A Spiritual Metamorphosis

Good morning, brethren! Happy Feast of Trumpets! It is a glorious day. I thoroughly enjoyed the special music and the offeratory music. I really like speaking after special music because it gets the blood pumping and flowing. It makes me more excited than ever. And that's such a wonderful message that Mr. Hooser sang for us. It is certainly a glorious day. And this day clearly pictures the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This day clearly pictures the change from physical, from this flesh, to spiritual, from corruptible flesh, to immortal spirit. Those of us who have an opportunity to be in the First Resurrection, the first fruit should be extremely excited as we consider what this day means. This day pictures a complete change. It pictures a metamorphosis from physical to spiritual. This change in one sense will happen suddenly. It will happen in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. And the trumpets shall sound. And by the way, I just happened to have a trumpet with me. This is a shofar. Now, some people think the blowing of the trumpet on the Feast of Trumpets is a bit cheesy. In fact, that's what our guest, Mr. Darris McNeely, told me this morning. So we'll look forward to hearing him speak later on, but I have the floor now! So I am going to blow the trumpet. Oh, that sounds awful! Now, this morning it sounded really great. You know, God does want to continue to humble me. I can see that. Oh well, I've got to try it one more time. Ahhhhhhhhhh! Ahhh! Ah. Alright, where's my water? Ah, so frustrating. Ahhhhhh! That's a little better, but I better quit. Thank you, thank you. At least I gave it the old effort, you know? But the trumpet will sound, and it will be a much more glorious sound than the one you just heard. And we shall be changed, and we shall be incorruptible at that point. We shall become perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect, as our Savior Jesus Christ is perfect. And again, this corruption, this flesh, we'll put on incorruption. It will be a glorious change. It will be indeed a spiritual metamorphosis. These beautiful butterflies, these are monarch butterflies that you're seeing here. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 for a moment. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, we know this to be the resurrection chapter. And actually, this word metamorphosis, well, not exactly the word metamorphosis, but a word very similar to it is used here in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 51. Here Paul says, Behold, I tell you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. And this word changed is the Greek word alasso, which means to make different, to change, to make different. We are going to become very different at the sound of the last trumpet, at the twinkly of an eye, because we shall be changed from incorruptible, or from corruptible flesh to incorruptible. The dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed, for this corruptible must put on incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality. So I know I'm looking very, very forward to that. I know you are as well. Now, in the next slide, it has 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18. Let's go there for a moment. Let's read that together. 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18.

Here Paul says, But we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord are being transformed. Now, this word transformed, I think it's changed in the King James, but it is transformed here in the New King James. It is the Greek word metamorphu. So I think we can see that that word comes from, or the word metamorphosis in English, comes from this word metamorphu. So it means a transformation, a transfiguration, a complete change.

So we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is God's Spirit that will change us, and we shall become a different creation, a different creature in a sense. So spiritual change, conversion, we know is a process.

That process has surely begun in you if you've been baptized, if you've accepted Christ as your Savior, if you've repented of your sins, if you've had the hands laid upon you by the ministry and you've received the Spirit of God, then that process has surely begun in you. And even if you're not yet baptized, no doubt God is working with you, God is drawing you to Him, He's calling you. So where are you in the process of conversion? How well are you progressing? That's a good question to ask ourselves on this Feast of Trumpets. How well are you progressing in this metamorphosis?

Did you know that you are indeed undergoing a dramatic change?

And today I'd like us to consider our spiritual metamorphosis our spiritual change.

Butterflies go through a physical metamorphosis, and God often uses the physical to teach His children spiritual lessons. There are a number of striking similarities. I know that you'll see this as we go through the sermon today. There are striking similarities between the physical metamorphosis of a beautiful butterfly and the spiritual metamorphosis of a true Christian.

So physical metamorphosis is a type of the spiritual metamorphosis or transformation that a person must go through to be born into the family of God.

And Mr. Renoso talked about how we have to be about doing our Father's business as we are preparing and waiting for the return of Jesus Christ.

Metamorphosis is the series of developmental stages that insects or butterflies go through to become adults. Butterflies and moths have four stages of life. First of all, the egg, then the larva or the caterpillar stage, the pupa or the chrysalis stage, and then the adult stage. It takes a monarch butterfly about 30 to 40 days to complete its life cycle. And when there are warmer temperatures, it takes even less time.

So pictured here in this slide are the four stages of a monarch butterfly.

