Life Truths from the Chief of Sinners
DISCERN TRUE HOPE Acts 7:54-8:3
Introduction
First message in a series: Life Truths From the Chief of Sinners.
1 Timothy 1:15 NKJV This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
You might wonder why we would want to listen to a sinner who says “I am the worst.” (NIV)
We know much about the life of the man from Tarsus who went on to write more than half of our New Testament.
As we look into Paul’s life, we will be looking for life truths - lessons that will help us to walk closely to Christ.
I don’t know if you would think of yourself as one of the worst sinners, but we do all deal with sin. If we learn anything from any human, we are learning from a sinner.
We first meet the Chief of Sinners in a brutal and deadly scene. Stephen is full of faith, the Holy Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3, 5). Acts 6:7 NRSV "The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith." In this dynamic atmosphere, enemies of Jesus falsely accused Stephen and he is arrested and brought before the council. Acts 6:15 “And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” Stephen began to testify to them about the history of Israel, the stories of Abraham, Moses, Joshua - reminding them that the message was of a coming Messiah - but Israel did not believe. “They killed those who foretold the coming of the
Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers.” (Acts 6:52)
Acts 7:54-8:1
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[a] at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
In this grim scene we read that those who threw stones laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul … and Luke tells us in 8:1 that “Saul approved of his execution…".
Acts 8:3 "Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison."
This does sound like the chief of sinners, doesn’t it? How did God plan to use such a violent person?
1. Qualities of the Man From Tarsus
He was from a multicultural city. He was a Roman citizen from Tarsus (Turkey). Tarsus could trace its history back two thousand years. World-class generals like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar had recognized its strategic importance. It was a city of culture, politics, philosophy, industry. Among those industries was a thriving textile business, producing material made from goats’ hair, used often to make shelters.
He learned a living trade from his father. We know from other Scriptures that Saul is the son of a Pharisee, a people deeply devoted to the God of Israel. The family business was tentmaking, in which Saul had been apprenticed and which he continued to practice.
He was likely an unusually gifted child. He read biblical Hebrew fluently. He spoke the Aramaic of the Middle East in addition to the Greek, which he spoke and wrote. He probably had at least some Latin.
He was zealous in his devotion to the God of Israel. Most likely in his teens he made his way to Jerusalem. He was trained at the feet of Gamaliel- one of the greatest rabbis of the period. Galatians 1:14 "I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers."
He was familiar with Jesus. “The best guess has him a little younger than Jesus…” (Wright) He was hearing of a Galilean self-styled prophet who was causing a stir. He heard that the prophet was arrested and handed over to the Roman authorities to be killed. But now his followers were claiming that he had been raised from the dead! One of them even claimed to see Jesus standing at God’s right hand! So they crushed him with rocks…and Saul approved. His other followers were scattered out, establishing groups and Saul, in his zeal, knowledge, youth, and strength, set out to try to get rid of them. (Acts 8:3 “But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.”) William Neal says Saul was convinced “that the survival of Judaism depended on the extermination of these new radicals among the Nazarenes.” (South)
Saul, surrounded by a multitude of philosophies, trained in the Hebrew Scriptures, Zealous for the God of Israel, Cheering at the deaths of Jesus and Stephen, now hunting down followers of The Way. What possible Life Truths can we gain from Saul of Tarsus? He failed to discern the true hope found in Christ, to whom his his Hebrew Scriptures pointed. The prophecies of the Messiah were vivid, and He would have known them all. Yet, he did not perceive the nearness of the Messiah.
2. How can I discern the true hope found in Christ?
I need to know that I am a sinner who needs saving
Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
I need to receive the new life that Christ offers.
Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism
into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the
dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
I need to be devoted enough to God to obey Him
Romans 6:13b present yourselves to God as those who have
been brought from death to life, and your members to God as
instruments for righteousness.
I need to be open to the teaching of Jesus
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing
through the word of Christ.
I need to help other people experience hope
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and
peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you
may abound in hope.
-Never think that anyone is too far gone, too unreachable!
- Saul’s story reminds us of the power of the Gospel!
Conclusion
Near the end of his life, the Chief of Sinners wrote:
"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”
1 Timothy 1:15-16
If Jesus could save the Chief of Sinners, he can save you. His past did not prevent him from being forgiven and saved.
Discern the True Source of Hope in your life - his name is Jesus.
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Video of this message will be available on our YouTube Channel :
https://www.youtube.com/c/ForsytheChurchofChrist
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Questions for Discussion Acts 7:54-8:3
1. The text where we first read about Saul of Tarsus is the
account of the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
What do you make of Stephen’s vision of Jesus standing at
the right hand of the Father? In what way can that be an
encouragement?
2. Stephen’s last prayer was that those who were stoning him
be forgiven. What does this reveal about Stephen’s
character? Reflect on the impact this may have had on Saul.
In addition, how does it instruct us today?
3. In his later writings, Saul/Paul was very open about the past
life he lived and the pain it caused. Read Acts 26:9-11. What
are some reasons why Saul of Tarsus hated followers of
Jesus so much?
4. In what ways was God’s mission advanced or hindered by
persecution in the first century?
5. Paul would later reference himself as the ‘Chief of Sinners’ …
“I am the worst.” (NIV). What does this tell us about the life-
change power of the Gospel? How would you describe the
new life promised in Romans 6:4? Anyone willing to share
how this promise made your life new?
6. Brainstorm some of the ways that Jesus is the only true
source of hope in our lives.
7. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about today?
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Resources
South, Tommy. “Paul:From Persecutor to Preacher” in Acts: The
Spreading Flame, Harding University’s 1989 Lectures.
Willems, Kurt. Brief Biography of the Apostle Paul
https://theologycurator.com/apostle-paul-brief-biography/
Wright, N. T. Paul: A Biography. HarperOne, 2018.
