We get knocked down

INTRO

Have you ever been on a mission that no matter what you have been told you just did it anyway?

It could be a job or a relationship or a promotion or financial decision.

Now have you ever looked back on that time, what do you see? how many “bodies” have you left in your wake?

I say “bodies” because there are usually broken relationships, trust etc. or perhaps on the flip side you are one of the bodies that is left behind because of someone elses mission in life.

This year at Generations Pastor Danny has challenged us to look at the evidence. We are to be aware of the evidence - that means

the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.

AS WE DIVE INTO THE SCRIPTURES THIS MORNING WE SEE THAT;

The events of Acts 3–7 transpire with mounting concern on the part of Jews and especially the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem.

THE CHURCH IS GROWING. PEOPLE ARE NOW FOLLOWING A NEW WAY OF LIFE.

The rising tension results in vigilante action taken against Stephen, and then an authorized effort under Saul to disrupt and even destroy this new messianic sect, involving persecution and even the death of some Christians

SO THIS IS WHERE WE PICK UP THE SCRIPTURES TODAY AS WE LOOK AT THIS MAN NAMED SAUL - LATER KNOWN AS PAUL.

NOW SAUL ACTUALLY DID LEAVE SOME BODIES IN HIS WAKE AS HE EMBARKED ON A MISSION OF PROVING THAT THIS CHRIST FOWING WAY WAS AGAINST THE TEACHING HE HAD RECEIVED AND HE WAS GOING TO DO WHATEVER IT TOOK TO STOP IT.

SO IF YOU LIKE TO FOLLOW ALONG WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE SCRIPTURE VERSES FOUND IN THE BOOK OF ACTS 9: 1-9

I AM READING FROM THE NLT VERSION

Acts 9:1–9 NLT

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.

AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE VERSES, SAUL WAS ON A MURDEROUS MISSION, HE WAS ABOUT TO CAUSE A MAJOR DISRUPTION TO THE CHRIST FOLLOWING JEWS IN DAMASCUS.

AS HE SAYS ANY FOLLOWERS OF “THE WAY”. THAT IS WHAT IT WAS CALLED UNTIL LATER IN ACTS WE SEE THE FIRST USE OF THEM BEING CALLED CHRISTIANS AS WE ARE KNOWN TODAY.

MAIN POINT!

DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD, BEFORE YOU GET TOLD!

WHY?

BECAUSE IF WE DO NOT DO AS WE ARE TOLD, WE WILL GET TOLD WHAT TO DO!

LETS JUST CAMP HERE FOR A MOMENT.

NOW IF HAVE BEEN TRACKING WITH PASTOR DANNY AND THE TEAM, THERE WAS MENTION OF A PHARISEE NAMED GAMALIEL A FEW WEEKS AGO.

Acts 5:34–37 NLT

34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.

GAMALIEL - TOLD THEM TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO WITH THE DISCIPLES BECUASE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THE PAST. HE TOLD THEM IF IT WAS NOT OF GOD IT WOULD NOT HOLD UP.

NOW SAUL WOULD HAVE BEEN AMONG THOSE WHO HEARD THIS WARNING.

Acts 22:3 ESV

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.

PAUL WAS TOLD BUT NOW HE HAD TO BE TOLD!

WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT?

PAUL HAD TO BE STOPPED!

Acts 9:4–6 NLT

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.”

SOMETIMES WE ALSO NEED TO BE STOPPED AND NOW I KNOW YOU MAY BE THINKING WELL, I HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING THAT CRAZY SO THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ME.

BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SOMETHING SO DRASTIC TO STOP US IN OUR TRACKS BUT THAT WILL DEPEND ON HOW FAR YOU WANT TO PUSH IT.

MY ENGAGMENT STORY - INSERT HERE

I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM TODAY IF DID NOT GET STOPPED IN MY TRACKS ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE WERE MANY OTHER STOPS AS WELL BUT THIS WAS A PRETTY BIG ONE.

