Unbelievable, Irresistible and Amazing Grace- Acts 9:1-31

We come to one of those chapters that baffles both the heart and mind. It is greater than any sunset or scene of nature any human has ever witnessed. It is more marvelous than the birth of the child, sweeter than the love between husband and wife, and more glorious than the wise grandfather or grandmother.

This chapter displays the miracle of salvation. We call it a miracle appropriately. Unfortunately, we often think of the miracles of healing, of giving sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, of raising the lame to walk as miracles alone.

The Scriptures teach that miracles are remarkable, but there is a far greater miracle than these, even more amazing than bringing a dead person back to physical life. It is the glorious miracle of salvation. Our religious forefathers knew of this miracle, in the Canons of Dort, and referring to the miracle of salvation, these godly men wrote,

“Rather, it [salvation] is an entirely supernatural work, one that is at the same time most powerful and most pleasing, a marvelous, hidden, and inexpressible work, which is not lesser than or inferior in power to that of creation or of raising the death, as Scripture teaches.”—Canons of Dort, III:12

What we see in the life of Saul is none other than an unbelievable miracle displaying the irresistible grace of God. We see the persecutor become the preacher. We see the enemy of God become the son of God. We see the hatred of Christ’s disciples turn into the love for Christ’s disciples.

However, as we consider the miracle of salvation, we can miss that every salvation, regardless of how openly wicked we were, is a miracle of God. Never apologize or hate that you do not have a remarkable salvation account. Every salvation account is a miracle where spiritually dead, God-hating wretches are glorious brought to new life, into love with God, and now are made one with Christ.

My point that I would like for us to focus on this evening is this,

Every salvation is unbelievable and displays the irresistible and amazing grace of God which should move us to worship God deeply.

I. The Absolute Hatred for God and His People- 9:1-3a

We begin this section with a similar statement found in 8:1-3. Saul was last scene “ravaging the church,” and while he passed off the scene for the majority of chapter 8, he returns in a vicious manner. He is breathing our threatenings and murder (or, slaughter) against the disciples of Christ. Saul hates these disciples so much that he was willing to travel to Damascus to hunt them down and drag them back to Jerusalem (a journey on foot of about 40 hours).

The enemies of God, including unregenerate (or, unsaved) people hate God and His people. John tells us to stop being surprised when the world hates us (1 John 3:13, John 15:18). This hatred does not stop at God. It extends to His disciples.

We know of biological evolutionist Richard Dawkins and his hatred for God and His disciples. Others are like Dawkins who uses a form of academic prudence to discourage people of the faith. Still others, like the Chinese government, attempt to coerce people with weapons and death.

There is a wide spectrum of hatred against God and His disciples, but it is shown by Saul here at the beginning of chapter 9. It is upon this backdrop that the unstoppable grace of God is displayed.

II. The Unstoppable Grace of God- 9:3b-9

Here we have an individual who is killing and threatening disciples of Christ with imprisonment and death. There can be no other greater display of hatred than this. As he was on his way to Damascus, “suddenly” a light shines.

And Saul hears a voice from heaven. This is God on display here, as the Old Testament Scriptures well attest. This voice calls out Saul’s name twice, asking why Saul is persecuting him. Saul asks who is talking to him. I cannot imagine the thoughts and feelings running through Saul at this point.

The Lord Jesus replies, the very one against Whom Saul is waging war, with a startling and terrifying statement, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

At this point, Saul is trembling and astonished. He is shaking, completely overwhelmed at this occurence. But God does something amazing. Saul the persecutor was actively fighting against Christ now becomes the servant of Jesus. God’s grace is unstoppable. He cannot be thwarted. He sits in the heavens and does whatever he pleases (Psalm 115:3). In obedience to Saul’s new Lord, he arises and heads to Damascus, blind because of his vision of Christ and fasting from food and drink.

III. The Unbelievable Grace of God- 9:10-19

At this point, those with whom he is traveling have no idea what is going on. They could only here something the voice, but could not see anything. Meanwhile, the Lord works with Ananias to go and heal Saul. Now, this man was a disciple at Damascus, meaning that if Saul had the opportunity he would have thrown Ananias into prison and transported him back to Jerusalem. He revealed this to Saul as well, but the focus is on Ananias.

But Ananias heard about Saul. He tells God what is going on, as if the Lord needs to hear it to be made aware. Ananias, in other words, could not believe God’s grace. It did not make sense to him. Nor should it to us. Our response should be one of bewilderment. If your response to God’s salvation of your soul is not one of sheer and utter shock, you have a small view of God’s holiness, a small view of your own sinfulness, or both. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,” says God, after all.

Ananias faithfully obeys the Lord, however, and proceeds to heal Saul. I imagine he was very afraid, yet the Lord carries out His will perfectly.

IV. The Irresistible Call to Ministry- 9:20-22

Like the blind man, who upon receiving his sight in John 9, Saul cannot be silent. I want you to remember that, for Saul, this was about as shocking a turn as he could take. He literally killed Christians and imprisoned them, and now he was preaching the Messiah to the Jewish people. When God saves us, we cannot remain silent. We need to share His goodness with others.

Every salvation is unbelievable and displays the irresistible and amazing grace of God which should move us to worship God deeply.

This encounter with Christ changed Saul. People could not believe it! He was the one persecuting, now he is the one preaching. Saul, through the work of God, began confounding the Jewish people. He proved that Jesus is the Messiah. God had chosen Saul to proclaim Messiah (see Gal. 1:1, 15) before Saul was ever born.

When God saves us, he saves us for work (cf. Eph. 2:10).

V. The Unavoidable Spiritual War- 9:23-31

This section ends with Saul escaping from death threats twice (23-25 and 29-30). He was boldly proclaiming Messiah, even when brothers and sisters in Christ did not believe him, and faced the very same persecution in which he himself engaged.

In other words, the spiritual war that he was fighting before did not cease, he just changed sides through God’s grace.

Though the war raged, God blessed the churches with peace and edification (building up). God, the Triune God who worked all things out in accordance to His will (Eph. 1:11). Though the spiritual war had calmed down, it would live on, all the while God’s unbelievable, irresistible, and amazing grace would continue to be displayed in the salvation of souls.

Every salvation is unbelievable and displays the irresistible and amazing grace of God which should move us to worship God deeply.

For further study, consider working through this portion from the London Baptist Confession of Faith.

Those whom God hath predestinated unto life, he is pleased in his appointed, and accepted time, effectually to call, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God; taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace. ( Romans 8:30; Romans 11:7; Ephesians 1:10, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14; Ephesians 2:1-6; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 1:17, 18; Ezekiel 36:26; Deuteronomy 30:6; Ezekiel 36:27; Ephesians 1:19; Psalm 110:3; Song of Solomon 1:4 )—Second London Baptist Confession of Faith 10:1