Sermon Series: Encountering Jesus
We are going to start a new sermon series today called “ENCOUNTERING JESUS.”
Because what you and I need more than anything else in the world is…An encounter with Jesus!
In this series we going to look in the Bible at different people’s encounters with Jesus
•To see what lessons can we learn to help us have our own encounter with Jesus
To start the series off I want us to look in the Bible at Acts chapter 9
•It’s here that we have the account of the Apostle Paul and his very first encounter with Jesus.
•And it’s here we get to learn some important lessons on what it means to encounter Jesus
Reading Acts 9:1-6
“Meanwhile, Saul (who later became the Apostle Paul) was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 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.
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Who are you, Lord? Saul asked. I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” (V1-6)
Lesson #1 about encountering Jesus
1. Encountering Jesus is very dangerous business!
Now I’m not trying to discourage any of us here from encountering Jesus…
I just don’t want someone to say later that “no one told me there were dangers involved in encountering Jesus." Because there are dangers involved in encountering Jesus. There always was and there always will be.
Look again at verses 1-2 and you will see that anyone who had encountered Jesus were targeted for violent persecution.
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 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.
In fact later on; after Saul had his very own encounter with Jesus we are told that
“After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him…Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.” (Acts 9:23-24)
Then after barely escaping this first attempt on his life he arrives in Jerusalem and we read…
“He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. ” (Acts 9:29-30)
Here we see that in the case of Saul of Tarsus; To encounter Jesus and be caught for it amounted to a death sentence!
We might be tempted to think “well that was then…”
They don’t kill people for encountering Jesus anymore
In some parts of the world today if you encounter Jesus and it’s found out; you are violently persecuted and maybe even killed. Fact: It is estimated that over 160,000 people are killed each year for their faith in Christ!
I’m not suggesting we might get killed for encountering Jesus -but I am saying that there is always a danger to encountering Jesus and then telling others about it.
“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
2 Timothy 3:12
1.Because you have encountering Jesus you will be rejected by someone for it
2.Because you have encountered Jesus you will face resistance from someone for it
You could lose your job because you encountering Jesus
You could lose your friends because you encountered Jesus
Now there is one more piece of bad news I need to share about encountering Jesus
Again I just want to preclude someone saying nobody told me any of this
Lesson #2
2. When you encounter Jesus He will tell you to do things you might be afraid to do
We see this clearly in Acts 9:10-17
“In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered. “The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
“Lord, Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it”
At first Ananias didn’t want to do what the Lord was telling him to do.
He was not keen on the idea of meeting Saul of Tarsus face to face
Why not? It was because of Fear!
He was afraid of Saul. He was afraid that Saul might arrest him, and have him killed.
When you encounter Jesus He will tell you to do things that at first you won’t want to do.
For example
He will tell you to forgive people you don’t want to forgive
He will tell you to change things you don’t want to change
He will tell you to say things you don’t want to say
He will tell you to go places you don’t want to go
He will tell you to give up things you don’t want to give up
There are certain things in life that you and I are fearful of doing
And Jesus may just tell us to do some of them
And Fear is going to try and make us not do what Jesus wants us to do!
I say all this because
If you want a stress free life…
If you want to just go with the flow…
If you want to just do your own thing
If you want to be liked by everyone…
Then you might not want to encounter Jesus
So why then would anyone in their right mind want to ever encounter Jesus?
After all if we’re saying that encountering Jesus is dangerous business
If it means I’m going to be rejected, resisted…persecuted.
And if we’re saying that encountering Jesus means I’m going to be told by Jesus to do things I’m afraid to do. Why would I ever want to encounter Jesus?
Lesson #3: Because encountering Jesus is the best thing that could ever happen to us!
But what about all the dangers I’m going to have to face just because I’ve encountered Jesus?
I don’t want to be rejected. I don’t want to be persecuted…and nobody wants to put their lives in danger
Am I not better off if I don’t have an encounter with Jesus?
Here are 3 Answers from Acts 9
1. If you never encounter Jesus in your life then you are already been rejected, by God Himself
One day he is going to say to all those who have never had an encounter with Jesus
DEPART FROM ME I NEVER KNEW YOU
We are all going to be rejected by somebody. Would you rather be rejected by man or would you rather be rejected by God?
“Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” Psalm 27:10
2. If you are persecuted by others because of your encounter with Jesus then realize that Jesus shares in it with you.
“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me. (v4)
He didn’t say” Saul, Saul, why do you persecute my church.
“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me. (v4)
Jesus shares in our suffering. When we suffer Jesus suffers with us.
When we are ridiculed he is ridiculed. When we are rejected he is rejected.
Everything we go through in life Jesus goes through with us!
I will never leave you or forsake you
3. No one can hurt us unless God allows it
How many people died in Acts 9 from having an encounter with Jesus?
None that we know of!
There were plenty of near misses!
But nobody can touch you unless God allows it
You are far safer with God than you ever are without him
But what about the fear of encountering Jesus and being asked to do something I’m afraid to do?
1. God will only ask us to do something that is best for us and best for others
It may be a hard thing but it is never a bad thing!
Was it hard at first for Ananias to be told to go see Saul? Yes!
Was he glad he obeyed Jesus and went? Yes!
Does God ask us to do hard things? Yes
They are hard for us but they are not hard for God. God will help us!
“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
2. What we gain from our encounter with Jesus is of far greater value than anything we might be asked to do or to give up
What did Saul of Tarsus gain from his encounter with Jesus?
He tells us In 1 Timothy 1:12-17
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners- of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
How do I know if I need an encounter with Jesus?
If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and savior you definitely need an encounter with Jesus
If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior but you are just going through the motions you need a new encounter with Jesus?
Jesus wants us on fire! Radical! Full of the Holy Spirit…
How do I receive an encounter with Jesus?
1.There needs to be Conviction
I need to be convicted of my need for an encounter with Jesus
Much of Saul’s persecution of the Christians was because he knew he had no answer for their arguments. He saw how Stephen testified about Jesus.He saw the gospel spreading
He heard about the miracles. What he did was a reaction by which he was trying to resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
We are not running around breathing out murderous threats like Saul was but we still could be doing wrong things to try and fill that emptiness in our lives.
You don’t need to be doing what ever it is you are doing. The only thing you really need is an encounter with Jesus!
What happens to someone who has a genuine encounter with Jesus?
1.There will be a conversion
You are going to experience the light of Jesus in you
2.There will be a consecration
You are going to experience the life of Jesus in you
3.There will be a communion
You are going to experience the love of Jesus in you
Question?
Do you need a fresh encounter with Jesus today?
