SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). The Christian's development: Paul (vs 23-31).
(2). The man at Lydda: Aeneas (vs 32-35)
(3). The woman at Joppa: Tabitha (vs 36-43)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• A few years ago, someone came up with a list of Lightbulb Jokes.
• And they soon got adapted to Christian Lightbulb Jokes.
• Here are a few of them.
• Q: How many Anglicans does it take to change a lightbulb?
• A: 10. One to actually change the bulb and 9 to say how much they like the old one.
• Q: How many charismatics does it take to change a lightbulb?
• A: Three, one to change the bulb and two to cast out the spirit of darkness!
• Q: How many Calvinists does it take to change a lightbulb?
• A: None. God has predestined when the lights will be on.
• Q: How many Anglo-Catholics does it take to change a lightbulb?
• A: None. They always use candles instead.
• Q: How many evangelicals does it take to change a lightbulb?
• A: Evangelicals do not change lightbulbs. They simply read out the instructions and hope the lightbulb will decide to change itself.
• Q: How many Atheists does it take to change a lightbulb?
• A: One. But they are still in darkness.
• Q: How many Open- Brethren does it take to change a lightbulb?
• A: What do you mean change?????
• TRANSITION: Change, conversion, new life, transformation,
• Are all words used to describe the believes new life in Christ.
• The Bible itself uses the term, ‘metamorphosis’ - a complete change,
• (2 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 14-17)
• It is used to describe process by which some creatures undergo a physical change,
• e.g. tadpole to frog, caterpillar to butterfly - 17 Animals go through metamorphosis.
Ill:
• If you were here last week or you know the first part of Acts chapter 9.
• Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of Christians,
• A name that sent shivers down the spines of Christians.
• A man determined to eradicate Christianity by means of prison or murder.
• Had an encounter with the risen glorified Jesus Christ,
• Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus.
• And the persecutor become a preacher.
• The opposer of Christianity will become its greatest promoter.
• This is one of the greatest U turns in history,
• And only the power of God could have done this.
• So dramatic and mind-blowing is this conversion,
• That both the Jews and the Christians have trouble believing it!
• And as we shall see in these verses today, nobody really trusts him!
Note:
• In case I confuse you by calling Saul – Paul and vice-versa in this sermon.
• Saul’s name was changed to Paul but not here in Acts chapter 9.
• At the time of Saul’s conversion, Jesus still addressed him as “Saul.”
• And later, Jesus told Ananias to find “Saul” in Damascus and restore his sight.
• You will have to wait until Acts chapter 13 verse 9,
• Which describes the apostle as “Saul, who was also called Paul.”
• And from that verse on in the New testament, Saul is always referred to as Paul.
(1). The Christian's development: Paul (vs 23-31).
Quote:
• Alan Redpath who was a well-known British evangelist, pastor and author.
• I once heard him say these words,
“The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment,
but the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime.”
• In the first part of the chapter, Saul of Tarsus now Paul the apostle has experienced,
• “…the miracle of a moment,” his conversion.
• In these verses he starts the second part of that statement,
• “Manufacture of a saint” – these are his first steps in growing as a Christian.
Note:
• In verses 23 to 31,
• Three things happen.
• FIRST: He witnessed.
• Saul preached the gospel in the synagogues (vs 20-23).
20“At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.”
• Saul was willing to share this newly discovered message,
• With those he met.
• First in the synagogue but also in the city itself.
Ill:
• Bruno was a mining engineer for most of his life.
• In his free time–and later during retirement,
• He spent his days browsing the shelves of a local bookshop.
• Every single square foot of his house was covered in books.
• Bruno’s library contained over 70,000 books,
• He also built the furniture cases for all the books himself.
• The sad part of the story is until Bruno Schröder passed in early June of 2022.
• No-one knew about.
• It only came to light when the 88-year-old German man died.
• TRANSITION: The private library might have blessed him,
• But by storing all those books away he robbed the world of them.
