An Appointed Time
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewSaul, who becomes Paul, finds himself face-to-face with the Lord on his way to persecute the church. In this encounter, the Lord reveals himself, reveals Saul’s spiritual condition through bring that condition to the physical. Then the Lord brings healing to the physical and spiritual and takes a foe and bring him into the family.
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Introduction
Saul, who becomes Paul, finds himself face-to-face with the Lord on his way to persecute the church. In this encounter, the Lord reveals himself, reveals Saul’s spiritual condition through bring that condition to the physical. Then the Lord brings healing to the physical and spiritual and takes a foe and brings him into the family.
Opening Passage: Acts 9:1-9
1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Focus Passage: Acts 9:1-18
Outline:
A Fiery Persecutor (vv. 1-2)
As we come to our text, we have seen a transition of sort taking place within chapter eight of the book of Acts. We see the church spreading due to never before seen persecution. For the first time, being a Christian was a criminal offense. While one would think that threats and persecution would destroy this movement by a collective group of fishermen and a few women, the exact opposite happens. We see Acts 1:8 truly being fleshed out in a brief testimony of how the Holy Spirit would guide the church throughout the remainder of this book and the New Testament, and continues throughout this day. As we read Acts 1:8
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
We see the church, under derision and threats, takes the gospel and begins to further its thrust from Jerusalem and Judea to Samaria (Acts 8:1, 5) and continues to end with the gospel going to the remotest parts of the earth (Acts 8:34-40).
Where did this persecution begin though? It began with a fiery persecutor named Saul.
Saul had a zeal for God and a hatred for the church - ‘…Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord…’
This is not the first time that we have encountered Saul within our text. As we will see, Saul and both his zeal and hatred, unbeknown to him, will be used of God as a catalyst fulfill his sovereign plan in spreading the gospel. Our first encounter with Saul was a vivid picture of his zeal for God and hatred for the church. We find that he approved of and held the coats of those stoning Stephen, the first martyr.
58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
1 Now Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.
And now we find, once again, without our text Saul at the heart of persecuting the church, the disciples of Christ.
1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
Saul was public enemy number one when it came to the church
Saul made it his mission to persecute the church
Saul asked for letters, an officially sanctioned witch hunt of Christians. We read, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus. This sanctioned mission was for one thing. He wanted to intimidate, ravage, and decimate those who were disciples and genuine followers of Christ, so that if he found any belonging to the Way. Remember, at this time, the disciples of Christ were not called Christians. They would not be called Christians until later, and the title Christian, “little Christs,” was considered a rebuke not a title of affirmation.
26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers of people; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
At this point, the followers of Christ were called people of the Way, because of the Lord’s testimony of Himself
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.
May we truly understand that whether one calls a follower of Christ, a man/woman of the Way or Christian, neither is considered an offense, but truly is to be seen as badge of honor and courage for the true disciple, follower, born again believer of Christ.
Saul sought authority to persecute the church - ‘…went to the high priest…’
Saul wanted to destroy the church. What we find within our text, is a clear picture of almost an animalistic anger being directed at the church. The word of God declares to us breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. When we look at the Gk of these words, you see a man visibly with nostrils flaring, vehemently, straightly being a menace to the church and wishes nothing less than pure, unadulterated slaughter of those who follow Christ. He has nothing but hatred for the church and he wants the final approval of the religious and political leaders of the Jewish people to seek out those who claim and follow Christ and destroy them. As we read, he might bring them in shackles to Jersualem.
Saul did not discriminate in his persecution - ‘…whether men or women…’
As we look at the testimony of Saul, we see a sobering picture of the enemy and his agenda for you and especially the church. He comes with extreme zeal, hatred, and flaring nostrils to cause mayhem, destruction, and death. His attacks and hatred are not discriminative. He does not care of your name, sex, wealth, or impoverish state. He comes with one plan and that is destruction.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.
He will use people, religion, and yes, the government to bring you, those you love, and anyone else that is going to follow Christ down. He does not care.
