1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:06,560 So Acts Chapter 9, verse one. Meanwhile, Saul was still 2 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:09,920 breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,520 He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:18,080 synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who 5 00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:22,320 belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:26,720 prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his 7 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,320 journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 8 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,480 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, Saul, Saul, 9 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,600 why do you persecute me? Who are you, Lord? 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,000 Saul asked. I am Jesus whom you are 11 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:49,200 persecuting, He replied. Now get up and go into the city, 12 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,200 and you will be told what you must do. 13 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:54,840 The man travelling with Saul stood there speechless. 14 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:57,960 They heard the sound but did not see anyone. 15 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:02,280 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could 16 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,560 see nothing. So they led him by the hand into 17 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,640 Damascus. For three days he was blind and 18 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:13,400 did not eat or drink anything. In Damascus there was a disciple 19 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,240 named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a 20 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:17,800 vision. Ananias. 21 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,320 Yes, Lord, he answered. The Lord told him Go to the 22 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:27,160 House of Judas on Straight St. and asked for a man from Tarsus 23 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:32,320 named Saul, for he is praying and in a vision he has seen a 24 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:36,120 man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his 25 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:40,120 sight. Lord Ananias answered, I've 26 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,800 heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done 27 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,280 to your holy people in Jerusalem, and he has come here 28 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,840 with authority from the chief priest to arrest all who call on 29 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,880 your name. But the Lord said to Ananias, 30 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:59,040 Go, This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name 31 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:03,160 to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of the Israel. 32 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:06,560 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name. 33 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,320 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. 34 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:15,000 Placing his hands on Saul, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord 35 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,720 Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming 36 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:22,080 here, has sent me, so that you may see again and be filled with 37 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,960 the Holy Spirit. Immediately something like 38 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:29,520 scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. 39 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:34,600 He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food he 40 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:40,120 regained his strength. So we are back in the book of 41 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,320 Acts this morning and a quick reminder to us all. 42 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,560 It's been a few weeks, but the the book of Acts, this is, if 43 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,360 you like, the theological history of the early church in 44 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,400 the years following Jesus death on the cross, his resurrection 45 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,840 of the dead, his ascension into heaven. 46 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,960 The book of Acts is a history. That's one of the ways to think 47 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,360 of it. Luke, he writes, he's a reliable 48 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:03,840 historian. He has spent time talking to 49 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,080 eyewitnesses, recording what they said. 50 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,040 In fact, the the further you get into the book of Acts, Luke 51 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,080 himself becomes an eyewitness. Luke is one of the Apostle 52 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,120 Paul's travelling companions. By the time he arrives in the 53 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,440 teens, it begins to say we did this, we did that. 54 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,440 So this is a reliable history of the early church, but it's also 55 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,800 a theological history. It's not just about people. 56 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,920 It's about what the living God was doing through his church in 57 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:34,920 those early years following Jesus life, death and 58 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,800 resurrection. It's a record of the risen Jesus 59 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,480 powerfully at work in this world through the Holy Spirit. 60 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:47,040 So the book of Acts, it reminds us who we are if we're followers 61 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,120 of Jesus and what our purpose is in this world. 62 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:55,360 It reminds us we are witnesses for Jesus in this real world, in 63 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:59,160 the power of the Holy Spirit. And that is to define who we are 64 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:04,640 and what we do as a local church and as individual followers of 65 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,000 Jesus. And this morning, as Kit's 66 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,960 already said, we come to a big moment in the book of Acts, Acts 67 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:15,840 Chapter 9, the conversion of Saul when the risen Jesus breaks 68 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,920 into the life of a man called Saul, also called Paul on the 69 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,120 road outside the city of Damascus and he transformed 70 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:27,280 Saul's life forever. This is sort of easily the most 71 00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:30,720 famous conversion story in church history. 72 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,040 And even the phrase sort of a Damascus Rd. experience is 1. 73 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,240 You'll even hear from people who maybe don't know anything about 74 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:38,320 the Bible. Damascus Rd. experience or you 75 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,680 had a Damascus moment basically means a sudden change and about 76 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,560 turn a transformation from what you used to think to what you 77 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,560 now think. So the conversion of Saul, it is 78 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:53,120 a big deal in the book of Acts. Luke thinks it's so important. 79 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,400 Actually, he records it for us three times. 