1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,920 Can you please pray with me before we open God's Word? 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:07,800 Lord, we thank you for this time, for these testimonies, for 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,440 the the freedom to be able to gather in a place like this, to 4 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:14,800 worship You without fear, and to hear from your voice. 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,800 And we pray now, Lord, with all that we've already heard and 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,840 experienced, there can be an excitement and even a reflection 7 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,640 that might cause us to be distracted from what You want to 8 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:29,200 say at this time. We pray that you still our 9 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,680 hearts and tune our ears to hear what you have to declare to us. 10 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:36,920 We love you and we honor You, and we believe that you will say 11 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,200 something now in Jesus name, Amen. 12 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:45,840 It is an undeniable pattern in the Scriptures that when a 13 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:49,880 person professes their faith in Jesus Christ, their next 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:55,840 priority is to be baptized. And regardless of what 15 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,920 traditions may suggest, the Bible clearly indicates that 16 00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:04,640 baptism follows belief. We heard it from Brother John 17 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:09,840 who boldly said it. Baptism follows belief. 18 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,440 And as much as water baptism is important, it is not the 19 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,360 entirety of what it means to follow Jesus Christ. 20 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,520 I've personally seen over the years that when people learn the 21 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:25,200 importance of what we just observed, they rightly pursue 22 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,400 it, and they sometimes pay a high price for it. 23 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:34,800 But then they find themselves without direction afterward. 24 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,400 What's next? What now? 25 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,120 And I've personally seen over the years that when some people 26 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:48,880 get baptized, they virtually disappear after they don't get 27 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:52,360 connected to the local church, a local church. 28 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,240 There's no observable growth. And unfortunately, sometimes you 29 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:00,120 even see people revert and go back to their old ways. 30 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:02,240 And this is not an uncommon trend. 31 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,760 I'd like to explain baptism in this way. 32 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,320 It's similar to a wedding ceremony. 33 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,760 The wedding ceremony is a time where you in a celebratory 34 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:16,560 fashion, invite others to witness a covenant that you are 35 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,480 making with someone else. But like a wedding ceremony, 36 00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:25,800 baptism is just one event. What follows a wedding ceremony 37 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:31,360 marriage, and it is no different with the Lord Jesus Christ. 38 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,160 Then when you and I put our faith in Him, and then we 39 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:38,200 declare that faith saying I am unified, I am one. 40 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,960 My heart belongs to this Lord, the only Lord and the only 41 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,120 Savior. You are now committed to a 42 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,280 daily, lifelong relationship with Him. 43 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,440 And I'm persuaded that for churches who teach on the 44 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:58,480 importance of baptism, they must also instruct believers what 45 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:02,160 their lives should look like after that initial step of 46 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,880 obedience. And that is what I want to 47 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,000 convey to you today from the word of God. 48 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,680 And this is not just for those who stood before us this 49 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,640 afternoon. This is going to be a reminder 50 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:17,040 for every genuine follower of Christ in this place so that you 51 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,760 can, by hearing these directions, reflect on your own 52 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:23,200 life and say, is my life consistent with the model that 53 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,440 is presented to me in the Bible of what my life should look 54 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,600 like? And the way we're going to 55 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,880 accomplish this is looking particularly at one, one of the 56 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:38,920 most influential and exemplary disciples of Jesus, the Apostle 57 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,040 Paul. You know, what's interesting is 58 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,880 that when you read the Bible, you will not find a record of 59 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,840 the baptisms of the original 12 disciples. 60 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,080 But the Holy Spirit has preserved for us the conversion 61 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:57,280 story, the baptism, and the first steps of Paul's movements 62 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,400 after his baptism. And that's what I want us to 63 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:05,720 look at together, to gather in a brief amount of time, 4 things, 64 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:11,840 four things that every genuine Christian should expect and 65 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:16,720 pursue after putting their faith in Christ and publicly declaring 66 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,440 their allegiance to Him. Mimi in your Bibles in Acts 67 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,320 Chapter 9, beginning in verse 17. 68 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,840 And let's read a few verses together and listen, Christian 69 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:31,320 believer, this is also, I hope going to be a means for you to 70 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,640 equip yourself so that you can help and guide other people in 71 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,400 the infancy of their faith when they want my ask you what does 72 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,480 my life look like now you can offer these points, among other 73 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:46,200 things, Acts Chapter 9 beginning here in verse 17. 74 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,480 Here's what we read. So Ananias departed and entered 75 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:53,360 the house, and laying his hands on him, He said, Brother Saul, 76 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,720 the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you 77 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,720 came, has sent me, so that you may regain your sight and be 78 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,680 filled with the Holy Spirit. And immediately something like 79 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,960 scales felt from his eyes, and he regained his sight. 80 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,920 Then he rose and was baptized, and taking food he was 81 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,360 strengthened. For some days he was with the 82 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:22,520 disciples at Damascus. Four things, four things that 83 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:26,080 should follow your public declaration of profession of 84 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:31,760 faith. Notice here that after Paul and 85 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:36,520 his personal transformation and public profession met with some 86 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:40,240 disciples, that's what you read at the end of verse 19, right? 87 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,800 For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 88 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,800 The the point is so clear. It's undeniable that when a 89 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:54,200 person brings their heart to Christ, when a person links 90 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:59,320 themselves to the truth, their fellowship changes. 