Anybody Can Be Saved!

Anybody Can be Saved!

Acts 9:1-9

First Baptist Church of Westmisnter/19 April 2015/am-FBCW/10 April 2022/am

INTRO: Have you ever heard someone say, I am to bad for God to save/forgive! The Apostle Paul must have thought that as he called himself the ‘chief of sinners’ 1Tim 1:15 “This is a faithful/true saying and worthy of all acceptation, the Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” The scriptures bear that out, he hated Christians and especially Jesus Christ, in Acts 8:1-3, & our text. He consented unto Stephen’s death, falsely imprisoned men and women for their faith in Christ. He persecuted and made havoc of the Lord’s churches, he went after them, scattering the believers to the four corners of the world, he would not be satisfied until they were all exterminated. But, Paul was wrong even though he was right, he was the chief of sinners, yet God saved Him and used him to turn the world upside-down for Jesus. God can and will save anybody, and everybody, whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord no matter what they have done in this life, even against God’s people and the Lord’s churches, but then what? We see a prime example in our text, It begins with:

I. Acknowledging the Lord: Paul said: “Who Art Thou Lord” VS5 In his ignorance of Jesus, his hate blinded him, he did not recognize Jesus at first. But, as he was converted, He called Him “Lord……” then Paul finally recognized that Jesus was who He said He was and acknowledged Him as Lord. (supreme authority, controller, God, Master).

a. Like Paul, we too must acknowledge Jesus. “Who art Thou Lord” Jesus said in Mat 10:32 “Whosoever therefore shall confess/acknowledge me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” W/o acknowledging Jesus you deny the Father. 1Jn 2:23 “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the father also.” I don’t know how it can be more clear, it is about Jesus and confessing/acknowledging Him to be saved. To acknowledge Him:

i. We must believe that He is. Heb 11:6 “…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” He rewards us by saving us and then giving us the H.S. and rule and reign w/Him forever.

ii. We must believe He is the great I Am. Ex 3:6,3,14, Jesus said “I and the Father are one” Jn 10:30, that He is equal to God. Phil 2:6

iii. Acknowledge and believe the Lord, that He is the only way and you will be saved, no matter how bad you may be!

b. Acknowledging the Lord must include acknowledging our sin. Rom 3:10,23 “There are none righteous…for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

c. Then acknowledging our need, to be saved. Rom 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess/acknowledge/agree with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

II. At the first Paul had Resisted, by his Nature: It is natural for man to resist God. “It’s hard to kick against the pricks” VS5 What does that mean, “to kick against the pricks”

a. In Jesus’ time the farmers worked the fields with oxen, and the oxen did not always want to cooperate, so they goaded them with long poles, 6-8 ft with a goad/pointed end to prick them to encourage them along. (we use electric cattle prods today, though similar) the ox/en would kick at them as they moved forward, trying to get away.

b. Natural man and sometimes a believer, needs to be prodded/spurred to move forward/along. God goaded the Jews and the unbeliever to come to Christ and do right by Him.

i. But so many kick at the pricks, resisting God working in their lives, trying to go their own direction by their own inclinations, resisting the light of God/H.S. wooing them to himself. Eph 2:1 “And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sin.”

c. The natural man does not know God and doesn’t want to. 1Cor 2:14 Paul did not know God even though he thought he was serving God. Jn 16:2 The natural man, even the religious don’t understand God because it is all about them. Paul knew of Jesus, but did not know Jesus/God, he served the devil, he did it his way.

d. Like man pious men, they resist God yet think they serve Him. Jn 16:2

i. They are blinded by the devil, their father. Jn 8:44

Here is the answer to our Title Question:

III. Anybody can be saved, like Paul the chief of sinners and worse. It requires Fearing God: “He trembling and astonished” VS6 To fear God is to stand in awe of His majesty and power. It has been said: “to fear Him is to know Him and to know Him is to love Him” Fear of God goes hand in hand with loving Him.

a. Paul was confused, let alone the other men who heard a voice but did not know what was said, they were afraid and confused. VS7 The unbelieving world is afraid and confused.

b. Paul probably was as confused as any man could be. It did not make sense. The one who he hated so much for so long revealed Himself to Paul and Paul wondered what was going on. How can this be real or how could I have been so wrong. Confusion often brings fear and trembling, we fear the unknown and Paul was now in the twilight zone, so to speak. Paul must have thought Jesus was going to punish Him for his past behavior.

i. Is that not how some of us were when we were converted/saved? A little confused & maybe afraid of what we did not really understand. Having our own unrealistic expectations of the Lord.

c. Fearing God necessary to be saved. It also means we truly recognize God as our authority and master. Not just fear or believe on Him (the devils believe) Prov 14:27 “In the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life….” That may seem a scary thought at first.

i. Does not God tell us that “the fear of God is the beginning of knowledge, and wisdom. Prov 1:7; 9:19

ii. That is the problem with natural man, (God calls them fools, “because they say there is no God Psa 53:10) he does not fear God & remains in his ignorance and rebellion.