80 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,720 So here in Chapter 9, and then later in Paul's own words in 81 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:05,880 chapters 22 and 26 and later in life as an apostle, Saul, who 82 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,640 became known as Paul, talked about his conversion multiple 83 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,520 times in his letters to churches. 84 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:16,360 Just one example from One Timothy chapter 1, Paul writes 85 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,480 here, is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 86 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:25,520 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am 87 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,280 the worst. But for that very reason I was 88 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:32,520 shown mercy, so that in me the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus 89 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,720 might display his immense patience as an example for those 90 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,720 who believe in him and receive eternal life. 91 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:45,400 Why does Paul keep going back to this story of his conversion in 92 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:46,880 the letters he writes to churches? 93 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,520 I believe he wants to encourage his readers. 94 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:54,760 Paul wants to see that if Jesus can save him, Jesus can save 95 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,640 anyone. Paul wants his readers to see 96 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,800 even the hardest heart can be softened by God. 97 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,480 Even the most unlikely person can encounter the risen Jesus 98 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,440 and experience forgiveness and new life with him. 99 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,640 If Jesus can save someone like Saul, the worst of sinners, 100 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:18,560 Jesus can save anyone. And another reason why the 101 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,560 conversion of Saul so significant is we learn in verse 102 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:27,160 15 that Saul or Paul is Jesus chosen instrument to proclaim 103 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,880 his name to the ends of the earth. 104 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,120 So you write from the beginning of the book of Acts, the risen 105 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,240 Jesus gives his disciples an astonishing mission, what sounds 106 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,840 like an impossible mission. A chapter one verse 8. 107 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,480 Jesus says you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes 108 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,960 on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in 109 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,160 all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. 110 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,400 That is Jesus will for his people, the risen Jesus causing 111 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,000 his followers to offer God salvation to all people 112 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,680 everywhere. And it doesn't take long to 113 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:01,200 think, well, that sounds impossible. 114 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,080 How do we do it? Well, he says we do it in the 115 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:07,160 power of the Holy Spirit. And actually he's going to do it 116 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:11,360 through this man's soul who's going to be his messenger to the 117 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:15,360 Gentiles, the non Jewish people. Up to this point in the book of 118 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,680 Acts, the vast majority of Christians followers of Jesus 119 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:22,240 have been Jewish. They've been living in 120 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,120 Jerusalem, that's chapters one to seven. 121 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,600 Or they've been living in Judea and Samaria, that's chapter 8. 122 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:32,280 But here we meet the person called by the risen Jesus to 123 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:35,040 take his gospel to the ends of the earth. 124 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,200 Look down at verse 15 and Jesus words to Ananias. 125 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:42,280 This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the 126 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,600 Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 127 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,800 I will show him how much he must suffer from my name. 128 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:55,640 So Jesus wants the good news of of his saving work to go to all 129 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,520 people everywhere, to Jews and Gentiles, to the ends of the 130 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:01,080 earth. And astonishingly, the person he 131 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:07,160 chooses to do that job is this man Saul, later called Paul. 132 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,240 And that's what we're going to see over and over again in the 133 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,520 book of Acts. So let's look at this passage 134 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,040 together and think, what does it mean in the book of Acts and 135 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:19,000 what does it mean for us today? So things are very easily. 136 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,320 There's like 3 main characters in this passage. 137 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,000 You've got Saul, the enemy of the early church. 138 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:30,360 You've got Jesus, the one who breaks into Saul's life here. 139 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:34,840 And you've got Ananias, an ordinary disciple used in 140 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:39,159 extraordinary ways by Jesus. So let's look at each one of 141 00:08:39,159 --> 00:08:41,280 these characters in turn, first of all. 142 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,880 Then there's Saul, the enemy of the early church. 143 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,960 That's verses 1 and 2. And actually, if you take a step 144 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:52,000 back from Acts Chapter 9, in Acts chapters 8 to 10, there's 145 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,520 actually three conversions that Luke records for us. 146 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:57,960 We've got the Ethiopian eunuch in chapter 8. 147 00:08:57,960 --> 00:08:59,520 We looked at that just before Christmas. 148 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,040 We've got Saul here in Chapter 9, and we've got Cornelius, a 149 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,960 Roman centurion in chapter 10. We're going to look at that in a 150 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,880 couple of weeks time. And of those 3 individuals, 151 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:13,240 interestingly, Saul's the only Jewish person, but he's also the 152 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:18,320 one furthest away from Jesus at the beginning when we meet him. 153 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:22,960 See, unlike the Ethiopian eunuch in chapter 8, he's not searching 154 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,840 the scriptures and wondering what they mean. 155 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,720 Unlike Cornelius, the Roman centurion in chapter 10, he's 156 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,400 not described as devout and God fearing, giving generously to 157 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:35,800 those in need, praying to God regularly. 158 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,480 Now this is how Saul is described when we meet him. 159 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:45,000 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats 160 00:09:45,560 --> 00:09:51,040 against the Lord's disciples. Such a vivid description, like 161 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,200 you're sitting near Saul and you could feel his breath, smell his 162 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:55,880 breath is a lovely, lovely thought. 