Again, the egg stage, then the larva or caterpillar stage, the pupa or chrysalis stage, and then the adult stage. So let's talk about the egg stage for a moment.

In spring and summer, monarch females lay their eggs on milkweed plants. The eggs are laid singly and generally on the undersides of the leaves. The eggs are very small. They're about the size of a period at the end of a sentence. They're whitish in color. Three to eight days after the eggs are deposited, they will hatch. So here's a picture of how small these eggs are. It's like a pinhead. That's how small they begin. Now God begins small with us. God begins to draw us to Him. Christ said, No one can come to Me unless the Father draws Him.

So God begins to draw us. He begins to call us. He begins to open our minds.

The spiritual metamorphosis is beginning. God is drawing us. The seed brings forth from fertile ground. We're beginning to respond. We're listening to the call. We're doing something. God is instructing. God is teaching. God is feeding us. A person again responds. He feels the need. And finally, He is compelled to be baptized. That's how I felt about baptism. I felt compelled to be baptized. I felt I needed to be baptized. I needed to go further in my spiritual development. And so at a very young age, at age 19, I was 19 at the time, I became baptized and received God's Holy Spirit. So true repentance and acceptance of Christ as our Savior is essential if we are to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. It's a decision that, frankly, must be made if you want to develop. If you want to die on the vine, so to speak, then do nothing. But if you want to develop as a true Christian, then you have to find the courage to move forward and to go forward and to take that step. But that's your choice. It's your decision. You must be ready. Now, this next slide is 2 Corinthians chapter 5. So please turn with me there. Here we're going to see that the Holy Spirit is given as an earnest. It's given as a down payment that guarantees a complete and total change to spirit in the future. But the process is not complete. In one sense, it's just beginning. So let's go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5.

Let's read this together in verse 1. For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, it's speaking about our human bodies, is destroyed, then we have a building from God. God is building something far more important in us. It is a house not made with hands. It is eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, we earnestly desire to be clothed with our habitation, which is from heaven. God is on His throne. Christ is at the right hand of the Father.

But changes are being made here on earth, and God is intimately involved in those changes. And Christ is intimately involved as our High Priest in the change that you are going through.

So if indeed having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. We want to become eternal, born into the eternal family of God. Now, He who has prepared us for this very thing is God. God is working in you. He's preparing you. He's making changes in you. And He's given us a guarantee. He's given us the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, as a guarantee. It's not something wishy-washy. It is indeed a guarantee. Those who have the Spirit of God dwelling in them are indeed the children of God. And God is working with them to change them to become exactly like He is, to become Spirit, born into His family. So, brethren, it's essential that we understand what God is doing in our lives so that we might make the best of our time here on this earth. The next slide talks about the second stage. We have the egg stage. God is calling. He's drawing us. He's opening our minds. He's granting us His Spirit. We're beginning to change, just like the butterfly is beginning to change. A little egg now becomes a larva. It becomes a caterpillar. The tiny egg hatches out. It becomes a tiny and a very hungry caterpillar. It's a ravenous caterpillar. How ravenous are you? Are you ravenous? I hope you are. First, it eats its own eggshell, and then it gorges itself on the milkweed leaf. While it's eating, it also is in danger of being eaten by ants, by spiders, by wasps, and by birds. So, it's not an easy life. It's full of dangers. Just like a true Christian's life is also full of danger. We have a roaring lion who's seeking whom he may devour. So, we have to be on guard, and we have to continually be eating, filling ourselves with nourishment from the Father and from his Son. The caterpillar develops bright stripes, and during the next two to four weeks, it eats non-stop. Four times, it grows too fat for its skin. So, it's okay to put on a little weight, but make it spiritual weight. Not the physical kind. Make it spiritual. Well, it grows too fat for its skin, so the skin splits, and the caterpillar wriggles out headfirst.

