“TRANSFORMED”
God’s light comes on!
Pastor Dan Myer
“…God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”- 1 John 1:5
“…God, commanded the light to shine out of darkness, and has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”- 2 Corinthians 4:6
INTRO:
Turning the light on!
Sin is the proprietor of great evil upon the hearts and minds of man…
It has brought destruction, death and pain…It hides in the dark places…
God wants to shine His light into our hearts…exposing and removing the harmful and destructive scars that sin works in the lives of the untransformed person…
God is at work to transform us from the power of this world and the kingdom of darkness…into the kingdom of Light!
We see this illustrated in the powerful story of Saul and his personal transformation…
Acts 9:1-9
Saul’s Conversion
1. Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
He was convinced that these Jesus followers were wrong and needed to be punished. They needed to be stopped!
2. He asked the high priest for (legal) letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
3. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven shined all around him.
4. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.
"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
5. The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
6. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
1. IT IS HARD TO FIND YOUR WAY IN THE DARK!
-There is a far worse darkness than having no light bubs…
-To be in Spiritual Darkness.
-Without Jesus... “We like Paul are living in the darkness.”
“But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.” John 11:10
- This world is full of darkness…
- As much as we try…
- Our own will can’t lead us out of the darkness of this world…
- Opinions, Religions…Lead us away from God…
- He didn’t realize that he was on the wrong path…
- Because he was walking around in the darkness.
- But God who is rich in mercy!
- He shows up and Shines His light on Paul!
2. WE NEED GOD’S LIGHT TO SHINE ON US, TO SHOW US THE WAY!
- The light of God came on for Paul!
- This light was brighter than the sun!
- God’s Spot Light
- “To seek and Save that which is Lost”
“To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way…” - Luke 1:79
- In our darkness God is looking for us!
- He would that all would be saved!
3. PAUL RECOGNIZED THAT JESUS IS THE LIGHT!
- Who are you LORD - (God)?
- “Jesus is the light of the world…”
“In him… life; and the life… the light of men.” - John 1:4
“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” - John 12:46
Then spake Jesus … saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”- John 8:12
- Proverbs 20: 27, Acts 22, Proverbs 24:20
4. HE SHINES ON US TO SHINE IN US!
- When His light shines upon us, we see what’s on the inside!
- This light shines into the heart! God is looking at the heart
- This light from God reveals our sins (darkness)!
- He sees that person that no one else can see…
- Saul, had to loss sight of the natural things…(Blind for 3 days)
- To See the inside… and the light to come on inside.
“The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.” - Proverbs 20:27
“If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”
- Luke 11:36
- He wants that me!
- He wants to fill us with his Light!
- We agree with what God sees in us
- Paul had to began to look inside…
- I see it Lord…my heart!
“For every one that doeth evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” - John 3:20 - 21
- Saul was blinded to the physical… and saw in the spiritual
- “Come to the light…deeds are manifest and reproved!”
- He had to trust in faith and see with the spirit!
5. HIS LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE THE RIGHT WAY!
- More than just another road, Paul is on a crossroad of spiritual decision.
- His road started out as a road of Self Will…
- Took a turn onto a path of being Led…Humility, Repentance (turn), Faith!
- We see that we are on a wrong road
- God tell us how to proceed from here.
- We walk on a new path from here.
- This path leads to us to the man (Ananias…who delivers Gods word!)
SUMMARY:
Ananias- shares with Paul the words to be saved…
God will shine his light into your life right now!
“And Ananias…entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as you came, has sent me, that you might receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight…and arose, and was baptized.”
- Acts 9:17-18