163 00:09:56,760 --> 00:10:01,720 It's just murder. He hates Jesus, the message 164 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:05,600 about him, and he hates people who follow Jesus. 165 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:10,040 And he is making his life mission to put an end to these 166 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:14,720 followers of Jesus. Back in Chapter 7, we looked up 167 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,360 before Christmas. Saul supported the killing of 168 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:21,280 the church leader, Stephen by stoning at the beginning of 169 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,000 chapter 8, we're told he began to destroy the church in 170 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:27,440 Jerusalem, began dragging off men and women into prison. 171 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,480 That's chapter 8. And it's because of Saul that 172 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,400 the early believers were scattered from Jerusalem and 173 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,840 sent out into the surrounding areas. 174 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:40,000 Saul is determined to destroy the church. 175 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:45,760 He's made it his life mission and picks up the story in 176 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,960 Chapter 9, telling us that Saul is looking for any followers of 177 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:52,080 Jesus who might have fled from Jerusalem and ended up in a 178 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:55,000 different city. The city he chooses to visit is 179 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,200 a place called Damascus. It's about 135 miles from 180 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:00,840 Jerusalem, about a week's journey on foot. 181 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,120 And he had a large Jewish population and several Jewish 182 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,560 synagogues. And Saul's suspicion is that in 183 00:11:07,560 --> 00:11:10,840 those synagogues there are Jewish people who secretly 184 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:15,200 follow Jesus, and maybe they're beginning to tell their fellow 185 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:20,480 Jewish believers about Jesus. And Saul is determined to stop 186 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,320 them. Verse 2. 187 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,680 His intention is to arrest anyone in those synagogues who 188 00:11:25,680 --> 00:11:30,000 belongs to the way we're going to see in a second. 189 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,680 That's a way that Christians identified themselves in the 1st 190 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:36,400 century. Saul's determined to destroy the 191 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:41,360 church, to snuff out the message of the crucified Jesus before it 192 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:46,160 could spread any further. As we learn about Saul here, 193 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:51,960 what do you learn about the early church as you learn this? 194 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,160 And it's a truth that is winding Saul up. 195 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:02,000 The early church is continuing to grow in spite of souls 196 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:06,360 persecution. Look back at Acts 8 verse 4. 197 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,560 Just flick back one page. Saul, he, he drives out so many 198 00:12:09,560 --> 00:12:11,240 followers of Jesus from the city of Jerusalem. 199 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:16,160 But verse 4, those who had been scattered preached the Word 200 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:20,160 wherever they went. See, the early church wasn't 201 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,640 silent about Jesus. They proclaimed Jesus wherever 202 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:25,440 they went. Actually, thanks to Saul's 203 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,240 persecution, the good news of Jesus is now stretched far 204 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,440 beyond Jerusalem, across Judea and Samaria. 205 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:35,240 It even reached as far as the city of Damascus, 135 miles away 206 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,360 from Jerusalem. See, Saul's discovering 207 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,120 something, much to his anger and frustration. 208 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:45,480 The good news of Jesus cannot be stopped or silenced by 209 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:49,560 persecution. And actually we learn in this 210 00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:52,080 chapter, the early believers, they're not only growing, 211 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,600 they're also beginning to describe themselves in various 212 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,560 ways to identify that they belong to Jesus. 213 00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:01,720 We get several descriptions of the early church in Acts 9, Acts 214 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,800 verse one, they're described as the Lord's disciples. 215 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:08,920 People who follow Jesus learn from Jesus in their lives. 216 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:13,240 Verse 2 they're described as those belonging to the way these 217 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:17,520 believers saw themselves as traveling together in faith in 218 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:21,240 Jesus towards the new creation towards the time when they will 219 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,520 meet the living God. There were those belonging to 220 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,920 the way. Verse 13 Ananias talks about 221 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,360 Jesus holy people or Saints. He says these these ordinary 222 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:33,720 men, women, children, actually they are holy in God's sight. 223 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:38,080 They belong to Jesus. They are precious to him and 224 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:43,160 verse 14 he talks about all who call on Jesus name that defines 225 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,720 these believers. They are those who pray to 226 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:49,360 Jesus, call out to Jesus, cry out to Jesus both individually 227 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:53,200 and separately. The early church is growing 228 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,960 because the risen Jesus is committed to helping it grow. 229 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:02,080 He loves his church and Saul hates it. 230 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:09,040 The soul travels this 135 plus mile journey from Jerusalem to 231 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,480 Damascus and he's about to arrive in the city to start 232 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,800 looking for Christians in the local synagogues when something 233 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,480 completely unexpected happens to him. 234 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:26,320 Verse 3 As Saul near Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light 235 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:30,440 from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard 236 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:34,320 a voice say to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? 237 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,320 Who are you, Lord? Saul asked. 238 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:41,560 I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, he replied. 239 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:46,680 Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you 240 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:51,080 must do. See, make no mistake, this is a 241 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:56,280 sovereign act of God's mercy. This is the risen Jesus breaking 242 00:14:56,280 --> 00:15:02,000 into Saul's life when Saul had no intention of ever coming to 243 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,840 know Jesus again. Just compare Saul with the other 244 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,160 conversions in chapter 8 and chapter 10. 