1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,800 Hello and thanks for listening today to Trinity Sermons. 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,400 Here at Trinity Church, Streetsville, we want to share encouraging sermons, rooted in biblical 3 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:18,480 truth, that guide us in our faith journey as we seek to love Jesus, live like Jesus, 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,800 and lead other people to Jesus. 5 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:26,500 This is episode 5 of our sermon series titled, Renovation of the Heart, and Rev. Rob Hirkmans 6 00:00:26,500 --> 00:00:31,160 will be preaching about intentional choices and spiritual changes. 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,360 You definitely don't want to miss this insightful message. 8 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,720 Now before we begin, don't forget to follow our podcast to stay up to date on all of our 9 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:40,240 future sermons. 10 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,480 And to learn more about who we are, feel free to check us out on social media or visit our 11 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:46,360 website at trinitiestreetsville.org. 12 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,920 I hope you enjoy listening today. 13 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:50,920 God bless. 14 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,480 Good morning Trinity. 15 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,240 Good morning. 16 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:05,160 Our reading is from Ephesians 4, verse 29 through to chapter 5, verse 2. 17 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:11,960 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for 18 00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:20,320 building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 19 00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:28,280 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 20 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:35,040 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form 21 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:36,720 of malice. 22 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:45,180 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God 23 00:01:45,180 --> 00:01:47,960 forgave you. 24 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:56,360 Follow God's example, therefore as dearly loved children, and walk in the way of love, 25 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:03,920 just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice 26 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,920 to God. 27 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:12,200 Trinity this is the word of the Lord. 28 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,200 First of all though, my name is Rob and I am the minister here at Trinity Streetsville. 29 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,880 I love being here and I'm so glad that you're here, especially if you're new or visiting 30 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:24,400 today and to all those who are watching online, we know you're there. 31 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:25,400 We're glad you're there. 32 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,320 You're part of our E family. 33 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,640 But what we are doing right now is we are moving through a teaching series called Fixer 34 00:02:30,640 --> 00:02:36,400 Upper, where we were thinking about the ways that God is renovating, changing, and transforming 35 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:41,120 our hearts, transforming our thoughts, and transforming the feelings that we have going 36 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:42,120 on in us. 37 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:43,520 We are all Fixer Uppers. 38 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:44,520 That's important to understand. 39 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:46,120 We're all Fixer Uppers. 40 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,920 God is doing work in all of our lives all of the time. 41 00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:53,800 In fact, to remind you of that fact, today we want to give you a little gift as you leave 42 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:54,800 church today. 43 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:59,440 Everybody's going to receive one of these little cute little tape measure key chains. 44 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:04,720 And this is just a reminder that you're a work in progress, that God is fixing you up, 45 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,440 renovating you by his Holy Spirit. 46 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:08,560 He's expanding your heart. 47 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,080 He is renewing your mind. 48 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:15,660 He is transforming your feelings and transforming your emotions. 49 00:03:15,660 --> 00:03:21,920 But today what we need to talk about is how God is actually renovating the inside of us, 50 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:27,800 yes, but ultimately the work that God does inside of us has to eventually show up on 51 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:33,000 the outside in some of the externals and some of the finishes, in some of the behaviors 52 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:37,600 that we demonstrate, in some of the actions, in some of our choices. 53 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:41,920 You see, when a person walks into a newly renovated house, they don't look around and 54 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,200 say, oh, I love the studs here. 55 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,680 Or they don't look and say, oh, I love what you've done with the plumbing or I love what 56 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:48,920 you've done with the wiring. 57 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,560 No, they can't see any of that stuff. 58 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,840 They walk into a house and they say, oh, I love the wall color you've chosen and then 59 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:57,160 the artwork that you've chosen. 60 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,440 I love the fixtures that you've chosen and the countertop and the sink. 61 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,200 I love your choices that you've made. 62 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,820 I love the lighting that you have chosen. 63 00:04:05,820 --> 00:04:11,840 And that is the same when it comes to a spiritual renovation that God is doing in our lives. 