• Just think how valuable, helpful and needed libraries are!
• But sadly, how easy it is for us as believers to the same with the gospel.
• When shall we all learn that the Good News needs not just to be cherished,
• But needs to be shared! All people need to hear it.
• SECOND: God prepared him. "Many days" (vs 23).
• Note: in this section on Paul all we have are the highlights,
• Dr Luke only gives us a summary of Saul/Paul’s life.
• e.g. Dr Luke says, (vs 23), “After many days had gone by,”
• But this is one of the great understatements of Dr Luke,
• The author of the book of Acts.
• Those, “many days, “were actually a time period of three years,
• Question: How do we know that?
• Answer: because Paul himself tells us in Galatians chapter 1 verses 18.
• Saul went away to Nabatean Arabia (Galatians chapter 1 verses 11-18.)
• That's not Arabia like you know Saudi Arabia,
• But Nabataean, Arabia,
• Which is east of Damascus in that upper plateau of Jordan,
• All the way down to the Sinai desert. That's Nabataean, Arabia.
There are no short cuts to spiritual growth.
• e.g. It takes years for us to grow physically from children into adults,
• e.g. And it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen.
• The same is true for the fruit of the Spirit.
• The development of Christ-like character cannot be rushed.
• Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time, focus, and discipline.
• Growing old in the Christian life is easy, don’t be a grey headed baby!
• But growing u, maturing as a Christian is much harder.
Ill:
• Next time you visit the New Forest,
• Take time out to view the huge Knightwood Oak, the New Forest’s most famous tree.
• It is the oldest tree in the forest, age estimates ranging from 450 to 600 years old.
• Trees are an important part of our natural world & help purify the air, water, and soil.
• TRANSITION: Trees need time to grow and mature,
• The Knightwood Oak did not happen overnight but after 450 to 600 years.
• Remember that the other apostles, Peter, James John etc,
• Had been with Jesus for three years prior to the cross
• Acts chapter 1 verse 2 “Further instructions until the day he was taken up.”.
• They are where they were getting their education,
• Watching, listening and learning from Jesus.
• Each day he was shaping their lives bringing them to maturity!
• Ready to send them out to impact and change the world.
• Saul/Paul would also need time alone with God,
• He had the formal rabbinic training under Gamaliel (Acts chapter 22 verse 3),
• But now he needed another type of education.
Ill:
• Reminds me of Moses,
• Who was educated in all the wisdom & knowledge of the Egyptians.
• (Acts chapter 7 verse 22).
• But God took him and put him in the desert for another education,
• This two would take forty years before he was ready to lead his people.
• TRANSITION: Spiritual growth is an ongoing process,
• Spiritual growth takes effort,
• Spiritual growth has nothing to do with how long you’ve been a Christian.
Let me suggest 4 keys to spiritual growth.
• #1: Study the Word of God.
• (1 Peter chapter 2 verse 2).
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up.
in your salvation.”
• #2: Apply the Word of God.
• (James chapter 1 verse 22).
• “Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says.”
• It is the application of truth that makes the difference & not just the acquisition of truth.
• #3 Faith and Endurance.
• (James chapter 1 verses 2-16).
• James tells us that we grow through trials and difficulties,
• They help shape us and bring us to maturity.
• #4 Remain/Abide in Christ.
• (John chapter 15 verses 5-7).
• We only bear much fruit as we abide in Christ.
• The original Greek word used, was ‘meno ‘and can be translated in many ways,
• ‘To rest, tarry, not to depart, to continue to be present, to be held, kept, continually.’
• THIRD: He experienced persecution.
• (Verses 23-25).
“After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.”
Persecution should never have been a surprise to Saul/Paul.
• God told Ananias who he sent to help Saul/Paul (vs 16-17).
• After his conversation that suffering & discrimination was what was going to happen.
• Verse 16: "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name".
• Verse 23:"After many days had gone by the Jews conspired to kill him".
