THE CONVERSION OF A
MURDERER
Acts 9:18-31
Saul was on his way to Damascus
to persecute the Church. He was accompanied
with armed men ready to take those who believed in Jesus to
be tried and persecuted
by the ruling Jews in Jerusalem .
Jesus met him on the Damascus road
and
blinded him for three days so he had to be led by others.
This encounter with Jesus
caused Saul to see Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Saul was on a mission to destroy the Church. After His
encounter with Jesus, his
mission was to build up the Church. Saul's conversion took
place on the Damascus
road.
1. He was awaken
to Jesus Christ as the Messiah in the scriptures.
2. He had a
change in directions
3. He had a
change in relationship.
4. He had a
change in his Lordship.
5. He had a
change in his heart.
6. He had a
change in his position from being proud to being humble.
BLINDED SO HE COULD SEE
V:18-19 "Immediately, something like scales fell from
Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after
taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the
disciples in Damascus "
A. We were born in the dark, but God arranges our
circumstances so we can see
the truth.
1. Each of us was
on a different path until we met Jesus.
2. Jesus chose us
from the foundation of the earth and kept us to the time of our
conversion. Eph 1:4-5
3. The Apostle Paul
(Saul) said He was separated by God from his mothers womb
and called by
grace. Gal 1:15.
B. Once we come to the light of Jesus, we are baptized into
His death and made
a new
creation. Rom 6:3
1. Our strength to
do the work of the Lord come from Jesus himself.
2. Jesus said we
can do nothing without Him. John 15:5
3. We were called
to serve, not just observe.
A CHANGE IN RELATIONSHIP
C. Jesus sent
Ananias, one of His disciples to Saul to receive his spiritual sight.
1. Once Saul
received spiritual sight, he regained his physical sight.
2. To follow
Jesus, we have to drop some relationships.
3. Saul was
previous an enemy of Jesus now became a friend of Jesus.
4. We are in this
world, but we are not of this world.
John 17:16
5. We cannot have fellowship
with this world.
6. Believers must
fellowship with other believers.
7. Those who do
not know Christ, will not be a friend of Christ.
8. Since we are
one with Christ, the world is not going to be friends
with us.
WHEN PRECHING, YOUR PAST CAN AFFECT YOUR CREDITABILITY
V:20-21. " At
once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All
those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who
raised havoc in Jerusalem among
those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to
the chief priests?"
A. Saul (Apostle Paul) had a horrible past.
1. Once converted
to faith in Jesus, Saul immediately begin preaching the Gospel
in the Jewish
Synagogues.
2. The Jewish
leaders rejected him and conspired to kill because he changed sides.
3. Saul was also rejected
by the Church because they thought he was a fake.
4. The Church did not accept him because he
had a reputation of persecuting believers.
B. Part of growing in Christ is learning to accept and
expect the rejection by the world.
1. Once in Christ,
we are in this world but not of this world.
Col 2:20
2. Those who do
not know Jesus, think they are doing God a favor by rejecting
Christians. John 16:2
POWERFUL TEACHING IS INSPIRED BY THE WORD
V:22.-24 " Yet
Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus
by proving that Jesus is the Christ. 23 After many days had gone by, the Jews
conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they
kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him."
A. When you stand for Christ, the world stands against you.
1. The more you
preach the Word the stronger you will get in Christ.
2. Paul was
trained in the Old testament scriptures
by the leading
doctor of the
law in Jerusalem , Gamaliel.
3. He was not taught
to see Jesus in the Old Testament Scriptures.
a. By Jewish
thinking, no man could claim to be God or the
Son of
God.
b. To claim to
be God was blaspheme.
c. The Jews
were expecting the coming of a Messiah, but Jesus didn't
fit their
profile of a Messiah.
4. Once Saul saw Jesus in the Old Testament, his
teaching became
so powerful
that it angered the leading Jews.
a. Before his conversion, he was on a mission
to destroy the church.
b. After his
conversion, he was on a mission to promote the Church.
B. The wisdom of God
far exceeds all the wisdom of man.
1. It is from the
study of the Word that we gain knowledge and confidence in Jesus.
2. The truth in
the Word threatens the lifestyle of the wicked.
3. In this case,
the wicked Jewish leaders sought ways to kill Saul.
GOD PROTECTS HIS DISCIPLES
25 But his followers
took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
A. When trouble comes, God provides a way out for His
disciples.