91 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,160 You have to understand that when Paul first arrived at the 92 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,920 Damascus, he hated the disciples of Jesus Christ. 93 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,920 He was there to persecute them, arrest them, harass them, and 94 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:11,880 even have some of them executed. And the very object of his 95 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:17,480 hatred now became his delight. Listen, this is an undeniable 96 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,880 mark of a person who has truly been transformed by the gospel. 97 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:26,320 You will desire to be with Christians now. 98 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:28,600 If somebody were to ask you, I'm speaking to the Christians. 99 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,360 If somebody were to ask you, doubting their own salvation, 100 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:35,040 how can I know that I am truly a follower of Christ? 101 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:37,840 How can I know that Christ really transformed my life? 102 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:39,520 What answers would you give them? 103 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,600 What truths would you encourage them to reflect on? 104 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:49,040 John the Apostle gives US1 trait that I believe is oftentimes 105 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,000 overlooked. It's not taken into account. 106 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:57,400 He says this in first John 314 And we know that we have passed 107 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:03,520 out of death into life because we love the brothers. 108 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:07,680 If we do not love, we abide in death. 109 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,320 So notice what he's saying here, that one of the marks that you 110 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,600 have went from death, spiritual death, to life is that you have 111 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:21,080 a new found affection for fellow Christians, That you have a 112 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:25,560 longing to be in their company, that you have an ambition to 113 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:29,280 serve them and be served by them. 114 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:35,280 Those are inseparable signs of a person who has and possesses 115 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:41,400 saving faith, and to be void of this kind of love warrants a 116 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:46,000 legitimate examination of the authenticity of your salvation. 117 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,720 That's not my claim. That's not my standard. 118 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:51,360 That's what John says. Notice what he says at the end 119 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,240 of the verse. Whoever does not love abides in 120 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:56,120 death, and he qualifies. What kind of love? 121 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,360 He's talking about love for the brothers. 122 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,200 Whoever doesn't have this kind of love, this kind of care and 123 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,680 commitment to a group of Christians as well as the 124 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:09,920 Universal Church, that person has every right to think about 125 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:12,160 whether or not they are truly followers of Jesus. 126 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:17,800 And this is such an important point to the Holy Spirit to God 127 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,880 himself who authored this book that he repeats that 128 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:23,560 qualification more than once in the book of first John. 129 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,840 If you don't believe me, look at first John 51 at another time 130 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,400 that those who've been born of God will love those who have 131 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:35,840 also been born of him. So then, if one of the 132 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:40,080 indications that I have been changed this the seal of God's 133 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,840 salvation has been placed on my heart, being love for others, 134 00:08:44,159 --> 00:08:45,840 how do I know if I'd love others? 135 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,960 How do I measure that my love for the brethren is legitimate? 136 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:52,640 And you don't have to guess, he explains. 137 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,400 Look at verse 16 of first John 3. 138 00:08:55,960 --> 00:09:01,680 By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us and we 139 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:04,880 ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 140 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,480 There it is. The way that you know that this 141 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:12,080 love from God has changed you is that you are willing to lay down 142 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:15,280 your life for your brothers and sisters in Christ. 143 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:17,160 Now what does that mean exactly? Does that mean that if the 144 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:21,080 opportunity arises that I should actually die in the stead of 145 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,400 another? Perhaps in some instances that 146 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:25,560 is the case, but I don't think that's the main point that John 147 00:09:25,560 --> 00:09:29,280 is trying to get across. To lay down my life is not 148 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:33,280 necessarily a one time event, a one time great act of sacrifice. 149 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,320 It's a lifestyle, it's a way of living. 150 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:39,000 And that's what he says in the very next verse. 151 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:40,200 I mean, the Bible explains itself. 152 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,600 Look at verse 17 first, John 317. 153 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:46,960 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in 154 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:51,440 need, yet closes his heart against them, how does God's 155 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:58,160 love abide in him? So the thread is there, if you 156 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,400 have been changed by God, you're going to love the brothers. 157 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:02,600 And the way you can know that you love the brothers is that 158 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:04,040 you're willing to lay your life down for them. 159 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,000 And the way you know that you've laid your life down for them is 160 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:12,160 in practical ways. If you see a brother in need and 161 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,800 you close your heart against them, how does God's love abide 162 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:17,440 in you? This is not theoretical or 163 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,560 sentimental. It has action behind it. 164 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:23,920 And so let's let's consider the implications of this. 165 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:25,800 If I've been saved, I'm going to love the brothers. 166 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:29,640 But the way in which I love the brothers requires listen very 167 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:34,960 carefully, requires me to be intentional and committed to 168 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,680 brothers and sisters. In other words, I'm going to 169 00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:42,200 pursue something greater than a superficial, shallow interaction 170 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,160 with other Christians. I'm going to be acquainted with 171 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:49,120 other Christians and know them well enough where I am aware of 172 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,600 their needs. And then based on that, the 173 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,680 wisdom that I've been given and the resources, maybe at times I, 174 00:10:55,840 --> 00:11:00,720 I tried to meet that need. So here's a question for all of 175 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:05,040 us in here. Do you have that heart for the 176 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:08,600 church? Do you have that kind of love 177 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:12,480 for fellow Christians? Do you pray for them? 178 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:15,440 Do you bless them by your presence? 