Divine Appointments

Divine Appointments

Acts 9:1-16

Many have heard the term “divine appointment,” which refers to an encounter that the LORD arranges, sometimes with another person, to use that interaction to affect both people’s lives.

Sometimes, divine appointments can be when you run into a neighbor who has a need, or perhaps someone comes to mind, and you reach out to let them know you are praying for them.

Maybe you are at a store, and you strike up a conversation with someone who needed what you had to say in that moment.

In any of these cases, the LORD used you in the moment to show kindness or to communicate to someone on His behalf.

Please open your Bibles to Acts 9

Last week, we talked about one-on-one evangelism followed by a believer’s baptism. We must be led by the Spirit, know the Word of God, and share Christ.

This morning, we are going to talk about Divine Appointments from the Lord and learn more about Saul’s conversion to Christ.

I. Saul, a picture of the Old Man.

Read Acts 9:1-2

During the persecution against the early church, Saul consented to the murder of Stephen.

Here we see that Saul went to the High Priest for permission to bring Christians from Damascus to Jerusalem to stand trial.

The religious leaders of the day were so against the God they claimed to serve that they killed people in the name of religion.

In our day, most people alive have heard of the Apostle Paul, previously known as Saul, even those who have not studied the Bible, because he wrote over half of the New Testament.

But the thing that I love about the Apostle Paul is that He, empowered by the Holy Spirit, single-handedly turned religious legalism on its head!

Later in his epistles, Paul spoke about his time as a persecutor of the LORD and His people.

Saul, without the Holy Spirit, is a picture of someone with zeal, but driven by the flesh, and is actually fighting against God.

Notice, “Still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.”

Saul was an angry, violent man who was sure of his own righteousness and religion, and because he felt that Christ-followers were blasphemers, he hated the disciples of the Lord.

Saul’s ultimate goal was to exterminate Christians.

People bound up in legalism or religiosity are always wanting to exterminate the Christian liberty we experience in Christ.

Before having a personal relationship with Jesus, the old us did things in the flesh.

In the flesh, sometimes we think we are doing the work of the Lord while in rebellion, but Saul had a divine appointment with Jesus, and he was instantly changed into a servant of Christ!

Then notice, “If he found any who were of the Way”.

Christianity is referred to as the Way, and that term is used five times in the Book of Acts as a description of following Jesus.

Christianity is more than a set of rules or doctrines. Following Jesus is a way of life, and naming Christianity the Way was probably adopted from the words of Jesus Himself.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. NKJV

II. Saul has a “Come to Jesus” meeting.

Read Acts 9:3-5

Damascus was about 130 miles northeast of Jerusalem, and by this time, Saul knew there were a significant number of followers of the Way in Damascus.

Notice what happened here as Saul was traveling the road towards Damascus, a great light shone on him.

The LORD has a way of getting through to hard-hearted people, so if you have someone in your life who is hard-hearted, be patient as you watch how the LORD will deal with them.

Saul was educated in the best schools; he received a prestigious education in Jewish law, as he was considered a scholar, yet he missed the most important thing to know of all eternity.

Saul didn’t know Jesus!

After his conversion, Paul learned the meaning of godly wisdom compared to human wisdom. He said to the church at Corinth…

1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness”.

1 Corinthians 3:20 and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." NKJV

Even though Saul was educated, the things of Jesus, the Old Testament prophecies, the promises, and eternal life by faith in Christ were unknown to him before this Divine appointment.

There is some speculation about what this light from heaven was. Was it the Shekinah Glory of God? Was it simply Jesus’ glorified body?

We really don’t know, because the LORD usually does not confront sinners in such a dramatic way.