The Conversion of Saul

Good morning. Am I on? Can you hear me? Excellent.

So before we read the passage, which is a little long,

especially if you've been in Proverbs, you used to probably shorter sections.

But I want to give you a little context while you're opening your Bibles to Acts 9.

I have this question for you. Do you like hearing conversion stories?

I do. I really like hearing somebody's testimony, how they came to faith.

Maybe they were brought up in a Christian home,

and they don't remember a time when they didn't believe in Jesus.

And that's wonderful.

Some people have other stories of conversion where they were into drugs and alcohol

and just a mess of their life, and yet God grabbed a hold of them

and turned their life around, or anything in between.

God has a story for each conversion.

And this is a story of conversion in Acts 9.

It was a significant turning point in the history of the early church

and in the book of Acts itself.

Now, for a little context before we read this,

In the last chapter we saw in Acts 8,

if you're familiar with the story,

Saul was approving of the execution of Stephen.

Stephen was preaching the world.

He was evangelizing.

He was telling about Jesus.

And so the Jews there, who didn't like that,

they stoned him.

And Saul was there approving of that execution.

And so now we continue the story about Saul

after a little interlude with an Ethiopian eunuch,

which you'll get to sometime when you go through Acts.

So here we are in Acts 9.

And we'll start in verse 1.

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder

against the disciples of the Lord,

went to the high priest 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.

Now, as he went on his way,

he approached Damascus,

and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

And falling to the ground,

he heard a voice saying to him,

Saul, Saul,

why are you persecuting me?

And he said,

Who are you, Lord?

And he said,

I am Jesus,

whom you are persecuting.

But rise and enter the city,

and you will be told what you are to do.

The men who were traveling with him

stood speechless,

hearing the voice but seeing no one.

Saul rose from the ground,

and although his eyes were open,

he saw nothing.

So they led him by the hand

and brought him into Damascus.

And for three days he was without sight

and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias.

And the Lord said to him in a vision,

Ananias.

And he said,

Here I am, Lord.

And the Lord said to him,

Rise and go to the street called Straight.

And the house of Judas,

look for a man of Tarsus named Saul.

For behold, he is praying,

and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias.

Come in and lay his hands on him

so that he may regain his sight.

But Ananias answered,

Lord, I have heard from many about this man,

how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.

And here he has authority from the chief priest

to bind all who call on your name.

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 children of Israel.

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.

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.

For some days,

he was with the disciples at Damascus.

And immediately,

he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues,

saying,

He is the Son of God.

And all who heard him

were amazed and said,

Is not this the man

who made havoc in Jerusalem

of those who called upon his name?

And has he not come here

for the purpose

to bring them bound

before the chief priests?

But Saul

increased all the more in strength

and confounded the Jews

who were living in Damascus

by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

When many days had passed,

the Jews plotted to kill him.

But their plot became known to Saul.

They were watching the gates

day and night

in order to kill him.

But his disciples took him by night

and led him down

through an opening in the wall,

lowering him in a basket.

And when he had come to Jerusalem,

he attempted to join the disciples.

And they were all afraid of him,

for they did not believe

that he was a disciple.

But Barnabas

took him and brought him

to the apostles

and declared to them

how on the road

he had seen the Lord

who spoke to him

and how at Damascus

he had preached boldly

in the name of Jesus.

So he went in and out

among them at Jerusalem,

preaching boldly

in the name of the Lord.

And he spoke and disputed

against the Hellenists,

but they were seeking

to kill him.

When the brothers learned this,

they brought him down

to Caesarea

and sent him off to Tarsus.

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.

Let's pray.

Father, we thank you

that you have given us

this conversion story.

And it is an amazing

conversion story.

One that changed the course

of the early church.

One that you used mightily.

Lord, I pray that you would use

our conversion stories

to one another

and to those outside the church.

That they would be used mightily.

to bring

your good news

to others.

And help us to recognize

the miraculous work

that you've done

in our own lives.

That you have converted us

to love you

and have faith in you.

Pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

Now I'll tell you a little bit

about Acts

because you're not

in the series,

but it seems that

in every other chapter

in Acts,

a crisis faces the church.

Just two chapters before,

for example,

the stoning of Stephen

and Saul,

even more than just

this one man,

but Saul was going about

ravaging the church

in Jerusalem,

bringing men and women

off to prison.

And now Saul

is coming to Damascus

to do the very same thing.