179 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,720 You know how much it blesses people when we come to the House 180 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,720 of God. Do you do you seek to discover 181 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:25,160 your gifts so that you can share those gifts with others? 182 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,600 Do you even beyond the service times, Are you associated with 183 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:30,840 Christians enough where you can assist them if they need 184 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,760 assistance. And one of the things that 185 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,760 blessed me so much about this church, this local body is the 186 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:41,320 organic fellowship that God has created in this place. 187 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,640 And, and sometimes I learn of things myself that we're not 188 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,840 necessarily a part of a program or an effort from the leadership 189 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,600 that when somebody in this place has to go through surgery or or 190 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:54,320 become sick, there's an initiative that people in this 191 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,600 church take. They go on rotation to cook 192 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:00,320 meals and maybe to visit or to offer something beyond just you 193 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,760 being here for a service. That's the work of the Holy 194 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,480 Spirit of God. That's the mark that his love 195 00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:11,600 has been embedded on our hearts. And notice here that as I'm 196 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,280 about to present these points, this is not here's what you got 197 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:16,040 to do to show that you really belong to God. 198 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:18,800 That's that you're putting the cart before the horse. 199 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,880 What I'm about to explain, what I've been explaining is here's 200 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:24,800 what you will do because you've been born of God, this will be 201 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,920 the natural spring and overflow of what God has done in your 202 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:30,920 soul. Do you love the brothers? 203 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,600 It is a oxymoron. It is a contradiction to say I'm 204 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:37,440 a Christian. I love God, but I'm not sure if 205 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,080 I love people who claim to love God. 206 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,840 That's foreign to the Bible. That does not make sense. 207 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:47,000 What you have here is Paul, after he has his own experience 208 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,680 with Christ, meeting with the disciples. 209 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,480 Let's go back to Acts 9 and look at a second point. 210 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:57,200 So we read for some days that he was with the disciples at 211 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,160 Damascus. Look at verse 20 of Acts 9. 212 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:03,880 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogue, saying 213 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:07,920 he is the Son of God. And all who heard him were 214 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:11,600 amazed and said, is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem 215 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:13,600 of those who called upon his name? 216 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:16,800 And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them 217 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:23,080 bound before the chief priests? So when you experience Christ, 218 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,920 he saves your soul. Not only is your relationship 219 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:30,360 with the believing community different, your engagement with 220 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:35,880 the lost, with the unbelieving, is also marvelously altered. 221 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:39,800 Notice what Paul does after he meets with the disciples to 222 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:41,720 recuperate and to be strengthened. 223 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:47,640 He immediately finds the nearest synagogue to preach Christ. 224 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,680 I love that word immediately. It's something that a genuine 225 00:13:51,680 --> 00:13:55,000 Christian in this place can attest to, that when you have 226 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:59,160 had your eyes open to the goodness of God, you have in you 227 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,560 this deposited urgency and zeal to share what happened to you. 228 00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:05,840 Is that not true? It's this level of excitement 229 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,440 that almost makes that ambition effortless. 230 00:14:09,560 --> 00:14:11,760 I remember first become a Christian and I missed a lot of 231 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,520 appointments because when I would go to the grocery store, 232 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:16,240 whenever I had to pick up food or whatever the case may be, 233 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:18,960 there would be so many of these conversations that would come 234 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:20,840 up. And I've seen that with other 235 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,280 believers as well. They just consumes you 236 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,800 everything orients around. How can I share what Christ has 237 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:30,560 done in me to others? And that's precisely what you 238 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,800 see in Paul's life here. It doesn't mean here that he was 239 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:38,360 immediately placed in office of leadership or of of being 240 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:40,360 trusted with some kind of responsibility in the church. 241 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,720 You know, the Bible warns against new believers taking on 242 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,000 such roles, but it doesn't mean that we can't go out there and 243 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:50,200 share and tell others. And Paul's life proves to us 244 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:54,440 that that desire, that that goal to make Christ known doesn't die 245 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,240 off with time. At least it shouldn't. 246 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,280 You see here throughout his life in the Scriptures that it was 247 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:02,000 something that remained consistent. 248 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,880 And at the same time, the trajectory of Paul's life proves 249 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,680 that when you truly experience Christ, you will have this 250 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,760 desire to share Him, and it will remain with you through all your 251 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:17,040 days, even though you might have to battle fear and maybe 252 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,160 spiritual lethargy. That's all real. 253 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:20,520 That's all common. We can't be. 254 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,760 We can't be unrealistic with those temptations. 255 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:29,520 Paul's example teaches that Christians do not disassociate 256 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:33,120 with the unbelieving world in a cult like manner. 257 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:37,800 When you come to faith in Christ, what happens is that now 258 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,600 those relationships with those that you might have once sinned 259 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:44,520 with and and we're unbelieving with, there is now a redemptive 260 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:48,400 purpose in your interactions with them through wisdom and 261 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:53,520 prayer and dependence on God. You, you want to show them who 262 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:58,360 Jesus is. And I want to tell you that it 263 00:15:58,360 --> 00:15:59,880 doesn't just happen through communication. 264 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:01,680 He did preach Christ in the synagogue. 265 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,320 But I want you to look at verse 21 again. 