Show Up, Go Deep: Embracing Spiritual Transformation

Transformation stands at the center of Christian essentials and shapes every genuine expression of faith. Intense discipline and long practice—like Olympic training—reveal how sustained effort changes capacity but cannot satisfy the soul apart from the life Jesus promises. Prayer functions as a lifeline to God and models the dependence that opens believers to ongoing change; through prayer the Spirit initiates a work that moves toward making people more like Jesus. Transformation requires both divine action and human consent: God begins and sustains the work, but the Spirit will not coerce a will that refuses to follow.

The process of becoming Christlike demands teachability and the willingness to revise held convictions. Wrestling with Scripture and living faithfully in community produce growth that looks less like certainty as immobility and more like mature trust that accepts mystery while pursuing truth. Change often arrives through seasoned challenges—moments that feel like crashing waves—where resilience and repeated recommitment build spiritual muscles. The surfing image clarifies that the Spirit brings opportunities to go deeper; recognizing and riding those moments leads to greater balance, compassion, and endurance.

Christian maturity shows up in practical love. Gifts and knowledge may impress, but love measures the reality of transformation: patience, kindness, generosity, and sacrificial service mark a people shaped by the Spirit. Renewing the mind (Romans 12) becomes a daily discipline of refusing conformity to the world and choosing Christlike habits that alter desires and behaviors. Turning to the Lord lifts the veil and brings growing freedom; as unveiled faces contemplate God, the Spirit continually transforms into increasing glory.

The invitation stays simple and urgent: show up, follow, and go deep. Keep returning to the deep places of prayer, obedience, and love even when the waves knock down the body and shake the confidence. Those who persist will find the Spirit completing the work begun, producing a life that not only pursues abundant experience but reflects the character of Jesus in patience, grace, and love.

---

Key Takeaways

• 1. Transformation is essential to faith Transformation does not sit on the margins; it defines whether faith functions as life or as form. The Spirit begins a renewing work that moves believers into the image of Christ, and this change must touch mind, will, and habit. Expect growth that emerges slowly through practice, failure, and renewed obedience rather than instant adjustment. [54:37]
• 2. God won’t force inner change The Spirit invites, nudges, and sometimes compels attention, but God never coaxes authentic discipleship without consent. Following Jesus requires a willing heart that responds to invitation rather than a life shaped by coercion or guilt. Spiritual formation occurs in partnership: divine initiative plus human obedience. [52:13]
• 3. Show up if you want growth Growth begins with presence: showing up to prayer, community, and practice trains both heart and muscle. Repeatedly paddling back out after a crash builds skill, endurance, and discernment about when to ride and when to wait. Mature faith forms by patient return and steady engagement, not by occasional peaks. [68:24]
• 4. Love reveals real transformation Loving others with patience, kindness, and generosity serves as the clearest test of inward change. Gifts and knowledge without love leave emptiness; consistent acts of love make visible the Spirit’s shaping work. Pursue opportunities to love as a primary spiritual discipline that both tests and deepens transformation. [65:01]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [43:00] - Texas weather & greetings
• [43:40] - Opening prayer
• [44:24] - Confidence in God’s work
• [44:58] - Olympics and training metaphor
• [47:27] - Emptiness after success
• [49:55] - Prayer as a lifeline
• [54:37] - Transformation as essential
• [58:21] - Surfing metaphor for growth
• [65:01] - Love as the metric of change
• [71:17] - Call to go deep & closing prayer

Based on the sermon summary and transcript, the sermon wove together several key biblical themes rather than focusing on a single passage. The following passages form the core biblical foundation for the discussion on transformation.

Bible Reading
* Philippians 1:6 (ESV): And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
* 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (ESV): Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
* Romans 12:2 (ESV): Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Observation questions

1. According to 2 Corinthians 3:18, what is the result of beholding the glory of the Lord with an unveiled face?
2. The sermon described transformation as a process that involves both divine action and human consent [52:13]. How do the actions of God and the believer interact in Philippians 1:6 and Romans 12:2?
3. What specific instruction does Romans 12:2 give regarding our relationship with the world and our minds?
4. The sermon used the imagery of a surfer who must paddle back out after a crash to build strength and skill [01:00:34]. How does this picture relate to the promise in Philippians 1:6?

Interpretation questions

1. What might it look like practically for someone to "behold the glory of the Lord" in their daily life, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 3:18?
2. The process described in 2 Corinthians 3:18 is one of moving "from one degree of glory to another." Why is transformation often a gradual process rather than an instantaneous event?
3. Romans 12:2 calls for a renewal of the mind that leads to discerning God's will. How does a mind that is being renewed think differently from a mind conformed to the world?
4. If God is the one who completes the good work he started (Philippians 1:6), what is the believer's responsibility in that process?

Application questions

1. Transformation requires showing up to the practices that train our hearts [01:08:24]. What is one spiritual discipline (e.g., prayer, Scripture, community) you need to consistently "show up" to this week?
2. The Spirit presents opportunities to go deeper and become more like Jesus, much like waves for a surfer [01:03:59]. Can you identify a recent situation that felt like a "wave"—an opportunity to practice patience, kindness, or compassion? How did you respond?
3. Love is the clearest test of inward change [01:05:01]. Is there a relationship in your life where your actions have been more about being right than about being loving? What is one practical step you can take to love that person better?
4. We are constantly being transformed by something, whether by fear, anger, or pride [01:09:18]. What negative force most often shapes your thoughts and reactions? What would it look like to actively "put on Christ" in that area instead?
5. Growth involves being teachable and willing to revise long-held convictions [55:29]. Is there a belief or opinion you hold that you have never seriously questioned or re-examined in light of Scripture? What would it look like to be open to the Spirit potentially changing your mind?
6. The promise is that turning to the Lord lifts the veil and brings freedom [01:11:37]. What is one area of your life where you need to experience more of the freedom that comes from the Spirit's transforming work?