The Witness Of Paul Series

Good morning. We are going to read the post-conversion account of Paul today.

• His conversion, which we saw last week, was both miraculous and traumatic.

• He was blinded for 3 days and did not eat or drink, until a stranger Ananias came to minister to him. He was restored physically, but more importantly, spiritually.

• We marvel at God’s unmerited favour and grace shown upon him, and the power of the Gospel in transforming his life, when fully understood.

• This is the testimony of life-change for all of us too, when we come to know Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, just not in such dramatic way.

Let’s us pray before we go into God’s Word.

Dear heavenly Father, we have come to acknowledge you as our sovereign God. We bow down in worship and we submit to You as our Lord.

In the midst of all that’s happening in our world today – the pandemic, the floods, the unrests, the stresses of life that can come from all fronts – we look up to you who alone reigns supreme. In humility and repentance, we seek you for mercy and forgiveness, for strength and wisdom, for hope and grace.

We live for you and for your Kingdom. Help us draw strength from your Word, the eternal truth. Therein lies all that we need in life.

Enlighten us again and strengthen our faith. In Jesus’ Name we pray, AMEN.

Let’s read Acts 9:19b-31.

… Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" 22Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

23After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

HIS TIME IN DAMASCUS

Paul met Christ on the road to Damascus and was taken to Damascus blinded.

• God sent a disciple Ananias to the specific location to look for Paul and minister to him. He would find Paul praying, the Lord told him (9:11). He was seeking God.

• God gave Paul a vision of Ananias coming and praying for his healing (9:12).

• We heard in the message last week, although Paul was physically blind, he was seeing more clearly than ever, spiritually.

• He saw the light of Christ, physically and spiritually. He was enlightened.

Paul began to bear witness for Christ; from being the persecutor of Christianity and Christ, to the defender of the faith and of Christ.

• 9:20 Paul began to preach in the synagogues, the most logical platform for him.

• And he preached that Jesus is the Son of God, a radically different message from pre-conversion.

• This is the one and only time that this title ‘Son of God’ appears in Acts. The use of this phrase itself is unacceptable to the Jews.

• Jesus Christ the Messiah is the Son of God! It is a clear reference to Jesus’ deity, which Jesus alluded to and the Pharisees had been accusing Jesus of.

• And now the Pharisee Paul is proclaiming the same. The people need to know that Jesus is God’s Son and one with the Father (John 10:30).

• Jesus cannot save sinners if He is only a great prophet, a good man or teacher.