There are innumerable ways that humans have invented and will yet invent to attempt to transform themselves, but without a definition grounded in God's good design of what that transformation ought to look like, and without the ability to truly transform themselves, these attempts will always end in failure. The only way we can ever be transformed into the glorious goal God intends for us is through his power and grace. The contrast in this passage is stark, comparing the rise of a conquered orphan with the fall of the reigning monarch. This juxtaposition reminds us of our own transformation through the gospel, if we have been and are being transformed by our relationship with God through the Son by the Spirit, and we can rejoice in it, giving all praise to the one who alone has conquered sin and death and given us hope of eternal life!

The sermon notes and reflection questions are available for download in Portable Document Format (PDF). To get a copy, click the Downloads button, then click either Sermon Notes or Reflection.