To start with anyways, first Corinthians ten thirty one. It's on the screen whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. That verse I know as well is John three sixteen because the camp that we took the teenagers to when I was a youth pastor in Georgia is called the Wilds. It's in North Carolina. It's a good camp and before we ate every meal, we prayed and we said this verse.

First Corinthians ten thirty one. So, if you wanted to eat, you had to memorize first Corinthians ten thirty one. So, whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. Question this morning is this, why change? Why change?

Change is hard. Much easier just to stay the way we are. Why change? Well, for the what does the verse tell us here? Why change?

For the glory of God. Why should I change or why should someone change that foul mouth? Why change that negative bitter attitude? Why change that contentious spirit? Why change that bad drinking habit or other addictions?

Why change that lying tongue? Or dishonest ways. That filthy mind or a immoral behavior. Why change that laziness? You thought I wasn't going to get to yours, didn't you?

I think I got to mine is what I did. Why change that insincerity, that immodesty, that selfishness, that untrust worthiness, that disrespect for others. Why change these things? Whatever your thing may be that you struggle with, that that weakness in your life. Why change?

Well, because the preacher says so. I hope not. What are you going to do when the Lord moves this preacher somewhere else? And by the way, I don't have any plans to go anywhere else. Just to clarify that.

But I hope not. I hope that isn't your reason for changing. I wouldn't put too much faith in a preacher. Preachers will let you down. They're human, just like you.

Some are hypocrites. Many change their minds, just like you. And they all disagree. So, who's right? The preacher is not your judge, maybe a good under shepherd and spiritual leader, but not the good shepherd to whom we owe our allegiance and obedience.

Why change? Because it's the baptist way. Hope not. Jesus, I have known too many baptist who would not, you would not want to pattern your life after. What if the Baptist Church departs from the truth?

Which way you going? I'm afraid there's a lot of baptist churches that have departed from the truth. What if some have already which they have? Be a Christian not just a baptist. You're not getting to heaven being a baptist.

You're getting to heaven by being a Christian. Too many people on baptist roles that don't know the Lord. Many people on baptist roles that don't live like Christians. Unfortunately, they live like baptist but they don't live like Christians. Why change?

Because it's the family way. Tradition. Hope not. If your family has good traditions, it's not all bad but it shouldn't be your reason or the entirety of your reason for changing. It isn't enough.

Jesus warned the people of his day not to place tradition and the commandments of men over the commandments in the way of who? In the way of Christ. Traditions often must be discarded and family ways that run contrary to the truth must be replaced. One of the hardest things to deal with in the ministry is family tradition. When I was a youth pastor in Georgia, I had a young man that came to my youth group for two or three years.

He trusted the Lord as a savior. I encouraged him. I wanted him to get baptized. His parents lived in a little migrant home across the field. You could stand in the front of the church and see the little tiny white house they lived in with the an area of little community of migrants who lived over there and they had settled in, been there for a couple years.

Had good talks with him. If you ask them, are you saved? Do you know the Lord? They'd say yes. But they were staunch Catholic.

It was their family what? Tradition. They were Catholic first, Christian second. I to this day, I'm not sure whether they're saved or not. God knows.

Praise God. I'm not the judge he is but I gave him the gospel and I led their son to the Lord but I never got to baptize him because they wouldn't let him get baptized because it would have broke family what? Tradition. And that's very sad. I hope your reason for changing is not just the preacher.

I hope your reason for changing is not just the church. I hope your reason for changing isn't just family tradition. There's one over powering overall reason to change and that is for the one who gave his life for us. That is for Jesus Christ, our savior. It is for the glory of our God.

That we must be willing to change. Revelation four eleven, John wrote, thou art worthy, oh Lord, to receive glory and honor and power. For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure, they are and were created. I I actually preached a series based on this verse a couple years ago. I want to focus on that word there.

Thou art worthy, oh Lord, to receive what? Glory. He is worthy of to receive glory in in and through the lives of his children who walk this Earth. He deserves that. To receive the glory.

For other people to see his glory. His nature, who he is in our lives. He is worthy of that. He deserves that from us. That is the reason that we must change.

Matthew five sixteen, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. Why change? Our father in heaven. He deserves that. He deserves to be praised in this world and the only Jesus so to speak that many people will ever see is you.

You represent him. The only things they're going to know about God is what they see in us. And in order for us to reflect the true nature of our God to bring him glory, we need to be willing to what? We need to be willing to change. We need to be willing to change.

To change to be like our God who is holy. Our holy God. The one who is all holy. So that others may see a holy God in the actions and attitude of his children. A pure and moral God set apart from all that defiles.

First Peter 114 through 16. As obedient children not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust and your ignorance and that is not patterning your life and your activities after the way you were before you became a Christian. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of convocation because it is written in the Old Testament. Be you holy for I am holy. People need to see the holiness of God.

