The Damascus Road- Acts 9:1-19

Prayer

“It is an undoubted truth, however paradoxical it may seem to natural men, but whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. There is an irreconciable enmity betwen the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. ANd if we are not of the world, the world will hate us. So you can be assured where Jesus begins to gather his elect and open an effectual door for the preaching of the Gospel, Persecutions will come and Satan and His emissaries will do their utmost to stamp out the work of God… oh but in vain.”

God, as we open up your Word this morning will you help us glory in the glorious truth that Your story will always continue!

Lord, we pray for all the churches in and around this area, that you would also give them effectual doors for the preaching of the Gospel, because we yearn to see your name knonw here. Specifically, this morning we want to thank you for the continuation of your story in the planting of new churcces, like “Connection Church” Richmond Hill led by my dear brother Patrick O’Tuel. Lord, establish the work of their hands. Yes, establish the works of their hands. Amen.

Context

Why Acts?

Spent most of the 2010’s serving crossculturally, and when we teleported back to this weird planet called America, we felt a disoriented and confused.

Generally speaking it just seemed that we had collectively gravitated toward some wrong views of the church.

An event?= a production we attend.

A Busy Religious institution full of a flurry of activities and ministries that meet every apparent need.

A facade, where we all wear seer sucker and matching rompers and smile and shake hands and churn up the sports news weather and act like everything is perfect.

Or a retail store--- a place we “shop” for, that fits my preferences.

But what we experienced and saw in others is a deep yet ignored longing leaving us to feel like there has eo be something more.

We read the Bible, and think, “what I read here doesn’t reflect my life at all.” Maybe I’m missing something. There has to be more?”

So we joined forces with a group of people in Richmond Hill who shared in this longing, and in the planting of this church, we saw an opportunity.

Not an opportunity to “redefine the church.” But instead to rediscover from the Word of God what the church is, and what our role in it should be.

So we sensed the Spirit of God lead us to plant this church with the Book of Acts.

To rediscover that the Church isn’t an event to attend, a retail store to meet your preferences, or a place for sports news weather...

But to rediscover that the Church is people. A people that has been radically changed and transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Story of God’s salvation.

A people who have been so changed, that they can’t keep it to themselves. But have to share it. Have to witness to it!

And when a People, buy in to the depth and power of the Gospel…

It grows! The people within grow, and it grows outside these walls as it spreads like a wildfire.

It grows in Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth.

That’s why we are studying the book of Acts. We want to plant a church with a clean slate, and rediscover together from the Word of God what the church is and what are role in it is.

So let me quickly remind us of where we’ve been so far in the book of Acts. I’m going to try and summarize the first 8 chapters in 5 minutes…

And some of you hear that and think… “Why can’t he do that when he preaches each chapter then!?” Bequiet… and try to follow along.

Where have we been?

In Acts 1 we saw that before resurrection of Jesus, his disiples were cowardly, doubtful, and fearful men… and then all of a sudden turn into bold witnesses before kings and officials, and willing to endure persecution and embrace death.

What changed? Jesus appeared to them. They saw him, ate with him, touched him. HE WAS ALIVE. And he spent 40 days fully sharing with them how He was the fulfillment of the OT prophets, and then commissions them to witness to this good news in Jerusalem first, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth.

In Acts 2, upon his ascension, Jesus sends them the Holy Spirit to endue them with Power to witness the common conviction as Peter does, and 3000 were saved in 1 day.

In Acts 3, they continue to witness on the backs of a miraculous healing and their number grows to 5000 men!

, and the captain of the temple and sadduccees arrest them in Acts 4.

But their threats, and beatings cannot stop the continuation of God’s story. And they pray all the more for boldness to witness the common coviction and continue the missions.

And interspersed throughout Acts 2 and Acts 4 we get snapshots of how The Gospel not only fills the church with purpose but fills them with love, charity, and generosity. They are devoted to one another, and sharing all things in common. They are functioning as A BODY.

But not all that glitters is gold… and in Acts 5 we see corruption within as Ananias and Sapphira lie to the HOLY Spirit.

We also continue to see corruptoin without, as all 12 apostles are arrested this time… and without divine intervention, specifically through the wisdom and caution of a man named Gamaliel (more on him later), it seems like the story would stop.

But it never does. The church in Jersusalem just keeps booming and growing, but “mo people create mo problems” and in Acts 6, we see some areas of ministry being overlooked and we find the church continuing God’s story by electing deacons.

