Radically Transformed

June 11, 2012 Monday Message:

Paul: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Cor. 5:17

Paul was the original church-planter for people outside of Israel. He found himself on a Holy Spirit-directed journey, and with Paul as your leader, it would be impossible for you to stray far from his walk. His calling as Gospel purveyor to the Gentiles was a reflection of his personal experiences.

Remember, Paul had been blinded by the light on the road to Damascus, struck down by a Holy Spirit slap, and then left with the voice of Jesus echoing in his head, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

But when God shows up in his life, Paul listens. Now instead of persecuting Christians, he was an advocate for Christians. Instead of exterminating churches, Paul was planting new ones and helping them grow. Paul had repented and returned; his position reversed; his attitude flipped around 180º. He was, indeed, radically transformed.

Paul looked for that same radical transformation in all the new churches and in all the new brothers and sisters, as a sign of their new born-again life. His epistles repeatedly tell of the old Paul dying, and Jesus being alive in the new Paul, and he looked for similar evidence of that in all the new Christians.

So as we go and make disciples of all nations, we don’t just want them to know “about” Jesus; we want them to be “radically transformed” by Jesus. Like Paul, we look for radical transformation as evidence of conversion.

Are you radically transformed?

Norton Lawellin

Remember that on July 29, Jesus in the City Sunday worship will move to the Oliver Ministry Center, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue. Note the new service time: 10:30am. Prayers covering this transition and move would be appreciated.

People of Hope are leading worship at New Hope Center, Metro Hope Ministries, this Friday, June 15, 7pm. Chuck Hirt will be speaking.