Sermon Tone Analysis

A PERSONAL REVIVAL

The Life Church of Lincoln

Acts 9:1-19

23 Jan 10 #428

And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord?

And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.10

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias.

And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened.

Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

Every revival, no matter how big or small, how famous, begins as a personal revival.

A “Damascus Road” experience will change the direction of your life, and you will never be the same again.

Conversion Is about Radical Change

1. Jesus spoke about being “born again.”

2. The Apostles taught about becoming a citizen

(KJV 1900)

3. Paul described it as being adopted into God’s family.

3. Paul described it as being adopted into God’s family.

(KJV 1900)

4. Conversion results in a new creation.

4. Conversion results in a new creation.

(KJV 1900)

DAMASCUS ROAD EXPERIENCE A. Saul the Persecutor

DAMASCUS ROAD EXPERIENCE A. Saul the Persecutor

Saul believed in God with all his might, and he believed he was doing God a favor by persecuting the Christians.

It is possible to be sincerely wrong.

B. Intervention from Heaven

(KJV 1900)

1.

The light from Heaven blinded Saul so that his spiritual vision could be cured.

1.

The light from Heaven blinded Saul so that his spiritual vision could be cured.

(KJV 1900)

2. Notice, the Lord did not say, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute My church?”

2. Notice, the Lord did not say, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute My church?”

a.

To persecute the church is to persecute Jesus.

3. Saul asked two questions on the Damascus road.

“Who are you, lord?”

“What shall I do, Lord?” )

4. Saul realized he was on the threshold of a radical change, but he did not know how to begin.

5.

There are many people in the same position, and that’s where you come in.

II.

THE ROLE OF ANANIAS

God always has placed the responsibility for the proclamation of the gospel in the hands of mankind.

Jesus could have told Saul the plan of salvation, but instead He directed Saul to go into the city of

Damascus where he would be told what to do.

Then God sent Ananias to a house on Straight Street where Saul was staying.

2. What role have you played in the conversion of a soul?

a.

We have to pray, and we have to fast.

b.

We have to do more than pray and fast; ...we have to become involved in the lives of people.

3. If you sat around yesterday not knowing what to do, there are thousands of people who could have benefited from a visit with you.

A. Hearing from God

(KJV 1900)

“Carrie Eastridge, the mother of Nona Freeman, was urged by the Holy Ghost to stop her car, get out, and preach the message.

She stopped and looked around for her audience, but there was no one in sight.

She preached anyway, as the Lord had commanded.

She did not know that her message woke up a drunken man hiding in the drainage pipe underneath the road.

He heard her message and heard her drive away.

He made his way to the nearest city and sought out a Pentecostal church.

He received his own Pentecostal experience that forever did away with his old drunken life!

(Johnson, Winter 2011, 71–72)

“Carrie Eastridge, the mother of Nona Freeman, was urged by the Holy Ghost to stop her car, get out, and preach the message.

She stopped and looked around for her audience, but there was no one in sight.

She preached anyway, as the Lord had commanded.

She did not know that her message woke up a drunken man hiding in the drainage pipe underneath the road.

He heard her message and heard her drive away.

He made his way to the nearest city and sought out a Pentecostal church.

He received his own Pentecostal experience that forever did away with his old drunken life!

(Johnson, Winter 2011, 71–72)

That man experienced a personal revival.

B. Faith and Works

1. Faith and works go hand in hand.

(KJV 1900)

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

2. We must complete to the best of our ability the task assigned to us.

3.

While Ananias may not have understood fully what was happening, he did as he was told.

4.

This is the essence of real faith.

III.

PAUL’S CONVERSION EXPERIENCE

A. A Changed Desire

1. Saul went from being a persecutor of the church to being a proclaimer of the gospel.

(KJV 1900)

2. Saul went from the worst to the best in a moment.

2. Saul went from the worst to the best in a moment.

““ (KJV 1900)

15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

3. Conversion completely changes your desires.