We, The Church: Acts 9:1-31

Introduction: Nicky Cruz

Many years ago, Jesus became my hero, and I have never been the same sense. Since becoming my hero, I must admit—I have not done everything right. However, it has been my upmost desire to become like Him in every way possible. This is what we are reading about today. We are reading about an individual whose life has been radically transformed by Jesus Christ.

Gang Life in New York

Nicky Cruz’s early years in New York City were marked by violence, crime, and fear. After fleeing an abusive home in Puerto Rico, he was hardened by rejection and pain. By his mid-teens, he was already feared on the streets of Brooklyn. He joined the Mau Maus, one of the most dangerous gangs in the city, and quickly rose to the position of warlord — the gang’s enforcer.

As warlord, Nicky’s job was to fight rival gangs, protect the Mau Maus’ territory, and punish anyone who dared cross them. He became known for his explosive violence, leading bloody street battles with chains, knives, and even guns. He admitted later that he nearly killed people in rages where he felt absolutely nothing inside. He was arrested countless times for assault, theft, and gang activity. He drank heavily, dabbled in drugs, and lived to spread fear.

Nicky himself once said: “I was like a wild animal in the streets. My heart was full of hate. I wanted to kill. I wanted to destroy. I didn’t know how to love.” Even his fellow gang members were afraid of him. To the outside world, he was a young man on an unstoppable path toward prison or death.

Meeting David Wilkerson

In 1958, God sent a skinny country preacher from Pennsylvania into the heart of New York City’s gang world. His name was David Wilkerson. Against all odds, Wilkerson began walking into gang territories, telling the most feared young men in the city: “Jesus loves you.”

When he first approached Nicky Cruz, the hardened gang leader was enraged. He slapped Wilkerson and threatened to kill him if he ever spoke about Jesus again. But Wilkerson’s response was unlike anything Nicky had ever heard:

“You could cut me into a thousand pieces and throw them out on the street, and every piece would still say, ‘Jesus loves you.’”

Those words pierced through Nicky’s hatred. No one had ever shown him that kind of courage and unconditional love. Eventually, Wilkerson invited the Mau Maus to a revival meeting. That night, as Nicky listened to the gospel, he felt a conviction that shook him to his core. For the first time, he realized his sin and the emptiness of his life.

When the altar call came, Nicky walked forward. With tears streaming down his face, he surrendered to Jesus Christ. He confessed his sins, repented, and received the peace and love of God. He later said it was as if Jesus took his heart of stone and gave him a new one. In the days that followed, he and his gang members turned in their weapons and walked away from gang life for good.

Global Ministry Impact

The transformation was radical — and lasting. Nicky Cruz dedicated his life to serving Christ, studying the Bible, and sharing his testimony. He went from warlord of the Mau Maus to a world evangelist.

For over 60 years, Nicky has preached in more than 60 countries, often to crowds of tens of thousands. His autobiography, Run Baby Run, has sold millions of copies in more than 20 languages and continues to bring people to faith. His ministry focuses on reaching gang members, addicts, prisoners, and the broken-hearted — people who feel as lost as he once did.

Through Nicky Cruz Outreach and partnerships with ministries around the world, countless lives have been changed. Entire gangs have laid down their weapons, drug addicts have been set free, and young people have found purpose in Christ.

Nicky’s life stands as living proof that no one is too far gone for Jesus to save. As he often says:

“If Jesus can change Nicky Cruz, He can change anyone.”

Premise: A true conversion is one that causes us to be saved, changed, and used by God.

God Can Save Anyone: Paul’s Conversion (Acts 9:1-9)

Point 1: The first thing we learn from Paul’s conversion is that God can save anyone.

When we think about Paul, it is important that we think about the drastic difference Jesus made in his life. We must not think of him as C.S. Lewis described himself, intellectually pride with intellect as His God. No, Paul was an intellectual murderer, so says Acts 9:1–2

“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.”

This is sort of zealous rage is similar to the kinds we have seen in Christian history, especially the Christian crusades.

Originally launched to “reclaim” the Holy Land from Muslim control, the Crusades also led to violence against Jews and even Eastern Christians.

For example, during the First Crusade (1096–1099), Crusaders massacred thousands of Jews in the Rhineland (modern Germany) simply because they were seen as enemies of Christ.

In Jerusalem (1099), Crusaders slaughtered many Muslims and Jews after taking the city.

Conservative estimates predict that at least 1M people were killed during the crusades, including:

Muslims

Jews

Eastern Orthodox Christians

Western Crusaders (casualties of war)

Point 1b: Sometimes, the greatest sin we need to be delivered from is the sin of self-righteousness.

[You never know the monster you can become with unguided zeal.] Be careful of misguided zeal (loyalty to traditional views and beliefs).

Numbers 25:7–13 NLT

7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest saw this, he jumped up and left the assembly. He took a spear 8 and rushed after the man into his tent. Phinehas thrust the spear all the way through the man’s body and into the woman’s stomach. So the plague against the Israelites was stopped, 9 but not before 24,000 people had died. 10 Then the Lord said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has turned my anger away from the Israelites by being as zealous among them as I was. So I stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my zealous anger. 12 Now tell him that I am making my special covenant of peace with him. 13 In this covenant, I give him and his descendants a permanent right to the priesthood, for in his zeal for me, his God, he purified the people of Israel, making them right with me.”

Paul is proof that God can save anyone! No matter who you are, what you’ve done, or how far you wandered off, God is able to save you. And it is important that we realize that we all need to be saved from something.

Augustine of Hippo – Before conversion, he lived a life of lust, had a mistress, and pursued false philosophies. He later became one of the greatest church fathers.

Praise: We should take a moment to thank God that He saved us when we were at our worse!

God Can Change Anyone: Paul’s Transformation (Acts 9:10-14, 21, 26)

Point 2: The second thing we learn from Paul’s conversion is God can change anyone.

Paul had developed a reputation of being a religious murderer. However, God changed him in a way that was unbelievable to others.

Acts 9:10–14 “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.””

Acts 9:21 “21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?””

Acts 9:26 “26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!”

Praise: We should thank God has changed us so drastically that we are no longer recognizable to those who knew us before salvation.

God Can Use Anyone: Paul’s Ministry (Acts 9:20, 22, 28-29)

Point 3: The third thing we learn from Paul’s conversion is that God can use anyone.

Acts 9:20 “20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!””

Acts 9:22 “22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.”

Acts 9:28–29 “28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him.”

Praise: We thank God, that our past cannot disrupt our usefulness. God still has a purpose for us, despite our failures and mistakes.

Conclusion: Question

Question: Have you been converted? Have you truly experienced the transforming power of God in your life that saves you, changes you, and uses you?