Here's how I would

summarize this passage.

Jesus continues to work

through miraculous conversions

and build his church.

This isn't just a history lesson.

This means something

to us today.

Jesus continues to work

through miraculous conversions

and build his church.

If there was ever

a question of whether

God can save someone

so hardened

against Christianity,

Acts 9 answers that.

The conversion of Saul

shows us unequivocally

that Jesus can convert

the heart of anyone.

And I believe that

this conversion story

is written not here

just because it's part of history

in the early church,

but for our benefit as well,

so that we would know

that Jesus continues

to work through

miraculous conversions

and build his church today.

So that we would know

that Jesus protects

his church.

And that is my first

point here.

Number one,

Jesus protects his church

through the conversion

of its most ardent enemy.

Verses 1 to 19.

Jesus protects his church

through the conversion

of its most ardent enemy.

Now, a little note for you.

Saul is the Hebrew name

for the Apostle Paul.

Paul is his Greek name.

And so as he ministers

to the Jews,

where he's from,

his own people,

he's referred to as Saul,

like King Saul.

And then as he ministers

more to the Greeks,

he's called Paul.

It's just his Greek name.

It doesn't necessarily

have significance

for the change of name

other than it's

what he's focusing on.

And so now,

eventually,

he's called the Apostle Paul.

But in this passage,

he's called Saul.

So,

I'll use them interchangeably.

Paul's story of conversion

shows us that God

is able to protect

his church,

even from its

most hardened enemies.

It's also a picture

of what we were like

before our conversion.

If you were converted,

this is true of you.

What Paul says

in Romans 5, 10.

For if while we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more now that we are reconciled,

shall we be saved

by his life.

More than that,

we also rejoice in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have now

received reconciliation.

That's true of us.

We were enemies of God

before our conversion.

We may not remember that.

We didn't necessarily

feel like that.

We weren't going around

murdering people

like Saul was.

But it's still true.

We were enemies

before God converted us.

Saul was introduced to us

back in chapter 7.

This is a man

who approved

of the stoning of Stephen.

This is a man

who went from house to house

to drag disciples

of Christ into prison.

Let's read back

at verse 1.

But Saul,

still breathing threats

and murder

against the disciples

of the Lord,

went to the high priest

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.

Now as he went on his way,

he approached Damascus

and suddenly a light

from heaven

shone around him.

And falling to the ground,

he heard a voice saying,

Saul, Saul,

why are you persecuting me?

Saul is this man

who was breathing threats

and murder

against the disciples.

He got permission

from the high priests

to do this.

And do this

to go to Damascus

and imprison the Christians

there.

Damascus,

if you don't know,

was outside of Israel,

north-northwest,

I think.

And it's the first,

according to record,

it's the first city

outside of the land

of Israel

noted as having Christians.

And Saul was there

to put a stop to that.

He wanted to put a stop

to the spread

of Christianity.

But,

what if he had been successful?

But it's because

God intervening

that Saul

was converted

and stopped.

After the loss

of Stephen,

the great evangelist

that Stephen

was becoming,

God gave the church

Saul,

who would take

the gospel

to the ends

of the known world.

And what happened

to him?

Now,

as he went on his way,

verse 3,

he approached Damascus

and suddenly a light

from heaven shone

around him

and falling to the ground,

he heard a voice

saying to him,

Saul,

Saul,

why are you

persecuting me?

Many tell this story

where Saul's on a horse

and he's knocked

to the ground.

I don't think he was on a horse

though.

This bright light

shone around him

and you can picture

maybe the majesty

when an angel

comes to earth.

As we see in the gospels

at times,

people are falling

to the ground

and they can't stand

the light.

There's too much.

It's too much brightness.

They can't handle it.

They feel

unworthy as well.

I think that majesty

is what knocked

Saul off his feet

to the ground.

Appropriately so.

And Jesus says,

Saul,

Saul,

why are you

persecuting me?

Saul asks,

who are you?

Verse 5.

And Jesus replies,

I am Jesus

whom you are

persecuting.

You see how

Jesus

says this.

I am Jesus

whom you are

persecuting.

Those who

persecute Christians

are

persecuting

Jesus.

That's a

scary

thought.

A fearful

position to be

in

persecuting

God

himself.

And Saul

here

does not

protest.

He doesn't

even speak

after Jesus

identifies

himself.

