What do you need to have done for you to be convicted? Acts 26:12-19
1. we see Christ takeing the control in sending convicting power.
13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
King Agrippa is called upon by the apostle, to deepen his attention to what he was about to relate. The news he had to give was very remarkable and of great importance. I was on the way to Damascus when a light from heaven descended which was above the brightness of the sun; it was a greater light than that or it would not have the effect it had upon me, those with him. This account of the greatness of the light is not in the other places where this account is given. No one comes to Christ unless the Spirit draws him. There are some who say when I decide to do what Christ wants me to do I will do it. That is not biblical. I talked about the fear of God last week. I did not mention the fact that the fear of God should make us to want to listen and act whenever the Spirit speaks. I know of one lady who in her teen years felt God’s call to go and be a missionary to the Indian people in Arizona. She married a man who was not a Christian and missed what God called her to do. She took God’s second best and was active in the church. I wonder if it weighs upon her that God spoke and she did not act. If God is speaking I want to be doing.
2. we see a personal encounter with God.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecute you me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless: dazed and stunned, they could not speak one word, they could not rise from the ground, and they could not move one step forward; they were as if they were fastened to the earth; for this standing is not opposed to their being fallen to the earth, but to their going forward hearing a voice, but seeing no man; that is, they heard the voice of Saul, saying, “who are You? And what will You have me to do?” They did not hear the voice of Christ that spoke to him or if they heard the voice of Christ, it was only the sound of his voice, but they did not understand what he said. Saul did not know who was speaking but was in no position to doubt something had happened to him. God is in this world and I often ask Him what he needs to do to get people’s attention like he did Saul’s.
3. WE SEE a Sincere desire to know God’s will bring inner assurance of God’s salvation and a purpose for one’s life. 15 And I said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said “I am Jesus whom you persecute.” Saul did not know whether it was God, or an angel, or who it was that spoke to him; he knew not Christ by his form or voice. When he saw him standing at the right hand of God; he was lacking important information, and knew neither the person, nor voice of Christ, and yet his heart was so far softened, that he was desirous of knowing who he was. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Christ says that if Saul should go on to persecute him and his people, to oppose his Gospel, and the strong evidence of it, in doctrine and miracles, would find himself in grave trouble. If he turned to Christ he would have the power of god in his life. This is the power we need to see in our day. We are in a spiritual war and only God can make a difference in changing a person’s life.
Every Christian will experience occasional moments of doubt. Perhaps you've prayed about a problem, but the solution falls through. Maybe you've obeyed God, but your situation worsens. Or a criticism might make you question your ability to carry out His plan. However, when doubts linger, they can affect your relationship with God in a variety of ways: Doubt affects our peace with God. Believers are to live by faith, which is the only way to please God. Doubt short-circuits faith and causes insecurity. Doubt affects our prayer life with God. Our prayers become ineffective when we fail to trust God. The impossible becomes possible only for those who believe God and don't doubt. Doubt affects our programs for God. The Lord asks Christians to do God-sized tasks. But He doesn't leave us to our own devices. He promises the Holy Spirit will empower us to fulfill His plan. When we doubt, we'll fail to either answer God's call or stop halfway through. Doubt affects our provisions from God. It produces discouragement, which crowds out our confidence and hope in the Lord. James 1:6-8 says, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." Doubts come from a variety of sources. These include unconfessed sin, lingering guilt, continued disobedience, misplaced focus or ignorance of the truths of Scripture. When doubts surface follow these simple steps:
First, realize which part of your thinking is causing you not to trust God! Second, recall a time when He faithfully carried you through a trial! Third, remember God's promises or attributes that point the way back to faith!
4. we see The command what GOD’S WILL IS. “But rise and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.”
We are here given an encouragement to rise up, to take heart, and be of good cheer. Like Saul and we have acted so evil and cruel to Christ, and his people, yet God had plans of grace, and good will to us and those who will turn from sin. Why do you come to this church? If you love this church and think it is a great place to be, do you invite others to come and enjoy what you enjoy?
God’s did not appear to destroy Saul, but to bring him into the kingdom of God to become useful. God has done that for everyone that repents and receives forgiveness of their sins. This appearance of Christ was real and personal, and not unreal, or merely visionary or intellectual. It was to this sight of Christ that Paul more than once refers to, in part as proof of Christ's resurrection from the dead, and in part to demonstrate the truth he was called of God. His story is told three times in the book of Acts. God was to make him a minister and a witness, both of those things which he had seen, and of those things that He would make known to him. He was to be a follower, not of men, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ. We find in the Bible that after Paul had this encounter with Christ he was taken to a school in the desert for three years. He was a very smart and religious man but he needed to learn from Christ directly.
Those who are called to be true followers of the Gospel are made by Christ. Christ gives the gifts, and abilities to do His work. We are to testify what we have seen of Christ and what our knowledge of him is. If you have Christ in your heart do you talk a lot about Him? I had a man I work with say on Friday “I will not use swear words because Dennis is in the room.” Then he looked at me and said, “I am still a Christian.” I did not have to speak up at that time because people I work with know I am a believer. If we were to ask people you work with if you were a Christian would you be found guilty because of the way you talk, work and act?