WHY AM I TELLLING YOU THIS? BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD DOES NOT LOOK AT WHAT MAN LOOKS AT AND IF WE ARE OPEN TO IT AND HIS HOLY SPIRIT WE WILL SEE THOSE MOMENTS IN OUR LIFE.

INDULGE ME FOR A MOMENT AS I TAKE YOU DOWN A LITTLE RABBIT HOLE;

Timeline of Saul

· Born around AD 5 – an Israelite

· Acts 22:3

· Phil 3:5

· A roman citizen by birthright

· Acts 22:28

· Sat at the feet of Gamaliel, Jerusalem ( Acts 22:3) AD 15-20

(15 years old)

· A pharisee

· Present at Stephens stoning. (27 years old)

HERE WE ARE TODAY AT THIS STAGE OF HIS LIFE:

· Conversion on the road to Damascus (29)

Acts 9:6 ESV

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

I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TODAY THAT GOD LOOKED AT SAUL NOT AS A LIABILITY BUT AS AN ASSET. HE SAW THE POTENTIAL IN SAUL AND STOPPED HIM IN HIS TRACKS.

LET ME JUST TELL YOU,

In Acts chapter 9 we experience the power of conversion, and specifically conversion as a type of resurrection in Jesus Christ, a spiritual resurrection. Conversion is a moment of one's salvation but not the whole of it.

NOW SAUL WAS A RELIGIOUS MAN BUT DID NOT FOLLOW CHRIST. HE KNEW THE SCRIPTURES BUT DID NOT HEED THEM FULLY TILL GOD STOPPED HIM.

NOW WHAT WAS HE TO DO?

LET ME TELL YOU THAT WHAT HAPPENED NEXT TOOK THE NEXT 30 YEARS OF HIS LIFE TO PLAY OUT.

HE NEVER STARTED PREACHING STRAIGHT AWAY - THERE WERE BRIDGES TO BUILD AND REPAIRS TO BE MADE AND RELATIONSHIPS TO CULTIVATE.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

· Goes into Damascus is blinded for 3 days but then goes to Arabia

· 3 years later he re-enters Damascus

· Only then does he go to Jerusalem ( 32 years of age)-

he has to leave

· Barnabas travels to Antioch to seek Paul.

· This was 9 years later!

I NEVER CAME TO CANADA TILL 12 YEARS AFTER MY BROKEN ENAGEMENT AND THEN IT WAS ONLY 3 YEARS INTO THAT, THAT I HAD FELT A CALL INTO MINISTRY. IT THEN TOOK ME 11 YEARS TO GO THROUGH THE STUDIES....

APPLICATION

SO WHAT ARE WE TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION?

GOD LOOKS AT US AND SEES WHAT HE CAN USE.

HE DID NOT SEE A MURDEROUS CRAZY MAN.

PAUL COULD CONVERSE WITH BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES

HE HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE HELLENIST GREEK CULTURE

HE HAD ZEAL - AND THE LIST GOES ON.

GOD SAW THAT IF HE STOOD FOR CAUSE, HE WOULD DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS.

THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE TO KEEP READING TO SEE HOW GOD USED SAUL, LATER CALLED PAUL TO INFLUENCE US TIGHT US TO TODAY.

HOW ABOUT YOU? WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THIS STORY?

THIS COMING WEEK - TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON YOUR OWN STORY, WHERE ARE YOU ? ARE YOU ON THE WRONG ROAD? IS THIS A PLACE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE STOPPED, OR PERHAPS YOU HAVE HAD A RECENT STOP AND ARE ANGRY OR BITTER ABOUT IT.

PERHAPS YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN A STEP TOWARDS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.

MAYBE THERE HAVE BEEN STOPS IN YOUR LIFE THAT HAVE PREVENTED YOU FROM FULLY COMMITTING YOUR LIFE.

SECONDLY I WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS,

I WANT YOU TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION AND SEE THE POTENTIAL THAT GOD SEES IN YOU.

WE SO EASILY KNOCK OURSELVES DOWN AND DONT SEE THE POTENTIAL GOD HAS FOR US.

CLOSE IN PRAYER.

BOTTOM LINE:

DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD, BEFORE YOU GET TOLD!