64 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,640 People can't see the work that God's doing in your heart. 65 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,840 They can't see the work God's doing in renewing your thoughts and transforming your emotions, 66 00:04:18,840 --> 00:04:20,920 but they can see your actions. 67 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:22,620 They can see your life. 68 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:26,680 They can see how you're behaving differently so they can walk up and say, oh, my goodness, 69 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,240 look at how patient and kind and forgiving and generous this person is. 70 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:35,960 There must be something going on on the inside because I am seeing the effects of it on the 71 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,060 outside. 72 00:04:38,060 --> 00:04:44,720 In renovations, making changes always means making choices. 73 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:48,520 It's not enough just to talk about wanting to change your life or to dream about wanting 74 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:51,440 to change your life or to have a desire to change your life. 75 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:56,720 You actually have to eventually make some choices, make some decisions. 76 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:58,700 You must choose to change. 77 00:04:58,700 --> 00:05:00,360 So here's a question for you today. 78 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,080 Are you going to be a different person in six months from now? 79 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:11,320 A year from now, are you going to be a significantly more generous or kind or forgiving or kind 80 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,000 or joyful or compassionate person? 81 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,840 I can tell you the answer to that question right now. 82 00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:26,060 It will only happen if you make certain choices and changes. 83 00:05:26,060 --> 00:05:30,560 Those kind of changes don't happen by accident. 84 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,560 Now this is where it gets a little tricky. 85 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:40,800 Change is both a spiritual work that God does in us, but it's also an intentional work, 86 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:42,160 something that we do. 87 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,640 Yes, yes, God's spirit is the one who's working in you. 88 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,120 Only God's spirit can transform you from the inside. 89 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:50,400 We cannot do that work. 90 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:51,560 But here's the mystery. 91 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,920 Still requires some choices on your part. 92 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:57,020 Still requires you to make some intentional changes. 93 00:05:57,020 --> 00:06:04,040 And until you start making some choices, you will not experience the transformation that 94 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,360 you long for in your life. 95 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:13,200 Did you actually know that our ability as human beings to make choices is one of the 96 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,720 things that makes us human? 97 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,120 Animals can't make moral choices the same way that we can. 98 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:24,640 I don't think an animal really knows the difference between good and bad or right or wrong or 99 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:26,400 better or best. 100 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,200 Except cats. 101 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:37,160 Cats do know the difference between good and evil, and they choose evil all the time. 102 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:38,160 Very intentional. 103 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,560 But yes. 104 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,000 But no, animals have instincts. 105 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,520 They have instincts. 106 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:45,640 That's what drives them. 107 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:47,160 We have choices. 108 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:48,160 We have choices. 109 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:49,160 That's what makes us humans. 110 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:50,160 It's a wonderful thing. 111 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,940 It's a part of what it means to be made in the image of God, that you can make a choice. 112 00:06:53,940 --> 00:06:57,040 You can make important choices and changes in your life. 113 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,800 And this is so important because sometimes I think we sit around like this. 114 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,120 We're like, okay, God, I am ready for you to change me. 115 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:06,120 Hit me, God. 116 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:07,120 Zap me. 117 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:10,200 I'm ready to be more generous. 118 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,360 I'm ready to be more kind. 119 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,120 I'm ready to be more patient. 120 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:15,120 God, make it happen. 121 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:16,120 Anytime now. 122 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:17,120 Hit me. 123 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:18,120 Anytime now, God. 124 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:23,640 And meanwhile, God is like, Rob, I've been waiting for years to make you more kind and 125 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:24,640 more generous. 126 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:30,320 What I've been waiting for is for you to start making some changes and choices in your life. 127 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,220 You see, it takes two. 128 00:07:33,220 --> 00:07:39,020 It's like Rob Bass and DJ EZ Rock used to say back in the eighties, it takes two to 129 00:07:39,020 --> 00:07:41,460 make a thing go right. 130 00:07:41,460 --> 00:07:43,080 It takes two to make it. 131 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,760 I would say yes. 132 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:46,760 Yes. 133 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:52,840 By the way, this applies to all sorts of changes that you make in your life, whether it's a 134 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,680 change you want to make to your finances, a change you want to make in your career, a 135 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,760 change you want to make to your health. 