1 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,240 Thank you for listening to the Riverbend Church Podcast. 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,920 Riverbend Church exists to lead all people to know, love, and 3 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,320 live new life in Jesus Christ. We hope that you enjoy this 4 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:19,960 message. All right. 5 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,160 So this morning, if you're new here, my name is Preston. 6 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,090 I'm one of the pastors here. I just want to say welcome. 7 00:00:25,210 --> 00:00:27,410 Thank you for coming to spend the first part of your week with 8 00:00:27,410 --> 00:00:29,890 us. We're super excited that you are 9 00:00:29,890 --> 00:00:32,689 here this morning. So listen, we are in week three 10 00:00:32,890 --> 00:00:36,010 of a series called An Unfamiliar Road. 11 00:00:36,730 --> 00:00:39,850 And So what we're doing in this series, we're actually looking 12 00:00:39,850 --> 00:00:44,810 at the life of a man named Saul, also known later as the Apostle 13 00:00:45,130 --> 00:00:48,850 Paul, and what we're doing when we're looking at his life. 14 00:00:49,420 --> 00:00:52,060 We're actually looking in chapter nine of the book of 15 00:00:52,060 --> 00:00:53,740 Acts. So if you have your Bible, 16 00:00:53,780 --> 00:00:56,500 Bible, if you have the paper copy of God's Word, go ahead and 17 00:00:56,500 --> 00:00:59,060 turn there. Acts in the New Testament, Acts, 18 00:00:59,060 --> 00:01:01,180 Chapter 9 will be starting in verse 10. 19 00:01:01,460 --> 00:01:03,660 But what I want to do this morning is kind of set us up 20 00:01:03,660 --> 00:01:07,300 because last week we took a week away from this passage is Pastor 21 00:01:07,300 --> 00:01:09,700 Greg and Oakwood. Thank you so much for an amazing 22 00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:12,700 message through Matthew 7 talking about Christ being our 23 00:01:12,700 --> 00:01:14,500 firm foundation and where we build. 24 00:01:14,930 --> 00:01:16,930 Our house, our foundation of our life is on him. 25 00:01:16,930 --> 00:01:19,130 So thank you, Greg. I listened to that this week and 26 00:01:19,130 --> 00:01:21,130 it was an absolute blessing to me. 27 00:01:21,130 --> 00:01:24,010 Thank you Pastor Greg and Oakwood, our campus pastor did 28 00:01:24,010 --> 00:01:26,770 that if you listened or tuned in with us online. 29 00:01:27,490 --> 00:01:31,370 So again, we're going to be looking at the life of of Saul. 30 00:01:31,530 --> 00:01:35,170 And So what we're doing in this is we we see two weeks ago Jared 31 00:01:35,330 --> 00:01:38,290 spoke on the 1st 9 verses. Again, we're going to be 32 00:01:38,290 --> 00:01:40,050 starting in 10, going through 19. 33 00:01:40,370 --> 00:01:43,170 And so to set this up, I'll kind of want to let us know where 34 00:01:43,170 --> 00:01:46,250 we're at, right. So one thing we do know about 35 00:01:46,490 --> 00:01:50,410 Saul, Saul was quite literally a hater. 36 00:01:50,610 --> 00:01:53,890 Like Saul hated. And when we say hated, Saul 37 00:01:53,890 --> 00:01:56,610 hated Christians, he didn't like them at all. 38 00:01:57,250 --> 00:02:00,210 And we actually see the first time we meet this guy named 39 00:02:00,210 --> 00:02:05,330 Saul, we see in Acts Chapter 7, later in those verses, in Acts 40 00:02:05,330 --> 00:02:08,889 chapter seven, we see Saul actually at the place. 41 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,600 Standing very nearby, where the people that stoned Steven, the 42 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,760 first Christian martyr, they threw their coats at his feet. 43 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:19,160 This is where we were introduced to the man named Saul. 44 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,520 And something about Saul. He wasn't only there. 45 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,720 If we look on into Acts Chapter 8, verse one, you're going to 46 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,120 see this on the screen this morning, and you're going to see 47 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:30,920 it on the screen behind you, Oakwood. 48 00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:32,120 Just see it on your screen there. 49 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,320 Saul was one of the witnesses. Yeah. 50 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,560 But he also what he agreed completely with the killing of 51 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,430 Stephen. He agreed with it. 52 00:02:41,390 --> 00:02:46,950 We also see in Acts 9 we see in the early verses that he was 53 00:02:46,950 --> 00:02:49,990 given written consent by the leading priest, the high priest, 54 00:02:50,310 --> 00:02:55,270 to go and arrest and bring back to Jerusalem people of Damascus, 55 00:02:55,270 --> 00:02:57,750 and on the way to Damascus Christians. 56 00:02:58,150 --> 00:03:01,550 He was given that like, hey, you can do this, bring them back and 57 00:03:01,550 --> 00:03:03,750 we'll persecute, we'll do whatever it means necessary to 58 00:03:03,750 --> 00:03:06,190 persecute, You have the authority to do so. 59 00:03:06,540 --> 00:03:08,780 So he was going to do that. If we also look, I'm going to 60 00:03:08,780 --> 00:03:11,660 read this, not going to be on the screen, but Acts 9, verse 61 00:03:11,660 --> 00:03:19,380 one, we see that Paul says or not Paul, but Saul says these 62 00:03:19,380 --> 00:03:21,100 words. He says he was noted to be 63 00:03:21,100 --> 00:03:26,180 uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the 64 00:03:26,180 --> 00:03:28,820 Lord's followers. So I think it's safe to say that 65 00:03:28,820 --> 00:03:31,620 Paul was or Saul was a hater, right? 66 00:03:31,620 --> 00:03:34,340 Saul was an absolute hater of the Christians. 67 00:03:34,950 --> 00:03:38,470 We also know if we read on into the story of Saul, Saul was on 68 00:03:38,470 --> 00:03:43,030 the road to Damascus and on the road to Damascus to do these 69 00:03:43,070 --> 00:03:45,950 evil things. He met a man by the name of 70 00:03:46,110 --> 00:03:49,310 Jesus. He met Jesus. 