This is called molting, because the old skin is rich in protein, something all-growing animals or insects, including people. We need protein. Well, the caterpillar eats it, of course. So, in a sense, it's like our first love. We're devouring literature. I couldn't wait to read the next booklet. When God first called me, my mind was open, and I could understand His truth, and every piece of the puzzle was fitting together, and it was making sense, and it was wonderful. And that was 40 years ago. God is continuing to help all of us grow as we seek to become more like Him. Immediately after hatching, the caterpillar is so small it can barely be seen. So it's very tiny, but it grows very fast, feeding on nothing but milkweed leaves. This is the monarch butterfly. So its first commandment is to eat and grow. In just 9 to 14 days, it is about 2 inches long. It is now full grown. Now, you've seen caterpillars, right? Well, right here's a picture of a caterpillar. It's kind of ugly, isn't it? I think it's a little bit ugly. It's kind of beautiful in a way, but it's kind of ugly. Well, this caterpillar, spiritually speaking, is a little bit like us. You know, we're not so beautiful in some ways, either. You know, we make a lot of mistakes. We sin. We fall down. We stumble. We skin our knees. We have to get back up. We have to keep going on. But hopefully we are growing, and we are becoming more beautiful spiritually as time goes on. Now, here we see the caterpillar shedding its skin. On the left, you can see that old skin coming off. So it's out with the old, in with the new, so to speak. So the caterpillar is changing. It's transforming. It's getting larger. It's growing. Here we see the growth process of a monarch butterfly. The caterpillar sheds its skin five times during the larval stage. So it's continually growing and shedding its skin and getting bigger and stronger.

A new, larger skin is always waiting under the one that is shed. Can you think of any parallels between the physical growth process of a caterpillar and the spiritual growth process of a true Christian? Think about that for just a moment. There are parallels. After baptism, a person continues to grow and develop. But, you know, a lot of changes are often made before baptism. People stop doing certain things. They stop eating certain ways, stop eating certain things. They stop drinking so much. There's moderation that's becoming a part of their life.

They're making different decisions, better decisions.

Now, what will largely determine the rate of growth of a true Christian?

Well, in Matthew 5-6, here it says, "...blessed is he who hungers and thirsts for righteousness." So just as the caterpillar hungers and thirsts for food, for protein, we need to be hungering and thirsting for righteousness to become just like Christ. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. And you will continue to grow spiritually, and you shall be filled, as it says here. So, brethren, we spiritually feed ourselves through daily prayer, through daily Bible study, by meditating continually on the things of God. That is what should excite us. It's okay to get excited about a football game now and then, but far more we should get excited about our spiritual growth, and the ways of God, and the things of God. I don't even know if the Dallas Cowboys won last night.

I mean, I don't... you know, don't tell me.

Mr. McNeely and I did watch a little football, but we didn't watch the Dallas Cowboys.

If it had been earlier in the day, we would have. But anyway, the point I'm making here is that we must feed ourselves spiritually on the good things of God, on prayer, on Bible study, on meditating, on regular fasting. If you want to grow spiritually, these are the tools. This is the food that you need to be eating. We should have a voracious appetite spiritually. Again, we should hunger and thirst for righteousness. Satan is the adversary, and he tries to utilize many distractions and many temptations to impede our spiritual growth. There are many, many types of temptations and trials out there. We all know that. There's physical trials, there are health trials, there's financial trials, job trials, family issues, on and on and on it goes. There's all kinds of trials, and God is testing us and he's helping us grow by responding to these trials and these tests properly.

So we should look at our temptations, we should look at our tests and our trials as spiritual opportunities to become more spiritually mature, to develop spiritually. So we have to take a positive approach toward the trials that God allows in our lives and realize that we will grow spiritually if we respond properly to these trials. So that is the second stage, the caterpillar stage. It's kind of an ugly stage, but it's an essential stage in our growth spiritually. Then we go on in a monarch butterfly. The next step is the pupa or the chrysalis stage, or the larva stage it's also called. So after its fourth molt, the caterpillar finds a safe spot, finds a leaf or a twig, it spins a patch of soft silk and attaches itself by tiny hooks on its hindmost legs. Then hanging upside down, it sheds its skin for the last time. What's left is a yellow-green pupa or larva.

The new skin hardens to protect the pupa and it turns pale green with gold spots. So for about one week, the pupa hangs motionless and it doesn't eat or drink. So it's now fasting. It's fasting for like a whole week. But there's a lot going on behind the surface.

The larval structures are being broken down and reformed into those of an adult butterfly.

So there's a lot happening during this stage, even though it doesn't look like it. And sometimes we don't think we're growing spiritually, but we may be growing a whole lot more than we think. And sometimes people may not think we're growing that much spiritually, but maybe we really are. And maybe they don't see clearly what's really happening and the changes that are taking place behind the scenes.

So during this time, larval structures are being broken down and they're reformed into those of an adult butterfly. Only the internal organs remain basically the same.

