Transformation
Text: Acts 9:1-22
Good morning all of you!
It’s good to be with you all this morning. How are you guys doing this morning? Today, I want to talk to you about the “transformers”. By the way, how many of you have watched Transformers 3? While watching it, how many of you thought in your mind, how I wish I was a transformer? I thought that way because transformers are so cool. They can be changed and they can change as well. In other words, they can make a difference in people’s life and situations.
Today, I want to share with you how we could be “The Real Transformers”. I will tell you the story of a real transformer from the Bible. This is story is in Acts 9:1-22 about a person named Saul who was very influential in Jerusalem. He was a Pharisee, a Roman citizen, a member of the Sanhedrin and most of all; a persecutor of the followers of Christ.
Saul was trying to destroy the church. He was going around house to house arresting the disciples and followers of Jesus. That persecution caused the disciples flee to different places, but he was still breathing threats of murder against them. He asked for letters from the high priest to give him the authority to arrest the disciples of Jesus in Damascus. He got the letters and went out in the journey to arrest men and women from the synagogues and bring them to Jerusalem. During those times, the disciples of Jesus used to gather in synagogues and study the word of God together. He started his journey with some of his men and as they were approaching Damascus, suddenly, BOOOOOM…a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” He replied, “Who are you Lord?” He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! Now stand up and go to the city, you will be told what you must do”. Those men who were on the journey with Saul were speechless; because they heard the voice taking to Saul but didn’t see anybody. Now, Saul got up from the ground but could not see anything though his eyes were open. His companions led him to the city of Damascus holding him by hand. Saul didn’t see, eat or drink for three days. He was in a complete fasting for three days. God had already started the work of transformation in his life. You may be ask, how do we know that God is transforming us?
Transformation is an act of God in your life that He initiates through His divine intervention. As we saw in Saul’s life, it was the Damascus experience, where God started the work of transformation. It may not exactly the same in your life, but is there anything in your life that you feel God is dealing with? God wants to initiate that work of transformation in your life, are you willing to be transformed? It is not just an event, but also a process; so, God uses people and means in that process of transforming us. You may ask, why does God have to use people and means in the process of transforming us? Let’s go back to the story to see the reason why God uses people and means in the process of transforming us.
There was a disciple of Jesus named Ananias in Damascus. Jesus spoke to him in a vision saying, “Ananias”, he replied, “Here I am Lord”. Then the Lord said, “ Get up and go the street called ‘straight’ and there at the house of Judas look for Saul, a man from Tarsus, who is praying and he has seen a vision that a man named Ananias would come and lay hand upon him that he would see again”. Then Ananias said, “Lord, I have heard about the harm this man has done against your followers in Jerusalem and here he is here with the authority from the high priest to arrest your followers”. The Lord said, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name to the Gentiles, kings and the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name”. So Ananias departed and reached the house of Judas where he found Saul. He placed his hands upon Saul and says, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus appeared to you on the road and He has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like a scale went off his eyes and he could see again. Then he got baptized and after eating food, he gained strength.
God used Ananias in the process of Saul’s life transformation. The reason behind this is that, we are real transformers not the robot transformers, so we transform people. In order to transform people, we have to go through the same transformation. The work of transformation happens in us and through us as the real transformers. Now, you might be thinking, why do we have to be agents of transformation? Let us go back to the story again to see the reason behind us being the agents of transformation.
As the result of his life transformation, Saul immediately started proclaiming, ‘Jesus is the Son of God’ in the synagogues. People who heard him were amazed at his transformation; they were saying, “isn’t this man here with the authority from the high priest to arrest the followers of Christ?” But Saul was more and more passionate to prove that Jesus is the Christ to the Jews in Damascus. God had transformed him to be transformers of people. This is the very reason why we have to be the agents of transformation being the real transformers.
I still remember how God transformed my father from being an alcoholic to an evangelist within no time. He used to be a heavy drinker and create troubles in the family and society. One day, he met an old lady who during the course of his business, she shared her testimony and gave him a Bible to read. After an hour of listening and reading, he decided to accept Christ then and there. It was an act of God. Nobody could ever believe that his life would be transformed in such a way. He stopped drinking, smoking and creating troubles; instead he was so ‘on fire’ for God. He became a passionate evangelist who would share Christ and His life story of transformation wherever he went.
God Transforms Us to Transform Others.
Let us take some time to reflect on our personal lives. Have you sensed God’s transforming work in your life lately? Do you feel that God is using people and situations to transform you? Are you willing to be God’s agent for the transformation of the world?
Lets us pray.
