Transformed: Spiritual Health Series

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). Introduction.

(2). Consecration (vs 1).

(3). Transformation (vs 2).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• Let me tell you the story of two women:

• They both lived in the late 1800’s and early 1890’s.

Story 1: Anne Sullivan:

• When Anne Sullivan was aged 5;

• She contracted trachoma, a highly contagious eye disease,

• Which left her blind and without reading or writing skills

• When she was eight, her mother died.

• And her father abandoned the children two years later;

• For fear he could not raise them on his own

• And so she was sent to an orphanage.

• In those days they didn’t have programs for her,

• So they fed her and literally left her sit and rot.

• But she longed to go to school and learn like the other children.

• Her persistence caught the attention of a visiting man, a state inspector.

• His heart was gripped,

• And he paid personally to send her to the Perkins Institute for the Blind, in Boston.

• She learned to read using Braille, and she graduated at the top of her class.

• A few months later she had a surgery which restored some of her sight,

• And a couple years later;

• She became the caretaker for little 6 year old girl called Helen Keller.

Story 2: Helen Keller:

• At age two Helen suffered a serious illness that left her completely blind and deaf.

• As a blind child in the late 1800’s Helen’s family had let her live like an animal,

• Walking around the family table just grabbing food off their plates

• And shoving it in her mouth.

• There was no discipline, no control, and no efforts to teach or train her.

• But one day Anne Sullivan took up the challenge to educate and nurture her;

• It was not easy, but Anne persisted in spite of:

• Temper tantrums, physical abuse, meal time madness & even thankless parents.

• In her heart she knew it was worth the pain, and it sure was:

• Within 2 years the girl was able to read and write in Braille.

• For all her education Anne Sullivan was next to her and had to spell;

• Each letter of every word and lecture into the hand of Helen Keller.

• As she grew older she would ultimately graduate from Radcliffe college,

• In fact she was the first deafblind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree,

• 'Helen Keller' then devoted the rest of her life to aiding the deaf and the blind.

• Where she was able to raise millions of dollars for the American Association for the Blind.

• TRANSITION:

• Those two ladies refused to let their past control their future!

• And the glorious news of the gospel;

• (and it is glorious – there is nothing that compares with it) is this;

• What we were before we came to faith in Jesus Christ;

• Need not hinder or hold us back;

• Like Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan we can refuse to let the past control our future!

Note: Let me tell you another important part of the story:

• One day Annie Sullivan sat Helen down and said to her;

• “I want to talk with you today about God, our Creator.”

• Question: Do you know what Helen said?

• Her answer was; “Good, I’ve been thinking about Him for some time, now!¨

• It is clear from Helen’s writing that her faith in Jesus Christ;

• Was core to who she was and that from it her life arose.

• TRANSITION: I wonder how many people we know;

• Are waiting for us to sit down over a cup of coffee and say;

• “I want to talk with you today about God, our Creator.”

• If that is you is you today;

• Then I am happy to sit down with you over a cup of coffee and share with you the gospel;

• Or try to answer any questions you may have – don’t be shy in asking!

WE ARE STARTING TODAY A SERIES OF 6 BIBLE STUDIES CALLED TRANSFORMED:

• You will get a sermon on the topic each Sunday morning;

• And additional discussion material to use in your mid-week house-groups.

• So if you are not part of a mid-week group see myself or martin afterwards.

• The six subjects are:

• Spiritual Health

• Physical Health

• Mental Health

• Emotional Health

• Relational Health

• Financial Health

Note: Please do not think of this negatively!

Ill:

Going on a diet;

• I like the story of the woman who after going on a diet,

• Was really feeling good about herself;