Paul's Conversion

Welcome everyone to 5th Sunday at NEC.

But most importantly, welcome to Holy Week.

This is the week we celebrate the Triumphal Entry, the clearing of the temple, the last supper, the washing of the disciples feet, the betrayal, the crucifixion and the resurrection.

All of this was prophesied and fulfilled by our Savior Jesus Christ so we may have salvation through faith in Him.

Today, we begin discussing the value of this salvation and that no matter where you are at, the power of this salvation is available to you.

Remember the excitement of riding a roller coaster? The loud clanging, the slow ascent, and your heart racing before the drop! That thrill perfectly describes the moment we first grasp salvation. Sure, we might face some twists and turns, but ultimately, the ride leads to incredible joy and freedom. That's what salvation is like—a thrilling adventure in Christ!

Today, we start the life, travels and writings of the Apostle Paul.

I have put up that we will be going from Acts chapter 7 all the way through to chapter 9.

Now, I will not be reading all of it, but you have the homework to read these chapters and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal things to you.

Now I have found in my teaching of the bible, you either absolutely love Paul or you despise him.

Paul is one, especially in his letters, that can be very brash and to the point. He was not afraid to say what he thought and what was revealed to him. He was quick to scold churches when they had lost their way, and also to praise them for what they did correctly. In his addressing of these churches, we can learn a great deal and we will discuss at length what was going on to get historical and theological context. We will find that some of our favorite or not so favorite verses has more meaning than what has been taught in the past.

We will take the next 20 weeks and dive deep into Paul and it is my prayer that this will convict your soul, grow your Christian life, and see how to have church in a spiritual growth (in a revival state) and a physical growth (butts in chairs).

And we start this series in prayer.

Let’s look at Paul before and after his conversion.

Paul’s Conversion

Unchecked Zeal

We start with Saul, not as an apostle, but as a persecutor of the Christians.

Acts 7:54–8:1 CSB

When they heard these things, they were enraged and gnashed their teeth at him. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after saying this, he fell asleep. Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.

Stephen was considered one of the first deacons of the church. Saul is seen here approving of the murder of Stephen and trying to destroy the early church.

This just shows that zeal without God’s direction can be violent and blind to the truth.

Unchecked zeal can be seen so much in the church today.

Unchecked zeal, or zeal without knowledge, is a fervent passion or energy for religious activity that lacks understanding of God's will, character, or proper biblical methods. While often well-intentioned, this misdirected zeal is frequently dangerous, leading to legalism, spiritual pride, and harmful actions, such as persecuting others, instead of accomplishing true godly purposes

Romans 10:2 CSB

I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Pulpits and pews are filled with people that are relying on personal feelings or human ideas rather than on deep knowledge of God's Word.

I have seen men being ordained that have not even had two years of studying the Word of God.

That is why here at NEC, before any one can be even ordained as a deacon, they must have shown for two years the ability to be in the Word, and then they have to go through a Yokefellow position for one year before being brought before the church.

Zeal is a beautiful thing, but unchecked zeal can lead to doing things that are actually against God’s desires, as in Saul (before he was Paul) persecuting the church.

Saul was thinking he was doing God’s will according to the man made religious rules, which is what we call legalism.

Legalism places undue burdens on people by placing traditions above God’s Word.

And that makes people burn the candle at both ends, or burn themselves out.

We have here at NEC something that is called the Impact Team. They are to come up with ways to reach out to the community in the name of Jesus Christ.

I tell the leaders of this and every other committee leads, do not over stress yourself or burn yourself out.

Most of us here work full time jobs, and the weekends are our only time off.

If zeal is left unchecked, every weekend will be filled with church projects, and then people are left tired and burnt out.

We need to do projects to reach the community and take care of things here at the church, but it must be done wisely and prayed for God’s will in it all.

We can learn so much from Saul’s unchecked zeal, but we must go on too

Paul’s Conversion

Encounter with Grace

Saul leaves Jerusalem with a letter from the temple stating he is allowed to imprison and kill the Christians.

While he is on the road to Damascus, Jesus lays the smack down our boy Saul.

Acts 9:1–9 CSB

Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul said. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied. “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.

It takes but an instant!

Saul in that moment went from persecutor into a seeker of the one true Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Something here is very important for us to understand, salvation is an act of God’s one-sided grace given to us.

This one sided or one way grace is God’s unconditional love for you, and it is not based on anything you do.

It is a proactive act from God, offering redemption and forgiveness through Christ, even while people are considered "enemies" or undeserving. This concept emphasizes that grace is not earned.

Romans 5:15–17 CSB

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflowed to the many. And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. If by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

This is also where free will comes into play. You must accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, then grace is available to you. Not because of what you have done, but because of who Christ is and what he has done for you and for me.

Paul has now shown us unchecked zeal and what it means to encounter grace...

Paul’s Conversion

Enemy to Enlightened

Saul’s total surrender leads to his baptism and his training to become an apostle of Jesus Christ.

Acts 9:10–21 CSB

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” “Here I am, Lord,” he replied. “Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Ananias went and entered the house. He placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. And after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some time. Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.” All who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man in Jerusalem who was causing havoc for those who called on this name and came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

There was a complete shift in Paul’s life, his purpose, and his devotion.

He went from a persecutor to a proclaimer.

There is a saying that has confused the church for a millennium. “Once saved, always saved.”

I do believe this statement to a point.

If you come up to the altar, say a little prayer, and there is no conversion in your life, if there is no evidence of fruit, did you really have a conversion experience?

Did you really give your life to Christ?

If you do not leave the altar with a fear of God, a love for Christ and a fire in you for the Holy Spirit, it makes me question your commitment.

Once saved always saved, means this in a nutshell.

I love my wife, I love my children, heck I even love yall, but that comes second and always second to my love for Jesus.

Matthew 22:36–40 CSB

“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

When I say, we will see fruit, this is what I mean.

You should love the Lord so much, that it makes you feel bad if you curse, it should make you feel bad if you look at porn, it should make you feel bad if you gossip...The worst thing I have every heard my father say was that he was disappointed in me. Why because I loved him so much I wanted to do right in his eyes...It is the same with my heavenly father, I didn’t just say a prayer and think I was ok, I dedicated my life to Him and I always want to do right in His eyes.

Do I always get it right...absolutely not? But then that is when I encounter that one way grace again and again.

Lastly what we need to look at in

Paul’s Conversion

Purpose

Saul’s conversion lead to extreme backlash, but in strengthened the church. It showed that God uses transformed people to advance His gospel, resulting in peace, growth and purpose.

Acts 9:23–30 CSB

After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plot. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall. When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

If you have breath, you have purpose in the kingdom.

Have you ever prayed for your purpose?

Let me give you a hint, God has already given it to you!

Go make disciples in all nations.

What Christ is telling us, is our purpose is to spread the gospel of the Lord.