Are You Transformed? (Jesus Helps Paul Endure) - Acts 9:23-31

Introduction

[READING - Acts 9:23-31]

Acts 9:23–31 NASB95

23 When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

[PRAYER]

[CONTEXT] In the first part of Acts 9, we saw a blasphemer transformed into a brother, a murderer transformed into a minister, a persecutor transformed into a proclaimer.

In this chapter he is called Saul, but later we will know him more commonly as Paul.

He blasphemed by denying that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed of God sent to redeem His people.

But by God’s grace, he was called Brother Saul when a fellow brother in Christ named, Ananias, laid hands on him and welcomed him into the family of God.

He murdered by giving hearty approval to those who murdered Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

But by God’s grace, he was made a minister of Jesus Christ, the Lord Himself saying, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel,” (Acts 9:15).

He persecuted the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem and then pursued them with murderous intent wherever they went.

But by God’s grace, he was made a proclaimer of Jesus Christ after the risen Christ appeared to Him.

He began to immediately proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God,” (Acts 9:20).

He kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 9:22).

This it the power of the transforming grace of God in Jesus Christ!

It’s a grace that loves us first even when we are unlovable!

It’s a grace that calls us to obey because Christ is worthy!

It’s a grace that compels us to tell others so they too can find transforming grace in Jesus Christ!

And as we see in the rest of Acts 9 (and in the rest of Paul’s ministry recorded in the NT), it’s a grace that transforms us to endure.

[CIT] In Acts 9:23-31, Paul kept proclaiming Jesus as the Christ despite threats on his life, rejection by brothers and sisters in Christ, and more threats on his life.

The transforming grace of God was deeply rooted in Paul’s heart, so nothing was going to cause him to give up.

[INTER] Is God’s grace rooted in our hearts like that?

Jesus once told a parable about a farmer who scattered the seeds of God’s grace on different types of hearts.

Some seeds of grace fells on hard hearts where it was immediately snatched away by the temptations of Satan.

Some seeds of grace fell on rocky hearts where it took hold for a moment but not deeply and was soon withered by affliction and persecution.

Some seeds of grace fell on thorny hearts where it was choked to death by the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of riches.

But some seeds of grace fell on hearts made tender by God’s grace; there it rooted deeply, stood strong when afflicted and persecuted, stood strong against the world and it’s satanic temptations; it endured and bore much fruit.

The seed of God’s grace fell on Paul’s tender heart, therefore he endured and bore much fruit.

[PROP] If we have been transformed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ, we have been transformed to endure and bear much fruit.

[TS] Let’s notice a few TIMES in this passage when Jesus helped Paul to endure in the faith…

Exposition

Time #1: The first time Jesus helped Paul endure was when Paul escaped Damascus (vv. 23-25)

Acts 9:23–25 NASB95

23 When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

[EXP] In his letter to the Galatians, Paul says that after Jesus revealed Himself to him on the road to Damascus and revealed Himself in Paul by the saving power of the Holy Spirit, Paul then went away to Arabia before returning to Damascus for three years (Gal. 1:15-18).

Luke says that when those three years had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with Paul.

Obviously not all of the Jews wanted to do away with Paul. Most of the Christians at this time were Jews, and Paul himself was a Jew, but these Jews were those who rejected Jesus as Messiah and wanted to silence anyone who proclaimed Him as such.

The Apostle Paul used to be just like them before he was saved by Jesus.

And it’s not wonder why they wanted Paul silenced; for three years he had been confounding those Jews who had yet to believe by proclaiming Jesus as the Christ (Acts 9:22).

They wanted him dead.

The plot to kill him became known to Paul. This wouldn’t be the last time that forewarning of a murderous plan saved Paul’s life.

In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul wrote that the governor of the city was involved in “guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize (him),” (2 Cor. 11:32-33).

They watched the gates around the clock, so Paul couldn’t escape the city through the usual exits.

Instead, under the cover of darkness his disciples lowered him through an opening in the city wall in a large basket.

This is how Paul used to make Christians run for their lives.

Now he was on the run for proclaiming Jesus as the Christ.

Paul’s life was in danger in Damascus, but Jesus sent His disciples to rescue him.

Paul was transformed by Jesus, and Jesus helps the transformed to endure.

[TS]…

Time #2: The second time Jesus helped Paul endure was when Paul arrived in Jerusalem (vv. 26-28)

Acts 9:26–28 NASB95

26 When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.

[EXP] Paul certainly lost many if not all of his Jewish friends and family members when he believed on Jesus as the Christ. However, he definitely gained many brothers and sisters in the family of God after he trusted Jesus as the Christ. I imagine that Paul loved the fellowship with Ananias and his own disciples and other Christians in Damascus. But now in v. 26 he came to Jerusalem, and the Christians there didn’t know him like the Christians in Damascus.

He tried to join with them, but they didn’t believe he was a disciple of Jesus.

Did they think that he was undercover, a spy for the Temple authorities, an secret-agent for those who still wanted to murder Jewish followers of Jesus?

That may sound ridiculous to us, but our brothers and sisters in China (and I’m sure in other countries as well) know the reality of having spy in their midst.

