Transformed Lives
Transformed Lives
What brings transformation in lives and societies? What does transformed lives look like? In documenting the establishment and spread of the early church, Dr. Luke shows us what transformed lives look like among the disciples of the early Church. In Acts 4, we see this picture of a functioning and living community of believers even in the midst of persecutions. Keep in mind Peter and John had been arrested for healing a lame man and preaching the gospel that resulted in 5000 people believing in Jesus and being added to the Church. The authorities had forbid Peter and John not to preach the name of Jesus. Of course, they said, "no way".
Acts 4: 23-37
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
" 'Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.[c]'[d] 27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people[e] of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. We note the prayers of the disciples that they took their case and threat from the authorities directly to God. We do not have any other person to plead to except God, our Father. The best intentioned and capable man or woman will fail us. Only God can grant us true justice.
2. The apostles acknowledged the first pre-requisite for any prayer to our Father. They said, “Sovereign Lord”. Our God is sovereign meaning He is in-charge and we are not. In this understanding we are willing to accept whatever He chooses to come our way. Being our Father, He will choose what is best for us even when it does not seem apparent at first. Are you and I willing to let God be sovereign in our lives? Transformed lives submit to the sovereignty of God.
3. The result of their prayers was that “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly”…There can be no better answer to our prayers than to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the beginning of transformation and living out a transformed life. The Holy Spirit we all agree is God Himself. Remember the name of Jesus, Emmanuel? It means God with us. God now is with us and lives in us when we believe in Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit.
4. Because, God was living in them (filled with the Holy Spirit), “All the believers were one in heart and mind”. This is the perfect picture of transformed lives. Remember, this was the very prayer of Jesus before he left earth. Jesus prayed “Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given Me, that they may be one as we are one.” (John 17:11). Jesus prayed again for us, “I do not pray for these alone, but also those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:20 &21). Our love for other believers will preach to the world more than any words we can speak.
5. Transformed lives speak “boldly” about Jesus. They were no closet Christians. Because the Holy Spirit resides in such lives, they can’t but speak the word of God that is inside them. Transformed lives become true witnesses.
6. “Much grace was upon them all”. Transformed lives depend on the grace of God. The grace of God was abundant on them and they extended grace to others without being stingy. Let’s stop beating up one another and give each other grace that we have freely received.
7. Transformed lives see whatever they own as belonging to God who owns and made all things. Those who owned lands and property sold them to meet the needs of others. Talk about selflessness and loving as Jesus loved. Transformed lives “walk in the Spirit” and produce the “fruit of the Spirit” – love, joy etc (Galatians 5). “There were no needy persons among them” Is this same picture of your local Church? Not mine yet!
As I read Acts, I must confess that I have not really seen nor experienced the same level of transformation of the early Church. I hope your experience is better than mine. Can we experience the same now? Yes, but only by the same power of the Holy Spirit that inspired them. Lord Jesus, please fill us again with your very self, the Holy Spirit that we may love as you have loved us. Let’s ask God to show us practical ways of living in the Spirit. Amen.
What brings transformation in lives and societies? What does transformed lives look like? In documenting the establishment and spread of the early church, Dr. Luke shows us what transformed lives look like among the disciples of the early Church. In Acts 4, we see this picture of a functioning and living community of believers even in the midst of persecutions. Keep in mind Peter and John had been arrested for healing a lame man and preaching the gospel that resulted in 5000 people believing in Jesus and being added to the Church. The authorities had forbid Peter and John not to preach the name of Jesus. Of course, they said, "no way".
Acts 4: 23-37
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
" 'Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.[c]'[d] 27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people[e] of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. We note the prayers of the disciples that they took their case and threat from the authorities directly to God. We do not have any other person to plead to except God, our Father. The best intentioned and capable man or woman will fail us. Only God can grant us true justice.
2. The apostles acknowledged the first pre-requisite for any prayer to our Father. They said, “Sovereign Lord”. Our God is sovereign meaning He is in-charge and we are not. In this understanding we are willing to accept whatever He chooses to come our way. Being our Father, He will choose what is best for us even when it does not seem apparent at first. Are you and I willing to let God be sovereign in our lives? Transformed lives submit to the sovereignty of God.
3. The result of their prayers was that “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly”…There can be no better answer to our prayers than to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the beginning of transformation and living out a transformed life. The Holy Spirit we all agree is God Himself. Remember the name of Jesus, Emmanuel? It means God with us. God now is with us and lives in us when we believe in Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit.
4. Because, God was living in them (filled with the Holy Spirit), “All the believers were one in heart and mind”. This is the perfect picture of transformed lives. Remember, this was the very prayer of Jesus before he left earth. Jesus prayed “Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given Me, that they may be one as we are one.” (John 17:11). Jesus prayed again for us, “I do not pray for these alone, but also those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:20 &21). Our love for other believers will preach to the world more than any words we can speak.
5. Transformed lives speak “boldly” about Jesus. They were no closet Christians. Because the Holy Spirit resides in such lives, they can’t but speak the word of God that is inside them. Transformed lives become true witnesses.
6. “Much grace was upon them all”. Transformed lives depend on the grace of God. The grace of God was abundant on them and they extended grace to others without being stingy. Let’s stop beating up one another and give each other grace that we have freely received.
7. Transformed lives see whatever they own as belonging to God who owns and made all things. Those who owned lands and property sold them to meet the needs of others. Talk about selflessness and loving as Jesus loved. Transformed lives “walk in the Spirit” and produce the “fruit of the Spirit” – love, joy etc (Galatians 5). “There were no needy persons among them” Is this same picture of your local Church? Not mine yet!
As I read Acts, I must confess that I have not really seen nor experienced the same level of transformation of the early Church. I hope your experience is better than mine. Can we experience the same now? Yes, but only by the same power of the Holy Spirit that inspired them. Lord Jesus, please fill us again with your very self, the Holy Spirit that we may love as you have loved us. Let’s ask God to show us practical ways of living in the Spirit. Amen.
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