Christ Should Change Us

1 2 BILLY GRAHAM WAS GOING TO SPEAK • ON THE LAST NIGHT OF A WEEK LONG REVIVAL • HE HAD ARRIVED A DAY EARLY. • AND COME IN DISGUISE • HE WAS STANDING AT THE BACK OF THE CROWD. 3 • BECAUSE HE WAS WEARING A HAT AND DARK GLASSES, NO ONE RECOGNIZED HIM. • DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM SAT AN ELDERLY GENTLEMAN • WHO SEEMED TO BE LISTENING INTENTLY TO THE PRESENTATION 4 • WHEN PEOPLE WERE INVITED TO COME FORWARD AS SIGN OF COMMITMENT, • BILLY DECIDED TO DO A LITTLE PERSONAL EVANGELISM. • HE TAPPED THE MAN ON THE SHOULDER AND ASKED, • "WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT CHRIST? 5 • I'LL BE GLAD TO WALK DOWN WITH YOU IF YOU WANT." • THE OLD MAN LOOKED HIM UP AND DOWN, • THOUGHT IT OVER FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN SAID, • "NAW, I THINK I'LL JUST WAIT TILL THE BIG GUN COMES TOMORROW NIGHT." 6 • THIS CUTE LITTLE STORY POINTS OUT AN UNFORTUNATE ATTITUDE • IN THE MINDS OF MANY PEOPLE, • EVANGELISM IS THE TASK OF THE "BIG GUNS," NOT THE "LITTLE FOLKS“ (PAUSE) • WE ARE ALL CALLED TO PROCLAIM JESUS AS THE CHRIST 7 • WE DON’T HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT OR SKILL • THE ONLY THING REQUIRED TO PROCLAIM CHRIST IS TO KNOW CHRIST • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT HOW KNOWING CHRIST CHANGED SAUL • TURN TO ACTS 9:19B • CHRIST HAD SPOKEN TO ANANIAS IN A VISION • HE TOLD HIM TO GO TO SAUL AND RESTORE HIS SIGHT • ANANIAS WENT AND SAUL WAS HEALED AND BAPTISTED 8 ACTS 9:19B–21 9 NOW FOR SEVERAL DAYS HE WAS WITH THE DISCIPLES WHO WERE AT DAMASCUS, AND IMMEDIATELY HE BEGAN TO PROCLAIM JESUS IN THE SYNAGOGUES, SAYING, “HE IS THE SON OF GOD.” 10 ALL THOSE HEARING HIM CONTINUED TO BE AMAZED, AND WERE SAYING, “IS THIS NOT HE WHO IN JERUSALEM DESTROYED THOSE WHO CALLED ON THIS NAME, AND WHO HAD COME HERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING THEM BOUND BEFORE THE CHIEF PRIESTS?” CHRIST CHANGES YOU 11 • NOTICE HOW IT CHANGED WHO SAUL HUNG OUT WITH • SAUL HAD BEEN HANGING OUT WITH PHARSIEES AND HIGH PRIESTS • NOW HE IS HANGING OUT WITH DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST 12 • SAUL HAD COME TO ARREST THESE VERY PEOPLE • “NOW FOR SEVERAL DAYS HE WAS WITH THE DISCIPLES WHO WERE AT DAMASCUS” • WHEN CHRIST COMES IN TO SOMEONES LIFE • IT SHOULD CHANGE THEM • THIS CHANGE CAN TAKE MANY FORMS • IT CERTAINLY CHANGED HOW I TALKED • IT CHANGED HOW I CONDUCTED BUSINESS • IT CHANGED WHO I HUNG OUT WITH • ERIN AND I HAD NO CHURCH GOING FRIENDS BEFORE WE CAME TO CHRIST’ • COMING TO CHRIST SHOULD CHANGE A LOTTA THINGS 13 14 CHRIST CHANGES WHAT YOU SAY • SAUL HAD COME TO DAMASCUS TO SEARCH THE SYNAGOGUES • HE WAS GONNA LOOK FOR ANYONE FOLLOWING JESUS • HE PLANNED TO BIND THEM UP AND HAUL THEM BACK TO JERUSALEM • BUT HIS ECOUNTER WITH CHRIST CHANGED HIM • SO NOW HE COMES TO THESE SAME SYNAGOGUES TO • “TO PROCLAIM JESUS IN THE SYNAGOGUES, “ • THAT IS A PRETTY BIG CHANGE. 