Change The World Series

Introduction: Change the World by P.O.D.

Imagine a place only your soul can vision

The heart of a child who looks, sees and listens

She paints a picture using every color

And what she sees, she sees is like no other

[Chorus:]

One word, a voice unheard

You can change the world

With everything I know you’re made of

One word, a voice unheard

You can change the world

If everyone would stop and listen

The art of innocence make so much sense

But placed in the wrong hands, well then it’s wasted

Filtered through he eyes of a pure mind

A one-of-a-kind paradise for you and I

[Chorus]

Break the cycle, find your rhythm

Share the gift that you’ve been given

You can

You can change the world

You can change the world

[Chorus (repeat)]

What comes to mind when you hear that phrase? You can change the world! (Pause for responses).

In my humble opinion, most often feelings of doubt, fear, and even humor are the feelings that most often accompany this phrase. “Yea right!”, “Who me?”, and “Ftttt!” I think tend to be the most common responses. There are few who feel qualified to answer the charge and even less who want to actually take on the responsibility.

If you took some time to look through the Bible, you will quickly find examples of these same responses from the likes of Moses who, when asked by God to go and lead the people out of Egypt, practically begged God to send someone else. You see this response very clearly in the life of Jonah as he literally tries to run and hide from God. Eventually he is eaten by a whale and finally gives in to God. You see the response briefly in Mary as the angel of the Lord has told her that she will have a son even though she has never had sex before. I would even be bold to say that I think you see this even in Jesus as he is praying the garden just before he is arrested, as he is sweating blood because of his anxiety.

Despite these feelings and responses that are natural and very normal, God has never stopped placing the charge on people’s lives, even our lives today. God today, stands behind us, saying, “Go and change the world! Change the people around you! Change your family, your schools, and your places of work!” In light of this calling on our lives to do God’s work, and due to the natural feelings of fear and doubt, I want to look at three things that will help us as we think about responding to this charge to change the world.

First, no matter how much doubt we have about how qualified we may be, the fact is that God would not ask us to do something that he knew we couldn’t do. In a sense, what I mean by that is that we are qualified to go and change the world.

We can find this qualification in the cross! Jesus said that we were so important to Him that he was willing to die on the cross for us. He was punished for our disobedience to Him, which is called sin, and then he said, “Come and join my family.” But Jesus didn’t stop there by just inviting us to be a part of his family. God said, “You are so important! You have worth! So much worth that I want you to be part of my family and I want your help to do the work that I have to do.”

How amazing is that!! God, who created the world, breathed life into its very existence, placed each individual star in its place, thinks that you and I are important to him. He doesn’t need us at all to accomplish His work but yet He still wants to entrust His work to us! There is no greater purpose for your life than that fact right there!

Second, no matter how scared we might be about taking on the responsibility that God is calling us to; God promises to always be with us.

Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.”

In Matthew 28:20, as Jesus is telling his disciples to go out and change the world he says to them, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

In Genesis 26:24, as Abraham is heading out on his new journey God exclaims to him, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”