71 00:03:49,310 --> 00:03:52,550 And so the glory of Jesus shone down on Saul in this moment, 72 00:03:52,550 --> 00:03:56,870 pushed him to the ground. And when he started to stand up, 73 00:03:57,150 --> 00:04:01,550 he was he was blind. Anybody ever been on a road or 74 00:04:01,550 --> 00:04:03,830 headed somewhere and on your way there? 75 00:04:04,580 --> 00:04:08,660 You met something unexpected or maybe a person you're like, 76 00:04:08,660 --> 00:04:11,500 well, that wasn't expecting this, but my wife Cassie and I 77 00:04:11,500 --> 00:04:13,820 have. We were going to Mexico Beach a 78 00:04:13,820 --> 00:04:17,980 few years ago to one of my friend's weddings, and on our 79 00:04:17,980 --> 00:04:21,180 way there, just want to kind of fill you in. 80 00:04:21,180 --> 00:04:24,220 We were not driving in the pretty hours of the day. 81 00:04:24,500 --> 00:04:26,580 We were actually driving at night, probably left, I think at 82 00:04:26,580 --> 00:04:28,860 like 10:00, o'clock. And we were getting there 83 00:04:28,860 --> 00:04:33,460 roughly 3, maybe, and we were about 10 minutes out and no. 84 00:04:33,820 --> 00:04:37,020 We were not just driving in a vehicle, we were pulling a 37 85 00:04:37,020 --> 00:04:42,340 foot camper. And so to make this story go 86 00:04:42,340 --> 00:04:45,100 upside down, the unexpected thing that we met, you know what 87 00:04:46,620 --> 00:04:50,740 we found a roadblock on A2 Lane Rd. with ditches on both sides 88 00:04:50,740 --> 00:04:54,340 pulling a 37 foot camper and it really messed our trip up. 89 00:04:54,820 --> 00:04:57,620 We're like, Lord, we've been traveling. 90 00:04:58,050 --> 00:04:59,890 For hours upon hours. We're tired. 91 00:04:59,890 --> 00:05:02,970 We got two kids in the back, they're about to wake up and we 92 00:05:02,970 --> 00:05:05,730 hit a roadblock at a bridge. All we had to do is go over this 93 00:05:05,730 --> 00:05:09,090 bridge about two minutes and it was on the right and we got to 94 00:05:09,090 --> 00:05:12,930 the bridge and the bridge was out and we're like, Oh no, this 95 00:05:12,930 --> 00:05:14,410 ain't good. And again, to make matters 96 00:05:14,410 --> 00:05:17,930 worse, we're pulling a 37 foot camper and there's ditches on 97 00:05:17,930 --> 00:05:20,170 both sides of the road and we're in the two lane Rd. 98 00:05:21,050 --> 00:05:25,650 And to make this really long story a lot shorter, we found a 99 00:05:25,650 --> 00:05:29,100 little. 1 paved road that they were parking their equipment. 100 00:05:29,100 --> 00:05:31,340 So by the grace of God we were able to turn around. 101 00:05:31,500 --> 00:05:33,700 We were able to head back another way and just make the 102 00:05:33,700 --> 00:05:35,940 story continually worse, like a snowball effect. 103 00:05:35,940 --> 00:05:39,140 We didn't have service. So you if you know, if you try 104 00:05:39,140 --> 00:05:41,780 to retype something in on your phone when you don't have 105 00:05:41,780 --> 00:05:44,820 service, it ain't coming up. And so we're all right. 106 00:05:44,820 --> 00:05:46,380 We're just going to turn around and drive straight. 107 00:05:46,380 --> 00:05:48,780 We drive straight. It recalculates. 108 00:05:48,780 --> 00:05:51,180 Finally once it gets service. And guess what we were on 109 00:05:51,180 --> 00:05:55,180 another unfamiliar Rd. It was a dirt road and we were 110 00:05:55,180 --> 00:05:57,850 pulling a 37 foot camper. And who would have thunk? 111 00:05:58,050 --> 00:06:01,170 Who would have thunk this? You're driving on a twolane road 112 00:06:01,490 --> 00:06:05,810 and you run into a cow pasture gate going to Florida. 113 00:06:05,850 --> 00:06:08,570 In Florida, I'm like, the beach is right there. 114 00:06:08,610 --> 00:06:11,010 I know it is. My G PS: says So. 115 00:06:11,010 --> 00:06:15,730 I zoom out, I see the ocean and I run into a cow pasture gate 116 00:06:16,330 --> 00:06:19,010 like, Lord, what are you trying to teach us? 117 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,120 And so fortunately, again, we were able to turn it around, go 118 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,200 hour out of our way, and we finally made it to our 119 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,080 destination. And I'll be honestly, I don't 120 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:28,760 know what the Lord was trying to teach us. 121 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,360 I have absolutely no clue. However, what I do know, I'm 122 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:33,840 happy to say my wife's sitting right here. 123 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,480 We're still married and we have three kids. 124 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,240 We not only have two, we have three kids now. 125 00:06:39,700 --> 00:06:42,860 And it was, it was just, it was a thing. 126 00:06:42,860 --> 00:06:44,580 And the Lord was like, I'm going to teach you through this to 127 00:06:44,580 --> 00:06:47,580 continue to love each other and listen, people that have campers 128 00:06:47,580 --> 00:06:50,460 come on, you know exactly what I'm talking about. 129 00:06:50,580 --> 00:06:53,180 You back that camper into the site and you and your wife are 130 00:06:53,180 --> 00:06:55,780 like, we're not getting divorced today, but it's as close we're 131 00:06:55,780 --> 00:06:57,380 going to. It's just rough. 132 00:06:57,500 --> 00:06:59,100 It's rough when you're back in the camper. 133 00:06:59,780 --> 00:07:01,860 But anyways, we're we're still married, halfway married with 134 00:07:01,860 --> 00:07:04,140 three kids now. So by the grace of God, thank 135 00:07:04,140 --> 00:07:07,540 you, Jesus. So Saul here just met an 136 00:07:07,580 --> 00:07:11,190 unexpected thing on the road. To Damascus. 