Transformation ⎸ Pastor Jordan D. Waage ⎸ ACTS Series | May 17, 2026

FA Admin: Welcome to the Faith Alive Sermon Podcast. This is a replay of a past sermon from Faith Alive Church. Whether you missed it, want to hear it again, or share it with someone you know, we're glad you're here. This sermon is by Jordan D. Waggy, Lead Pastor at Faith Alive Church. And I always consider it an honor and a privilege to be able to preach to you today. ⁓ and ⁓ man, how exciting is it in this nation today that we are rededicating this country back to the Lord. Like that is that's powerful. It's powerful. And ⁓ we are one nation under God. Amen. Amen. Amen. And I'm very excited ⁓ for what God is going to do. I want I don't want you to mix these things up, all right? There might be persecution, there might be opposition in a greater way, but who knows that God is still on the throne? I said, who knows that God is still on the throne? Yeah. See, I view that as encouragement: that we are where we should be, and that Jesus is coming back. We have been coming through and unveiling the power and authority of. Of the Holy Spirit as we walk through the book of Acts in the past couple of weeks here. We talked about the promised power from heaven, the gift that the Father had given us. And last week we talked about Pentecost and the importance of the Holy Spirit at the establishment of the church. It is not an exaggeration for me to say that the church would not exist without the power and the presence of the Holy Ghost. It's very important for us to understand that the third person of the Holy Trinity is crucial and necessary for each and every believer. Somebody say amen. See, when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, it wasn't just about the sound of Of the violent rushing wind that came from heaven. It wasn't just about the tongues of fire that came to rest on each of the 120 in the upper room. It is also about what happened afterward that really revealed a great evidence and validity to the Holy Spirit's empowerment. If you recall the crowd that gathered. From the sounds that they were hearing, the excitement that they were experiencing, the crowd was intrigued. They were curious, but they were also what? Skeptical. They didn't know what exactly was taking place, but they wanted to find out. So there was a great skepticism that came from the crowds that gathered. But I do believe that the greatest skepticism wasn't due to. To the sounds or the emotion or the excitement of the event. I do believe that the greatest skepticism came when those 120 walked out of the upper room different than when they walked in. I think they saw that the crowds that gathered. And they were perplexed, they were curious, they didn't understand how they had walked in one way and out a different way. When the Holy Spirit fills people, he doesn't just create a moment. Those moments are precious and amazing, but he doesn't just create moments, he creates complete transformation in our bodies. And when the transformation happens in the individual, it happens in the community. And when transformation happens in the community, it happens in the nation. And when it happens in the nation, it happens around the world for the glory of God our Father. When the Holy Spirit truly moves in his people, he changes the very way that we think. He changes the way that we live. He changes the way that we love, the way that we give, the way that we worship, the way that we treat one another. It is a complete overhaul, a complete transformation. And it's a beautiful thing. Immediately following the Holy Spirit's empowerment at Pentecost, Peter, I'm sure you've heard his name before, but a disciple of Jesus Christ, he addresses the crowd that was curious. He speaks to the crucifixion of Jesus. He speaks to the resurrection of Jesus. And he speaks to the fulfillment of prophecy. He says, This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on all people. I want to pose a question to you, Faith Alive Church. Do you believe that we are in the last days? Because if you believe that we're in the last days, that means that the Holy Spirit's anointing and a pouring out is about to come across this entire. Place. So Holy Spirit fall again. You are welcome here. God says, I will pour out my spirit on all people, your sons and your daughters will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In verse 22 through 24, Peter continues and says, Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to. To you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourself know. Verse 23 the man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge. Let me remind you that Christ Jesus' life was not taken from him, he willingly laid it down. Somebody say amen. This was the deliberate plan of God and the foreknowledge of God. He continues and says, And you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But God, somebody say, but God. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because watch this, it Was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. That fires me up right there. I'm gonna get that tattooed on my back after service. In verse 37, scripture says this when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart. They were cut to the heart. Acts chapter 2 and verse 37. What the people were experiencing in this moment was holy ordained conviction and realization. They were convicted of the way that they were living. They were convicted of their sin, and they had a fresh revelation, a fresh realization that said, We need Jesus. Can I tell you, Faith Alive Church, that we need a fresh realization of who Christ Jesus is for each and every one of us? We need to see him for who he is. He is the perfect sacrifice, fully God and fully man, the one who gave everything so that we could be freed. We need Jesus. I want you all to know that the Holy Spirit is not just a comforter, and He is that, but He's also a confronter. See, there's two, there's a distinction I want to make between condemnation and conviction. These are two very different things. This is not condemnation. Condemnation says you are hopeless. You have no future. You have no place. You don't deserve. But conviction says you need Jesus. You need Jesus. See, the Spirit puts inside of us a loving feeling of conviction. And we need to be able to pray that prayer. You guys have heard me share it before. It's a prayer that I pray. Lord, convict me of the sin in my life or things that are keeping me from a closer relationship with you. Convict me of those things so I can correct them and move forward and gain a better understanding of who you are. Pray that prayer. Pray that prayer because it transforms your life. It will transform your life. See, a lot of people want