God can use you too.

One thing I love about the Bible

You can take a life

Analyze it

Detail it

Learn from it

And come out with incredible lessons

So today

I want to tell you a story

A story about a man who devoted his life to killing Christians

A man devoted to killing anyone who opposed his view

A man devoted to slaughtering anyone who was different

Anyone that offended the Jewish method of worship

A man so intense

that he was willing to round up peaceful, innocent, people

So that he could get his way.

But this story is also about a man who took that same devotion

that same energy

that same drive

motivation

And turned it towards preaching Christ

Turned it into a fire

Turned into a life pursuit

A mission

To share the good news of the Gospel

A man who was changed by God

A man who became a powerhouse for God

A man who became the reason you and I are Christians

A man who is the author of 13 books of the Bible

Considered himself a slave for Christ

A man used by God to bring the Gospel to the world

A man who wrote in my opinion

one of the most powerful statements in the Bible

1 Timothy 1:15–16 NLT

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

I also want to share with you the a story about a man named Nikki Cruz.

You see Nikki Cruz holds to the same story line as Paul

Nikki was a gangster in NewYork

Brutal man devoted to killing his enemies

Devoted his life to the pursuit of what I like to call the dirty 5

Sex

Drugs

Alcohol

Money

Anger

A man known as one of the most brutal gangsters in New York in the 80s

But he is also a man changed by God

A man who came to terms with his own mortality and

Eventually his own salvation

A man when face to face with Christ,

Surrendered his life to Jesus and became powerhouse for Christ.

A man who was a murderer, thief, worthless to society

But a man used by God to reach some of the worst in America’s hardest neighborhoods

Now I titled this sermon

God can use you too

Turn with me to Acts 9

While you get there

I want you all to realize something today.

God can pull you out of anything

God can change you

He can do amazing things in your life

I’ve personally witness some of the hardest

Most stubborn

Most angry people

Addicted to everything and anything that will hurt, kill, or harm you

And I’ve seen their lives take a complete 180

Its never to late

Its never to late

So Acts 9

Acts 9:1–22 NLT

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!” All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?” Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

Lets open in prayer

I want you to truly understand what we are dealing with here

Saul who later becomes Paul

Was a man who was motivated to say the least

A man who was determined,

focused,

and energized.

This was a man who’s sole purpose in life

Was the pursuit of God

In fact he was so determined

That like I said at the beginning

He began to hunt Christians down

Throwing them into prison

Even killing them when he deemed necessary.

In fact if you look at Acts 7 verse 54

I want to give you an idea to what was going on

Acts 7:54–8:3 NLT

The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died. Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

Saul was the one who literally approved the killing of Stephen

Think about that,

heres a man

so determined to eliminate a threat

so focused on his version of right

so focused on his way

his needs

his vision

He was unable to see the beauty of Jesus

It had to take something drastic

Something intense to change this man

Quite frankly it took Jesus putting him in his place.

But I’ll tell you

Once that conversion was made

Once that change of heart was made

Paul became a force to be reckoned with.

Fast forward to modern times

The same thing happened with Nikki Cruz

Like I said before

Nikki was a man full of hatred

Wanted to kill anything that went against his version of right

Wanted to destroy everyone and anyone that opposed him

But whats unique about Nikki

Just as God used something incredible to get the attention of Paul

God used something incredible to get the attention of Nikki

God used a pastor by the name of David Wilkerson to change Nikki

To change him into a man on mission

a Man devoted to preaching the word

A man devoted to pulling young men up and out of those neighborhood

a man who has devoted his life to teaching the world about Jesus

Whats unique about this pastor

God used this man to change one of the worst so that God could reach the worst

But whats even more fascinating is how God used this pastor

You see God never make it easy.

This pastor literally stepped into some of the

most dangerous neighborhoods in the country

with the sole purpose of winning souls for Christ

But in modern times we have seemingly gotten away from passages that tell us

following Christ might be hard

It might be difficult at times

Look with me at Acts 9 again

Acts 9:15–16 NLT

But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

First off notice Ananias did not want to go meet this murderer

Ananias had it hard to

But second

and the more you read Scripture

The more you’ll understand

Paul never had it easy

Paul lived his life as if God is real

As if Jesus is real

As if eternity was at stake

And NO

It was not easy.