15 16 • HE WENT FROM LOCKING UP ANYONE FOLLOWING CHRIST • TO BEING THE ONE PREACHING CHRIST (PAUSE) • NOTICE WHAT HE PROCLAIMED • “HE IS THE SON OF GOD.” • NOT SOME FANCY THEOLOGY • NOT THAT JESUS WILL MAKE YOU RICH • BUT WHO CHRIST IS (PAUSE) • WHEN WE COME TO CHRIST IT SHOULD CHANGE WHAT WE SAY 17 18 • WE SHOULD START TALKING ABOUT JESUS, PROCLAIMING WHO HE IS • BUT IT SHOULD ALSO CHANGE HOW WE TALK ABOUT OTHER THINGS 19 MATTHEW 12:36 “BUT I TELL YOU THAT EVERY CARELESS WORD THAT PEOPLE SPEAK, THEY SHALL GIVE AN ACCOUNTING FOR IT IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. • WE SHOULD PUT AWAY ALL CRUDE, VULGAR SPEECH • WE SHOULD PUT AWAY ALL VAIN, CONCIETED SPEECH • WE SHOULD PUT AWAY ALL GOSSIP AND MALICE AND DECIET 20 • NOTICE I SAID WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD DO THIS • BUT WE DON’T ALWAYS DO THE THINGS WE SHOULD DO • WE NEED TO CHANGE AS MUCH AS SAUL NEEDED TO CHANGE • AND SAUL CHANGED SO MUCH IT UPSET PEOPLE 21 CHRIST CHANGES HOW PEOPLE SEE US 22 • “ALL THOSE HEARING HIM CONTINUED TO BE AMAZED” • THE WORD AMAZED HERE DOES NOT REALLY DO JUSTICE • TO WHAT IS MEANT HERE 23 • THEY WERE ASTONISHED • THEY WERE BESIDE THEM SELVES • THEY WERE STRUCK OUT OF THEIR SENSES • AND THEY CONTINUED TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN OVER AND OVER • WHAT IS IT THAT DID THIS TO THESE PEOPLE? (PAUSE) • IT WAS THE CHANGE IN SAUL • THEY KNEW WHO HE HAD BEEN: 24 25 • “IS THIS NOT HE WHO IN JERUSALEM DESTROYED THOSE WHO CALLED ON THIS NAME,” • WHEN IT SAYS THIS NAME, THEY MEAN THE NAME JESUS • THE ONE WHOM SAUL IS PROCLAIMING AS THE SON OF GOD • THIS SHOCKED AND AMAZED THEM • THEY KNEW WHY SAUL HAD COME TO DAMASCUS • “FOR THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING THEM BOUND BEFORE THE CHIEF PRIESTS?” • AND THE FACT THAT HE NOW WAS PROCLAIMING CHRIST 26 • WAS SOMETHING THEY JUST COULD NOT WRAP THEIR HEADS AROUND (PAUSE) • COMING TO JESUS SHOULD CHANGE, TRANSFORM US 27 • IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE AROUND US NOTICE • IT MIGHT NOT BE AS DRAMATIC AS SAUL • BUT IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING PEOPLE NOTICE 28 ROMANS 12:2 29 AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, SO THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT THE WILL OF GOD IS, THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT. • THE IDEA IS TO CHANGE FROM WHO WE WERE TO • WHO GOD WANTS US TO BE SIR EDWIN LANDSEER THE FAMOUS PAINTER • WAS VISITING A FAMILY IN AN OLD MANSION IN SCOTLAND, 30 31 • ONE OF THE SERVANTS SPILLED A PITCHER LEAVING A LARGE STAIN ON THE WALL. • WHILE THE FAMILY WAS OUT FOR THE DAY, • LANDSEER REMAINED BEHIND. • USING CHARCOAL, HE INCORPORATED THE STAIN INTO A BEAUTIFUL DRAWING. 32 • WHEN THE FAMILY RETURNED THEY FOUND A PICTURE OF A WATERFALL • SURROUNDED BY TREES AND ANIMALS. • HE USED HIS SKILL TO MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL • OUT OF WHAT HAD BEEN AN UNSIGHTLY MESS. 33 • GOD DOES THE SAME THING WITH SAUL. • HE TOOK SAUL’S FAULTS AND WEAKNESSES AND • THROUGH GOD’S GRACE, THEY BECAME SAUL’S GREATEST STRENGTHS 34 • GOD CAN DO THE SAME THING IN OUR LIVES IF WE LET HIM • GOD’S GRACE PROVIDES THE STRENGTH TO MEET EVERY CHALLENGE • AND TRANSFORM EVERY