136 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:03,120 Maybe you want to make a change in your marriage, not change who you're married to, but make 137 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:06,680 your marriage better or a change you want to make in your relationship with your son 138 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:08,040 or your daughter. 139 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:10,240 In all these changes, it takes two. 140 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:11,240 It takes two. 141 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,400 It takes God's spirit, but it also takes your choices. 142 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,600 Now here's the thing. 143 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:18,080 It's hard to change. 144 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:19,240 Why is it so hard to change? 145 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:20,760 You know it's hard to change. 146 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,560 There are things in your life that you've been working on, not just for a couple of 147 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:30,100 weeks, but for several years, and they're stubbornly resistant to you making those changes. 148 00:08:30,100 --> 00:08:31,600 Why is it so hard to change? 149 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,160 I'm going to share with you a few reasons I think why it's so hard to change. 150 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:35,160 Here's the first one. 151 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:41,380 It is just really, really hard to let go of our patterns and our habits and the things 152 00:08:41,380 --> 00:08:42,840 that we've been doing, right? 153 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,200 Change means letting go and letting go hurts. 154 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,120 Letting go is scary. 155 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:52,520 When you're a trapeze artist and you are swinging on a trapeze, and here's the other trapeze, 156 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:57,400 and you have to grab hold of that one, but then at some point you need to let go. 157 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,520 You need to let go of this one. 158 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,920 And if you don't let go of that one, you're just going to be stuck hanging there in the 159 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:08,000 middle and maybe you'll even fall down into the netting below. 160 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,020 And I think that's where a lot of us are at today, right? 161 00:09:11,020 --> 00:09:13,100 We want to make a change in our life. 162 00:09:13,100 --> 00:09:17,680 We're ready to make a change, but actually we don't quite really want to let go of some 163 00:09:17,680 --> 00:09:22,120 of the habits and some of the things that are going on in our life, our old patterns, 164 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:23,120 our old ways of thinking. 165 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:24,120 We don't want to let go. 166 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:25,120 Too scary, too risky. 167 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:26,680 And so we're caught there. 168 00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:28,460 We're just hanging in between. 169 00:09:28,460 --> 00:09:29,840 It's hard to let go. 170 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:33,780 But what we have to do, and according to the scriptures, is we have to throw off. 171 00:09:33,780 --> 00:09:38,000 We have to actually let go, throw off our old sinful nature and our old former way of 172 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:45,520 life and fully embrace a choice for a change, for a better way of life. 173 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:49,960 Now the second reason why it's so hard to make changes is actually this verse kind of 174 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:51,120 gives us a hint. 175 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,440 And that is that word old, right? 176 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:58,500 A lot of the changes that we're trying to make have to do with old patterns, old habits, 177 00:09:58,500 --> 00:10:03,300 and old hurts, and old habits die hard. 178 00:10:03,300 --> 00:10:06,080 Old habits die hard, right? 179 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:11,960 Let's be honest, we didn't get the way that we are right now overnight. 180 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:14,400 It took me a whole lifetime to get this messed up, right? 181 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:16,560 I had to work at it for years and years and years. 182 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:21,980 It took you a long time to get as messed up as you are right now. 183 00:10:21,980 --> 00:10:25,320 And many of the patterns, many of the bad habits that we have in our life, they were 184 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:29,400 established going way back, maybe even back to when you were a child. 185 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:33,160 And maybe back when you were a child, those bad habits that you had actually helped you 186 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,720 cope, but now that you're growing up, they don't work anymore. 187 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:38,880 And in fact, they're just making your life worse. 188 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:43,680 But still, we can't let go of them because they're old, familiar buddies. 189 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:47,600 They're like good friends that sit down with us and you're like, hey, old buddy, old habit. 190 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:48,600 How are you? 191 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:49,600 Oh, I'm great. 192 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:50,600 How are you? 193 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:51,600 Yeah, you're the best. 194 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:52,600 You're always there for me. 195 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,860 Yeah, sounds like drinking buddies, but I wasn't trying to make that kind of image. 196 00:10:55,860 --> 00:11:00,040 But the point is, is that you know they're not good for you, and yet you still can't 197 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:03,600 let them go because they're old and they're familiar. 