PAUL: A CHOSEN VESSEL BY THE GOSPEL
Text: Acts 9:1-18
Scripture Reading: Romans 1:16
INTRODUCTION
1. All things gain power from a higher power
a. Police from the local government
b. Local governments from the state
c. State from federal
d. Federal from the people
2. The Gospel has power in it
a. It derives its power from the highest source
b. It's power is directly from God
3. The greatest power it has is that of conversion
a. Conversion is a change of life
b. And salvation of lost sinners
4. Paul is an example of conversion that intrigues many
a. He advances in the Gospel
b. He adheres to the Gospel
c. He has adversity because of the Gospel
5. Paul shows us how to convert to Christ through the Gospel
TRANSITION: First notice His:
I. Advancement
A. Paul advances in faith through the Gospel
1. He already had faith in God the Father through Judaism
2. He lacked faith in Jesus Christ as His Son
3. The Gospel adds what is missing
B. Follow his advancement
1. Acts 9:5, "And he said, "Who are You, Lord?"
a. "Lord" is a term of respect not directly divine
b. The Greek term "Kurios" often meant "sir"
c. 1 Peter 3:6 says that Sarah called Abraham Kurios, not lord but sir
d. He understood the voice was authority, he did not recognize it as God yet
2. Acts 9:20, "Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God"
a. He proclaims Jesus is the Son of God
b. His understanding has grown, he is advancing in knowledge
c. It's not fully developed, but he sees the divinity of Jesus now
3. Acts 9:22, "But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ
a. Now to fuller knowledge, he increased all the more in strength
b. Now he calls Jesus the Christ
c. "Christ" is the Greek word for the Hebrew "Messiah"
d. Now he fully understands who Jesus is
e. He knows Jesus is the answer to the plea of the Old Testament
C. From V. 5 to V. 22 Paul experiences course correction
1. Before he denied Jesus as anything but an imposter
2. He learns more about Jesus through Ananias
3. The teaching of the Gospel converted him
a. From tormentor of Christ to teacher of His truth
b. From lost in sin to saved by the blood of Christ which he persecuted
D. Paul advanced in the Gospel
TRANSITION: Notice too His:
II. Adherence
A. Some claim it is just sincerity that matters
1. If I am sincere in what I believe then I am OK
a. Many a false doctrine has been accepted with good intentions
b. Many a sincere person has gone headlong into destruction
c. Is sincerity all that God desires from us?
2. Paul's life contradicts that notion that a sincere effort is all that matters
B. Paul was sincere, he was a devout Pharisee
1. 1 Timothy 1:3, "I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience"
a. When persecuting the church Paul's conscience was clear
b. He believed sincerely that he was right to do what he was doing
c. It was right in his eyes to persecute those of "The Way"
d. He was zealous in his wrong beliefs
2. Paul was devoted
a. Even in Damascus he fasted
b. Fasting was to allow time to pray
c. When you fasted you were to pray at times in which you would normally participate in what you had given up
d. He gave up food so that he had more time to pray to God
C. Was his praying enough?
1. Cornelius was a praying man
a. Acts 10:2 says he prayed continually
b. He gave many alms to the Jews
c. He feared God with all his household
d. But he was not saved
e. But needed Peter to tell him what to do
2. Paul was a prayer
a. He prayed through meals for 3 days
b. But needed Ananias to tell him what he must do
3. Both instances ended with the same result
a. Acts 10:48, Cornelius and his household were baptized
b. Acts 9:18-19, Paul was baptized before he ate food
4. Their conversions were not complete until they obeyed the Gospel
D. The Gospel calls for obedience
1. Failure to obey leaves you outside of Christ
2. Outside of Christ there is no salvation
TRANSITION: Finally he dealt with:
III. Adversity
A. Paul faced challenges
1. He began immediately teaching about Jesus
a. Many were scared of him because of his reputation
b. Apostles were leery of him for a while
c. Barnabas helped him overcome their fears
2. His "rose-colored glasses" cleared up quick
B. This points to his motives
1. It does matter, why we do what we do
2. Some do the right things for the wrong motives
a. Ananias and Sapphira from Acts 5
b. They did a good thing and died because of their motives
3. Some do wrong things for right motives
a. Saul in Acts 8-9, stoning of Stephen and breathing threats and murder
b. God redirected him through the Gospel
4. Some do right things because of right reasons
a. Jesus' life and sacrifice
b. He did what was right in order to save the world
5. Motives matter as much as actions
C. You may be challenged because of Christianity
1. If not you may work on your Christianity
2. Those challenges test your motives like Job's
a. Satan's accusation was that Job served because of God's blessings alone
b. Job was tested to see if that was so
c. And he remained true to God and trusted Him
d. And in the end both he and God were vindicated
3. Stay true to the Gospel, honor God, obey the Gospel, it will see you through
CONCLUSION
1. All that the Gospel did for Paul it will do for you
2. The Gospel has the power to advance you
a. It takes you from ignorant to knowledgeable
b. It takes you from lost to saved
3. The Gospel demands adherence
a. It is something that must be obeyed
b. Its power is promised only to those who follow its precepts in love
4. And it will bring about some adversity
a. The world will hate it and will hate you
b. But your motivation must not be man pleaser but God pleaser and your dedication and devotion must be to His word first and foremost
5. The Gospel has the power of God behind it and will accomplish its goal
6. If you will abide by and honor it with all the life you have left
