conversion

Casey Cease

John Denby

a less dramatic salvation doesn’t lessen salvation

both are supernatural

spiritually dead —> spiritually alive (Eph 2:1-7)

how do you know if you are saved?

spend eternity in heaven?

right with God?

let us look into the transformation of Saul

Transformed (Acts 9:1-31)

black pew Bible page 1090

if don’t own Bible, please take Bible as our gift to you

Saul’s conversion so important, Luke records it 3 times in Acts

9:1-31 The conversion of Saul

22:3-11 Paul before Jewish mob

26:2-18 Paul before King Agrippa II

it is supernatural

but isn’t every conversion supernatural?

Saul’s conversion is unique

but what is universal for all Christian conversions?

a divine encounter with Jesus always results in a transformed life

think Mac truck hitting you at 80 mph

if you walk away,

do you walk away the same?

Jacob at the Jabbok River (Gen 32:24-32)

wrestled with God

walked with a limp

you don’t have an encounter with Jesus and walk away unchanged

it is impossible

we walk (or limp) away changed

caterpillar into butterfly

God makes people radically new

not just nice

nice falls short

This is how nice works.

God wants me to be good. I’m able to be good. Religion will help.

when people find out they can be nice without Jesus

they walk away from church

BUT that is not what God is after

He wants to make you fundamentally new

we are like the dead walking

nice won’t work

we must be made new

will you evaluate if you have been transformed?

new to Christianity or this church

OR

been in church for a really long time

not asking if...

prayed a prayer

walked an aisle

were baptized

have you been transformed through Jesus?

Paul is example

1 Timothy 1:15-16

we all have a time in our life before Christ

disclaimer: Saul/Paul (John/Juan)

Saul’s life before (9:1-2)

wild, ferocious, snorting beast

7:58, 8:3, 9:1

“more wild animal than human being” Stott

zealous/passionate against the Way (9:2) — Jesus — John 14:6

map

committed

135 miles—6-day journey by foot

shows the zeal of Saul against Jesus

black screen

his mind was made up about Jesus

he made decisions against Jesus

persecute and murder Christians

bind them and take them back to Jerusalem

followers of Jesus were religious criminals in Saul’s mind

but all that changed when he had an encounter with Jesus

life changed by Christ

Saul’s divine encounter (9:3-9)

my story (clear point in life)

do you have a story like that?

could be today

for Saul, it was on his way to Damascus

blinding light cripples Saul in his tracks

Jesus takes Saul’s persecution personally (9:4-5)

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting

to persecute Christians is to persecute Jesus

Saul makes it to Damascus as planned

not as a bull dog, but as a whipped pup

they led him by the hand (9:8)

3 days of no sight, no food, and no water (9:9)

gives a man time to think about relationship with Jesus

have you sat and pondered the big questions of life?

what is your purpose?

why are you here?

what happens after death?

in Jesus, all of these questions are answered

irony: Saul went to persecute Christians and winds up becoming one

Saul’s divine encounter has GRACE written all over it

likely not first encounter with Jesus

Acts 26:14—testimony before King Agrippa II

‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

thus, Damascus Road was climax

Jesus has been pursuing Saul for some time

“What stands out from the narrative is the sovereign grace of God through Jesus Christ. Saul did not ‘decide for Christ,’ as we might say. On the contrary, he was persecuting Christ. It was rather Christ who decided for him and intervened in his life. The evidence for this is indisputable.” Stott

BUT Jesus’ pursuit of Saul did not conflict with Saul’s will/desire

“Divine grace does not trample on human personality. Rather the reverse, for it enables human beings to be truly human. It is sin which imprisons; it is grace which liberates. The grace of God so frees us from the bondage of our pride, prejudice and self-centeredness, as to enable us to repent and believe. One can but magnify the grace of God that He should have mercy on such a rabid bigot as Saul of Tarsus, and indeed on such proud, rebellious and wayward creatures as ourselves.” Stott

when Jesus saved/changed Saul’s life, Saul had a…

transformed conviction of who Jesus is

who is Jesus to you?

how would you answer today?

historical figure?

guy they talk a lot about at church?