That we are separate from sin and all that defiles, that we're set apart unto the Lord who saved us. They need to see that in us. If we're living according to the old dictates of the old nature, are they going to see that? The answer is they're not. I'm afraid there's too many Christians today that just don't see a need to be holy.

They should. It's important It's important to the one who saved us. It's important to the people who watch us. That they see that in us. And that we honor the one who has made us his children.

To glorify the God who is all loving, compassionate, and kind. Christians should be the ones who demonstrate what true love really is. Satan has tried to take that word love and twist it and contort it and pervert it into something that is only sensual and selfish. But the love of God is not selfish. The love of God is not sensual.

The love of God is sacrificial. The love of God is selfless. The love of God values others greatly. The love of God. First John four seven and eight, beloved, let us love one another.

For love is of God and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love. Others should be able to see that and that love should be growing every day. We need to change. We need to let God change us So that we might be a better example of the love of God in our lives.

By this shall all men know you are my disciples. By your love for one another. Sometimes, we almost avoid the word love because of how it's been misused but no nothing more in the life of a Christian demonstrates who God is than our love and nothing more does the world need today than to see what real love, the love of God truly is. It is compassion. It is kindness.

It is forgiveness. It's being able to overlook the faults and weaknesses of others. To be able to get along with those who are different. The sensitivity to see somebody who is in need. Like the good Samaritan.

Why should we change to bring glory to God who is all holy, who is all loving, who is all righteous, in all of his dealings with mankind. God is honest. God is just. God is fair. God is righteous in all of his dealings with mankind.

Psalm one forty five seventeen, the Lord is righteous in all his ways, holy in all his works. That is who our God is. He's righteous. In all of his works, he's righteous. He is never unjust.

He is never unfair. He is never dishonest. And we fudge on some of those things. Maybe we need to change to be more honest, to be more fair, to be less prejudiced in our thinking and our treatment of others. Romans six thirteen, Paul writes this, neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness.

To do righteous works. In this world today. To use just weights so to speak, Old Testament proverb. In our dealings with others. To be completely fair and honest even when we end up with a short stick.

That that's when you find out if people are willing to be honest and fair when it is ends up on them. Well, yeah, I sold you that but yeah, it doesn't work. Yes, I'll give you your money back or I'll give you another one. When it hurts is when you find out that somebody is righteous in all their works. Others need to see these things in us that God might receive the glory he is due.

We need to allow God to change these things in us. We need to see the need to bring honor to our heavenly father. Who is all of these things? And gave his life to make us more like his son. In Colossians three seventeen, I had that verse in the bulletin.

It says, whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of who? The Lord Jesus. Giving thanks to God and the father by him. No matter what you do, whatever you say, which we talked about in Sunday school, or whatever deeds you do, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to the Lord for it. In other words, in everything we do, we ought to be able to say in our heart, I am doing this in the name of who?

Name of God. I am doing this for Jesus. I am doing this to bring glory to his name. Why change? Do it for who?

Do it for Jesus. Don't do it for me. Don't do it for your spouse. Don't do it for your church. Don't do it for your children.

Do it for Jesus. Some of those other things and other people might also be motivators but do it for Jesus. For he is the one who gave his life for you. He is the one who is worthy. Sometimes, I'm not worthy.

I am far from. He is worthy. He is worthy. Do it for him. Do it in the name of Jesus.

If you can't do it in the name of Jesus and you can't do it giving thanks to God for it, then maybe you shouldn't what? Maybe you shouldn't do it. If you can't do it in the name of Jesus and if you can't give him thanks for it. Maybe you shouldn't say it. If you can't say it in the name of Jesus, then give God thanks for it.

Can you smoke that? Whatever, fill in the blank. Lot of things you can smoke these days. In the name of Jesus, can you drink that beer, that glass of wine, or that shot of whiskey in the name of Jesus giving thanks to God. Thank you for this whiskey I'm about to drink.

I don't know. That sounds kind of weird, doesn't it? Can you watch that raunchy movie? In the name of Jesus. Can you lie and cheat?

Maybe you feel justified. They lied and cheated you but can you do it in the name of who? Can you do it in the name of Jesus? Can you cuss and use that vulgar language? Tell that dirty joke.

Oh by the way, yes, I just told you dirty joke. Now, let let me let's look at the gospel. I think that's going to be a problem. Can you start that fight? Can you plot that revenge?

In the name of Jesus. Vengeance is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord. Don't think so. Can you lash out in anger?

Can you hold that grudge? In the name of Jesus, I hold this grudge. I don't think so. God tells us not to hold grudges. God tells us to what?

Forgive and to put those things behind us so we can keep our eyes fixed where? On what's ahead. If you can't do it in the name of Jesus, then, you probably shouldn't be doing it and maybe it needs to what? It needs to change. In the name of Jesus.