In verse 6,

Jesus tells

Paul to

rise and

enter the

city and

you will

be told

what to

do.

I read

a story

recently

which tells

of a

Persian

migrant

who

arrived at

a refugee

center at

6 a.m.

visibly

upset.

He told

his story

to a

Persian

pastor

who was

there.

He said

this,

during the

night he

saw someone

dressed in

white raise

his hand and

say,

stand up and

follow me.

The Persian

man said,

who are you?

The man in

white replied,

I am the

Alpha and

the Omega.

I am the

way to

heaven.

No one can

go to the

Father except

through me.

He began to

ask this

Persian pastor,

who is he?

What am I

going to

do?

Why did

he ask

me to

follow him?

How should

I go?

Tell me.

In response,

the pastor

held out his

Bible and

asked,

have you

seen this

before?

No,

he replied.

Do you

know what

it is?

No.

The pastor

then opened

to the

book of

Revelation

and said,

I am

Alpha and

Omega,

the beginning

and the

end.

The man

started crying

and said,

how can I

accept him?

How can I

follow him?

And so the

pastor led

him in

prayer and

peace came

over him.

The pastor

then gave

the man a

Bible and

told him to

hide it

since the

Muslims in

the camp

could cause

him trouble.

But the

man replied,

the Jesus

that I met

today,

he's more

powerful than

the Muslims

in the

camp.

And he

left.

And about

an hour

later,

he returned

with ten

more Persians

and told

the pastor,

these people

want a

Bible.

No one

had to

teach this

man an

evangelistic

strategy.

This is

just what he

did because

he was

converted.

And this

isn't an

isolated story.

A study

done by

a missions

frontier of

some 600

Muslim

converts

shows that

about 25%

of them

experienced a

dream that

led to their

conversion,

not unlike

the story

that I

just read.

God

sometimes

works in

mysterious

and miraculous

ways.

And it

seems not

uncommon that

he works

wondrous ways

to those who

are most

ardent against

him.

But Paul's

experience,

it wasn't

just like a

dream like

this Persian

man.

Those who

were with

Saul saw

something amazing

too.

Though they

didn't experience

exactly the same

thing, they

saw something

happen.

It was

physical,

at least

partially.

Verse 7,

Saul's made

blind.

His eyes

were opened.

He saw

nothing.

So they

led him by

the hand and

brought him

into Damascus.

And for three

days he was

without sight and

neither ate nor

drank.

Saul's made

blind.

He has to be

led by the hand,

another reason I

don't think he's

on a horse,

into the city

of Damascus.

He fasted,

for he knew

the gravity of

this situation.

His blindness

though, I don't

think was a

punishment from

the Lord.

I think it was

an illustration

of his

spiritual state

prior to his

encounter with

Jesus.

He was blind.

This combined

with his fasting

was a time for

reflection and

prayer.

all of Saul's

knowledge and

the studies of

scripture, this

was a man who

knew the Hebrew

scriptures well,

had studied them

all his life.

It produced

nothing but

blindness in

him prior to

his conversion

though.

It doesn't tell

us exactly what

he was doing

during the three

days when he

prayed, but you

can be sure that

after experiencing

seeing the risen

Lord, Jesus

Christ, he was

meditating and

praying on what

had just happened

and what it

meant.

To help Saul

to welcome him

into the church

and to restore

his sight, he

provided Ananias.

Verse 10.

I'm going to read

this section here.

Look at the

kindness of God

here.

Look at the

kindness of

Ananias.

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.

And the Lord

said to him, Rise

and go to the

street called

Straight.

At the house of

Judas, look for a

man of Tarsus

named Saul.

For behold, he

is praying, 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.

But Ananias

answered, Lord, I

have heard from

many about this

man, how much

evil he has done

to your saints

at Jerusalem.

And hear his

authority from

the chief priest

to bind all

who call on

your name.

But the Lord

said to him, Go,

for he is a

chosen instrument

of mine to

carry my name

before Gentiles

and kings and

children of

Israel.

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 who

appeared to

you on the

road by which

you came has

sent me so

that you may

regain your

sight, be

filled with the

Holy Spirit.

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.

So first, this

is a real story

because you see

that God must

convince Ananias

to go because

Ananias is afraid

of Saul.

Pretty

understandable since

Saul was there to

bind the Christians,

bring them off,

maybe murder them.

But God assures

him, tells him of

Saul's destiny to

witness and to

suffer, and maybe

that helped Ananias

a little bit to

know that Saul

would suffer.

