Day by day. The lives of ordinary men and women were being powerfully transformed. Day by day. Acts 2:42-47 tells us:
- They were devoted to God and to one another.
- Their hearts were filled with gladness and generosity.
- They were having a real impact on the lives of their fellow believers and those who needed salvation.
How did it happen? What led to their transformation? Where must we begin if we are to follow the same path?
The God-Defined Pathway to Transformation
- The Helper, the Holy Spirit, empowered the apostles of Jesus to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 2:1-4).
- The aim of the Spirit’s coming and the apostles’ work was to convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11).
- Men and women in need of salvation had to come in contact with the good news of God’s grace (Acts 2:5-13).
- The “dots” of God’s revelation to mankind were connected (Acts 2:14-35).
- Jesus was proclaimed as the risen Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).
- In the hearts of those who were willing to meekly receive the implanted word (James 1:21), alienation from God lead to amazement lead to questions lead to realization lead to conviction lead to transformation (Acts 2:37-41; Rom 12:2)
The Transformation of Hearts and Lives: Our Ongoing Mission
- The means of transformation: “the word of the cross” (1 Cor 1:18-31)
- The first steps of transformation: “buried therefore with him” (Rom 6:1-4)
- The fruit of transformation: “fully convinced” (Rom 4:20-25)
- The aim of transformation: “the praise of his glory” (Eph 1:13-14)
This sermon was delivered on January 10, 2016.
“Day by day” is our theme for 2016 at Laurel Canyon. Click here to download our theme booklet. For more sermons, visit the sermon archive or subscribe to the sermon podcast.
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