Last week I took my three boys to see the movie Woodlawn.  It is an inspirational story about a football team in Birmingham, Alabama in the early 70s.  It shows the journey of a team embroiled in the emotions of desegregation who found unity in the saving power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  [spoiler alert]  The team did not win the championship, but they won the hearts of the community and they changed countless lives through their commitment and love for each other.

What really stuck out to me about this movie was the vivid display of the transformational power of the Gospel.  These people’s hearts, minds, and lives were changed through the simple truth of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Having practically no memory in my life prior to being a Christian, I too often take for granted and even forget the amazing transformational power of the Gospel.  It is a message that heals people’s hurts and gives them a hope for the future.  It is a message of purpose and passion.  It is a message that gives life meaning and gives pain a reason.  It is the most important thing and idea in all of humanity.

“It is a message of purpose and passion.”

The place in my own life where I have experienced the transformational power of the Gospel the most is in my view of money and its hold over me. Money can often feel like it provides security for the present and for the future, but the truth is that money could be meaningless tomorrow and I would find no comfort in its accumulation.  When I let go of my hold on money and willingly ask God what He would have me do with it, I experience the freedom and transformation that comes with submitting to God.  It is hard to describe, but impossible to ignore.  When I hold my life (including money) with an open hand and submit to God, there is tremendous transformation and freedom that follows.

“money could be meaningless tomorrow and I would find no comfort in its accumulation”

Don’t ever forget the amazing transformational power of the Gospel. Whether you are a new Christian or someone who has been a Christian for a long time, the Gospel has the power to transform all the parts of your life.  The question for all of us is: will we let it?