266 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,720 Look at what the people said when they learned that this was 267 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,960 Paul telling others about Christ and all who heard him were 268 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:12,440 amazed and said, is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem? 269 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:16,680 I mean, they already knew he was causing chaos in the Christian 270 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:18,960 community. He was the number one persecutor 271 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:20,760 against the church. They learned it all the way up 272 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:24,040 to Damascus. This Paul now that was causing a 273 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:28,520 tornado, and Jerusalem has now come here to do the same. 274 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:33,080 But they realize, what has he not come here to do this for 275 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,680 this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priest? 276 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,640 So in other words, this audience, they weren't just 277 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:42,480 amazed at what Paul was saying, they were astonished by what he 278 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:47,800 was no longer doing. He was preaching Christ. 279 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,360 But they knew who this Paul was before. 280 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:53,880 He has come to persecute Christians, but he's not 281 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:58,000 persecuting Christians anymore. What's the lesson? 282 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:02,600 This man's message was consistent with the man. 283 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:06,359 He did not just verbalize his change. 284 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,960 His life was a living advertisement of it. 285 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:12,560 And so the second point here is that when you have truly 286 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,119 experienced Christ, when you make that public declaration of 287 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:19,079 faith as some did today, your life leaving this place is going 288 00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:22,200 to look different. The only thing about you being 289 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:24,920 change in baptism, If it's only getting wet, then you got it 290 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,680 wrong. It's about an internal 291 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:31,080 transformation that others will be able to recognize over time. 292 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,560 You're not the same person. Not just based on what you're 293 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,400 saying, but I can see it. And that was the case with this 294 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,280 amazing man of God. Is there anything else in this 295 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:44,200 man's example that shows us what should become of a person who 296 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,760 follows Jesus Christ wholeheartedly? 297 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:49,600 Absolutely. Let's come back to our text in 298 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:56,360 Acts 9, verse 22. But Saul increased all the more 299 00:17:56,360 --> 00:18:00,640 in strength and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus. 300 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:06,760 By proving that Jesus was the Christ, He increased all the 301 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:08,280 more. And what kind of strength does 302 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:09,720 the Holy Spirit referring to here? 303 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:14,960 Spiritual strength. You see, when the gospel becomes 304 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:19,520 real to us and we respond to it in faith, we want to grow in our 305 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:23,200 knowledge of the One who saved us and our conformity to who He 306 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,400 is. Something that was absolutely 307 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,440 irrelevant to you and you were disinterested in that you were 308 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,640 indifferent to, now becomes this burning passion. 309 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:36,440 I want to know the one who saved me, and I want to buy his power, 310 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:40,440 Live like him. That's not optional. 311 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,600 That is something that is definite with somebody who has 312 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:46,720 encountered the power of the cross. 313 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,360 You know what's amazing? This is not the only reference 314 00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:51,280 to growing and strength in this chapter. 315 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,760 We read it earlier when Paul after he encountered Christ on 316 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:59,360 the road to Damascus, he was so moved by he was so impacted that 317 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:02,440 he fasted for three days. We read that in Acts Chapter 9 318 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,680 and after Ananias comes commissioned by Christ to open 319 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:09,200 his eyes and to be baptized, what do we read back in verse 19 320 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,640 and taking food, he was strengthened. 321 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:17,720 In that case we're talking about a physical refreshing and 322 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,360 recovery. But back in verse 22 is 323 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:24,040 spiritual. So this is the point that I'm 324 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,520 trying to wake the the way in which Paul was strengthened 325 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,440 physically parallels the way you and I will be strengthened 326 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:31,720 spiritually. What did he do? 327 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:37,240 He ate what happens to a person who is really saved really 328 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,760 transformed that that what they did and their public declaration 329 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,680 was was authentic. You're going to have a new 330 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:47,800 appetite for the word of God. You're going to hunger for it, 331 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:50,640 you're saying. Is that really what that's 332 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:52,480 talking about? We'll look back at verse 22. 333 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:56,320 The connection of increasing in all more strength is related to 334 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:00,080 confounding the Jews who live in Damascus and proving that Jesus 335 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,280 was the Christ. So we're talking about an 336 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:04,880 increase of strength and effectiveness in the knowledge 337 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,840 of what he believed in. So here's the point. 338 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:10,240 This is what you and I have to understand, that when somebody 339 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:15,880 is saved, they will become more aware and they will acknowledge. 340 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:18,440 That through the proclamation of the faith, the explanation of 341 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,120 the faith, the defending of the faith, that they have invested 342 00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:24,360 time to study the faith, meditate on the faith, and grow 343 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:27,840 in the knowledge of the faith. Now, Paul here is not saying 344 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,880 that all of us are going to become preachers, but what he is 345 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:36,200 showing is that his appetite for the truth is reflective on all 346 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:38,760 of us who will truly follow Jesus Christ. 347 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:43,400 He was able to now be more efficient and able to confound 348 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:45,520 and to prove how. Where did that come from? 349 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:50,600 Because he was diligent, because something in him now needed to 350 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:53,640 rewire everything that he learned about the world, about 351 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:58,320 God, and Christ honored that and help them to grow in true 352 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,080 spiritual strength. Do you have an appetite for the 353 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:05,480 things of God? I'm not saying do you have an 354 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,720 uninterrupted discipline of reading. 