{"id":1926,"date":"2017-10-16T10:52:38","date_gmt":"2017-10-16T15:52:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/?p=1926"},"modified":"2017-10-16T10:52:38","modified_gmt":"2017-10-16T15:52:38","slug":"are-we-open-to-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2017\/10\/16\/are-we-open-to-transformation\/","title":{"rendered":"Are We Open To Transformation?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><strong>Sunday, October 1, 2017<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>After\u00a0Pentecost<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Proper 21<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Year A<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>New Testament<\/i> Philippians 2:1\u201313<br \/>\n<i>Gospel<\/i> Matthew 21:23\u201332<\/p>\n<p>Click here for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/sermons-audio\/?sermon_id=128\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">audio only<\/a> version.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bN0HgEZC6PU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Make sure you read or listen to Last Weeks sermon, to tie this to this one.<br \/>\nKeep in mind, the text below was a guide for the sermon.\u00a0 There is much more in the audio and video versions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Like much of what Jesus teaches, He teaches us about transformation.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The be transformation to be transformed by Jesus through the Holy Spirit, is what we are called to do.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Are we willing to be transformed or are we trying to take control, to manipulate our lives?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">First, how to deal with conflict, then forgiveness, last are first.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Jesus cleanses the temple and then is asked by the leaders what Jesus&#8217; authority is.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>They are unwilling to hear that it is God.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>They are the old guard and their way is being challenged.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>The leaders, are the first yet, now they will be the last.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>They have missed the point all along.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The Jews have a covenant with God.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It is the ones who have fallen away from the law, that need Jesus.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It is the sinners (All of us) that need.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The law was given but it is not fully followed.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>We come back to Jesus and his yoke is light and we follow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Again, they ways of Jesus, turn the worldview upside down.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It upsets the order of balance, then and now.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The religious leaders shown in the text, felt challenged.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>They were challenged by John and now Jesus.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The change John brought of repentance and forgiveness did not fit their mold.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Jesus&#8217; change,<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>of Loving one another as He first loved us and that Jesus is the forgiveness for us.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Are you and I resistant to change?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Are you and I resistant to change in the way we worship?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Are you and I resistant to change in who we welcome to worship?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">To often we are resistance to change, to being transformed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">What is Jesus asking of us?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Those of us that want change, tend to, at the same time, so easily ridicule these keepers of the religious establishment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Being called by God to bring about change in a community can be dangerous.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Look at John and look at Jesus.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Look at all the apostles.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Of the twelve, John is the only one believed to have died of natural causes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The question of authority is paramount for the religious leaders, and it may be so for many of us as well, as we look at our own attitudes toward others within our faith communities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">How often do older members become upset when newer and younger members begin to take on leadership responsibilities?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">What happens when new ideas are presented and acted upon? What happens when something in the Sunday liturgy or worship service is changed or furniture is moved?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">It is not difficult to put ourselves into the scene so that it becomes real for us today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Sometimes we act like the religious leaders did towards John, Jesus and the apostles.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Other times we act as the sinners, tax collectors, the ones who come last and the ones that do as we are told&#8230;..eventually.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">I heard from one person that &#8220;others&#8221; do not like the idea of sermon series.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The anonymous way this was presented, can be a way of being resistant to change.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>To keep things as they were, vs allowing the Spirit to work for the kingdom of God.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Here is what I will say.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>If there is a sermon series and someone might feel lost by missing a week.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Then come each week.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Each sermon is posted on our website, so you can catch up.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>If you don&#8217;t have internet access, let me know and I will make arrangements for you to see or read the sermon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">By the way, our Revised Common Lectionary, if you did not know how we get our readings each week is one way of leading the congregation in learning.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>There are multiple lectionaries available.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The ELCA recognizes two of those lectionaries and both were put together in such a way, that they weave a series of ideas together.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>In other words, Sermon Series.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Change is not always change, it is a matter of how we want to interpret the &#8220;Change&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">We all have backgrounds, that color what we hear and see.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The religious leaders did also, when they questioned Jesus.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>They may not have been aware of their &#8220;Stuff&#8221; that colored what they observed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Are you and I aware of our &#8220;Stuff&#8221; that gets in the way of hearing God&#8217;s Word?