I don't know.

Verse 17,

though.

laying his hands

on him, he said,

brother Saul.

That's the first

thing Ananias says

to him.

Brother Saul.

Isn't really

pertinent to my

point here, but we

can learn something

from Ananias'

treatment of Saul,

who was up to this

point the disciple's

biggest enemy.

And yet, Ananias,

without even a word

from Saul, greets

him as brother.

It's welcoming him

into the church.

Welcoming him as a

brother, as family.

What forgiveness

Ananias has for this

man.

And so Saul is

healed of his

blindness.

He's filled with the

Holy Spirit, and he's

baptized.

It's really no

coincidence that his

blindness is healed as

part of being filled

with the Holy Spirit

and being baptized.

Saul was blind prior

to his encounter with

Jesus on the road to

Damascus.

Now he can finally see

spiritually.

Even the most religious

in the world are

blind prior to their

encounter with Jesus.

We must have Jesus to

see the truth.

like the Ethiopian

eunuch that you can

read about in the

previous chapter who

was brought from the

wilderness from being

outcast.

He wasn't allowed to

enter the temple,

but Philip brought him

the temple experience,

being with God.

And so Ananias as well

lays his hand on

Saul, says brother,

and welcomes him into

the temple experience.

Saul had been to the

temple in Jerusalem

many times,

had worshipped there

many, many times,

but had never

experienced the true

temple of God.

It's not a place.

Though places can be

impactful.

The Holy Spirit

filling Saul is the

true temple experience.

God's, this is part of

his conversion.

This is part of our

conversion.

If you have been

converted, you have

been baptized in the

Holy Spirit.

He has filled you.

He has indwelt you.

And though we can be

filled more, we are

encouraged to be filled

more.

Every Christian has the

Holy Spirit.

And so how were we to

apply this section?

I think one, we

recognize our state

before conversion and

grow in appreciation for

God for saving us even

while we were enemies.

Though Paul's conversion

seems insurmountably

miraculous, your

conversion too was

miraculous.

Maybe not so dramatic,

but it was miraculous

to take a heart of

stone and turn it

soft so they see that

you see Christ for who

he is.

Secondly, I think we

need to learn from

Paul's response.

He is met with Christ.

And so he repents, he

prays, and even fasts.

Maybe you haven't had a

conversion experience yet.

Maybe not sure if you

have.

Like I said, it's not

always dramatic, but it

is no less miraculous.

Do you believe in

Jesus?

He's the one true God.

He is the one that can

take your sins away.

Do you believe that?

Repent.

Repent.

Have faith in him.

Trust him that he is

the only way to see the

father.

And you will be

converted.

Pray that you will be

converted.

I pray that you do have

an experience that you

know for sure that you

have been converted, but

not everybody gets that.

Some it's more like a

sunrise.

At one point you

weren't a Christian, but

now you are.

Thank God for that.

Not every story has to

be amazing.

And yet every story is

amazing.

I thank God for every

story.

A third way to apply this

section is that we need

to have confidence that

God can convert anyone.

If God can convert Paul,

this man so hardened

against Christianity, he

can convert anyone.

Whether it be someone

who is hostile to

Christianity.

Someone who makes fun

of you or thinks down

upon you for sharing

about Christianity.

To those who are simply

apathetic.

They don't need God.

They're doing well.

They have all that they

need in this life.

God can convert them.

He sure can.

So have confidence to

not avoid sharing with

somebody because you

think they're too far

from the Lord.

No one is too far from

the Lord.

Let's move on.

Right away, Saul goes to

work.

He's converted.

He can't keep his mouth

shut about Jesus,

though.

He goes from wanting to

murder the disciples to

proving that Jesus is the

Messiah in the synagogues.

He encounters people like

he was.

So the second point here is

that conversion by the

gospel leads to

proclamation of the

gospel.

If you have been

converted, this should

lead you to proclaim the

gospel.

I know it's scary at

times.

But this is one of the

reasons we're here.

This is one of the

reasons that you have

been converted.

Conversion by the gospel

leads to proclamation of

the gospel.

Verses 20 to 30.

It shouldn't surprise us

or discourage us when we

encounter opposition to

the gospel.

Right after Saul's

conversion, this is what

happens in 19b.

For some days he was with

the disciples at

Damascus.