198 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:07,720 Thirdly, there's a third reason why we sometimes have a hard time letting go of old habits, 199 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:13,560 and that is because we actually begin to identify with those behaviors that we know we should 200 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:15,200 change but just can't. 201 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:16,840 So they become part of us. 202 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:21,080 We say things like, they don't say, we don't say I work too much. 203 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,280 We say, I'm just a workaholic. 204 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:26,280 It's just who I am. 205 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:30,320 Or I'm just lazy and there's no changing it. 206 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:31,320 That's who I am. 207 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:32,400 It's my identity now. 208 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,120 I'm aggressive. 209 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,320 It's just part of my personality. 210 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:37,320 Nothing I can do about it. 211 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,360 Or I'm timid or I'm an overeater or I'm whatever. 212 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,440 Here's a thought experiment for you. 213 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:43,700 Just finish this line. 214 00:11:43,700 --> 00:11:44,700 Finish this sentence. 215 00:11:44,700 --> 00:11:49,560 Say, it's just like me to be what? 216 00:11:49,560 --> 00:11:52,120 It's just like me to be impatient. 217 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:56,600 It's just like me to speak my mind, to say the inappropriate thing. 218 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:57,880 It's just like me. 219 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:03,440 Whenever we say something like this, what we're actually saying is that this is my true 220 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,980 identity, but it's not your true identity. 221 00:12:06,980 --> 00:12:13,080 In fact, some of those behaviors might actually be masking and covering up your true identity. 222 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:17,680 But the problem is we start to see ourselves in certain ways and it becomes a self-fulfilling 223 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:18,720 prophecy. 224 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,640 Which is why there's this saying that says you should define your habits before your 225 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,720 habits define you. 226 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:30,580 Over time, yes, your habits can be changed, but over time, if your habits actually seep 227 00:12:30,580 --> 00:12:35,060 in and become actually part of who you are, it can be very, very difficult to change them 228 00:12:35,060 --> 00:12:36,060 at that point. 229 00:12:36,060 --> 00:12:41,520 We may start to think, well, if I change, if I change that habit, will I still be me? 230 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:45,200 If I change, won't I be someone different now? 231 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:49,640 So listen, some things are hard to change in our life. 232 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:50,640 Why? 233 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:56,320 Because we've made them part of who we are and we're scared to rip them out at this point. 234 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,320 A couple more reasons why things are hard to change. 235 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:00,780 This is the obvious one. 236 00:13:00,780 --> 00:13:03,960 So many of the habits and behaviors that we'd like to change, we just can't because they 237 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,460 feel good. 238 00:13:06,460 --> 00:13:09,320 It feels good to yell at someone. 239 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:12,220 It feels good to overspend. 240 00:13:12,220 --> 00:13:14,580 It just feels good to cheat. 241 00:13:14,580 --> 00:13:18,320 And so what we say is, I don't really want to change what I'm doing because it actually 242 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:19,320 feels good. 243 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:20,320 It's working for me. 244 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,520 I get some benefit out of this, right? 245 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:24,920 There's a payoff of some sort. 246 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:30,080 Now, of course, we all know that sin feels good. 247 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,000 Otherwise, nobody would do it. 248 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,120 Nobody sins out of obligation. 249 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,380 We sin because we love it. 250 00:13:38,380 --> 00:13:40,400 It feels good. 251 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:44,180 And the reason we don't hate these behaviors is because we love them. 252 00:13:44,180 --> 00:13:47,440 And because we love the way they make us feel really, really hard to change. 253 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:48,600 It feels good. 254 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:54,600 Last one I want to throw out to you, though, is that besides the fleeting pleasures of 255 00:13:54,600 --> 00:14:01,040 sin, we have to realize that change is hard because we're talking about spiritual change. 256 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:02,480 We're talking about spiritual change. 257 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:08,520 And that means that there's going to be spiritual forces that are opposed to you making these 258 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,560 changes in your life. 259 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:13,280 The Bible talks about evil. 260 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:18,440 The Bible talks about forces of darkness that are constantly trying to discourage you. 261 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,320 The evil one wants to keep you stuck in a rut. 262 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,960 The evil one does not want you to become the woman God wants you to be. 263 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,860 He doesn't want you to become the man that God wants you to be. 264 00:14:28,860 --> 00:14:32,840 And so Satan does this thing where he's constantly criticizing you. 265 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:36,600 He's constantly accusing you and saying, you are never going to change. 266 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:40,060 In fact, did you know that that is actually what the word Satan means? 267 00:14:40,060 --> 00:14:44,040 It means accuser, accuser. 