In Galatians 2:4 Paul wrote that some false brethren had been secretly brought in to spy on followers of Jesus, so we know that kind of thing happened, but was Paul a spy or was he a brother?

That’s the question the Jerusalem church had to answer.

Having left behind the believers in Damascus and having been doubted by the believers in Jerusalem, Paul was alone, but Jesus sent Barnabas, the son of encouragement, to encourage Paul.

He took hold of him as a brother and vouched for him before the apostles.

He described how Paul had seen the Lord Jesus in a glorious light from heaven on the road to Damascus.

He told them how Paul had been speaking out in the name of Jesus ever since.

And because of Barnabas’s commendation of Paul, Paul went in and out among the believers in Jerusalem. He enjoyed free and full fellowship as a member of the Jerusalem church.

And he continued to speak out boldly in the name of the Lord.

Paul was all alone in Jerusalem, but Jesus sent Him Barnabas to encourage him.

Paul was transformed by Jesus, and Jesus helps the transformed to endure.

[TS]…

Time #3: The third time Jesus helped Paul endure was when Paul escaped to Tarsus (vv. 29-31)

Acts 9:29–31 NASB95

29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

[EXP] The Hellenistic Jews were those Jews who embraced Greek culture and language. Paul was urging them to embrace Jesus as the Jewish Messiah.

He was not only talking with them but also arguing or disputing with them. They were denying Jesus as the Messiah, and Paul was proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

I heard someone say once, “If you throw the first punch, you’ve lost the argument.” Here we can tell the Hellenistic Jews lost the argument because they in essence threw the first punch.

They were attempting to put him to death.

Once again Paul’s life was on the line.

The brethren (Paul’s Christian brothers in Jerusalem) learned of the threat against Paul’s life and brought him down to the port at Caesarea before sending him home to Tarsus.

Paul was in danger once again, but Jesus sent the brethren to rescue him.

Paul disappears from public ministry for quite awhile, but he will show up again, proclaiming Christ, planting churches, and writing most of the NT.

Paul was transformed by Jesus, and Jesus helps the transformed to endure.

[TS]…

Illustration

In his book, The Martyr’s Oath, author Johnnie Moore tells the stories of persecuted brothers and sisters in the 21st Century.

One persecuted sister in Nigeria lost her leg when radical Muslims set off a series of blasts in a local market in 2010. She walks slowly now and has many needs, but said, “My church has been helpful. I have five children, and they support me as well. I live with my daughter and her husband. I am following the Lord strongly because he spared. Many died that day, so I have a lot that I owe him. I always thank him. Since he spared me, it means he wants me to carry on his work.”

We praise God for her children who care for her, but did you notice that she mentioned the church helping her and carrying on the work that Jesus has for her?

One persecuted brother in Ethiopia was arrested and imprisoned for preaching Christ. He said, “The prison was like a new mission field for us. We met one believer who told us to be strong, and we were so encouraged. Once again, we decided, we would preach Jesus.”

We praise God for brothers like this who look at imprisonment as a new mission opportunity, but did you notice that he mentioned the encouragement of a fellow believer and continuing to preach Jesus?

[TS] Like we’ve seen in our passage this morning, Jesus gives the family of God to help the transformed endure.

Jesus gave Paul his disciples to help him endure when his life was threatened in Damascus.

Jesus gave Paul Barnabas to help him endure when the believers in Jerusalem were skeptical of him.

Jesus gave Paul the brethren to help him endure when he escaped to Tarsus.

Jesus gives the family of God to help the transformed endure.

Application

Are you transformed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ?

Have you repented of your sins and believed that Jesus died for your sins? Have you trusted that He rose from the dead to make you right with God?

If so, you have been transformed.

And if you have been transformed by Jesus, you’ve become a part of God’s household, God’s family.

If you are transformed through faith in Him, Jesus has given you a Christian family so that it can encourage you to endure.

Maybe your life will be on the line.

Maybe you will feel unwelcome.

Maybe you will endure a trial or a loss, and in that moment you will think, “I just feel like giving up.”

But its then that Jesus will send some of his disciples or maybe just one son or daughter of encouragement or maybe he will send all of the brethren.

And through them Jesus will help you endure.

If He transformed you, He will help you endure to the end, and He often does so through our brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you are transformed through faith in Him, Jesus has given you to your Christian family so that you can encourage your brothers and sisters to endure.

The lives of our brothers and sisters are on the line in many places around the world.

Many of them are persecuted because of their faith in Jesus.

And like us, they also experience what we might call the normal trials and losses in life, and in certain moments they too think, “I just feel like giving up.”

But its then that Jesus will send you, His disciple, a son or daughter of encouragement.

And through you Jesus will help them endure.

If He transformed them, He will help them endure to the end, and He just might do it through you.

[TS]…

Conclusion

Do you need encouragement to endure this morning?

Don’t be embarrassed to tell your brothers and sisters about your need.

Do you see someone who needs encouragement to endure?

Don’t be slow to give your brother or sister what they need.

Jesus said it’s those who endure to the end that will be saved.

He has transformed us, and He helps us endure to the end by giving us one another…

…as disciples…

…as encouragers…

…as brothers and sisters in Christ.

[PRAYER]