While Saul was a tool being used of Satan to attack the church, God had a different plan for him. He was truly born in due time (1 Cor. 15:8) to be used of God.
An Appointed Time (vv. 3-7)
With papers in hand, Saul sets out to do that which he was authorized to do, bring persecution and destruction to the church. As he sets out on this road to Damascus, and comes to know the truth that he writes in his epistle to the Corinth:
2 for He says, “At a favorable time I listened to you, And on a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”—
This day would be Saul’s favorable time, his Day of Salvation.
Saul, at his appointed time, was brought to a position of humility - ‘…he fell to the ground…’
Saul, at his appointed time, recognized the glory of God and the voice of the Lord
As Paul was traveling to Damascus, he comes face-to-face with the God of creation. He is first stop in his tracks by the glory of God, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. This flash of lightning, witnessed by those who are with him (v. 7), was followed by a voice, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me. Saul was coming face-to-face with the one that he was persecuting, the Lord God Almighty.
Saul, at his appointed time, was introduced to the One he needed to know
Saul did not know who this voice belonged to, but he knew it was the Lord, Who are you, Lord. As Saul was faithful and humble enough to ask who the Lord really was, the Lord responded with the truth that we all need to grasp, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
You may be here not knowing who the Lord is. You may be here question the validity of these truth claims. You may be here knowing you missing something/someone, but knowing who are what that is. May I declare to you this morning, that there is One that we all must fall humbly before and see His glory, and answer the call of His voice. That One is Jesus Christ, the Lord God Almighty.
We must understand that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There is no other name, no other One that you and I will find salvation.
12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”
Saul, at his appointed time, was sent to hear a word from the Lord - ‘…but get up and enter the city, it will be told to you what you must do…’
Saul was sent to hear the gospel (Acts 9:10-12, 17)
God had prepared a man named Ananias to go and share the gospel to Saul
10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”
Ananias, was like many within the sound of my voice. God has called us to share the gospel to others and we want to argue with God and refuse to be obedient to the call. It may be based off the testimony of the one He has called us to share with.
13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”
It may be they are your enemy, your worst nightmare. They may very well make you sick to look at them, but God is calling each of us to share the gospel with the lack of restraint that Saul showed in persecuting the church. We are not to discriminate in our sharing of the gospel.
We are must understand that Saul’s physical condition was the same as his spiritual condition, and not only his, but the condition of every lost person out there. They are blind, though his eyes were open, he could see nothing (v. 8). Every lost person out there is blinded to their lostness and need for Christ. This blindness is a work of the enemy ( 2 Corinthians 4:4) As those men with Saul led him to Ananias (vv. 7-9), we should leading the lost to Christ through the presentation of the gospel, the Word of God.
Only through the power and presentation of the Gospel will the blindness of man’s lostness be removed so that they will accept and embrace Christ and His gift of salvation, And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight (Acts 9:18a). We must be obedient to the call and follow in obedience by identifying with the one we shunned who payed the penalty of our sin, Jesus Christ, through believer’s baptism, and he got up and was baptized (Acts 9:18b).
Saul was sent to hear his true mission (v. 15)
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
Saul was sent to hear the cost of discipleship (v. 16)
16 for I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.”
Conclusion:
In the end a fiery persecutor would become a faithful brother:
17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Within this verse we find a truth for the saint and a truth for the sinner. For the saint, your worst enemy and one that has attacked your faith more than any other could become your strongest brother in the Lord. Never give up sharing the word and loving them in the Lord. Never doubt when God calls you to go and share to another regardless of what you know or think you know about them. You may be the one that will truly lead them to the Lord. For the sinner, let it not pass you by that if God can save a murderer, he can save you. You are never too far gone that the Lord cannot save you. However, you must come before the Lord in humility, acknowledge Him and Lord, and call upon His name. Then after accepting the Lord and His salvation that only comes through grace and putting your faith in Christ alone:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
You must willingly, obediently, and publicly identify with Him through believer’s baptism. Baptism does not save you, but it is your first step of obedience, and he got up and was baptized.