Tomorrow is Memorial Day when we as Americans honor those men and women who in the words of Lincoln at Gettysburg gave their last full measure of devotion. And that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.
This is also the weekend we celebrate the anniversary of Joy Fellowship Church. Founded in 1978 here in Hopewell Virginia has been continuous meeting as a congregation of believers and holding regular services now for more than 46 years.
Founded by Pastor Founder, Charles L. Bennett and his wife Annette Bennett with the purpose to have a place where the full Gospel would be taught and the gifts of the spirit could operate freely. Corporate worship time includes freedom to sing in the spirit, dance, give messages and tongues and interpretation of tongues, prophecy, laying on of hands and casting out devils.
Joy Fellowship Church was always an inter-denotational and interracial church.
The church was instrumental in overseas missions outreach as well as hosting nationally and internationally known missionaries and evangelist here in the tri-cities area.
Today Joy Fellowship continues to be a spirit filled, inter-denotational and interracial church. God is blessing our ministry as we continue to support both overseas missions and reach out to the local community for Christ.
****I want to play the video of the Story of Joy and God’s Faithfulness over the past 46 years. We also want to remember those who were part of our congregation who have graduated and are with the Lord now.
Play the video for Anniversary 2024 in Google Drive
**Thank you for being here today and remembering God’s Faithfulness!**
Turn with me in your bibles to Romans 12
Romans 12
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
**It was early this morning when I had a dream. In this dream I as giving direction to one of my children and they responded to me that they would conform but they would not comply. I do not even recall what the circumstances were in the dream or what I was asking them to do but when I woke up this morning I heard the Lord impress, my spirit that today the message would be about not conforming.
It interesting to think about that on Memorial Day we remember those brave men and women who were willing to comply with orders to put service above self and fight for the preservation of freedom. They were refusing to be conformed to the tyrannical governments and enemies of freedom both foreign and domestic.
But when we look at what God calls his people to do in Romans 12:2 it is not to conform or comply but to be transformed.
To conform means; to fashion alike, i.e. conform to the same pattern (figuratively):—conform to, fashion self according to.
There are several passages of scripture we are going to review this morning concerning this topic;
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Philippians 3:20-21
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like (conformed) unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
1 Peter 1:13-16
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning (conforming) yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
***The 1st point of the message today: God desires you to be transformed rather than to conform or comply.
Fun fact. The word Comply is not found in the entire King James Version of the Bible.
You see every false religion of the world is based on rules that you comply with or works that you complete. The word comply means :to act or be in accordance with wishes, requests, demands, requirements, conditions, etc.; agree
The problem with compliance is it is based on your actions and not on his sacrifice. This is why God never asked us to Comply. Compliance is based on your work, your effort, your acts.
Galatians 2:20-21
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
***The 1st point of the message today: God desires you to be transformed rather than to conform or comply.
***The 2nd point of the message today: You make the decision to be present so that God can do the transformation.
Go back to Romans 12 verses 1 and 2.
Romans 12
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
***What is God saying in verse #1: You need to show up and present your body to me, that is your reasonable service. Some of us are waiting for transformation but we are not willing to show up and present ourselves to God.
Think about this. If you look at Romans 12 verse one and transpose it what you will see God saying is you are being unreasonable looking for transformation in absence of presenting your body to me.
Here are a few scriptures about presenting ourselves for context:
Luk 2:22 Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the Temple to present him to the Lord
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present G3936 him to the Lord;
Jhn 19:26 Jesus on the cross looks down and sees John present (standing by) and look at the blessing he got:
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, G3936 whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented G3936 Paul also before him.
Here is a great example of how we present our bodies in Romans 6 the same greek work translated here to (Yield your members)
Neither yield ye G3936 your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield G3936 yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present G3936 us with you.
That he might present G3936 it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
TOOLS
In the body of his flesh through death, to present G3936 you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
TOOLS
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present G3936 every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Study to shew G3936 thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
***The 1st point of the message today: God desires you to be transformed rather than to conform or comply.
***The 2nd point of the message today: You make the decision to be present so that God can do the transformation.
**** The 3rd point of the Message today: Compliance is temporary but transformation is eternal.
I want to talk about this work transformation a little more: This comes from the Greek word that we derive the word Metamorphosis a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.
***The 1st point of the message today: God desires you to be transformed rather than to conform or comply.
***The 2nd point of the message today: You make the decision to be present so that God can do the transformation.
**** The 3rd point of the Message today: Compliance is temporary but transformation is eternal.
We talked last week about the caterpillar and the butterfly. Think about the tadpole and the frog. The frog can never be a tadpole again. The butterfly cannot become a caterpillar again.
Listen to Paul writing to the Church at Corinth.
2 Corinthians 5
1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
***The 1st point of the message today: God desires you to be transformed rather than to conform or comply.
***The 2nd point of the message today: You make the decision to be present so that God can do the transformation.
**** The 3rd point of the Message today: Compliance is temporary but transformation is eternal.
***The 4th and Closing point of the message today: Your decision to follow Christ is a one way road with no U-turns allowed
Luke 9:57-62
57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Listen to how the writer of the book of Hebrews describes the impossibility of returning back once enlightened.
Hebrews 6
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
***The 1st point of the message today: God desires you to be transformed rather than to conform or comply.
***The 2nd point of the message today: You make the decision to be present so that God can do the transformation.
**** The 3rd point of the Message today: Compliance is temporary but transformation is eternal.
***The 4th and Closing point of the message today: Your decision to follow Christ is a one way road with no U-turns allowed