And those deacons, more than just servers of tables, were.bold witnesses themselves. And in Acts 6 & 7, one of those men, Stephen, powerfully testifies to the Story of God, and faithfully proclaims the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

But the religious authorities couldn’t stand to hear such blasphemy, and they plugged their ears and rushed him and stoned him to death.

And we read in Acts 7:58 “Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.” (More on him soon).

But Stephen, fully convinced of this common conviction, falls to his knees, and in the presence of his accusers and persecutors cries out, “Lord forgive them!”

So now turn with me to Acts 8:1-3

Acts 8:1–3 ESV

And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

In Acts 8, the church moves into Phase 2. Initially the continuation of God’s story resided in Jerusalem alone, but Christ’s commission was Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

So Persecution drives, the story to Judea and Samaria. (Kintsugi). and today, what we will find in our text is the SPARK THAT IGNITED THE CONTINUATION TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.

Quotes:

F.F. Bruce said, “No single event, apart from the Christ event itself has proved so determinant for the course of Christian Hisotry as the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.”

One commentator, “For Luke there was no more certain evidence of God’s power and grace than in the transformation of the Church’s persecutor into its greatest witness!”

So let’s dive into our text today.

Read Acts 9:1-19

Acts 9:1–19 ESV

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 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. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 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. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

Paul’s conversion is actually documented 3x by Luke in the book of Acts.

Acts 9, 22, and 26.

So I will really unpack various aspects of his conversion as we come to those later chapters.

Today, I want to share 2 specific points with you in order to set us up for the remainder of the Book of Acts.

I want us to see:

The Character of Saul

The Conversion of Saul

The Character

Using the Scriptures we can gather a pretty detailed character study of Saul, so using Scripture, who was this character Saul?

His Origins

Saul was born in the city of Tarsus, region of Cilicia (Modern day Turkey) most likely in the first few years of AD.

MAP

He was born to Jewish Parents as he states in Philippians 3:4-5 “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;”

Yet, his parents were apparently Roman Citizens. A coveted privelege, most likely earned due to wealth, that their Son would also possess. (Acts 22:28)

Although, born in Tarsus, he was apparently raised in Jerusalem. Many argue that around age 8 Saul’s family moved to Jerusalem.

Acts 22:3 ““I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city...

We also know from Scripture that Saul’s sister and son were in Jerusalem, as his nephew visited him in the Jerusalem jail.

At age 13, this Hebrew of Hebrews, was enrolled in Jewish School, to study the Hebrew Scriptures under none other than Gamaliel, the most renowned and respected Rabbi of the day!

And it was under Gamaliel, where we see the second quality of Saul emerge… His Zeal.

He was Zealous

Passionately hungry and thirsty for the Truth.

He consumed the Hebrew Scriptures. Memorized the books of the Law, and according to his own testimony Phil 3. “as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”

Galatians 1:14 “And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.”

This was a pupil of promise. Someone that showed true potential. He was zealous!

Acts 22:3 ““I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.”

So zealous that as part of his training he would be expected to frequent the Synagogues of his ancestral home. Those of Cilicia and Asia.

You see, Jews would pilgrim from these regions to worship in Jerusalem but attend Synagogues where they could hear SCriptural exposition in their own languages.

Saul would most likely be there. Reading the Torah, and providing sermons expounding on the text, just like he had learned from his rabbi Gamaliel!

And this leads to another piece of his character.

Saul became a Persecutor!

He was a Persecutor

You see one day when Saul went down to the Synagogues of Cilcia and Asia to once again wow his boyhood neighbors with his profuse knowledge he arrived to hear somebody else teaching, and not just teaching but doing great signs and wonders!

Along with many others, Saul probably, “rose up and disputed with Stephen.” Acts 6:10 “But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.”

Saul couldn’t beat the arguments of this nobody… so his zeal led him to become a Persecutor.

Perseuctions

They instigated men to speak lies about Stephen and drug him to the High Priest.

Saul approved of that young man’s execution, and held the robes of those who cast stones.

And after his death, he began to RAVAGE THE CHURCH (8:3) and drag out christian men and women and threw them in Prison.

Acts 22:4 “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,”

Galatians 1:13 “For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.”

Phil 3:6 “as to zeal, a persecutor of the church;

Persecutor in Damascus

Acts 9:1-2 “But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 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.”

In his zeal for Truth, to preserve the tenets of the faith, to protect the doctrine from this dangerous sect of blashphemers, Saul sought to eliminate it before it destroyed his historic faith.