or more? God’s Son who died for my sins

Saul’s answer to that question changed after his encounter with Jesus

9:10-19a

Ananias is told that Saul is praying

not first time

but first time prayers have direct access to God the Father through God the Son

raging lion has been changed into a bleating lamb

evidence of changed life is new awareness of God as Father through Jesus as Lord

and desire to know Christ better

“He is the Son of God.” (9:20)

not what Saul said a few days ago

9:18 — physical blindness was a symbol of Saul’s spiritual blindness

2 Corinthians 3:16 “But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.”

veil of separation from God

veil doesn’t allow us to see Jesus for who He really is

identified with Christ through baptism

symbol of inward change

true transformation always changes our conviction of who Jesus

Jesus—historical man —> Son of God who took my punishment

do you have a transformed conviction of who Jesus is?

when Jesus saved Saul’s life, Saul had a…

transformed relationship with the church

Saul is faced with reluctance by Christians—rightly so

Ananias has a special ministry with Saul

Ananias doesn’t naturally approach Saul

there is reluctance (9:13-14)

Jesus reassures (9:15-16)

Ananias encounter with Saul

lays hands on Saul

Brother Saul (9:17)

music to Saul’s ears

arch-enemy is now welcomed as brother

dreaded fanatic received as member of the family

but not everyone initially welcomes Saul, Damascus later Jerusalem

Barnabas has a special ministry with Saul

vouches for Saul in Jerusalem (9:26-27)

we need vouchers/encouragers/welcomers of new Christians

if heaven rejoices, then we should go nuts down here, too

true transformation always results in church membership

not member of an exclusive country club

BUT members of a body with the head being Christ

new Christians join a local church family

AND the local church family welcomes the new Christian

brothers and sisters through Jesus

has your relationship with Jesus resulted in church membership?

God never intended any Christian to be alone

find a church that:

devoted to Jesus

preaches Word

not perfect but find church pursuing Jesus

church membership class

Sunday, November 12

we want you to be where God wants you to be

when Jesus saved Saul’s life, Saul had a…

transformed responsibility to the world

9:19b-31

Jesus promised Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

what a wild way to fulfill His promise

take a Gentile-hating, Christian killing Jew

and use him to reach the Gentiles

Saul didn’t just say he was changed

it was clear in his actions

hard to prove something that hasn’t happened

we can use all of the words in the world

but to experience change is totally different

in Christ, we are transformed

our want to’s change

want to know the Lord through His Word

want to tell people about Jesus

for Saul, there was a real change evidenced by his excitement about Jesus

Saul preached Jesus boldly even when it got him in trouble

immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues (9:20)

not even 1 evangelism class

evangelism class — Monday at 6p

preaching boldly in the name of the Lord (9:28)

And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenistic Jews (9:29)

no one makes a 180 like this if there is not an internal change

want to’s have been rearranged

such a change that when Saul was converted…(9:31)

an inward change cannot help but have outward evidence

outward evidence is hard to display without an inward change

skeptics are overcome with the evidence of change

not just verbal confession but life change (transformation)

cannot deny when a caterpillar is changed to a butterfly (Rom 12:2)

true transformation cannot be contained

Saul shared Jesus

“He is the Son of God” (9:20)

proving that this Jesus is the Christ (9:22)

Romans 1:14 “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.”

Saul had an obligation to the lost just like we do

don’t you want to be in a church full of converted Sauls?

right here in Nacogdoches

right here at FCC

people you never thought would be different

but have experienced the grace of Jesus just like you

will you evaluate if you have been transformed?

no matter if you have heard the gospel 1,000 times

or if this is your first

not a 1-time decision

but a fully-devoted follower of Jesus

you are truly convinced (GOSPEL)

Jesus is the Son of God

lived perfect life you cannot

died for your sin where you should have

rose from the dead

power over sin and death

trust Him only for your salvation

Jesus alone makes you right with God

now you give Him your life

“Jesus Paid It All”

Jesus gave it all

All to Him I owe

your relationship with other blood-bought believers has transformed

since Jesus died for the church,

you have committed yourself to the church as a member of a local body

your responsibility to those without Jesus has transformed

you want them to have the same hope you do

your desire is to bring the hope of Jesus to them

one beggar telling another beggar where to find food

Connection Card

present Ginny Judson as member

instructions for meal and pray

sit with someone you don’t normally hang out with

don’t worry 1 second if you didn’t bring anything

be our guest

will have pastoral update at end of meal (inquiring minds want to know)