From
Acts to Revelation
Part
25 – Saul's Conversion II
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House
of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
Saul's introduction came in Acts 7,
when he was present at the stoning of Stephen.
We read in Acts 9 that Saul has taken it
upon himself to seek the approval of the Sanhedrin to track down all of the
followers of Christ that fled into Samaria and Judea, bringing them back to
Jerusalem to stand before the Sanhedrin for trial.
With the full agreement of the Sanhedrin,
Saul began his journey hunting down Jesus' Disciples, when he met with the Lord
on a road to Damascus.
Here, the Lord revealed Himself to be
Christ, and Saul submitted to Him, asking for instruction.
The Lord commanded that Saul seek out a man
in Damascus who would heal his blindness.
Saul left the meeting, blind, and fasted
for three days while traveling to Damascus in search of the man named Ananias,
whom the Lord had also visited.
Ananias laid hands on Saul, and prayed, and
Saul was healed, and received the Holy Spirit.
He was then baptized, and ate so he could
regain his strength.
He was now a servant of the Lord, a
follower of Jesus Christ, and equipped for his service.
Today we will see how Saul had difficulties
with other followers accepting him because of his past, and how those from his
past, now hated him. He traveled many times, to differing cities, trying to
find where it was that the Lord wanted him.
1) When you came to
the Lord, did other followers accept you easily?
2) Do you accept new
converts easily?
3) What about your
past, do you find those whom you thought were your friends no longer agree with
you?
4) Lastly, have you
discovered yet, where it is the Lord wants you to serve Him?
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Acts 9:19-31
19 Saul
spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At
once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of
God. 21 All
those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc
in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to
take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more
powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the
Messiah.
23 After many days had gone by,
there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their
plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to
kill him. 25 But
his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening
in the wall.
26 When he came to
Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of
him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and
brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the
Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had
preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and
moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He
talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill
him. 30 When
the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and
sent him off to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout
Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened.
Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased
in numbers.
I.
ACCEPTED
a. Saul
was immediately accepted, and spent many days with the disciples.
i. They
were inviting, and warm towards him, although they knew of his past.
ii. They
allowed him to be among them, and did not turn him away.
iii. They
encouraged, and lifted him up.
b. He
began preaching right away, Jesus is the Son of God.
i. He did
not wait.
ii. He knew
the scriptures already, for he was a Zealot.
iii. His
eyes now open, after receiving the Holy Spirit, he understood the scriptures he
had learned over the years.
c. All of
those who heard him were confused.
i. and
asked, Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on
this name?
ii. And
hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?
d. Yet
Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by
proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
II.
REJECTED
a. After
many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him.
i. The
ones he was trying to save, wanted him dead.
b.
but Saul learned of their plan. Day
and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.
i. You cannot serve the Lord if you are dead...so he
left to another town to preach.
ii. For every person that refuses to listen, there are
100 more for you to preach to.
c. But his followers took him by night and lowered him
in a basket through an opening in the wall.
i. The
other disciples helped Saul escape.
III. UNTRUSTED
a. When he
came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all
afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
i. Here we
see the opposite of what happened in the Damascus church.
ii. They
did not accept him, they did not trust him, they judged him solely on his past.
b. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the
apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the
Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in
the name of Jesus.
c. So Saul
stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the
name of the Lord.
i. We see
he was eventually accepted because of Barnabas stepping in.
d. He
talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill
him.
i. If you
want someone to want you dead, debate religion with them.
e. When
the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him
off to Tarsus.
i. Now
Saul would return to his hometown.
ii. The
scriptures say a prophet is not welcome in his home town, but that does not
mean God won't send prophets to their hometown...because although the majority
may reject that prophet, and they do not welcome him with open arms...the truth
needs to be shared everywhere, and there will always be a seed that was sewn.
IV.
TIME OF PEACE
a. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and
Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened.
b. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the
Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
CONCLUSION
1) When you came to
the Lord, did other followers accept you easily?
2) Do you accept new
converts easily?
3) What about your
past, do you find those whom you thought were your friends no longer agree with
you?
4)
Lastly, have you discovered yet, where it
is the Lord wants you to serve Him?