WEAKNESS ACTS 9:22 35 BUT SAUL KEPT INCREASING IN STRENGTH AND CONFOUNDING THE JEWS WHO LIVED AT DAMASCUS BY PROVING THAT THIS JESUS IS THE CHRIST. GOD GROWS US 36 • I DON’T WANT US TO MISS THE CONNECTION HERE • LUKE TELLS US; “SAUL KEPT INCREASING IN STRENGTH” • THIS PHRASE INCREASING IN STRENGTH MEANS • TO BECOME MORE ABLE OR CAPABLE TO DO A TASK 37 • AND IT IS NOT SAUL THAT IS DOING THE INCREASING • IN THE GREEK IT READS MORE LIKE • SAUL KEPT HAVING HIS ABILITY INCREASED • IT IS GOD WHO IS DOING THE INCREASING 38 • SO, WHAT IS IT THAT SAUL IS BEING MADE MORE ABLE • MORE CAPABLE TO DO • SAUL AND BEEN PROCLAIMING JESUS AS THE CHRIST • AND GOD KEPT INCREASING A CAPABILITY IN DOING THIS • AT FIRST, HE AMAZED THOSE WHO HEARD HIM • NEXT IT WILL SAY HE CONFOUNDED THEM • AS SAUL SERVES GOD, GOD GROWS HIS ABILITY TO SERVE 39 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4–6 40 NOW THERE ARE VARIETIES OF GIFTS, BUT THE SAME SPIRIT. AND THERE ARE VARIETIES OF MINISTRIES, AND THE SAME LORD. THERE ARE VARIETIES OF EFFECTS, BUT THE SAME GOD WHO WORKS ALL THINGS IN ALL PERSONS. 41 • WHEN WE USE THE GIFTS, GOD HAS GIVEN US TO SERVE HIM • HE GROWS THOSE GIFTS, HE MAKES US MORE ABLE TO SERVE HIM • SAUL PROCLAIMED CHRIST AND HIS ABILITY INCREASED GOD GROWS OUR IMPACT • GOD INCREASED SAULS ABILITY TO PROCLAIM CHRIST • TO THE POINT THAT IT; • “CONFOUNDING THE JEWS WHO LIVED AT DAMASCUS” • THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE JEWS WHO WERE NOT FOLLOWING CHRIST 42 43 • SAUL’S ARGUMENTS WERE SO STRONG THEY HAD NO RESPONSE • SAUL CONFOUNDED THEM; • “BY PROVING THAT THIS JESUS IS THE CHRIST.” • THIS IS SOMETHING SAUL WILL DO THE REST OF HIS LIFE ACTS 17:2–3 44 AND ACCORDING TO PAUL’S CUSTOM, HE WENT TO THEM, AND FOR THREE SABBATHS REASONED WITH THEM FROM THE SCRIPTURES, EXPLAINING AND GIVING EVIDENCE THAT THE CHRIST HAD TO SUFFER AND RISE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD, AND SAYING, “THIS JESUS WHOM I AM PROCLAIMING TO YOU IS THE CHRIST.” 45 • SAUL PROVED JESUS WAS THE CHRIST BY EXPLAINING • PASSAGES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT • HE WOULD EXPLAIN HOW CHRIST FULFILLED PROPHECIES • HE WOULD SHOW THEM HOW DAIVD TALKED ABOUT 46 47 • CHRIST IN THE PSALMS • SAUL COULD DO THIS BECAUSE HE HAD STUDIED SCRIPTURE • THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE NEED TO STUDY SCRIPTURE • WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW PROVE TO PEOPLE 48 • JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE ONE GOD PROMISED WOULD COME • THE ONE WHO WOULD BE OUR SAVIOR • WHO WOULD SUFFER AND DIE TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • WE NEED TO KNOW THIS EVIDENCE 49 • TO BE ABLE TO TELL IT TO OTHERS (PAUSE) THE DISTINGUISHED LAWYER SAMUEL HOAR • WAS REPRESENTING A DEFENDANT IN COURT • WHEN IT WAS TIME TO PRESENT HIS CASE, 50 • HE TOLD THE JURORS THAT THE FACTS FAVORING HIS CLIENT • WERE SO EVIDENT THAT HE WOULD NOT • INSULT THEIR INTELLIGENCE BY ARGUING THEM. • THE JURY RETIRED TO DELIBERATE AND RETURNED 51 • IN A FEW MINUTES WITH A VERDICT OF GUILTY. • SAMUEL HOAR WAS