Witness To Christ Involves Suffering For Christ

Witness To Christ Involves Suffering For Christ Acts 9:20–32 (NIV84) 20 At once [Immediately] he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. 23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night, they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. Brothers and sisters, this morning, we have listened to an exciting portion of God’s word. It is the fascinating story of Saul/Paul, the persecutor who became the persecuted – the story of the man who left Jerusalem with an official mandate from the high priest to arrest fugitive Christians, that ends with him leaving Jerusalem as a fugitive Christian himself. Now, I can tell you that to me this story is absolutely fascinating. It is fascinating for more than one reason. And I’d like to share with you why. First of all, I’m fascinated by the role that obedience and urgency play in Saul’s story. According to verses 17-19 Ananias went reluctantly but still obediently to the house to find Saul. He laid hands on Saul and spoke to him in the name of Jesus. He stated that Jesus, who appeared to Saul on the road sent him. And the purpose of his arrival was to restore Saul’s sight and so that he might receive the Holy Spirit. Why did Saul need these two things to happen? So that he could witness! And Luke tells us that this is precisely what happened: A once, immediately after his sight has been restored, Saul began to preach. Immediately after receiving his sight and spending some time with the believers in Damascus. Then Saul went to the synagogue to tell the Jews about Christ. Do you see? No hesitation. No time wasted. Some Christians counsel new believers to wait until they are thoroughly grounded in their faith before attempting to share the gospel. Notice that Saul took time [3 years to be exact] to learn more about Jesus before beginning his worldwide ministry, but he did not wait to witness, this he started immediately after his sight was restored. I believe there is a valid principle here: Although we should not rush into a ministry unprepared, we do not need to wait before telling others the story of our personal encounters with Jesus. Why does this fascinate me? It seems to me that Luke wants us to understand that Saul could not wait to go to the synagogues in Damascus to share the good news he had just received. Remember he went out with the blessing of the synagogues to do the thuggery of the synagogues. An route to Damascus, he became convinced that he was actually the one committing the wrong! He knew that he had to rectify the injustice of the past. He had not only wronged Christians. He had also wronged the Jews. In the past he denied that Jesus was who He said he was. But now, after his encounter with Jesus he knew that Jesus was God Incarnated. It was too good a message to keep to himself. So, instead of asking the Jews to identify the Christians to him so that he could take them to goal, he came right to the point. He told them that he came to realise that the Jesus that he was persecuting is the Son of God. Friends, what an amazing statement. The amazing bit is not the message itself. No, what shocked the people was the messenger. Those who heard Saul knew about the absolute hatred towards Christians. To them it was inconceivable that he was now preaching it with such enthusiasm. I looked at it in a few different translations of verses 20-22. The King James says that “he preached the Christ … that He is the Son of God.” The Greek text is that “he preached Jesus … that He is the Son of God.” The New King James Version acknowledges that with the footnote. Actually, I think it is stronger wording to say that Saul proclaimed Jesus and identified Him as the one who is indeed the Son of God. Friends, it is noteworthy that this is the only time Saul/Paul used this particular messianic title for Jesus Christ. This makes this statement all the more powerful. Think about it: a converted Pharisee, known both for his brilliance and for his previous opposition to Jesus and His followers, is now saying He is the Son of God... And remember this term “Son of God” was used for the Messiah, the Saviour as the true liberator of God’s people, He is the anointed king of the kingdom of God. Friends Saul could not have been more accurate, or bold – as an educated pharisee and scholar of the law he knew. All his training in the sacred Scriptures leapt into use. So, he could say to his fellow countrymen “Listen! You’ve heard of the Messiah and you’ve heard of Jesus. I know with assurance He is the one and the same. He is Son of God.” Friends, I want you to understand: Saul’s one message was “Jesus is the Christ.” He never once deviated from that all through the rest of his ministry. Even when he dealt with profound theological issues in his epistles, he always came back to this basic statement. In my mind describing Jesus as the “Son of God” have three important implications: (1) it speaks of Jesus’ intimate and unique relationship with God the Father; (2) it places Jesus in the kingly line of David; (3) it identifies Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah of Israel (Matthew 26:63; Mark 14:61; Luke 22:67–70). Saul could do this so soon after his conversion because his experience on the road to Damascus had been unmistakable. Saul KNEW that Jesus was alive, that Jesus WAS God’s Son, and that Jesus was the Messiah. The second thing that fascinates me is the response of the Jews in Damascus. The Jews in the synagogues were dumbfounded. Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. None other than Saul of Tarsus was saying Jesus was the Son of God. The persecutor of Christians was now a powerful witness of Christ Jesus! No wonder Jews were baffled by Saul’s powerful preaching. His words were filled with power as he continued proving that Jesus is the Christ. The verb “prove” as used here means “to put together.” Essentially, what Saul was doing was taking Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah and putting them together with the facts of Jesus’ life, therefore proving to the Jews living in Damascus that Jesus was the one to whom the Scriptures pointed. Friends, a third thing that fascinates me in this passage is the fact that Saul wasn’t tempted by the lure of invisibility. He acted according to his conviction. As Christians, we are often tempted by the lure of invisibility – Inner room followers (people who read their bible and do their devotions in private never to touch the life of another individual) —the fabled cloak or ring that gives us the power to walk undetected among our friends and enemies. Although it is true that we should “make more of God” and that it means making less of ourselves, we sometimes use this truth as an excuse to disappear into obscurity and avoid proclaiming God’s work in and through our lives. Often, we do it this way because living under the radar is much more comfortable being a Christian in the coal face of everyday life Our passage reveals that Paul opted not to choose the convenient route. As a former persecutor of the Church, Paul knew the danger of preaching Christ in the open—the chief priests had once empowered him to imprison all who publicly profess Christ (Acts 9:14). Yet, now as a new convert, Paul proclaimed the name of Jesus as the Christ as loudly as possible to anybody within hearing distance: “And he was going in and going out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. And he was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were trying to kill him” (Acts 9:28–29). I think he was definitely giving new meaning to the saying proclaiming it from the rooftops! Friends, most of us know that life Jesus never promised us that life as a Christian would be a life of ease. Saul knew all about that. He knew how quickly friends would turn into enemies. He knew how long it would take for enemies to become trusted friends. Saul knew something else right from the beginning—the hostility of his own people. In verse 23-25 we are told: “After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night, they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.” The angry resistance he felt from the Jews right from the beginning was a foretaste of what he would know all his life. Saul’s experience in Jerusalem was similar to his experience in Damascus. On his arrival in the capital city, he tried to join the disciples, since he knew he was one of them, but they were filled with scepticism and fear this is what verse 26 tells us: “When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.” Presumably, they had not heard of him for three years. But this time Barnabas came to the rescue. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. True to his disposition and his name, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles (in particular to Peter and James according to Galatians 1:18–20), and told them how he had seen the Lord, the Lord had spoken to him, and in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. As a result of this testimonial, Saul was accepted as a Christian brother. He stayed with them end moved about freely in Jerusalem during the two weeks we know that he spent there. Friends, what is our image of a life of ease? Is it overstuffed buffet tables, thriving businesses, bulging bank accounts, good relationships, good health? Is it remaining silent when we should confess the name of Christ? Is it nor rocking the boat when we see social injustice? Or is it judging from afar when we should be coming alongside people in their pain and brokenness? If we follow Paul’s brazen example, we will boldly and wisely share Christ in every possible circumstance. Saul was clear about belonging to the new society of Jesus. First, in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, he sought out ‘the disciples’ (19, 26). True, both groups hesitated, but their initial scepticism was overcome. Thank God for Ananias who introduced Saul to the fellowship in Damascus, and for Barnabas who did the same thing for him later in Jerusalem. But for them, and the welcome they secured for him, the whole course of church history might have been different. Friends, true converts always end up in God’s family. It is not only that converts must join the Christian community. The Christian community must welcome converts, especially those from a different religious, ethnic or social background. If we want to grow the church exponentially where we live there is an urgent need for modern-day Ananias’s and Barnabites who overcome their scruples and hesitations and take the initiative to befriend newcomers.