Sunday Morning Service

Acts 9:1-22 (Click title for audio access)

"If God Can Do It With This Guy..."  •  7.31.11  •  Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- The phrases "Most Likely" or "Least Likely" to succeed have become cultural staples in our societies vocabulary. At the end of High School, many graduates are endowed with such labels.

- I was reading an article this week from the Wall Street Journal about the effect that these labels had on their recipients.

- Charlene Dupray, a 1990 "Most likely to succeed" recipient, confessed at 38, that she had been " constantly evaluating my success and using that silly award as a benchmark."

- The article further concludes "Some former winners of the title say what seemed like a nice vote of confidence from their classmates actually created a sense of pressure or self-doubt."

- "Being noosed with 'most likely to succeed' is like lugging an albatross to every job interview, new relationship or writing endeavor."

- Wow! Who knew!? Saul was burdened in a similar way with the "Most Likely To Finish off Christianity" award that his peers had placed upon him. Nobody would have expected anything less!

- Perhaps you know a modern day Saul that you have labeled in a similar way. I would urge you to pay close attention to our section today.

Text

•  Acts 9:1,2 : "Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem."  :  It was not good enough for Saul that he wrecked the church of Jerusalem. He was still seething and aching for more!

- This phrase used here "still breathing threats" is a continuation of the thought that Luke presented in Acts 8:3 regarding Saul, who like an animal, savagely destroyed the church.

- Here, Luke uses another animal reference. Saul is seen as a war horse, breathing hard, just waiting for the chance to charge out onto the field.

- Saul was not satisfied. His very breath, what he lived for, was to continue his murderous work against the disciples of the Lord, these people that he looked at as blasphemers.

- He was going to look for them beginning in Damascus, today being modern day Syria. It would seem that he might begin there and work his way back down to Jerusalem.

- Leaving Jerusalem would require authority to continue his campaign in other parts of the country, but where do you go when you want some sanctioned murder? The High Priest!

- He came and officially asked for letters from him. These were epistles that commended Saul to this work. In those days, this was a matter of identification and authority to act.

- If he found any who were part of the church, called here "the Way," he would bring them back to Jerusalem. Why? So that he could kill them where he had already seen them act "judiciously."

•  Acts 9:3  :  "As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven."  : He was on his way and was very near Damascus, a journey from Jerusalem of somewhere between 130 and 180 miles.

- This was at least a 5 day journey and all the while, Saul remained determined to search out the church. He was near the city limits, ready to carry out his mission.

- Consider what might have been true of Saul to this moment in his life.

- Born in a sophisticated part of the world, educated by one of the greatest Rabbis, likely a part of the Synagogue of the Libertines and perhaps a fierce debater against Stephen.

- If he had debated Stephen, the Bible tells us that he was no match for him, which caused him to resent and respect Stephen and then approve of his death.

- He has sought the permission to carry out this death campaign and has made a very arduous journey in the hopes of carrying it out.

- All of this in the name of God, with religious approval in an Anti-Christ environment that had been guilty of rejecting everything that God had sent them.

- Saul was surrendered to his version of God and carried on with his mission believing that he was approved by Him. He was the ultimate terrorist.

- Saul was spiritually blind, dead and seeking not after the true God, but a God of his own making that somehow approved of his murder.

- Saul was not one that you could point to as a man that could have come out of his own darkness, yet God, in His infinite grace, was about to meet Saul here.

- When Saul loved Him? Nope. In the middle of His murderous rebellion.

- Saul was the most unlikable, most unlikely candidate for any purpose of redemption. Yet, as he neared Damascus, a light shone around him from heaven.

- Literally, there was a flash of light all around him and suddenly he was surrounded by light.

- I believe that this was the actual shekinah glory of God's presence, veiled so that Saul would live, but not so veiled as to leave him unaffected!

•  Acts 9:4,5  :  "Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' And he said, 'Who are You, Lord?' Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'"  : Saul fell, not out of a reverence for God, but instinctually, for survival. The presence of the Lord was so immediate that it propelled him to the ground!

- We feel such fear of men who hunt Christians, either physically or intellectually, but in one moment, the smallest expression of God's presence, can knock them to the ground.