The pupal period ranges from a few days to more than a year, according to the species of a butterfly. Many species spend the winter as pupa and emerge as adults in the springtime, but of course a monarch butterfly is much quicker than that. No longer caterpillars, but not yet butterflies. This is a transitional stage to maturity. So at the end of the pupal stage, the skin of the monarch turns transparent, and you can see through it the black-rimmed orange wings of the butterfly inside the cocoon. So from this slide in front of us now, we see the caterpillar skin is shed for the last time as it passes from the larval stage to the pupa or the chrysalis stage of metamorphosis.

Under the caterpillar skin, this time is a jade green casing called a chrysalis or pupa or cocoon. We also call it a cocoon. Inside the chrysalis, which is only about an inch long, the caterpillar will miraculously transform into a beautiful butterfly. But again, it's not so pretty yet. Here is a chrysalis in what they call a j formation.

It looks like a j, and after that we see the stages that it's going through. It's a j, and then it straightens out, and then the cocoon is forming around it, and at the end you see the cocoon fully formed, the chrysalis or cocoon. Now, on this next slide, we see that immediately after the skin is shed, the chrysalis is very soft. Within an hour, though, it hardens to become a protective shell for the caterpillar inside.

Again, dramatic changes occur inside the chrysalis. The mouth parts must go from being those required for chewing like a caterpillar to what a butterfly will need. A straw-like tongue used for sipping nectars from flowers. This isn't just something that happens. There is indeed intelligent design behind what's going on here. This is ludicrous to think that this would just somehow evolve.

It's absolutely fantastic to believe such a lie, and yet people believe it. I mean, it's so foolish, and yet, you know, God talks about that. So, here, again, these wonderful things are happening underneath the surface. Finally, a creepy-crawling insect will become a flying insect, in fact, one of the most beautiful insects on earth.

So, here we see a single chrysalis. We might compare that to an individual Christian. We're all called individually. We all stand and fall before God. We don't go in on anyone's coattails. But we do need each other. And here we see a chrysalis multitude. We're also often together as God's church, as God's people, helping each other grow and develop, interacting with each other. It's important, very important, that we learn to love each other, to care for each other, because we are truly all in this together. And we have to look at the bigger picture and understand what's going on and what God is doing in us.

So, here, again, a little bit more about the pupa stage to an adult stage. In just 9 to 14 days, the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly is complete. Through the chrysalis, you can now see the orange and black wings of the monarch butterfly.

I'll show you that in a moment. With no visible signs to signal the emergence of the butterfly from its chrysalis, the chrysalis suddenly cracks open. Out comes the monarch butterfly. Its wings are tiny, they're crumpled, they're wet. The butterfly clings to its empty chrysalis shell as hemolymph, the blood-like substance of insects. It's called hemolymph. It is pumped through its body and it begins to take on real life here.

So, as the hemolymph fills the monarch's body and wings, they enlarge. And in this stage, the monarch is extremely vulnerable also to predators because it's not yet able to fly. And in the example where Christ was being tested when Satan was tempting him, in the book of Luke it talks about how Satan left him because he couldn't get anywhere with Christ.

You know, Christ knew how to win spiritual battles and Christ quoted scriptures. And Christ was not the least bit tempted to follow Satan the devil. And so it says that Satan left him for an opportune time.

Of course, there was never an opportune time with Christ because Christ was always close to the Father. He was always strong spiritually. He was always faithful and true. But Satan is looking for an opportune time in your life when you are vulnerable, when you have gotten away from God, you've gotten away from Bible study and prayer and fasting, and you're weak spiritually.

And he's looking for those times when he can destroy you, when he can devour you. So you have to be on guard and be strong all the time and draw near to God. And he will draw near to you and he'll give you the help and the strength that you need. Now this change from chrysalis to butterfly will be so great and so sudden that you'll think a new creature has appeared before your eyes. So here we see a butterfly and it's emerging step by step. And here we see the butterfly has emerged.

So no longer the pupa stage or the chrysalis stage. Now the adult stage has begun. And this monarch butterfly is no longer earthbound. The butterfly is ready to soar into the air. It's ready to fly. So let's go to 2 Timothy chapter 2 and let's talk about a true Christian and how we need also to learn to fly spiritually. 2 Timothy chapter 1. 2 Timothy chapter 1.

I'm sorry, chapter 2, not chapter 1. 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 1. You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. We do learn from each other and we have a lot of experience in God's church. And many people have been in the church a long time and they've learned to win spiritual battles and they've learned to grow spiritually. And so there are many ways to learn from one another.

