Transformative Grace: From Sinners to Family in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The Heart's Hidden Sinfulness

We are all sinners, the worst among us, as sin begins in the heart. This truth levels the playing field, reminding us of our equal need for grace and the transformative power of Jesus' love. Sin is not just about outward actions but originates from the heart's intentions and desires. Recognizing this helps us understand that no one is above another; we all stand in need of the same grace. This realization should not lead to despair but to a humble acknowledgment of our shared humanity and the boundless grace available to us through Jesus. [29:58]

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (ESV): "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.'"

Reflection: In what ways have you noticed your heart's intentions leading you away from God's will? How can you invite God to transform these areas today?

Day 2: Encountering Grace on the Road

Jesus meets us face to face, offering life instead of judgment. His encounter with Saul on the road to Damascus is a testament to His extravagant grace, showing that even the worst of us can be redeemed and used for His purposes. Saul's transformation from a persecutor to a proclaimer of the gospel illustrates that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. This encounter is a powerful reminder that Jesus seeks us out, not to condemn, but to offer a new path filled with purpose and hope. [36:05]

Acts 26:14-16 (ESV): "And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.'"

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt far from God. How did you experience His grace in that situation, and how can you extend that grace to others today?

Day 3: Redeeming the Past for God's Glory

Our past, no matter how sinful, can be redeemed for God's glory. Jesus calls us to be His instruments, carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth, using our unique backgrounds and experiences for His mission. Saul's past as a persecutor did not disqualify him; instead, it became a powerful testimony of God's transformative power. We are invited to see our past not as a chain but as a platform for God's glory, where our weaknesses become His strength. [52:04]

1 Timothy 1:15-16 (ESV): "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life."

Reflection: What part of your past do you struggle to see as redeemable? How can you offer this to God today, trusting Him to use it for His glory?

Day 4: A New Identity in Christ

Jesus receives the worst of us as family, transforming our identity from sinners to saints, ambassadors, and children of God. This new identity is rooted in the transformative work of Jesus, not our past sins. Ananias calling Saul "brother" signifies the radical change that occurs when we are in Christ. We are no longer defined by our failures but by our relationship with Jesus, who calls us His own and gives us a new purpose and identity. [54:37]

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."

Reflection: How does your new identity in Christ change the way you view yourself and others? What steps can you take today to live more fully into this identity?

Day 5: From Enemies to Family

The gospel transforms our relationships, turning enemies into family. Ananias' obedience to heal Saul demonstrates the radical nature of God's grace, inviting us to embrace those we once considered enemies as brothers and sisters in Christ. This transformation is not just personal but communal, as we are called to live out the gospel's reconciling power in our relationships, breaking down barriers and building bridges of love and unity. [58:21]

Ephesians 2:14-16 (ESV): "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility."

Reflection: Who in your life do you struggle to see as family in Christ? How can you take a step towards reconciliation and unity with them today?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered to exalt the name of Jesus and to send off a team of four, including myself, to assist with disaster relief in North Carolina. This mission is a testament to our commitment to serve and spread God's love in tangible ways. As we delve into Acts chapter 9, we confront the uncomfortable truth that we are all sinners, the worst among us, as the Bible states. This realization is not meant to condemn but to level the playing field, reminding us that sin begins in the heart, making us all equal in our need for grace.

The story of Saul, later known as Paul, illustrates the transformative power of Jesus' grace. Saul, a Pharisee from Tarsus, was a man of great intellect and privilege, yet he was also a persecutor of Christians, the worst of sinners. On his way to Damascus, Saul encountered Jesus face to face, a moment of extravagant grace that should have been beyond his reach. Instead of destruction, Jesus offered Saul a new mission, demonstrating that even the worst of us can be redeemed and used for God's purposes.

Jesus' encounter with Saul is a powerful reminder that He meets us where we are, offering life instead of judgment. This grace is not just for Saul but for all of us, as Jesus calls us to be His instruments, carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth. Our past, no matter how sinful, can be redeemed for His glory. Ananias' reluctant obedience to heal Saul shows the radical nature of God's grace, transforming enemies into family.

Finally, Jesus receives the worst of us as family. Ananias calls Saul "brother," signifying the new identity we receive in Christ. Our identity is not tied to our past sins but to the transformative work of Jesus, who makes us saints, ambassadors, and children of God. This is the good news of the gospel: we are no longer enemies but family, seated at Jesus' table.