245 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:11,160 The Ethiopian eunuch. He is looking for answers. 246 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:12,680 He is looking for the living God. 247 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:14,480 Cornelius. In chapter 10, we're going to 248 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,840 see he's looking for answers. He's looking for the living God, 249 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,800 but not Saul. Saul thinks he knows exactly who 250 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:23,720 the living God is, and it's definitely not Jesus. 251 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:27,560 That crucified liar, that criminal on a cross. 252 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:31,400 Saul rejected Jesus. He hated Jesus followers. 253 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:35,600 And yet here is the risen Jesus taking hold of Saul and utterly 254 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,440 turning his life around out of sheer grace. 255 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:42,400 Not because Saul was looking for Jesus. 256 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,240 Because Jesus was looking for Saul. 257 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:52,720 It's an astonishing moment. Oh, you need to be clear that 258 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,640 actually this isn't everyone's experience of coming to faith. 259 00:15:56,640 --> 00:16:00,680 Sometimes Jesus work in calling people to faith in him is gentle 260 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,720 and gradual. There's a verse in Revelation 261 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:06,600 chapter 3 that's often slightly misquoted, but it says this. 262 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:09,040 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. 263 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,520 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in 264 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,840 and eat with that person and they with me. 265 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,280 Sometimes that is how Jesus works in someone's life, 266 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:22,960 Standing at the door, knocking, waiting for us to open. 267 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:25,680 Maybe if you're a Christian here, that is your experience. 268 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:28,400 It was a long process, gentle, gradual. 269 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,400 But here we need to see that Jesus isn't standing at the door 270 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,520 and knocking. Jesus is kicking the door down 271 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:40,400 of Saul's life. Jesus taking hold of Saul, he 272 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:45,400 breaks into Saul's life and utterly transforms it because he 273 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:49,040 has loving purposes for Saul's life. 274 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:51,720 See, what are we to make of this? 275 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:56,040 I think in many ways we need to be honest that this is a unique 276 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,400 conversion experience, the story of Saul on the road to Damascus. 277 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,200 There's several things that uniquely happened to Saul that 278 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,200 we shouldn't expect will happen to other people who come to 279 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:09,040 faith. So a light shone from heaven. 280 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:12,880 Saul fell to the ground. He heard his name called by 281 00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:17,319 Jesus, presumably in Aramaic. Those details aren't shared by 282 00:17:17,319 --> 00:17:20,440 other followers of Jesus. We shouldn't expect to share 283 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,400 those. And a big part of the uniqueness 284 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:27,200 of this call is this is the risen Jesus calling Saul as an 285 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,640 apostle. This is actually the physically 286 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,560 risen Jesus appearing to Saul. The apostle Paul, as he called 287 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:35,960 him to have, later refers to this in one Corinthians 15. 288 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:39,040 He says this is the last appearance of the risen Jesus 289 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,560 because he's the least of all the apostles, says Saul. 290 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,960 It's a unique moment. But in other ways, Saul's 291 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:51,920 conversion is a picture of any and every Christian's conversion 292 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,160 because at its heart, on the road to Damascus, Saul has a 293 00:17:56,160 --> 00:18:01,200 personal encounter with the risen Jesus, which is in a 294 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,920 matter of days leads Saul to repent of his old way of life, 295 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,760 to put his faith in Jesus, and to commit the rest of his life 296 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:12,840 to serving Jesus as Lord. I must say that's what happens 297 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:15,520 in the life of every single Christian believer. 298 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:19,440 At the beginning of their story, we have a personal encounter 299 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:21,960 with Jesus. He's not just an idea anymore, 300 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:23,440 not just someone you read about in a book. 301 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:27,240 He is personally alive and presenting himself to us, but 302 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,800 he, he, he calls us to repent, to turn away from a life of 303 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:33,880 ignoring him and rejecting him. He calls us to put our faith in 304 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,800 him and to commit to following him for the rest of our lives. 305 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:41,960 Now, for some people, I mean most people, that process is 306 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:45,040 gentle and gradually happens over a long time. 307 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:47,960 But for some people, even in this room, it happens very 308 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:52,200 quickly, bewilderingly quickly. For some people, it's a 309 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,480 profoundly emotional experience that floors them. 310 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:58,640 Other people, it's it's quite calm. 311 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:01,200 Oh, oh, actually, yeah. I, I believe this. 312 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,960 Sometimes transformation in someone's life is, is utter and 313 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,040 immediate. For other people, it is a long, 314 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:14,120 lifelong process of change. Everyone's story of coming to 315 00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:16,440 faith in Jesus is unique and different. 316 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,680 That is why baptismal services are such a joy. 317 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:21,920 It's the same Jesus saving people, but he does it in unique 318 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,560 and distinctive ways in the lives of individual believers. 319 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:30,320 But for all of us, becoming a follower of Jesus is a 320 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:34,520 supernatural work of God's grace, where we see Jesus 321 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:39,440 clearly for the first time and we put our faith in him and him 322 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:41,840 alone. That is the picture of 323 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:45,200 conversion we get in Acts 9, and it's a picture, actually, that 324 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,160 applies to every believer at its heart. 