
THE CHALLENGE
God’s life-giving work in our lives will always shine brightest compared to the disappointment and brokenness of our past. So remember that sheet of paper where you listed all the unhealthy things you were ready to let go of? Now, on the right side of that same paper, make a list of all the wholesome, new things you’re ready for God to create in your life. As you start the next conversation, take a moment to talk about what you noticed.
NEXT TIME
We’ve gone through quite a journey up to this point! So, what’s next? There’s so much more to explore about Jesus, the Bible, about important questions regarding moral and social issues, but at this point, we need to tackle the most important question yet: “What do I need to do to be saved?” It’s safe to assume that the answer isn’t going to be surprising, considering how much we’ve covered already!
CLOSING BLESSING
May the Lord bless us as we ponder his power to bring renewal and rejuvenation to our lives.