So commit these things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore, verse 3, must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

No one engaged in warfare entangles himself for the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. You are a Christian soldier. Jesus Christ died for you. You have been enlisted into his army. You answer to him. You are his soldier.

And you should be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. You should follow his lead.

Again, no one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this world. And that's what Satan wants you to do. He wants you to become entangled in the ways of this world and in this mundane physical life that we live. He does not want you to see the big picture.

He doesn't want you to focus on God's wonderful plan of salvation that is revealed in God's holy days. Most people aren't here today. They're out doing the things of the world. They're working. They're playing. They're doing all kinds of different things, but they're not here being taught by God himself. It's important that we draw near to God, and not just on the annual holy days, but every Sabbath. Again, it amazes me that some people believe they should only come on the high days, and they seldom come on the Sabbath. I believe it's a commanded assembly, and we should be there every Sabbath unless there's very good reason not to be. Some family issues, other things that might sickness and other things, but very seldom should we miss services, because this is a way that we're taught. And not only that, I think it's a commanded assembly. I believe that's what the scripture says in Hebrews. So I hope that we will do better as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Let's read a little further in verse 5. It says, And also, if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. You have to follow the rules. You know, God has rules, he has laws, and we have to follow those laws. The hard-working farmer must be first to partake of the crops. He has grown those crops, he's labored with those crops, he is able to enjoy those crops once they're harvested.

And we also will reap a harvest, but we have to be faithful. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ, at the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffered trouble as an evildoer. Yes, they threw Paul into prison, claiming that he was an evildoer. Of course, he wasn't. He says, even to the point of chains, and they chained him up, but he says the word of God is not chained. And the word of God is not chained today. We have an opportunity to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God to this world. And I know Mr. McNeely is going to talk more about that as we will strive to do that in November here in this area, trying to do what little bit we can do to help spread the gospel of the kingdom of God. Therefore, I endure all things for the sake of the elect, and they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. Again, we are being transformed into eternal glory. That is our destiny. Eternal glory. This is a faithful saying, for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. Works both ways. If we are faithless, He remains faithful. We can always count on Him. He cannot deny Himself. He is God. He is perfect. He cannot lie. He does not sin. We can always count on God and Christ. So remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord, not to strive about words to no prophet, to the ruin of the hearers, but be diligent to present yourselves approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed. We do not need to be ashamed, brethren. Sometimes we are ashamed. Sometimes I'm ashamed of bad choices that I've made. But we need not be ashamed. We need to walk more faithfully with Christ and with the Father.

And we do need to rightly divide God's truth and live by it.

So back to the monarch butterfly for a moment.

About one hour after emerging from its chrysalis, the monarch's wings are full-sized. They're dry. They're ready for flying. So a newly-immersed monarch uses a straw-like tongue, called a proboscis, to begin sipping nectar. Four to six days after emerging from its chrysalis, a monarch butterfly is old enough to begin to mate. And so begins the life cycle of the next generation.

Now, I do believe that God is in the process of reproducing Himself through His plan of salvation. He wants children of God born into His family who are like Him. Scripture tells us we will be like Christ. The glorified Christ who came in the flesh, who died for us, who was resurrected as a spirit being, we shall look like Him. We will be like Him, born into His family and to the God family. So here again we see a monarch butterfly. And what a change from an ugly pupa to this beautiful butterfly. God is quite an artist. Here we see a couple more butterflies.

And the annual life cycle of the monarch butterfly is born in the fall. I'm sorry, those born in the fall migrate down to Mexico. They go down to Mexico. Those that are going to be born this fall will go to Mexico. They'll spend the winter in Mexico. They will migrate north in the spring. The female monarch will lay eggs across the southern United States. Then they will die. It'll take about a month for their children to develop through the egg, the larva, the chrysalis, and the adult stages. The children will migrate north and they will spread throughout their range. And again, monarchs live only two to six weeks in the summertime. But those born in the fall will live about eight months. So depending on when they're born, that's how long they may live. Each female will lay hundreds of eggs and the life cycle will continue. So that's the annual life cycle. The spiritual life cycle, of course, we've talked about. And we will continue to talk about that now as we go through a number of scriptures here that will point out, again, what Christ is doing in us. So let's go to Galatians chapter 5. And let's talk about the more important spiritual transformation. We spent quite a bit of time on showing the physical transformation of a monarch butterfly. So let's spend a little time now talking about the spiritual transformation that we're all going through. In Galatians chapter 5, verse 22, and I know we're familiar, most of us, many of us, are familiar with these verses because it talks about the fruit of God's Holy Spirit. Remember, God gives us that down payment, that earnest, and we begin to develop spiritually as we have that spirit dwelling in us.

