Growing in Christ
Acts 9:20-31
Intro: Saul had repented of his former way of living and had put his trust in Jesus. He had been forgiven for all of his sins, and had invited the Lord to be the leader of his life. Now what did that look like in Saul’s life? Did it make any difference in what he did and the way he lived each day? Absolutely! He did a complete 180 degree turn and began to live every moment of his life for Jesus.
-We can learn a lot from Paul. After all, he was just a man. God’s work in his life made him look like a hero, but he would be the first to say that it was all God, not Paul who accomplished great things. Paul’s life, especially his early Christian life, shows us how we can keep on growing. The main truth of today’s message is simply this:
Prop: Every person who receives Jesus as their forgiver and leader needs to keep on growing in their faith.
Interrogative: What does a growing Christian look like?
TS: We will look at 4 characteristics of someone who is growing spiritually.
I. A Growing Christian Always Seeks to Know Who Jesus Is (20)
-Paul immediately began to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God. He was only able to do this after a personal encounter with Jesus, followed by time spent in His presence. There’s an old song that Zoe has learned: Everybody ought to know who Jesus is. As Paul got to know Jesus better, he was able to boldly tell others why they should put their trust in Him.
-It is interesting to know that Paul’s knowledge of Christ was not limited to his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. That must have been an awesome experience, but Paul apparently talked to the Lord every day after that. Just read some of his letters, and see what he says about prayer. He tells several individuals and churches that he is praying for them. He talks about praying without ceasing. He tells the Corinthians that he prays in tongues more than all of them. Paul’s goal was to stay as close to Jesus as he possibly could. That was the only way he would really get to know Him better.
-Paul’s goal to know Jesus more can be seen in Philippians 3:10 “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” These words were written by an elderly man, who knew that he was near the end of his life. He had served Jesus for many years, but his chief goal was still to get to know Christ better.
-If we ever get to a place where we do not think we need to pursue knowing Jesus more, that is when our spiritual growth will come to a standstill. I don’t want that to happen in my life, and I’m sure you don’t either. So, Lord, help us to seek to know you more. Help us to pray, sharing our hearts with You! Help us to worship, sharing our praise to You. Help us to do what you say, showing our obedience to You.
-Do you know who Jesus is? The better question is probably this: Are you getting to know who Jesus is? If we say we already know Jesus, it sounds like we know everything about Him. But if we are getting to know Him, then we are fulfilling the purpose we were created for, and we will do so forever and ever. Even after 10,000 years, we will not be able to say that we know everything about Jesus. Why? Because He is infinite! It would be more realistic to try and empty the ocean one bucket at a time than to arrive at a place where you know everything about our eternal God. That shouldn’t discourage us, however. It should make us grateful that Someone so great wants to know us too!
-TS: So, a growing Christian makes it his or her life goal to know Jesus personally. The 2nd characteristic of growing Christians is seen in their desire to grow and become all God wants them to be.
II. A Growing Christian Embraces the Growth Process (22-23a)
-“Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.” All of the training Paul had received under Gamaliel and others was part of God’s plan to shape Paul into the person he became. He had a stellar understanding of God’s word, and as the HS brought that knowledge to life, Paul was able to share passionately and knowledgeably about God’s plan to forgive and restore people’s lives through His Messiah Jesus.
-Paul knew that God had been preparing him for this time in his life, and he embraced what God wanted to do in him and through him.
-V.23 says, “After many days had gone by….” Several Bible scholars believe that this phrase “many days” is a span of about 3 years which Paul spent in Arabia and in Damascus. What was he doing during that time? Some believe that Paul was in seclusion for that time, sorting out his past mistakes, spending time praying and worshiping in God’s presence, and rethinking his theology in light of Jesus being the Messiah. No doubt Paul did all of these things, but we have no reason to believe that he spent all that time in solitude. Arabia was an area that extended all the way to the walls of Damascus. It is likely that Paul did not go and hide during that time, but he continued to tell many of the Arab people that Jesus was the Messiah who had been promised from God and that they needed to repent, call on the Lord, and commit their lives to Him.
-Whether Paul needed those 3 years for solitude and communion with the Lord, or whether he went about ministering to those in Arabia, we know that he was growing and becoming who God wanted him to be. Paul embraced the growth process and began to use the passion and the gifts God had given him. He began to preach the gospel right away. He knew what God’s will for his life was. No longer was he resisting God and His will. Now he was fully cooperating with the one he had formerly persecuted.
-How about you? Where are you growing? Are you cooperating with what you sense is God’s will for your life? Do you share Jesus with others? We are not all called to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, or pastor teachers. However, we are all called to be witnesses for Jesus. We can testify about what He has done in our life, and show others that there is hope for them. Are you using and developing the gifts God has given you? If you do not use them, you may lose them.