268 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:48,040 So whenever you hear that voice inside of you, that voice that says, you're never going to 269 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:49,360 change. 270 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,280 The voice that says, you know, you're never going to change that old habit. 271 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:54,640 You're never going to change your thoughts. 272 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,880 You're never going to change your lifestyle. 273 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:57,880 You kidding me? 274 00:14:57,880 --> 00:14:59,960 Do you know how many diets you've been on? 275 00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:01,680 You're never going to change. 276 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:02,680 You're hopeless. 277 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:04,840 You're never going to change, make your marriage better. 278 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:09,320 You're never going to improve that relationship that you have with your son or your daughter. 279 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:10,480 You're hopeless. 280 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:16,480 Why don't you, this is the voice, why don't you just give up? 281 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:18,280 Where does that voice come from? 282 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:19,920 Does not come from God. 283 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:24,400 It comes from the evil one who's accusing you the voice of the accuser. 284 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:30,440 So now just to summarize so far, do you see why change is so hard? 285 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:35,840 Why it's so hard to get our outer life to match what's going on in our inner life, right? 286 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,580 It's hard to let go of certain behaviors. 287 00:15:38,580 --> 00:15:40,280 Old habits die hard. 288 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:44,060 Pretty soon we start to identify with those behaviors. 289 00:15:44,060 --> 00:15:48,880 It feels good to keep doing the things we're doing and all the forces of evil are arrayed 290 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,060 against us to stop us from changing. 291 00:15:51,060 --> 00:15:53,880 So good luck, good luck making changes in your life. 292 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,060 I mean, is change, is it even possible? 293 00:15:57,060 --> 00:15:58,060 Is it even possible? 294 00:15:58,060 --> 00:16:02,260 Is it possible that we could ever experience something like what Paul was trying to describe 295 00:16:02,260 --> 00:16:05,040 when Annie read this reading for us this morning? 296 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:10,700 Get rid of all bitterness and rage, anger and brawling and slander along with every 297 00:16:10,700 --> 00:16:11,880 form of malice. 298 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,720 That sounds pretty good, but is it possible? 299 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:21,080 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God 300 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:22,960 forgave you. 301 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:25,160 This sounds good. 302 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:31,240 It sounds too good to be true because change is so hard. 303 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,720 But today I want to give you some good news. 304 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:35,080 I want to show you very quickly. 305 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,300 I want to show you that just as there were those five things that I want to hold you 306 00:16:38,300 --> 00:16:45,040 back from making changes, there are five choices you can make today. 307 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:50,680 Five choices you can make today to start changing into the person you want to be and changing 308 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:52,960 into the person that God wants you to be. 309 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,760 I'm talking about lasting changes here. 310 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:57,440 Anybody can change for a week or two. 311 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:02,980 What I'm talking about is a change that is going to last you for the rest of your life. 312 00:17:02,980 --> 00:17:09,960 So let me just wrap up this time by sharing you five choices that you can make. 313 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:11,420 Here's the first choice. 314 00:17:11,420 --> 00:17:16,160 You can choose truth over lies. 315 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:24,360 If Satan specializes in whispering lies in your ear, then we need to be steeped in truth. 316 00:17:24,360 --> 00:17:27,400 Many of us here today, you're believing some lie. 317 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:32,560 You're believing some lie about who God is, or you're believing some lie about what happiness 318 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:38,400 is, or you're believing some lie about who you are, or some lie about your past, or some 319 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:41,320 lie about your failures, or whatever the case may be. 320 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:46,560 And the first choice, therefore, you have to make is to choose truth over the lies that 321 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:48,600 you're listening to. 322 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:53,060 This is God's truth, God's word. 323 00:17:53,060 --> 00:17:59,080 And the more you can get into God's word, the more God's truth can get into you and 324 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,760 the more that you are going to be transformed. 325 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:08,480 In fact, this is what Paul said when he was writing to a young Christian named Timothy 326 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:12,320 who was trying to be changed and trying to be transformed. 327 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:19,920 He said this, he said, all scripture is inspired by God and it's useful to teach us what is 328 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:26,160 true, to teach us what is true. 329 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:30,980 And to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. 330 00:18:30,980 --> 00:18:37,440 It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 331 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:43,460 So when it comes to making changes and choices in your life, you need to know what is true. 332 00:18:43,460 --> 00:18:47,520 You need to know what is wrong and you need to know what is right. 