137 00:07:11,350 --> 00:07:15,550 And he met Jesus just as saw, or just as Cassie and I did when we 138 00:07:15,550 --> 00:07:22,510 were heading to Mexico Beach. And not only did Saul meet Jesus 139 00:07:22,910 --> 00:07:26,910 when he stood up, he was physically experiencing what he 140 00:07:26,910 --> 00:07:33,670 had all along been spiritually. He was physically experiencing 141 00:07:33,670 --> 00:07:38,070 what all along he had been spiritually, and it was blind. 142 00:07:40,420 --> 00:07:44,460 He was blind and so he was led into Damascus for three days, 143 00:07:44,940 --> 00:07:47,340 hadn't eaten anything, and was there praying. 144 00:07:47,340 --> 00:07:50,940 And this is where we're going to be picking up and our story in 145 00:07:50,940 --> 00:07:54,220 verse 10 church within the next few moments. 146 00:07:54,220 --> 00:07:57,940 This is what I want to do on a pinpoint 3 truths that I really 147 00:07:57,940 --> 00:08:01,060 feel we're all working towards as we're trying to be better 148 00:08:01,060 --> 00:08:05,860 disciples of Jesus and to book in those truths, we're going to 149 00:08:05,860 --> 00:08:09,410 look at 3 questions. That will help us respond, 150 00:08:09,690 --> 00:08:13,650 reflect and to continue to ask ourselves as we go through this 151 00:08:13,650 --> 00:08:15,610 life and this journey. So here we go. 152 00:08:15,610 --> 00:08:19,450 Church, let's get on this road together. 1st 10 Now there was a 153 00:08:19,450 --> 00:08:23,130 believer in Damascus name Ananias. 154 00:08:23,490 --> 00:08:26,410 The Lord spoke to him in a vision calling Ananias. 155 00:08:26,570 --> 00:08:29,370 Yes, Lord, he replied. The Lord said go over to 156 00:08:29,370 --> 00:08:31,330 straight St. to the House of Judas. 157 00:08:31,730 --> 00:08:35,250 When you get over there or when you get there, ask for a man 158 00:08:35,250 --> 00:08:38,970 from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 159 00:08:39,409 --> 00:08:42,450 I've shown him a vision of a man named Annanis coming in and 160 00:08:42,450 --> 00:08:45,330 laying hands on him so he can see again. 161 00:08:46,410 --> 00:08:50,690 Verse 13 But Lord exclaimed. Annanis, I have heard many 162 00:08:50,690 --> 00:08:53,890 people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the 163 00:08:53,890 --> 00:08:56,770 believers in Jerusalem, and he is authorized by the leading 164 00:08:56,770 --> 00:08:59,290 priest to arrest everyone who calls upon your name. 165 00:08:59,770 --> 00:09:03,890 But the Lord said, go, for Saul is my chosen instrument. 166 00:09:04,220 --> 00:09:07,700 To take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well 167 00:09:07,700 --> 00:09:11,300 as to the people of Israel, and I will show him how much he must 168 00:09:11,300 --> 00:09:15,380 suffer for my name's sake. All right, so let's pause right 169 00:09:15,380 --> 00:09:18,500 here for just a moment, because there's so much that we can pull 170 00:09:18,820 --> 00:09:22,140 from this exchange between AN and IAS and Jesus. 171 00:09:22,580 --> 00:09:25,740 From AN and IAS and Jesus. This conversation that they were 172 00:09:25,740 --> 00:09:29,660 having with one another. One thing to note about AN and 173 00:09:29,660 --> 00:09:32,700 IAS, this is the only time this AN and IAS is mentioned in the 174 00:09:32,700 --> 00:09:34,930 Bible. No other time was he mentioned 175 00:09:36,050 --> 00:09:37,930 Annanis. A lot of times we feel like when 176 00:09:37,930 --> 00:09:40,490 God calls somebody to do something, he's calling a Billy 177 00:09:40,490 --> 00:09:43,570 Graham to go speak to hundreds of thousands of people and see 178 00:09:43,570 --> 00:09:47,010 thousands saved. We feel like Annanis a lot of 179 00:09:47,010 --> 00:09:49,090 times we look at characters in the Bible and people in the 180 00:09:49,090 --> 00:09:50,770 Bible, and we're like all these people. 181 00:09:50,770 --> 00:09:52,450 We put them on a huge pedestal, right? 182 00:09:54,330 --> 00:09:59,130 Annanis was a normal man, Absolutely normal every day, in 183 00:09:59,130 --> 00:10:00,810 every way. He was normal. 184 00:10:01,340 --> 00:10:05,300 The only thing that was abnormal about Ananias is he knew Jesus 185 00:10:06,140 --> 00:10:09,900 and he loved the Lord. So the response that Ananias 186 00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:14,260 gives versus the response that Saul gives earlier in Chapter 9 187 00:10:14,420 --> 00:10:15,980 is the big difference that we see. 188 00:10:15,980 --> 00:10:17,740 And I want to dive into these for just a moment. 189 00:10:18,300 --> 00:10:21,940 Saul responds to Jesus in verse 5 in this way. 190 00:10:21,940 --> 00:10:24,260 He says this. Who are you? 191 00:10:24,900 --> 00:10:29,300 Lord, This is a this is a question. 192 00:10:30,530 --> 00:10:33,650 It's not certain. He is uncertain of who this is. 193 00:10:33,890 --> 00:10:39,210 This is a question that Saul asked when Jesus said his name 194 00:10:39,210 --> 00:10:41,850 twice. A sign of importance. 195 00:10:41,850 --> 00:10:44,690 Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 196 00:10:45,570 --> 00:10:47,810 He says. Who are you, Lord? 197 00:10:49,250 --> 00:10:54,930 But Annanius responds in this way in verse 10, when Jesus says 198 00:10:55,290 --> 00:10:59,610 Annanius one time, he says, yes, Lord. 199 00:11:01,370 --> 00:11:07,410 Yes, Lord, the response from Annanius was personal. 200 00:11:08,610 --> 00:11:10,570 This brings to our first truth today. 201 00:11:11,330 --> 00:11:14,930 Annanius recognized the Lord's voice. 202 00:11:16,250 --> 00:11:18,970 Annanius recognized the Lord's voice. 203 00:11:18,970 --> 00:11:23,690 I remember shortly after we had our third child, Walton, my wife 204 00:11:23,690 --> 00:11:25,730 was on maternity leave. She was at home. 205 00:11:26,090 --> 00:11:29,480 And as she was at home. We had a friend that had just 206 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,680 had a baby a week earlier. However, my wife had more 207 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:35,960 maternity leave at the time and so she offered to watch our 208 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,480 friend's son and so his name was Crew. 209 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,800 And as she would watch him and I came back to work a few weeks 210 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,560 later, I called every once in a while to check in. 211 00:11:44,560 --> 00:11:47,280 I mean, this is a woman is on maternity leave. 