From Persecutor to Proclaimer
Meeting the Holy Spirit Through Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsGod can transform anyone.
Notes
Transcript
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
These are the words of the Apostle Paul, and who better to speak of the redemption, the forgiveness, and the grace of Jesus Christ than Paul?
Let’s read his story together:
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
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.”
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?”
But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,
but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.
And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Series intro
God can transform anyone.
As we look at the story of Saul (who later became the Apostle Paul) today, we are reading about someone who was vehemently opposed to the church. In his words, Paul (or Saul) describes himself as
1 Timothy 1:13 (ESV)
a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
God can transform anyone, even the hardest of hearts. Today we will look at three steps that God took to turn the persecutor to the persecuted, and understand how Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit can change even the hardest of hearts.
1-9 An Encounter
1-9 An Encounter
The first step in Paul’s conversion story is his encounter with the risen Jesus.
Acts 9 starts with…
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
We’ve met Saul before - he’s that guy who was looked on with approval at Stephen’s stoning. That was back at the end of Acts 7 and beginning of 8. Then there’s an interlude: the Samaritan church comes into its own, which we explored two weeks ago. So why does Luke pause the story and turn to Saul? Because his story is significant to the rest of Acts, and to Christian history! Yet it shows us most of all that demonstrates that God can turn even the hardest of hearts to Him. Jesus is so powerful, He can break through even the hardest barriers within a person and turn their heart from stone to flesh.
Saul was from Tarsus, a city about 670 kms North of Jerusalem. He was a devout Jew, educated in Jerusalem under one of Israel’s most prominent teachers: Gamaliel. He describes himself this way:
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Saul was extremely zealous for the traditions of his ancestors and for the Law as we find it in the OT. He hated the church for all he was worth, because he was blinded: He believed that the church was a threat to the true worship of the Most High God. To say that Jesus is Saviour, and Lord, and God… this was a total offence - a sacrilege - to everything Saul stood for.
The picture we get in Acts 9 1 is of a snorting bull, or a dragon breathing fire. Later in the narrative, Saul is characterized as wanting to destroy the church, or wreak havoc. The Greek implies a total wiping out of the church. Saul wanted to wipe the church out entirely, leaving no one left who served this Jesus.
So he goes to the priests, looking for letters to bring to Damascus - about 250 kms away, or two to three days journey. There, he would use the authority from the chief priests to irradicate from the synagogues anyone who confessed Jesus. The priests support his mission, and so Saul sets out.
But this is where the story gets good. Probably not far from Damascus, all of a sudden a bright light shines down, or more literally flashes around and a voice from heaven says
And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
Those travelling with Saul see the light and hear the sound, but don’t participate in the heavenly communication (NAC). Do you notice what Jesus says to Saul? “Why are you persecuting Me?” Jesus identifies with His church (Cornerstone).
Saul asks “Who are you lord?” This is where Jesus tells him point blank,
Acts 9:5 (ESV)
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”
It is at this moment that transformation begins for Saul. Jesus directs Saul to go into the city, where he will be given further instructions. When the vision ends and Saul gets up, he is blind. The fervent, powerful persecutor must be led by his companions into the city, weak and helpless. Finally,
And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
An encounter with Jesus changes Saul’s life. This is the start, and as we will see from the rest of Acts 9, Acts itself, and the rest of the NT, Paul is never the same. Jesus powerfully meets him on the Damascus road. He utterly stops in his tracks the one who is persecuting His church. How profound it is that Jesus tells Saul that he is persecuting not just the church, but our Lord Himself. Saul experiences what Stephen saw first-hand, a picture of the risen Lord standing at the right hand of the Father in glory. It is significant that Saul is blinded by this encounter. This is not a judgement on Saul so much as a picture - together with his three days without food or water - a man whose pride and self-will had been totally broken. Saul leaves Jerusalem full of himself. He enters Damascus emptied of himself, with pride and self will broken, ready to be filled with the Saviour.