333 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,160 And the scriptures offer us that. 334 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:54,240 It's important to say that the Bible does not just go around pointing out what is wrong 335 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:55,240 with you. 336 00:18:55,240 --> 00:19:01,880 The Bible actually shows us how to get back on the path to what is right. 337 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:08,120 That is why reading your Bible daily and having some time daily to pray is so important if 338 00:19:08,120 --> 00:19:12,480 you're going to have change because you've got to have truth. 339 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:16,100 And if you want to have truth, then you've got to have God's word. 340 00:19:16,100 --> 00:19:21,840 I would go so far as to say if you do not have a steady diet of God's truth, then you 341 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,680 will end up believing the lies. 342 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:26,080 So you want to change. 343 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:27,440 You can make a choice today. 344 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:32,040 The first choice is to choose truth over lies. 345 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,180 Here's the second choice you can make. 346 00:19:34,180 --> 00:19:38,520 You can choose community over isolation. 347 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:39,520 You see, here's what happens. 348 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:42,660 Sometimes when we know we're not the person we want to be or we know the person that God 349 00:19:42,660 --> 00:19:45,580 wants us to be, we sometimes hide ourself away. 350 00:19:45,580 --> 00:19:47,240 Maybe we even feel shame. 351 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,860 But that doesn't help because we can't change on our own. 352 00:19:50,860 --> 00:19:54,540 If we could change on our own, we would have changed already. 353 00:19:54,540 --> 00:19:56,240 We can't get healthy by ourselves. 354 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:59,560 The only way we can get healthy is by being part of a community. 355 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:03,540 That's the only place you can really make better choices and learn to change. 356 00:20:03,540 --> 00:20:04,540 And I'll tell you why. 357 00:20:04,540 --> 00:20:11,680 If you read the New Testament, you will constantly come across this word, one another, one another. 358 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:16,560 The Bible tells us over and over again that the way we learn and grow is by doing these 359 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:18,720 things with one another. 360 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:20,240 Love one another. 361 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:21,400 Forgive one another. 362 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:22,920 Submit to one another. 363 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:23,920 Teach one another. 364 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:24,920 Like one another. 365 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:25,920 Encourage one another. 366 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:26,920 Pray for one another. 367 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:27,920 Bear with one another. 368 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:29,520 Be kind, compassionate, generous, hospitable. 369 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:30,520 Serve one another. 370 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,760 The list goes on and on and on. 371 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:39,160 But the point is the place where we learn to renovate our lives, to renovate our exterior 372 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:43,160 actions is in community. 373 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:49,820 Because listen, if you can learn to live out a new life here at Trinity Streetsville, then 374 00:20:49,820 --> 00:20:54,480 chances are you could go out to your school and live out that transformed life there. 375 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,960 Or you could go into your workplace and you could live out that transformed life there 376 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:02,520 or into your relationships, your marriage, your parenting, and you can live it out there. 377 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:08,320 But we need to start by choosing to be part of a community that is intentional about practicing 378 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:15,560 and learning how to change, how to make better choices here in community, in community. 379 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:17,480 So that's the second choice you can make. 380 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:18,580 You can choose today. 381 00:21:18,580 --> 00:21:25,240 You can choose to be part of a community over isolation, to be part of one anothering with 382 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,560 us here at Trinity Streetsville. 383 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:33,020 Here's the third choice you can make today to begin some serious change in your life. 384 00:21:33,020 --> 00:21:37,040 You can choose Jesus over everyone else. 385 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,680 Now you heard me talking to Scott in the video, right? 386 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,460 When it comes to finishing your house, there are so many, so many choices, right? 387 00:21:43,460 --> 00:21:46,600 Which contractor you're going to go with, which design you're going to go with, which 388 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,280 color you're going to go with, which carpenter you're going to go with. 389 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:53,080 And as you go out and you want to renovate your heart and renovate your spiritual life, 390 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,120 there is going to be all sorts of people who come up to you and say, oh, pick me, pick 391 00:21:56,120 --> 00:21:57,200 me, pick me. 392 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,700 Let me be the one who tells you how to change your life. 393 00:21:59,700 --> 00:22:01,520 Let me be the one to renovate your heart. 394 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:04,000 I know what you should look like. 395 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:05,360 Celebrities will tell you that. 396 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:12,360 Authors, speakers, self-help gurus, YouTubers, even your friends will say, hey, choose me. 397 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:15,920 Let me be the one to show you how to live your life. 398 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,960 Trust me, choose me, follow me. 399 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:23,280 I'll make you into what you should be. 400 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:28,420 But today I want to encourage you, choose Jesus above all others. 