LIFE’S UPS AND DOWNS
Acts 9:1-19
INTRO.- ILL.- At a commuter train station a policeman noticed a woman driver leaning over her steering wheel in evident discomfort. "Is there anything wrong?" asked the police officer.
Half crying and half laughing, the woman replied, "For ten years I have driven my husband to this station to catch the train. THIS MORNING I FORGOT HIM!"
That’s about the way life goes at times, doesn’t it? Win some, lose some. Some days you win and some days you lose. And perhaps, big time.
ILL.- It’s kind of like the G.I. at the rifle tournament. After the competition was over, the young G.I. was really depressed over his poor performance. He turned in his card to the sergeant, and remarked, "Man, I feel like shooting myself."
The sergeant looked at his card and said, "BETTER TAKE TWO BULLETS."
Sometimes life can be so bad that we just want to do ourselves in, so to speak. But some people have such a hard time in life that they couldn’t even hang themselves if they tried.
Life is definitely is full of ups and downs.
ILL.- Preacher Warren Weirsbe has a couple of interesting books entitled, "The Bumps Are What You Climb On" and "Turning Mountains into Molehills."
We all have our "bumps" in life or our "mountains."
ILL.- A little boy was leading his sister up a mountain path and the path was not easy. The sister complained, "Why, this isn’t a path at all. It’s all rocky and bumpy." And her brother, being something of an optimist replied, "Sure, the bumps are what you climb on."
We all have our "bumps" in life. But the point is this: WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THEM? Complain about them or climb over them?
ILL.- One time Charlie Brown complained because his ball team lost all the time. Lucy said to him, "Charlie Brown, you learn more from your defeats than you do from your victories."
Charlie Brown replied, "THAT MUST MAKE ME THE SMARTEST MAN IN THE WORLD!"
We all get defeated. And hopefully, we do learn from our defeats. We should get smarter as time goes on.
The apostle Paul was no different. He experienced good times and bad. Up times and down times. But Paul’s down times often led him to greater things in life.
PROP.- Our text in Acts 9 gives us a look at Paul’s up and down life and how he came out a better, smarter man.
1- He was a proud man
2- He was a humbled man
3- He was a new man
I. HE WAS A PROUD MAN
V. 1 "Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples..."
Saul, who later became Paul, was a man of authority. A proud man of authority.
ILL.- A woman said to a police officer, "Oh, officer, officer! A man is following me and I think he is crazy!" The officer replied, "I think he is too."
Some people are sold on themselves, but others might think they are a bit crazy. I’ve seen a few people in my time who were so arrogant that I just knew they were crazy.
ILL.- Remember Ex-heavyweight boxing champ of the world, Mike Tyson? At one time he was one of the best, if not "the best" heavyweight there was. And he knew it too. He used to brag, "Nobody can beat me." But then he would turn around abuse women. I THINK MOST PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY.
He was crazy in another way. I remember some years ago when they showed him on national TV being baptized by immersion in some Baptist Church with Jessie Jackson standing in front of the baptistry. I thought, "That’s great! Mike Tyson is becoming a Christian." Then a few years later he denounced Christianity for the Muslim religion. CRAZY, PRIDEFUL MAN!
At one time, Paul was something of a crazy, prideful man. Hating Christians, persecuting them, etc. Thinking he was indeed better than most people and very proud of his own past.
In Acts 22 he gave a sketch of his life. He said, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia." Tarsus was one of the three great university cities in that day. That was probably like saying, "I grew up in Boston" or "I grew up in Berkely."
Paul was probably proud of his intellect. He could go to Athens and debate the intellectuals. He could go to Corinth and speak the language of the Hedonists. He could go to Jerusalem and debate with the theologians. He could get on board a ship and discuss weather and navigation with the captain.
ILL.- One time preacher John Wesley received a note from a self-made and self-appointed preacher. He wrote, "The Lord has told me to tell you that He doesn’t need your book learning, your Greek and your Hebrew."
Wesley replied, "Thank you, sir. I already knew the Lord had no need of my ‘book learning,’ as you put it. However, even though the Lord has not directed me to say so, but on my own responsibility I would like to say to you that the Lord doesn’t need your ignorance either."
