Grace Changes Everything

It’s memorial day weekend, and I would like to take a minute to honor those who laid down their lives for our freedom. We do not take the cost of our liberties lightly and we owe a great debt to those who have fought and dies to protect that. I would also like to take a minute to honor those here who have served our country. If you have served in any of the armed forces would you please stand and let us thank you this morning. (wait)

Thank you for your service.

I would like to take advantage of our freedoms this morning as we meet in this public place and sing our praises to God and to open His word to listen for what He has to say to us today.

Let’s open with a word of prayer...

I have been thinking about two things recently. The first thing is the empty seat. I have said for a long time that an empty seat represents someone who has not yet heard or accepted the gospel. So, each empty seat here this morning is a potential for someone to hear and receive the gospel. It represents those who will someday connect with us here at Hillcrest. As long as God has His hand on us, we will strive to reach just one more person with the gospel and I’ve been thinking about those who will one day fill the empty seat.

The second thing I’ve been thinking about next steps. And I mean that in terms of growth. When someone connects here, when someone fills that empty seat, how do we prioritize personal growth. To use the biblical metaphor, we are praying for people to be planted here, grow deep roots and have spiritual fruit.

There is something very special about a group of people that have been changed by Jesus who live like Jesus and lead others to Jesus. And that points to the grace of God. because in additional to paying the price for our sin and removing our penalty, He gives us a new life with purpose.

Maybe you’re here this morning and you have an empty seat that you are praying a friend or family member will one day occupy. Or you may be here this morning and you are wondering what it takes to begin to grow deep roots. You want to see God do great things in your life. You want to see significant growth and have a faith that is strong and vibrant. Or you may be here this morning and just want to know what this God thing is all about. You may be going through a tough time or feel like something is missing and you are wondering if the church has any answers.

So this morning, I want to look at one of the biggest redemption stories. As we look at Acts chapter 9 today, we will see God completely change a man named Saul. And in this moment, we will see an example of how Jesus can change us:

English Standard Version Chapter 9

1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 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.

Paul, by his own words, was violent toward the church. His goal was not just to discourage it but to eradicate it. Christians had started to flee Jerusalem because of this, to get away from the viciousness of the persecution. But Paul would not let them get away that easy. He gets his paperwork in order and heads to Damascus to continue his quest to destroy anyone who claimed the name of Jesus.

English Standard Version Chapter 9

3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

God interrupts Paul's plans. He had letters in hand giving him authority to do the damage he wanted to do, but instead he falls to the ground in the presence of the real authority.

English Standard Version Chapter 9

5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

This is a question we all must ask at some point in our lives - Who are You Lord? The response here is so filled with grace and mercy. God does not bring the hammer down on Paul. He responds with truth - I am Jesus. The name Paul hated so much is the same name that will transform his life. I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. This statement revealed so much to Paul and now to us. Paul was not hunting down Jesus, he was hunting Christians. He was not torturing Jesus, he was torturing His followers. But Jesus says here, whom you are persecuting. As Paul persecuted the church, the body of Christ, it was if he was persecuting Jesus Himself. Sidebar here - if you ever think about intentionally hurting someone in the church, remember how Jesus views that kind of hurt against His people.

Paul now if face to face with Jesus and change happens in the presence of Jesus. We will see in the next verses that the same one who wanted to destroy the Name of Jesus is now obeying His instruction.

English Standard Version Chapter 9

6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 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. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Paul’s days a persecutor were over. Grace intervened. God could have stopped Paul from finishing off the church. Instead, by grace, He brings him into the family. The greatest persecutor will become the greatest promoter. But God’s grace is not done yet. He is going to bring in another person to be part of this incredible story. God places us in community and some of the biggest moments of our lives and our ministries and even better because we get to share it with godly people.

English Standard Version Chapter 9

10 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.” 11 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, 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.”

Ananias gets his instructions but Paul is kind of a celebrity at this point and not in a good way. Ananias respond as I think many of us would...

English Standard Version Chapter 9

13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

There is an unspoken question here - Are You sure about this God? Paul is a bad guy. Bad guys do bad things. Isn’t this a trick? God, do You really know what you are doing here?

Have you ever asked that same question? I know I have. Are You sure about that, God? Can I really trust that You know what you are doing?