inspiration without repentance. They love the inspiration that they receive from church. They love the inspiration they hear from preachers. They love the inspiration that they feel when they serve. Yet they don't want to repent or move away from their wicked ways. A lot of people want blessing without surrender. Lord, grant me favor, grant me blessing, but I still want to do this. A lot of people want church without transformation. See, I want you all to realize that we don't just come in here to hear the good news of the gospel. We come in here to be completely and utterly transformed for the kingdom of God. This is important. And I'm teaching you today. But how amazing would it be if we walked out completely changed from when we walked in in the same way that the 120 walked out of the Upper room changed, completely different, a complete and utter transformation. The spirit, listen to me, always somebody say always leads people towards change. Always leads people towards change. And that's what we see with the crowd that Peter is speaking to. There was a stirring, a conviction within their spirit. That they didn't know where to begin. So they actually ask Peter. They say, What shall we do? Peter says, What? Repent and be baptized. Repent and be baptized. You know, that's what I love about the baptismal candidates here this morning. They wanted to shout unto the community, unto their church family, that something has taken place inside of them. They want to tell the world that they love Jesus with all their heart. They want to tell the world that Christ is number one in their life. And this is what Peter is teaching us: repent and be baptized. Let me speak to repentance. Repentance doesn't just mean I'm sorry. It doesn't just mean, Lord, forgive me. It is a complete change of mind. It is a complete change of direction, a complete turning away from your sin and toward the Lord. And I love what Peter says here is that he doesn't water down this message, does he? He's bold in how he's sharing this with the crowd. He doesn't say try harder. He doesn't say, hey, clean yourself up first before you even receive. No, he says, turn to Jesus, repent. And be baptized, he says, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. What a promise. What a promise. Listen, the gospel, I need you to hear me in this, is not a self-help guideline. This is helpful to our everyday life. It is important. In our everyday life, but it is not a help self-help guide. The gospel, the good news through his word teaches us, it trains us, it encourages us to surrender and transform through our Savior Jesus Christ. It is a complete transformation of who we used to be. Lord, take us to the place that you want us to be. So my question to pose to you today is: what area of your life is God calling you to surrender? So that you can be transformed. Is it pride in your life? Is there too many things that are focused here? Set me free, Lord. Is it bitterness that you can't seem to let go? Is it addiction? Something that you're struggling with. Invite the Holy Spirit of God into it. He will break the chains of bondage, he will break the chains of oppression, of persecution. He will break the chains of anxiety, of suicidal thoughts. He will break the chains that are holding you back. He will break the chains. Is it compromise? Is it fear? Is it control? Relinquish control. I know it seems like the opposite, like we need to hold on a little tighter in order for things to take place, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Let go and let God do what he does. Let go and let God do what he does. When he was speaking to these, to this crowd, those that accepted Peter's teaching were baptized, praise the Lord, and they devoted themselves to Christ. That's in Acts chapter 2, verses 41 and 42. How many devoted themselves? How many said yes to Jesus? About three thousand were saved that day. These 3,000 were transformed and became a community of believers. I want you to hear me. Spirit-filled people don't just consume church. They commit to community both inside the four walls of the church and outside the four walls of the church. That's why I am so thankful that we as a church do things like serve day. We had so many different projects that we were a part of throughout this community, fixing up fences at the ball field. We were in the schools, praise God. That's huge. We were in the schools fixing up the teacher's lounge. We were here at the church building up God's building, doing some landscaping, adding some flowers. We were being a community of believers so that we can encourage the community out there that might not know Jesus Christ. That's being the community of believers. We as a community, we don't just come to church to consume. We come in to build each other. We come in to encourage each other. We come in to love on each other. The early church, hear me in this, was not built around entertainment. It wasn't built around convenience. It wasn't built around Upon personal preference, can I tell you that some of these churches in our nation and around the world are getting real far away from the gospel message and trading them in for flashing lights and big verbose statements and so on and so forth? But they are missing what God is truly saying through His Word. It wasn't built upon entertainment, convenience, personal preference. It was built around devotion unto the Lord. It was built upon a hunger for Christ Jesus. It was built upon a hunger for the Holy Spirit to fill them once again. See, the Spirit produced a hunger for God's word, a hunger for God's people, a hunger for God's presence. We need the Holy Spirit's presence in all that we do. Somebody say amen. See, many believers today are connected casually to the church instead of devoted deeply. Casually connected instead of devoted deeply. So can I ask this question? What are you devoted to? Where do you spend your time? What are your priorities? Because devotion and where you place priority shapes direction in your life. I once gave a message a few years ago, a few years ago, called Placing Priorities. Now, a little insight about you. I know that most of you. No, that I'm a I'm a I'm an avid golfer. I love golf. But there was a time several years ago that I was obsessive about it. I read chapter books about how to become a better golfer on how I could set my mind right to score better. Don't laugh at me. I did that. I also practiced two or three times a week, played two or three times a week. It was taking me away from my family because I was so devoted and passionate about golf. Crazy. For those of you that don't golf, you're like, how? For those of you that do golf, you're like, I get that. But it was taking over and consuming my life. That were there