Immediately he

proclaimed Jesus in the

synagogues, saying,

He is the Son of God.

All who heard him were

amazed and said,

Is not this the man who

made havoc in Jerusalem of

those who called upon his

name?

And has he not come here

for the purpose to bring

them bound before the

chief priests?

But Saul increased all the

more in strength and

confounded the Jews who

lived in Damascus by

proving that Jesus was the

Christ.

When many days had passed,

the Jews plotted to kill

him, but their plot became

known to Saul.

They were watching the

gates day and night in

order to kill him.

But his disciples took him

by the night and led him

down through an opening in

the wall, lowering him in a

basket.

I can't imagine what it was

like to be confronted with

the guy who was supposed to

carry off all the disciples

of Jesus to prison, yet he's

here instead proclaiming

Jesus is the Christ.

Christ.

It must have felt surreal to

these Jews in the synagogues.

But Saul didn't waste any

time.

If Jesus is the Messiah, then

he was determined to proclaim

him.

And it's interesting to note

that Saul didn't need any

training on how to prove Jesus

was the Christ.

Verse 22.

He just did it.

He knew the Old Testament

scriptures well.

Once his eyes were open, he

applied that knowledge to

Jesus, and it all started to

make sense to him.

Though he knew much about the

Messiah, he suppressed the

truth that Jesus was the

Messiah.

That's how it can be with us,

how it can be with the world

today.

Deep down, they recognize

there is a God out there.

They see it in nature.

Those who have heard the

gospel before but don't

believe it, I think deep

down, they know there is some

truth out there.

Yet they suppress it.

They don't want to believe.

That's what makes us enemies of

God before our conversion.

We didn't want anything to do

with him.

We want to sin, be our own

king.

Yet in our conversion, our eyes

are opened to see all the

things that we learned before

and see them in light of the

truth that Jesus is the Christ.

Jesus is the one who died for

your sins.

There is no other way to heaven

but through Christ.

That is the truth that you must

recognize.

Saul knew that it was not his own

righteousness that had saved him

but the mercy of Christ.

See, Saul lived a life that was

as perfect as you can get in

devotion to God according to the

Old Testament.

And yet he was an enemy of God.

There is no amount of good works

that you can do, no amount of

putting off of sin, putting off

wrongdoing that you can do to

earn heaven.

You will not make it.

God's standard is high.

So high that if you commit a

single sin, you will not make it.

Sin against an omniscient,

omnipotent God is worthy of

punishment.

You say, but God's love.

Yeah, he's love.

How did he love us?

God provided Jesus Christ to take

our place on the cross, to take

the sin, the punishment for sin

that we deserved, that placed upon

him.

So Jesus took that.

If you want that forgiveness,

you must repent and believe in

Jesus Christ.

It's not about your own works and

your own endeavor to be a good

person.

It's about Jesus and what he did

for you.

And this is what Saul proclaimed.

Saul proclaimed Christ, the Messiah,

the only way to the Father.

The Jews planned to kill him,

though.

So Saul's disciple got him out of

the city.

And what does he do once he gets

back to Jerusalem?

In verse 26.

And when he had come to Jerusalem,

he attempted to join the disciples

and they were all afraid of him,

for they did not believe that he

was a disciple.

But Barnabas took him and brought

him to the apostles and declared

to them how on the road he had

seen the Lord who spoke to him and

how at Damascus he had preached

boldly in the name of Jesus.

So he went in and out among them at

Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the

name of the Lord.

Amen.

After meeting the apostles and

disciples in Jerusalem, Saul goes

right back out and he preaches

Christ again.

Is he a glutton for punishment?

He knows that he'd just come from

Jerusalem about three years prior.

He had spent about three years in

Damascus.

Now he's coming back to his hometown

that he was living in Jerusalem for

a while.

And he's preaching there.

He knows that they're going to

oppose him, but he does it

anyways.

He just can't help but tell others

about Jesus.

His conversion led him to

proclamation.

Let's back up a little bit in verse

26 and 27.

When Paul first arrives in Jerusalem,

the disciples are afraid of him, just

like Ananias was afraid of him.

I mean, he was there approving of the

stoning of Stephen just three years

prior.

They hadn't forgotten that.

But good old Barnabas, probably young

Barnabas, I don't know how old he is.

We were introduced to him back in

chapter 4.

He had donated a field to the church.

Didn't say a lot more about him.

But if you read the rest of Acts, you'll

see Barnabas come in again.

