Download 1 - Pastor Johnny M. Hunt | “Cardio: Transformed Hearts, Renewed

 “CARDIO: TRANSFORMED HEARTS, RENEWED MINDS, ALIGNED LIVES”
2 Corinthians 3:18
March 9, 2014
INTRODUCTIONS: Maximizing Spiritual Change: Most Americans call themselves spiritual people and
Christians. Yet, why is spiritual transformation so rare and fleeting? Barna released a major study this year
exploring this timeless and timely question.
Much of Barna Group’s work through the years has shown the rarity of lasting spiritual transformation in people’s
lives. For example, among those who believe they are Christians, just one-fifth say they live in a way that makes
them completely dependent on God. A similar proportion of Christians claim that the single most important
decision they have ever made was to invite Jesus Christ to forgive them and become their savior. And just onesixth of Christians say they are totally committed to engaging in personal spiritual development.
This year, George Barna’s Maximum Faith Project added new knowledge about the obstacles and also pointed to
significant insights that could lead to deeper spiritual transformation for individuals. The research revealed that
most Christians simply do not understand the obstacles they face on the spiritual journey. Yet, the Maximum
Faith study identified four common barriers to transformation, including lack of commitment, unwillingness to
fully repent, confusing activity for growth, and failure to engage in genuine accountable community.
One of the main discoveries of the project was that the spiritual journey can be mapped. In fact, the study
describes 10 stops in the spiritual journey and shows why it is so rare for people to continue growing spiritually as
well as how to help keep people moving. Many church leaders simply offer a menu of programs and spiritual
activities, hoping that people will, in effect, choose the right “spiritual diet.” Instead, the most effective leaders
understand that there is a defined and predictable process that people must undergo in order to be transformed.
Consequently, these leaders give people a sense of this journey and then facilitate the conditions for people to
experience such spiritual maturation.
Last week we dealt with Transformed Hearts and mentioned Renewed Minds, that can lead to an Aligned Life.
In Romans 12:2 the Bible speaks of a change that begins inward and manifests itself outward “by the renewing
of your mind.” Like our hearts, our minds feel the crushing blow of sinful depravity. Therefore, if our minds are
to be renewed it will not be done apart from the work of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:4-9
“that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh
but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the
flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not
subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does
not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
The Holy Spirit achieves this transformation by the renewing of the mind. The outward transformation is
effected by an inner change in the mind, and the Spirit’s means of transforming our minds is the Word.
Psalms 119:11
“Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.”
God’s own Word is the instrument His own Holy Spirit uses to renew our minds, which in turn, He uses to
transform our living.
1 - Pastor Johnny M. Hunt | “Cardio: Transformed Hearts, Renewed Minds, Aligned Lives” | March 9, 2014
Colossians 1:28
“Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every
man perfect in Christ Jesus. “
This renewing is a gradual conforming; a process where the mind is adjusted to think like Christ.
This is a picture of progressive sanctification that is at work in the heart of the believer. As a child of God, we
should always be moving forward to holiness and obedience. But even this isn’t a work of our own
righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ at work in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
The Renewing of the Mind:
It’s the adjustment of the moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God, which is designed to have a
transforming affect upon the life.
Titus 3:5
“not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”
“Renewing of the Holy Spirit” - is not a fresh bestowment of the Spirit, but a revival of His power developing
the Christian life; this passage stresses the continual operation of the indwelling Spirit of God; the Romans 12:2
passage stresses the willing response on the part of the believer.
“Based on Romans 12:2, what then do we do in obedience to this truth? We join the Holy Spirit in His precious
and all important work. We pursue Christ-exalting truth and we pray for truth-embracing humility.” John Piper
This brings us to our text today. We talked about the “wealth of His Word” and today the text magnifies the
“weight of His Glory.”
III. A CHANGE THAT’S ONGOING
2 Corinthians 3:18
The process of sanctification is the gracious redirecting of our worship and affections away from worldliness
and toward God’s image in Jesus as we are conformed to that image.
“We Become What We Worship” G. K. Beale
What people revere, they resemble, either for revival or for restoration. These are heart matters and worship
matters. Beale’s point is that our worship and our affections right now are pointers to a future trajectory.
