“Changed people change people.” That simple but profound phrase sparked a personal revelation in one seminary student. In this sermon, unpack what it really means to be transformed by Christ – and how changed people go on to change their spheres of influence.
Buckling up for a rich ride through church history, hear story after story of broken lives supernaturally transformed by the gospel. From the profanity-spewing Scottish farm boy A.W. Milne to the fiery female preacher Amy Semple McPherson, we’re introduced to radical followers of Jesus who shook up their worlds.
How can we become more like these history-makers? How do we go from stagnant to sanctified, merely trying to fully training in the faith? The answer is almost laughably simple, but utterly life-changing.
If you want to discover the key to being changed people who change people, keep listening. You’ll also pick up tips for building simple but transformational spiritual habits, hear an inspiring vision for living like Jesus, and be challenged to choose Him in a fresh way today.
- Changed people change people” – those transformed by Jesus go on to transform others. He gives examples like A.W. Milne, Amy Semple McPherson, and Charles Spurgeon.
- We must ask how we can become “changed people who change people.” The answer is to “stop trying and start training.” We need spiritual training, not just trying.
- Training means establishing routines like reading the Bible and praying daily. Quoting Scripture, the speaker says we should “train yourself to be godly.” He gives practical tips for building these habits.
- If we train spiritually, we will be transformed to live more like Jesus – serving, giving generously, and telling others about him. But first we must choose to give our lives to Jesus. He emphasizes that if we want to change people, we must first be changed ourselves through faith in Christ.
Transformation starts with a seed of faith. When we offer that small “yes” to Jesus, signing up to walk in his footsteps daily, we plant the seed that grows into changed lives that change lives.
It won’t happen overnight. There may be days we feel like we’re flailing in the faith. But as we till the soil of Scripture, planting those practices of praying and reading the Word into our routines, we water and nurture our faith into maturity.
And in time, we wake up one day realizing we have been fundamentally changed. Christ within us has displaced old habits for new – serving, giving, sharing about him with lavish generosity because his love now flows through us.
We never know how the ripples of our transformed living will spread. But we do know this: the God who raised Jesus from death has raised us to walk in resurrection power (Romans 8:11). Where will you let your changed life make change today? How will you boldly train in godliness for the sake of those not yet known or named who need Jesus’ revolution?