And we're beginning to change because now we have greater power to change. We have God's spirit dwelling in us. So it says, the fruit of the Spirit, and it's contrasting the fruit of the Spirit with the works of the flesh. You know, the works of the flesh we're supposed to leave behind.

We're no longer supposed to act like we used to before God called us and opened our minds and showed us a better way, a much, much better way to live. So the fruit of the Spirit is love.

Yes, we are to become loving in how we conduct ourselves in every aspect of our lives.

We're to become more joyful as God's people, full of joy, full of peace, full of patience or long suffering, able to endure whatever comes along.

Being kind, developing kindness toward one another, becoming good as Christ is good. I know there's none good but one, and that is God. That's what Christ said. God the Father was perfect. He was all... You know, this flesh... Scripture says nothing good dwells in the flesh. It's only what God can do in us through the power of His Spirit that is truly good.

So we can develop goodness as we stir up the Spirit of God in us. That's one of the fruits that we should be producing. Goodness. Faithfulness. People should be able to count on us. We shouldn't let each other down. We shouldn't let our husbands down. We shouldn't let our wives down. We shouldn't let our children down. We should be true to our word.

We should become meeker or more gentle and also more self-controlled.

That's the way we are to become. And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. We should no longer let evil desire rule our lives.

Our mind should be changing. We should be putting on the mind of Jesus Christ. Christ was not filled with evil desire. He didn't have any evil desires.

Christ was good and faithful and true. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit and let us not become conceited, provoking one another and ending one another. That's not the ways of God.

So how you live your life is very, very important.

Fruits of God's Spirit should be evident in your life.

Now, here in Ephesians 6, it also shows the spiritual metamorphosis that we're all going through.

We're producing the fruit of God's Spirit in greater abundance as we grow spiritually.

And then Paul says, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, and put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but we wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. So we can be vulnerable, but with God's Spirit we can be strong.

So we need to stir up the Spirit within us and therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day.

And the blowing of the trumpet is a blowing to... it's a call to war. Christ is coming back to make war with those who oppose him. We're going to rise to meet Christ in the air at that last trumpet. And we're going to fight alongside him. And we're going to put down rebellion. We're going to put down those who are evildoers. And God's way will stand in that evil day. And we are to withstand and to stand tall and strong in the evil day. And having done all to stand. So stand therefore, having girded your ways with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one of Satan the Devil, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being led by the Spirit of God, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and for me that utterance may be given to me. Paul says, I want the strength as well. As a servant of God, pray for me that I may be given greater strength because I will be tested in ways that perhaps you won't be tested, and I need to be faithful and stand strong in the last days. We should be praying for our leaders. We should be praying for one another, praying for each other. Again, we're all in this together. And grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. That should be all of us.

So the flesh will no longer hamper us in the future. We will be putting on the whole armor of God. We will be fighting the spiritual battles against powerful enemies in the days ahead. And then eventually the flesh will no longer hamper us as we learn to walk in the Spirit.

Even in this life, we're told to learn to walk in the Spirit.

So in Galatians 6, if we'll go back to the book of Galatians for a few verses, Galatians 6, verse 6, that Him who has taught the Word share in all good things with Him who teaches. Again, we're in this together. The teacher and the student, we can all learn from each other, we can all teach each other, we can all be good students and learn as God teaches us, no matter who it's coming from. And do not be deceived, God is not mocked for whatever a man sows, that He will also reap. We will reap what we sown, for He who sows to His flesh will, of the flesh, reap corruption. But He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

That person will be changed into Spirit at Christ's return. And let us not grow weary while doing good. Now, I know a lot of us have been in the church a long time, and sometimes I find myself letting down after being spiritually minded, you know, going to church on the Sabbath and maybe giving a sermon. And then it's easy to let down, and Satan is always looking for an opportune time. But don't become weary in well-doing. Continue to do that which is right and good. And don't give in. And don't let up.

I'm looking forward to being Spirit and not being held down by this flesh. So we should, again, know that we will reap what we've sown, and we should, again, sow good seed.

Now, spiritually speaking, this adult stage does picture entrance into God's kingdom as a perfect Spirit being, a literal child of God. Born of the Spirit, we will be like the resurrected Christ.