• After his conversion, Saul/Paul the hunter became Saul/Paul the hunted!
• This might be his first taste of persecution,
• But it would not be his last.
Ill:
• Persecution for many Christians is normal, expected and frequent.
• Open Doors the Christian organisation report that,
• Over 365 million Christians face persecution and discrimination,
• That's one in seven believers worldwide.
• They have just released their latest World Watch List 2024 information.
• Vimeo Video: https://vimeo.com/903290379
SUMMARY OF SECTION #1: PAUL AND PROGRESSION.
• FIRST: Paul witnessed.
• SECOND: God was preparing Paul
• THIRD: Paul experienced persecution.
• Now with Paul escaping the city by being lowered in a basket over wall,
• We are told (vs 30), “The believers …sent him off to Tarsus.”
• Paul will not again take canter stage in Luke’s account until chapter 13.
• This was a wise move that calmed everything down for a while.
• And as a result of that action,
• We read (vs 31) the Church enjoyed a time of peace and increase in numbers.
Note:
This verse chapter 9 verse 31 really ended the second section of the book of Acts.
• And with verse 32 we begin the third of the six sections that make up the book.
• This may partly explain why Luke begins with the account of two miracles.
• He is in this way indicating that in this next period of how the gospel advances,
• Is similar to the previous sections,
• Where we see the apostles performing miracles to help authenticate the gospel.
• In this new section, Dr Luke now switches his attention back to the apostle Peter,
• Last mentioned in chapter 8 verse 25.
(2). The man at Lydda: Aeneas (vs 32-35)
“As Peter travelled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda.”
• The apostle Peter is an itinerant preacher, travelling from place to place.
• And about 25 miles west of Jerusalem was the town of Lydda.
• The Christians who lived there,
• May have been Christians who fled the persecution in Jerusalem,
• Or even converts from the preaching of Philip mentioned in chapter 8 verse 40.
Note:
• Often the healing miracles reported in the Gospels and in Acts,
• Often highlight by the details of the person’s condition.
• As in this case, the man had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years (vs 33).
• This was not some temporary condition, not something psychosomatic,
• Nor was his condition merely an inconvenience to him.
• This situation had ruined his life!
Ill:
• In October when Mark & myself were on mission in Moldova,
• We both were taken by Pastors,
• To visit paralyzed and those confined to bed in their homes.
• We shred the gospel with them, we prayed with them,
• But when we left them, they were still paralyzed and still confined to bed.
• We gave hope to their souls, but we were unable to heal their bodies.
• By contrast when the apostle Peter met this man Aeneas,
• He has apostolic authority and power to heal him.
• He had apostolic authority and power to change his life forever.
Note: the words of Peter (vs 34):
““Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.””
• The healing is simplistic in its details,
• One command by the apostle Peter,
• And the man is instantly healed!
• He was able to get up. He was no longer paralyzed.
• He was able to roll up his mat and put it away,
• Or maybe he took that mat with him, everywhere he went,
• As a reminder that he no longer a prisoner to it.
• Maybe his mat became his visual aid, his gospel tract of what Jesus had done for him.
• Many who saw or heard about the healing and met the man,
• Believed in the message Peter and the man proclaimed.
(3). The woman at Joppa: Tabitha (vs 36-43)
Ill:
• Like many in New Testament days in this part of the world,
• People had two names, an Aramaic name and also a Greek name.
• Tabitha is an Aramaic name that means “deer” or “gazelle.”
• And her Greek name, Dorcas, similarly means “Gazelle.”
We are told (vs 36) that Dorcas/Tabitha lived in the port of Joppa (35 miles away),
• Was known for her, “good works and helping the poor.”
• A characteristic all of us should be known for!
• But Dorcas/Tabitha fell ill and died,
• This lady of good works would be badly missed,
• And the believers in Joppa send out an SOS to Peter for help.
• But by the time Peter arrives on the scene.
• The woman has already prepared her body for burial (vs 37).
