A Changed Life!
Change! What comes to mind when you hear the word change? Do you think of the jingle jangle in your pocket? Do you think of the many times your mom has changed the furniture in the house around? Do you think of the many times you had to change outfits because you couldn’t figure out what to wear? Do you think of the changes your child goes through as he or she enters adolescence?
No Matter what your perception on change. We must all realize that change is a necessary part of life. Some of us welcome change, others of us despise change. I want to challenge us today to welcome the change God wants to make in each of our lives. Let’s Pray!
One of my favorite TV shows is Family Matters! This show is about the Winslow family, and their pesky neighbor Steve Urkel. Steve is nerdy, clumsy, and doesn’t have too many friends. I think Steve was born to give the Winslow’s a headache. When he knocks something over or breaks something at the Winslow’s house he says, “Did I do that”? But Steve is a smart fellow; he built a machine in which he can turn himself into another person. He goes from Steve Urkel to Stephan Urkel. He goes from bumbling idiot-to-smooth, cool, and popular with the ladies. Even Laura Winslow who can’t stand Steve Urkel falls head over heels for Stephan Urkel (I don’t think Laura can breathe and be in the same room with Stephan Urkel). All because he has a radical change from Steve (nerdy-clumsy) to Stephan (cool-smooth).
Just as Steve’s change is a radical one, we are going to look at someone in the Bible whose life was radically changed. His name is Paul (Saul). Let’s look at Acts Chapter 9.
When we look at a person’s life we must first look at who a person was before they were changed. We need to look at who Paul was. HE was a Benjamite, Roman Citizen by birthright, and he was also a Pharisee-which was one of the three sects of Judaism in the time of Christ. They were a group of Jews who obeyed very strictly both God’s laws and all their own rules about God’s law. Basically Paul was a devout religious man.
We see in verses 1 & 2 that Paul was going his own way, doing his own thing. Verse 1 says Paul was still breathing out murderous threats against the followers of Christ. A few chapters ago Paul had just given approval to the Stoning of Stephen who was also a follower of Christ. Paul hated these Christians. Paul was about me, myself and I. He hated these Christians so much we see in verse 2 that he went to the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogues so that if he found any followers of Christ he would have them put in jail. Paul thought he was doing a service for God by getting these Christians, but Paul was lost and Paul was doing some dirt.
We might shake our heads at Paul – I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t much different from Paul – I was doing my own thing – running my own life – conceited – boasting in my talents – tearing others down. I can relate to what Paul used to be.
The good thing about verses 1 and 2 is that there is a verse 3. Paul is going about his life – going for the next kill – when suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him “Saul Saul why do you persecute me?” Who are you Lord? I am Jesus the one you are persecuting. Don’t miss this question because it is Paul who thought he was doing a service for God by going after the Christians. But he is ultimately the one who didn’t know God. He was the one in need of God. He was religious but he wasn’t right with God. We must note that Paul wasn’t looking for God – Paul was on his own agenda and God had to knock him off his feet so he could stop, look up, and see Jesus.
I can remember God knocking me off my feet just enough to get my attention – God said Tony can’t you see in how your living your life that you are persecuting me.
Like Paul I was religious I was attending church doing some good things – but I thought because of these things I was right with God but I was wrong – It is about a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I didn’t see Jesus with my physical eye as Paul did – but I did see him enough to know that he wanted to make a change in my life.
As a result of this life changing encounter with Christ Paul was forever changed – For three days he was blind and did not eat or drink anything. God spoke to Ananias (a disciple of Christ) in a vision and said 11 go to the house of Judas on (E. 79th) Straight Street and ask for a man named Paul, for he is praying 12 and has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.
Ananias responds to the Lord in verse 13 with doubt saying Lord I have heard all about this Paul – how he has done harm to all your saints in Jerusalem. Ananias is saying in other words Lord are you sure this is the brother you want me to go see.
Ultimately Ananias is convinced by God and goes to the house and Paul’s sight was restored – he was filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized as a sign that he had trusted in Jesus Christ. Ananias questioned at first, but he was convinced that God had changed Paul’s life.
If you don’t, remember anything I say today – Remember this! 3 things about a changed life – 1. Change is recognizable 2. Change is recognizable 3. Change is recognizable.
Story of meeting my wife Carmen back in 1990.
As a result of meeting her my life was changed – change is recognizable.
Back in 1994 my sophomore year at Kent State Football.
I knew you were a Christian the way you responded when they did you wrong. Change is recognizable. Brothers and sisters has Christ changed your life? I ask you is it recognizable?
Young people does Jesus Christ make a difference in how you respect your parents? Does he make a difference in how you act in school and do your school work. Does Jesus make a difference in how you feel about church? If he has, that’s great, but if not, he can make a difference for you.
Two of the most powerful verses in this chapter are verses 15 and 16. Verse 15 highlights God’s grace and forgiveness as he took Paul – one who had murdered and persecuted others and God made him his chosen instrument to carry his name before the Gentiles their kings, and the people of Israel.
God so radically changed Paul that God used Paul to have a life changing impact on those around him – Paul’s life shows what it looks like when one is changed by Christ.
Listen to some of the things Paul said.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Philippians 1:21 for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Philippians 3:7-8 whatever was to my profit I now consider a loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. What an amazing change God made in Paul’s life.
This change God wants to make in you may also come with some pain and suffering. Verse 16 says that God was going to show Paul how much he will suffer for his name. Paul the ex-murderer and persecutor of Christians was ultimately beheaded at the end of a gauntlet for the very same Christ that he once persecuted. Paul gave his all – even his very life.
This changed life ultimately affects you as well as others. For Paul it changed the course of his life. As once he was a persecutor of the Christians and now he became the persecuted. God graciously used him to write most of the books of the New Testament and many were saved as a result of the changes God made in his life through Jesus Christ. What about your life?
I can truly say that I wouldn’t be up here if back in 1993 Jesus Christ didn’t change my life. I didn’t go to college knowing God would call me to be a pastor. I just wanted to play football, graduate and make it to the NFL one day. Jesus Christ is the one who gave me strength in college when I was married with kids, attending classes and playing football all at the same time. Both my wife and I helped each other graduate.
Young people I am not saying this to boast. I am saying this because I know the life changing impact Jesus can have. He needs to be the foundation for your family, job and every decision you make in life.
I want to share a letter that was written about a young girl.
Read An Open Letter to my Classmates
Jesus definitely made a difference in this girl’s life.
The changed life is a result of coming into a relationship with God through trusting in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and believing that he rose from the dead that you may have eternal life. Christ is the only one who can go to the heart and core of your soul and start that change. Put your trust in the hands of an unchanging God who can change your life. My hope is that we will all be able to say “Jesus on the inside working on the outside – oh what a change in my life”!