325 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:54,800 So what does Saul learn about Jesus on the road to Damascus? 326 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:56,360 He actually learns a huge amount. 327 00:19:56,360 --> 00:19:58,080 There's there's an argument actually that that this 328 00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:00,920 experience is what kind of drives Saul in all his letters 329 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,840 to explore more and more of who Jesus is, what it means to 330 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,960 belong to him. First thing, Jesus, that Saul 331 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,640 realizes that Jesus is Lord. And that's a realization that 332 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,840 comes so quickly when Jesus appears to him, verse 5, he 333 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:16,320 hears this voice from heaven calling his name and he 334 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:20,480 responds, who are you Lord? And the answer receives, I am 335 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:27,200 Jesus, whom you are persecuting. So before this moment, Saul had 336 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:29,680 lots of strong opinions about who Jesus was. 337 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:33,400 Jesus, Well, he was a false teacher, He was a false prophet. 338 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,840 He was the false Messiah. He was someone under God's curse 339 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,120 because he had died hanging on a tree. 340 00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:41,880 And the Old Testament says if you die hanging on a tree, 341 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,080 you're under God's curse. That's why Saul is so offended 342 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:47,920 by the Christian saying, no, he's he's risen, he's Lord, he's 343 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:50,240 the son of God. Saul was that cannot be true. 344 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:57,000 But now when Jesus meets with Saul and called Saul by name, 345 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,840 Saul realizes suddenly this Jesus, he is Lord. 346 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,880 Up to this moment, Saul thought he was doing God's work in this 347 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:10,640 world by trying to wipe out the church. 348 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:15,520 And I, Saul realizes he's been on the wrong side the whole 349 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:19,800 time. He's been utterly wrong about 350 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,480 Jesus. He's been opposing God's 351 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:26,240 purposes in the world. Saul discovers that Jesus is 352 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:29,840 Lord, and that changed everything for Saul. 353 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:35,320 And I want to argue that something similar has to happen 354 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:40,560 in each one of our lives. For many people, we can have 355 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:43,480 lots of different opinions about Jesus. 356 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,120 They might be more positive than Saul's ones usually. 357 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,800 Maybe Jesus is a great teacher. He's a good man. 358 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:52,120 He's a social revolutionary. He's a spiritual giant. 359 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:55,240 He's someone we should really listen to if we want to live a 360 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:59,400 good life. See, there comes a point in each 361 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,800 one of our lives we're like Saul here. 362 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:06,760 We need to reckon with Jesus as far more than any of those 363 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,760 things. We have to see Jesus and the way 364 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:13,680 he talks about himself in the things he does ultimately and 365 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:22,080 supremely when he dies and rises again, that Jesus is Lord and we 366 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:28,080 need to commit our lives to him. We need to ask Him to help us 367 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:31,720 follow Him. We cannot sit on the fence any 368 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:35,200 longer. We can't ignore Him any longer. 369 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,960 We need to come to a decision about him. 370 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,600 Is Jesus Lord? If so, that changes everything. 371 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,040 If not, we could just carry on where you were. 372 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,840 But this changes everything for Saul. 373 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,720 Jesus is Lord and we need to follow him. 374 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:55,880 That is the message Saul, later Paul brought with him across the 375 00:22:55,880 --> 00:23:00,440 Roman world. There's another message Saul 376 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,680 later Paul brought to the Roman world that he glimpsed sight of 377 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:08,360 even in his very first encounter with Jesus, and it's this. 378 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:15,080 Jesus loves his people deeply and he identifies with his 379 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:19,960 people completely. And look again at Jesus first 380 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,880 words to soul, soul ask the question, who are you, Lord? 381 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:29,280 And he says I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 382 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:33,360 And you might sort of put yourself in Saul's head and and 383 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:36,000 maybe he's straight me going, but but hang on Jesus, I haven't 384 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:37,800 been persecuting you at all. I mean, yeah, I've been 385 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,600 persecuting your followers, but, but that's different. 386 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,080 I've not been persecuting you. You mean you're, you're off the 387 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:44,560 scene. I'm just having to go at your 388 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:46,080 people. Jesus. 389 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:52,080 What Saul discovers in this moment shaped his understanding 390 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,320 of Jesus and of the church for the rest of his life. 391 00:23:55,320 --> 00:24:01,320 He hears from Jesus here that Jesus loves his people deeply. 392 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:06,120 Jesus says if you persecute my people, you're persecuting me. 393 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,440 If you have a go at my people, you're having a go at me. 394 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,480 If you insult my people, you're insulting me. 395 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:16,920 I am with my people. I am as close to them as it is 396 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:21,880 possible to be. Saul learns here a picture of 397 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,360 Jesus that he goes back to again and again, his letters that the 398 00:24:25,360 --> 00:24:30,800 church is the body of Christ. We are connected to him in a 399 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:34,880 supernatural way. He is the head, we are the body. 400 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:39,160 We are united to Jesus through faith and by the Holy Spirit. 401 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,680 He is present with us through his Spirit. 