To the Ends of the Earth, Part 34
Paul’s Testimony in Jerusalem
Acts 22:1-23
Introduction
- Welcome to Seasons Church & 2024 sermon series, “To the Ends of the Earth”
-- Last week: Customs & rituals must never replace Christ in the church
-- FACT: There will always be those who want you to follow their preferences
-- Paul is “guilty” of only one thing: Being faithful to Jesus and not backing down
-- Our mission must be salvation & devotion to Jesus; so others may know Him
- Today, let’s explore the opportunity that Paul is given to share his testimony
-- It is actually very unique retelling because we learn some new information!
-- RE: Talks to the crowd that took him outside to stone him & beat him severely
- Read Acts 22:1-23 / Pray
- TR: Need us to understand a critical point that sometimes can be overlooked
-- Paul’s testimony can serve as a source of encouragement for us today
-- 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.”
-- This was a man who was desperate to know God, to draw closer to Him in life
-- CHALL: How can we do strive to live this way? Let’s start with …
Point 1 – Paul’s Love for People
- Q: How much does Paul love people?
- A: He is willing to face death in order that others would come to Christ!
- He knows the truth of salvation, and what it has brought him in his life
-- And so, his address to the crowd is very personal - and directed at their hearts
-- SEE: “brothers and esteemed fathers”: There is a tenderness in his approach
-- Greek: patér; Father Greek: adelphos; brothers
-- APP: The term “father” is an endearment title for “leaders of the nation”
- SEE: He is not shouting them down, not screaming at them, not insulting them
-- By calling them brothers and fathers, he is making this plea very personal
-- He is approaching them as family; as the Jewish family he so loves
- He speaks out of agape love (v1) – in their native tongue (Aramaic / Hebrew)
-- This even causes the crowd to draw more silent, to listen more intently (v2)
- TR: Having their attention, he quickly moves to discuss …
Point 2 – Paul’s Former Life
- NOTE: It has been about 25 years since Pauls’ original conversion (Acts 9)
-- Must remember, it’s only been a few months of study for us … but yrs passed
-- He is much older, much wiser, and (importantly) much closer to the Lord
- He shares with them his roots, his heritage, and even his privileges of his life
• He was a Jew, a man who was brought up just like them (v3)
• He was born in Tarsus, educated by Israel’s finest teachers (v3)
• He was taught the strictest adherence to the Law (re: raised as a Pharisee)
• FACT: He was a zealot when it came to keeping the Law! (v4-5)
o He hunted down those who followed Jesus (the Way)
o RE: He has never taught to abandon the practices or customs
o He was as much a practicing Jew as anyone in that crowd
- TR: Yet, knowing this, he experienced a change in everything he knew …
Point 3 – Paul’s Conversion
- Understand this: Paul proclaims that the only one who changed him was Jesus!
- He described the events of being introduced to Jesus very, very vividly
-- Curious: we get to see a few added nuggets to his story than Luke wrote:
• His conversion took place around noon (v6)
• He adds to his testimony the words “the Nazarene” to who Jesus is (v8)
o Key: The religious hated him, and Paul confirms his identity
o Yes, it is the one you hate – the Nazarene – who has changed my life!
• Those with him could hear the voice of Jesus, but not see him (v9)
• He testifies that the light from Jesus caused his blindness (v11)
o Not only does this light physically blind him but …
o It is a representation of his spiritual blindness to who Jesus is!
- Let’s re-read the original telling of this from Acts 9:3-6 … See the differences?
-- “As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
- BIG: Paul testifies to who Jesus is to Him … not only who, but WHY!
-- He covers his former life – a life of rich privilege which he was proud of …
-- And how he had a great zeal for hunting down those who followed Jesus
-- And now, because of this experience – he has become a follower as well!
- Jesus said in Matthew 18:3, “Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.” FACT: Paul’s life has been renewed by submitting to Jesus!
- TR: Being struck blind, Paul receives a unique direction, it would be …
Point 4 – Paul’s Commission
- Paul talks about a servant of God (Ananias) in the highest praise possible
-- “Godly man … devoted to the Law … well regarded by the Jews” (v12)
-- Ananias was above reproach, a devout man of faith, a true minister of God
-- He was sent to help Paul be commissioned to the ministry – to restore his sight!
- Understand this … in giving his testimony he also shares his mission:
• To know God’s will because he was chosen (v14)
• To see/hear from the Righteous One (v14)
• To be a witness for Him alone (v15)
• To even be baptized as a sign of his obedience (v16)
- FACT: These are the SAME things that we are called to do!
-- Every believer has the same calling – to know, to hear, to witness, to follow!
-- BIG: This is why Paul’s testimony can be impactful – it applies to all of us!
-- Jesus taught in John 15:16 says, “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”
- TR: After returning to Jerusalem …
Point 5 – Paul’s Instructions
- Paul tells us of an event that is not previously recorded in the Bible
-- After returning from Jerusalem (ref Acts 9:26-29) we know he met with disciples
-- They were afraid of him, would not welcome him in, but don’t miss this!
-- We also know he learned of a plot to kill him … but not from where – until now!
• He was in prayer when he fell into a deep trance (meditation) (v17)
o Paul was consumed with the knowledge of people being lost
o So much so, that whether physically or spiritually he saw Jesus (v18)
• The Lord told him His will was for Paul to leave Jerusalem
o He was told that the Jews would not accept the testimony
o And, that they would also hunt him down and kill him
• Paul argued with Jesus about this command to leave (v19)
o He felt that he was the right one to testify, to reach the Jews
o His testimony can show others who he was (notice it’s about Paul!)
o Surely, they would have to accept that he had been changed!
o APP: Paul’s spiritual immaturity is leading his heart
• But the Lord’s command was emphatic: GO! (v21)
o His mission would not be here, not at this time, not to these people
o He would be Jesus’ messenger to the Gentiles – PTL!
BIG IDEA
- Know this: Way too many try to stay at home when God calls us to GO!
-- It is why his testimony infuriated the crowd (v22), and does the same today!
-- We are not called to sit in a chair and hope for the best – but to GO!
-- Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
-- What we choose to do is very telling about who we serve … about who we love!
- Pray
