Acts 9- Jesus can change & use anything!
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In this passage we see a really bad man receive a beautiful message and go forward to be used greatly!
Maybe you’re here today and you’re thinking you’re too bad, too lost, too gone, you’ve done too much, you’re too this or that for God to use you? I remind you that our God is in the business of saving the worst and redeeming them into the best! HE CAN SAVE AND USE YOU!
God would let this man go on to be used in GREAT ways!
Wrote 13 books of the bible , reached all of Asia minor, saw many people won to Jesus!
THE SAME LORD THAT SAVED PAUL IS THE SAME LORD THAT SAVES US!
Paul’s Previous Condition
Paul’s Previous Condition
He was a really bad guy.
So bad in fact he would call him self the chief of sinners
This is said about Paul
Acts 22:4, Acts 8:3, Phil 3:6, Gal 1:13
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
He was totally against God
I remind you the same can be said for us…
Romans 5:10, Ephesians 2:3
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
We too were enemies of God, totally against him!
A Gracious Lord!
Jesus came to him!
He couldn’t go to Jesus. He couldn’t be good enough! Jesus came to him!
Jesus has always come to people first
Luke 19:10, 1 John 4:19
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
We love him, because he first loved us.
He sought us out first !
A Great message!
The message of the Gospel worked in his heart!
It proclaimed Jesus as Lord! Ir showed him the error of his ways!
This is the same message that changes us too!
2 Cor 5:17 - It’s the Gospel that changes lives!
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Pauls Present Circumstances
Pauls Present Circumstances
Not only did Paul trust Jesus he started serving him too!
-Eph 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
1. Paul was on his way to Damascus to find Christians to arrest and to take them to their deaths. He was filled with hatred and wanted nothing more than to completely destroy anyone or anything connected with the name of Jesus Christ. Yet, in spite of all this, the Lord was able to change this man and to use him for the glory of God.
- He can do the same thing in your life and mine. He can take us, with all the baggage that we carry, and He can use us for His glory.
- We all bring certain liabilities to the table. Some are uneducated, others have few resources, some are weak in faith, others are arrogant and filled with pride. However, I would like to remind you that the Lord is able to take us exactly where we are, change what needs to be changed and then use us greatly!
The Bible is full of these kinds of stories!
Moses
The Gaderene Demoniac
What I am trying to get you to see is that your present circumstances did not catch the Lord by surprise! He knows everything there is to know about you, Heb. 4:13. He knows where you are, Job 23:10.
- He still can use your life if it is yielded to him for His glory. The secret lies in putting Rom. 12:1-2 into practice!
GOD CAN USE YOU!
1. Are you really saved? (Not good, baptized, church member, but truly saved?)
2. Are you fully surrendered? (Is you absolute all on the altar for Jesus? Are you holding anything back? Everything must be His!)
3. Are you available for Him to use? (That is, is your life so cluttered with everything that you do that there is nowhere for the Lord to get in an use you?)
4. Are you willing to be used by the Lord? (He won't force you to serve Him. He may make you wish you had, but He will never force you into anything. You must come to the place where you are willing for the Lord to use you.)