Inside out

The Class of 1984 at the high school I graduated from is having a 25th reunion this Saturday and they have invited some of us from the class of 1985 to join them. If you have ever been to a reunion; high school, college or family, you have probably heard "Wow, you haven't changed a bit!" and that is a good thing if they are talking about how you look. Sometimes though, you may have a classmate slide up beside you and ask "Who is that?" When you tell them their response is "You are kidding, I didn't even recognize him." As I was having my quiet time this morning I thought do people say this about me regarding the way I live my life, not how I look but how I live. I was reading Acts 3: 1-10

3: 1 - 10 1One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."7Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

The message I got from this and I want to share with you is this: Real change on the inside leads to real change on the outside. Take a look at this passage. The lame man had an encounter with the power of Christ and his life was radically changed. He encountered the life changing power of Christ on the inside and it changed him on the outside, and not just a subtle change, he didn't just walk home and thank God silently in his heart, look at verse 8 - He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. As I read this I wondered if Peter and John were a little embarrassed by this guy, do you think they said "Hey man, settle down!, you are getting a little carried away with all of this jumping and praising business!" I don't think so. Look at the result of his transfomation in vs 10 - they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Is anyone you interact with filled with wonder and amazement at your changed life, at my changed life? Look at what happened just a few verses prior to this in Acts 2: 44-47.

44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

These early Christians had a real change on the inside and it resulted on a real change on the outside. They had a complete change in their lifestyle. Gone were the expensive cars, the vacation homes, the 401K's were drained and the money given away. Did they do this while gritting their teeth and mumbling about how they are going to afford to pay their kids college tuition? No, look again at their attitude - They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Look at the result of this change, verse 47 - And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Paul, in his first letter to the church at Corinth, backs up this idea:

I Corinthians 6: 9-11 9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Verse 11 says "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God". In other words a real change in the inside, an encounter with Christ, led to a real change on the outside, that is what some of you were. Their lives were changed and they gave up an old sinful lifestyle.

My question to you an to me is if I knew you before your encounter with Christ and I saw you after your encounter would I say "Wow, you haven't changed a bit!" or has the change on the inside resulted in such a change on the outside that I would say "Wow I almost didn't recognize you"?