The Life of Paul Acts 8:1-3 / Acts 9:1-19

Acts 9:1–20 NLT

1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. 10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

I want us to do a study of the life of Paul. I want us to follow along with him and learn what he learned and see what he saw . I want to focus on a couple of things through this study of his life. 1st of all is a dedication to the Lord and the Gospel message. 2nd of all I want us to understand that if this guy can change and serve the Lord then we have absolutely no excuse for not committing ourselves to the Lord with all of our hearts.

So lets set this up. Stephen was a deacon one of the first deacons actually and he was telling everyone that would listen about Jesus. He was taken before the council or the Sanhedrin. There were 71 members on the council. It was made up of high priests, scribes, elders, and other leaders of the Jewish society. These were the shot callers. They heard all the dispute cases among the Jews and they were also the ones that made the laws that everyone else had to follow.

When they brought Stephen before the council they lied. They said he was saying things that were untrue. They made a case against him because they were being called out on their sinful lives. They thought that by bringing him before the council they would force him to shut up and stop preaching Christ. It was the same issue the rulers of the people had with Jesus and the other Apostles. They were a threat to the ruling party.

Stephen however then called out the council. Instead of being quiet and trying to save himself he challenged them and called them out about killing Jesus. I wonder are we that dedicated to our faith? If we were faced with that kind of opposition would we call out those on their sin that are telling us to be quiet? What if they had the power to end our lives would that change how we react to the opposition?

So Stephen then tells them what the Holy Spirit revealed to him....in response to this they have him stoned. So they take him outside and stone him. Acts 7:57-60 Acts 8:1-3

Acts 7:57–60 NLT

57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Acts 8:1–3 NLT

1 Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

As they were killing Stephen he followed the example that Jesus set. They were killing him and he was praying for them. Enter a guy named Saul. When they were killing Stephen they laid their coats at the feet of Saul and he approved of the killing of Stephen. He was absolutely on board not only was he on board he took it to the next level. He went and started hunting Christians. They were not called Christians they were called followers of the way. He was hunting them. He was dragging them out of their houses and throwing them in jail.

So now Saul is headed to Damascus to hunt down and find more followers of Christ but something happens. He goes and gets a letter from the Sandhedrin giving him permission to hunt them down and bring them back to Jerusalem. He gets blinded...and Jesus speaks to him directly. Jesus tells him to get up go to Damascus and “you will be told what you must do.” You just go where I tell you and I’ll let you know what comes next.

Saul is obedient and goes to Damascus. Saul is obedient. If Jesus told you to go somewhere and wait to be told what we needed to do would you do it? Saul was obedient to Jesus from the beginning. He listened and did as he was told from the start. God cannot use you if you don’t listen and obey. There is absolutely no way you will ever be effective for the Kingdom of God if you are trying to do it your way. When we don’t get and answer right away we start to doubt. Some would argue that Saul had no choice because he was blinded. I would submit to you that is the most important time to listen when you are in the midst of a trial.

I want you to look at the next guy we meet. Ananias. Jesus says go pray for this blind guy so he can get his sight back....by the way the guy your going to pray for is Saul the one that is hunting guys like you. Now I can honestly say that I would be like hey bro are you sure...you know that this is the guy right....this is the one that is killing us and putting us in jail and you want me to go pray for him so that he not only gets his sight back but he can then see me and know who I am. Ananias is not just risking himself he is also risking his entire family.

Notice that this guy is obedient too. He goes does as he is told. He prays for Saul but notice what he says “Brother Saul. The Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road has sent me so that you might regain your sight.” Jesus sent me to you I did not come on my own remember the Lord blinded you on the road He is the one that sent me to you. I was told to come pray for you.

We are not the one that is making the plan by the way. We are not in charge. If you were in this position that Ananias found himself would you go? Why or why not?

Are we brave enough to follow Jesus wherever he leads? Yes or no? Then why don’t we do it more? We do when it is not calling us outside our comfort zone but we do it sometimes.

So Saul gets his sight back and the first thing that happens is he gets baptized. This is the sign that she has converted from the Jewish faith and now is a follower of the way. He is not a follower of Jesus. He gets a sandwich and gets a drink and most likely breathes a little thinking to himself that was tough. He does not give up...he just came through a major trial but he does not quit. He does not give up he digs in and starts moving forward.

He started preaching in the synagogues he was proclaiming Christ to the Jews. He changed teams and starting not only preaching but preaching Jesus and preaching salvation with such power they were ready to kill him.

What does it look like when we just surrender and say lead me Jesus?

How much more would our witness be if we just obeyed when we were called to proclaim salvation to the lost?

Did you know that it is not just the preacher that is called to do this?

This is the beginning of Saul’s ministry. Saul is obedient even to the point of death if need be. This is the first building block for learning who Paul becomes. We have to understand the change that has taken place when Saul was converted to a follower of Christ. When we were converted were we really converted or did we just say a prayer. If we are to look at what Paul is able to accomplish for God’s Kingdom it starts right here. Paul was converted he bought in all the way he believed that Jesus was real and that He is the Son of God. That He was raised from the dead. Paul said I believe that Jesus is real and that He saved me and that He paid a price for me and I am going to serve Him and be obedient.

Closing......