English Standard Version Chapter 9

15 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. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

God settles the issue. He does indeed know what He is doing. He chose Paul. We have the benefit of being on this side of history to see that God really does know what He is doing. His grace in reaching out to Paul changed Paul and started a wave that would be felt all over the world. God’s grace changes everything and God’s grace is distributed through His presence. I want to give you three things to think about as we look at this grace this morning:

Grace Goes to Graceless Places

Saul was not looking for Jesus. He was very comfortable serving his own version of who he though God was. In the Jewish mind at this time, God’s presence wasn’t supposed to be felt out here. On the road to Damascus, on a journey to stamp out the Name of Jesus. It was in this graceless place that Jesus shows up. Paul was not looking for Jesus, but Jesus was looking for Paul. The grace of God is meant to extend beyond the congregation and reach people in graceless places. Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost and He is still about that business. And He has chosen to allow us to be a part of that endeavor. As you go about your life, you are a dispenser of God’s grace. He pours His grace into you so that you can pour out His grace as you go. Each conversation, each interaction has the potential of being a touch point between the divine and the mundane. God pours His grace through you into graceless places.

Grace Redeems the Nonredeemable

Paul’s conversion gives us hope that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. We can have a tendency to not share or to not pray because we believe that this person or that person is out of reach of salvation. But His Grace is greater than. This hope give us encouragement to keep praying, keep sharing, keep living the truth of God’s word. No one is nonredeemable. God specializes in putting broken people back together and that is great news because we are all at some point broken people. God’s mercy forgives sin based on His work on the cross and then His grace lifts us up, redeems us, and give us a place in His plan. And ultimately it gives us a place in His presence. So if you are here this morning and have never experienced God’s grace, know that you are not too far away to come back home. For those that have already become a child of God, let’s go and share this amazing grace with those who need it so desperately.

Grace Transforms the Toughest Hearts

More good news. God does more that free us from the crushing weight of our own sin and redeem us from death and hell. He pours out His grace in extravagant fashion and give us a new life. Paul would later write that in Christ we are a new creation. God transforms us and brings us into His own family. We are now sons and daughters of God. He transforms us with truth and in this passage we see a change in Paul. Who he was before this encounter with the presence of Jesus is not who he is after meeting the Savior. We see three distinct changes and hopefully we see these changes in our lives as God begins to work in us.

Change of Mind

Paul’s belief’s were directly challenged here. Walking up to Damascus, he believe Jesus was dead, that those who followed him were dangerous and wrong. He believed his actions, no matter how bad they were, were justified. He was met on the road by Jesus who was very much alive. That truth is transformative. If Jesus conquered death, that makes a huge difference both to Paul and to us. Jesus is alive and He claims those who follow Him. They were not the enemy. Paul found out that he was playing that role. We need to let truth transform our minds. The truth of God’s Word challenges us and if we listen, we change our mind to align with the mind of Christ.

Change of Heart

Seconds before meeting Jesus, Paul was still breathing threats and murder. Have you ever been so mad that you started talking to yourself under your breath? Paul is seething. He has violence and murder in his heart and he is looking for the next person he can take it out on. But in an instant his heart is softened. He meets Jesus. His anger, hate, and violent intents melt all away and suddenly he is one of the very people he was ready to destroy. I believe God want to transform our hearts as well as our minds. I believe He want to replace our anger, jealousy, bitterness, and negativity with godliness, meekness, kindness, and hope.

A changed mind and a changed heart lead to a...

Change of Actions

Paul’s agenda is completely hijacked. After spending time in the presence of Jesus his old plan is no longer relevant and his next steps radically change. He replace his planned actions with obedience to the call of God. Paul followed the directions God provided. Ananias did the same. He did not think it was a good idea, but he obeyed the voice of God. Transformation starts in our mind and hearts but needs to be expressed through our actions. As we spend more and more time in the presence of Jesus, as we spend time in His word, we will be able to act in obedience to His voice.

Grace can transform the toughest hearts and...

As we encounter the grace of God through the presence of God, we need to be transformed by it.

As we close this morning, let me ask you:

Do you need to find grace for the first time?

Do you need to let grace change your mind, heart or actions?

Do you need to share God’s grace with someone?