Sermon Tone Analysis

Supernatural Power

1. Saul himself: his pre-conversion state in Jerusalem (9:1–2)

If we ask what caused Saul’s conversion, only one answer is possible.

What stands out from the narrative is the sovereign grace of God through Jesus Christ.

Saul did not ‘decide for Christ’, as we might say.

On the contrary, he was persecuting Christ.

It was rather Christ who decided for him and intervened in his life.

The evidence for this is indisputable.

Consider first Saul’s state of mind at the time.

Luke has already mentioned him three times, and each time as a bitter opponent of Christ and his church.

He tells us that at Stephen’s martyrdom ‘the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul’ (7:58), that ‘Saul was there, giving approval to his death’ (8:1), and that then ‘Saul began to destroy the church’ (8:3), making a house-to-house search for Christians, dragging men and women off to prison.

Now Luke resumes Saul’s story by saying that he was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples (9:1).

He had not changed since Stephen’s death; he was still in the same mental condition of hatred and hostility.

Stott, J. R. W. (1994).

The message of Acts: the Spirit, the church & the world (p.

168).

Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

The ministry of Christ was a miracle ministry.

He came to destroy the works of the devil.

He came to overcome sin and sickness.

He showed a concern for both the soul and the body.

He still performs miracles; salvation is a miracle—, .

Paul spoke of people having a form of godliness, but denying its power—.

Jesus promised signs and wonders—, .

9. PARDON—

I. THE PARDON—vv.

1–9

A. Suffering—vv.

1–2.

Saul enjoyed persecuting Christians.

He wanted to destroy all Christians.

B. Surrender—vv.

3–6.

Saul meets Christ.

A light from heaven shines as he is thrown to the ground.

He asks, “What wilt thou have me to do?”

This surrender to God made him one of the greatest of preachers.

C. Surprise—v.

7. The men with Saul stood speechless—hearing a voice but seeing no one.

D. Sightless—vv.

8–9.

For three days Saul was blind and fasted.

II.

THE PLAN—vv.

10–19

A. Person—vv.

10–14.

Ananias (not to be confused with Ananias in ) was told to go and see Saul of Tarsus.

Ananias was fearful, having heard how Saul persecuted and killed Christians.

B. Plan—vv.

15–16.

Saul was God’s chosen vessel to spread His Word.

C. Power—vv.

17–19.

God worked through Ananias to have Paul healed and filled with the Holy Spirit.

III.

THE PREACHING—vv.

20–25

A. Christ—v.

20.

Paul preached Christ in the synagogues.

He preached that Jesus was the Son of God.

B. Character—vv.

21–22.

They see a change in Paul’s character.

Note: He grew in the Lord.

C. Contempt—vv.

23–25.

Jews sought a way to silence Paul.

They seek to kill him.

He escapes over the wall in a basket.

IV.

THE PROOF—vv.

26–31

A. Fear—v.

26.

The people fear Paul, feeling he was a fake.

B. Faith—vv.

27–28.

Barnabas assured the Christians that Paul was a Christian and encouraged the people to accept him.

C. Fellowship—vv.

29–31.

The Christians grew in faith, in God, and in numbers.

Again others seek to kill Paul.

V. THE POWER—vv.

32–35

A. Problem—vv.

32–33.

A man sick with palsy for eight years is healed.

B. Power—vv.

34–35.

Peter prays and the man (Aeneas) is healed.

The people see it and turn to God.

VI.

THE PERFECTION—vv.

36–43

A. Death—vv.

36–37.

Dorcas, who was active in the church, dies.

B. Desires—vv.

38–39.

They desire to have Peter come.

All were sad, since Dorcas did much for the church.

C. Divine—vv.

40–41.

Peter prays and Dorcas comes back to life.

D. Decisions—vv.

42–43.

Many turn to Christ.

Peter stays in Joppa.

I.

The Power—vv.

32–35

A. People—v.

32.

Peter comes to the saints at Lydda.

Saints are people, born-again by the power of God.

Lydda was twenty-three miles northeast of Jerusalem.

B. Problem—v.

33.

Aeneas was sick with palsy for eight years.

C. Perfection—v.

34.

Peter tells Aeneas to be healed in the name of Jesus.

He arose and was healed.

See .

D. Power—v.

35.

All the people in Saron, where Lydda was located, turned unto the Lord.

This healing took place to bring honor and glory to God.