Jeff clears away expired religion to reveal the living Jesus ADRIAN PLASS
WITH LUCAS APPLYING GOD’S WORD TODAY
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2022
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© Son Christian Media (SCM) and Novio Published 2022 by SCM/Novio – PO Box 3070, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6WX, UK All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of SCM/Novio. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, The “NIRV”, “New International Reader’s Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher. Design by Piero Regnante – Rogfog Creative | rogfog.co.uk Printed by Halcyon
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A WORD FROM JEFF
HOW TO CHANGE It’s a question that we have surely all asked of ourselves, especially when we’ve failed and genuinely want to be different: ‘How can I change?’ When we turn to the pages of Scripture, we see that the normal Christian life involves daily transformation: if we faithfully walk with Jesus, not only is heart change possible, it’s inevitable. In Christ, we experience what one writer has described as the ‘transforming friendship’. But as we’ll see, all too often we get stuck, and little change occurs. Dallas Willard lamented, ‘Faith today is treated as something that should make us different, not as actually does or can make us different.’1 There’s a car bumper sticker that declares that ‘Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven!’ But that is not the gospel. We are not yet perfect. We are forgiven. But the good news doesn’t stop there – we are called to transformation! The most important question for us is not ‘What am I becoming – richer, more powerful, successful, better looking’ – but rather ‘Who am I becoming?’ Do we believe we can change? If true change is to happen in our lives, then we need a vision for what we can become. And so, in our journey together, we will take time to carefully consider just exactly what maturity in Christ looks like. We need not only to affirm what we have been saved from, but also what we are saved for. And then we need intention. We will see that we are called to partner with the Holy Spirit who is the key agent of change.
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1
Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines, (San Francisco: Harper Collins,1988) preface, p13
Finally, we need the means to change. Jesus modelled spiritual practices (some call them disciplines) that are tools we can use to help us to walk with Christ and so prepare ourselves for the work God will do in us. The Early Church had a saying that John Wesley adopted: ‘The Spirit and discipline make a Christian.’2 Through the discipline, we don’t just adopt a lifestyle, but connect to the life source Himself – and that leads to altered lifestyles! The ultimate objective? God wants us to become like Jesus. As Paul puts it, ‘God planned that those he had chosen would become like his Son’ (Rom. 8:29). The Orthodox Church calls this process Christification. In writing these notes, I have been deeply challenged and inspired, and have a fresh hunger to walk with the Lord and see His Spirit powerfully work in and through me. I pray that, as we journey together, you will feel the same. And thank you, as always, for joining me.
2
John Wesley, Sermons on Several Occasions, (New York: Waugh and Mason, 1836) p437
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INTRODUCTION
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LIFE WITH LUCAS! CHOOSE A TIME Find the best time that works for you, ideally the same time, same place every day, when you can concentrate and have the least number of distractions. PAUSE AND TALK TO GOD Take a moment to focus on God and ask Him to speak to you as you read and reflect on His word. READ GOD’S WORD Read the daily passage from your Bible. Don’t be tempted just to skip this part. It’s important: who knows how the Holy Spirit might speak to you as you read the actual text? MAKE NOTES Writing slows you down and helps you focus. Write in your Bible, a notebook, or in the white space in the devotions. Don’t hesitate to underline, write in the margins, or circle words.
ONLINE VIDEO INTRODUCTIONS, AND GOING DEEPER When you see the video icon this points you to a brief Video Introduction to the subject. ake the most of the M occasional Going Deeper resources when you see this icon. They will help you delve further into the passage. GIVE YOUR DAY TO GOD Thank God for what you’ve learned and ask for help if the day’s notes brought to light anything especially applicable to your life at the moment.
FRI 01 JUL
THE GLORIOUS VISION: METAMORPHOSIS
READ 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 Matthew 17:1-13 FOCUS So we are being changed to become more like him so that we have more and more glory. 2 Corinthians 3:18
VIDEO INTRODUCTION lifewithlucas.co.uk /intros
The word awesome is overused, in my view. Everything isn’t awesome, but surely the transfiguration of Christ was. In a scene that refers to ‘six days’ and the ‘high mountain’, some commentators believe Matthew was linking this episode to the six days of creation, and Moses’ mountain top encounter with God (Exod. 24:15-16). Both John and Peter would write later about their experience as Jesus was transformed before them. ‘We saw him in all his majesty’, said Peter (2 Pet. 1:16). John adds, ‘We have seen his glory. It is the glory of the one and only Son’ (John 1:14). The word used to describe what happened to Jesus is the root of our word ‘metamorphosis’ – a change, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. This mountaintop encounter was surely staged to help sustain Jesus’ inner circle of three. The cross was looming: there were dark and difficult days ahead. The stunning sight of the glorious Christ would strengthen them. But here’s another awesome truth: the apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, uses that very same word, metamorphosis, to describe what God wants to do in our lives as He does the work of changing and shaping us. For us, change is progressive, and takes a lifetime. And the plan is that we become ‘glorious’, for His glory! Paul repeats the same word as he teaches the church in Rome about being ‘transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Rom. 12:2 NIV). Gradual, glorious change – that’s God’s plan for you and me. Prayer: My glorious Christ, I worship you: creator, redeemer, rescuer, wondrous Jesus. I offer myself afresh to You and to Your shaping hand. Amen. 7