Sermon - ....And He Met Jesus - Acts 9_20-22

Introduction

   Text

Acts 9:20-22 (King James Version)
20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Acts 9:20-22 (God's Word)
20 He immediately began to spread the word in their synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God.
21 Everyone who heard him was amazed. They asked, “Isn't this the man who destroyed those who worshiped the one named Jesus in Jerusalem? Didn't he come here to take these worshipers as prisoners to the chief priests {in Jerusalem}?”
22 Saul grew more powerful, and he confused the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.

Acts 9:20-22 (The Living Bible)
20 and went at once to the synagogue to tell everyone there the Good News about Jesus—that he is indeed the Son of God!
21 All who heard him were amazed. "Isn’t this the same man who persecuted Jesus’ followers so bitterly in Jerusalem?" they asked. "And we understand that he came here to arrest them all and take them in chains to the chief priests."
22 Paul became more and more fervent in his preaching, and the Damascus Jews couldn’t withstand his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Christ.

Acts 9:20-22 (The Message)
20 but then went right to work, wasting no time, preaching in the meeting places that this Jesus was the Son of God.
21 They were caught off guard by this and, not at all sure they could trust him, they kept saying, "Isn't this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem among the believers? And didn't he come here to do the same thing—arrest us and drag us off to jail in Jerusalem for sentencing by the high priests?"
22 But their suspicions didn't slow Saul down for even a minute. His momentum was up now and he plowed straight into the opposition, disarming the Damascus Jews and trying to show them that this Jesus was the Messiah.

Opening Thought: 

Dying From Improvements

A woman, when taken seriously ill, was sent to the hospital. In the evening her husband inquired how she was getting along and was told that she was "improving."

Next day he called again and was told she was still improving. This went on for some time. Finally, one night he was told that his wife was dead.

Seeing the doctor, he went up to him and said: "Well doctor, what did she died of—improvements?"

There is a moral here for some of our churches. We know of a church that died of improvements.

—M.R. DeHaan

—Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations

   Contextual Background:  Acts 7- 9

   Propositional Sentence:  When a person meets Jesus and heeds to His Word their life is changed forever changed

   Transitional Sentence:  In this text we see that Jesus:

Message

   Changed his direction

   Changed his name

   Changed his life

Conclusion

   Closing

A Change is Gonna Come - OTIS BLUE (1966)