355 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:12,960 I'm just saying down deep inside, can you say I really 356 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:18,440 want to know God more? Does it bother you when you hear 357 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:23,120 maybe a sermon like this that I'm not familiar with? 358 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:25,560 That used to bother me when I first got saved that I would 359 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,440 come into meetings like this, conferences, brand new baby in 360 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:29,960 Christ. The preacher would get up there 361 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:31,640 and name books of the Bible. I don't know where they were. 362 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,000 I would just go and have people around me saying no, no, it's on 363 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:35,280 the right side, not the left side. 364 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:40,680 And that irked me. If I really believe that Jesus 365 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,920 said, and this is the means by which this is the the database 366 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,280 of who he is, then I got to know him. 367 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:49,360 I want to know I'm not so I can win debates and arguments, so 368 00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:55,440 that I can know who saved me. That will become true of you if 369 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,160 you really experience the gospel. 370 00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:01,000 That was true of this man Paul, and that's why the end of second 371 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,640 Peter, the very last verse of second Peter, Peter the apostle 372 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:11,000 says, but grow, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord 373 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:12,920 Jesus Christ. Grow. 374 00:22:13,360 --> 00:22:18,800 Are you growing or has nothing changed even after you got 375 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,800 baptized? Then what does it mean? 376 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,600 What does it mean? It's like getting married, 377 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:29,560 spending all that money for that ceremony, and days and weeks and 378 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:31,960 months and years go by and you don't know anything about your 379 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,800 wife more than you did that day. See, when we put it in real 380 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,320 practical terms, we're like, that sounds silly, but we 381 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,560 tolerate it in the church when it comes to our faith. 382 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:45,280 Does it make sense? No desire to know Christ, No 383 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:46,880 desire to pick up this word and read it. 384 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:49,200 I'm not saying that every single day you're going to have that 385 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:50,760 ambition. I'm just saying, is it even 386 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:52,800 present? Is it even there? 387 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:57,600 Are you convicted about not having it now Paul shows us here 388 00:22:57,600 --> 00:22:59,560 that you'll have it. Yes, it'll be challenged. 389 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,560 That's why there's commands like in Second Peter 318 grow because 390 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:04,160 we need to be stirred. We need to be reminded. 391 00:23:04,360 --> 00:23:07,480 But if it's not evident, it's nowhere to be found. 392 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:11,160 If a message like this doesn't move you, oh, you, you have, you 393 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:13,360 have every right to step back and ask some questions. 394 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,960 There's one more thing. We talked about how Paul met 395 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:20,080 with the disciples after his transformation. 396 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:22,160 You, you will want to be with Christians. 397 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,360 You, you will want to be with the church. 398 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,240 We saw that he testified of Christ, not just in Word, but 399 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:32,080 also in deed. You, you want to, you want to 400 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,160 live in a way where people know that you're associated with 401 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,360 Christ. And yes, there might be 402 00:23:36,360 --> 00:23:39,080 hesitations and yes, you might have to battle with some things, 403 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:43,280 but you want to, you want to. Thirdly, you're going to grow in 404 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,360 spiritual strength. You're going to want to eat 405 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,560 because like a baby that comes out of the womb after a 406 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,600 delivery, that baby naturally is inclined to eat, give me food. 407 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:53,240 It's no different with a spiritual birth. 408 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,240 If there's no appetite after a spiritual birth, that would be 409 00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:59,480 concerning, just as it would be concerning for a newborn baby to 410 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,480 not have an appetite. There's one more thing. 411 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,640 Let's come back to Acts 9, verse 23. 412 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:13,120 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but 413 00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:17,000 their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates by 414 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,480 day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him 415 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,200 by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, 416 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:29,480 luring him in a basket. One thing that you can expect 417 00:24:30,120 --> 00:24:34,200 following Jesus eventually, it's not just that love for people, 418 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,280 not just a wanting to tell people about Christ, not just a 419 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:39,680 love for the word of God and growing and strengthened in your 420 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:43,000 spirit, You will also experience at some point in some way 421 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,840 suffering at the hands of others, suffering at the hands 422 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:50,480 of others. And we see here that in verse 423 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:52,840 23. And when many days had passed, 424 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,120 what happened? The Jews plotted to kill him. 425 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,840 Why? Because nothing disturbs Satan 426 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:09,400 more than a robust, consistent, steadfast, serious Christian who 427 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:13,880 takes their calling seriously, who, yes, grows, but also from 428 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,040 that growth spills over, serves God's people, and even serves 429 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:20,560 this unbelieving world. Satan, as powerful as he is, 430 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:22,440 he's finite. He is limited. 431 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,200 He has limited resources. And so he has to be strategic 432 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,840 and he reserves his efforts for those who are actually walking 433 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:34,040 wholeheartedly with his enemy, the Lord Jesus Christ, your 434 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,240 friend and your Lord. And that's what we see with 435 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,560 Paul. Paul now was growing on Satan's 436 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:44,120 most wanted list and he wasn't going to waste any time to try 437 00:25:44,120 --> 00:25:46,920 to stifle, derail or maybe even destroy him. 438 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:50,240 He saw where this man was going and we wanted to put an early 439 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,960 end to it. And So what happens? 440 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:56,440 What we learn here that one of the ways in which Satan tries to 441 00:25:56,440 --> 00:26:03,080 hinder holy men and holy woman by of God is by causing people 442 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,320 from outside and within to be an obstacle. 443 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:12,320 Pay attention to what I said from outside and from within. 