The Mission: Two Lessons from Saul's Conversion
Acts: The Mission of the Church • Sermon • Submitted
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We will be flipping between Acts 9 and Galatians 1 this morning so you may want to bookmark both chapters. The previous chapters of Acts inform us that the early church had been massively exploding in Jerusalem much to the dislike of the group that ruled Israel politically and religiously, the Sanhedrin. We learn from...
Acts 8:1 (ESV)
1 And Saul approved of Stephen’s execution. And there arose on that day (the day of Stephen’s martyrdom) a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
The Sanhedrin council agreed to a great persecution and Saul played a significant part in this persecution. The spotlight in Acts starts moving from the 12 apostles and begins following Saul/Paul’s ministry. His religious zeal forced the church out of Jerusalem into outlying regions and other countries. God chose him to play a significant role in the growth of the universal church. We have just heard Saul’s marvelous salvation experience in Acts 9. This is exciting because God saved a man who committed great wickedness and then used him to bring much glory to God. This morning, we are going to learn two important lessons from his conversion. The first lesson is this....
Lesson 1: Expect God to Save the Wicked (not the righteous). (9:1-2)
Lesson 1: Expect God to Save the Wicked (not the righteous). (9:1-2)
Many Christians across the USA, I think, if they were to deeply examine themselves for an answer would find they could gave a good sounding answer, but the answer doesn’t change their approach to witnessing.
I have been towing a trailer much of this month as we have been moving into our new house. Sometimes when I have uncoupled the trailer, I forgot to remove the greasy ball hitch from the receiver. Several times when I, my wife, or children attempted to load cargo in the back our nice shorts rubbed against that greasy ball causing a stain that will never come out. Those stains are repulsive. Many Christians in our country only take the Gospel to people who seem to be “religious” and “moral.” Those who look like them, those who seem to “have it all together,” and those who are not as repulsive as the desperately wicked. Christian’s in our country don’t want to get their nice whitewashed garments greasy, dirty, and stained.
This is wrong. Saul’s own conversion experience answers this question. Who does God save?
He saves those who once preached man’s gospel. (Gal 1:11-12)
At one time Saul thought his life was neat and tidy, but Jesus revealed on that road to Damascus that Saul had been following a man-made gospel. Later in life Saul reflected on that moment in...
11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
Saul was “advancing in Judaism.” He was far more zealous about following man-made religion and was more learned in that religion than his peers. He was and up and coming someone. He was a prodigy, famous. He made the Who’s Who in Jerusalem and throughout Israel. Saul, known as Paul after his conversion, wrote his pre-salvation bio in...
Philippians 3:4–9 (ESV)
If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him.”
Perhaps there never was a man more deeply enslaved to man’s religion than Saul. He did everything right, yet his righteousness was still counted as filthy rags before the sinless, spotless Christ. What a glorious testimony of God’s power when he saves the hopelessly lost from false religions.
Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners (I.E. “wicked”) to repentance.” “There is none righteous, no not one” and we know, “there is a way that seems right unto a man called false religion. This is “self-induced righteousness.” Let me explain. Culture has trained us to think of ourselves as being innately valuable. Culture believes that people are basically good and so we are encouraged to constantly ascribe worth to ourselves through what is called “positive self-talk.” We hear these phrases all the time: “believe in yourself,” “Have a positive self-image.” “I am capable and strong. I can get through this myself.” “I am the master of my own destiny.” “I am capable of achieving great things.” All of these statements remove God and instead focus on “I.” These are lies of man’s gospel. Satan causes us to believe “I” can replace God. “I” can be just like God.
There is another problem with these statements. Should we be talking to ourselves constantly OR should we be talking to God constantly? Why should I pray to myself? Am I God? “I” have nothing at all do with my own salvation. Paul knew this when he said, (soft) “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Who does God save? He certainly does not save those who think they can do all things themselves!
Who else does God save? Read along in Acts 9:1-2 with me...
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.