Acts eleven twenty six and it came to pass that a whole year, they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people. That was Barnabas and Saul. We're talking about or we know him as Paul. They assembled together with the church and taught much people and the disciples were called what? Christians.

Christians. First at Antioch. You don't actually see the name Christian often in the Bible. It refers to Christians by many different names. We're children of God.

We're believers in Christ. We're saints. We're saved. We're sanctified. We're anyway, there's many different names that you can give Christians.

You don't see the name Christian that often. This was the first time God records that a group, a church were called Christians. They weren't called Christians by other Christians. They were called Christians by whom? By the unsaved people they lived around.

It was the unsaved who didn't know Christ personally that called them Christians. Why did they do that? Why did they call them Christians? Well, the word Christian means Christ like or little Christ or follower of Christ. It indicates that their life reflected the nature of who?

The nature of Jesus Christ whom they served. They were different everybody else. They lived their lives in such a distinctly Christ like manner that the world recognized they were different. Now, the world didn't necessarily call them that as a compliment. But they took it as one.

The world may not call you Christian as a compliment. A matter of fact, I hear it more and more used as an insult. But I take it as a compliment and you should too. Our lives should bring glory to our God. It is the reason why you should come to church.

It is the reason why you should read your Bible and spend time on your knees in prayer. It is the reason why you should depart from wicked things. It is the reason why you should take a track and give it to somebody and share the gospel with them this way. Jesus is the reason He's the one who gave his life. They need to see Jesus.

He is the light of the world. We are just the mirrors that reflect his light into the lives of others. If you're a Christian, God has clothed you in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. You can't get to heaven on your own merit. Notice, I didn't say, change so you can get to heaven.

It's not what I said. No. If you are trying to get to heaven by changing your ways, you won't make it. The Bible says, for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. It can't be earned.

You can't change who you are. You might change some of your activities. You may reform some of your ways but only Jesus can change your what? Heart. Only Jesus can change your eternal destiny.

Come to Jesus who died for you. Accept him as your Lord and savior. He will begin that change when? Today, in your life. He will change your eternal destiny.

Today, he will forgive you of your sin today. He will begin to change you more and more into his image today. If you will trust him. He will clothe you in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. So, that when God looks at you, he will see you in Christ.

He will see you robed in the righteousness of Christ. For he became sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jesus who knew no sin, died on the cross, became the sin offering, took the punishment for our sins so that we might receive his righteousness in return who come to him by faith. And if you are robed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, You've been called out of darkness into his marvelous light. You have been bought with a price.

Now, he requests that we give our reasonable service to the one who saved our life. To conduct our life in such a way as to bring him what? Glory. It is our what kind of service? It is our reasonable service.

First Corinthians chapter six, I don't have it up on the screen but Imma read verses 18 through 20. First Corinthians six eighteen through 20. Flee fornication Every sin that a man doeth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? Yow you not?

Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own. You are not your own. For you are bought, you are bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God. Therefore, because you are bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Glory God in your body and in your spirit which belong to who? Which are gods. They belong to him. Why change? Because this body belongs to who?

God. God who's trying to change it, transform it, into his image. I need to let him have his way. I need to follow his will. I need to yield this body and this mind to him so that it will bring glory to the one who died for me.

He commands us in Ephesians five eleven and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them. Don't participate. Take a stand against that which is wrong. Be a light. Be different.

Be salt and light on this word. Put off the things of the old nature. Put on the things of Jesus Christ. Look, if you would in Ephesians four, Ephesians four and yes, we're almost done. Look, if you would in Ephesians four, please.

We're going to read several verses here. So, Ephesians four verse 17. Ephesians four seventeen. This I say therefore, Paul writing, this I say therefore, connect that to who we are in Jesus Christ and testify in the Lord who's he speaking for? He's speaking for God.

This I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you henceforth walk or live not as other Gentiles, the unsaved, in the vanity of their mind. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them because the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness but you have not so learned Christ. You know, God expects more of who? He expects more of us and we should expect more of us. We know better.

They don't know better. We do. We do. God expects more of us. You have not so learned Christ.

Verse 21, if so be that you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that you put off concerning the former conversation of the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust and he'd be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and in true holiness. Put off the old and put on the what? New. Put off the old, put on the new. My pastor when I was a kid sang this little song and it's never left my mind but I've never found the music to it.

It goes like this, all the best thing in my life I ever did do, all the best thing in my life, I ever did do, all the best thing in my life I ever did do was to take off the old robe and put on the new and it goes on. We'll stop there for the moment but When we got saved, we got a new robe. Jesus's. But now, robed in the righteousness of Christ, our actions, our attitudes, how we live needs to change to match what's on the inside. We need to put off the old things of that old road and we need to put on the new.