444 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:18,920 From outside, I mean people who do not believe in Jesus, and 445 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:22,600 they're not just neutral about it, they actually hate what you 446 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,160 believe in. They might believe contrary, 447 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:28,920 they might not claim to believe anything at all, but they 448 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:33,240 despise what you adhere to. And that was true with these 449 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,960 unbelieving Jews. They saw Paul as a threat and so 450 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,520 they came against them to the point of wanting to kill him 451 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:42,080 because he was sharing this soul saving message with others and 452 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,960 it was making an impact. Now I'm aware that what I'm just 453 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:48,400 sharing with you right now about Paul being actually targeted 454 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:52,200 unto death does not resonate with probably all of us in this 455 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:57,400 place because we don't pay such a price for what we believe in 456 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:00,960 here in the West. But can I remind you that the 457 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:05,080 Christian experience in America is a minority? 458 00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:09,720 The majority, statistically speaking, the majority of 459 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:13,120 Christians, when they are contemplating following Jesus, 460 00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:14,600 you know what they have to ruminate over? 461 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:17,040 Am I willing to go to jail for many, many years? 462 00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:20,600 Am I willing to have my family taken from me? 463 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:26,800 Am I willing to endure torture? Am I willing to meet execution? 464 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,160 That's what Christians and other parts of the world are thinking 465 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:35,000 about. So I was thinking about this 466 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,320 last night. I thought if I was speaking to a 467 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:40,760 room filled with people who lived under a communist regime 468 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:46,720 or in a culture that advocates killing your own family, 469 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:51,440 dishonouring you publicly, I would want to point point to 470 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,760 Paul's example here and show them that as much as you will 471 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:59,600 face hostility and and even threats on your life, when you 472 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:03,600 follow Jesus Christ, you win God's protective favor. 473 00:28:05,120 --> 00:28:07,640 Because notice what happens when many days had passed, the Jews 474 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:10,720 plot to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. 475 00:28:11,360 --> 00:28:15,360 How how it was made known, we're not exactly told, but you see 476 00:28:15,360 --> 00:28:18,920 this, this, this consistent thing in Paul's life, in the 477 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,080 book of Acts, that God often intervened in his life 478 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:25,880 providentially, that he invisibly maneuvered things to 479 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,480 make sure that Paul understood ahead of time of what was coming 480 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,640 his way. And why I bring that up is 481 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,800 because there is a day coming and it did come where Paul would 482 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,360 be imprisoned and he wasn't going to get out. 483 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,120 Paul would be imprisoned and what historians believed to be 484 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,840 in his 60s and he would have his head locked off for his faith. 485 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:51,280 But until then, nothing or anyone could pry him out of 486 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:54,200 God's hand as long as it was placed on Him. 487 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:59,520 And the promise is no different for you and I God will not allow 488 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:03,880 anything to happen to you as a follower of His Son that does 489 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:07,760 not align with His perfect will, and He will protect you and 490 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:10,680 provide for you until your testimony on the earth is 491 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:13,240 complete and you're ready to graduate into glory. 492 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:17,840 And this, this truth only becomes more powerful when you 493 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,280 realize how Paul reflects on this point. 494 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:23,320 You don't have to turn there. But as he's speaking to the 495 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,480 Corinthian believers, he reflects on his resume of his 496 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:28,800 suffering for Christ. And he touches on this moment, 497 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:31,320 but he gives even more insight of what happened. 498 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:34,840 Let me read this to you. It's in 2nd Corinthians 1132 and 499 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,000 33. He says at Damascus, the 500 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:42,760 governor under King Eritas was guarding the city of Damascus in 501 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:46,080 order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a 502 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,720 window in the wall and escaped his hands. 503 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:51,920 That detail is not mentioned in the narrative acts. 504 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:54,000 He mentions it later on. Paul does. 505 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:56,400 And notice what he says here, that the Jews were not the only 506 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:01,840 ones playing to kill him. The Jews had the government 507 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,400 hired to find, arrest and kill Paul. 508 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:11,360 And so that's why you find 24 hour surveillance in Paul's 509 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:15,520 whereabouts. And here's the point, the extent 510 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:21,440 of God's protection that despite spies, armies, secret government 511 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:25,920 agents, nothing could thwart God's protection over Paul's 512 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:29,760 life. One with God is majority doesn't 513 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:31,400 matter who stands before you or around you. 514 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,480 And what was true for Paul is true for you and I. 515 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:40,120 You will and you will endure. Listen, we celebrated today, we 516 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:42,560 cry today. There's an atmosphere of peace 517 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:45,360 and joy and acceptance here. But let me speak to those who 518 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:47,280 just got baptized and they remind those who've been 519 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,280 following Christ. When you walk out of those 520 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:56,640 doors, not everybody's going to celebrate your faith when people 521 00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:00,560 might find your testimony online, that might give a more 522 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:04,760 reason to hate you, despise you, do anything to try to harass 523 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:09,000 you. But I also mentioned that 524 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,040 there's even hindrance, potential hindrance from within. 525 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:18,600 And what I mean by within is the intentional and unintentional 526 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,000 offense that might come from the Christian community. 527 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:23,680 Notice I said intentional because there are professing 528 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:27,920 Christians who are capable of hurting, and unintentional that 529 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:31,920 sometimes Christians can do things accidentally due to their 530 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:34,560 own fallen nature. Not maliciously, but that be 531 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:38,920 enough for Satan to give you a reason to not be full, fully 532 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:40,240 committed to the cause of Christ. 533 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:42,840 Where am I getting that from? In our final passage of Acts 9, 534 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:45,320 Look at what happens in verse 26. 