Why Change?

Change can be frustrating on one hand, but good on the other. Which is which depends on our circumstances at the time. When things are good, no change is needed, but when things are bad, it is a welcomed sight. We can be sure of this - change is necessary and God likes change, otherwise He wouldn't have created time, tides, seasons, or harvest. All of these things bring continual change. But to change, just for change sake, is never the point, because...

We need a constant....

"When the prince enters, He is to go in through the portico of the gateway, and He is to come out the same way." (Ezekiel 46:8)

The Prince (Son of the King) is the only one who never needs to change. This is because He is perfect, as the Kind's blood flows through Him. He is to remain the same. One if the "Divine Qualities" of the Trinity, is their immutability, which means God is the only constant one.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

There is only of group of people who don't think they need to change - fools. The wise know they're not, the righteous want to pursue God even more, and the one's strong in the Lord know they're weak without Him. But fools? Nah, fools do not need to change, they're good.

...for positive change.

"When the people...come before the Lord..., whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out by the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out by the north gate. No-one is to return through the gate by which he entered..." (Ezekiel 46:9)

For change to be of value, it must be positive, otherwise the change is a waste of time and energy. If a builder sees something is crooked and changes it, it may not have been a change at all. True change is made if it is made true to the level. If not, change happened, but it's still wrong.

"And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven." (1 Corinthians 15:49)

We must rely on something fixed, that we change to - a focal point. Those entering the presence of the Lord should go out differently then the way they came in. The Prince (Jesus) is the constant we focus on for change. Once we became a part of God's family, He wants us to be conformed into the image of His son, the perfect one.

From sermon notes for December 26, 2021