Saul's Conversion
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Recap:
When we left off we finished looking at the ministry of Philip in Samaria and with the Etheopian Eunuch
Philip was told by God to go
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.
It was there that Philip met the Etheopian Eunuch riding in His chariot
As he ran up to the chariot he heard the Eunuch reading Isaiah
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
And Philip asked the Etheopian if he understood what he was reading!
The Ethopian responded that he could not understand unless someone explain it to Him!
So Philip didnt pass up the opportunity to share Christ with the Ethopian Dignitary
He told him that this passage of Scripture referred to the Christ, the Messiah
Who was crucified
Who rose again
Who ascended into heaven
It was upon hearing the truth that he believed in the name of Jesus as the only means of Salvation!
After believing as they went along and found some water!
As they went down and Philip Baptized the Etheopian Dignitary
But something amazing happens as the Ethopian comes out of the water Philip is taken away by the Spirit to another place
39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
What I love about the ending of Chapter 8 is the passion that Philip has for preaching the Gospel
As he finds himself in a new region, Azotus he immediately preaches the Gospel
He went from town to town preaching Jesus, making converts, batizing people in obedience to the command of Jesus
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Introduction:
As we move forward we are going to look tonight at a familiar if not iconic passage of Scripture from Acts 9.
As we think about Saul’s conversion tonight I want us to think about impossibilities!
Think about that thing you would think to be impossible
Maybe it’s a situation that you are facing right now
Family issues, marriage difficulties, money struggles
Maybe it is a person you know and care about that doesnt know Christ
Maybe it’s an act of forgiveness that needs to take place in your life
You’ve been hurt, and sinned against and you haven’t given that person over to God, you are still holding on
Maybe it’s making you bitter and jaded
But you don’t see how you can ever forgive
The point is that there are a lot things that we think are impossible.!
But have you ever asked yourself why?
Why do we put things into the catagory of impossible?
It is becuase:
We can’t imagine what life beyond our circumstance and trial looks like
We have been enslaved in the bondage of bitterness and anger for so long we don’t know anything else
We can’t ever picture that person who has rebelled againt God for so long that you can’t ever see them coming to know Christ!
It it because we lack the faith that our God is bigger than our trials, bigger than our emotions and pain, bigger than what we can see.
Why do we think anything is impossible if we know and love God?
Nothing is impossible for Him!
Saul on a mission:
Saul on a mission:
1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Saul believed what he was doing was God’s will!
Saul believed what he was doing was God’s will!
I believe that Saul truly believed that the message of Christ was heresy!
Punishable by death under the law of Moses
He was following the lead of the Pharisees and Sanhedrin
And so he went on “Breathing threats and murder”against those who would follow Christ!
So he wanted to up his game, make his pursuit and persection of the church official!
So he went to the sanhedrin to ask for letters of approval to seek out and destroy the church once and for all!
The Way:
The Way:
Did you catch what he called the movement, the church, those who follwed Christ
He called them the way
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The Christians are here said to be those of this way; those of the way, so it is in the original. Perhaps the Christians sometimes called themselves so, from Christ the Way; or, because they looked on themselves as but in the way, and not yet at home; or, the enemies thus represented it as a way by itself, a by-way, a party, a faction.
The point of this, is that the church, the movement of Christ throughout Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria had become something that was recognizable, and prominent
Somthing that in the mind of Saul needed to be stopped, needed to end!
But God had different plans, different ideas, a different direction for Saul.
God’s Intervention:
God’s Intervention:
3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
Isn’t the nature of grace to grant to us what we don’t deserve!
The very nature of the Gospel is that God intervened when we as humans were unable to close the gap between us and God because of SIn
Christ sacrificed himself for all!
Every human being
Every soul on the planet
There was not one person excluded from the offer of grace given to all.
Here is the example of God’s grace at work!
Saul:
A man on a mission of his own
A man on a path to kill, imprison, and ruin anyone who follows Christ
And it is this man, dead set against the church is now met by God on the road to damascus as he is out to destory the church, those of the way!
can you imagine?
3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
As Saul was on his way there was a great light from heaven surrounding him!
Again great fear, great panic probably set in on Saul as he traveled
But no one could expect what happens next
4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
at this point Saul is in straight up panic mode!
He drops to the ground as he hears the voice of God!
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
A very pointed question, getting not only the attention of Saul but also letting Saul know that God is directing a question to him.
Why are you persecutioing me:
Why are you seeking to harm, hurt and destory me?
You might also say it would be a bit of a confusing questiokn for Saul as well. gauging by his response!
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Who are you, Lord:
Saul recognized right away that this was no ordinary interaction
But was also confused by the divine nature of the interaction
Who are you?
I am sure the response that was given was shocked him even more!
“I am Jesus! whom you are persecuting.”
I am Jesus
The one whom was crucified
The one who rose agin
The one who is now at the right hand of God the Father
It is me whom you are persecuting!
When you pursue my children, my bride
You pursue me!
What you do to them you do to me!
There is profound truth here in this interaction that is worthy of our notice!
When this world comes against us, the church they come against our Savior, our Lord Jesus!
When you mess with the Children of God you are messing with Jesus!
But remember that it is Jesus here, who wishes not to punish Saul for his persecution, but transform him into a new creature, a new life, one that can be used for the glory of God!
God’s new direction for Saul
6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
Go to Damascus:
Enter the city
Wait for instructions
You will be told what to do
The Effects of the Encounter:
The Effects of the Encounter:
7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
The Men who were with Saul heard the voice but saw no one!
When Saul rose up from the ground he opened his eyes yet was blind
And would be for 3 days following
Trusting God isnt always Easy but it is worth it!
As we conlcude for tonight that is something I want us to remenber!
Here are couple more things we can take away!
God is gracious to all, even those who would persecute him
God is able to reach into the hearts and lives of the most lost offender
trusting him means letting go of our plans and our desires so that he can work in us, even through our lives
As we look at Saul what we also must remember is that His coversion to Christ could be one of the single greatest moments in Church histroy becuase of the impact he woudl have on so many throughout history!
This is what we must remember before we right off somone or put them in teh catagory of impossible!
That person we though could never be saved might be the next great evangelist or mission that impacts history
Or it could be the next sunday school teacher that will lead many to Chirst
Or the next pastor or teacher
The point is that we may not know what God has in store for us, or the ones that we come in contact with.
Annanais is going to find that out next week!