The Hunter Becomes the Hunted
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 7 viewsSaul, after being converted, immediately faced the crowds and shared the gospel of Christ, made disciples, and faced threats on his life by a nonbelieving Jewish and Gentile populous.
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Introduction
Radically saved! That is what I think of when I hear of the apostle Paul. He was radically saved! He was radically changed! He was changed in such a way that even the church at first questioned the sincerity and validity of his salvation. They would stand in amazement and wonder how and what. God would take the hunter and use him to spread the gospel throughout Asia minor and beyond. He would use the hunter to author 2/3 of the New Testament. He would use the hunter to draw out the blue prints of the church and reach the Gentiles, you and I. However, the hunter would become the hunted from the beginning of his ministry. Those who acknowledged and championed his hatred for the church would wish nothing more than his death due to his zeal for the church.
Focus Passage: Acts 9:19-25
19 and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were in Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ. 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 closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
Outline
An Immediate Witness (vv. 19-20)
No time to waste - ‘…immediately...’
Saul did not waste time in sharing his new found faith in Christ. We find the word, immediately, used to describe his sharing of the gospel following his conversion experience. He realized that if Christ was real, he had no choice but to share the news that he now knew to be true.
News to good not to share - ‘…He began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues...’
Saul began with those he knew, he people. He went to synagogues and preached to his own people the truth of the gospel. Let us be challenged by this. We should be reaching our own people. What I mean by that is not a cultural issue but rather, we should be sharing the good news of the gospel to our family, our friends, our associates, and yes our enemy. If one truly believes the gospel and the reality of heaven and hell, they should be compelled to share the gospel.
They should be compelled as Paul was by the love of Christ and the judgment to come.
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade people, but we are well known to God; and I hope that we are also well known in your consciences.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
Paul went to the point that he was willing to give up his salvation if meant his fellow countryman would find salvation in Christ.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my countrymen, my kinsmen according to the flesh,
We should be sharing the gospel to everyone. Why aren’t we?
A truth to declare - ‘…He is the Son of God...’
This truth is at the central point of Saul’s ministry to come as Paul.
A Growing Faith (vv. 21-22)
21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
A growing faith developed by alone time with the Lord
16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
We only grow by spending time with God and spending time in His word.
2 and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
A growing faith that was evident to all who heard (v. 21)
A growing faith that was used to prove Christ - ‘…confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ…’
A Great Escape (vv. 23-25)
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 closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
Coming to grasp with reality - ‘…the Jews plotted together to do away with him...’
16 for I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.”
A coalition formed to bring an end to the undeniable truth of the Lord
32 In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33 and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.
Making disciples against all odds - ‘…but his disciples took him...’
The evidence of true obedience to the Lord is by being obedient to the Great Commission. The Great Commission is not just about sharing the gospel but about breathing into and teaching others. We should all be about disciple making.
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
A great escape (v. 25b)
Conclusion
Have you been redeemed? Have you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior? If not, what’s keeping you from accepting Christ? What is holding you back? The greatest news that anyone could hear is the hope of the gospel. If you are redeemed, saved, are you sharing the good news of the gospel? Remember, the is the power of God unto salvation.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
If we love the Lord as we claim to the love Him, we’ll share the gospel. If we truly are saved, we are going to share. It is too good of news to keep quite about.