He saves the wicked. Those who are “still breathing threats and murder.” (v1)
Jesus has always saved people who were hopelessly enslaved to nasty, greasy, oppressive, weighty sins. God’s church has always consisted of thieves, prostitutes, adulterers, murderers, and chronic liars. God’s church is made up of people who were formerly known as and publicly by their deep addictions to drugs, alcohol, sex, anger, violence, greed, and all manner of dirty things. We read in Acts 22:4 that Saul, “persecuted this way (Christianity) to the death, binding and delivering men and women to prison.” Saul himself was addicted to very wicked things before salvation. The trouble with salvation and church membership is that we don’t unite with a perfect, spotless bride: we join with a harlot. God always brings salvation to broken people who are troubled be deeply oppressive sin. Consider Saul’s experience again. He wrote in...
13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.
He learned during that encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus that Saul could do nothing: GOD could do everything. At that moment when Jesus declared, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” Saul became instantly aware of the deep, deep wickedness in his heart. All Saul’s positive self talk, all his own “righteousness” were as filthy rags before the blinding light of the Word of God who spoke to him.
Why does God save those who are desperately wicked, those who are breathing “threats and murder”? Why not save “the good guys?” Saul, the chiefest sinner, the most desperate sinner, the most enslaved sinner answered this question in...
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
It brings God great glory when He gifts the most precious and costly gift to those who are the most worthless and undeserving.
Second, why does God save the most desperately wicked? Because their hearts are tender and exposed. The soil in their hearts has been cut, plowed, and beaten to smithereens so the tiny tendrils of the Word can push through the otherwise hard crust of our nasty hearts.
I think many Christians in the USA do not believe that God saves the chiefest of sinners. Surely, He saves the lost, but the hopelessly lost? Really why, God would you do that? I don’t want to bee seen around the filthiest of people… and so go our excuses.
If Christians believes God saves the chiefest of sinners, witnessing would look very different. The Pharisees had this same problem...
16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
False religion impacts the way we witness. Christians in the USA, I think, has forgotten that Christ was the only one who dared get out of the boat when the Gadarene demoniac lumbered toward them. Christ was the only one willing to minister to Mary the harlot. Christ was the only one willing to touch sick people with highly contagious diseases. “It is written you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” We, Christ’s followers, need to preach salvation to the same kinds of people that Christ did… those who are desperately wicked. Only then will we be loving our neighbor like ourselves.
Jesus said that at the Final Judgement He would say...
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
We should expect God to save the wicked, the destitute, the lawless, and those hopelessly ensnared in false religion. That is one lesson Saul’s conversion teaches us.
As we transition into the second lesson, we need to know that there were hardly any more Christians roaming the streets of Jerusalem by the time we get into Acts 9. Most of the Christians had fled to other communities according to Acts 4. Those who remained in Jerusalem had been put to death or were already held in prison. Maybe Saul had nothing better to do than twiddle his thumbs. He was zealous and ready to be about what he thought was God’s work. According to 9:2 so he could pursue those who had fled to Damascus. He wanted to be busy again. Also, you need to know that the Sanhedrin was a Jewish council, the highest law in Israel. Roman emperors and governors were content to allow the Sanhedrin to rule however they saw fit. Saul was not chasing Romans or Greeks to Damascus, he only had authority over Jews and he was prepared to wreak further havoc on Jesus’ flock.
Little did Saul know that God had other plans for his life! This brings us to...
Lesson 2: Expect God to Significantly Change Lives. (9:3-22)
Lesson 2: Expect God to Significantly Change Lives. (9:3-22)
Please read along in...
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.” 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.
The first significant change is that...
God causes wicked people to recognize Jesus by (v3-7)
Saul had no intention of worshipping God. He was doing what he believed was right and true. So when this great light shone from Heaven, he was compelled to bow the knee or maybe even fall fully prostrate onto the ground. This shows the significance of God’s power. God causes worship whether we intend to or not. Even the rocks will cry out in worship. God causes wicked people to recognize Jesus by....
… falling before His power. (v3-4)
Later in one of his epistles, Saul wrote...
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
He wrote it because he knew it to be true. He experienced this very same power during his conversion experience! Saul fell to the ground because he experienced a very great power, unlike anything he had ever known before. God causes wicked people to recognize jesus by...
