Improbable Apostle

Introduction

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Good Morning Church, it is good to see you. We continue this morning in our series on the early Church called “Ekklesia” and just last week we looked at the story of Philip the Evangelist who experienced both the gathering of the Church and the scattering of the Church that brought “The life-giving message of Jesus Christ” beyond the people of Jerusalem.

We saw in the example of his story how the Church was being what Jesus said His church would be in Acts 1:8. They were being His witnesses or “martys” in “Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The Gospel message was moving forward to many different people, nations and cultures. Philip served in Jerusalem of Judea, He ministered in Samaria and he was sent to an Ethiopian Court Official who brought the message of the Gospel out even further his country.

This morning I want to give you a picture of some of the length of which this message has traveled to the ends of the earth. Not that we have already reached every tribe or people group yet but to give you a flavor of how the Gospel message is going forth listen to the this message from a tribal warrior named Mincaye who many years earlier had missionaries came to his remote tribe in the jungles of Ecuador:

Video: Steve Saint with Mincaye 5min?

Tension

So I have three motivations for showing you that clip.

First, I wanted you to see how how the Church has and is being the “witnesses” to the ends of the earth that Jesus called us to be. There is much more to be done, but it is encouraging to see this kind of an example, especially as it points to the importance of multiplication. Mincaye heard and responded to the gospel and now he is a pastor and evangelist who goes all over the world and preaches the Gospel to others and encourages them to do the same.

Secondly I wanted you to hear how he shares the Gospel. The language that he spoke as well as the meanings of those words are they were given to us in English. Far too often we can get too hung up on the “right words” when it comes to sharing the Gospel. It is the Holy Spirit who calls us and draws us and leads us into our role as “witnesses” for Jesus so we don’t need fancy words, just the true message of the Gospel. “ The strong one is calling to us...come walk my trail…I have sent my son to show you the way”

Lastly I share this video to introduce our text for this morning because Mincaye’s story has a lot in common with the man whose example we are going to look at this morning. You see the name of the man who is translating in the clip is Steve Saint. Some of you may recognize that name. Steve’s father was Nate Saint, one of the 5 missionaries who were ambushed and speared to death by Waodani warriors of eastern Ecuador. Mincaye was one of those warriors. In fact he says that he was the one who speared Steve’s Dad and another man in the attack.

We might think that this would cause Nate’s family to harbor great disdain for this people group from the “ends of the earth” but God had different plans. Two years later, members of Nate’s family returned to the same tribe to share the “The Life-giving message of Jesus Christ” with them. And this time God drew Mincaye and others in the tribe to see the blackness of their hearts and their need for Jesus. Mincaye was a violent man who had attacked and killed Christians and God not only rescued him from his sin, but sent him around the world to be a “witness” for Him.

That story runs a very close parallel to the conversion story of a man in the Bible named Saul. No one would have though that Saul would ever become a Christian because he too was a violent man, attacking and having Christians killed, but God had other plans for Saul just as He did for Mincaye.

So open your Bibles with me to Acts chapter 9, it is on page 917 in the Bibles in the chairs. I’ll pray and we will look to learn from Saul’s story together. Let’s Pray.

Truth

Our fist theme, which again we can recognize in Mincaye’s story but it is also a significant aspect of Saul’s story is that:

1. God is able to save anyone, regardless of his or her circumstances (Acts 9:1–9).

Acts 9:1-3 “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.

Luke use the word “still” here to remind us that we have already met this man Saul and have seen his posture toward Christians. The condition of his heart continues here on the same path of anger, hatred and murder toward the Christian Church that is now known as “The Way”. This is how we were first introduced to this man at the end of chapter 7 starting with verse 58 where it says...

Acts 7:58-60 “Then they cast him (Stephen) out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Luke describes Stephen’s final moments as he reflects Jesus, his Lord and Savior, by declaring the same things before he died. And Luke gives us a peaceful ending in writing that “he fell asleep”... but that was not how Saul and the other religious leaders would have described it. Starting in Chapter 8 we read:

Acts 8:1-3 And Saul approved of his execution. (That is how they described it) And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.”

Last week we followed the text into Philips story, but Luke doesn’t want us to forget about this man Saul and who we have come to know him to be. He is “still” breathing breath threats and murder against the disciples. And this is more than just idle talk. The young man Saul has quickly made a name for himself among the religious class as one who is zealously weeding out those “heretics” called “The Way”. It was a big deal to travel with that authority of the High Priest literally opening doors for you. Saul was honored to be sent to other cities to do what he has been so successful at doing here in Jerusalem. But God has other plans for “Saul”

Acts 9:3-6 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.”

Despite the murderous intent of Saul’s mission, God sought him out. Our risen Savior and Lord, Jesus revealed himself to Saul personally and he could do nothing but fall on his knees in surrender.

And what struck me this past week was the personal nature of Jesus’ question. He didn’t ask why Saul was “persecuting His disciples” or “persecuting His Church”. He asked “why are you persecuting me?”

Remember how Jesus said whatever you have done to “one of the least of these my brethren you have done in unto me.”- Saul is getting the painful experience of sitting under the weight of this. In his mind he was being a “righteous man” stepping up to get rid of a rogue group of Jews who would not comply with the religious leaders mandates - but now he knows that attacking the Church is attacking “the Lord”. And here the Lord Jesus is defending his glory and this pride-filled man can do nothing but submit to it.

Again from verse 6...

Acts 9:6-9 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.”

When I think of Saul’s blindness in this time I can’t help but think that God is giving Saul an experience with this physical condition to help him understand the spiritual condition that he has been walking in. Ironically, it is during this time of physical blindness that Saul begins to truly see.