- I have heard many stories of men just like Saul, breathing threats, carrying out their plans to destroy Christianity. Complete with their posses, their degrees, their worldly approval, they march.

- They storm the intellectual towns with their blogs and their papers and their "scholarly" work. Then, when it's time, God stops them dead in their tracks and convinces them of the truth!

- Jesus introduces Himself with a direct warnings. The repitition of Saul's name points to someone who is sincerely trying to get another's attention. "Why are you persecuting me?"

- The Lord's question reminds us of three truths that scripture is clear on. First, our sin is against the Lord. When David had sinned with Bathsheba, this was his confession.

- "Against you and you only have I sinned," David cried out in prayer. Saul's sin was against the Lord, even though the affect of his sin was inflicted upon believers.

- Second, the Lord is not impersonal and unaffected by the actions of people. God is affected. Jesus is affected. The Apostle Paul will later reveal to us that our actions can grieve the Holy Spirit!

- Finally, there is a union that the Lord has with His body that is revealed here. Saul, in persecuting the body of Christ, is actually persecuting Jesus Christ!

- Saul is not fighting against God's people. He is fighting against God Himself! He is waging war against a person who is working to call Him to salvation.

- Jesus says to Saul after identifying Himself that it is hard to kick against the goads. This gives us an illuminating and instructive picture into the process of God's work of regeneration.

- A goad was a large stick, whittled to a sharp point. Men with means would have attached sharp iron piece to the end. The farmer would employ this to move a beast of burden.

- When a beast did not want to move, he would kick back at the goad, which would then prompt another goad impact upon him. Eventually, goading works.

- At the same time, it's also determined just how stubborn the beast can be!

- This was the case with Saul and is the case with many unbelievers. Saul, when he felt the pain of conviction, fought back against every stimuli that God had given him, refusing to move!

- What are God's goads? You. Believers who are faithful to speak, live and exemplify the gospel message. Some of you are Stephen figures in people's lives.

- God however, has many other goads that He uses in the lives of unbelievers and believers alike. Yes, unfortunately, sometimes we can be just as willful.

- People can be goads. A lack of peace in your own heart or a lack of agreement with fellow believers. Unusual difficulties. Unresolved questions. What kind of goads is God using on you?

- It's best to simply surrender and not imitate a dumb, stubborn beast. Truthfully, God will not be hurt and His will will be done, but you might have to come limping in!

•  Acts 9:6-9  :  "So he, trembling and astonished, said, 'Lord, what do You want me to do?' Then the Lord said to him, 'Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.' And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank."  :  Saul was shaken to the core. All this way, he had planned to act a certain way. Now, in his first moments of what will become a legendary life, he starts with the right question.

- "Lord, what do you want me to do!" There is no greater question that a man or woman can answer in this life!

- After you acknowledge who Jesus is the next question that you will explore every day for the rest of your life is "Lord, what do you want me to do!"

- In whatever state you are in, married, single, with children or without, the question will transform your life and will bring purpose to it!

- All Saul had to do was actually go into the city that he had planned on invading and wait for further instructions! One step at a time!

- In the meantime, the traveling companions of Saul, saw him hit the ground, heard a voice, but didn't see or discern anything.

- This is a curiosity to me: Why didn't Jesus open their eyes? Why didn't He speak to them? First, you have to understand that Saul is being given authentic, Apostolic credentials.

- He was being saved and credentialed for Apostolic service, the key credential being that an Apostle was to see the Lord after His death.

- Second, these other men had ample revelation with which to come to Christ. They had the Apostles, they had this event which they would learn more about in the coming hours.

- Abraham had told the Rich man in Luke 16 that Moses, the Pentateuch, was enough to draw a man or woman to faith in Christ. These men would have their chance.

- The point is that God takes His time and works with surgical precision in the life of any person of interest. His call and methods are as unique as the people that deems to work through.

- To their credit, these men led Saul into Damascus by the hand, humbled and blinded by God.

- Saul had wanted to come into Damascus. Instead, he came into town, powerless.

- For three days, he experienced blindness and out of a deep sense of awe, refused to eat.

•  Acts 9:10-12  :  "Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.' So the Lord said to him, 'Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.'"  :  During the time that Saul was in distress, God was working across town on a man named "Ananias."

- We recall that the name means "God is gracious" or "generous." This man was a student of the word living there in Damascus.

