I See Better When I'm Blind Series

Title: “I see better when I’m blind.”

Series – “On mission”

Text: Acts 9:1-19

Subject: How does Saul of Tarsus becoming a believer in Jesus?

Complement: Jesus reveals himself to Saul with blinding light and personal voice – showing himself alive – providing irrefutable proof of his messiahship.

Exe Idea: Jesus reveals himself to Saul resulting in his conversion.

Hom idea: Jesus revealed himself to Saul and has & will(!) reveal himself to you.

Preaching idea: God makes himself known in the risen Lord Jesus.

(Oldest mosaic of Paul – 5th century)

Introduction: baggage can be heavy to carry around...

In 2013 we took a trip to Ukraine with our 2 daughters...(12 and 14)

• 12 bags x 4 people

• London Heathrow airport

• London subway – “The Tube”

• Thankfully we made it and didn’t lose ourselves or luggage...

What kind of baggage do you travel with?

• Memories

• Sadness...

• Lost children... siblings... accidents...

There’s a man in acts chapter 9 that’s carrying a lot of baggage... his name is Saul. Saul of tarsus.

Read passage: Acts 9:1-9

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

See also Acts 22 and 26

Acts 22:19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

Acts 26: 9 “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

Situation: Saul’s Past.../Your Baggage!

• A devout Pharisee

• acts 23:6 ... “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees...

• some of you are “PK’S” .... that’s nothing compared to being a PK _Pharisee kid!

• Jewish parents...

• Taurus – in modern day Turkey

• Also had roman citizenship

• Saul was a Brain – trained by Gamaliel

o Who is Gamaliel?

o Best scholar of his day

• Saul was an Over-achiever

o Gal 1:14 “advancing in Judaism beyond my peers”

• Saul had Zeal...

o If Saul was a hockey player – he would be ... wait for it...Brendan Gallagher + Shea Weber + Cory Perry all in one.

• Murderer?

• Threat-maker – v. 1 “breathing out murderous threats”

• Verse 1 – “take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

• Self-description – “chief sinner” ( 1 tim 1:15)*

• 1 cor 15:8-11 “I persecuted the church of God”

o I’m the least apostle...don’t deserve to be called one”

• Gal 1:11-17 13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

Possible dialogue:

Saul to High priest (Caiaphas/Annas) –

“Would you write me a letter authorizing me to arrest and imprison followers of Jesus? These people are heretics and are blaspheming God.”

Caiaphas: “Right away, Saul.

Caiaphas immediately writes a letter... “Saul, you are doing a great service to God and our religious tradition.”

Saul: “Yes sir. These people need to be stopped”.