He traveled to Damascus, a 6 day, 150 mile journey, with a singular intent of stomping out this new movement.

With extradition papers in hand, he sought to either force these disciples of a dead Nazarene to recant their faith, or be drug back to Jerusalem and imprisoned or stoned. (as seen in Acts 22)

In his own words, Acts 26:9-11 ““I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.”

Saul.. his orgins, his zeal, and his persecutions. But there iss one other thing I’d like to say about this Character… He was humbled.

He was Humbled

Acts 9:3-4 “Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?””

Acts 22 tells us this was at about noon. So when the Sun is at a peak, such a light burst forth and shone all around him, causing him to fall!

And he hears a voice!

Acts 9:5 “And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

The word Lord here is the equivalent of sir… Saul knew that he was being visited by a heavenly being. A being of authority, but he did not recognize him as HIS Lord.

But Jesus clarifies it for him… I AM JESUS.

Put yourself in Saul’s shoes here church!

Remember His Origins. Remember His Zeal.

These words were a complete refutation of all Saul had believed and become. He had persecuted Christians for the supposed blasphemy of a resurrected Savior, and now He sees Him face to face in all of His glory leaving no doubt that He is Alive and reigning forever!

That this heavenly being is JESUS, whose name means, “savior from sins”

Acts 9:6 “But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.””

Acts 9:7 “The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.”

They heard it too, meaning Paul isn’t experiencing some mental breakdown but actually saw JEUSS.

Acts 9:8 “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.”

The light was so bright he had to close his eyes to protect himself, but when he reopened them… darkness.

So he’s led by the hand into Damascus.

He was Humbled!

The radiance of the vision had completely reduced him. Once full of strength, and zeal, and energy to accomplish his persecution purposes, only to arrive frail, blind, and utterly reduced to powerlessness.

Acts 9:9 “And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

Humbled. Sitting in darkness. Trying to come to grips with:

the fact that all his OT reading, memorization, and interpretation was WRONG!

the fact that the system of salvation based on legal righteoueness was WRONG!

the fact that he had rested and prided himself in stamping out this sect was WRONG!

On the damascus road he was humbled, and forced to sit in the awarness of his wrongs.

Not just his wrong beliefs. But the actions.

That young Greek boy Stephen…

All those men and wome in Jersualem.

He was under the heavy conviction of his sin, and it took his appetite away, for who can eat or drank when you perceive the horrors of your own conscience.

Darkness physically, and writhing in darkness spiritually.

Conclusion

Church, here lies a point of application for us as well.

God is in the busines of Damascus Road Experiences.

He is always working, and always revealing Himself to His people.

Now our damascus road experiences are generally less dramatic, but they are meant to have the same effect.

TO BREAK OUR COMPULSIVE INDEPENDENCE AND ARROGANCE AND BRING US TO CHRIST FOR SALVATION!.

So Sit then. Sit in your darkness.

The Character Humbled. But let’s turn now to His conversion.

The Conversion

So Saul sits humbled for 3 days without sight, with no food or drink. Contemplating his reduction and waiting, because Jesus had said, “Enter the city and you will be told what you are to do.”

Acts 9:10 “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.””

The Utilization of Ananias

First thing her is that when it comes to the conversion of His People, God always utilizes others. Now the vision was direct, divine intervention, but God sends others, and in this case Ananias to help him make sense of the vision.

Think of your own testimony. A parent. A preacher. A co-worker. A friend. The act of revealing, and humbling, and ulitmately saving is God’s… yet he chooses to utilize others.

Ananias was apparently a “Devout, pious man” (Paul’s own words in Acts 22), but honestly an unkown Jewish Christian. There was nothing special or extraordinary about Ananias. He was just a faithful, disciple of Christ.

And that’s all it takes to be deeply used of God!

Just be a faithful follower.

And his commitment to Christ is revealed in his response.

Ananias Knew God

When Jesus revealed himself to Saul, Saul inquired, “Who are you Lord!?

Ananias instead, “Here I am, Lord”.

Much like Abraham when God called him to stay his hand in the sacrifice of Isaac.

Much like little Samuel, when God spoke to him in the house of Eli.

Ananias demonstrated a familiarity with the voice of God, so that when God called, Ananias knew who was calling, and how to posture himself in response.

If you want to be used by God like this, we must cultivate a familiarity with God.