401 00:22:28,420 --> 00:22:30,360 Let him be the one to renovate your life. 402 00:22:30,360 --> 00:22:34,000 Let him be the one to finish the renovation of your life. 403 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:35,000 Here's the thing. 404 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:40,040 You may not realize this, but Jesus knows how to live your life better than you do. 405 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:41,980 Think that one through. 406 00:22:41,980 --> 00:22:47,780 And I'm certain, Paul says, that he who began the good work in you will continue his work 407 00:22:47,780 --> 00:22:51,680 until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. 408 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:56,720 He began it, he can continue it, and he is the one who can finish it. 409 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:00,200 So tell everyone to take their hands off your life. 410 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:01,440 Tell them to get lost. 411 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,800 Tell them the job of transformation is already taken. 412 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:06,160 You've already hired your renovator. 413 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:09,960 You've already signed the contract to renovate your heart, and it's Jesus. 414 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:13,420 You're never going to find a better workman to do that work in your life. 415 00:23:13,420 --> 00:23:14,420 Check out this. 416 00:23:14,420 --> 00:23:16,960 I found this old hymn by this guy named David Mowbray. 417 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:18,960 Listen to these old lyrics. 418 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:26,600 Oh Christ, the master carpenter, high on a cross you died, a wooden cross with iron nails, 419 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:28,960 a spear thrust in your side. 420 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:35,940 Oh Christ, upon that Friday cross, your work on earth was done, yet truly in my life today 421 00:23:35,940 --> 00:23:37,880 your work has just begun. 422 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:46,480 Oh Christ, take up your workman's tools and shape my life anew that I who now appear rough 423 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:50,960 hewn may be restored in you. 424 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:59,120 Oh Christ, the master carpenter, let beauty gently shine within the workshop of my life. 425 00:23:59,120 --> 00:24:03,040 The praise be yours, not mine. 426 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:05,360 Where are you going to get workmanship like this? 427 00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:06,360 Nowhere. 428 00:24:06,360 --> 00:24:07,360 Choose Jesus. 429 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:09,760 That's the third choice you can make today. 430 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:11,360 Here's a fourth choice you can make. 431 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:15,920 You can choose all these things today and not tomorrow. 432 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:17,880 Some of you are here and you're saying, this sounds really good. 433 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:19,320 I think I'm going to go home and think about it. 434 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:20,680 I'm going to think about it for a week. 435 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:22,440 All this renovation stuff sounds kind of fascinating. 436 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:24,920 Maybe I'll take the summer to mull it over and ponder it. 437 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:25,920 What an interesting sermon. 438 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:26,920 What an interesting idea. 439 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:32,020 But listen, do you remember how I said we did not get this way overnight? 440 00:24:32,020 --> 00:24:34,640 Our change is not going to happen overnight either. 441 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:36,360 It is going to take time. 442 00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:37,360 E-I-M-E. 443 00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:40,560 It is going to take a lot of time for God to do the work in your heart. 444 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,440 It's going to take the rest of your life, in fact. 445 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:46,200 So why not get started today? 446 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:53,300 I mean, Rick Warren is famous for saying, when God wants to make a mushroom, it takes 447 00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:55,120 six hours. 448 00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:59,240 And when God wants to make an oak tree, he takes 60 years. 449 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:00,240 Do you want to be a mushroom? 450 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,920 Or do you want to be an oak tree? 451 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:04,120 Get started. 452 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:05,880 It's going to take a while. 453 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:08,320 Don't put off to tomorrow what you can start today. 454 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:12,960 You know, there's a wonderful story where Moses is leading the people of Israel to the 455 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:14,280 brink of the promised land. 456 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:15,280 They're right there. 457 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:16,640 They're ready to cross over the river. 458 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:18,080 And now people are starting to hesitate. 459 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:19,740 Do I really want to make this change? 460 00:25:19,740 --> 00:25:22,720 Do I really want to take this huge step in my life? 461 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:26,680 And he says, guys, today, today I'm giving you the choice. 462 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:33,200 You can choose life and success, or you can choose death and disaster. 463 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:34,960 Today can be for you the same thing. 464 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:39,800 It can be the first step for you on a lifelong journey of transformation. 465 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:41,840 God can't renovate you overnight. 466 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:42,840 Right? 467 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,040 He can't do it today. 468 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:48,320 But you can choose today to get started. 