402 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:45,280 He's as close to us today and is as is possible for him to be. 403 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:50,920 And that means whenever his people suffer, whenever his 404 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:55,040 people struggle, Jesus is right there with them. 405 00:24:56,240 --> 00:25:01,720 Jesus suffers alongside US. He identifies with us. 406 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:08,000 He is present with us. When Jesus followers suffer, 407 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:12,880 Jesus suffers soul. Discover something here that 408 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:14,680 he's going to take a lifetime to unpack. 409 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:19,840 Jesus is closer to us than we realize and we are closer to him 410 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:24,160 than we realize. We are the body of Christ. 411 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:30,880 And the third thing Saul discovers about Jesus is what 412 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,280 would just fuel his evangelism and his commitment to taking the 413 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:36,360 gospel around the world. We've already really seen it 414 00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:39,200 this morning. Jesus can save anyone. 415 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:45,480 Jesus can save anyone if Jesus can save someone like Saul, 416 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:49,640 someone who hated Jesus, who hated Jesus followers, a violent 417 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,240 persecutor determined to destroy the church. 418 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,360 Then Saul became convinced Jesus can save anyone. 419 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,520 No one is beyond saving in this world. 420 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:02,960 No one is too far gone to respond to Jesus invitation to 421 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:05,160 new life. The gospel message needs to be 422 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,640 offered to everyone and anyone. None of us can make the 423 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:10,280 decision. I think this friend or family 424 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:12,560 members probably open. This friend and family member. 425 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:14,160 No, they would never be interested. 426 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:18,880 Actually, no, it needs to be offered to everyone because Saul 427 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,680 reminds US Jesus and save anyone. 428 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:28,920 So back to our passage. This encounter with the risen 429 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:31,240 Jesus has a huge and immediate impact on Saul. 430 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:34,760 We're told Saul is blinded. Verse 8, Saul got up from the 431 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:36,680 ground. When he opened his eyes, he 432 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,880 could see nothing. This blindness is probably a 433 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:44,640 sign of God's judgement on Saul. Saul is brought low by this 434 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:46,720 encounter with Jesus. He thought he'd arrive in 435 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:50,560 Damascus with great power and ceremony to terrify any 436 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,560 followers of Jesus. Instead, he is led by the hand 437 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:58,040 by his companions, a blind, stumbling man. 438 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:02,560 Saul is blinded and soul is humbled. 439 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:07,640 Verse 9, For three days he didn't eat or drink anything. 440 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:11,800 He's just utterly overcome by what's happened. 441 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:15,640 Fasting in the Bible is a sign of repentance and humility 442 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:17,960 before God, we're told in verses 11 and 12. 443 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,000 Saul spends this time praying. He's trying to get his head and 444 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:24,640 heart around what has just happened, who Jesus really is, 445 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,640 why he'd gotten Jesus so terribly wrong. 446 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:30,480 He is humbled by meeting the risen Jesus. 447 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,160 And you can imagine Saul in those moments, just thinking, 448 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,920 well, that's him. There is no way back for someone 449 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:42,720 like me. You think I remember what I did, 450 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:46,600 all those followers of Jesus, I threw you into prison. 451 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:50,920 How could Jesus ever forgive me for that? 452 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,720 Think of Steven, I said it was there when he was stoned to 453 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:59,440 death, bloody stones hurled at him, his family left without 454 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,120 him. How could Jesus ever forgive me? 455 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,120 I've arrogantly said to everyone, Jesus a liar. 456 00:28:05,120 --> 00:28:07,400 He's a false teacher. And I, I know he's Lord. 457 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:10,800 Saul is sitting there in these three days, fasting, praying. 458 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,680 Is there any way back for someone like me? 459 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:21,480 And in those three days, Jesus is preparing someone to meet 460 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:25,680 Saul. He's the third person in this 461 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:33,320 passage, a man called Ananias, who accepts Saul, welcomes Saul 462 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:38,160 into the church. And so I'm reading this passage 463 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:41,240 the last couple of weeks, I've kind of fallen in love with 464 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:42,600 Ananias. I think he's just amazing. 465 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:45,960 He's an unsung hero in the early church. 466 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:50,320 He is called by Jesus to welcome Saul into the early church and 467 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,080 to heal him from his blindness, baptize him into the faith. 468 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:58,120 And Ananias, he's such an ordinary disciple, but he does 469 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:02,240 extraordinary things by obeying the call of Jesus. 470 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:05,080 I think Ananias shows us even the most ordinary nervous 471 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:09,560 believer can be used by Jesus to accomplish his saving purposes 472 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,200 in this world. To introduce to Ananias in verse 473 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,800 10 in the simplest of language, in Damascus there was a disciple 474 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:19,160 named Ananias. That's it. 475 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:22,880 There's no indication whether Ananias was a leader of the 476 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:25,120 Christians in in Damascus. He might have been, but he's 477 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:29,200 simply described as a disciple, a follower of Jesus, a learner 478 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:32,720 of Jesus. And Jesus appears to him and 479 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:36,960 tells him go to Saul and heal him from his blindness. 480 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:40,440 And understandably, Ananias isn't very keen to go at first. 481 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:42,040 This is part of why I love Ananias. 482 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,520 He's very honest with Jesus as we can be. 483 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:48,120 Verse 13 Lord Ananias answered, I've heard many reports about 484 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:51,000 this man, all the harm he has done to your holy people in 485 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,000 Jerusalem. And he's come here with 486 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,560 authority from the chief priest to arrest all who call on your 487 00:29:56,560 --> 00:30:00,040 name. Ananias He's, he's nervous of 488 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:01,560 Saul. He's, he's frightened. 