212 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:52,080 She's now watching two children. Thank the Lord our other amazing 213 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:55,040 children were at school because if not, it would have been 214 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,560 absolute chaos. However, I would call him that. 215 00:11:57,560 --> 00:11:59,180 Hey baby. How's things going? 216 00:11:59,180 --> 00:12:01,500 Are you doing good. And then I would hear a baby cry 217 00:12:01,700 --> 00:12:05,580 and I'd be like, is Walton Okay? Is everything Okay? 218 00:12:06,540 --> 00:12:07,660 That's not Walton. That's crew. 219 00:12:07,660 --> 00:12:10,980 I go, oh Okay. And I'm a new new dad to this 220 00:12:10,980 --> 00:12:13,060 third child. I'm don't really know his 221 00:12:13,100 --> 00:12:16,300 bullshit and it's time continue to go on. 222 00:12:16,300 --> 00:12:18,180 I would call, Hey, watch crew crying. 223 00:12:18,180 --> 00:12:19,380 That's not crew. It's Walton. 224 00:12:20,620 --> 00:12:23,140 I'm like, man, I'm really failing at this thing. 225 00:12:23,140 --> 00:12:25,580 It's my third go around and I'm really failing at this thing. 226 00:12:25,860 --> 00:12:29,550 However. I continued spending time with 227 00:12:29,550 --> 00:12:33,030 my son. Intentional time on my son, 228 00:12:33,030 --> 00:12:39,670 Walton and I would hear him cry over and over and over again. 229 00:12:42,350 --> 00:12:45,550 And you want to know what I am certain. 230 00:12:45,950 --> 00:12:49,990 You could put my son in a room with multiple other babies. 231 00:12:51,950 --> 00:12:57,790 I would know his voice. And a nice knew the Lord's voice 232 00:12:58,070 --> 00:13:01,950 because he had spent intentional time with the Lord. 233 00:13:03,390 --> 00:13:05,430 Have you spent intentional time with the Lord? 234 00:13:07,710 --> 00:13:10,070 Would you know the Lord's voice if he spoke to you? 235 00:13:12,430 --> 00:13:16,670 When the Lord speaks to you? Do you know his voice? 236 00:13:17,190 --> 00:13:20,750 Would you recognize the voice of God? 237 00:13:22,830 --> 00:13:26,520 Would you recognize it? Have you spent enough time in 238 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:30,640 His word, knowing what it sounds like when the Lord responds? 239 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,680 Have you spent time on your knees in prayer? 240 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:37,840 Our communication with our Father? 241 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,080 Have you spent intentional time with Jesus? 242 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:48,600 Would you know His voice if he spoke to you? 243 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,920 Paul notes and his account of Ananias in chapter 22. 244 00:13:55,100 --> 00:13:58,540 Of Acts verse 12 He notes An and I is like this and man named An 245 00:13:58,540 --> 00:14:03,100 and I live there. He was a godly man, deeply 246 00:14:03,420 --> 00:14:05,220 devoted. What would people say about us? 247 00:14:07,460 --> 00:14:12,420 Are we deeply devoted? So when people talk about us, 248 00:14:12,460 --> 00:14:15,980 they talk about Preston as a deeply devoted individual to the 249 00:14:15,980 --> 00:14:20,700 Lord, somebody that trusts the Lord that follows him. 250 00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:25,630 Deeply devoted praise. I want to be noted as a man that 251 00:14:25,630 --> 00:14:29,950 prays. It's not afraid to pray that 252 00:14:29,950 --> 00:14:35,790 prays all the time. What do we know, His voice, if 253 00:14:35,790 --> 00:14:38,030 he spoke to us? Have you been spending 254 00:14:38,030 --> 00:14:41,510 intentional time with the Lord, as Anne and I has had? 255 00:14:43,390 --> 00:14:47,750 So as we get on into verse 13, what I'll do want us to do this 256 00:14:47,750 --> 00:14:49,710 morning is give Anne and I some grace. 257 00:14:51,070 --> 00:14:53,550 Let's give him some grace, because he was just. 258 00:14:54,920 --> 00:15:00,800 In a vision, the Lord appeared and said, you're going to go to 259 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:05,480 Saul. And we all know because we just 260 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,040 read while ago and we've seen what Saul has done. 261 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:14,440 He's murdered Christians. He wants to arrest, prosecute. 262 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:19,480 He wants to kill more Christians, and he was just told 263 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,560 by the Lord to go. To Saul. 264 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,760 So we're going to give, we're going to give collectively, 265 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:28,200 we're going to give Saul or Annanius some grace this 266 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:30,800 morning. Let's look at what Annanius says 267 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:35,840 in verse 13 but Lord, exclaimed Annanius, I've heard many people 268 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,160 talk about the terrible things this man has done to the 269 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:42,560 believers in Jerusalem, and he is authorized by the leading 270 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:47,080 priest to arrest everyone who calls upon your name again. 271 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,550 And an ice is human here. He's human. 272 00:15:49,550 --> 00:15:52,470 He knows what Saul's capable of, what he's done. 273 00:15:52,630 --> 00:15:54,830 And so we're this morning going to show him some grace. 