From Persecutor to Apostle
Knowing and Doing Gods Will • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Observations & Ideas
Observations & Ideas
Big Idea: Encountering/experiencing/knowing God changes you. God wants to change you, that you might be a catalyst for change in this world.
God’s will is to transform who you are
transformation happens with
experience
Surrender
Obedience, small steps in the right direction over time
Paul is persecuting The Way as he is on the highway to Damascus, and suddenly meets The Way
Paul is blinded and given spiritual sight
Detailed Outline
Detailed Outline
Felt Need: Spiritually blind to our enmity with God
Felt Need: Spiritually blind to our enmity with God
Felt need: spiritual blindness to enmity with God
Solution: encounter with the real Jesus - seeing Him rightly - conversion
Big Idea: In order to experience the will of God you must be transformed by Him both in the past and in the present.
Intro: Isaiah’s luvy and his reluctance to let it go. Talk about how much he loves it and how they probably had their own at some point when they were young. But the reality is all of us still today have things we love, they may not be a special blanket but they may give us some for of pleasure, comfort or satisfaction and because of that, we are reluctant to let them go.
Give examples love of sports, love of academic success, romantic relationships, bottles, promiscuity, etc.
Part of my testimony & idolatry of football.
What if my love for football, put me at odds with God?
What if the thing you love, whether good or bad, has caused you to be at odds with God - and you’re blinded because of it?
Saul was also blind to the fact that he was an enemy of God. He was a part of the religious elite.
Today we’ll look at the life of Saul, who was zealous, passionate about his religion, yet it caused him to be an enemy of the cross.
The Passage
The Passage
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.
10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord!” he replied.
11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”
13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.
Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”
22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
Saul was an enemy of the cross. Explain who he was.
Saul was an enemy of the cross. Explain who he was.
Pharisee of Pharisees
5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
Acts 8:1 “1 Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.”
Acts 9:1–2 “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.”
13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
The reality for you and I this morning is that all of us either are enemies of God or we were enemies of God.
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
But what made Saul an enemy of God? And what made/makes us enemies of God?
But what made Saul an enemy of God? And what made/makes us enemies of God?
Sin
Sin
5 For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.
How is it hostile towards God? Because it opposed God and his ways. It rebels against His rule and His reign. Sin rejects his authority and puts self on the throne. Sin delights in that which God hates and hates that which God loves.
How does the gospel change that?
How does the gospel change that?
Romans 5:8 “8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
Q: How do you know if you’re an enemy of God or a child of God?
Q: How do you know if you’re an enemy of God or a child of God?
Apt1: How do you see Him?
Apt1: How do you see Him?
Apt2: Are you being changed by Him?
Apt2: Are you being changed by Him?
Big Idea: In order to experience the will of God you must be transformed by Him both yesterday and today.
Big Idea: In order to experience the will of God you must be transformed by Him both yesterday and today.
Talk about Saul’s conversion. Went from cheif persecuters of Christians to leading apostles.
5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,
What caused this change? The road to Damascus - an encounter with Jesus!
What caused this change? The road to Damascus - an encounter with Jesus!
Paul was on a mission to lead christians in chains, but God was on a mission to break his chains
Paul was on a mission to lead christians in chains, but God was on a mission to break his chains
Paul was blinded, but for the first time he could see!
Paul was blinded, but for the first time he could see!
2 Corinthians 4:3–6 “3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Paul was on a his way to Damascus and he met The Way
Paul was on a his way to Damascus and he met The Way
John 14:6 “6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
Paul was a persecutor of Christ and became persecuted for Christ - died by being beheaded
Paul was a persecutor of Christ and became persecuted for Christ - died by being beheaded
So how does pauls conversion or our’s relate to the will of God?
So how does pauls conversion or our’s relate to the will of God?
We cannot do His will if we are not His
It is His will that we would be saved
John 6:40 “40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.””
