Skip to main content

To Be Alive Is To Be Dynamic (Eyes Wide Open #3)

July 27, 2025

To Be Alive Is To Be Dynamic (Eyes Wide Open #3) | Dr. Larry Baucom, Dr. Troy Doucet | July 27th, 2025

 

Synopsis | Eyes Wide Open 2 | July 20, 2025

Theme: God is dynamic, and life with Him invites ongoing transformation.

In this series, Dr. Baucom and Dr. Doucet challenge common spiritual assumptions:

Week 1 – “I need to get my life together before I come to church.”

Week 2 – “Bad things don’t happen to Christians.”

The third topic discussed in this teaching is “God never changes.”, clarifying that while God’s nature and character remain constant, He often changes how He works with people across time.

They explored this through the story of Exodus 32, where God relents after Moses intercedes for the Israelites, and through the account in Acts 10, where Peter’s vision challenges his long-held assumptions, opening the gospel to Gentiles. These moments show that while God’s love and faithfulness are unchanging, His methods, people, and movements evolve.

 

Main Points:

  1. To Be Alive Is to Be Dynamic

Life, by design, is movement. From funerals to birthday celebrations, we’re reminded that being truly alive means embracing change, growth, and energy. Like the river shaping the rock, life reshapes us through time and experience.

  • At Suncoast, this means being proactive about change to better reflect Christ’s love.

  • Even small acts, like an ice cream man sharing treats in traffic, can transform frustration into joy when hearts are open and dynamic.

Reflection Questions:

  • Who has helped you change?

  • Do you welcome change or resist it?

  • Are you more like the river or the rock?

 

  1. God continually calls us out of our comfort zones to make a great impact for Him.

In Acts 10, Peter is called out of his prejudice and into a broader mission. His vision challenges Jewish dietary laws, preparing him to welcome Gentiles into the family of God.

This story invites us to confront our narrow thinking, in parenting, worship, theology, or community engagement, and instead listen for where God is leading us next.

  • Just because “we’ve never done it that way” doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

  • The Spirit may be asking us to do something unfamiliar, but ultimately transformative.

 

3. To Be Truly Alive Involves Continual Change

Peter’s transformation reminds us that the work of the Spirit is ongoing. Being truly alive means staying open to God’s fresh vision—even when it confronts old beliefs.

  • Change is part of the Christian journey.

  • Churches decline when they prioritize the already churched over the unchurched.

  • We are called to be a church for the unchurched, ever-growing and reshaping to meet today’s needs.

The story closes with a humorous and heartfelt moment about names, reminding us that God gives us new names: Beloved, Children, Sons and Daughters, not by what we’ve done, but by who He is and who we are to Him.

 

Conclusion:

God is dynamic, not static. To follow Him is to remain open to continual change, fresh callings, and new ways of loving the world.

At Suncoast, we are on a mission to change the world by helping others open their eyes wide to the life God offers; alive, evolving, and full of grace.

Final Charge:
Let’s not get stuck in stagnant waters, but thrive in the living waters flowing like a river, alive with purpose, ready for transformation, and eyes wide open to the Spirit’s call.