Is this not a requirement of all true believers? In our relationship with Jesus, there is no room for pride, self-will, and arrogance (NAC p. 235 - Pesch footnote). If we want to be full of the Spirit of God - if we want to be used by God and have a relationship with him, we need to have an encounter or encounters with Jesus in which He removes that pride and self-will. For us to be truly ready to - like our Lord - pray “not my will but yours be done,” we must also be transformed to do the will of Jesus. This is the first step in how God transforms Paul’s hard heart, and how we must also be transformed if we want to be full of the Spirit and ready to walk in step with Christ.
10-19a Called and Filled
10-19a Called and Filled
God can transform anyone. But for Him to do that, there must be a moment when our pride, our self-will, our old self bows and gives way to God, so that we can be yielded to Jesus. In that moment with Jesus on the Damascus road, Saul experiences this utter breaking of himself, so that Christ could re-shape him into the man who became known as the Apostle Paul.
Now, in the next 9 verses we see that the next step in Saul’s conversion is for him to receive a calling, and to receive that which is crucial for witness: the filling of the Holy Spirit.
So, Saul’s in the house of Judas in Damascus, on Straight Street. This was a large street in the city. And he has been praying these three days.
Now enter Ananias - another believer in Damascus who up to this point we haven’t met. Let’s read again Ananias’ talk with God
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
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.”
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
Do you see God in every ounce of Saul’s story? God appears to Saul on the Damascus road, then God clearly tells Saul someone named Ananias will come and be God’s instrument in restoring his sight. And God also shoulder taps Ananias and says “Hey, I have a job for you.”
Picture this: What would you do if God told you to go to someone you knew vehemently hated you and would probably take any opportunity to ruin your life? Or how about if that person wanted to hurt your family, take away your kids, spouse, etc. What would you say?
Saul was well-known - clearly - as that one who was persecuting the church. Ananias describes him as having done much evil towards the church. I don’t think we need to condemn Ananias here, but instead hear the amazing way in which God has transformed Saul. Not only is Saul praying and hearing from God, but God’s got a plan:
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
Most of the rest of Acts demonstrates the truth of these words. Saul would become an instrument to carry Christ to Jews and Gentiles alike. He would suffer much: stoning, beatings, jail time, ridicule, storms, and relentless opposition - not to mention death - for the sake of Christ. This persecutor would be turned to the persecuted, transformed into a powerful witness to the hope of the gospel.
Ananias obeys. He demonstrates the extraordinary power of the gospel to unite and transform as he says “Brother Saul.”
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
At that moment, something like scales departs from Saul’s eyes. Saul is baptized then - symbolizing his new life in Christ. Saul’s filling with the Holy Spirit isn’t narrated here, but we know it happened. The rest of Saul’s story shows someone so drastically changed it has everyone going “What happened??” He becomes a bold proclaimer of Jesus Christ, the One he’d tried to stamp out.
Saul receives a calling to serve Christ, and a filling with the Holy Spirit to empower him in this new purpose. What is your calling from God? How has He empowered you through the filling of the Spirit? You don’t have to write a third of the NT or be beheaded in order to be an instrument in the hands of God. But, a broken and humble spirit in the hands of an Almighty God becomes a power tool to advance Jesus’ Kingdom.
This is the second step in how God transforms Saul, and how He transforms us: We too receive a calling to serve Jesus and should be filled - continually - with the Holy Spirit, in order that we may be a light and a witness wherever God has placed us.
19b-31 Persecutor turned Persecuted
19b-31 Persecutor turned Persecuted
The last part of Saul’s story vividly demonstrates how God can use anyone, can transform any heart, and can save even those who seem most far-gone.
Acts says that Saul stayed for “some days” with the church in Damascus. Galatians 1 16-18 gives us a clearer picture of this period in Saul’s life:
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.
For three years Saul remained in Damascus. Saul stayed in Damascus preaching the gospel in synagogues, and it is interesting that the text notes he at once proclaimed “he is the Son of God.” Truly, on the Damascus road as Saul saw what Stephen testified to - the risen Lord - Saul knew once and for all that Jesus really is Lord and God, as Thomas proclaimed in John 20:28. It was central for him - the reality of the risen Christ and the power of this gospel message had turned the persecutor into the proclaimer, and the persecuted.