274 00:15:55,470 --> 00:16:00,110 But I think a lot of us can relate to Anna Nice. 275 00:16:01,390 --> 00:16:04,550 And what I mean by that is a lot of times the Lord will tell us 276 00:16:04,830 --> 00:16:09,830 to go to go to a person and to do something or to say 277 00:16:09,830 --> 00:16:15,310 something, and when we hear that person's name or that places 278 00:16:15,310 --> 00:16:19,220 thing, we throw up a red flag. And we forget the rest of the 279 00:16:19,220 --> 00:16:21,220 instructions that the Lord has already given us. 280 00:16:22,460 --> 00:16:26,340 We're like, hey Lord, I know you're telling me to go to my 281 00:16:26,340 --> 00:16:28,940 family and tell them about Jesus because they're lost and they're 282 00:16:28,940 --> 00:16:31,260 going to go to hell. However, there's more people 283 00:16:31,260 --> 00:16:33,380 that they're going to come in contact with, because if I do 284 00:16:33,380 --> 00:16:36,700 it, it's just as if I am telling them that I'm better than them. 285 00:16:36,860 --> 00:16:38,500 And Lord, I don't want that, right? 286 00:16:39,100 --> 00:16:41,500 But Lord, I don't want them to feel like I'm better than them 287 00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:44,560 when I go speak to them. Lord, that person on the side of 288 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,840 the road that has a sign or the person that's just standing 289 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:50,440 there. I feel impressed to go talk to 290 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,920 this says I need money for rent or for my children. 291 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:00,200 Lord, there's got to be somebody else because I truly believe all 292 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,760 they want is cigarettes. I feel all they want is more 293 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:06,040 alcohol. They're just feeding their 294 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,000 flesh. Lord, there's got to be somebody 295 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:10,800 else. We throw up a red flag, just as 296 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:18,250 Ann and I as had done. What I do want to do is look at 297 00:17:18,250 --> 00:17:20,890 what all the directions that he missed in verse 11. 298 00:17:22,369 --> 00:17:26,329 Jesus says this go over to straight St. to the House of 299 00:17:26,329 --> 00:17:29,770 Judas. When you get there ask for a man 300 00:17:29,890 --> 00:17:33,730 from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 301 00:17:34,090 --> 00:17:36,970 I have shown him a vision of a man named Anne and I is coming 302 00:17:36,970 --> 00:17:39,530 in and laying hands on him so he. 303 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:41,880 I can see again. Let's break this down for just a 304 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:45,040 minute, Cuzanne. And ICE is like, jeez, you want 305 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:46,640 me to go to Saul? I can't do that. 306 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:51,080 Like he is a murderer of Christians, and he has papers 307 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:53,840 that he can arrest me and I could possibly be murdered. 308 00:17:53,840 --> 00:18:00,920 And if not, just go to jail. Jesus says I've already prepared 309 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,240 the way for you. I've told you exactly what to 310 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:05,720 do. Follow my commands. 311 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:06,600 Anybody in the room? Ever? 312 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:07,560 You don't have to raise your hand. 313 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:09,320 Have you ever been told to do something by the Lord? 314 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:11,320 And you're like Lord. I don't. 315 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:14,400 I can't do that. I'm not capable. 316 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:16,960 I don't know what to say. I don't even know where to go. 317 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,160 Sometimes you hear the Lord say go right. 318 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,400 He told Anne and Ice go over to straight St. 3 Doors Down to the 319 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,080 man named Judas. It's his house. 320 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,520 So he's been told where to go. When you get there, ask for a 321 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,760 man from Tarsus name Saul. He's been told exactly what to 322 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,460 say. He is praying to me right now. 323 00:18:37,460 --> 00:18:39,540 He's been told what Saul will be doing. 324 00:18:39,700 --> 00:18:41,580 I have shown him a vision of a man. 325 00:18:41,580 --> 00:18:42,940 A man. And I is coming in and laying 326 00:18:42,940 --> 00:18:44,740 hands on him so he can see again. 327 00:18:44,860 --> 00:18:46,100 I've already told him you're coming. 328 00:18:47,460 --> 00:18:49,420 I've already told him he's waiting on you. 329 00:18:50,620 --> 00:18:55,980 Man wants to be healed. Go, go. 330 00:18:56,860 --> 00:18:59,060 You ever heard the word go? You just asked a lot of 331 00:18:59,060 --> 00:19:01,300 questions. A lot of times. 332 00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:03,860 If we would just listen, we would hear. 333 00:19:04,970 --> 00:19:09,770 What God has for us the exact directions that He has for us. 334 00:19:10,170 --> 00:19:16,770 This brings us to our truth, #2. The Lord prepares the path. 335 00:19:16,770 --> 00:19:22,810 We just have to walk in it. The Lord prepares the path. 336 00:19:22,930 --> 00:19:26,210 We just have to walk in it. Now I want to go back to 337 00:19:26,210 --> 00:19:29,090 Deuteronomy 31 eight and look at this. 338 00:19:29,090 --> 00:19:34,130 This is Moses here. Do not be afraid or discouraged. 