Life Lessons From the Chief of Sinners
Accept the Truth
Acts 9:1-19
Introduction
Last week we talked about the brutal and vicious persecution of the man from Tarsus. His hatred for followers of Jesus was frightening to the believers of that day. In spite of his great familiarity with the Hebrew Scriptures, he failed to see Jesus as the Messiah.
Acts 9:1-2 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Paul was convinced that destroying the followers of Jesus was the only way to serve the God of Israel. He thought they were a threat to everything that he held close.
3. Acts 9:3-9
3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
Saul’s encounter with Jesus is an iconic turning point for him.
Saul, who thought his eyes were wide open to the threat of the Jesus people, is now blinded and led into Damascus.
We can only imagine what was going through his mind as he spent three days unable to see, neither eating nor drinking.
4. God called a disciple of Jesus named Ananias and told him where to find Saul.
Verse 11 “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
Imagine God sending you to a terrorist! Ananias registered his concern, but God told him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.”
Acts 9:17-19
17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.Saul stayed with the believers[d] in Damascus for a few days.
5. Saul would recount this story many times, the turning point when he met Jesus and his entire life was changed. What we learn from the chief of sinners is to accept the truth about Jesus.
1. Jesus And Truth (John’s Gospel)
The message of truth is the rescue mission of Jesus. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The source of truth is Jesus. John 1:17 … Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The result of truth is freedom from shackles of sin and shame. John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The power of truth is to bring us peace and assurance. John 14:1, 6 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.… “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
What the man from Tarsus embraced in Jesus Christ changed his life in every way - and Jesus is still changing lives today to everyone who embraces the truth!
How do we accept the truth of Jesus in our life today? Let’s listen to the story of the chief of sinners!
2. Admit: Jesus Is Lord (Acts 9:4-5 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”)
This was a huge step for Saul: a persecutor.
Three days of blindness – what went through his mind? The people he persecuted / families he divided? Stephen being stoned in front of him? Cost of following Christ – leaving prominence / fame
“Saul must have been thoroughly disoriented by this encounter. It’s one thing to discover you’ve been wrong all along about something but it’s quite another matter to discover that the person you thought was a sham and a hoax actually exists, knows your name, has been watching the violence you’ve been perpetrating, and is putting a personal stop to it right then and right there.” (Hoezee)
What happens when we admit that Jesus is Lord?
-We recognize that under our own power we cannot be the people we want to be - that God wants us to be.
-We confess the sin that mislead us and misdirected us.
-We count the cost as we consider what changes we are willing to make.
-We ask God to help us make the right next steps.
Admitting Jesus is Lord is not just saying the words, but it is enacting the pathway of obedience and discipleship.
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
2. Submit: in Baptism (17-19 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.)
The scales fell away and Saul was baptized. (17-19)
What did Saul see when the scales fell away? He was face to face with one of those Jewish Christians he used to hate! He could see that he had been wrong and needed the One he used to persecute! He could see the simple command of Christ and yielded.
Acts 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.
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.
3. Commit: to the Jesus Life (15-16 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”)
God had big plans for Saul.He planned for Saul to go to Gentiles, Kings and Israel (15) God knew that Saul would suffer for Christ’s name (16). It didn’t take long before Saul found himself on the receiving end of religious hostility. It was a true test of his commitment to Jesus.
God had big plans for Ananias! He had to commit to the Lord in spite of his fears (10-14). He had legitimate objections! Saul had done harm to Christians in Jerusalem. Saul could not be trusted, but Jesus could. Ananias shared the gospel with Saul.
God has big plans for every disciple, but commitment to live the Jesus life is the key.
David Platt “The good news that the just and gracious Creator of the universe has looked upon hopelessly sinful men and women and has sent his Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear his wrath against sin on the cross and to show his power over sin in the resurrection, so that everyone who turns from their sin and themselves and trusts in Jesus as Savior and Lord will be reconciled to God forever.” — David Platt
Conclusion
For persecutor Saul to experience new life he had to accept the truth about Jesus: Admit Jesus is Lord; Submit in faith and baptism; Commit to the Jesus Life
Is it worth all this effort? Let’s ask the Chief of Sinners.
Philippians 3: 8,9, 14 “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. ... 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
Would you accept, submit, and commit to Jesus Christ today?
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Video of this message is available on our YouTube Channel for Forsythe Church of Christ: https://www.youtube.com/c/ForsytheChurchofChrist
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Discussion Questions for Acts 9:1-19
1. What does it mean to you when we recognize Jesus as Lord? How
has the Lordship of Jesus made a difference in your life? Why
would there be some resistance to making Jesus Lord?
2. Acts 9:2 has a name for the Jesus people, ‘The Way’. He would
use this descriptive term even later, when recounting his days of
persecution. What do you think that title means? What would you
think about describing ourselves that way today?
3. Saul had been persecuting Christian believers. How do you explain
Jesus saying twice, “persecuting me” (vs 4-5)?
4. What might God be trying to communicate to Saul (and us)
through his temporary blindness?
5. Ananias is given a daunting task, to go to someone who has
authority to arrest him for his faith, and talk to him about the Lord.
What kinds of things do you think went through his mind? What
kinds of things seem daunting to you when you think about what
God has asked you to do?
6. When Saul is baptized, what does Acts 22:16 say happened?
Given the specifics of the sins of persecutor Saul, how does this
make you feel about having your own sins washed away in
baptism? What does it mean to call on the name of the Lord?
7. What factors made Saul a powerful force for the gospel message?
While most conversions are not as dramatic as Paul’s, how was
yours similar? How did Jesus show himself to you? Was there an
“Ananias” in your life?
8. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about today?
Resource:
Hoezee, Scott. Acts 9:1-6 (7-20) Commentary
https://cepreaching.org/commentary/2022-04-25/acts-91-6-7-20-2/