He has no understanding or wisdom of the spiritual. He does not even know how big of a problem he has. But for him who fears God can have great confidence. Prov 14:26

iii. Unfortunately, it is that way with some believers. They know Jesus and God, but through the ignorance of the Word of God, they continue in their old lifestyle and worse they try to live in the world and the spiritual at the same time. Dangerous! Why, because they don’t fear God, He has been so gracious, His mercy is taken for granted, even expected and he therefore won’t fear God. Prov 13:13 “Whoso despiseth the word/gospel shall be destroyed: But he that feareth the word/commandments shall be rewarded.”

iv. Paul finally woke up so to speak, acknowledged & feared the Lord, and finally understood to a degree but he was confused and afraid. Maybe someone he today is as well, Paul got saved, did you?

v. Personally, I don’t know how someone can be saved and not have at least some fear of God. We then see what happens to a person who is saved/converted. Acts 9:31 tells us that a church that walks in the fear of the Lord will grow.

IV. By Surrendering/submitting/yielding to the Lord: “What wilt thou have me to do?” VS6 He recognized Jesus as His Lord and Master, his authority and final authority. (the author and finisher of our faith, his faith as well)

a. The first thing Paul did was ask the Lord “what do you want me to do” A great attitude and of respect and possibly fear. He was no longer his own, he belonged to the master to do His bidding. He realized he previously fought against God.

b. Paul went as God lead Him into the desert/Arabia (Gal 1:17,18) to prepare and then into the world to lead men to Christ and plant churches. It was not easy, but He did it anyway.

c. That is how we are to behave when we get saved. Not only ask Jesus to save us, but to submit and surrender our life to Him as He sees fit. He knows what is best, but it doesn’t really matter, our life is not our own.

d. James 4:7 tells us to “submit yourselves to the Lord” Until you surrender your heart you will not submit to the Lord. You may believe even be saved but w/o a surrendered/yielded heart you will not submit to Him.

i. We are still required to live in this world and submit to civil laws, not contrary to God’s Word. 1Pet 2:13

ii. We are to submit to one another, because we are love one another. Eph 5:21

e. As we surrender to the will of God in our lives, we will submit to the call of God in our lives, whatever and wherever that may be. Paul surrendered and he got after it. That is our next point: When we get saved, we have not arrived, we are just beginning, we need to:

V. We need to Get After It/obey: “Arise and Go” VS6

a. As a surrendered bond servant/slave to Christ, Paul did not just tell the Lord I will go, (w/lip service), He went. He got after it with the same zeal that he had when he was against the Lord and the Lord’s people.

b. We have seen a number of examples in the Bible, I think of one in particular, Phillip and the Eunuch, in Acts 5 and others.

All the disciples plus Philip, Prochorus Nicanor, Timon Parmenas and Nicolas Acts 6:5, Stephen, the first martyr, full of faith/action. Acts 6:9-15 And so many others, who got after it, they got busy for the Lord even if it meant hardship and even death.

c. We are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. Jam 1:22 We are to be people of action not stagnation. (in too many of our churches today)

d. The first act of obedience of the believer is to be baptized, until that time we are in rebellion/disobedience, therefore how can we expect to be in a right relationship w/Jesus. We are to unit with a Bible Believing local church, so we can fellowship with others of like faith and grow in Christ and serve Him as He directs.

e. We sing the song “Trust and Obey, there’s no other way” why do we often go the other way and not God’s way? If and when you truly surrender yourself to the Lord you will be like Paul, who said and then did.

i. “Lord what wilt thou have me to do”, like Jesus Himself, “Father, not my will but thine be done” A surrendered and submissive heart, soul, and mind to our Savior is a heart of action, getting after it whatever that may be (small or great).

VI. Finally, Stay Focused: When we Get after it, It is not always easy but we must endure/sick w/it. “He/Paul was three days w/o sight and neither did eat nor drink” VS 8,9

a. Paul did not let losing his sight keep him from doing the will and

work of the Lord. He focused on the Lord and His mission. Col 3:1 “…seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth…”

i. Even though he needed help, he was not afraid to take help. The

work of the Lord was more important than his pride.

ii. He was so focused he didn’t eat, he was laser focused on what needed to be done. Jesus was focused on the lost more than fulfilling fleshly desired/needs. (woman at well) Jn 4:31 “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.”

b. It is to be that way for all of us who are in the Lord. Focus on His will and not our own.

c. Put others ahead of ourselves and help them with their burdens. It is what Jesus did and would do today.

d. What ever you focus on, is where you will go. Where do you go when your eyes are closed? If in a car, you go into a ditch or ongoing traffic with potential disastrous consequences. When you are asleep in bed, you don’t go anywhere, you stay where you are at.

i. Like many people who aim at a target, “aim small miss small”.

ii. Our target is the Lord, to be like Him.

iii. Our target is the work He has set before us. God has called me to ministry, great, but what in ministry? You can miss ministry by missing the different aspects of it. Like Paul, we are to:

iv. “Press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” Phil 3:14 Like Paul, keep moving forward, focus on the goal, aim small toward the high calling of God in your life.

1. It could be called the upward call of God, not earthly rewards, but our going into His presence with our head held high, focused on the one who loves us most and died for us.

2. Get after it, run your race until you cross the finish line. Stay focused on the finish line or you may find yourself on the wrong course and never finish.

3. Like Paul said, 2Tim 4:7 we too should: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Stay focused on the prize of God not the prizes of this world.

CLOSING: If anybody should not have gotten saved, the apostle Paul should have been it. But God will save anyone who will call upon the Name of the Lord. Acknowledge your sin, repent of it, resist the old natural man and nature, Fear God, love Him with all your heart, soul, and mind. Surrender your heart to Jesus and submit to His call in your life, get after it and don’t wait for a sign that may never come. Then stay focused on the prize, not your worldly calling, but on the high calling of God, the Lord Jesus! God, not only can save anybody, but He will save anybody who will call upon His name.