…knowing His voice. (v4-6)
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.
Did you catch Saul’s question? “Who are you Lord?” “Lord” was not an admission of salvation, but meant “master,” one who is more powerful. Certainly Jesus met Saul in a mighty display of power but in spite of all Saul’s religious training and exposure he did not know nor recognize Jesus’ voice. This is interesting because Saul was born around the same year as Jesus and was trained by Gamaliel, a renowned scholar and member of the Sanhedrin council. Under Gamaliel’s tutorship, Saul would have been based in Jerusalem, yet from this and other NT passages Saul likely never heard Jesus in person. We know from Galatians 1 that Saul had not met the apostles. They were almost always with Jesus. I think also if Saul had heard Jesus, he would have recognized Jesus voice at this moment.
The unsaved don’t know Jesus not recognize Him as God’s son. Look at verse 7. The others who were with Saul heard a voice, but there is no evidence they saw the light and no evidence they recognized the voice belonged to the Messiah!...
26 “But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
Saul was not saved by praying a prayer. He believed in his heart and confessed with His mouth that Jesus is the risen Son of God! Saul became counted among Jesus’ sheep because Jesus determined Saul would fall before His power, recognize His voice, and serve Him. There is no “free will” here and praise God that He always does what is in our best interest, whether we agree with Him or not!
Another significant change occurs at salvation...
God causes the wicked to have fear and trembling. (v6, 9)
Fear did not exist before! The unsaved have no thought or care for rules, authority, or other people. “Fearless” don’t care, God’s might doesn’t mean anything. This is why Proverbs classifies the unsaved as fools. They do not fear God. They refuse counsel, they ignore the wisdom found in Scripture, they walk in paths of darkness, their paths are only crooked, they delight in perverseness, they have no respect for their father or mother, they are wise in their own eyes / proud (no one else knows as much as I do!), and the reject the discipline of the Lord. They don’t care where their souls are heading, instead their feet run swiftly toward blood and unjust gain.
Gamaliel’s advised the Sanhedrin to leave the apostles, and I think Christians in general, alone. His words proved true because in this moment Saul was “found opposing Christ.” In chapter 9 verse 5..
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Humility and worship caused Saul to fall before Jesus. He was guilty of great sin and his life was laid bare before the Son of God who sees all and knows all. Saul could do nothing and desired to do nothing but obey God from that point on. Look at verses 8 and 9...
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.
He obeyed… he worshipped God through his daily actions, then for three days he neither ate nor drank. He had seen a tiny bit of Jesus splendor which caused him to be completely overwhelmed. What if Jesus appeared today… what if he laid bare all the sins of your heart in an instant. What would he find? How would you respond from that point on? Saul’s life was significantly altered… he served God with fear and trembling from that day on and in Php 2 verses 12-13 urged all of us to do the same...
Philippians 2:12–13 (ESV)
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Work out your own salvation… live life as if Jesus was constantly before you with a blinding light and powerful commanding voice. Live in such a manner that is worthy of the calling wherewith we have been called.
Finally, I wish to highlight one last significant change...God causes a definitive moment in time marking a new friendships, loyalties, & priorities. (!!!read the point below also!!!!)
God causes new priorities. (v4, 6-9, 21)
The wicked have skewed priorities...
...in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. (Ephesians 2:2–3)
In his epistles, Saul wrote for us to know that… “you who were once alienated were doing EVIL deeds.” Our priorities were wrong. “…formerly when we did not know God, we were enslaved to those who were not Gods” We were enslaved by the priorities of the false religion we once followed. Saul also wrote, that we “who were once afar off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” and through that blood God changes priorities!
Saul sometime between chapter 9 and chapter 13 became known by another name… “Paul.” Perhaps he had been known by also as Paul all along, but I think it is interesting that we do not read of his new name until after his conversion. Saul recieved a new name confirming his priorities had changed. We know of another person who recieved a new name when his priorities changed from Gen 35:10-11...
10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.
God set Jacob aside for a specific purpose and changed his name. God’s priorities became Jacob’s priorities. In verse 4 when Saul fell down, he was willing to obey all that God had for him to do.