He is our elder brother. And in 2 Peter chapter 1, it talks about how this entrance is going to be given to each and every one of us. 2 Peter chapter 1. Let's go there for a moment. 2 Peter chapter 1, beginning in verse 5. 2 Peter 1 verse 5.

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, so we have to be producing this fruit in abundance, this spiritual fruit. That's what God expects of those He's calling now to change, to become Spirit-led. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, for He who lacks these things is short-sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that He was cleansed from His old sins. So we must not forget our calling, brethren. We were cleansed of those past sins, but we must continually be cleansed in a repentant frame in mind as we go through life. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things, you will never stumble.

You don't have to fear. You just have to do these things. And stay faithful, and when you stumble, get back up and keep moving. But in the ultimate sense, you will never stumble. Not ultimately. You may sin, but with repentance comes forgiveness. And that allows us to move on. And notice verse 11, For so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And that's what this day pictures. It pictures a transformation.

At the last trumpet, the trumpet will sound, and we shall be changed.

We will enter into God's family in the fullest sense at that point, those of us who are firstfruits. Now, in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, let's go there. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, it wouldn't be right not to go to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 on the Feast of Trumpets. It's an important scripture. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13. 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 13. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, speaking about those who have died, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. I just had a funeral service actually last Friday near Oklahoma City, and I talked about these verses here.

When we die, we do have hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. Remember, those who are dead in Christ will rise first. For this we say to you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain, until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep, those who have died. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain, we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. We're going to rise to meet Christ in the air. We're going to put down all the rebellion that's happening here on this earth. God's kingdom upon the earth for a thousand years is ushered in. We are going to rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years as spirit beings. We're to comfort one another with these words. See, I've gotten behind a few verses here. Where are we? There we go. First Thessalonians.

Just a few more scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15. It's good to go there on this feast of trumpets as well. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. We'll start in verse 53. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 53.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortal must put on immortality. So we're taking up where we left off earlier. Verse 54. So when this corruptible, this flesh, is put on incorruption, and this mortal is put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. I also read this at the funeral. O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of the sin is the law. Of course, because sin is the transgression of the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. It's through Christ's sacrifice that our sins may be forgiven, that our sins may be cleansed and washed away. And Christ is now at the right hand of God. He is our high priest. He makes intercession for us when we sin. He's our advocate. He's on your side. And the Father listens to the Son, and He grants repentance. God looks on the heart. He sees our heart. He hears the Advocate who's for us.

And we are forgiven our sins. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, be immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. We are to always be abounding in God's work, knowing that your labor is not in vain. Your labor is not in vain, brethren.

What you are doing today is all-important. The fact that you got out of bed this morning, that you came here. You show respect to God, who's called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. So this is a wonderful calling. It is a high and a holy calling. Never to be minimized or taken for granted. In 1 Corinthians chapter 2, it talks about how, I has not seen nor ear heard what God has in store for us. 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9, as it is written, I has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, except the Spirit of the man which is in Him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except the Spirit of God. It is God who has revealed these things to you.

It is God who has shown you that it's important to be here today on this day. For we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, that we might know the things that have been given freely to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. And God does want us to become more spiritually minded. And on the Sabbath days and on the high days, we should be careful what we talk about. It really isn't important if the Cowboys want or not. We don't have to talk about that today. We have more important things to think about, more important things to dwell upon. The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. That's what this world thinks, that what we're doing today is foolish. What we believe in is foolish. Stupidity. It's ridiculous.

That's not what I believe. That's not what you believe. But to most people, these things are foolishness. Nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. You have discerned because God has brought you into his marvelous light and revealed these things to you.

We should thank God continually for what he is doing in our lives and how he is working in us. Now, this scripture here, this one here, eye is not seen nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared. For those who love him, it reminds me of two caterpillars, and they were crawling across the grass. And one caterpillar, like the one I showed you on the screen, one of the caterpillars looked at the other one, and he nudged him and he said, as he saw this beautiful monarch butterfly fly overhead, he said, you couldn't get me up in one of those things for a million dollars. He just didn't grasp it. He didn't grasp his potential.

