"What’s On Your Mind?"
Matthew 22:37-38; Romans 12:2
Main Idea: Loving God with our mind begins by letting God change the way we think.
Introduction: What’s on your mind as we begin 2003? I’m sure most of us are concerned about the rising preparations for war with Iraq and the escalation of tension between the United States and North Korea. Others may have the economy and its uncertainties occupying their thoughts. Still others have more personal concerns: their health, their job, their family, their relationships and their future. 2002 may have been one of your best years. 2002 may have been one of your worst and you wonder, "What hope do I have that 2003 will be any better?"
Often to insure that a year like the one we face in 2003 is better than the last we make New Year’s resolutions. Admittedly, resolutions are easy to make but hard to keep. The cartoon Kudzu had a parrot sitting on his perch (normally he has chocolate issues) saying, "The second day of dieting is easier than the first." Then he says, "Because that’s the day you’re off of it."
Even though resolutions are hard to keep they are good for us to make them. One researcher says that people who make resolutions are ten times more likely to make significant changes in their life than those who don’t. It takes a well thought out plan, a desire to change and, most important of all, a clear view of the benefits of the desired change. The battle for change occurs mainly in our mind. When we begin to think and act differently then change follows.
One of the places you may want to change is your spiritual life. I can tell you that just as soon as you desire change it will seem as if everything is working to defeat and discourage you. Regardless of what it is you are going to be challenged to follow through with any spiritual commitment you make. Of all the resolutions you could make, spiritual or otherwise, the greatest one God desires is that we, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matt. 22:37). How do you do that? You do that by letting "God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think" (Rom. 12:2). In other words, loving God with our mind begins by letting God change the way we think.
Let’s take a few moments and explore this statement and discover how we can make the changes spiritually that we desire.
I. First, let’s ask, "Have you lost your mind?" or maybe "Why do we need to change the way we think in order to love God with our mind?" (Romans 12:2a)
Our mind or brain is one of God’s most awesome creations. Our brain only weighs about 2% of our body weight yet it consumes 20% of our energy. It has billions of components that use in a split second millions of connections. In fact the neurological circuitry in your brain is 1400 times more complex than the telephone system of the entire planet. In our lifetime most of us will use less than 20% of our brain capacity. In one day alone our brain can record 86 million bits of information. ("Brain Power" by Kris Beares, Campus Life, Sept. 1990. p. 5-10) Our mind is the original high-speed computer with an infinite storage capacity.
Yet there is a serious problem with our mind. Like a computer file that has a virus attached to it, so our mind comes with a terminal defect: sin. Paul pointed out the weakness in our mind by saying, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world…." We have a predisposed tendency to copy the ways and attitudes of the world. When Jesus said for us to love God with our mind he used a word that meant the place within us where we understand something. The word Paul uses is similar and means the place where we know, understand, feel and reason. Yet it is in this place where our mind naturally works against spiritual things.
In the same way that a computer virus can attach itself to a file in your computer so our mind naturally has a vulnerability to sin. So from the beginning our mind is working against what God desires.
How does the virus of sin affect my mind? Look at Romans 8:5-8. Paul tells four ways that our mind naturally resists what God desires.
As a result of these things that come naturally to my mind I am by myself completely unresponsive to spiritual input. "But people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means." (I Cor. 2:14)
Now you might say that if this is what I am facing in order to change then I am fighting a losing battle. By yourself the answer is yes. You may be able to accomplish all kinds of things with your mind on many levels. You may demonstrate qualities of genius in many areas of life. Yet none of us will ever be able to love God with all our mind unless we let God change the way we think. It is not a hopeless battle or Jesus would be asking us to do something we are incapable of doing. What I want you to see is that like a computer that is disconnected from its power source, so our mind apart from God’s power will never be capable of loving Him.
II. "I’ve changed my mind!" If sin is the reason we need to change our thinking and I can’t do it myself, then how does it happen? (Romans 12:2b)
Well, notice what Paul said, "…let God transform you into a new person…" (Rom 12:2). The answer is that I must receive and acknowledge the spiritual mind that God gives me. Our getting or acknowledging our spiritual mind is very similar to getting a new hard drive in a computer. Admittedly, it is not as easy as an installation of a new hardware device but we are given in the person of the presence of Christ within us the ability to change the way we think.
How? Well go back and look again at the verses in Romans 8:5-6 that we examined a moment ago.
This does not mean an automatic change. There isn’t a "download" feature in your mind. It means that you now have the capability to be transformed. Your transformation to love God with all your mind begins by recognizing the spiritual mind that God has already given you.
III. "What are you thinking about?" How do I renew my mind? (Romans 12:2c)
Paul said, "let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." When you were saved God’s Spirit impressed on you the need to change. Jesus said as he began his ministry, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matt. 4:17). That word repent means a change of mind.
With that change of mind comes the opportunity to replace old ways of thinking with new ways of thinking. Whether you know it or not it is easier to remember something than to forget it. If I tell you to remember a number, then tell you to repeat it and then tell you to forget it, you will find it impossible to forget. For that reason we must choose to change our thinking if we are going to change. Paul said in Philippians 4:8 "And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
This transformation, though, is a lifelong process. Jesus said in John 14:26 "But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative—and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you." That learning process doesn’t end.
With Christ we can develop a healthy mind-set. Luke 2:19 said of Mary "but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often." You and I can have that place within us where we cultivate new ways of thinking.
We can also have a disciplined mind. Paul told Timothy " For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Tim. 1:7) We do not have to yield to every thought, emotion or desire that comes to our mind.
IV. "What do you know?" Whose responsibility is it for us to change our mind? (Romans 12:2d)
Paul said that we should know what God wants us to do. "Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." Whose job is that? The answer is that it is our responsibility! No one, not even God, is going to do this for us. Recently our computer at home began getting pornographic emails. In order to stop the flow we had to do several things to prevent those being sent. I could get as mad and disgusted as I wanted but no one was going to do it for me. I had to take responsibility. So how do I take responsibility?
Conclusion: What is on your mind for this next year? Whatever is on your mind is determined by whatever is in your mind. Of all the things on your mind, loving God with all of your mind must be our priority. That priority will not be accomplished easily for it is a spiritual battle for control. Paul would tell the Corinthians "We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds." (II Cor. 10:3-4)
The wildly popular 1999 movie The Matrix is the story of a computer hacker named Neo, played by Kneau Reeves, who discovers that his reality is simply a computer simulation created by machines to enslave the human race. He learns this in a conversation with a figure from the truly real world named Morpheus, played by Laurence Fishburne. Morpheus tells him, "What is The Matrix?" Control. The Matrix is a computer-generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this." (Holds up a coppertop battery.) Neo says, "No, I don’t believe it! It’s not possible!"
The battle for the control of our minds isn’t science fiction. It’s a spiritual reality. You will never love God with all your mind unless you let him change the way you think. The question isn’t, "Can He transform me?" but, "Will I let Him transform me?" It all starts in our mind.
Sunday, January 5, 2003
Dr. Bruce Tippit, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Jonesboro, Arkansas