God Transforms

Entering Into God’s Presence
Knowing God Through His Works & Ways (VERBS)

To Study and Ponder:

• John captures an image of God’s transformative power when from heaven’s throne God proclaims, “I am making everything new!” (Rev 21:5).

• Consider how those who encountered God often changed their name to commemorate the transformative change that the encounter had produced in their lives:

  - Abram ➔ Abraham: Genesis 17:1-8 - Sarai ➔ Sarah: Genesis 17:15-16 - Jacob ➔ Israel: Genesis 32: 24-31 - Simon ➔ Peter: John 1:41-42
  - Saul ➔ Paul: Acts 13:9; 22:3-16,

• The Greek verb metamorphoo (from which we get the action which transforms a caterpillar into a butterfly) is translated “transformed, changed, figured.” It is used to describe Jesus on the mountain with Moses and Elijah,

  • -  As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Matthew 17:2

  • -  Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Mark 9:2-3

    • This same “transformed” verb is used to describe the work of God in our lives
    - Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new

    person by changing the way you think. Romans 12:2a
    - So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And

    the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:18

    • We are given a totally new nature in Christ!
    - Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of

    heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Colossians 3:1
    - Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become

    like him. Colossians 3:10
    - ... anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new

    life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17
    - Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Eph. 4:24
    - For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last

    forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 1 Peter 1:23

    • There will also be a glorious transformation of our bodies in the future.
    - We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted - children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Romans 8:23b - But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:51-55

Meditation/Memory:

Lower Grades:

... anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Middle Grades:

... anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (NLT)

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Colossians 3:1-4. (NLT)

Upper Grades:

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Colossians 3:10,11 (NLT)

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:23-25 (NLT)