When God Says GO!

Change of Plans - Introduction to Saul or Tarsus

Intro: Mel Trotter was a barber by profession and a drunkard by perversion. So debauched had he become that when his young daughter died, he stole the shoes she was to be buried in and pawned them for money to buy more drinks. One night he staggered into the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago and was marvelously saved. Burdened for the men of skid row, he opened a rescue mission in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He went on to found more than sixty more missions and became supervisor of a chain of them stretching from Boston to San Francisco (Elgin S. Moyer, Who Was Who in Church History [New Canaan, Conn.: Keats, 1974], 411). - John F. MacArthur Jr., Acts, vol. 1, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 263.

Link: At times in our lives, we have change of plans. This is exactly what happened to Saul on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians.

Acts 9:1–16 (NKJV)

1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

Saul was upset about what he thought to be the false religion of Christianity and following Jesus. He thought there was much evidence to this claim. However his angle was wrong and upon further study and underestimating of God’s Word, he later realized this.

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.

Damascus had a large Jewish population, and it has been estimated that there could well have been thirty to forty synagogues in the city.

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.”

Saul had refused to accept their testimony. If Jesus was alive, then Saul had to change his mind about Jesus and His message. He had to repent, a difficult thing for a self-righteous Pharisee to do.

Goad, again is a tool like a cattle prod would be. A goad specifically is a iron rod with a sharp point to prod an animal along. If you kick the rod, so what, all to say you cant fight it. If you do it will hurt more b/c the one w/ the goad will prick you yet again and perhaps harder then originally.

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Take notice how Saul felt.

Trembling - In Awe

Astonished - Amazed

Notice what Saul Said

What do you want me to do. (This was the first and smartest thing Saul said up to this point)

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Sometimes God tells us to do something like wait. This can be difficult. But in this time, we can seek His will in our lives. This is what Saul was bout to do, wait on the Lord. Unlike Saul, I hope you already know Jesus and if you do, he may ask you to wait on Him.

Psalm 27:14 “14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

Perhaps your having a struggle or tough time with something or someone, God may ask you to wait on Him, He wants to strengthen your heart, give you the answer but part of this is to learn to lean in on Him.

Sometimes we might feel as though the Lord does not see or hear us—that He’s not answering our prayers. During these moments, we can put our complete faith and trust in the living God. We can wait on the Lord in eager anticipation, knowing that He is with us and in control of our lives. He will do what He has promised. He will rescue and save us. He is always working for our good, even when we don’t feel Him (Romans 8:28 “28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”). Through patient, courageous, active trusting, seeking, and prayer, we can learn to wait on the Lord. - Got Questions.org

Thinking back to Saul though, God was going to set him straight on Straight Street. His theology was about to be corrected. Sometimes some folks can have a good study of the Word and be way off. Some can even have Correct Theology and be empty.

As said by A.W. Tozer: You can be as straight as a gun-barrel theologically—and as empty as one spiritually. God wants you to live in Faith, having confessed Him as Lord and Savior. He wants you neither correct and empty nor like Saul and studied up and headed in the wrong direction.

7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.

Were not told much about these men but it would be assumed there was a small army of men to carry out the arrest of the Christians, in order to take them back, bound up and to Jerusalem.

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.

Does this sound familiar? Blind, 3 days in a building, dint eat or drink? Typology of Jesus, like Saul was inside for 3 days, blind, no food or water, so was Jesus inside 3 days, din’t see, eat or drink.

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

Faithful men & women, must always be ready to answer the lord when He speaks.

Annanias - Paul talks about him later as seen in Acts 22:12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there,”

11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.

12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

Sometimes we will ask God for something specific to see if He will supply or answer.

Think of Gideon and the fleece,

I’ve done this multiple times in my life and got a specific response from God about something very specific.

Illustration: My friend Josh did something like this recently too. His was more along the lines of praying for a need. (GENERATOR STORY) pray for the need, pick out a specific one at Harbor freight, get call from Noah Miller stating his church feels he needs a generator for their 7hr power outages that are common. They are sending $700, the exact amount of the generator they were praying about. Pastor Miller says, how about you check out this specific model at Harbor Freight and it is in stock in Escanaba. - God answers prayer!

13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

Can we honestly get up tight with Ananias for asking God this question?

Can you imagine how nervous and scared Ananias must have felt going over there? Perhaps he wasn't afraid, his trust in the Lord was great?

This isn't the first time that God has asked someone to do something great.

Mary

Joseph

Gideon

Moses

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Conclusion:

God had wonderful plans for the future of His bride, the church. He expects all parts/members to work together as He ask to do His work in His time for the benefit of His Kingdom. The question is are you willing to be used like Ananias was used? Are you willing to be like Paul to be used of God, to follow Him in accordance to how he has called you?

Unsaved:

Perhaps like Saul, you think you know the Bible and how to have a right relationship with God. However are you sure you know God on his terms and not just your interpretation and feelings of His Word?

Our Damascus Roads are generally less dramatic than Saul’s, but they are meant to have the same effect—to break our compulsive independence and arrogance and to bring us to Christ for salvation or reconsecration. - R. Kent Hughes

A,B,C

Saved:

If you know Jesus as your Savior, are you willing to go and to do what is best for the Kingdom of God, to obey Command 1? To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul & mind?

This week, pray and ask God to show you, what in your past have you done that needs changing, yielding to God His full control in your life. Asking forgiveness of your disobedience to Him and ask ing Him to have his way with you.

Closing Song: Let Him Have His Way With Thee