-TS: So, if we want to grow, let’s keep getting to know Jesus, and let’s fully embrace the growth process that God is taking us through. A third characteristic of a growing Christian has to do with facing adversity.
III. A Growing Christian Learns How to Handle Conflict (23-26, 29)
-There were at least 3 occasions within our text during which Paul had to face opposition from people.
A. The Jews in Damascus tried to kill Paul.
23”After 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. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.”
B. The Christians in Jerusalem initially rejected Paul out of fear. “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.”
C. The Grecian Jews in Jerusalem tried to kill Paul. “29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.”
-We may never face the intense hatred or fearful rejection that Paul faced, but we all will probably have to endure some form of opposition. When that happens, how are you going to respond? If you find out somebody does not like you, or someone has misunderstood you, how will you react?
-The most common reaction is for us to take offense, and feel hostile toward that individual. Suddenly, they can do nothing right, because we watch them through the clouded lens of our offense. Growing Christians must find a better way to respond to opposition. If the opposition (in the form of being wronged) comes from another believer whom we normally fellowship with, then we should try to work it out with them in private. If that does not work, then the Bible says to take 1 or 2 witnesses with you to try and work it out. If that still does not work and the other person does not listen, then we are to take it to the church (through the leadership first). If that still does not resolve the matter, then we are to disassociate ourselves with that person. However, we must not let this become a personal offense or grievance that we carry around with us. Furthermore, we should not speak evil of the other person or engage in gossip about them.
-Now, what if opposition comes from someone who is not a believer? Here’s what Jesus said about it in Matthew 5:44: 44 “I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Love them and pray for them. That is also what we should do in the case of another believer. Keep on loving them and pray for them.
-If, however, we choose to hold onto an offense, and do not forgive someone for what they may have done or neglected to do, then we are in danger of stunting our own spiritual growth. Whenever we hold onto an offense, we are inviting the enemy, Satan, or one of his underlings, to waltz right into our lives and make a mess of things. Hebrews 12:15 says it like this: “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” This bitter root grows from the seed of an offense, and if it is allowed to grow, it will cause a world of hurt and trouble, and many other people will be affected by it as well.
-So, don’t let conflict or opposition become an offense that spreads throughout your life and into the lives of others. Pray, love, and forgive, and God will take care of the rest.
-TS: Finally, in addition to knowing Jesus, embracing the growth process, and learning how to deal with conflict….
IV. A Growing Christian Learns to Rely on Fellow Believers (25, 30)
-Saul had rejected his teacher’s counsel, when Gamiliel had warned the Sanhedrin to leave the Christians alone. Now we see a different man. Rather than acting on his own, he received the help of other godly men during the three difficult situations we just mentioned.
-When the Jews in Damascus tried to kill him, his Christian friends helped him. 25”His followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.”
-When the Christians in Jerusalem rejected Paul out of fear, his Christian brother, Barnabas, spoke up for him and helped him. 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.”
-When the Grecian Jews tried to kill Paul, the other apostles stepped in. 30”When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.”
-We sometimes view Paul as a very independent person who did not need anybody but Jesus. However, if we were to look more closely, we would see that Jesus used other believers in his life to minister to him and give him wise counsel. Paul always filtered the counsel he received through what the Holy Spirit was saying to him; but, he also recognized that God does speak through other people and uses them to touch our lives when we really need it.
Conclusion: In closing, let me ask every Christian here some important questions: Are you still growing in Christ? Are you still seeking to know Jesus more? Have you embraced the growth process, or are you staying in your comfort zone? How do you deal with conflict? Are you learning to forgive and release your offenses to God? How are your relationships with other believers? Do you seek out close friendships with other Christians whom you can trust? Are you learning to rely on other believers for prayer, support, encouragement, and counsel?
-If you can say yes to all of these questions, then your faith is probably growing. If your answer to some of these questions is NO, then you have some work to do. And God and other believers will help you, if you are willing to ask.
-Now, let me speak to anyone here who is not a Christian. By that, I mean that you have not asked Jesus to forgive you for every wrong thought, word, or action, and you have not asked Him to become the leader of your life. If your heart is not right with God, but you want it to be, here are 3 simple words that will help you respond to what you might be feeling right now. I say simply because they begin with ABC. The 1st word is Admit. Admit that you have sinned against God. The Bible says that everybody has sinned. 2nd, Believe. Believe that Jesus, God’s Son, died so you can be forgiven and He rose again. 3rd, Confess. Confess to Jesus that you want to make Him the leader of your life. Admit, Believe, and Confess. You can do this anytime, anywhere. It is the most important decision you will ever make, because it affects where you will spend the rest of eternity. If you would like to talk to me more about this, or if you would like me to help you do this, please let me know. Jesus will change your heart, and give you a brand new start in life.
-Let’s close in prayer, and ask God to help us keep on growing.
[Sing, The Potter’s Hand]