He is an encouragement.

That's what his name means.

Son of encouragement.

He's an encouragement.

So we see him here

testifying of what Paul preached

in Damascus.

And just as Ananias did, the disciples

welcome him in.

They forgive him,

showing tremendous forgiveness

for the one who was responsible for the

death of their friend Stephen.

This is what the gospel enables.

Forgiveness for every sin,

even the most heinous.

Wherever Saul goes, though, he preaches the

gospel.

And wherever he preaches the gospel,

he is opposed.

Though he knows he'll be oppressed

or even killed,

he still proclaims the gospel.

So we, too, should not be surprised

when we're opposed when we mention

God or the Bible.

You don't know what God will do

when you share about Christ.

But if you've been converted like Paul,

this will lead you to proclaim

the gospel to others.

Maybe share your conversion story

with others.

Now, after Saul preaches Christ in Jerusalem,

he gets into trouble again.

So the disciples send him to Tarsus.

So he goes from Jerusalem outward.

And this should make you think of something

when you see this in Acts.

Somebody goes from Jerusalem outward.

Acts 1.8 says this,

You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem

and in all of Judea and Samaria

and to the ends of the earth.

That is something that Jesus told his disciples.

That is something that's true for us today.

We are his witnesses in Jerusalem

and in all of Judea and Samaria

and to the ends of the earth.

Not everyone in this world has heard

about Jesus yet.

Not everyone in Cambridge

has heard of Jesus yet.

And maybe they have heard of Jesus,

but they haven't really heard the gospel.

They think Christianity is just like

all the other religions out there.

No, this is the true religion.

This is the truth

that you cannot make it to heaven,

but through Christ.

So the author of Acts, Luke,

is writing this question

and trying to answer this for Theophilus,

who he is writing for.

This is the question that surrounds

the book of Acts.

What accounts for the rapid expansion

of the gospel?

What accounts for the rapid expansion

of the gospel?

It's this.

The power of the word preached.

The presence of the Holy Spirit

in the persecution

of the preaching of the gospel.

The power of the word.

The presence of the Holy Spirit

in the persecution

of the preaching of the gospel.

Persecution has led

to the spread of the gospel.

This brings me to my third point.

Jesus continues to build his church

even through opposition.

Verse 31.

Jesus continues to build his church

today through opposition.

Sometimes I think we can feel

like the church is in decline.

From a certain perspective,

it certainly seems that way.

This part of the country

used to be full of churches,

full of people who called

themselves Christians.

They were devoted to their churches,

to reading scripture,

to raising their children

according to the Lord.

And now,

for many of us,

it's surprising

when we find another Christian

in the course of our normal day.

The threats are all around.

The culture doesn't appreciate

Christianity in their schools

or in their sphere.

People are less and less inclined

to attend church

on a Sunday morning.

And that even includes

Christians and Christian leaders

and a more devoted folk.

We just don't find the value

in gathering with God's people.

Churches are closing

left and right in the Northeast.

And the problems aren't just here, though.

The government in China

seems pretty successful

in ridding their entire country

of missionaries.

OMF, as far as I know

and am aware,

has no official missionaries

in China.

OMF was founded

to do missionary work in China.

That's not to say

there aren't any missionaries

in China.

We know one.

Siobhan McLaren,

Bailey's sister,

who's doing work.

And a great number

of Middle Eastern nations

have prevented

most missionaries

from even entering

or doing missions work

in their nations.

Missionaries that do make it in

have to be very careful

and secretive

about sharing Jesus Christ.

Now, I don't personally feel

like I have enemies

like the first century Christians did.

I don't think you

probably don't feel that way either.

But there's no denying

that Jesus' church

today has enemies

in this world.

But we shouldn't be afraid

of opposition.

I know we're not threatened

with death

because we share Christ.

We're threatened

in other ways,

more subtle ways.

I think in some ways

they're maybe more effective

for suppressing

the spread of the gospel.

We shouldn't be afraid

to speak about God

and Jesus

in the gospel.

But we must use wisdom

and care for people

in telling them

about Jesus.

Like Saul,

we shouldn't be able

to keep our mouths shut

about the greatest news

in the universe.

I'm serious.

This is the greatest news

in the universe.

That Jesus lived

a perfect life,

came down from heaven,

lived a perfect life,

went on the cross

for our sins,

died a death

that we deserved

and was raised

from the dead.