1. People in the
dark are agents the devil will use to attempt
to destroy any faith we
have in
Jesus.
2. When we are threaten doing God's work, He will show up and block
evil actions against us according to
His Will.
B. When we are dedicated to God, He gives us
favor among men.
1. The ruling
Jews planned to kill Saul, but God made their plan known to
Saul's
followers.
2. God is always
one step ahead of the enemy.
3. Saul's followers
devised a plan to get Him out of the city unnoticed.
4. God's plan for
our lives will not be stopped by anyone or any circumstance.
5. In fact, God
will use the evil desires of man to promote His plan. Gen 45:5-7
STAND UP FOR OTHERS IN CHRIST
V:26-27. " When he came to Jerusalem ,
he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing
that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the
apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the
Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus
he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus."
A. In our journey for Christ, there will be times when we
will need someone to encourage
us.
1. People inside
the Church will not always believe we are dedicated to Christ.
2. God's forgives,
but sometimes the Church will use our past against us.
3. Sometimes the
Church will use as past as evidence that our love for Christ
is not real.
B. We all need someone
we can confide in who will get to know us and encourage us in
the Lord.
1. God always has
a "Barnabas" for us.
2. When folk in
the Church rejected Saul, Barnabas stood up for him.
3. New believers
need someone to standby them as they grow in Christ.
4. All of us ought
to take it upon ourselves to encourage someone.
5. We all struggle
from time to time.
6. Even mature
faithful Christians need a pat on the back from time to time.
C. Someone need to hear your testimony about Jesus and come
to know that it is real.
1. It does not
matter how long you been in the ministry, there will come a time
when you will
need someone to lean on.
2. People are
judging us all the time. We will need somebody who can see some good
in us.
V:28. " So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely
in Jerusalem , speaking boldly in
the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they
tried to kill him."
A. Satan's has a lot of demons roaming around, and some
study the word to find fault
with us.
1. The stronger
you get in Christ, the stronger the opposition will be against you.
2. Saul had the favor
of some in the Jerusalem community,
but He had many who
opposed his
teachings of Jesus.
3. Everybody does
not believe what you believe about Jesus.
4. What we have to
learn and expect is that preaching Jesus develops enemies.
B. I believe that God uses our enemies to develop and test
our faith in Him.
1. Saul had
enemies in Damascus and God
protected him.
2. He learned that
God protected him from his enemies in Jerusalem .
3. God protects
those who serve Him and those who teach
and preach His Word.
MOVING THE GOSPEL WITH ADVERSITY
V:30 "When the
brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him off to Tarsus ."
A. Saul was working in God's Plan.
1. The rejection
of the Gospel by the Jews moved the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Rom 1:16
2. In the early
part of Saul's preaching, he was in God's training program for the
his mission to
move the Gospel into the Gentile nations.
Acts 13:2
3. It was fourteen
plus years after Saul's conversion before he and Barnabas
got the call
to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles 2
Cor 12:2
B. Tarsus was Saul's
home town which was his base of operation.
1. Saul preached
in Jerusalem , Arabia , Syria
God's
call. Gal 1:17-21.
2. When God calls
us out of the world to be his disciples, it maybe some time before
we know His
mission for us.
3. We must
continue to faithfully do the work set before us until God reveals His plan.
4. If we are
faithful in a few things, God can makes us rulers over many things.
Matt 25:21
THE PEACE OF GOD COME THROUGH SERVICE
V:31 Then the church
throughout Judea , Galilee and Samaria
enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy
Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord."
A. God's plan for us
includes times of trials and times of rest.
1. The times of
trials are the times when we are being tested, shaped and molded to be
the servants God desires.
2. The times of
rest are times to reflect on the goodness of God in our lives.
3. When we
reflect on our past we can see how God has guided and protected us
throughout
our journey with Him.
B. Our strength in
the Word and the mission of God is by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1. The Holy
Spirit equips us with insight into Word and the world around us.
2. The Holy
Spirit empowers us to do the work of God.
3. The Holy
Spirit is the power that enables us to resist the devil.
4. The Holy
Spirit is comforter in all times.
5. The Holy
Spirit is our teacher of God's Word.
John 14:26
6. The Holy
Spirit serves to remind us of God's Word.
THE JOY OF JESUS COME THROUGH SERVICE, TRIAL AND
TRIBULATIONS
Rev. M Mitchell
Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia
Baptist Church
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