Because Saul was a Pharisee, so he didn’t have a political agenda like a Sadducee would have. Instead, he was young, ambitious and zealous for God’s law. He would have seen these followers of “The Way” as just one more progressive group of heretics who were trying to lead Israelites away from worshiping God as their people had for generations. As he had dedicated his life to prayer, mediation and study of the Torah, Law and Prophets, his deepest desire would have been to be so in tune with the righteousness of God that he would experience something of the face of God…and now he has …and the face belonged to Jesus!

And we don’t know exactly what these three days looked like for Saul, but the impact of coming face to face with Jesus would have thrown him into a fierce torrent of thoughts and emotions. N.T. Wright described it this way:

Suddenly Saul’s world turned upside down and inside out. Terror, ruin, shame, awe, horror, glory and terror again swept over him. Years later he would write of seeing ‘the glory of God in the face of Jesus the Messiah’ (2 Cor 4:6)

It’s no wonder that he didn’t eat for three days. God is able to save anyone from any circumstance - and some, like Saul, are running so hard in the other direction that when it happens it causes something like whip-lash. But our sovereign God knows exactly what each person needs to respond to His calling. And what we see is that Jesus has designed his Church to work in such a way that...

2. God calls mature Christians to come alongside new Christians (Acts 9:10–19a).

I didn’t want to use the word “old” because sometimes age has little to do with it. It is about how much you have matured as a Christian, not just how long you have been one. And it takes maturity to fill this calling because coming alongside a new Christian is inviting inconvenience, uncertainty and a lot of humility into you life. That may be why the western church is so bad at it.

Let’s first look at how God did it for Saul, almost like a setting up a scene change in a movie, Luke leaves Saul blind in his room and introduces us to another man. ...

Acts 9:10(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.”

That is a great start, I would hope that all of us would respond to God’s calling in our life with this kind of anticipation, but then God gave him his mission.

Acts 9:11–12 (ESV)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.”

We don’t know a lot about Ananias. Just that he was a Disciple in the area. Maybe he had prayed for many people in the past and they received healing so this wasn’t a strange request, because Ananias doesn’t question what God has called him to do, he just questions why he should do it for this guy...

Acts 9:13-14(ESV) 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.”

Are you sure you want to heal this guy Lord? Maybe we just leave him a little handicapped since his mission is to eradicate your followers. But God tells Ananias that Saul has a new mission now. Sual has a new authority.

Acts 9:15-19a 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.” 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;” and taking food, he was strengthened.

Saul has regained his sight, physically and spiritually. But what will he do with it now. Our final theme for the week is that

3. God’s salvation is marked by a change heart and a changed life (Acts 9:19b-22)

Acts 9:19-22 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.”

Immediately it says, Saul went from opposing Jesus and his followers to being a follower who was sharing the “Life giving message of Jesus Christ.” It was move in the entirely opposite direction and people took notice of the incredible change. And that is only the beginning because the very next verse says:

Acts 9:23 “23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,”

Paul went from religious bounty hunter to the top of their most wanted list! The change in Saul’s heat and life was just so drastic that the religious leaders knew they had to shut it down. But Sual had a new mission. He had a new authority. And God protected him in order that they he could continue to preach the good news about Jesus. And Saul became the Apostle Paul who wrote nearly half of the books of the New testament.

Saul was definitely an Improbable Apostle, but in his story we can see that

God is able to save anyone, regardless of his or her circumstances

God calls mature Christians to come alongside new Christians

God’s salvation is marked by a changed heart and a changed life

Gospel Application

For some of us this truth that God is able to save anyone is pretty personal. And it can be just as personal from one side of things as it is the other.

Some of us look at our own story and we have a hard time understanding why God would draw us to Himself. We look back on our “circumstances” at some of our story and wonder why God would ever think it a good idea to move us form the dark place that we were living in and maybe even enjoying that darkness but God grabbed ahold of us and brought us into His marvelous light. We may still be in awe of that, which is a good place to be. Or we may be tempted to be doubtful of it, which is bad place to be. My hope is that Saul’s story is a good reminder that “God is able to save anyone, regardless of his or her circumstances”

But maybe it’s not your story that you are concerned about, but someone else’s. Someone you know who seems so disinterested in having a relationship with God, even hostile towards Him that you have lost hope that they will ever come to faith in Him. And that is bad enough when we are talking about an angry coworker or neighbor, but maybe it is a family member or other loved one that you have prayed diligently for and you see nothing but coldness and rejection in their response to your witness for Jesus.

It is hard to hold onto hope, but let Saul’s story encourage you. The first century Christians probably never even considered that their fiercest enemy would become their greatest ally- but God is able to save anyone. So keep praying for them and keep showing them the impact that Jesus has made in your life.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Landing

Remember Mincaye’s story? It would have been easy to have given up on that murderous tribe, but in spite of their grief and fear, the widow and sister of two of the men Mincaye murdered returned to share Christ with him and the Waodani people. Following his shocking conversion to Christ, Mincaye Enquedi devoted his life so completely to his new faith that he eventually became a pastor, elder, and missionary within the Waodani church. His sincere outer witness was clear evidence of his radical inner transformation at the hands of his Savior. It was just over a year ago now that Mincaye, at 91 years old, was finally relieved of his duty to share Christ with the world because he found himself face to face with Jesus.

The road that runs to faith in God is a narrow one. But when we doubt that anyone can turn from sin and choose to follow Christ, we undermine our faith in God’s mission to change people and our calling to make disciples of new believers.

What have any of us needed from God more than change?

What have any of us been called to that is more important than helping others grow in Him?

May we be able to say along with the Apostle Paul and Mincaye...For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Phil 1:21

Let’s Pray.