3. Not only is is God’s will that you be saved but also sanctified!
3. Not only is is God’s will that you be saved but also sanctified!
Sanctified - (to be set apart, to be purified) - process of becoming more like Jesus
Over the last couple weeks we’ve talked very broadly about how God wants to use you to usher people into the Kingdom of Heaven. But this week I want to narrow the focus more directly onto you and I. Does God want us to change the world? Yes, we see that even this week Acts 9:15 “15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.” .
We should be wrestling with the question who is God sending me to this week?
But also, we need to be aware not of how He desires to deploy us but how He desires to meet us in the middle of our road to Damascus.
Potential Example: When you’re scrolling on IG for 2hrs and you know that the destination isn’t going to glorify God.
But before He uses us to change the world he has to change us. Before He changes us He has to change our view of Him.
Big Idea: In order to experience the will of God you must be transformed by Him both yesterday and today.
Big Idea: In order to experience the will of God you must be transformed by Him both yesterday and today.
2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
Have you been changed? If so - is there evidence that you are being changed?
If not - What if the reason it hasn’t is b/c you aren’t seeing God rightly?
Promiscuity - is a lack of seeing God as good or having our best in mind, tend to think He is limiting, or witholding good from us
Drugs, Netflix, escapism - God doesn’t care or isn’t enough
Moralism - God’s love for you is conditional.
It is God’s will that your life would be transformed, here are some examples from Scripture:
It is God’s will that your life would be transformed, here are some examples from Scripture:
3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.
17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Conclusion: What does God want to change in your life this week? What would you need to know about God in order for this to happen? Pray that He would allow you to experience Him in a new way that you’re life might be forever changed.
What’s the thing in your life if asked by God to give it up, you would hesitate? Why would you hesitate? Could it be that your love for this thing is the very thing that is keeping you from experiencing God’s will in your life?
Felt need: spiritual blindness to enmity with God
Solution: encounter with the real Jesus - seeing Him rightly - conversion
Big Idea: In order to experience the will of God you must be transformed by Him both in the past and in the present.
Intro: Isaiah’s luvy and his reluctance to let it go. Talk about how much he loves it and how they probably had their own at some point when they were young. But the reality is all of us still today have things we love, they may not be a special blanket but they may give us some for of pleasure, comfort or satisfaction and because of that, we are reluctant to let them go.
Give examples love of sports, love of academic success, romantic relationships, bottles, promiscuity, etc.
Part of my testimony & idolatry of football.
What if my love for football, put me at odds with God? What if the thing you love, whether good or bad, has caused you to be at odds with God?
Today we’ll look at the life of Saul, who was zealous, passionate about his religion, yet it caused him to be an enemy of the cross.
Acts 9:1-22.
Saul was an enemy of the cross. Explain who he was.
The reality for you and I this morning is that all of us either were enemies of God or are enemies of God.
James 4:4.
Q: How do you know if you’re an enemy of God or a child of God?
Apt1: How do you see Him?
Apt2: Are you being changed by Him?
Big Idea: In order to experience the will of God you must be transformed by Him both yesterday and today.
Talk about Saul’s conversion.
Then transition to our salvation. God’s will is first that you would be saved. John 6:40.
Second it’s God’s will that you would be sanctified. That you would continue to experience the transformative power of the gospel.
Over the last couple weeks we’ve talked very broadly about how God wants to use you to usher people into the Kingdom of Heaven. But this week I want to narrow the focus more directly onto you and I. Does God want us to change the world? Yes, we see that even this week Acts 9:15. We should be wrestling with the question who is God sending me to this week? But also, we need to be aware not of how He desires to deploy us but how He desires to meet us in the middle of our road to Damascus.
Potential Example: When you’re scrolling on IG for 2hrs and you know that the destination isn’t going to glorify God.
But before He uses us to change the world he has to change us. Before He changes us He has to change our view of Him.
What in your life needs to change? What if the reason it hasn’t is b/c you aren’t seeing God rightly?
Give example.
It is God’s will that your life would be transformed, here are some examples from Scripture:
3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.
