Malcom, ready to see your fixer upper?

Heather, ready to see your fixer upper?

Jim, ready to see your fixer upper? Yes! Wow, Wow, look how beautiful!

You have already seen some of them–you know, the one called “son of thunder”!
How about “an ignorant fisherman”–wow–what a fixer upper he was! Now a Rock! And, of course, “a bad-tempered persecutor”–who called himself–”the chief sinner”!

The popular TV show has Joanna and Chip Gaines pulling a huge picture of the old house back and revealing the new beautiful fixer upper! Beautiful landscape, welcoming porches, every room a showcase–money well spent and happy contented people!

But today, we have an opportunity to be changed into the likeness of Jesus Himself–because you see, it’s personal and it is for all of us! Listen to that “persecutor” of the early church with these words: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Corinthians 3:18).

Don’t you like the way Paul starts this verse “we all” ..no exclusion, no age barriers, with an open face can be changed into His likeness–yes, God-like, but not Gods! Remember when Moses was on the mountain and received the Commandments, his face shone because he had been with God; He wore a veil ( Remember covid!–hold up my veil!); so as the glory faded , the people wouldn’t see it; But we with open faces, can come into His presence through Jesus! Yes, Our Father and what a wonderful personal relationship this becomes–not laws, not commandments, but a living interactive relationship with the God of this world!

Jesus used the word “holy” only twice, once with a proverb from the Rabbi–don’t give to the dogs what is holy (Matthew 7:6). But Jesus used it in John 17:17-19 when He prayed “Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also may be sanctified (holy) by the truth.” For the first time, we find that it is possible for human beings to share in the holiness of God! (Read John 17:20-25 NLT).

When the presence of God Himself fills a person’s heart, it enables that person to share in God’s holy character. And Jesus reveals what the Father was like–His Image and we’re created in that same image. But it has been tarnished by sin and that is why Jesus said, “Except ye be converted (changed within) and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3). Jesus makes us different, different from ordinary man and the ordinary man is different from the animal! This wonderful possibility of conversion opens the way for us not to remain as we are ; but to have a new birth–that all those old tendencies that we had can be reversed; and a new heredity infused into our veins–we are now children of God, joint heirs with Jesus! We have become a new “creation” (II Corinthians 5:17).

This inner change is where the Holy Spirit does His work–one little step/degree at a time. Someone once used the phrase, “We’re Christians under Construction!” And the Spirit of God is the Superintendent of construction to bring us where we look like Him. He doesn’t wipe out our inner drives and urges; He just cleanses them and transforms them. For instance, the self is cleansed from selfishness and given back to us! Self may try to get back on the throne and dominate again; but the temptation is not sin; yielding to the temptation is sin. And with the willingness to let Jesus shine, the Holy Spirit will give power to win–it’s a joint operation now!

Now stay with me–it’s getting pretty heavy! John –yell, that Son of Thunder but now a fixer upper, wrote in I John 1:3 “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” We can be in God but never be God! God became human–in Jesus; but humans can never be God–His otherness is never lost! The fellowship we have with each other is psychological and ethical; the fellowship between us and the Trinity is conditional; He is God and we still maintain our personal identity. Our fellowship with Him makes us more truly human than we have ever been before –it heals our humanity and completes our personhood. (I got that from Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, past President of Asbury Seminary).

Speaking of fellowship with Jesus and the Father, that other Fixer Upper, the bad tempered persecutor now turned Evangelist, wrote in Philippians 3:10 “That I might know Him”–Paul’s desire to have his life merge with Christ in such a way that he cannot be separated from Jesus or vice versa! The two have become one–not in essence, but in relationship!

Now, let me try to sum it up like this.
First, we must have unveiled faces–no masks, just honesty with ourselves. Question? Do I really want to be like Jesus? If so, then we must be willing to give your all to get His all!

Secondly, we must focus on the glory of the Lord! What gets our attention, our focus, gets us! Honesty yes, but don’t focus on yourselves too long! And don’t look at the failures of others.

The other Fixer Upper, the ignorant fisherman, had to learn that in John 21:21-22 “Peter seeing him (John) saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.” (Don’t you love that King James Version!) Also, don’t focus too much on good people–they will let you down. Focus on Jesus; His forgiving grace, love, power, compassion, “His everything”!

Thirdly, each life circumstance (especially the “hard times”) gives the Spirit an opportunity to continue making us in Jesus’ Image–one degree at a time. Like a series of locks and dams, which lift ships up through lower lakes to higher lakes. All of this is an inside job! This is the exciting personal work of the Holy Spirit in you–you are pals!

I want to share how this works even in my life. Years ago, I loved to play tricks on others at Halloween–you know, “trick or treat”! So one year I dressed up like “Igor and Frankenstein”, pillow under my jacket, chain dragging the ground and would come around the corner of the parsonage as children headed to the door. When they saw me, they scattered. Had lots of candy left that year! But , I heard one little toddler say, “Bro. Jim scared me”! And I was cut to the heart. And the Spirit gently said, Jesus never wanted to scare children. It so grieved the Spirit and me, that I have never wanted to scare a child again! I do want to be like Jesus!

One last thing! Who is included in this “We all are changed into the same image…”?

Earlier in Paul’s letter he wrote about those he identified with in the Corinthians Church, ”Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians 6:9-11 RSV).

The emphasis here is not on condemnation of behavior but the transformative power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit infusing with this new identity–children of God!

What a motley crowd of folks included in that “We all” group being changed into His image! If they can get in, so can we. So how about it? Jesus is “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) and He invites you and me to start this “fixer upper “ journey? Are you ready to take this step and follow Jesus? When we do, “…we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like Him!” (Message Translation)