And thats it isn’t it

What is the cost of following Christ

The Bible never mentions that following Christ is going to be a cake walk

The bible never mentions that you will suddenly become rich

that everyone will like you

that you will get that promotion

or that God just wants to bless all your worldly concerns

NO

The Bible says it quite clear

The world is gonna look at you as the odd ball

As the individual that may be a bit delusional

But at the same time

We have to realize what His promises are

What His goal for us is

What the base storyline of the Bible is

Ask yourself

What do you value the most

What gets you up in the morning?

Is it something material

Something that is going to eventually waste away

Or is it something eternal?

What are you spending your life’s energy and focus on?

Because that’s a real question

What is the reward of a devotion to the faith

Is it eternity with God

Or is it comfort here on earth?

Is it a life on mission filled with purpose?

Or is it having a good time getting everything your heart desires?

What do you value the most?

what did Paul see in Jesus that changed his mind

What did Nikki see in Jesus that changed his mind

What makes Christ so attractive to some

But so unattractive to other?

1 John 2:15–17 NLT

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

I once heard a preacher say

the hardest place to be a Christian

Is the United States

We have everything we need

So we don’t need Christ

We have everything we need

So we don’t acknowledge God in anything

We don’t recognize the miracle of life

The oddity of creation

Think about it

You’re sitting on a random ball of material that is clumped together by gravity

This random clump of material holds all the ingredients to life

Is perfectly fine tuned for life

And yet we barely give God any credit

When you look at Paul

You see a man who gave every waking moment

Every thought

Every word

Over to God

A man who saw value in eternity

A man who looked at Jesus as his savior

A man who saw value in the creator

Ask your self today, how strong is your faith

Cause I don’t see weak examples in the Bible

I don’t half assed Christians

I see men and women devoted to the way

Men and women willing to give up their lives for Christ

I get it and I know how that sounds

You’re probably saying but chaplain

I’m not one of those guys

I’m not what you’re wanting me to be

But I’m asking you today

In fact I am begging you today,

Take your faith seriously

Be you’re own judge

Look I know not everyone is going to be a Paul

I know everyone is not going to be a Nikki Cruz

But at the same time

You know whether you’re hot or cold in the faith

All I’m asking is for you to be honest with yourself

Are you 100% sure

If you died today

You’d be with God in eternity

And if you are

Are you sure because of what the Bible says

Or how you feel about yourself?

Turn to 2 Corinthians 11

Look how serious Paul took his faith

I’ll be the first to recognize,

Paul puts me to shame

Paul’s faith is probably the strongest of any in the Bible

But still

Paul is a man who gets it

Understands whats at stake

2 Cor 11:23-29 look what Paul says

2 Corinthians 11:23–29 NLT

Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?

What is your faith worth to you?

Paul was a changed man

A man totally devoted to God in every way.

A man who most would have thrown away

Nikki too

But God used these men

He can use you too

Don’t ever think you’re too far off for God

Don’t ever think you can’t be forgiven

God knew every sin you would ever commit

Yet He died anyway

All He requires is surrender

All you have to gain is eternity

Ask yourself again

Is eternity with Christ more Valuable than living your way in this life?

For Paul it was

For every other disciple it was

We will close with this verse

Because i think Paul really puts things in perspective here

As a matter of fact if you memorize a passage

Let it be this one

Philippian 3 Verse 8-11

“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”

Philippians 3:8-11 NLT

You have not been promised tomorrow

Start building that relationship today

Get in the Word of God every day

Pray every day

Do something to increase your knowledge of Him every day

Watch how he begins to work in your life

Watch how your purpose and goals change

Watch how your relationships with others change

Last but not least its never too late

You’re never too far gone

God can use any one of you

Hey he uses me and continues to do so

He can do the same for you.

And you all know I’m not perfect

He can use you too

Lets pray