“But we all, with unveiled faces”- Paul speaks of a veil that has been removed in Christ. The veil represents
unbelief.
“beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” – (present middle verb). A continuous beholding that you
initiate. The point that Paul is making is that we shall not lose the glory as Moses did. But that is true if we
keep on beholding or keep on reflecting.
“mirror” – in the ancient world did not give nearly as good a reflection as our mirrors today; polished metal
gave a clouded, foggy, somewhat distorted image. In our earthly experience, all Christians see only a dim
reflection of Christ’s glory.
1 Corinthians 13:12
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just
as I also am known.”
2 - Pastor Johnny M. Hunt | “Cardio: Transformed Hearts, Renewed Minds, Aligned Lives” | March 9, 2014
All 3 aspects of salvation; justification, sanctification, and glorification involve looking to Jesus. Speaks of my
past, present, and future.
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Deals with Penalty of Sin
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Desls with Power of Sin
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Deals with Presence of Sin
Paul’s writings remind us that the moon looks into the face of the sun and reflects its brightness on a darkened
world. Just as, we are to be occupied with the Lord Jesus and reflect His glory in this dark world of sin in
which we live.
ILLUSTRATE: In the Old Testament book of Numbers 21 the children of Israel were bitten by fiery serpents,
because of their rebellion, however, God provided a cure that took beholding.
Moses was told to make a serpent of brass and place it on a pole and lift it up where all could see.
Numbers 21:8
“Then the Lord said to Moses, "’Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone
who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.’"
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A Glance that Saves
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A Gaze that Sanctifies
John 3:14-15
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
“glory of the Lord” - primarily signifies an opinion, estimate, the honor resulting from a good opinion.
Used of the nature and acts of God in self-manifestation. What He essentially is and does, as exhibited in
whatever way He reveals Himself in these respects.
His grace, His power, His Divinity, the perfection of His character, His righteousness. We are to give due
acknowledgement of the exhibition of His attributes and ways. It’s His goodness, faithfulness, grace, longsuffering and glory.
“are being transformed into the same image” – a continual progressive change. A complete change which,
under the power of God will find expression in character and conduct.
Both behold and transformed denote continuous action, the result of our continuous beholding is our
continuously being transformed. As the glory of Moses faded, the glory of Christians increases as we conform
more and more to the character of Christ. In other words, if we continuously fix our attention on Christ as our
ideal, we increasingly tend to become like Him.
Hebrews 12:2
“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
3 - Pastor Johnny M. Hunt | “Cardio: Transformed Hearts, Renewed Minds, Aligned Lives” | March 9, 2014
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We are transformed by time spent with the
Lord by the Spirit of God.
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It requires beholding, not a casual look, it
means a careful study.
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“Same image” – like the Lord.
We become like the God of love, grace, peace,
righteousness.
John Calvin – “that the image of God, which has been defaced by sin, may be repaired within us, the progress
of this restoration is continuous through the whole of life, because it is little by little that God causes His glory
to shine forth in us.”
It’s a saint’s desire for other saints
Galatians 4:19
“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.”
This is the ultimate goal of salvation. Romans 8:29 “to be conformed to the image of His Son.”
Paul saw God’s purpose as one of conforming into His glorious image.
Philippians 3:12-14
“”Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that
for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended;
but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which
are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.’”
Paul had reduced the whole of sanctification to this simple and clear goal of doing “one thing,” pursuing
Christlikeness.
“are being transformed” – it isn’t complete yet; a process.
“from glory to glory” – the more believers grow in Christ, the more He is revealed in their lives.
“just as by (from) the Spirit of the Lord” – the Spirit changes us into Christ’s image. The work of
transformation is God’s work in us, not by the will or effect of man. I’m renewed in my mind by the Spirit, yet
there is a willing response on my part.
1 Corinthians 15:10
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more
abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
4 - Pastor Johnny M. Hunt | “Cardio: Transformed Hearts, Renewed Minds, Aligned Lives” | March 9, 2014
5 - Pastor Johnny M. Hunt | “Cardio: Transformed Hearts, Renewed Minds, Aligned Lives” | March 9, 2014