Acts (Christ’s Appearance to Paul (9:1–9))
The certainty of the resurrection turned Paul from Jesus’ most zealous persecutor to his most ardent witness.
Remember from Stephen’s story how the Jews couldn’t match the wisdom and Spirit (capital S) with Stephen? Same goes for Saul. The Jews together with forces from the governor wanted to arrest him, but God made a way for Saul to escape, and Saul then went to Jerusalem.
Like Ananias, there is fear, and understandably so… this was the man who had tried to wipe the church out after all. But God sends Barnabas, one who could mediate and bring Saul into the fold not only as part of the church, but as an Apostle. Only those who had seen the risen Lord could be apostles in the Acts sense. Saul fit this bill, and so became the Apostle Paul we know today.
Again, persecution comes, and so Saul is moved away, far north back to Tarsus. And we conclude with an extraordinary statement:
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
The story of Saul - later Paul - the persecutor-turned-persecuted proclaimer is a story that shows us that God can get ahold of anyone. He can break into even the hardest of hearts, and he can turn around even the worst of situations.
The third step is to see how God turned this one who would be a persecutor into not only a proclaimer of Jesus, but one who experiences persecution for their Lord. In fact the book of Acts ends with Paul under house arrest for the sake of the gospel.
Conclusion
Conclusion
God can transform anyone.
Oh how true! Here’s the hope we find here: If God, through an encounter and the filling of the Spirit, can transform Paul from persecutor to proclaimer, can he not also take us with our dirty deeds, our sins, our weakness, and our blindness, and transform it through the power of the gospel and the Spirit actively in our lives into something beautiful?
Jesus meets Saul on that Damascus road, and in that encounter breaks Saul’s pride and self-will. But in its place, God gives Saul a calling and a filling of the Holy Spirit that encompasses all Saul has to give. Saul is now sold out for Jesus. We see this demonstrated in the persecutor turned proclaimer. Jesus takes the biggest hater of the gospel and turns him into its most outspoken advocate.
So, I know this hasn’t carried the same normal focus on the Holy Spirit as other messages in this series. But I felt like God wanted us to focus today on the fact that He can use anyone. That He really can reach the hardest of hearts, and that if Jesus can transform Saul, He can transform you too, through the Holy Spirit.
Here’s a fact: we have all been enemies of God at one time in our lives. There are exactly two camps: Either you’re for God, or you’re against Him.
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
While we were still sinners, lost, blind - just like Paul - and hopelessly trapped in a path to Hell. God loved us so much that He came and lived and died and rose again for us so that we might have new life. He saved us when we could not save ourselves.
Our stories are the same, and do you know what is amazing about that? It means that God is still in the business of not only saving. Today God is still by the power of the Spirit turning the persecutor to the proclaimer, the addict to the abundantly free, the lost to the found, and the blind to those who see most clearly. That’s my story, someone who was totally locked into sin I could not break out of. But God wasn’t done yet and He has given me freedom. Now, instead of stuck in sin, I am learning to live full of the Spirit and full of joy. I am called by God, and now it’s my turn to be someone’s Ananias or Barnabas - that person who first lead you to Jesus, or first baptized you, or who helped you become part of the body of Jesus.
What does this message have to do with meeting the Holy Spirit in Acts? It’s about the realization that God can transform any heart - even yours. It’s the fact that God can use anyone - even you - to touch someone for Jesus. I know many of us here have loved ones, friends, acquaintances, whoever, that don’t know the Lord. I’ve seen the heartbreak over those people. The story of Paul stands up and says that God isn’t done yet, and maybe God has placed a calling and filled you to continue to be a light and a witness in their lives. Maybe you will be their Ananias or Barnabas. Maybe for now your job is to pray for them. But God can transform any heart by the power of the One we see most vividly at work in Acts: the Holy Spirit.
Salvation call
Let’s end with prayer for those who may have just received Jesus or will watch the video later and receive Him then, and for all of us, to not give up hope but walk in the power and encouragement that God can transform any heart - even the most prolific church hater of all time.