Mindset and actions of Christ. Put off the old, take off the old, put on the new. Look if you would in verse 25. Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor. For we are members of one another.

So, what are we to put off? We are to put off. Help me out. Verse 25, wherefore, put away what? Lying.

Lying. Put away lying. Supposed to put offline and you're supposed to put on what? Speaking truth, being honest, transparent with your neighbor. Put off, take off the old, put on the the new.

Verse 26, be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, never neither give place to the devil. What are we supposed to put off? We're supposed to put off anger. Does anger happen?

Yes. What do you do with it? There's a question. Do you revel in it? Do you stay get bitter in it?

Do you hold on to it? Does it explode? Do you lash out? Which is in control? God or anger?

Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Be you angry and sin not. Take care of it. Fix it before the sun goes down. Control it.

Deal with it. Don't get bitter. Put off the anger. Put on. The righteousness of Christ.

Next verse, 28, let him that stole, steal, no more but let him rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that need it. Put off stealing. Don't steal. Don't rob. It's bad.

It's wrong. It does not reflect well on who? God, your savior. So, put away lying and and uncontrolled anger and stealing. Instead, get busy working with the hands God gave you to provide for your family and also have to provide for others who have needs so they don't feel like they have to what?

Steal. Use the hands God gave you. Find a job provide Don't steal. Stealing is the old way. Working for the good of others and yourself.

It's God's way. Verse 29, let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Put off crude and hurtful language. Gossiping, cursing, negativity. Ever been around somebody who's always negative, who's always griping?

Ever been around a gossip? I hope that gossip's not you. That stuff is stuff that is part of the old way. It doesn't reflect well on the nature of who? Jesus Christ.

Put off the old, put on the new. What is the new? Use your mouth to what? To build up others. Use your mouth to minister grace to those that hear.

To encourage them. To inspire them. And appoint them to who? And appoint them to Jesus. Verse 31, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be kind one to another.

Tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Put away those old hatreds. They don't belong in the life of a Christian. Those old hatreds, those prejudices. They don't belong in the life of a Christian.

That old bitterness. Get rid of it. Give it to who? Give it to Jesus. Instead, embrace his love.

Be forgiving. Be tender hearted. Love with the love of Jesus. See others as people who need your love, not your hate. And be willing to forgive.

Because Jesus has forgiven who? He's forgiven us. Chapter five be you therefore followers of God as dear children, walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for an for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor but fornication, all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh saints. Fornication also we just read in first Corinthians chapter six, covetousness, put that off. Instead, put on purity and honor and faithfulness, contentment, and self control.

Put away dirty, filthy language. Verse four, neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather doing what? Rather than using your mouth to spew things that are filthy, use it to thank who? To thank God. Put on Thanksgiving.

Use it to thank and praise and worship God. Isn't that wonderful? You can use your tongue to praise and thank and worship God and you don't have to just do it on Sunday. Chapter five verse 18 and be not drunk with wine whereas in excess but be what? Filled with the spirit.

Don't be intoxicated with things like alcohol. Be filled, influenced, intoxicated with the holy spirit. Now, it's going to look different. Don't think Paul is comparing being drunk with alcohol with being drunk by the spirit. The two don't look the same.

That's the point. The two look very what? They look very different. The one dishonors God. The other brings great honor to God.

As our walk with Christ reflects the holiness of God, the self control, the love, the contentment of God in our life. Do not do it for the preacher or the family or the friend or for the praise of someone else. Do it for Christ. But do it now. Whatever it is that God is working in your life, in your heart about, don't put it off till next week.

Don't put it off till tomorrow. Don't brush it under the rug. If God is convicting you, if God is pointing to something in your life, deal with it today. And make sure of your salvation in Christ Jesus. Maybe more needs to change than just your behavior.

Maybe it is your heart. Maybe it is your relationship with God. Have you received God's gift of love? Have you received his son? Do you have his forgiveness?

Through faith in Jesus Christ. That must change first. If you're here today and you're unsure about that, please meet me down here as we give this hymn of invitation or meet me after the service but meet me. I'd love to show you from God's word how you can be saved today and know it and Christian, if there's something in your life that needs to change, and likely there is. Let's not just brush it under the rug.

Let's do it for who? Let's do it for Jesus and let's do it in his strength and in his power to bring glory to our God. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for all that you have done for us, for the opportunity to be encouraged today in your word, challenged to let you have your way in our life for the glory of our God, for the one who has bought us with a price. Lord, may our life glorify God more this week than it did last.

May we be willing to confess our sins before you that you may forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness that we might be a bright and shining light for Jesus. Lord, help us to be willing to change because it is part of the Christian life. Until the day we stand before you in heaven, perfect in Jesus Christ. We thank you Lord for that coming day. We pray if there's one here today that is yet to trust Christ as savior.

I pray they come as we give this hymn of invitation in Jesus name. Amen.