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Are we aware of our &#8220;Stuff&#8221; that prevents us from allowing the Holy Spirit, from transforming us?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The Holy Spirit is active.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>God keeps coming to us.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>God wants us to change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">We can be the ones that are spoken to and come to our senses and stop sinning against the other.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">We can be the one that is forgiven seventy times seven and finally respond to God.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">We too can be the last, and thus the first.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It is not just the other, but us too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">We too can change our ways and instead of saying we will respond to God&#8230;&#8230; actually respond to God.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">It is not to late to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and respond to new ideas, be part of change so we can walk with our brothers and sisters into heaven.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>But also so we can be part of the heavenly realm that has broken through to the hear and now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Transformation or are we still trying to manipulate our lives?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">May each of you be open to the Word of God.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>May each of us be able to respond to God, in all that God wants us to be and do.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">May each of us give up control to God and be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sunday, October 1, 2017 After\u00a0Pentecost Proper 21 Year A New Testament Philippians 2:1\u201313 Gospel Matthew 21:23\u201332 Click here for the audio only version. &nbsp; Make sure you read or listen to Last Weeks sermon, to tie this to this one. Keep in mind, the text below was a guide for the sermon.\u00a0 There is much &#8230; <span class=\"more\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2017\/10\/16\/are-we-open-to-transformation\/\">[Read more&#8230;]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[77,71,101,21,78,10,83],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-1926","6":"format-standard","7":"category-acceptance","8":"category-attitude","9":"category-change","10":"category-faith","11":"category-gospel","12":"category-jesus","13":"category-sermon"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-v4","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2455,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2020\/08\/28\/transformation-no-conformity\/","url_meta":{"origin":1926,"position":0},"title":"Transformation no Conformity","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"August 28, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"8-23-2020 Isaiah 51:1\u20136Romans 12:1\u20138Matthew 16:13\u201320 https:\/\/vimeo.com\/452555802","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christ&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christ","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/christ\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1533,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2016\/05\/08\/jesus-take-the-wheel\/","url_meta":{"origin":1926,"position":1},"title":"Jesus Take the Wheel","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"May 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Sunday, May 8, 2016 Seventh Sunday of Easter First Reading Acts 16:16\u201334 Psalm Psalm 97:1-12 New Testament Revelation 22:12\u201314, 16\u201317, 20\u201321 Gospel John 17:20\u201326 Click here for the audio of the sermon","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Baptism&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Baptism","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/baptism\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":825,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/03\/05\/transfiguration-transformation-faith-to-discipleship\/","url_meta":{"origin":1926,"position":2},"title":"Transfiguration, Transformation faith to Discipleship","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"March 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Link to Audio of Sermon Video Link to Sermon Exodus 24:12-18 Psalm 2:1-11 2 Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9 We hear today of two \u201cmountain top experiences\u201d both unique but also have common threads to each other and to us today.\u00a0 Both not just for the humans directly involved but for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Discipleship&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Discipleship","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/discipleship\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1686,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2017\/01\/02\/invitation-to-the-word\/","url_meta":{"origin":1926,"position":3},"title":"Invitation to the Word","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"January 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"January 1, 2017 Holy Name of Jesus - Mary, Mother of God Revised Common Lectionary Years ABC Old Testament \u00a0Numbers 6:22-27 New Testament Galatians 4:4-7 Gospel Luke 2:15-21 Sermon delivered at First Lutheran, South Sioux City NE Click here for an audio only version https:\/\/youtu.be\/_tMHviIo4GU","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christ&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christ","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/christ\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/_tMHviIo4GU\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3655,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2026\/02\/02\/will-your-life-be-changed\/","url_meta":{"origin":1926,"position":4},"title":"Will Your Life Be Changed?","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"February 2, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"1\/2\/2026 Psalm 42:1-3 (NIV)John 4:1-42 (NIV) https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1161115292?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Change&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Change","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/change\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Woman At the Well","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Women-Well.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Women-Well.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Women-Well.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Women-Well.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1804,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2017\/04\/20\/easter-sermon-2017\/","url_meta":{"origin":1926,"position":5},"title":"Easter Sermon 2017","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"April 20, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Easter morning sermon at First Lutheran Church, South Sioux City NE First Reading: Acts 10:34-43 (NRSV) Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 (NRSV) Gospel: Matthew 28:1-10 (NRSV) Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 (NRSV) For an audio version only, click here. https:\/\/youtu.be\/ln2KUZZijDg","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christ&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christ","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/christ\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/ln2KUZZijDg\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1926"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1930,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1926\/revisions\/1930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}