489 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:06,360 He's he's skeptical that Saul could ever change and in that 490 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:08,920 sense, Ananias he's just so ordinary and relatable. 491 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,280 Jesus, I think you're getting it wrong politely, respectfully. 492 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:17,640 Is it another St. you want me to go to another person you want me 493 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:19,960 to speak to It can't be this guy saw straight street. 494 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:22,320 Is it not like maybe I know bumpy street. 495 00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,720 Is it not like bendy St. Go somewhere else. 496 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:31,000 It can't be Saul can it and yet Jesus is very clear with Ananias 497 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:33,880 verse 15. The Lord said to Ananias, go, 498 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,960 this man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the 499 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:41,760 Gentiles and their kings and the people of Israel. 500 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,440 I will show him how much he must suffer from my name. 501 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:50,280 So Ananias obeys. He doesn't understand the whole 502 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:55,240 reasons he's he's skeptical, but he obeys. 503 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,400 I read a great definition of courage this week. 504 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:03,520 Courage is the ability to do something that frightens you. 505 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:09,080 That's Ananias here. He does something that frightens 506 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:12,440 him, but he does it because the risen Jesus is with him. 507 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:18,040 So Ananias turns up. He goes to my blinded, humbled 508 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:21,640 soul, and Luke picks up the story in verse 17. 509 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:26,360 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it, placing his 510 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:30,360 hands on Saul. This blind man, maybe no one has 511 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:32,520 touched since he arrived in that house. 512 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:39,760 Placing his hands on Saul, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord 513 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:42,120 Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, 514 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:46,680 has sent me, so you may see again and be filled with the 515 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,600 Holy Spirit. And immediately something like 516 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,360 scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. 517 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:58,080 He got up, was baptized, and after taking some food he 518 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:02,720 regained his strength. The big reason why I love 519 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:07,600 Ananias is the way he addresses Saul, the persecutor, the 520 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:14,320 violent man, the man who hates Christians like Ananias, and he 521 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:22,080 calls him brother, Brother Saul. I want to take Ananias so much 522 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:27,040 courage and faith in Jesus call to welcome a man like Saul in 523 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:28,920 spite of his fears and reservations. 524 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:32,760 I'm convinced though that greeting brother Saul that would 525 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:35,440 have stuck with Saul later Paul for the whole of his life. 526 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,480 He maybe was sitting with Luke as Luke records us and going 527 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:43,680 make sure you remember you write down what Ananiah said to me 528 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:46,960 brother Saul. It's a sign of God's acceptance 529 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:50,360 and welcome into the early church from Ananiah Saul. 530 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,920 We are brothers, we are family. I know all about you. 531 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:57,120 I know about your past, the harm you've done to the church. 532 00:32:57,120 --> 00:33:00,960 But Jesus told me to come to you and to welcome you into his 533 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:03,680 church in his name, and that is what I am going to do. 534 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:10,840 Ananias, from all we know from Scripture, was given one job. 535 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:15,480 Again, Ananias, unlike Saul, he didn't go on to take the gospel 536 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:18,200 to the ends of the earth. He didn't become an apostle. 537 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:20,920 He didn't go on to write most of the New Testament. 538 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:28,920 Ananias had one job, to speak to one person and to welcome them 539 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:32,880 in Jesus name, to pray for them to bring Jesus healing to their 540 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:37,840 lives. And he did it nervously with 541 00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:44,240 questions, but he did it. Ananias is such a picture to us 542 00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:48,680 of Jesus using even the most ordinary believer to accomplish 543 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:54,440 his purposes in this world. We each have a part to play. 544 00:33:56,560 --> 00:34:03,320 Ananias is this unsung hero. So as we prepare to leave this 545 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:06,320 passage, what does all this have to say to us today? 546 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:10,480 We've already said that souls conversion is the most famous 547 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:12,679 conversion in church history. There is so much about it that 548 00:34:12,679 --> 00:34:15,080 is unique. The bright light, the audible 549 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:16,840 voice, the calling of an apostle. 550 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:22,880 But at his heart, soul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus. 551 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:25,840 He recognizes that Jesus is Lord. 552 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:30,080 He turns away from an old life of ignoring and rejecting Jesus, 553 00:34:31,159 --> 00:34:34,120 and he puts his faith in him, and he commits himself to 554 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:37,800 following Jesus wherever Jesus will lead him. 555 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:43,000 Again, if you're a believer here today, as I am, maybe your story 556 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,159 is a lot less dramatic than souls. 557 00:34:45,159 --> 00:34:49,880 It probably is, but it's no less life transforming. 558 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:54,239 It's the same Jesus, the same Lord who calls you out of 559 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:57,520 darkness into His light. It's the same Jesus, the same 560 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:00,880 Lord who calls you to trust in Him for the rest of your life. 561 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:04,920 It's the same Jesus, the same Lord who has work for you to do 562 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:11,960 that only you can do for him in this world, becoming a follower 563 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,840 of Jesus. It's a supernatural work of God 564 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:19,040 when we see Jesus clearly and we follow Him as Lord. 565 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:23,040 I want to ask, have you done that today? 