#6 God Can Change You

The story is told of a king with twin sons. At their birth there was a mix-up, and the king had no idea which son was firstborn. Since the firstborn would be the heir to the throne, well, this caused problems. After the sons had grown, the king decided there would be a contest.

He wanted the son with the most wisdom to be the next king. So the king asked a question: is a gentleman born a gentleman or made a gentleman? The age-old nature versus nurture debate. One son argued, "Of course it's by birth." The other son argued, "No, it's got to be by training."

So the sides were drawn; the contest was on. The king gave his boys 30 days to bring him convincing proof of their position. The one who had the best proof would inherit the throne upon their father's death. So the two sons set off across the kingdom.

The one who believed a gentleman was born a gentleman went to interview all the gentlemen he knew. He wanted to find out about their bloodlines. One night the prince that was trying to prove that a gentleman could be made regardless of bloodlines was in a pub, and there on the bar was a cat dressed in a little coat and hat. The cat was walking on his hind legs, carrying a little tray in his paws, serving chocolates.

The prince was elated. "This proves my point," he thought. "A gentleman can be made." He purchased the cat and eagerly awaited the contest with his brother. His brother heard the news of the gentleman cat and devised his own plan.

The big day came. The twins approached their father's throne. The prince with a cat could not wait; he demanded to go first. His brother agreed.

The doors to the throne room flew open, and then walks the cat on its hind legs, dressed in a regal costume, carrying a small silver tray. He walks to the king, and the king takes chocolate from the tray, and the king is amazed. "Surely this is the art winning argument," he said. "A gentleman can be made." The king looks at his other son and says, "Do you give up? Are you convinced?"

The son smiles, shakes his head no, and takes a small box out of his pocket and opens it. He releases four mice onto the floor. Quick as a flash, the cat drops the tray, hits all fours, his hat flows flew off, and he chases the mice. The king was then convinced to name the sun that brought the mice his heir apparent. A gentleman had to be born a gentleman was the winning argument.

Isn't that still in question today? Can we really change? Are we born what we are? For Christians, I have good news. And today, as I continue the the the series "10 Things Every Christian Should Know," I want you to know this: God can change you. And not only can God change you, he can even make you strongest at your weakest point.

People who well tell me that you can take a piece of broken metal, weld it, and when you're finished, the place that was once weak and broken is now the strongest part. I truly believe that God can do that with us. Maybe you feel your weakness, that you're reluctant to share your faith, you just can't be used by God. Many believers wrestle with that.

Let me introduce you to my friend Moses. In Exodus 3 we find the story of the burning bush. God calls Moses to lead the children of Israel out of bondage. Moses is to be God's own spokesperson, and Moses doesn't think he's qualified.

Let me read you some of Moses' part of his encounter with God, found in Exodus 3 and in chapter 4. In Exodus 3:11, "Moses protested to God, 'Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?'" In verse 13 of Exodus 3, "Moses protested, 'If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, "The God of your ancestors has sent me to you," they'll ask me, "What's his name?" Then what should I tell them?'"

Moses didn't think he knew enough. "Then what should I tell them?" Moses said. In chapter 4, verse 1, "Moses protested again, 'What if they won't believe me or listen to me? What if they say, "The Lord never appeared to you"?'" In Exodus 4:10, "Moses pleaded with the Lord, 'O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I've never been, I'm not now, even though you've spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.'"

He didn't want to do it. If you know the story, God changed Moses. He was a great communicator for God. If God can change Moses and make him effective, he can change you.

Maybe you have a bad temper, and you feel that that's your weakness. If so, let me introduce you to my friends James and John. Luke 9 tells a story beginning at verse 51: "As a time junior for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead of him to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, 'Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?' But Jesus turned and rebuked them. So they went on to another village."

James and John wanted to zap people right in front of Jesus. Can you relate? They had issues, but they changed. Later on, look at the words that John wrote in 1st John chapter 4, beginning at verse 7.

"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."

John goes on to say, "Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other." God changed James and John and to loving servants. He can change you too.

Maybe you're self-centered. Maybe things of this world are really important to you. If that's a problem for you, let me introduce you to Zacchaeus. We find his story in Luke 19. I begin in verse 2.

"There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he'd become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. 'Zacchaeus,' he said, 'quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.'"

"Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. 'He's gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,' they grumbled. But meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, 'I'll give half of my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I've cheated people on their taxes, I'll give them back four times as much.' Jesus responded, 'Salvation has come to this house today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.'"

Zacchaeus went from being selfish to being selfless. There are many biblical examples. There are modern-day examples as well. I talked to a friend this week that is a great husband. He once was not. After he came to Christ, his family situation became a blessing, not a curse. That's fun to watch.

My friend John is in heaven. He heard me tell the story about the cat that I began with today, and later in the week he came to my office and said, "David, I was a cat for a long time." He lived a wild life, and he wanted change, and he wanted assurance. We looked at God's Word together, and John saw that change is real and that God can do anything.

John became a believer. He transformed. I remember sharing this verse with him. It's 2nd Corinthians 5:17. It says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation; old things have passed away; all things have become new."

Remember, not only can God change you, he can even make you strongest at your weakest point. You have to let him. Let's pray together.

Lord, my friends that are watching now know what it is, what that weakness is, what that change needs to be. Let them know that you can do it if they yield their lives to you. Thank you for continually changing us and making us into your very image. We pray, Father, that you would increase and we would decrease. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.