He didn't realize that very soon he would be up there, flying with the monarch butterflies, and enjoying every bit of it. Enjoying it all. But when we're steadfast on the earth, sometimes we don't see the heights that God wants us to reach. We don't, we don't soar because we're we're small-minded. And we do need to have greater vision, spiritual vision, for what God is doing in our lives. And we need to unite together as God's people in stronger ways than we ever have in the past. And we need to be more pleasing to God, as His people, that God might begin to work in us in greater ways. And then we'll see the Spirit of God poured out in greater abundance as we serve Him and as we please Him more faithfully. So let's continue to change and to grow and to do the things that the Scriptures reveal to us, spiritually discerned, that we can't go on in hatred. We can't go on in pettiness and in jealousy and envy. But we've got to soar above all of that. We've got to be better people. We've got to become like Christ. We have to put on His mind. We have to have a greater vision for what God wants for us right now. In Hebrews chapter 2, this is a very, very important Scripture in regard to this sermon. Hebrews chapter 2, this will help us have the vision that God wants us to have. Hebrews chapter 2, He is bringing many sons to glory. That's what God is doing. He's in the process of bringing many sons to glory. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 10, For it was fitting for Him, for Christ, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation. So it's talking about God the Father actually here. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Christ came. The Father gave His only begotten Son, because He loved us enough to give Him up for us, one who He had been with since eternity, who was at one with Him and extremely close. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Christ is our elder brother, saying, I will declare your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you. Christ glorifies the Father to each and every one of us. He reveals the Father to us.

And again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, here am I, and the children whom God has given me. Christ is our brother. He's also to become our husband, as we are the bride of Christ as well. And as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same that through death He might destroy Him who had the power of death. That is the devil. The devil is real. He is the God of this world.

And we should never take Him for granted either and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed, He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. We are of the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things, He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation, to become the mercy seat for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Christ is there to aid you and to see you through your transformation.

You need not fear because Christ is there with you to give you victory. So Christ is in the process of bringing many sons to glory. That is what is said here. He's transforming us. So here we see that many butterflies, not just a few, but many God has created. Look at all those butterflies.

And if you'll see the tinge, the orange tinge, those are all butterflies in the trees, millions and millions of butterflies. Eventually, God is going to bring all of His children to glory who are willing to humble themselves and to respond to His calling. So when you see a monarch butterfly and when you see lots of monarch butterflies, realize that you are being transformed as well. That from an ugly caterpillar, you are becoming a beautiful butterfly and eventually God wants to bring everyone to glory. That's the God that we serve. He's a big God. He's a loving God. He loves the whole world. He sent His Son for all of us. And He's beginning with you children out there, by the way. So children, take a look at this picture. God is beginning with you children.

God is calling children. He's calling the parents. And through the parents, He's calling children.

And you are our future. God is working in our children. And our parents are working with our children. And we're seeing ever more the importance of teaching our children God's way.

So God the Father is preparing His Son's bride for the upcoming marriage. That's a sermon I gave last year on the Feast of Trumpets, which is about the ancient marriage and the steps of the ancient marriage and how God is working in each of us. And there are so many analogies that are so beautiful. The Betrothal, the waiting period. You may remember that sermon. We're in the waiting period right now. But lots is going on. There must be a lot going on during the waiting period. We have to be diligent. We have to be going about doing our Father's business and not taking things for granted around us. God is calling all of us. We are to become His saints. We are, in a sense, His saints already sanctified and set apart. God is perfecting us slowly but surely. God is creating His spiritual butterflies. I wish you could all just change into butterflies right now for just an instant. Just one second, me included, and we could just fly around this room for just a few seconds. That would be cool. That's not going to happen, but it would be cool. So God is creating His spiritual butterflies, and the very Spirit of God is transforming us from spiritual caterpillars to spiritual butterflies. Now, wouldn't you rather be a butterfly? You don't want to stay a caterpillar, do you? How many of you want to stay a ca—? No, you don't want to stay a caterpillar, but you have to go through all the stages of development. You can't skip over the stages. You have to go through each stage. First, you have to be called. You have to be chosen. You have to receive the Spirit of God. You have to begin changing and growing and developing, producing the fruit of the Spirit of God in you, becoming more loving, more faithful, more true.

So from spiritual egg, you become a spiritual caterpillar. You become a spiritual cocoon, and then a spiritual butterfly. God will surely do His part in your metamorphosis from physical to spiritual. And if God be for us, brethren, who can be against us? Christ is our elder brother. God is our Father. Who can be against us? So, brethren, let us rejoice this feast of trumpets for a complete, astonishing, amazing spiritual transformation. A spiritual metamorphosis is taking place in God's first fruits. This day pictures Christ's return and the changing of the first fruits.