Just as Coleman preached last week, we have to spend time with Him. Getting to Know Him. So that we can live a life that pleases Him. And join him in the work of reconciling others to Himself.

And I believe Ananias response pleased the Lord… “Here I am.”

The Attention to Detail of Jesus

Acts 9:11-12 “And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.””

When it comes to the conversion of His people, Jesus is involved in every detail.

He’s playing chess, when you’re playing checkers with your life.

Psalm 139:1-5 “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.”

He knew Saul would hear Stephen, he knew Stephen’s prayer with goad Saul, he knew the street on which he was staying, and the owner of the home who hosted him, and he knew exactly what Saul was doing in that very moment.

We serve a God, who sees and cares about the details of your lives, and when He draws you to himself he pays attention to those details.

But notice really quickly what Jesus could see Saul doing at that moment…

“for behold, he is praying.”

He hears and sees your prayers. But that really isn’t what I want you to take away here… it’s this.

“Praying” is the same word used for “breathing out” in verse 1!

What began as breathing out murderous threats, as dramatically shifted to breathing out please for mercy before God.

When it comes to conversion, Jesus is in the details, and he hears and responds to prayer.

The Divine Election

Acts 9:13-16 “But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.””

When it comes to conversion, it is always divine election.

“Go, for he is a chosen!

next week we are going to dig deeper into His comissioning and how he would be an instrument, but for our time this morning I want us to see chosen!

The word is “Election”. Chosen. Set Apart, by divine direction. The idea is that as it comes to salvation, you have done nothing to save yourself.

Later in his own words Paul would write, Galatians 1:15 “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,”

He would speak of election often, but probably not as pointedly as Ephesians 2:1-9 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked” WHAT DO DEAD PEOPLE DO. NOTHING.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Our salvation, our conversions are a matter of his grace and divine election.

And that imperative, was enough for Ananias.

Ananias went, laid his hands on him and said,

Acts 9:17 “So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.””

That leads us to our last point today.

The Seal of the Spirit

When it comes to conversion, we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

And when the Holy Spirit comes to reside in you, many things happen, but it will be like scales falling off of you.

The heaviness and oppression that Paul was under, was now lifted.

Ephesians 1:13 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,”

Galatians 4:6 “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!””

2 Corinthians 1:22 “and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

The filling of the HS authenticates your conversion and as he resides within you he continues to testify to the reality of your relationship with God by making us more like Jesus.

Respond with Baptism

Acts 9:18 “And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;”

We are not baptized to be saved. We are saved, or converted and then demonstrate our death to the old way of living, and new life raised with the REsurrected Jesus in Baptism.

The Conversion: Utilizes Others, He’s in the Details, its always Divine Election, gives the Seal of the Spirit, and we respond with Baptism.

Conclusion

Saul, stooped in the OT Scriptures, and rising in the ranks of Judaism beyond his peers. So zealous, he was a persecutor of the church… but He was Humbled and ultimately converted. So instead of writing letters of extradition, he would later write letters that read this:

Romans 1:1 “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, set apart for the gospel of God,”

1 Corinthians 1:1 “Paul, called by the will of God

1 Timothy 1:13 “though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy...”

Galatians 1:13-15 “For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,”

Saul the Character… Saul the Converted.

Spend time with the Apostle Paul this year. 90 days through his letters.

And listen, if the Lord has you on a Damascus Road, let us be your Ananias. Let us know. Fill out a connect card. Come up after the service. Something. And if you have been converted, but never been baptized its time.

Deacons

Have a Seat for Me

A few weeks ago, we presented 5 men and their spouses before you as potential deacons. And I am very pleased to report to you that all 5 of those men have been affirmed, and I want to officially present and commission them this morning.

Would you men come forward for me?

Bill Cunningham, Bo Longgrear, Chris Thorpe, Scott Swanson, and Thomas Bremer

I understand that many people here come from various church backgrounds so let me quickly remind us what the role and responsibilites of these men are to be accroding to the Word of God.

In 1 Timothy 3:8-13

1 Timothy 3:8–13 ESV

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Elders, are responsible for shpeherding and governing the church and 2 qualifications found in elders that aren’t found in deacons are:

Must not be a recent convert.

Able to teach.

Deacons, are ministers. They are servents. They lead and execute various needs and ministries of the church so that I and the other elders can continue to shepherd and govern accordingly.

So I want to comission them this morning.

If you personally know any of these men, would you come forward and just lay your hands on them.

Pray.

Go and Be the Church.