469 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:52,600 You can choose today to choose truth over lies, to choose community over isolation. 470 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,960 You can choose Jesus over all the others. 471 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:59,200 So who knows what tomorrow will hold? 472 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:00,200 Choose today. 473 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,880 And here's the last choice you can make. 474 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:06,520 And actually, this is the easiest of them all because it's not a choice you have to 475 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:07,760 make at all. 476 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:08,960 And here's the thing. 477 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:09,960 God made this choice. 478 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:11,640 It's already been made. 479 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:13,600 And that is God chose you. 480 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:24,860 Apparently, and I don't know why, but God likes you. 481 00:26:24,860 --> 00:26:27,420 Other people may not like you. 482 00:26:27,420 --> 00:26:30,520 You may not like you, but God likes you. 483 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:32,140 In fact, God more than likes you. 484 00:26:32,140 --> 00:26:34,880 God loves you. 485 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,640 And this is so important because some of us were like, why bother making these changes 486 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:39,840 in my life? 487 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,880 God has already has such a horrible opinion of me. 488 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,480 God doesn't care about my life, but you are so wrong. 489 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:51,360 God cares so much about your life. 490 00:26:51,360 --> 00:26:55,240 He chose you before you even thought to choose him. 491 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:59,200 And he didn't choose you because of any amazing thing that you have done. 492 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:05,080 He chose you just because of who he is and what Jesus did. 493 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:06,080 Here's some good news. 494 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:10,800 The Bible says in Ephesians 1, 4 that even before he made the world, God loved us and 495 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:17,240 chose us in Christ to be his holy people, to be without fault in his eyes. 496 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:21,440 Guys, I know sometimes when you look back in your life, you see all these bad decisions 497 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:25,620 you've made and you got this, you feel maybe a sense of rejection. 498 00:27:25,620 --> 00:27:27,460 Maybe from your childhood, you felt rejected. 499 00:27:27,460 --> 00:27:29,480 Maybe you got rejected by some friends. 500 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:33,360 And the trouble is when we feel rejected, you know what we immediately try to do? 501 00:27:33,360 --> 00:27:37,560 We try to change to become people that our peers will like or become people that our 502 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:38,560 parents will like. 503 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:41,560 Or we try to change to become acceptable and welcoming. 504 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:45,500 And so everyone will like us and we change out of our rejection. 505 00:27:45,500 --> 00:27:49,920 But listen, when you realize that God has already chosen you, God has not rejected you, 506 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:54,960 you're already loved, then you won't find yourself changing to please anyone or to earn 507 00:27:54,960 --> 00:28:01,880 anything from God, but you'll find yourself changing just because of this God and how 508 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:04,200 much this God loves you. 509 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:08,720 And the thought of becoming more like this God is so appealing. 510 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:14,160 A spiritual renovation, hard work, very hard work. 511 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:18,220 It's hard to change our hearts, our minds, our thoughts, and our feelings, and it's hard 512 00:28:18,220 --> 00:28:20,980 to change those actions and those attitudes and those behaviors. 513 00:28:20,980 --> 00:28:25,060 But you still have a choice. 514 00:28:25,060 --> 00:28:32,100 You cannot choose your life circumstances, but you can choose how you respond to life. 515 00:28:32,100 --> 00:28:37,080 You can't choose what happens to you when you walk out this door today necessarily, 516 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:42,420 but you can choose whether things make you better or whether they make you bitter. 517 00:28:42,420 --> 00:28:45,840 God always gives us a choice. 518 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:51,200 And once you've made your choices, you'll see your choices end up making you. 519 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:52,840 So make your choices. 520 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:54,360 Choose truth over lies. 521 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:56,280 Choose community over isolation. 522 00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:58,160 Choose Jesus over everyone else. 523 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:00,600 Choose today, not tomorrow. 524 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:04,680 And remember, God has already chosen you. 525 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:06,160 Thanks be to God. 526 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:07,160 Amen. 527 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:09,760 Thank you so much for listening today. 528 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:14,720 It is our hope that you enjoyed this message and are inspired by Rob's words and by the 529 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:16,600 words of the gospel. 530 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:20,680 And if you enjoyed the sermon, please take some time to rate our podcast so that we can 531 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:24,040 continue to better share the good news with others. 532 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:27,200 Don't forget to come back next week where we will be finishing up the sermon series 533 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,160 on our final episode of Renovation of the Heart. 534 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:35,000 Today's sermon was taken from the July 9th, 2023 service at Trinity Church, Streetsville, 535 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:45,040 in Mississauga, Ontario.