535 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:50,760 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join 536 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:53,680 the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, for they did not 537 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:58,200 believe that he was a disciple. So you have to understand what's 538 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:02,040 going on here. Paul left Jerusalem as one of 539 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:05,400 the greatest Pharisees and Jewish religious leaders of his 540 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,680 time. He has permission to go into 541 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:10,040 Damascus and to arrest Christians. 542 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:16,400 He goes and Jesus arrests him, opens his eyes, reveals them 543 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:18,320 that he's sinned against God and that there's forgiveness. 544 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:21,120 He receives that forgiveness and now he has a whole new call. 545 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:25,560 Now he's preaching Christ in Damascus and at some point here, 546 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,720 according to Galatians, he goes away into the Arabian wilderness 547 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:32,160 and he receives personal tutor and learning from Christ. 548 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:37,720 And then he is now ready to go back to Jerusalem for the first 549 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:41,520 time since he left there as an unbeliever in Christ. 550 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:44,240 And you have to remember that Jerusalem was the main hub of 551 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:47,720 the church at this time. And what do we learn when he 552 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,120 goes back to Jerusalem and they learn that this is the same Saul 553 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:56,120 of Tarsus who hurt and destroyed so many of our community is a 554 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:57,880 believer. They didn't believe him. 555 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:05,200 Nice try, Paul or Saul. We know who you are, and we know 556 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:08,680 that this is some elaborate scheme to really, you're a spy. 557 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:10,400 We're not having it. And they shut the door in his 558 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:13,760 face. Now, we don't blame these 559 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:19,080 Christians in Jerusalem, do we? No, we understand where we might 560 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:20,720 be. If we understood that a 561 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:24,440 terrorist who was killing Christians by the droves that 562 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:28,600 was ravaging the church one day shows up here and we just heard 563 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:30,600 some things, we would be on guard. 564 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:35,640 At the same time, you can imagine the potential hurt that 565 00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:40,560 Paul felt because remember now we read earlier when many days 566 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:45,440 had passed. Paul was consistent since his 567 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:49,240 conversion. Paul was preaching Jesus Christ 568 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:53,200 and Paul on a daily basis risked his life because of his 569 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:57,200 allegiance to the truth. And because of that, he lost the 570 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:00,120 fellowship and the love and the affirmation of those that he 571 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:04,920 wants stood with and the people that he desperately needed. 572 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:08,600 Now, as a Christian stiff armed him, where is he going to go? 573 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:20,600 I've met too many Christians who've allowed offense from 574 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:26,560 other Christians, deter them and derail them to the degree that 575 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:28,920 they are never the same as they once were. 576 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:36,960 They live in isolation, there is an open wound, and they never 577 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:40,480 move on to know the full potential that God has for them 578 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,719 as an ambassador. I've seen it so many times. 579 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:49,400 Can I tell you something in my own history, in my own walk with 580 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:50,400 the Lord? I've been walking with the Lord 581 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:53,480 for about 12 years now. I've been more attacked by 582 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:58,280 professing Christians and unbelievers, but I've also read 583 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:03,320 my Bible enough to know that disappointment from supposed or 584 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,480 even genuine disciples is to be expected. 585 00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:13,480 Paul knew it at the beginning of his faith, and Paul was followed 586 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:17,800 by that internal tension at times till his last moments on 587 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:20,760 the earth. Can you imagine if Paul came to 588 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:23,040 the church in Jerusalem and they treat him that way and he goes, 589 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:24,360 You know what? If this is what it means to be a 590 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:27,400 Christian, forget about it. I also believe in Christ. 591 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:29,640 I won't deny him, but I'm just going to do this thing solo. 592 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:33,320 What would become of the church? What would become of the Bible? 593 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:38,120 And yet you have so many today, even today, perhaps you drug 594 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:40,160 your feet together. You did not want to be here 595 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:43,120 because the church has turned you off and you're just here out 596 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:46,240 of reluctance. But you're going to go back into 597 00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:48,320 your old ways. You're not going to know what it 598 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:50,320 means to love the brethren, to be loved by the brethren, to 599 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:55,080 know what God has in store for you and your content. 600 00:35:56,120 --> 00:36:01,600 And I'm here to tell you, did you miss the memo that following 601 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,840 Jesus Christ is a promise of enduring some kind of suffering, 602 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:07,760 whether that suffering is persecution from outside or 603 00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:10,840 Christian stepping on your toes from time to time from inside. 604 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:19,080 Shake it off, Christian, shake it off by the power of the Holy 605 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:22,080 Spirit. Let Christ heal you. 606 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:26,400 Keep your eyes on Him and just commit to the cause no matter 607 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:30,360 what, no matter what. You know when Paul would go and 608 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:33,120 preach at a certain city and I'm ending it here, and he would see 609 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:36,440 Christians come together and the church would be established in 610 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:40,280 the infancy of their belief, he would preach a similar message. 611 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:42,800 He had a simple model, and I want to quote it to you from 612 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,280 Acts 1422. He would go back and he would go 613 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:48,920 on a cycle, right? He would go on this tour to 614 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:52,000 these churches to strengthen the souls of the disciples, 615 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:55,480 encouraging them to continue in the faith and reminding them 616 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:59,240 that through many tribulations they must enter the Kingdom of 617 00:36:59,240 --> 00:37:03,160 God. Not some tribulations, many, 618 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:05,240 many from outside, many from within. 619 00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:08,040 The government might turn on you, Christian. 