• “her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.”
Note: the simple details of this supernatural event.
• Peter arrives at the home (vs 39).
• He sends out of the room the wailing mourners (vs 40.
• He prays (vs 41a)
• He gives a command “Tabitha, get up.” (vs 41b).
• She responds by opening, “her eyes, and…she sat up.” (vs 41c)
• There is no fuss, it is quick, simple and very, very effective.
• And again, as a result of the miracle people come to faith (vs 42).
Question:
• Why did Luke include these two miracle stories?
• He has already made it clear that in the early chapters of this book (Acts),
• God qualified the apostle’s authority by working miracles through them.
• So, why did Dr Luke sandwich these two brief narratives,
• Between two much bigger stories, two big accounts of important conversions.
• The change of Saul/Paul (chapter 10) and that of Cornelius (chapter 10)?
Answer:
• I wish I knew – LOL
• As I have studied the passage one observation and suggestion is this.
• Miracles are supernatural events, unexplainable happenings.
• If you were able to grade them, as a great miracle and a smaller miracle.
• I would suggest that healing a person is a smaller miracle,
• And that raising the dead is a greater miracle,
• Because death is our greatest enemy,
• A person can adapt and cope with being paralysed and confined to bed,
• But death of course destroys everything!
• There is no adapting to it, it is final and devastating!
But remember that contained in the chapter is also the conversation od Saul/Paul.
• And I would suggest the conversion of a soul,
• Is the greatest miracle of all!
• Because this affects not just this life but the whole of eternity!
Ill:
• In Luke chapter 10 Jesus sent out 72 of his followers on a mission.
• And when they return, they are full of excitement.
• When the seventy-two returned they are full, of excitement and joy,
• They have seen miraculous provision and God working in them supernaturally.
• They say, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
• Jesus calmly responds and then grounds them with these words,
• Verse 20
“…do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
• The greatest miracle is the saving of a soul!
• Quote: Warren Wiersbe (Bible teacher, radio broadcaster & author):
“The miracle of salvation has to be the greatest miracle of all,
for it meets the greatest need, brings the greatest results (and they last forever),
and cost the greatest price.”
Think about it:
• “Meets the greatest need.”
• You sin has and can be dealt with!
• Forgiveness and change of lifestyle are possible.
• “Brings the greatest results.”
• We can be reconciled to God,
• What people have tried through religion, good works and other ways.
• Can be ours through Jesus Christ!
• “Cost the greatest price.”
• “We are saved not by silver & gold… but with the precious blood of Christ.”
• (1 Peter chapter 1 verse 18)
• For me that insight jumps out at me from the passage.
• Salvation is always the greatest need of man and therefore the greatest miracle!
Quote:
“If education were man’s greatest need, Jesus would have come to Earth as an educator.
If it were money, He would have come as an economist or banker.
If it were entertainment, He would have come as an entertainer.
If it were peace, He would have come as a diplomat.
But because man’s greatest need is for salvation, Jesus came as a saviour!”
• Then what is humanity’s greatest need?
• We don’t have to guess because Jesus clearly said,
• “I have come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke chapter 19 verse 10).
• Salvation is mankind’s greatest need.
According to the Bible, there are only two categories of people on earth:
• Saved or lost.
• Dead or alive (spiritually speaking)
• Lost or found.
• In light or in darkness.
Note:
• If you have yet to receive Jesus Christ as your saviour, then do so now.
• I often say it’s as easy as A.B.C.
• A = Admit – Like Adam I am a sinner by nature and by practice.
• And I know my sin is an offence to a holy God.
• B = Believe – that the last Adam Jesus bore your sins when he died on the cross.
• Put your faith and trust in him and his finished work and not your good works.
• C = Consider – am I willing to make Jesus Christ Lord of my life,
• Am I will repent, turn from living for self and start to live for him?
• D = Do – will you do that now as I lead you in a short prayer of commitment to Christ.
• Let’s pray.
