mission of hate into a message from heaven
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1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
You ever been so angry you begin to murmur under your breath. Boarderline to your self.
You every been so mad all you can think about is revenge or I can’t wait to give this person a piece of my mind.
He was so full of anger and rage. The same anger that caused the mrytdom of Stephen was with Saul.
This gives a glimpse of Paul before the conversion. He was a completely different guy.
This is a picture of me. How I used to have my mug always broken down. And angry at the world
Talk to your neighbor do you have a conversion story
Paul before his conversion was very arrogant. And he was well decorated as a man,
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
1. Paul is saying I’m a authentic Israelite. I was circumcised according to the law. Not all his accusers and opponent’s could say that for themselves.
2. He was from the people of Israel he was set apart from the Gentiles . He was a pure breed.
3. He had a ancestry that would be envied amongst the jewish people. Hes from the tribe of Benjamin. He remained true to that heritage.
They like saying I’m Elon Musk Son
Or Bezos kid.
Or a Cater.
I’m a Ryan
He had an enviable ancestry.
He was also saying he wasn’t a hellenist sympathizer, he didn’t merge his jewish culture with at the time new age greek thinking.
Paul could read and understand Hebrew and was fluent in it.
Actually when Jesus spoke to Him and said why are you persecuting me it was in Hebrew. Not greek or any other language but Hebrew.
Not only did he have the most ideal ancestry he also had the three standards that uphold these achievements .
The Law , zeal for the nation , and righteousness.
4. He was a Pharisee he had an organized approach concerning the law. Any devout Jewish male would sympathize with some organized approach to the law since it was the heart of of Jewish life.
Pharisees where noted for their love for the law, strict interpretation of it, and ethical consistency.
There law for the law,
Strict interpretation ,
There moral consistency - this is whats noted not necessarily fully how they loved.
5. Zeal- Since Paul loved the nation of Israel so much he put that love into action by persecuting the church.
He had taken his beliefs to an extreme that even his opponents did not, using physical force to eradicate Christianity.
6. Rightouesnes- Paul upheld the law (from mans standards ) he was considered to be blameless. He mastered the art of controlling his flesh before man.
He lived a devised in such a way that was consider to indeed be blameless.
Its interesting you can be surrounded by religion but still have hatred in your heart.
You can be surround by the grace message truth in the body but yet still have hared and murder in you heart.
Then Paul give us what really matters, true value.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul just gives us the greatest run down in history.
What it means to have everything work out for you .
What it means to have you best life today.
Then he said I count it all but loss.
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.
Saul walked to Damascus about a 6 days journey 175 miles north east if Jerusalem just breathing hate and murder.
Saul didn’t schedule a random burning or looting of Christians but rather a sophisticated, officially authorized persecution.
This wasn’t the next Christian I see I’m gonna hit them in the mouth. This was a highly organized plot to criminalize Christians.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
This light that was shone happened in the day time so It was very radiant.
This was no ordinary light . In Acts 22:6 “6 “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.”
He said that the light was brighter then the sun Acts 26:13 “13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.”
This light was Jesus Christ Himself. It was a light that only Paul could see.
Jesus was Pauls evangelist.
Acts A. Confrontation (vv. 1–9)
Now God turned a mission of hate into a message from heaven. Saul saw a light and heard a voice from heaven; for a devout Jew, this would always mean a word from God
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
The question from heaven must have stunned Saul into disbelief. Persecuting God? He was doing exactly the reverse—persecuting those who blasphemed God.
Persecute - means to systematically oppress and harass.
Paul went to the fullest extent to exercise persecution on the Christian.
It doesn’t get harsher, then systematized persecution.
When persecution becomes governmental you dissuade any and all levels of Christianity from spreading.
Paul went from being the churches persecutor into its greatest witness.
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.”
Some scholars believes Paul is saying “who are You, Sir.?” But theres just to much of the supernatural taking place for him to address Jesus as mere sir.
He knew something supernatural was taking place.
Though he didn’t recognized this One as Jesus he knew it was a supernatural being.
“It is hard for you to kick against the goads
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
The calling of God
Don’t wait to clean your life before walking in the call of God. You will never clean your life .
Acts 9:1 - Paul was breathing threats and conspiring to kill more Christians before He was called .
Paul received authorization to arrest christians . He was looking to go into synagogues and to arrest them.
His goal was to exterminate all christians .
When Saul was with the disciples within the matter of days Paul was sharing the gospel .
Don’t worry about how your friends will view you . you family will view you . Walk with God today .
Image everyone was suspicious of Paul , his fellow jews , the Christians but he still walked with God anyway .
Its not about trying to clean you life up , getting rid of old habits . God will do that walk with him . Seek His face ,
Stop kicking against the goads. The more you fight against God your calling the more you’re doing damage to yourself .
The call isn’t easy . When Paul was called it wasn’t easy . Acts 9:16
Acts 9:16 - For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.
Paul was ship recked , beaten 39 times on three different occasions, in prisoned , stoned ,
I know one gentleman he was rob beaten manipulated , just for his call .
The calling of God doesn’t change
You are called to be saints . 1 Corinthians 1:2 (NKJV)
1Co 1:2 (NKJV) To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
Acts 9:15 (NKJV)
Ac 9:15 (NKJV) 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.
When your called you are bearing the name of Christ . One of the reason I didn’t want to be a Pastor is I didn’t want to bring reproach on Christ name.
Paul was given the task to preach the gospel amounst the Gentiles
When you are called you are to bear Christ name . Acts 9:13 - 16
Not many wise not many noble are called . 1 Cor 1:26
Think about how this church started . The calling of God doesn’t look like how we expected to . And it doesn’t look like the people we expected to do the work .
God calls us to be disciples. Discipleship is a call
How do can we know that call ?
Isaiah 48:12
12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Being called is to be called and then accept the call . To listen and then accept
Many are called by few are choosen many listened and did not accept .
Only the choosen ones are those who accepted what they heard .
Do Not to allow the cares of this world to choke our capacity to hear the word of God .
How many cares do we have
political cares Relational cares Social cares
A person is a saint based on what Jesus Christ has imputed to them