620 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:10,880 Your boss might find out that you got baptized and you became 621 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:13,920 public and you're a bigot now, so you're going to lose your job 622 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:19,200 and even maybe even from inside a leader, spiritual leader, 623 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:22,680 might disappoint you. Christians who are not mature or 624 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:25,880 have the love of Christ developed yet in their hearts 625 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:27,560 might mistreat you. What are you going to do? 626 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:32,240 Turn your back on Christ? Diminish your devotion to Him. 627 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:34,760 Allow yourself to remain deflated. 628 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:38,000 That's not God's will for you. And He told us ahead of time 629 00:37:38,240 --> 00:37:40,640 what many people are unwilling to say to Christians, even when 630 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:43,040 they first became Christians. Christians, you're going to face 631 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:45,120 many tribulations. But let me also say this, It 632 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:48,440 will be worth it because He is worth it. 633 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:51,320 Our Lord and our Savior experienced many tribulations. 634 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:53,920 For what? Because He's committed to saving 635 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:57,200 you, redeeming you, restoring you. 636 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:02,520 So may He receive our unwavering commitment as well. 637 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:08,040 Four things. Four things that a person who 638 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:11,080 places their faith in Jesus and professes it from the place of 639 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,240 baptism should expect and pursue. 640 00:38:13,240 --> 00:38:16,040 You have love for the brethren. You're going to live as a 641 00:38:16,040 --> 00:38:18,920 testimony who Christ is and what his gospel is all about. 642 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:23,080 You're going to want to grow in strength, and you're going to 643 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:28,320 expect to endure some suffering. And all along the way, the same 644 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:32,400 Jesus who saved you will shepherd you, He will guide you, 645 00:38:33,200 --> 00:38:37,040 He will empower you, He will forgive you when you stumble. 646 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:40,440 If you do stumble along that path, even if you for a season 647 00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:44,200 do not honor those directions. He is even now today ready to 648 00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:47,280 say, would you come back to my complete will for your life? 649 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:50,200 So I'm ending it by I want to just address two types of people 650 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:52,040 here. For the person who is not a 651 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:54,840 Christian, I want to let you know that you can become who you 652 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:57,960 were created to be, but it is only through Jesus Christ. 653 00:38:58,640 --> 00:39:02,840 Jesus Christ was sent to die for sinners, to die on the cross, to 654 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:06,800 shed his blood so that He can cover every sin and wrong that 655 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:10,320 you have committed. Every and anything that you have 656 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:13,920 done can be wiped clean once and for all. 657 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:16,360 If you acknowledge that you have sinned and that He is the 658 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:19,040 Savior, that there's no other way to be pleasing to God but 659 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:23,240 accept that payment, You repent and you trust, and in that 660 00:39:23,240 --> 00:39:25,880 moment you will know that you are saved. 661 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:29,280 Have you done that? Now let me ask you this because 662 00:39:29,280 --> 00:39:30,560 you might be turned off by this message. 663 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:34,560 Why are you turned off? What about what I just said is 664 00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:38,760 so offensive to you? What about what I just said to 665 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:41,080 you cause you to recoil? Whatever. 666 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:42,720 Think about it. Don't let your emotions take 667 00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:44,840 over. Think about it, the implications 668 00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:48,640 of it, God loving you and paying the price for you so that you 669 00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:52,920 can have eternal life. Do you love your sin that much? 670 00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:56,600 Has your sin, Has your sin really saved you for anything or 671 00:39:56,600 --> 00:39:59,560 saved you for something? No, it's only disappointing you 672 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:01,800 and it's only going to set you up for more disappointment, hurt 673 00:40:01,960 --> 00:40:03,400 because you weren't created for sin. 674 00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:05,480 You were created to know your Savior. 675 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,040 Accepting today, I plead with you that you would put your 676 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:13,600 faith in this Jesus for the person who has confessed Christ. 677 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:16,600 You even made your your faith go public. 678 00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:20,440 Are you walking with Him with a heart that's committed to Him? 679 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,000 Do you remember what it was like when you stood before 10 or 20, 680 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,520 maybe thousands, and you said I will follow them all the days of 681 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:27,840 my life? Is that true of you today? 682 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:29,680 Or has money now become your master? 683 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:35,200 Have you idolized your family? Are you more ambitious and 684 00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:39,680 excited about your job, your body, your health, your 685 00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:43,920 experiences, your travels? Whereas at one point you had a 686 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:47,240 brimming longing that no matter where you went, what you had, 687 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:51,320 you have all you need in Jesus. And it was so real to you. 688 00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:53,640 It wasn't a duty. It wasn't twisting your arm to 689 00:40:53,640 --> 00:40:55,840 make Him known by way of word and example. 690 00:40:55,920 --> 00:40:58,800 I want to tell you today that this Jesus is so compassionate 691 00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:02,520 that though you might be cold today, He can warm your heart. 692 00:41:03,240 --> 00:41:06,280 He can melt your heart, and He could bring you exactly where 693 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:17,730 you need to be. Let's pray if the priest team 694 00:41:17,730 --> 00:41:21,200 can join me so that once we finish praying, we can sing to 695 00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:23,240 the Lord. I want to just ask you and give 696 00:41:23,240 --> 00:41:25,320 you a little bit of time to reflect on the things that were 697 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:35,520 shared, not just from the world, but throughout this time, and 698 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:37,840 ask the Lord to help you and wherever you need help. 699 00:41:51,240 --> 00:41:57,480 Lord, we ask in absolute humility that you would make 700 00:41:57,760 --> 00:42:01,800 yourself real to us again, and perhaps for the first time to 701 00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:03,640 those who who who don't know you. 702 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:07,440 Lord, we have testified of your gospel. 703 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:10,200 We've sung about your gospel. We've preached from your word 704 00:42:10,200 --> 00:42:12,920 about the gospel. But now we're praying that by 705 00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:15,920 your Spirit you make this gospel real to us. 706 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:20,040 Lord, we thank you for saving us. 707 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:24,880 Help us live for you from that place of gratitude to honor you. 708 00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:28,400 Lord, where we need to repent, help us repent where we fallen 709 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:29,880 short. Lord, strengthen us. 710 00:42:31,120 --> 00:42:33,400 Thank you for the simplicity. Thank you for the confirmation 711 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:37,720 of your word of what it means to be a disciple of your son. 712 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:41,080 Lord, we, we sing about your power now. 713 00:42:41,080 --> 00:42:44,560 We sing about what you're able to do, what you have done, and 714 00:42:44,560 --> 00:42:47,920 Lord, what you can do through us for other people. 715 00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:50,400 We give you glory. We give you all the thanks and 716 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:53,480 the honor in Jesus name, Amen. Amen.