- The Lord met him in a vision, calling him to go with great specificity. He was to go straight to Straight Street to Judas' house where he would find Saul!

- This street is still there in Syria today, being the main East-West drag of the city.

- God has been continually working on Saul, who has been praying and was told by the Lord that Ananias would come and that he would receive his sight again.

- God is laying it all out for Ananias. Where he would go, who he would look for, what he would find and what he would do.

•  Acts 9:13,14  :  "Then Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.'"  :  And here is a great case in point for why God rarely tells his servants anything, but chooses instead to let them be surprised, discovering along the way what His perfect will is!

- Ananias had heard about Saul. Many who had returned from Jerusalem had reported to him what had happened. What did they speak about? How much harm Saul had done.

- There are two things that Ananias could be saying here. He could be speaking in fear, which sounds natural and we have all been guilty of.

- We have all be guilty of not wanting to get into an ackward or fearful situation. Ananias was a believer and to his knowledge, Saul was a murderer of believers.

- All of us are prone to question the Lord's wisdom and all of us need to let the word of God rebuke us! While this is true, I'm not sure that this is the heart behind what Ananias is saying.

- God has told Ananias what Saul has suffered and that he was currently blind. I think that Ananias might be thinking, "Good. That is what his actions deserve!"

- "He came here trying to hurt us with the chief priests authority. I say this is justice!"

- I think that this will bear out in a moment, but how many of you have ever seen someone come to the Lord and felt the injustice of it all?

- You may have seen enemies of the Lord who God has radically touched and you wonder why. I'm not sure if Ananias wasn't prejudiced against the Lord's work in Saul's life.

- We need to guard our hearts from any thought of withholding God's grace from anyone, an ironic thing to desire when your name means "God is gracious!"

•  Acts 9:15,16  :  "But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.'"  :  God simply repeats His command and adds that Saul is a chosen vessel.

- It may not have been the choice that Ananias would have made, but God looked at Saul and made a sovereign decision that he would be His man.

- Saul was the perfect choice being a hyper educated Hebrew with Roman citizenship! God's choice might have been confusing to Ananias, just as they may appear to us.

- Saul was a handpicked instrument that God was going to use to bear His name. Saul was being prepared to carry God's name to the nations, rulers and people of Israel.

- Primarily, Saul's ministry would be to the nations that were non-Jewish, rulers and the people of Israel. Sounds like a glorious job for a former terrorist. Don't worry Ananias, he won't get off free.

- God is showing Saul what he must suffer. Many of the things that Saul forced others to experience, he would personally experience over the next several years of his life.

•  Acts 9:17-19  :  "And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus."  :  Ananias becomes a far too familiar picture. Ananias was initially hesitant, but finally compliant.

- He went and laid hands on Saul. Can you imagine that? Ananias, a man that we have very little information about beside this account, was the man that extended Christ's healing touch to Saul!

- Here is why you and I must be obedient to the Lord! We never know who we might be ministering to in Jesus' name!

- When Ananias prayed for Saul, an immediate change took place. Ananias looked at a physical transformation come over Saul, who was baptized before he took in food!

- That is significant. The moment Saul could be obedient to Christ, he was! He wasn't going to wait for the next major church baptism. He was going to get it done.

- Saul initial mission was to come and arrest the disciples at Damascus. Instead, he found himself sitting at their feet, having become a disciple himself.

•  Acts 9:20-22  :  "Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, 'Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?' But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ."  :  The line, "he preached the Christ in the synagogues." When he arrived, I wonder what the reception would have been.

- At that time, when he was brought up front, imagine the surprise when Saul began speaking.

- "I thought that we were bringing a guy that was going to debunk these "Wayfarers."

- Instead of debunking the Way, He promoted it! Instead of coming to Damascus on a tour of destruction, he came with a ton of instruction! God got His man!

Conclusion

- Our labels and thoughts about people, thankfully, have little impact on what God will do in a life. He is still in the business of taking the worst and making them His best!

- He is still after some trophies and His hunt will succeed.

- For our part, we need to be reminded that our prejudice and self-righteousness need to be checked at the door. We might want to leave our stubborness there as well.

- I don't want to be anything but hopeful and helpful with all that God wants to do in the Sauls of my generation.