Text: Galatians 1:11-24
Children know all about change. They go with the flow. They live in the moment, in the NOW. Over time and many years of schooling and jobbing and parenting or not we change. Hopefully, we become, as Jesus puts it, "wise as serpents and gentle as doves." When were are at a baseball stadium, a bar, a church, a school, or at home, we sometimes wonder whether change is possible. In the end, real change is a gift from God that comes from what Paul calls "the Christ within, the hope of glory." Truth be told, we all could probably use a little remodeling on the inside.
A woman bought a piece of needlework at a craft fair. On it was stitched these words, "Prayer Changes Things." Proud of the handiwork, she hung it up above the fireplace in the family room. Several days later she noticed that it was missing. She asked her husband if he knew what had happened to it. "I removed it," he replied. "Don't you believe that prayer changes things?" she asked, mystified. He responded, "Yes, I do. I believe in prayer. In fact, I believe that it changes things. I just don't happen to like change, and so I took it down." (Source unknown.)
Some people don't like change. And the principle thing most people don't like to change is themselves. How many people caught in a troubled marriage refuse to seek counseling? They would rather lose a good marriage than change. How many people caught in the cycle of chemical abuse feel desperate about their lives? Still, they won't seek help because it might require change. How many people, unhappy with their lot in life, try frantically to find happiness? But they won't take the one step necessary to change themselves.
Change is difficult, but it is possible. The Apostle Paul is the best evidence of that. According to our text today, Paul had been a fierce persecutor of the Christian community. Suddenly, he became its most eloquent spokesperson. His story has been repeated millions of times throughout history. People can and do change. However, there is usually a progression.
There are thousands of members of Alcoholics Anonymous who can tell you that change is possible. But you have to want to change. Few people even attempt change unless staying like they are is more painful.
In order for a change to come, you have to see it first in your mind's eye. For instance, some of us have been envisioning new paint on the walls in the hallway and bathrooms of the church office building. But it didn't happen overnight. The walls didn't get painted. Then this week several elders took the initiative and painted the hallway and restrooms in our church office building. That's a change for the good. That gift of time saved us about $2,500. That's more than many of us pledge to the church in a year's time. Others cleaned up the ground. Let's keep it going and we will continue to see good things happening here.
There is a scene in the original Karate Kid movie that is quite striking. The main character, Daniel, is befriended by the wise and elderly maintenance man, Mr. Miyagi. Daniel goes to see Mr. Miyagi and finds him trimming a delicate bonsai tree. Daniel is fascinated by this, so Miyagi tells him to try his hand at it. Daniel replies that he doesn't have any idea how to do it. Miyagi encourages him to try. First, he tells Daniel to close his eyes. Then Miyagi tells Daniel to picture in his mind the way he wants the tree to look when he is finished. Daniel concentrates fixedly on every single detail of the tree. Miyagi asks him if he has got the tree in his mind. "Then," Miyagi says, "open your eyes and begin." Daniel starts slowly to trim the tree. Every move is deliberate and focused. Then he stops, unsure, and asks, "How do I know if my picture is right?" And Miyagi replies, "If the picture comes from your heart, then it must be right. Just trust your picture."
People who study human behavior tell us that visualization is a powerful tool for people who want to change. If you can see yourself as being slender, then you can probably become slender. If you can see yourself as successful, that picture will guide you to making better choices. Of course there are limits to this. Visualizing yourself seven-feet tall will not make it so. Still, seeing ourselves as we might be - or as God created us to be - can motivate us to change.
That's why every follower of Jesus ought to have in mind a picture what Paul calls "the Christ within, the hope of glory." I don't mean Christ's appearance, but the kind of being he was. His gentleness, his patience and acceptance, but also his willingness to stand for his convictions.
His willingness to lay down his life for others. It is this picture of Christ that has caused millions of people to rise to new levels of humanity. "Lord, I want to be like Jesus," says the old spiritual, and that is a key to a changed life. Picture the Christ within and become like that energy.
Perhaps Saul was ready for a change. As he held the Apostle Stephen's robe while the mob stoned Stephen to death, perhaps Saul knew deep down that Stephen was right and he was wrong. We know after his blinding vision he had a mental image of the Christ emblazoned within, because he urges us to be conformed to that image in our own lives. The important thing about Saul's life is that he experienced the Christ within, the hope of glory. His conversion was so complete that his name was changed from Saul to Paul. Such a dramatic change wasn't simply a product of a New Year's resolution, or a naive desire to somehow live a better life. It was unconditional surrender to the Christ within, the hope of glory. And that's the way complete change occurs over time.
It is said that when Earl Weaver was manager of the Baltimore Orioles he would charge at umpires shouting, "Are you gonna get any better, or is this it?" Maybe God is asking us the same question. Maybe we're asking ourselves. Are you going to change or is this it? We can change if we really want to. We can change if we fix our eyes on the Christ within. We can change if we are willing to surrender our lives completely to the Christ within.
Why would Christ tell people to be born again, if there were no chance that such a phenomenon could occur? Why would the Scriptures time after time urge us to repent if repentance is really not possible? Can people change? Yes they can. But not necessarily overnight.
It is interesting to note that after his conversion, Paul did not go immediately to Jerusalem. Instead he went away to Arabia and then returned to Damascus. It was three years before he went to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas (Peter) and the other Apostles. Evidently Paul needed time to assess what had taken place in his life.
No wonder he needed time. Change is a process that takes time. To paraphrase Mark Twain: Habits can't be flung out the window; they have to be coaxed downstairs, a step at a time.
At a certain school board meeting, one of the prime targets of discussion was the untidiness and sloppy appearance of the janitor. The consensus was that he should be fired. However, a kindly older lady on the board pleaded on his behalf. "I hate to see the old fellow fired," she said. "He may be a little dirty and unkempt on the outside, but I'm sure he's clean and pure on the inside. Do we really have to discharge him?"
"Either that," replied the president of the board, "or turn him inside out." Maybe that's what some of us need. We need to be turned inside out. Any real change in our lives is not easy. And most of us fight such changes tooth and nail. The primary reason we are not everything Christ calls us to be is that we really would prefer to stay where we are as we are. Change is possible, but it is not easy. That brings us to the last thing to be said on this matter: REAL CHANGE IS A GIFT FROM GOD.
St. Paul ends this passage by writing: "And I still was not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea; they only heard it said, He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.' And they glorified God because of me." Notice that they did not glorify Paul. They glorified God because they knew that real change comes as a gift from God.
Real change is a gift from God. Very few programs for rehabilitating human nature get very far along unless they recognize and facilitate the Christ within. If we do get in touch with the Christ within and allow Christ to be part of the change process, almost anything is possible.
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The Rev. Dr. Jon Burnham preached this sermon at St. John's Presbyterian Church on June 6, 2010
