The Greatest Story Ever Told
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The greatest. The words have been used repeatedly to describe something considered to be the ultimate of its kind. In sports there is the greatest comebacks of all time, greatest play, greatest team, coach, the greatest athlete of all time. In music, the greatest composer, singer, writer, band, etc… In literature, the greatest book, the greatest author, the greatest playwright.
Today: The Greatest Story Ever Told
Story of Beginnings, Tragedy, Betrayal, Sacrifice, Grace, Forgiveness, Redemption, Victory, and love...mostly of Love. The story began thousands of years ago in a garden called Eden. God made a perfect garden for a man and a woman to live. They had complete freedom with one command – don’t eat the fruit from the tree that represented the knowledge of Good and Evil. In one act of complete disobedience, they ate the fruit and brought sin into the world. God disciplined them by kicking them out of the garden. They were separated from God and every generation of mankind has been separated by sin since. But God didn’t leave mankind in this state, he had a plan to redeem man from the penalty of sin and restore them to a personal relationship with him.
The Bible describes how God used one man, Abraham, to start a chosen family and nation, Israel, to fulfill his plan. In the course of time, God took on flesh through his son Jesus. This Jesus would live a sinless life, preach about the Kingdom of God during a travelling ministry, prove himself to be the son of God by miracles, be betrayed by one of his own, illegally tried for sedition, scourged and beaten, carried a cross, and died a criminal’s death by crucifixion. All of this he did willingly and according to God’s plan. By his death, he paid God’s required price for sin. He was buried in a borrowed tomb but didn’t stay. We are here today in recognition of his triumph over sin and death. On the third day he rose from the dead in power and victory. So that, everyone who would believe in him would receive the gift of forgiveness of sin and life.
But that’s not the end of the story – No! It is also a Story of Transformation – those who trust in Jesus have experienced a life alteration. I want to direct your attention to a man whose life was radically altered by the Risen Christ. A man named Paul. Open your Bible to . Paul is on trial before King Agrippa, accused by the High Priest Ananias of stirring up riots among the Jews, being a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, and a profaner of the temple. Paul’s defense included his testimony.
HIS SIN
“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
This was Paul’s sin. He was zealous as a follower of God to eradicate those who would blaspheme against God by saying Jesus was God.
He was persecuting Christians.
HIS CONVERSION
Acts
“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Blinded with his eyes wide open.
Blinded with his eyes wide open.
TRANSFORMATION
Acts 26:19
“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
Paul immediately began to tell about Christ.
Notice Agrippa’s response to Paul.
And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”
Acts 26:24
True and rational words. None of this has been done in a corner.
Appeal
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
Acts 26:27
Making an appeal to believe is imperative. Paul never wasted an opportunity to share his testimony and neither should we.
Agrippa, “Would you have me become a believer after such a short time?”
PRAYER
And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”
This story is your story.
If you have received Christ and are a believer, then share his story, your story, with someone else. Paul gives us the model to follow:
Who I was before – a sinner/disobedient to God.
Conversion: How you came to trust in Christ – not everyone has a Damascus road experience but realization of your condition and need for Christ is common to every conversion.
Transformation: How has he changed your life?
Like a suit that no longer fits, we are altered by our new relationship.
Old life no longer fits – Jesus has altered the fit.
Appeal – do you believe? Remember, it’s not up to you, it’s up to God.
Prayer
If you are here today and you have not received God’s free offer of forgiveness and life, I want to extend that opportunity to you now.
If you will trust Christ you (vs18) may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that you may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in him.
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Today is the day of salvation.