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TIME FOR TRANSFORMATION (ACTS 3:1-10)

REFLECTION

“Time for transformation” is the theme for our reflection. Transformation is a noticeable or remarkable change in form, nature, condition or appearance of someone or something. “…Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” (Acts 3:1-10). The lame man experienced a remarkable transformation in his precarious and challenging condition.

Dear friend, we serve the God of transformation and anywhere the name of Jesus is mentioned change is bound to happen so long as the person or people calling upon His name believe in the transformational power of His name. Usually, when we are faced with challenges in life we often give up forgetting that we do not walk alone. Jesus has promised us in Matthew 28:20b that “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” In which way is Jesus Christ with us? Jesus is with us through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is for this reason Paul wrote that “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Ephesians 3:16-17). In other words, we possess the transformational Spirit and power of God and at the mention of the name of Jesus!, the Holy Spirit transforms the impossibility into possibility. Truly when it comes to our transformation, Jesus assures us that “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) This was evident when “Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.” (Acts 3:6-7).

My dear friend, it is time for the world to experience the transformational power of Jesus through the Gospel and the healing power of the Holy Spirit. We believers are the transformational agents who must avail ourselves just as Peter and John and the other Apostles did in the past so that the world will experience the transformational power of Jesus with us and through us. Paul further encourages and assures us that “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37) If we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus then wherever a Christian is or wherever the Church exists, those in the darkness of sin or in some form of physical, emotional, spiritual or psychological oppression or bondage like the lame man from birth, must experience transformation through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, many churches have lost the ability to be transformational agents of our Lord Jesus Christ in the world because the transformational Gospel of Christ is no longer the focus of some Churches. Some churches are now chasing after silver and gold and the only transformation most churches in the twenty-first Century boast about is their multi-million state-of-the-art chapel edifices or buildings and the luxurious cars and private jets owned by their leaders. The transformation of spiritually oppressed and lost souls are no longer our focus but the financial transformation of the human founders, pastors or church leaders has become the business of the church. Let us remember that true transformation does not come from silver and gold, for “Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6) We pray for a redirection of the focus of all twenty-first-century churches into a transformational and mission-oriented church through selfless leadership and service to God and humanity. We must always remember the mission and transformational manifesto or agenda of Jesus when He read from the scroll of Prophet Isaiah that “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 4:18-19). Dear friend, the forgoing words read by Jesus from the book of the Prophet Isaiah are the transformational business or agenda of every Christian Church. They are the yardstick or standard for measuring the transformational impact of a Church. Is your Church and for that matter your very good self, a transformational agents of our Lord Jesus Christ in our generation? May the Lord Jesus find us transforming the world through His name at His second Advent. Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, it is time for transformation in our world, use us as transformational agents in bringing about unprecedented miracles and transformation into the lives of the lost and the oppressed. Empower the twenty-first century Church to be impactful, mission-oriented and transformational wherever the name of Jesus is mentioned and preached. Amen