5. We see God able to protect his people. The Lord knew, that as soon as Saul was converted and professed the name of Christ, the people of the Jews would immediately become his cruel enemies, and seek to destroy him; wherefore he promises him before hand deliverance, and security from them. God is able to keep us safe. There was a preacher up in N. D. on a reservation who had a man come to him and say there are two groups of men not far away that are going to fight each other. He asked if he had called the police. The man said he had but they were on another call and would be able to come. The man took the preacher to the scene. They saw about 30 men on each side ready to go at it. The preacher stood up on a hill and preached to all the men there. He spoke for about twenty minutes a message from God. They dispersed. The two chiefs came toward the preacher and it looked like trouble was not over. The two men said, “Who was that big man who stood behind you as you were speaking?” God had sent an angel to protect him. This also led to many coming to church and being saved. To both Jews and Gentiles; to the Jews first, and then to the Gentiles; which method the apostle observed, and which course he steered, until the Jews put away the Gospel from them; and then he turned to the Gentiles, to whom he chiefly preached, as their apostle, and was saved from many dangers among them, as is here promised.
6. The message he was to give is the same message we have today.
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
First it is a message to open their eyes. Whenever we hear the Gospel or read it opens our eyes to new truth.
The eyes of their understanding, which were shut, and darkened and to have them opened, is to have them enlightened. They would see their lost state and condition by nature,
the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
the curse of their own hearts, the impurity of nature,
the weakness of man to that, which is spiritually good,
the fault of obedience and the insufficiency of a man's righteousness to justify him before God;
and to see where salvation is in Christ as the only able, willing, complete, and suitable Savior;
to see that there is life and righteousness, peace, pardon, grace,
and glory in him; and to have an insight into the doctrines of the Gospel,
and a glimpse of the invisible things of another world. Now though this is all the work of the Spirit, by whom only the eyes of the understanding are enlightened; yet this is ascribed to the apostle, not as the efficient cause, but as the instrument and means through preaching of the Gospel, which the Spirit of God would, and did make use of.
God knows that some lessons can only be learned over time. There are some things we cannot understand. Some things must be concealed. Sometimes it is necessary that we spend time doing nothing but waiting for God to show Himself or speak to us. God knows that it is in these times, when we have the least amount of control, that we can exercise the greatest amount of faith. In these times we are left to choose between trusting God, or wallowing in despair and self-pity. We can worry or we can trust. We can keep going or we can give up. There are some things we just can't control. And in those times we learn to trust. Rocky Henriques
second is to turn them from darkness to light. By "darkness" is meant, the darkness of nature, the darkness of sin, of ignorance, and unbelief, in which all men by nature are; who are in the dark about.
To the light of perfection of our nature about sin, and the evil there is in it, and that comes by it. We also will come into the way of peace, righteousness, and salvation by Christ and the work of the spirit in regeneration and sanctification upon the heart. We will find out about the Scriptures of truth, and the doctrines of the Gospel and what will be our state in another world. They are turned to light; to God, who is light itself, and to Christ. Conversion is the start of a new life. It is a man's turning from the evil of his ways, from a cruel life to a sober way of living by the ministry of the word.
Thirdly it is a turning away from the power of Satan unto God.
The power of Satan regards not his power over the rest of the devils, whose prince and head he is; hence he is called the prince of devils and the prince of the power of the air; but his power over the world of men, and therefore is called the prince of the world. He can have power over the souls of men, in whom he rules as in his own kingdom: he is the strong man armed, and the hearts of men are his palaces, which are guarded with devils and unclean lusts; there is no concern about sin, no inquiry after salvation, no dread of the curses of the law, nor fear of hell and damnation. He not only dwells in the hearts of unregenerate persons, but he works effectually there; by stirring up their corruptions, putting ill things into their minds, and prompting them against true spiritual and powerful religion, he has power over the minds of them that believe not, to blind them, by keeping them in blindness, and increasing it; which he does by diverting their minds from hearing the Gospel; and whilst hearing it, by filling them with enmity against it. He also leads them as captives at his will; they are in his power, as the bird is in the snare of the fowler, and as a prisoner in the hands of a jailer; and are entirely at his beck and command, and do his lusts, and obey his will. Now the Gospel was sent to free us from this power and cruelty of his. Not that Satan then has any more power over us to tempt and distress us.
Fourthly, that we may receive forgiveness of sins.
As an act of God's free grace, through the blood of Christ, this was shed for it; and which free and full forgiveness of sins is in the Gospel, that whoever believes in Christ, may by faith receive it. Every soul has this need. It is not purchased with money, nor obtained by the works of men, it is the gift of God, which is received by the hand of faith into the conscience of the enlightened sinner; the consequences of which are peace, joy. Are you now experiencing peace and joy?
Fifthly we have an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith by faith that is in me.
By the "inheritance" is meant, either something enjoyed now, as God himself or the blessings of grace in him, which, besides forgiveness of sins, are peace with God, a justifying righteousness, and adopting grace. Moreover, it may be so called, in mention to inheritances among men, though it vastly exceeds all earthly ones, being incorruptible, undefiled, which faded not away, reserved in the heavens; yet it bears some likeness to them; it is what is given to the children of God by their heavenly Father, and comes to them through the death of Christ and is forever. It is neither purchased nor acquired, but is freely given; belongs only to the children of God, and is their Father's free gift unto them, and is only enjoyed by such who are "sanctified". They are sanctified by God the Father in eternal election, being separated from others, and chosen through sanctification to it. They are sanctified "in" and "by" the Lord Jesus Christ. This inheritance these sanctified ones receive by faith now, as they do the forgiveness of their sins; that is, they now receive by faith the promise of the inheritance.
4. Obedience to God’s known will brings the life of blessing.
Would you know who the greatest saint in the world is? It is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives alms, or is most eminent for temperance, chastity, or injustice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who receives everything as an instance of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for it. William Law