Key Takeaways

1. We are all sinners, the worst among us, as sin begins in the heart. This truth levels the playing field, reminding us of our equal need for grace and the transformative power of Jesus' love. [29:58]
2. Jesus meets us face to face, offering life instead of judgment. His encounter with Saul on the road to Damascus is a testament to His extravagant grace, showing that even the worst of us can be redeemed and used for His purposes. [36:05]
3. Our past, no matter how sinful, can be redeemed for God's glory. Jesus calls us to be His instruments, carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth, using our unique backgrounds and experiences for His mission. [52:04]
4. Jesus receives the worst of us as family, transforming our identity from sinners to saints, ambassadors, and children of God. This new identity is rooted in the transformative work of Jesus, not our past sins. [54:37]
5. The gospel transforms our relationships, turning enemies into family. Ananias' obedience to heal Saul demonstrates the radical nature of God's grace, inviting us to embrace those we once considered enemies as brothers and sisters in Christ. [58:21]
** [58:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Mission Team Send-Off
[02:30] - Introduction to Acts 9
[04:15] - We Are All the Worst
[07:00] - Sin Begins in the Heart
[10:20] - Saul's Background
[14:00] - Encounter on the Road to Damascus
[18:30] - Jesus' Extravagant Grace
[22:10] - Saul's New Mission
[26:00] - Ananias' Reluctant Obedience
[30:45] - Jesus Receives Us as Family
[35:00] - Transformative Power of the Gospel
[40:00] - Invitation to Join the Family
[45:00] - Closing Prayer and Announcements

Sermon Clips

"Like somewhere in your mind, that's what you're thinking when I say that some of us in the world are the worst. But what's really difficult for us to understand, what's really difficult for us to wrap our minds and our hearts around today, is that that's not what the Bible says. The Bible says all of us are the worst." [00:29:09] (27 seconds)

"You read through this book of Romans that comes after the book of Acts. Excuse me. After, yeah, after the book of Acts. You read through Romans and what you see is very clearly, the Bible is clear. All people have sinned. All of us. The preacher included. We are all sinners. Like there is wickedness in our hearts and in our minds." [00:29:58] (26 seconds)

"Romans chapter 5, verse 8, probably the one verse I've got memorized more than any other verses, but God proves his own love for us, that while we are all sinners, Christ died for us. Romans chapter 10, there is no distinction. There is no distinction for everyone, every nation who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. There's no distinction." [00:32:15] (29 seconds)

"And a minute later, I'm going to tell you a whole different side of Saul that we didn't know, that you'll see plays an integral role into why Jesus came for him. And I want you to see that if you are the worst of us like him, you need to know first and foremost that Jesus Christ meets the worst of us face to face." [00:36:05] (25 seconds)

"Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Who are you, Lord? I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. But get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do. The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one." [00:36:28] (27 seconds)

"It is his nature that is so beautiful and so painful at the same time because it is so bright that it pierced his eyes and blinded him immediately. He could hear, but he couldn't see. Why? Because we know from, we know way back in Exodus that when Moses, we know way back in Exodus that when Moses looked at God, he came down glowing from God's presence." [00:40:20] (25 seconds)

"Jesus lets him live. He lets him live. And do you realize today, as those who are the worst, that Jesus is either chasing some of you right now, and he's meeting you right where you are, and he's letting you live. He isn't killing you. He isn't destroying you. He is not letting you be overtaken and washed away by your sinfulness." [00:45:10] (36 seconds)

"Jesus Christ meets the worst of us face to face. Second, Jesus Christ has a great mission for the worst of us. He lets him live. He goes to Damascus in verse 10. He says, And while he's in Damascus, while he's in Damascus at a house by the name of Judas, we see that while that's happening, there was a disciple in Damascus that we know very little about." [00:46:07] (27 seconds)

"Lord, Ananias answered, I've heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who came on your name. But the Lord said to him, go, for this man is my chosen instrument, to take my name to the Gentiles, kings and Israelites." [00:47:44] (22 seconds)

"Jesus is literally saying, out of everybody that I have saved, out of everybody that has placed their faith in me, there's one that I have handpicked from the beginning of time. Before his mom and dad knew him, before his grandparents knew their mom and dad, like I have handpicked this man. I knew he would become a Pharisee." [00:50:27] (18 seconds)

"God uses not only his Jewish legal knowledge and ability, but his Roman heritage as the tool to carry the gospel to the edge of the earth. So check this out, family. We're all the worst of us. And out of his great power for his good work, you need to know that God can even redeem your sinful patterns, sinful knowledge, sinful abilities, to expand his kingdom for his glory and your good." [00:53:39] (35 seconds)

"See, I want you to check out, this is where the gospel, the good news, transforms our identity. Your personal identity is not tied to your self-esteem, your accomplishments, your family, or even your wealth. It's tied directly to Jesus Christ and what he has done for you and who he is making you to be. You see, you and I, we were viewed as a sinner, a reject, broken, dark, lost, far off, too far gone, an enemy, wicked, jacked up, and dead." [00:56:22] (36 seconds)

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