Even Him?
Measureless: God's Love • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Measureless: God’s Love / Even Him?
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. 23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
Who was Saul?
Saul was born in Tarsus, a prominent city known for its intellectual and commercial activity. This background provided him with both Roman citizenship (Acts 22:25-29) and exposure to Greek culture. He was a Jew "of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), indicating his strong Jewish heritage and adherence to traditional practices. He went to Jerusalem to study under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel, one of the most respected teachers of the Law (Acts 22:3). This education steeped him in the Mosaic Law and the traditions of the Pharisees, a strict Jewish sect.
Zeal for the Law and Persecution of Christians:
Saul was incredibly passionate about his Jewish faith and believed that the flourishing Christian movement, which proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, was a blasphemous deviation from the true worship of God. He saw it as his duty to stamp out this heresy.
First time we meet Saul? (No Slide)
57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
(No Slide)
1 And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Jesus had promised his disciples that they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem and “in all Judea and Samaria”. Thus, God was using this persecution to send his people out to spread the gospel and grow the church.
Core Text (Slides)
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
“The Way” was an early name referring to Christianity, because Jesus was “the way” (see John 14:6). “The Way” also represented the new life of believers as they followed the pattern of their Messiah.
The gospel was expanding outside of Judea, and Saul had become a religious bounty hunter to put a stop to it.
But there was another plan Jesus was brewing; that no one could have ever foreseen. - Does this sound familiar to what we are experiencing?
3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Light: The appearance of Jesus Christ in glory!
Do you know what a blindside tackle means? This was a Holy blindside tackle. You are not going anywhere else. We need to talk.
Saul / Saul: Over and over again we see this reputation of a name, and it’s always an expression, in the Hebrew tongue, of profound personal intimacy. Moses / Martha / Jesus on the cross. My God, My God.
And so, what this voice is saying to Saul is, “Saul, I know you; I know everything about you. I know you intimately, and I love you.
But why are you persecuting Me? Your followers not you.
An inseparable union exists between Christ and His followers. Saul’s persecution represented a direct attack on Christ himself.
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Who am I? I could be your worst enemy. But I am the Savior and lover of your soul.
Jesus… don’t pick the one who approved of our dear brothers murder.
Saul’s plans. What can I do to stop Jesus’ movement. Now he will learn what he will do for to further it!
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
The encounter with Jesus left him blind, a physical reflection of his spiritual blindness.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
Ananias, one of the leaders of the Damascus church and, therefore, one of Saul’s targets.
Where do you want me to go? Judas house on Straight Street.
Okay go see Judas? No ask for a man from Tarsus named..… Saul.
Who?
The fact that Saul was “praying” instead of “preying” and persecuting the church should have encouraged Ananias.
Ananias was available to do God’s will, but he certainly was not anxious to obey!
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
Jesus do you understand...He is hear to arrest me...us.
This makes no sense.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The Lord does not explain himself, (He does not need to)he said this.
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
You’re chosen him? Saul? Of Tarsus? To do what?
Proclaim your name? To gentiles and their kings?
He must sufferer Vs. 16: Stephen suffered.
19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.
Even when it looks like obedience could result in trouble, God calls us to trust and obey. He is usually up to something much bigger than we realize.
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
What was Ananias thinking about on his walk there?
Placed his hands on Saul - (Don't make me put hands on you, son!)
Hands on and said.… say it with me..… Brother Saul
Calling Saul a brother intimated to Saul God’s readiness to adopt him as a son.
God used a faithful (though frightened!) disciple to launch Saul into a sudden new direction in life. - He can use us to!
The menace was about to become the missionary.
If you know someone whom you think could never come to know Christ, don’t forget God’s Measureless Love. If he can change Saul to Paul, there is no one, he can’t change.
18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
VS. 19: He discovered that his new family were loving people, undeserving of the persecution he had inflicted on them; and that they knew the truth of God’s Word and only wanted to share His truth it with others.
20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
Scoring points for the wrong team! Interception ran the wrong way.
22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. 23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,
Now the bounty hunter in the fugitive. Welcome to the family buddy!
26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
You are not welcome here. This is a trick.
But Barnabas - meaning "son of encouragement,"
27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
I am seeing people speaking more boldly in the name of Christ then ever before.
Our task is to lead men and women to Christ; God’s task is to use them for His glory; and every person is important to God.
On April 21, 1855, Edward Kimball led one of his Sunday School boys to faith in Christ. That boy is one of my hero's of the faith. Little did he realize that Dwight L. Moody would one day become one of the world’s leading evangelists.
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
