Acts Message 20
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
Acts 9:1–9 (NKJV)
1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Intro:The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
The word conversion only one time in the bible.
3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.
It means a change, to turn.
In order to be saved you have to be converted, you turn from sin and turn to God. You change.
It’s also called regeneration. A new life.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Paul wrote that. That was Paul, when he was still Saul.
This verse hadn’t come to pass for him yet.
There are a lot of people, people that are under conviction because this hasn’t happened to then yet,
Saul of Tarsus. Roman citizen. He was a Jew. He was a pharisees. . He was very educated. He was highly respected. He was rich. He was deeply devoted to his religion.
He was persecuting Christians. He truly believed what he was doing was right, that he was doing God a favor.
He would become maybe the greatest Christian ever. He wrote most of the N.T.
This is story of his conversion.
I believe that he was under great conviction. He had heard the preaching of the gospel.
Jerry Study Bible.
“As religious as he was, Saul was thoroughly dissatisfied spiritually. Trying hard to please God on the outside, his inner man was torn apart. Rather than dealing with his emptiness, Saul gave in to destructive aggression. For those who struggle with doubt, lashing out at others in an attempt to silence their doubts is common.”
I believe that there people under conviction of the Holy Spirit who are not truly saved. They may have all the right church stuff, but do not have a relationship with Jesus.
Some people just keep doing work in the church to make themselves feel good, but because there no salvation, there is no peace.
Then there are some like Saul who are under such powerful conviction that they are miserable. Elab
So they make others miserable too.
This was Saul, but all that was about to change.
Saul Begins his journey. VS 1-2
Saul Begins his journey. VS 1-2
Acts 9:1–2 (NKJV)
1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
The church was growing. 1000’s of people had become followers of Christ.
Persecution had caused F.O.J to leave Jerusalem, but they took the gospel with them.
The gospel had reached Samaria. Phillip preached there. Then he was called away to reach one man.
The gospel was not spreading . Elab
Saul was a angry man (Mad man)
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
VS 1 Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord
Still. He had not stopped, he was getting more violent,.
“Breathing threats”
Amplified Bible Chapter 9
still drawing his breath hard from threatening and murderous desire
It all started with threats against Peter and John. Elab
Now it has turned to murder. Those who would not turn from Jesus, would be killed.
3 “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,
Saul was not satisfied with Just the F.O J in Jerusalem.
VS 1b went to the high priest
2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Saul was determined to destroy Christianity. (Isn’t that what we see today) Elab outside the church.
Elab within the church.
Saul goes to the high priest for written authority (arrest warrants) to go to Damascus and bring back FOJ
Elab synagogues.
“he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”
“any who were of this way”
It is interesting to note how Christianity is described here. Saul wanted to go after those who were “of this way,” a term that can be translated “the Way.” It occurs a half dozen times in Acts and seems to have been one of the early descriptions for Christianity (cf. John 14:6)
By this time the gospel had reached Damascus. Saul wanted to go there to stop this. 130 miles.
Saul is HOT PURSUIT.
There so many people that need Jesus. What ever road they are on, we need to be ready to share the gospel with them.
Saul is going to have a great encounter. I believe there was no other way then Jesus himself to meet with Saul. Elab
What will ti that for some people to commit to Jesus?
Near death?
Sickness?
Saul meets Jesus on his journey. VS 3-6
Saul meets Jesus on his journey. VS 3-6
Acts 9:3–6 (NKJV)
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
“As he journeyed he came near Damascus”
Maybe he could see the walls of the city as he was getting closer.
His GPS would have said. “you are getting close to your destination”
He was, but not the destination he planned.
VS 3 “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven”
Acts 22:6 Saul is telling of his conversion. He tell it was at noon.
Noon, the brightest part of the day. A light from heaven comes down.
13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.
Acts 9:4 (NKJV)
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
Light is so bright it causes Saul to fall to the ground.
He was prideful and God, now he is on the ground.
“and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?””
Saul saw Jesus here. But the other didn’t (next verse.)
There was the vision, now the voice of the Lord.
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?””
Saul, Saul. Why twice?
In Hebrew saying a name twice.....meant trying to get their attention.
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?
The church was being persecuted right? Saul was making havoc of the church. The church is the body of Christ. So the was Christ Jesus being persecuted.
So when any Christian is being persecuted. Jesus is being persecuted.
When Christians are hated because because of what we believe, it is Jesus who is being hated.
When you are being rejected as a Christian when you share your faith, it is Jesus who is being rejected.
VS 5a And he said, “Who are You, Lord?
Saul knew this was a divine encounter. But he didn’t know it was Jesus.
Jesus answers Saul.
"Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”
Maybe Saul was thing, “I’m a dead man”
Saul was blown away.
Saul had been persecuting FOJ. Why” Because they preached Jesus, death, burial, resurrection. Which meant Jesus was alive.
There He was speaking to Saul, Jesus was alive. he is still alive. He still converting people. He is still saving people.
Saul conversion experience happened because Jesus is alive. Your conversion (if you have one) is because Jesus is alive.
Saul had been under conviction.
It is hard for you to kick against the goads.
KJV pricks. goads is a good translation.
Elab the goad when plowing with an Ox. Poke them to make them move.
This is a illustration of Saul needing a poke to move, to see his sin.
Remember he had been Jerusalem he had heard the gospel preached, he was there when Stephen was killed.
He heard Stephens words.
59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Saul now believed in Jesus.
You want have the same experience Saul had, but if you are truly saved, you had an experiences with Jesus. If not, you are not saved.
Like Saul you may be under conviction, what is holding you back? Pride, what will people think?
Maybe you are holding to something that you think saved you.
Let go of what ever you are hanging on too, and hold on to Jesus.
Acts 9:6 (NKJV)
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
I believe at this point Saul was saved.
What does a saved person. Whatever the Lord wants them to do.
VS 6b Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Saul follows Jesus on his journey. VS 7-9
Saul follows Jesus on his journey. VS 7-9
Acts 9:7–9 (NKJV)
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
The men with Saul, see the light, hear a voice, but they don’t see Jesus.
VS 8
Saul was now phyical blind, but he should now see spiritually .
Saul was prideful, he was on his way with papers to arrest FOJ on his was blinded and being led to Damascus.
“they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.”
Acts 9:9 (NKJV)
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Was wondering if he would ever get his sight back?
This was a time of fasting and praying, He knew about that as Pharisees
His life had changed, it there was more change to come.
END:
Saul as a religious man (before his conversion was sincere in what he was doing. He believe he was doing God a favor.(
You can believe, you can be sincere and still be lost.
There another rebellious man. Nicodemus.
Jesus told Nic
John 3:3 (NKJV)
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Have you been born again?