Trusting Faith
Notes
Transcript
Over the last few weeks we have seen the transforming power of faith.
The Transfiguring power of faith
Now this morning we are going to see the transformation of Pauls faith.
Fervency in Speaking (vv 19b-22)
Fervency in Speaking (vv 19b-22)
Those transformed by the saving grace of God cannot stop speaking about it. Acts 4:20
20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
It says here in verse 20 Immediately Paul began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues.
Not only were the christians shocked at the conversion of Paul so were the Jews.
They were expecting him to take the Christians prisoner, now here he is joining them.
From the beginning he felt that courageous compulsion that would later cause him to write: 1 Cor 9:16
16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Now that Saul understood who Christ was and his great education which was unmatched by anyone he was able to expound and teach the OT with the knowledge of who Christ was.
He was being controlled by the Holy Spirit and was speaking great and powerful things.
Once we have have the Holy Spirit indwelt in us we have no choice but for Him to come out.
Fearlessness in Suffering (vv 23-31)
Fearlessness in Suffering (vv 23-31)
The first thing that we see here is that “many days had passed.
This was over the course of about 3 years.
We know this because Paul says so in Gal 1:17-18
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.
This is an area not to be confused with the territory of modern Arabia, but located from nearby Damascus south to the Sinai peninsula, east of the Dead Sea.
It is presently in the Madaba governorate of Jordan and is uninhabited.
When we surrender to Christ this does not mean we will have a life of ease and safety.
Saul was confronting people with the truth and some of them did not like that.
During the three years here he preached to any and everyone that would listen.
This caused him to get in hot water with the leaders of both kingdoms.
32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me,
The city was surrounded by a wall, and the only exit was through the gates.
The Christians, however, found another way out.
One of them evidently had access to a house on the city wall, so Saul’s disciples took him by night, and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
Saul stayed here in Jerusalem for only 15 days.
He tried multiple times to join up with the Disciples but they were still leery of Him.
It was not until Barnabas stood up for him that he was excepted.
He picked up right where Steven left off arguing and witnessing to the Hellenists.
Saul’s life was dramatically and totally transformed that day on the road near Damascus.
And from that moment, so was the history of the world, as we shall see when he returns to center stage in chapter 13.
