Hope and Encouragement
Notes
Transcript
1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord!” he replied.
11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”
13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.
Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”
22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 23 After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. 24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.
26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. 30 When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.
What’s Going on here?
Who is Saul?
What was he doing?
What did God do?
Who did God send to help Saul?
What was Ananias’ first response?
Have you ever felt that way about someone?
Jerusalem to Damascus trivia (for Sunday night)
Damascus is reputed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world
Damascus is about 136 miles North, slightly Northeast of Jerusalem
To drive from Jerusalem to Damascus TODAY you would travel 225 miles and it is estimated it would take you 7 hours and 12 minutes (But, that is going an average of 50 kmh or 31 mph). I don’t know why it would be that slow...
In Saul’s day...
He would leave Jerusalem and head down to Jericho. Remember, Saul was a pharisee, so he would avoid Samaria.
He would journey north up the Jordan River Valley. I assume he would bypass the Decapolis (those were Roman cities, and full of unclean people).
Along the way, Saul is confronted by Jesus...
Visitors to modern-day Damascus in Syria can still join the bustling crowds walking along Straight Street (now called Sharia Medhat Pasha), the main east-west thoroughfare of the old Roman walled city. In the Christian Quarter in the north east of the old city, they can visit the Chapel of Ananias, built over an old cellar that is believed to be the house where Ananias visited Paul.
A short distance to the south, in the Jewish Quarter, visitors can enter St Paul’s Chapel beside one of the old city gates (Bab Kisan), where it is believed that Paul escaped over the city wall in a basket after three years of preaching and teaching in Damascus. The traditional site of Paul’s encounter with the risen Lord Jesus is commemorated by a modern church 2 miles / 3 km south of the city at Kawkab. Here the old Roman road rises over a low summit and travellers would have caught their first glimpse of the city in the distance.
Pastor’s Thoughts
Hope...
There's no one that is too far gone
Have you ever thought that someone was beyond God's getting hold of?
That he/she is just too far gone?
Saul was a murderer! He approved of the martyrdom of many and had a reputation for doing this. HE requested permission from the High Priest to go to Damascus to arrest believers in Jesus in the synagogues there. The assumption is that they would not only be arrested, but most likely martyred for their faith in Jesus.
Yet, God got a hold of him.
And, in a mighty way!!
Hope says that there is no one that is too far gone!!
I like to use the acronym Heaven On Planet Earth for HOPE. True HOPE says that NO ONE is too far gone from being reached by God. Sometimes God gets hold of us in a MIGHTY way, but NO ONE is too far gone.
11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?
God’s desire is that ALL would turn to him and be saved!
9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
This is TRUE HOPE! That EVERYONE is a part of God’s plan of salvation. God wants, yearns, and desires for EVERYONE to come to knowledge and faith of his Son Jesus Christ and in believing in Him have New, EVERLASTING life.
If God can get a hold of Saul, God can get a hold of your relative, friend, neighbor, coworker, child, parent… NO ONE IS TOO FAR GONE FROM BEING REACHED BY GOD!
But, Saul had others in his life that helped him.
Saul’s travel companions had to help, Ananias is told to go to Saul, then Barnabas plays a role later.
We ALL have a role in someone’s story of their coming to faith in Jesus Christ. We might not think our role is grand, but if it is our role to play we had better play it. Imagine if any of these people decided that they would not help Saul - how would the story end?
What about with your friend, or coworker, what is YOUR role in their story of coming to know Jesus Christ? Maybe you walk with them in the midst of darkness. Maybe you open their eyes to see some bit of truth. Maybe you encourage them, and highlight God’s work in their life...
Barnabas really sticks out to me...
Saul's story wouldn't go too far if not for Barnabas!
When Saul came to Jerusalem EVERYONE feared him… And, rightfully so. The last they heard of this guy he was trying to arrest, and possibly murder, them. Maybe he was a wold in sheep’s clothing, or a Trojan horse… Someone who was trying to “infiltrate” their ranks just to arrest and kill them...
Now, Saul actually stayed in Damascus for 3 years, so Barnabas was probably able to be aware of what Saul was up to.
15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother.
But, Barnabas stuck his neck out for Saul. The name Barnabas LITERALLY means “Son of Encouragement.” And, he did just that. He spoke up for Saul and used his reputation to leverage Saul’s acceptance into the community. AND, PEOPLE BELIEVED BARNABAS.
When Barnabas spoke well of Saul the people changed their mind. They might not have believed Saul, but they trusted Barnabas! If it weren’t for Barnabas, Saul would not be the person we remember him being.
Be a Barnabas (Lit. Son if Encouragement)
Our world makes it easy to find the negative in people - I’ve been there as well. We think that people are out to get us. Or we judge their actions based upon perceived motives. I’ve done it to people, and people have done it to me.
We judge people on the clothes they wear, the places they grew up, whether or not they are from California, or some other “liberal” state. All this is NOT the way to encourage people as Barnabas would. Barnabas SAW and DISCERNED what God was doing in Saul and he spoke words of encouragement.
May we be the type of people who speak well of what God is DOING in others. And, if we don’t see God active in their life, then maybe we need to pray for the ability to see God doing SOMETHING. After all, we believe in Prevenient Grace whereby God is at work in EVERYONE! If that is true, then let’s pray that God allows us to have eyes to see what GOD is doing - and let’s be willing to speak that to ourselves and to others!
2 Cards...
Who do YOU need to be a Barnabas for this season?
Who do you need to encourage?
Who do you need to share hope with?
Write that name on 2 cards
Turn one card in
Keep the other card for yourself
Be a Barnabas! I will pray for that person as you also will be praying for them.