339 00:19:34,830 --> 00:19:38,990 The Lord will personally go ahead of you, man. 340 00:19:38,990 --> 00:19:43,190 This is good news, church. The Lord will personally go 341 00:19:43,190 --> 00:19:48,710 ahead of you. Just as the Lord had went ahead 342 00:19:48,830 --> 00:19:54,630 of Moses, just as the Lord had went ahead of Abraham as he was 343 00:19:54,630 --> 00:19:58,310 taking his son Isaac oh to an altar to sacrifice him because 344 00:19:58,310 --> 00:20:03,830 the Lord told him to, He prepared the way for them. 345 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:06,120 And you're telling me he won't prepare the way for you? 346 00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:10,120 He already has. The Lord has prepared the way. 347 00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:12,320 All you have to do is walk in it. 348 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:17,480 All you have to do is step in to the plans He has for your life. 349 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:24,400 Walk in the Lord's path. I remember my dad now. 350 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,760 My dad's here this morning. We would go hunting a lot when 351 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:31,680 we were when I was young, and my dad typically would walk in 352 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,040 front of me. And he would go ahead of me. 353 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,240 Because anybody ever been in the woods, you just get hit by 354 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:38,200 something in the face. And you're like, that was the 355 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:40,160 spider web. I didn't see that one coming. 356 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:44,040 Well, I have a lot as I've grown up. 357 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,440 But before I hadn't. You want to know why my dad went 358 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:53,000 in before me. Amen. 359 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:57,200 Thank you, Lord. My dad went before me, and he 360 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,960 would ensure that there was no spider webs where I could 361 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:04,570 possibly get bit by a spider. My dad would go before me to 362 00:21:04,570 --> 00:21:06,970 ensure there was no briars that could cut me. 363 00:21:07,770 --> 00:21:10,810 My dad would go before me to make sure there was no limbs or 364 00:21:10,930 --> 00:21:13,730 anything on the ground that would trip me and make me fall 365 00:21:17,210 --> 00:21:20,570 in the same way that my dad would go before me and still 366 00:21:20,570 --> 00:21:24,290 would today. Your father has went before you 367 00:21:24,930 --> 00:21:31,050 and paved the way to new life in him through his Son, Jesus 368 00:21:31,050 --> 00:21:35,060 Christ. And he's paved the way for you 369 00:21:35,060 --> 00:21:39,540 and I to walk in the path that he is already made for each and 370 00:21:39,540 --> 00:21:42,940 every single one of us. So my question this morning, 371 00:21:44,700 --> 00:21:47,460 second question is this, Do you trust the Lord? 372 00:21:49,420 --> 00:21:57,140 Do you trust the Lord? When the Lord says go, Are you 373 00:21:57,140 --> 00:22:00,220 ready to go when the Lord says move? 374 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:04,680 Maybe it's huge and he's like, pick up your family and move 375 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:05,880 here. He just did that to my 376 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:10,240 brotherinlaw, my sister. Pick up your family and move. 377 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:14,160 Are you ready? When he says jump. 378 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:16,680 When he says take that leap of faith. 379 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,840 Are you ready? Do you trust that the Lord has 380 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,080 went before you and prepared the path the way for you? 381 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:29,640 He's trimmed the trees. He's got rid of the webs. 382 00:22:31,620 --> 00:22:37,380 The briars have been hedged, and all he wants for you to do is 383 00:22:37,380 --> 00:22:42,500 walk in the path, walk in the path that he has for your life. 384 00:22:44,500 --> 00:22:46,780 No, I'm not telling you. There's not going to be hills 385 00:22:47,060 --> 00:22:49,580 and valleys to walk through and it's going to get tough. 386 00:22:50,500 --> 00:22:54,300 I'm not saying it's not because it is, But I will tell you this, 387 00:22:54,300 --> 00:22:57,540 that the Lord will protect you. The Lord will guide you. 388 00:22:58,170 --> 00:23:00,930 The Lord will never leave you. He will never forsake you. 389 00:23:01,850 --> 00:23:07,450 His love never changes. His steadfast love is so good. 390 00:23:07,810 --> 00:23:12,890 All we have to do is walk in the path that He is already prepared 391 00:23:12,890 --> 00:23:14,570 for us. Do you trust the Lord this 392 00:23:14,570 --> 00:23:18,450 morning? Because we're getting ready to 393 00:23:18,450 --> 00:23:21,890 wrap up this morning. Let's go ahead and look at 17 394 00:23:21,890 --> 00:23:26,730 through 19 in Chapter 9. So Annanius went. 395 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:30,480 And found Saul. He laid his hands on him and 396 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,880 said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the 397 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:37,800 road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be 398 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:41,640 filled with the Holy Spirit instantly. 399 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:45,400 Something like scales fail from his eyes instantly, church 400 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,280 instantly, and he regained his sight. 