Saul’s priority was persecuting believers. Paul’s priority was proving Jesus as the Christ! (v15, 20-22)
15 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.
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.
This change was significant because perhaps Saul was the only Christian alive at that moment who fully knew what he was getting into. He was intimately acquainted with the murderous pulse of the Sanhedrin.
John 15:18–20 (ESV)
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
Jesus himself said to Ananias in 9:16
16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
God’s glory revealed on that road to Damascus was worth much suffering. I have been challenging our congregation to be prepared to suffer much for Jesus’ sake. We must be so in love with God and so convinced that he is the Christ that we also will be willing to suffer much for the Gospel. What does salvation avail if our priorities do not change? If you are not prepared to suffer great things for Christ, if you have not undergone a significant change in priorities, perhaps you need to consider your salvation.
Here is another example from our text...
Saul did what was right in his own eyes. Paul did what was right in God’s eyes! (v6)
In verse 6 Paul asked Jesus, “What wilt thou have me to do?” He never asked this question up to this point! He did “whatever was right in HIS OWN EYES.” Think about what you know about Saul: what were his priorities up to this point? His priorities included: learning man-made religion, increasing in fame and rank in the council, and imprisoning and slaughtering all those who opposed his beliefs.
When is the last time you asked the question, “Lord, what will you have me do?” Seriously, when did you last honestly ask what God wants you to do for the kingdom of Heaven? It is a scary question for most because we probably won’t like the answer. Most likely we are doing something for our own benefit and God will answer telling us to give up that very thing we are most unwilling to give up. What sins have not not given to God? What are you not willing to trust God for? In what areas do you regularly fail to bring God honor and glory?
We need to regularly ask, “Lord, what will you have me do?” Jesus died for us while we were still wicked. While we were still wicked and covered with accumulated dirt from all those years we lived without Christ. It is like we never took a bath. Have you ever been in a city and passed homeless people? Would you given a dirty homeless person your best suit and tie? Would they be worth it? That is what Jesus did for us. We don’t deserve to wear a brand new suit because we are just going to get it dirty again, but God loved us in our wickedness. It brings God much glory when we are weak because it proves His strength. We are on a mission to make Christ known to all. Nothing should hinder our mission.
God caused at least one more change in Saul’s priorities.
Saul intended to kill the Damascus Christians. Paul blessed the Damascus Christians! (v18-22)
19 and taking food, he was strengthened. 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.
The disciples probably thought Paul’s preaching was a ruse to get them together in one place so he could easily imprison them. Instead, they were amazed. The last thing they expected was to find the chiefest of sinners in church that morning, much less, they certainly did not expect the chiefest of sinners to be the guest preacher that Sunday morning! Galatians 1:23 says...
23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
That is the power of God. Who made Saul’s mouth? Who made Saul’s eyes? Who made Saul’s hands and feet? The all powerful creator owns His creation and does what He wills.
I cannot help but compare Paul’s experience to Baalam’s experience. Balak, king of Moab desired to destroy God’s people, but when Baalam tried not once, but twice to curse Israel, God caused blessings to pour from his mouth.
The verse said, “Saul increased in strength” I don’t believe this verse is just talking about his eyes. Paul grew day by day to fully rely on the Spirit of god who lived in him and moment by moment relied the Spirit. “Lord what wilt thou have me do?” preach in Damascus. Ok, Lord, that seems to be done, “What is next Lord.” Moment by moment, I think he sought God’s will.
Instead of harming the church, God caused Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit to significantly bless the church. Look at
31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Not only has the church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria grown because of Paul. Since that day God has significantly and powerfully changed lives for the better and for the glory of His kingdom on the whole earth! There is no wickedness so great which God cannot save! There is no plan God cannot change. There is nothing my God cannot do! Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing, nothing is too difficult for Him.
Closing Statement
Closing Statement
We, the wicked have been called, chosen, and set apart, to complete His plan whether we are willing or unwilling. God’s will always comes to pass. Why do we kick against the pricks? He must increase and I must decrease. There is no better way to close the message than with these two verses from Paul...
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
Amen.