ASTONISHED! • "HOW," HE ASKED, "COULD YOU HAVE REACHED SUCH A VERDICT?" • THE FOREMAN REPLIED, 52 • "WE ALL AGREED THAT IF ANYTHING COULD BE SAID FOR A CASE, • YOU WOULD SAY IT. BUT SINCE YOU DIDN'T PRESENT ANY EVIDENCE, • WE DECIDED TO RULE AGAINST YOU." • SILENCE HAD LOST THE CASE. 53 • HOW OFTEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK A WORD OF TESTIMONY • FOR CHRIST IS LOST BECAUSE WE REMAIN SILENT. (PAUSE) • THOSE WHO NEED TO HEAR THE GOSPEL MAY CONCLUDE • THAT SALVATION IS NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO TALK ABOUT. • WE CAN’T TELL PEOPLE WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW • AS WE STUDY OUR BIBLE AND PRCLAIM CHRIST • GOD WILL GROW OUR ABILITY TO SERVE HIM • BUT OUR GROWTH WILL NOT PLEASE EVERYONE 54 ACTS 9:23–25 WHEN MANY DAYS HAD ELAPSED, THE JEWS PLOTTED TOGETHER TO DO AWAY WITH HIM, BUT THEIR PLOT BECAME KNOWN TO SAUL. THEY WERE ALSO WATCHING THE GATES DAY AND NIGHT SO THAT THEY MIGHT PUT HIM TO DEATH; 55 56 BUT HIS DISCIPLES TOOK HIM BY NIGHT AND LET HIM DOWN THROUGH AN OPENING IN THE WALL, LOWERING HIM IN A LARGE BASKET. 57 GROWTH UPSETS SOME PEOPLE • WE DON’T GROW OVER NIGHT • “WHEN MANY DAYS HAD ELAPSED” • IT TAKES TIME TO GROW 58 • THE IDEA OF “MANY DAYS” IS MONTHS OR YEARS • SAUL DID NOT STAY IN DAMASCUS DURING THIS TIME • HE WENT TO ARABIA GALATIANS 1:17 59 NOR DID I GO UP TO JERUSALEM TO THOSE WHO WERE APOSTLES BEFORE ME; BUT I WENT AWAY TO ARABIA, AND RETURNED ONCE MORE TO DAMASCUS. • SAUL WENT TO ARABIA TO GROW • SAUL DESCRIBES THIS GROWTH 60 GALATIANS 1:12 FOR I NEITHER RECEIVED IT FROM MAN, NOR WAS I TAUGHT IT, BUT I RECEIVED IT THROUGH A REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 61 62 • SO, SAUL HAD GONE OFF TO GROW IN THE GOSPEL • AND HE COMES BACK DAMASCUS AND STARTS PREACHING CHRIST • AND PEOPLE START TALKING ABOUT HIM • “THE JEWS PLOTTED TOGETHER TO DO AWAY WITH HIM,” 63 • THE FIRST TIME SAUL PROCLAIMED JESUS THE JEWS WERE AMAZED • HE WENT AWAY TO ARABIA AND WHEN HE COMES BACK AND PREACHES • THEY START PLOTTING TO KILL HIM 64 • THIS WORD PLOTTING IS THE IDEA OF • CONSULTING WITH EACH OTHER • TALKING ABOUT SAUL (PAUSE) • WHEN WE GROW IN CHRIST • THERE MAY BE SOME PEOPLE THAT • START TALKING ABOUT US • WE NEED TO BE OK WITH THIS • IT IS PART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE GOD • IT IS REALLY NOT US THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT • THEY ARE REALLY REACTING TO JESUS NOT US 65 66 JOHN 15:18 “IF THE WORLD HATES YOU, YOU KNOW THAT IT HAS HATED ME BEFORE IT HATED YOU. 67 • SO, DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALLY • WHEN THEY TALK, ITS REALLY ABOUT JESUS • SAUL FINDS OUT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT HIM • “BUT THEIR PLOT BECAME KNOWN TO SAUL.” 68 • AND IT IS A GOOD THING HE DOES • CAUSE THEY WERE GONNA DO MORE THAN JUST TALK 69 • “THEY WERE ALSO WATCHING THE GATES DAY AND NIGHT SO THAT THEY MIGHT PUT HIM TO DEATH;” • THEY WANTED TO DO MORE THAN JUST TALK • THEY WANT TO PUT HIM TO KILL HIM. 70 • THIS SOUNDS EXTREME • BUT THIS STILL HAPPENS TODAY • THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD RIGHT NOW • UNDER A SENTENCE OF DEATH FOR 71 • PROCLAIMING JESUS AS THE CHRIST • NOW CURRENTLY IN OUR COUNTRY • YOU ARE NOT LIKELY TO HAVE PEOPLE PLOT • TO KILL YOU FOR PREACHING JESUS 72 • BUT THEY MAY PLOT TO GET YOU FIRED • OR SUED, MAYBE EVEN REMOVED FROM A VOLUNTEER POSITION • IF WE PREACH CHRIST WE NEED TO NOT BE SHOCKED WHEN THIS HAPPENS 73 • BUT WE DO NEED TO FORGIVE THEM AND • WE DO NEED TO STAY HUMBLE • WE MIGHT EVEN NEED HELP FROM OTHERS AS GOD GROWS US LET OTHERS HELP US • SAUL IS IN A TOUGH SPOT • IT IS NOT JUST THE JEWISH PEOPLE OUT TO GET HIM 74 2 CORINTHIANS 11:32–33 75 IN DAMASCUS THE ETHNARCH UNDER ARETAS THE KING WAS GUARDING THE CITY OF THE DAMASCENES IN ORDER TO SEIZE ME, AND I WAS LET DOWN IN A BASKET THROUGH A WINDOW IN THE WALL, AND SO ESCAPED HIS HANDS. 76 • THE GOVENOR IS HELPING IN THE PLOT TO KILL SAUL • IT’S A GOOD THING SAUL HAS SOME HELP TOO • “BUT HIS DISCIPLES TOOK HIM BY NIGHT AND LET HIM DOWN THROUGH AN OPENING IN THE WALL, LOWERING HIM IN A LARGE BASKET.” 77 • SAUL IS BLESSED TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP HIM • THEY ARE DESCRIBED AS HIS DISCIPLES • THIS MEANS SAUL WAS TEACHING THEM ABOUT CHRIST 78 • THESE DISCIPLES HELP SAUL OUTTA THIS TIGHT SPOT • BY LOWERING HIM OUT A WINDOW IN A BASKET (PAUSE) • GOD WANTS US TO BE HUMBLE • I THINK HAVING TO BE LOWERED OUT A WINDOW IN A BASKET • WOULD BE A PRETTY HUMBLING EXPERINCE • ANYTIME WE LET OTHERS HELP US • IT HELPS US TO BE HUMBLE 79 80 GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER, • THE SCIENTIST WHO DEVELOPED HUNDREDS OF USEFUL PRODUCTS FROM THE PEANUT, ONCE WROTE: • "WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I SAID TO GOD, • 'GOD, TELL ME THE MYSTERY OF THE UNIVERSE.' 81 • BUT GOD ANSWERED, 'THAT KNOWLEDGE IS RESERVED FOR ME ALONE.' • SO I SAID, 'GOD, TELL ME THE MYSTERY OF THE PEANUT.' • THEN GOD SAID, 'WELL, GEORGE, THAT'S MORE NEARLY YOUR SIZE.' AND HE TOLD ME." 82 • WHEN WE ACCEPT HELP FROM OTHERS WE ARE ADMITING • THAT SOMETHING IS BEYOND OUR SIZE • THAT WE CAN’T HANDLE IT ALONE • AND THAT IS PART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMBLE SOME FOLKS THINK EVANGELISM IS JUST SOMETHING • FOR THE BIG GUNS, THE BILLY GRAM’S OF THE WORLD • BUT EVERYONE WHO TRUSTS IN IN CHRIST • IS CALLED TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD (PAUSE) 83 84 • JUST LIKE SAUL WHEN WE PROCLAIM CHRIST • GOD WILL GROW OUR ABILITY TO SERVE HIM • HE WILL CHANGE AND TRANSFORM US, IF WE LET HIM • HE MAY NEED TO CHANGE WHAT WE TALK ABOUT 85 • HOW WE THINK, WHO WE HANG AROUND WITH • WHEN HE DOES THIS IT WILL CHANGE HOW PEOPLE SEE US • THEY MAY TALK ABOUT THE CHANGE IN US • WE NEED TO KNOW THEY ARE NOT REALLY TALKING ABOUT US 86 • THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT CHRIST • IF THEY DO TAKE ACTION • WE NEED TO BE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO ACCEPT HELP • THIS ALL STARTS WHEN WE ARE HUMBLE ENOUGH 87 • TO ADMIT WE ARE SINNERS IN NEED OF A SAVIOR • IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WHO HAS NOT TRUST IN CHRIST 88