The conversion of an apostle
Notes
Transcript
From recorded beginnings
From recorded beginnings
Born Saul of Tarsus, of tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, son of a Pharisee (Php3:5: 23:6)
Lived according to a strict sect (turn to Act26:5)
5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.
Advanced over his contemporaries (Gal1:14)
Zeal for serving, persecuting the church (Gal1:13-14); wanting them put to death (Act22:3-5); did things as he believed was God’s will (Act26:9-12)
In our passage (please turn to Act9, and put a mark there and another one in Act26). - - - Saul of Tarsus is converted to become Paul the Apostle. which amazes those who first heard him preach (Turn to Act9:20-21)
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 he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?”
(Transition) As we continue to look at the life of an apostle we today focus on the conversion of Saul to be Paul the apostle. Again, we will have many scriptures today, but mostly from two chapters. All good stories have a beginning, so may we turn there.
Road to Damascus
Road to Damascus
Paul’s mission (Read (Act9:1-2); doing what believed was right to do (then read Act26:9-11)
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 at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
He was doing what he believe was the right thing to do
9 “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 “And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 “And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.
The vision (read Act9:3-5)
3 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,
Filling in more details it occured around noon (ref: Act 22:6); It was brighter than the sun causing all to fall (now turn to, read Act26:13-16
13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 “And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;
Jesus speaks to Saul, Saul speaks to the Lord not knowing yet who He is but recognizes he is one with authority.
Jesus tells him who He is, Jesus the head of the Church whom he was persecuting.
turn to read (Eph1:22-23)
22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Saul was kicking against the goads, resisting the will of God, rejecting the word of God from people like Stephen (ref: Act7:51-53)
The submission and commission of Saul (read Act9:6-8)
6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told 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.
Saul was astonished what he was hearing, asked what he should do. So now not only recognizes authority, but recognizes Jesus.
The commission came with some things to expect (turn to read Act26:16-18)
16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17 rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’
(Transition) The blinded Saul was led away by hand to Damascus which is our next stop
Saul in Damascus
Saul in Damascus
God was working his plan in the heart of Ananias too and that is important part of the story.
read (Act9:9-22)
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at 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.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 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; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” 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.” 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at 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 he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
Three days blind, praying, fasting, but during that the Lord appeared and moved in the heart of Ananias to preach the gospel to Saul.
Ananias was a well respected Jew (ref: Act22:12); He was reluctant at first, but better yet, lets read it.
turn to Act22:12-16
12 “A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him. 14 “And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. 15 ‘For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 ‘Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’
Ananias looked for Saul, touched Saul, Saul’s sight was restored
Ananias told Saul his commission, to see and hear from the Righteous One (Jesus) and go be a witness of what you have seen and heard.
Baptism of Saul
Facts not to be ignored
He was not saved on the road, there is no mention of forgiveness of sins there, even though he knew Jesus as Lord.
He was not saved by 3-days of prayer and fasting.
He was not saved by the laying on of Ananias hands when he received sight
His salvation rested on
16 ‘Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’
Being baptized calling on His name (Jesus)
Baptism with purpose for sins to be washed away.
Paul’s initial preaching
Paul’s initial preaching
Turn to read (Act9:19-22)
19 and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at 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 he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
He preached Jesus (turn to read Act26:19-20
19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
He preached repentance
His conversion had impact on him and on the church (ref: Gal1:22-24)
It impact led to writing many of the letters that we hold in our hand.
But the impact starts personally
Invitation- Are your sins forgiven?
Arise and be baptized
(Song) (Prayer) (Exit)