The Pragmatic Plan for the Church

Introduction

I have often studied and taught on the Damascus Road experience. I have always seen it as a story that was just about Saul meeting Christ and being converted. It is a phenomenal story However, I as I have studied it more, I see there is a pragmatic plan for the church in this ninth chapter of Acts. I think it gives us some great insight overall to God’s plan.

Pragmatism is a character or conduct that emphasizes ways to likely succeed or to be effective in real circumstances. God desires for us to succeed in our faith. Acts 9 gives us several pragmatic stages that each person that makes up the church should go through.

A Calling

Acts 9:1–4 NIV84

1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

A Sinful Scoundrel

Saul was a sinful scoundrel. We see from this passage that his mission was to persecute those that followed the Way. You may see WAY capitalized in the middle of that sentence. The Greek word hodos means a course of conduct, a way of thinking, feeling, and deciding. This was a name given to those that followed that course of conduct or way of thinking. He was totally against the things of Christ. He wanted to ruin God’s plan. A sinful scoundrel will always be against God and His ways. Yet God is His beautiful mercy has a plan. The pragmatic plan of God for the church and for us as individuals begins with the understanding that God is always at work. One of the ways God has worked for us who have been sinful scoundrels, it that He has given us a Saving Savior.

A Saving Savior

Acts 9:5–6 NIV84

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Jesus speaks to Saul and has a plan for him to go from persecutor to proclaimer. The first part of that plan is in telling to get up, go to the city and then he will be told what to do.

Can you imagine how terrifying this could have been for Saul?

A Speechless Sort

Acts 9:7–9 NIV84

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

They heard the sound but did not see. So the Bible says they stood there speechless. The speechless sort picked him up and led him by the hand into Damascus. God is always at work and He invites His people to join Him in that work. In Saul’s life, God initiated a calling that led to a conversion.

A Conversion

Did you know He does the same for us? He calls us by name and leads us to a point of conversion from sinner to saint. All we have to do is say what the Bible says,

Romans 10:9–10 NIV84

9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Obviously this had been happening all over as the early church was growing. God had already been at work in many lives.

Acts 9:10 NIV84

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.

A Weird Dream

The Lord speaks to Ananias in a dream. Has the Lord ever spoken to you in a dream? I think this is something the Lord still does on a regular basis, but it is necessary to recognize what is from the Lord and what is from the late night snack you had! Nevertheless, Ananias recognizes this Word from the Lord.

Acts 9:11–12 NIV84

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

Is it not coincidental that the place of rehab for Saul was on Straight Street? God is in the details! You and I are called by God just like Saul was called. We are given the opportunity to convert our ways into His ways and we need to go to a place called Straight. Straight is the way of God and we do not need to go the crooked way! The weird dream Ananias had led to a weary discussion.

A Weary Discussion

Acts 9:13–14 NIV84

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

Has God ever told you to do something and you questioned it? We would save ourselves a lot of grief if we would just do what He says, yet we find ourselves often in this type of weary discussion. Ananias had a crisis of belief. He does not run from the Lord, but he takes his crisis to the Lord. Notice the Lord’s response:

Acts 9:15–16 NIV84

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Ananias turned quickly into a willing disciple.

A Willing Disciple

When the Lord tells you to go, how do you respond? Sometimes God has a plan that seems highly impossible, but we must trust Him! Ananias went from a crisis of belief to obedience and as a result he experienced God at work!

Acts 9:17–18 NIV84

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,

Ananias went from being worried about dealing with Saul to calling him Brother. He could call him brother because Saul became a fellow believer! Verse 19 shows us that physical nourishment and spiritual nourishment take place as Saul spends several days with the disciples in Damascus. Are you seeing the process that has taken place? A calling, a conversion and now we see a commitment.

A Commitment

Saul goes all in.

Acts 9:20 NIV84

20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

An Immediate Response

Saul gives an immediate response. The Bible used the words, “At once.” The change in Saul’s life is immediate and it is transformational! I laugh when people say they have had a 360 degree change. A 360 degree change is just spinning in a circle and going the same way you were already going. But if you have a 180 degree change, you are going away from where you were and heading now in in a different direction. Saul goes from persecutor to proclaimer. Verse 21 shows us the doubters doubted.

Acts 9:21 NIV84

21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

God calls His people to proclaim Jesus Christ to a lost world. An immediate response gives an incredible result!

An Incredible Result

Verse 22 tells us that Saul grew more and more powerful, not is the ways of Saul but in the ways and wisdom of the Lord. It also tells us that Saul baffled the Jews in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. Notice the interesting reaction that comes next.

An Interesting Reaction

Verse 23 tells us that there a conspiracy to kill Saul. Verse 24 tells us that Saul learned of the plan. We don’t know exactly how Saul learned of this, but we could easily assume that the Holy Spirit helped him discern it. Saul gets help by being snuck out of town by being lowered in a basket through an opening in the city wall. Verse 25 tells us that even the disciples in Jerusalem were afraid of him and doubted he was truly a disciple. Can you blame them? Notice the connection that takes place.

A Connection

Acts 9:27 NIV84

27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

Acknowledging

Barnabas acknowledge the work of the Lord in Saul’s life. Don’t we all need that? Barnabas “took him and brought him.” Who took you and brought you to the point of being acknowledged in what God has done in your life? Who has God led you to take and bring? Barnabas obeyed and experienced God. God always brings a spiritual leader into one’s life.

Accepting

Saul was accepted and able to move freely in Jerusalem. The Bible says in verse 28 that he spoke boldly in the Name of Jesus. Do you speak boldly in the Name of Jesus?

Advancement

The result came with difficult times as we see in verses 29-30 that Saul encountered more people that wanted to kill him as a result of his bold speaking. However, the difficult times were overcome with the advancement of the Gospel.

Acts 9:31 NIV84

31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

A time of peace. A time of being strengthened. A time of encouragement. And a time of growth. This is an example of God at work!

The story then shifts back to Peter and the work he was doing for the Lord. Verses 32-43 show us this in some detail. As I read these, I am reminded that our calling, our conversion, our commitment and our connection all lead to a certainty that God is at work and when we join Him in that work, we will be obedient and experience God in a wonderful and beautiful way!

A Certainty

In fact, the certainty that God gives us comes in the form of spiritual awakenings. A spiritual awakening occurs when that 180 degree turn takes place. Saul went from persecutor to proclaimer. Many went from unbelief to belief.

Spiritual Awakening #1

Acts 9:35 NIV84

35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

Spiritual Awakening #2

Acts 9:42 NIV84

42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

Spiritual Awakening #3

In Acts 9 there are two distinct spiritual awakenings that we have mentioned. I have listed another spiritual awakening that can take place long after these events in Acts unfolded. It is the one that can happen right now. It is the one where you see where God is at work and you respond to His invitation to join Him in His work. You see, in Acts 4 the people had prayed that signs and wonders would be performed.

Acts 4:29–30 NIV84

29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

In Acts 9:40

Acts 9:40 NIV84

40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.

The key is prayer. My prayer for you just now is for that spiritual awakening to take place in your life and in our church and throughout out land. We are called. We are converted. We are committed. We are connected. And because of what God has done in the past, we can have certainty that He will move in us like He did in that early church. Right?