Compassion on a Murderous City

Read Acts 9:10-31

Context:

Early church

It’s been a while, but we started this whole series talking about Saul’s conversion

Now we find him in an inn in Damascus, blind and starving

Thought of the day: Would you have had enough compassion to heal Paul?

Read Acts 9:10-12

We find Paul, not overjoyed with his conversion but crippled by conviction

Don’t let the irony escape you, “He has seen a vision of a man come to heal his sight”

Paul’s physical blindness was a physical manifestation of his spiritual condition.

Read Acts 9:13-14

But God he’s a murderer and he’s here to kill. He’s not even a murderer on vacation!

Read 9:15-16

Isn’t this the guy who… ? Yes, but I have chosen him.

Not, yes but look at all these good qualities. Look at his education and his zeal, no. I have chosen a murderer.

They didn’t decide who to heal or to whom the Spirit would be sent/ review last week

Read 9:17-19

Brother Saul

The hero’s in the early church are not just the apostles, Ananias/Stephan/Barnabas.

When Saul was chosen for the family he was immediately a brother, no probation, full rights as a son of God

Can you imagine how Saul fell on Ananias and wept

Read 9:20-25

Saul starts proclaiming, “I was wrong! Jesus is the Son of God.” He became a target of the very persecution he sought to bring to Damascus

Saul didn’t go directly to Jerusalem

Galatians 1:15-19 But when the one who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me in order that I would proclaim the gospel about him among the Gentiles, immediately I did not consult with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia and I returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days, 19 but I did not see any others of the apostles except James, the brother of the Lord.

What did he do in the Arabian desert for 3 years? Grow/pray/be discipled

Interesting that the rest of the apostles walked with Jesus for 3 years and then we have this missing 3 years in Saul’s story

Read 9:26

He had been a Christian for 3 years but they didn’t believe him. They probably thought he was a spy waiting to infiltrate the church and arrest them. But not Barnabas.

Read 9:27-31

Barnabas the “son of encouragement”

Unlikely Heroes, not just apostles

Imagine him arguing, because I’ve had similar arguments. I know he’s a murder but if Christ can raise the dead can he not take hold of a vicious man’s heart. I know this town has is full of hatred and violence and bullets flying but if Christ could turn the heart of Saul can he not turn the heart of this city?

Mckees Rocks is a type of Saul. There are some who look at this city and say, evangelism here is a waste of time and money. I serve a God bigger than that. I serve a God who breathes life into dry bones, convicts the hearts of murders, breaks the chains of addiction, and raises up men and women to disciple others in the name of Christ.

I choose to be an Ananias and lay my hands on this city, I choose to be a Barnabas that believes in the radical rebirth of the most heinous souls.

Conclusion

Saul was a murder with a ZEAL for it. He not only kills Christians but he loves it, seeks it out, travels and dedicates his life to destroying the church.

He deserved to be blind, he deserved to suffer!

But in that moment Ananias is given the opportunity to truly be like Jesus.

To look upon a man who would kill him and heal.

We have a chance to be like Christ here in this city. We may not be apostles, but let’s choose love and power over fear.