401 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,160 Then he got up and was baptized after, where he ate some food 402 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:56,200 and regained his strength. So we see that Ann and I just 403 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,640 went. And we know there was two big 404 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:01,640 problems here. First was his physical 405 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,160 blindness. And Annanius went, and the Lord 406 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:11,040 used him as a vessel to carry healing to Saul. 407 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:16,240 Saul regained his sight. But Annanius knew that was not 408 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:22,080 the only reason why he went. There was a greater, a bigger 409 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:26,410 reason why he went. And Annanis knew that. 410 00:24:26,410 --> 00:24:27,650 Why? Because he was close to the 411 00:24:27,650 --> 00:24:35,290 Lord. Chapter 22, Paul's account 412 00:24:35,290 --> 00:24:41,770 again. Annanis then says this after 413 00:24:41,770 --> 00:24:43,650 he's already regained his physical site. 414 00:24:43,970 --> 00:24:46,810 He says this. I think this is best said in 415 00:24:46,810 --> 00:24:49,890 this account. What are you waiting for? 416 00:24:51,170 --> 00:24:58,050 Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by 417 00:24:58,050 --> 00:25:04,930 calling on the name of the Lord. This is our last truth. 418 00:25:04,930 --> 00:25:09,210 Today disciples of Jesus keep the main thing, the main thing. 419 00:25:11,250 --> 00:25:13,770 Disciples of Jesus know why they go. 420 00:25:15,170 --> 00:25:19,490 Yes, he was sent to heal his physical blindness, but moreover 421 00:25:19,490 --> 00:25:21,690 he was sent for the spiritual blindness. 422 00:25:27,350 --> 00:25:30,390 Can I tell you something this morning and and I didn't know 423 00:25:30,390 --> 00:25:36,390 what he had just stepped into a man, Paul, that later discipled 424 00:25:36,390 --> 00:25:43,030 a man named Timothy. A lot of the ways we do church 425 00:25:43,030 --> 00:25:47,350 today was founded on what Paul did and what Paul said through 426 00:25:47,350 --> 00:25:51,550 the Holy Spirit work in any man thousands, thousands have been 427 00:25:51,550 --> 00:25:54,870 saved because of an act of obedience. 428 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:56,360 Through a man named Anna Knights. 429 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,240 And you know what? The Lord wants to work through 430 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:07,240 you. He wants to use you. 431 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:10,960 And Oakwood online this morning. He wants to use you as a vessel. 432 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:16,280 He wants to use you. Isn't it amazing that we serve a 433 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:20,120 God that doesn't need us for anything, however he chooses to 434 00:26:20,120 --> 00:26:23,680 use? Filthy rags like myself to stand 435 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,880 up on a stage and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. 436 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,040 I'm telling you I'm no better than you. 437 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:33,400 He wants to use you too. Antonias is no better than me. 438 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:37,840 He wanted to use Ananias. He wants to use me and he wants 439 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:41,800 to use you. Do you know the Lord's voice? 440 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:51,010 Do you trust him? And the last question today is 441 00:26:51,010 --> 00:26:57,890 this, what's the assignment? What's your assignment? 442 00:27:00,170 --> 00:27:04,410 Riverbend Church this morning, Oakwood Pastor Greg's going to 443 00:27:06,090 --> 00:27:08,850 take you through this time of response as we go back through 444 00:27:08,850 --> 00:27:11,410 these questions. We love you this morning. 445 00:27:12,850 --> 00:27:17,490 For everyone in the room online with us, ask yourself this 446 00:27:17,490 --> 00:27:18,810 question. What's my assignment? 447 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:22,480 Riverbend Church What's our assignment? 448 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:29,400 Are we still existing to lead all people to know, love and 449 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:34,320 live new life in Jesus Christ? That's our assignment. 450 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:40,160 Collectively, let's look at what the Lord said in Matthew 2819. 451 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,360 Therefore, go. There's that word. 452 00:27:43,360 --> 00:27:47,240 Go again and make disciples of all the nations. 453 00:27:47,650 --> 00:27:50,890 Baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the 454 00:27:50,890 --> 00:27:52,810 Holy Spirit Church, Are you ready to go? 455 00:27:53,210 --> 00:27:57,490 And to the outermost, Are you ready to go where nobody else 456 00:27:57,490 --> 00:28:04,010 wants to go? One of the most amazing 457 00:28:04,010 --> 00:28:09,810 privileges I've had this past year was to go to a homeless 458 00:28:09,810 --> 00:28:16,250 community. These were bad men. 459 00:28:18,060 --> 00:28:24,700 They've done some bad things and I've never been there, so I 460 00:28:24,700 --> 00:28:26,620 didn't really have the words to say. 461 00:28:28,060 --> 00:28:29,780 I didn't know what to say to these men. 462 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:44,280 The Lord told me to go, so I went to broken men just like 463 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:48,880 myself that are imperfect and in need of a perfect savior. 464 00:28:50,990 --> 00:28:52,950 And you know what I got to do at the end? 465 00:28:55,070 --> 00:29:00,550 All together, about eight or nine of us, we got on her knees. 