That is the most important

news in the universe.

Do your friends,

do your co-workers

know this?

Now,

I know I'm preaching

this to myself too

because I know

I'm not nearly as bold

as I was

when I was a teenager.

I was saved

when I was very young.

But as a teenager,

I had zeal.

Zeal without knowledge

or humility.

Everyone around me

knew about Jesus.

Everyone around me

also knew of my arrogance.

My goal now, though,

is that everyone around me

will know

about Jesus

in the gospel.

But they will not be

assaulted with my arrogance.

They will feel my love

for them,

my care for them,

not treating them

like a project,

but as a friend.

One who shares

because I care,

not share because

I'm on some project.

to save

the whole world.

People feel

when you're disingenuous.

So you want to be

genuine with them.

Share with wisdom.

Share out of friendship

and care.

But share.

What Acts shows us

is that no one

is too far

from his reach.

From the church's

greatest enemy,

Saul,

to the Ethiopian eunuch,

who's not allowed

in the temple,

he can save anyone.

And think about today.

The Ethiopian eunuch

would have been

one that the religious leaders

looked very much down upon.

Oh, that's not

a religious person at all.

And you can think

of people today

that religious people

look down upon.

Who think,

oh, they would never

turn to Christianity.

community.

They don't fit

with going to church.

Share with those two.

No one is too far

from the gospel.

No one is too far

gone

that God

cannot save them.

There's no problem

too great for God.

No problem

that will crush the church

that he is building.

He is building it.

And it will never decrease.

It will always increase.

Jesus ascended to heaven

and left his disciples.

What are they to do?

He gave them

the Holy Spirit

in Acts 2.

And in language barriers

in Acts 2,

they spoke

all different languages

and yet

God spoke to them

through the Holy Spirit

at Pentecost

in all languages.

There was the Jewish council.

There was physical need.

There was dishonesty

from Ananias and Sapphira.

There was internal conflict

in Acts 6.

There was the death

of Stephen

by stoning

in Acts 7.

Nothing can crush

the church

for God turned Saul

from one who approved

of Stephen's death

to one who would spread

the news

across the known world.

And in Acts

you'll see

continued time

where there's a threat

to the church.

God overcomes it

again and again

and again.

And He does the same

today.

He will overcome

everything

that threatens

the church.

Verse 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

in the comfort

of the Holy Spirit

it multiplied.

George Littleton

a British lord

in the 18th century

said this

the conversion

and apostleship

of St. Paul

alone

duly considered

was of itself

a demonstration

sufficient

to prove Christianity

to be a divine

revelation.

the conversion

of Paul

itself

was sufficient

to prove Christianity

to be a divine

religion.

He's right I think.

Has there ever been

such a dramatic

conversion

where someone

was persecuting

a group

for their beliefs

and that led

to him being

changed around

completely

and leading

the charge

and proclaiming

what that group

was believing.

Now maybe that

has happened

somewhere

I don't know.

It's not the only

reason that we

believe.

But this

is evidence

for how God

has worked

in history.

These are

true things.

We saw

Paul

he's recorded

in other books

convert

to sharing

the gospel

everywhere.

Now in

conclusion

if you've

been

converted

if you've

been

saved

by

Jesus

you

have

been

forgiven

even for

the most

heinous

of evil

in your

life.

Just as

Saul was

forgiven

for his

part

in the

death

of many

Christians.

But we

haven't been

converted

so that we

can simply

live a life

like the

world does.

We haven't

simply been

converted

so that we

can have

success

in life

and so that

we can have

peace of

mind.

We haven't

been

converted

so that

we can

just enjoy

the weekends

with our

family.

Not so that

we can just

have great

vacations.

Save up

for retirement.

Enjoy the

good things

in life.

I enjoy

these things

too.

God has

given us

many wonderful

gifts.

Give me a

family.

Give me

many joys

in this

life.

God

has

done

that's

not

why

I

was

converted

though.

He has

brought us

here for

a purpose.

And one

of the

main

purposes

God

converted

you

is so

that you

will tell

others

about

Jesus.

If you

are reviled,

if you

are persecuted,

if you

are laughed

at,

if people

get angry

with you,

know that

they do

these things

to Christ,

when you

are embarrassed,

when you

are afraid

to speak,

he identifies

with you

in your

suffering.

And he's

present with

his Holy

Spirit who

has indwelled

you to

help you.

Let's

pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.