No One is Too Far Gone

Introduction

I invite you to turn with me this morning to Acts chapter 9.

In November of 1995, the prime minister of Israel, Yitzhak (Isaac) Rabin, was assassinated

by one of his own, an Israeli student named Yigal Amir.

In the year prior, prime minister Rabin had taken steps toward political peace . He had shared the Nobel Peace Prize with his political rival Shimon Peres and with the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat — remember that Jews as Arab have long been in conflict over control of Palestine.

Rabin also signed a peace treaty with Jordan, which of course is also currently an Arab nation.

These actions may seem admirable by our American standards, but for devoted Israelis, these actions flew in the face of God’s covenant, threatening national identity and security.

And so Yigal Amir took matters into his own hands.

The news media described the assassin as a “law student,” but of course what we mean by law student does not communicate who Amir was.

He was not studying to be an attorney. He was a zealous student of Torah, a modern-day Pharisee. He was a modern-day Saul.

A few weeks ago, we made mention of Saul as he oversaw the stoning of Stephen, the traitor. Stephen had been spreading poisonous ideas about a crucified messiah.

These poisonous ideas, Saul thought, threatened Israel’s national identity and security. So Saul begins to take matters into his own hands.

Then, as we will read today, Saul came face-to-face with both his worst fear and his greatest hope.

What I believe the story of Acts 9 teaches us is this:

MPT: God saves Saul to show that God will save anyone. No one is too far gone.

Repeat

And don’t just take my word for it. This is precisely the perspective that God gives to Paul about his own salvation experience.

1 Timothy 1:16 ESV

16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Paul understood that he was the least worthy of God’s grace.

In the previous chapter, Luke tells of all sorts of unexpected people who believe the gospel and are saved.

samaritans

demon-possessed people

paralyzed people

a magician

an Ethiopian eunuch

And then, in chapter 9, we come to a “ a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent,” the “foremost” of sinners as he called himself — Saul of Tarsus.

Saul has often been referred to as the terrorist who became an evangelist. And in many ways that is true.

But I think our current understanding of terrorism is not exactly what Saul was attempting to do.

I think we might be able to start with a better understanding of Paul by unpacking what he meant by zeal when he said:

Philippians 3:6 ESV

6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

When Jews hear this word zeal, their minds would immediately be taken to an obscure story in the book of Numbers about a man named Phineas.

The story picks up as Israel is making their way through the land of Moab on their way to the Promised land.

While they were camped there, the men of Israel began taking interest in the Moabite women, and thus they bring a divine plague on Israel since they were disobeying God’s specific instructions to have nothing to do with the Moabites.

So all of this is going on, and then this happens:

Numbers 25:6–8 ESV

6 And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.

Following this, the Lord says to Moses in verse 11:

Numbers 25:11 ESV

11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy.

This is the zeal which burns in the heart of young Saul as he watches the stoning of Stephen.

This man, Jesus, has caused Israel to stray from the Law, and Saul is making it his life’s mission to rid Israel of these covenant breakers.

As we turn our attention now to Acts chapter 9 for the remainder of our time together, I want to view this story in three parts, specifically as they pertain to God showing grace.

I. God shows grace by confronting sin (9:1-9)

Acts 9:1–9 ESV

1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Here we see God showing grace by confronting sin, and we also see an exemplary response to God’s confrontation.

Saul on fire for God (1-2)

We already talked about how it was not hate for people, but love of God that motivated him.

He just happened to be wrong. And in the process, he put himself in direct opposition to God.

So from this we gather a few things:

Sincerity alone cannot save you.

God is gracious and merciful even to those in direct opposition to him.

God is eager to show grace to the worst of sinners.

Saul humbled before Jesus (3-9)

You might expect a holy God to come and destroy his opponents, but that is not at all what we see here.

Jesus stepped in Paul’s way, not only to stop an opponent, but also to set him on the right path.

And from this, we can learn a few things about Jesus:

Jesus comes not to condemn, but to confront your sin.

Jesus doesn’t seek to incriminate you, but to invite you into his way of life.

II. God shows grace by commissioning sinners (9:10-19a)

Acts 9:10–19a ESV

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

God uses Ananias (10-16)

Though reluctant, Ananias trusts God and leads Saul to Christ.

God had prepared the way. All he asked was for Ananias to be faithful in what little he asked of him.

God intends to use Saul (15-19a)

God has no reservations using Saul.

God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.

Both Ananias and Saul had shortcomings, but God still showed them grace.

III. God shows grace through continual sanctification (9:19b-22)

Acts 9:19b–22 ESV

19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

Saul immediately began sharing his faith (19-21)

Saul didn’t let his past keep him from proclaiming Jesus. In fact, he used his story to lead people to Christ.

The most influential people in my life are those who do no hide their shortcomings and mistakes, but those who use their shortcomings and mistakes to make much of the grace of God.

Saul continually grew in knowledge and ability (22)

Saul didn’t begin with all the answers.

He began passionate about the truth, and continued to grow throughout his ministry.

Three things which led to Saul’s sanctification:

Fellowship (v. 19)

Serving (v. 20)

Suffering (v. 21)

All these under the direction of the Holy Spirit led to Saul’s continual sanctification.

Praise God for his continual sanctification, making us more and more like Christ as we seek to be faithful to him.

Sanctification is not immediate, and we will never on this side of the resurrection stamp out all sin in our life.

But God’s love and grace is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Conclusion

I can’t help but wonder if there is someone hearing my voice right now who is so ashamed of their past.

Maybe there is someone who believes they will never measure up to that other person, so there’s no use in even trying.

Maybe there’s someone waiting to get their life together before they get serious about their faith.

Brother, sister, listen to me: No one is too far gone.

I think about the heroes of the Bible. Every one of them experienced common human weaknesses:

Jacob was a cheater

Peter had a temper

David had an affair

Noah had a drinking problem

Jonah ran from God

Paul was a murderer

Gideon was insecure

Miriam was a gossip

Martha was a worrier

Thomas was a doubter

Sara was impatient

Elijah was moody

Moses had a speech impediment

Zaccheus was short

Abraham was old

Lazarus was dead

NO ONE is too far gone. God’s grace is for you.

Psalm 139:7–10 ESV

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

God wants you to be in a right relationship with him today.

He wants to show you abundant grace.

Come to him, and he will show you grace by:

Confronting your sin

Commissioning you as a sinner

Continually leading you to sanctification

Maybe today you have been so ashamed of your past that you felt to call yourself a Christian would just be living a lie.

Brother, sister, to be Christian is to put your sin on full display and say, “Jesus took care of that.”

Maybe today you’ve sincerely sought after God for a long time, but you’ve been convinced that being a Christian just means keeping up appearances.

Jesus wants you to drop the act and tell your story. None of us are perfect, and it’s time we started living like we believed that.

Whatever it is that’s keeping you from complete and utter dependence on Jesus today, I invite you to let it go with me.

God’s gracious and loving embrace is waiting for you. Won’t you come home today.