18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Conclusion: What does God want to change in your life this week? What would you need to know about God in order for this to happen? Pray that He would allow you to experience Him in a new way that you’re life might be forever changed.
What’s the thing in your life if asked by God to give it up, you would hesitate? Why would you hesitate? Could it be that your love for this thing is the very thing that is keeping you from experiencing God’s will in your life?
Outline Summary
Outline Summary
Intro Kyle’s story
What if you were thoroughly convinced you were headed to the right destination and arrive only to find out you were radically mistaken.
Passage.
What is the “destination” that we get wrong?
Where we spend eternity
What we are “doing for the Lord”
Who God is
If we want to experience God’s will for our life we have to receive the first call - to Himself - salvation. Once we do how do we then continue to walk in His will for our life? By subjecting ourself to His transformative process
2 Corinthians 5:21 “21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
Romans 12:1–2 “1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
If you want to know the Will of God know not just His Word but know Him.
When you know Jesus - He will transform, change, you!
How are you being changed?
Why are you resistant to change?
Change is uncomfortable
You like/love what you’re doing, don’t want to give it up
James 4:4 “4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”
We like Saul, pre-salvation are enemies of God. Are you an enemy of God? Or do you love Jesus, if you do - your life will be transformed.
God’s will is first that you would know where your going and know Him - salvation.
Second it is God’s will to transform you into the image of His son. What area of your life does God want to transform this week?
New Outline:
New Outline:
Intro: Kyle’s story of going to a event, being thoroughly convinced he knew where it was and how to get there so drives 1.5hrs in the wrong direction only to arrive at the wrong location.
Have you ever been thoroughly convinced you were headed in the right direction and ended up being wrong?
Are you convinced this morning with 100% confidence you are on the correct path? What if you get to the destination and it turns out you were wrong?
Let’s pray.
Passage
Background to Saul - Pharisee of Pharisees Philippians 3:5–6 “5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.”
Thoroughly convinced what he was doing was the right thing. Yet this couldn’t have been further from the truth.
What’s the thing that you and I might have wrong this morning?
Salvation? Sure that’s one possibility. But more than that, what if our view of who God is was wrong?
If we don’t view God rightly it is demonstrated in our life.
Examples
JO’s Outline
JO’s Outline
Big Idea: Encountering/experiencing/knowing God changes you. God wants to change you, that you might be a catalyst for change in this world.
Intro ideas:
Have you ever done something with zeal only to realize you were zealous about the wrong thing?
science example, object lesson something that changes as it experiences something new
how have we been “eager to kill the Lord’s followers”?
Acts 9:15 “15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.”
The last couple weeks we’ve talked about how part of the divine call for all of us is to take the message of the gospel to the world. But in order to do so it must first transform us. How has the gospel transformed you? How is the gospel transforming you?
John 6:40 “40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.””
Romans 12:1–2 “1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
The way you discover God’s will for you is by allowing yourself to be transformed.
Dale’s Version
Dale’s Version
Acts 9:1-22.
The Will of God Fulfilled through Paul's Transformation
Introduction: In this sermon, we will explore the life of the apostle Paul, formerly known as Saul, who underwent a radical transformation after encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul's life exemplifies how God's will can be fulfilled through a transformed
and surrendered heart.
Key Points:
Encounter with Christ:
Þ This Saul, a zealous persecutor of Christians, encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.
Þ encounter led to a radical transformation in Saul's life, resulting in his conversion to Christianity.
Surrender and Obedience:
Þ Paul's encounter with Jesus led to his surrender and submission to God's will.
Þ He embraced a life of obedience and became a passionate advocate for the Gospel.
Faithfulness and Perseverance:
Þ Despite facing numerous challenges, Paul remained faithful to God's call.
Þ He endured persecution, imprisonment, and hardships, yet continued to fulfill God's will.
Impacting the World:
Through Paul's ministry, countless lives were transformed by the power of the Gospel.
His obedience and commitment to God's will resulted in the establishment of numerous churches and the spread of Christianity.