was a conviction that came upon me. And the Lord spoke to me and says, Where is your time? Where's your devotion? Where are you placing your priorities? So can I encourage you to reestablish priority in your life? Find devotion for the Lord in your life. Devotion is where you play and where you place priority, shapes, direction in your life. When the early church community was formed, the Bible says they sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Acts chapter 2, verses 43 through 45. This was a spirit produced generosity. People stopped clinging tightly to possessions because the spirit changed them. And change their priority. When the Spirit fills hearts, selfishness falls away. So when we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us and move us to the place that He wants to go, your mindset shifts and changes and reprioritizes. See, what's amazing is that the miracle wasn't just about the signs and the wonders that they were experiencing. No, the miracle was about the changed hearts. The transformation that was taking place. See, be people began to care for one another in a greater way. People began to sacrifice for one another. People began to carry one another's burdens. That's being the church. Can we communicate to one another that we will carry your burdens? That's what the church is all about. We want to come alongside you and build you and encourage you and edify you. Тобі клоше і клошер до Дізис Крайс. A spirit-filled church, listen to me, should be marked by radical generosity. I'm not saying go home and sell all your possessions. That's not what I'm saying. But I am saying that if you are misplacing your priorities or you are valuing something a little bit more, then you should be re-prioritized. Because a spirit-filled church should be marked by radical generosity, by compassion, by unity, by care for people. It's not just about powerful services. We're thankful for those. We're thankful for powerful worship. We're thankful for powerful ministries. We're thankful for those things. But it's not always about that. A spirit-filled church should be marked by unity, compassion, love. Let me finish with this. And when I say finish, another man. Bear with me. You're the third service. I say it every I say it every time. You're the third service. All right. You guys get the benefit of staying around. Let me finish with this. The Spirit of God always creates a joyful witness. A joyful witness. Look at the last part of Acts chapter 2, verses 46 and 47. The people, they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. Praising God and enjoying the favor of all people. The church had joy. The church had authenticity. The church had favor. And the amazing part about that is that the Lord added to their number daily those who are being saved as a result of the joy, as a result of the authenticity, as a result of the blessing and the favor. People came to know Jesus. See, you are different from the world. There is something inside of you, we know what it is, but there is something inside of you that the community sees that there it becomes a yearning. They want what you have. They might not be able to put their finger on it, but they want it. And that's the Holy Spirit operating and working in your life. Healthy churches, hear me, grow because transformed lives attract hungry people. Transformed lives attract hungry people. The early church didn't have buildings. They didn't have programs. They didn't have systems. They didn't have marketing. They didn't have social media. You know what they did have? The Holy Spirit. Now listen to me. I am thankful for the platforms that we have. I'm thankful for this beautiful building that we get to gather in each and every Sunday, each and every Wednesday. I am thankful for that. I'm thankful for social media platforms that we use as a tool to get the name of Jesus to the world. I'm thankful for those things, but can I say it's not social media? It's not systems, it's not the preaching that encourages transformation. It is the Holy Spirit of God that we see true transformation. And there's an issue in our world. There's a disconnect with the heart of some Christians today. And that's that we want the miracles of Acts without the repentance and devotion of Acts. We want the benefits of it, but we're not willing to lay down our lives or to sacrifice time. It's a problem. We want power without surrender. We want church growth without spiritual depth. We want community without commitment. That was never the way that God intended his church to operate. But when you are spirit-filled, it changes everything. The goal of the Holy Spirit is not just to give you a spiritual experience. And we are thankful for those. We will take those. Holy Spirit rained down on us again so we can experience you. We are thankful for those. But his goal is to transform your life into the image of Jesus, to transform who you are. into the image of Jesus. So let me ask you these last couple of questions. Are you surrendered? Are you devoted? Is there evidence of the Holy Spirit of God operating in and through you? Would you bow your heads with me today? Lord, we are thanking you today for this awesome, amazing, beautiful Sunday morning. Father, I pray that you would pour out your spirit once again. That you would speak to each and every individual in this place, that they would see you for who you are. Lord, we are careful to give you the praise, the honor, and the glory, for you are good. I want to ask if there are any in this place that do not know Jesus or feel that they are far away from him. I want you to lift your hand. All that says is I want to make Jesus Christ the Lord of my life. Go ahead, shoot up your hand, shoot up your hand. If that's you, if that's you, if that's you. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, mighty God. Praise God. Praise God. Several in this place. Can we pray this prayer together and meet it from the deepest parts of your heart? Say, dear Jesus, everybody in the place, say, dear Jesus, I love you. I believe that you came to this earth and you died for me. I believe that you rose again three days later. I ask that you would forgive me of my sin, that you would lead me, that you would guide me to the place that you want me to go. I ask that you would forgive me of my sin. I want you to be the Lord of my life. And it's in your mighty name I pray. Amen. Thanks for listening to the Faith Alive Sermon Podcast. We hope this message encouraged you. If it did, be sure to subscribe or share it with someone else who may need it. If you want to get connected or reach out to one of our pastors, go to our website at faithalive.church. We'll see you next time.

Acts 2 · chapter mention Acts 2:41 Acts 2:43–45 Acts 2:46