466 00:29:05,430 --> 00:29:08,870 We got on her knees in front of the Lord that they probably 467 00:29:08,870 --> 00:29:15,710 didn't know yet. I was wearing some pretty nice 468 00:29:15,710 --> 00:29:17,670 clothes, but the Lord just told me to go. 469 00:29:18,900 --> 00:29:23,660 He told me to get in the dirt in the woods with some men that 470 00:29:23,660 --> 00:29:28,820 needed Jesus. And so I went and we all wound 471 00:29:28,820 --> 00:29:32,820 up on our knees together, praying to a holy God that loves 472 00:29:32,820 --> 00:29:39,140 us, that loves those men, no matter what they've done, He 473 00:29:39,140 --> 00:29:44,460 died for. So River Vend Church, what are 474 00:29:44,460 --> 00:29:50,740 we doing? Collectively, what are we doing? 475 00:29:50,740 --> 00:29:54,380 Church. Are we still going and making 476 00:29:54,380 --> 00:29:57,860 disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of 477 00:29:57,860 --> 00:29:59,660 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? 478 00:30:03,100 --> 00:30:05,180 This isn't just a collective church question. 479 00:30:06,420 --> 00:30:08,660 What are you doing? What's your assignment? 480 00:30:11,060 --> 00:30:13,500 A lot of times we feel like our assignment is so far out, like 481 00:30:13,500 --> 00:30:15,940 we have to travel down a big road and go. 482 00:30:16,990 --> 00:30:21,030 To another country to find our assignment. 483 00:30:21,870 --> 00:30:23,750 You know where your assignment typically is? 484 00:30:24,510 --> 00:30:27,910 Right in front of you. Where's God placed? 485 00:30:27,950 --> 00:30:30,790 You. What room is He placed you in? 486 00:30:30,790 --> 00:30:33,350 Teachers. We're about to go back to 487 00:30:33,350 --> 00:30:35,270 school. Teachers. 488 00:30:35,270 --> 00:30:40,030 What room is he placed you in? What kids has he placed you 489 00:30:40,030 --> 00:30:46,340 over? What's our assignment? 490 00:30:49,700 --> 00:30:52,300 He's prepared the path. We just have to walk in it. 491 00:30:53,780 --> 00:30:56,780 He's a good father. Y'all never leave you. 492 00:30:56,860 --> 00:31:01,260 He'll never forsake you. He's prepared the way you walk. 493 00:31:01,260 --> 00:31:03,260 You trust the Lord. You listen. 494 00:31:03,380 --> 00:31:06,540 You spend time with him daily in his word, and you hear his voice 495 00:31:07,180 --> 00:31:10,380 and you notice and you recognize it just as Anne and I as did. 496 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,200 Let's review these three questions one more time because 497 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:17,240 this is going to be our response this morning. 498 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:25,080 Would you recognize the voice of God when he speaks to you? 499 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:30,160 Those that have placed their faith in Jesus when he speaks to 500 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:37,040 you, would you recognize His voice, those of you in the room 501 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,240 that haven't yet stepped into that new life? 502 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:45,400 There's a father that loves you and he calling you right now, 503 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:50,280 he's drawing you near to him. He says, Come all who are weary 504 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:56,600 and I will give you rest. Listen to him respond to the 505 00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:00,600 Lord's goodness. The second question do you trust 506 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:04,440 the Lord? When he tells you what to do, do 507 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:06,760 you trust him? And you say I'm going, I don't 508 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:08,240 know where I'm going, but I'm going. 509 00:32:12,900 --> 00:32:16,300 And last, what's the assignment? What's your assignment? 510 00:32:16,300 --> 00:32:23,140 Church this morning is the band plays and sings. 511 00:32:24,260 --> 00:32:28,660 I pray we respond in this way. That Father, I know now what my 512 00:32:28,660 --> 00:32:30,820 assignment is. Maybe you don't and you come up 513 00:32:30,820 --> 00:32:33,420 here and you pray, Father, reveal the assignment do you 514 00:32:33,420 --> 00:32:38,120 have for me? And that we would trust Him. 515 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:42,960 We would trust in the Lord we not on our own understanding, 516 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,840 because we don't understand all things, but in always 517 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:48,840 acknowledge Him and He will keep your path straight. 518 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:50,360 Just walk in the path He has for you. 519 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:53,520 Church. Recognize His voice, getting His 520 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:55,480 word. Spend time and prayer this 521 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:57,920 morning up here. Spend time and prayer in your 522 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:03,680 seat as they play you. Respond to a Father that loves 523 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:08,180 you and has plans for you. Jesus, we love you this morning 524 00:33:08,180 --> 00:33:11,220 as everyone stands, and we're getting ready to worship, and 525 00:33:11,260 --> 00:33:14,380 we're getting ready to respond, Father, we respond to your 526 00:33:14,380 --> 00:33:16,660 goodness. We respond to your plans. 527 00:33:16,700 --> 00:33:20,140 You have plans for us, plans to prosper us, Plans for a whole 528 00:33:20,340 --> 00:33:22,860 and a future for us. Father, we trust you this 529 00:33:22,860 --> 00:33:26,300 morning. So, Lord, may we respond in that 530 00:33:26,300 --> 00:33:29,300 way. We love you, Jesus. 531 00:33:29,300 --> 00:33:30,260 It's in Your name. We pray. 532 00:33:31,220 --> 00:33:35,560 Amen. Thank you for listening to the 533 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,440 Riverbend Church Podcast. To learn more about who we are 534 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:41,280 as a church and how to connect, you can head over to our website 535 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:42,920 Riverbendchurch dot Life.