566 00:35:24,720 --> 00:35:27,520 Are you living with him as Lord today? 567 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:35,320 Because Jesus can save anyone. So what do you think, Sir? 568 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:36,920 Paul keeps talking about his conversion. 569 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:38,880 Is he kind of self obsessed? Is he just one of these guys 570 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:42,560 likes to talk about himself? But no, again and again Paul 571 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:46,600 talks about his story because he says if Jesus can save me, he 572 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:52,240 can save anyone. How do we respond by keeping 573 00:35:52,240 --> 00:35:55,960 praying for our friends, our family members, our loved ones. 574 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:00,120 And if you are not a believer here this morning, maybe praying 575 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,200 actually, Lord, OK, you said you could soften Saul's heart. 576 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:07,680 Can you soften mine? I I'd like to trust in you, but 577 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:12,600 it just isn't happening. Could you soften my heart that 578 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:16,200 has a great prayer to pray and for loved ones? 579 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:19,440 Or do you know I'm struggling ever to believe that my brother, 580 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:23,480 my my parents, my cousin, my my friend could ever trust in you? 581 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:28,560 Keep me praying for them. Keep me speaking your truth to 582 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:32,840 them as I have the opportunity and actually as well stepping 583 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:35,880 back, keep me rejoicing that you save me in the 1st place. 584 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:40,560 It's a miracle of grace that any of us can call ourselves 585 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:44,360 Christians. And it's a beautiful truth that 586 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:49,120 Jesus loves his people deeply. He identifies with us, He is 587 00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:51,520 with us, He suffers alongside us. 588 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:53,360 That's what Saul realized on the road to Damascus. 589 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:56,240 Those Christians he was persecuting, Jesus was suffering 590 00:36:56,240 --> 00:36:59,480 alongside them. And if you're a follower of 591 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,760 Jesus here this morning and you are struggling and you're 592 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:09,440 suffering and you don't know why I don't have the answers for 593 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:13,400 you, but I can tell you that the risen Jesus is with you. 594 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:16,920 He's closer to you than you realize. 595 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:20,440 You are closer to him than you realize. 596 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:26,240 And he stands with you and he does not walk away from you 597 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:31,600 because we are his body. We are as close to him as it's 598 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:33,880 possible to be. And that a precious truth that 599 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:37,680 strengthened Saul, Paul and his life and can strengthen any of 600 00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:42,720 us in our lives. And of course, Ananias, even the 601 00:37:42,720 --> 00:37:45,560 most ordinary believer, can be used by Jesus. 602 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:48,880 We kind of often just rule ourselves out. 603 00:37:49,720 --> 00:37:52,240 We look at more impressive Christians going, well, yeah, 604 00:37:52,240 --> 00:37:54,360 that's the person that Jesus usually doesn't use, me. 605 00:37:54,360 --> 00:38:00,120 I remember Ananias, this ordinary man we know next to 606 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:06,520 nothing about, who welcomed Saul in the name of Jesus, accepted 607 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:11,840 him into the church through faith in Jesus, and that one man 608 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:14,640 was used by Jesus to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth. 609 00:38:15,720 --> 00:38:18,280 Ananias didn't know that. We don't even know if Ananias 610 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,600 lived for a long time to see something of what Saul, later 611 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:27,240 Paul, went on to do. Ananias just follow Jesus and 612 00:38:27,240 --> 00:38:30,040 listen to his call and obeyed his call when it was made. 613 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:34,960 Let's be encouraged by an ordinary believer like Ananias 614 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:41,120 that Jesus can use us this year. Acts Chapter 9, the conversion 615 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:43,560 of Saul. It's a turning point in the book 616 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:46,720 of Acts. This is Jesus chosen instrument, 617 00:38:46,720 --> 00:38:49,520 Saul to proclaim his name to the Gentiles. 618 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:54,440 And Saul says this is a message for every single one of us. 619 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,920 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 620 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:02,560 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am 621 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:06,840 the worst. But for that very reason, I was 622 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:11,680 shown mercy so that in me the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus, 623 00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:15,600 might display his immense patience as an example for those 624 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:18,760 who would believe in Him and receive eternal life. 625 00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:21,800 Let's pray together as we finish. 626 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:32,560 Let's pray, Lord Jesus, you are able to save anyone who puts 627 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:40,240 their faith in you. Rob us of any pride or misguided 628 00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:47,320 belief that that you're lucky to have us, that we somehow deserve 629 00:39:47,320 --> 00:39:51,640 salvation. Instead, open our eyes to the 630 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:55,320 miracle of grace that any one of us can trust in you, Lord Jesus, 631 00:39:55,320 --> 00:40:01,360 and call your Father our Father. Lord Jesus, thank you that you 632 00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:06,120 revealed to Saul on that road. Just how intimately close you 633 00:40:06,120 --> 00:40:09,640 are to every one of your people, especially when we are 634 00:40:09,640 --> 00:40:13,240 suffering. Lord Jesus, strengthen us to 635 00:40:13,240 --> 00:40:16,560 know that you are closer to us than we realize, and we are 636 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:22,360 closer to you than we realize. And Lord Jesus, would you use us 637 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:25,600 for your saving purposes even this year? 638 00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:29,960 We don't know what the year ahead holds, what changes are 639 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:34,440 coming, what opportunities, what challenges, But Lord Jesus, 640 00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:38,080 would we, like Ananias, just be those who seek to listen to your 641 00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:43,920 voice through your word, by your Spirit, and to obey it and to 642 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:48,000 live for you as your people in this world, trusting that you 643 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:51,560 will then use us in the ways that you choose to bring glory 644 00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:56,120 to your name. And we ask this in your name, 645 00:40:56,120 --> 00:41:01,000 Lord Jesus, thanking you for your astonishing grace. 646 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:02,760 Amen.