Ignorance of nothing to be proud of, but education might be.
Paul was proud of his past religion. Saul was a Jewish Pharisee. He was very religious and proud of it.
Some people are so proud of their religion or religious heritage that they can’t see the truth of God’s Word.
ILL.- A man stopped a cab at Kennedy Airport in New York and asked to be taken to a certain Church of Christ. The driver dropped him in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The man said, "This isn’t the Church of Christ." The Irish cabbie replied, "IF HE’S IN TOWN, HE’S IN THERE." That cabbie, of course, was die-hard Catholic.
Some people are so proud of their religious heritage or background that they absolutely refuse to accept the truth of God’s Word. It didn’t make a bit of difference to them what the Bible said. They believed thus and so, because that’s the way it had always been in their family.
Apparently, Saul was brought up very proud and arrogant. And our pride often gets in the way of true Bible faith. True God-ordained faith.
ILL.- A cowboy wandered into a crowded blacksmith shop and picked up a horseshoe off the floor, not realizing that it was extremely hot, having just come from the fire. He dropped it immediately, but didn’t grab his hand or rub it, because he was too proud to admit that it had burned him.
Somebody said, "What’s wrong, Zeke? Too hot for you to handle?"
He replied, "NOPE, JUST DOESN’T TAKE ME LONG TO LOOK AT A HORSESHOE."
Pride often keeps us from submitting to the will of God as revealed in Scripture. Pride keeps us from surrendering to Christ and being baptized. Pride keeps us from Christian service and witnessing. And pride often leads to trouble with a capital "T."
Prov. 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." A sure way to trouble is the way of pride. But the way up is down.
James 4:6 "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
Paul was a proud man, but God took care of that for him.
II. HE WAS A HUMBLED MAN
ILL.- When Mohammed Ali was a great boxer, he would go around in his arrogance and saying, "I am the greatest." And he really thought he was the greatest.
One day, back in his prime, he was on an airplane and the plane was ready to take off and the flight attendant had repeatedly told him to put on his seat belt. He finally said to her, "I’m superman and superman don’t need no seatbelt." The flight attendant shot back with, "Superman don’t need no airplane either, now buckle up."
ILL.- A sailor took a group of young people boating for the day. One young man bragged the whole way about all he knew about the sea. Every time the sailor began to give instructions this young man would interrupt with his supposed knowledge. After some time a squall blew up. The sailor began to hand out lifejackets. "Where’s mine?" cried the know-it-all. "Don’t worry son," replied the old sailor. "You don’t need a life jacket. With a head as full of hot air as yours you will float forever!"
On the road to Damascus God humbled Saul in a miraculous way.
Acts 9:3-4 "As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’"
A bright light flashed from heaven. This light was not lightning. It may well have been the glory of the Lord Jesus. When Jesus was transformed on the mount of transfiguration, His clothing became so dazzling that His disciples couldn’t look at Him. When Jesus rose from the grave, a bright light struck the soldiers to the ground. THIS SAME LIGHT IS PROBABLY WHAT KNOCKED SAUL TO THE GROUND.
It’s a very humiliating thing to be knocked down to the ground, and especially, in front of others.
Acts 9:5 "Saul asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.’"
It’s hard to admit it when you are wrong.
ILL.- One preacher said, "My wife and I were once in Williamsburg, Virginia and we wanted to go to the ocean. I got on the interstate. She said, ‘You’re going the wrong way.’ I said, ‘We’re going east, toward the ocean, dear.’ She said, ‘No, you are going west.’ I said, ‘I know that I am going east, darling.’ She said, "NO, YOU ARE GOING WEST, DEAR.’
"We discussed the matter for a little while until finally she gave up and said, ‘Ok, I’m just going to wait until you admit I told you so.’
"In another mile or so, I finally saw a sign which she didn’t see that said I was going west. I drove on another two or three miles thinking about how I could leave the interstate, buy gasoline, and get back on going the opposite direction and lie about it so I wouldn’t have to admit that I was wrong. But I finally had to say, ‘Ok, you are right, dear.’"
It’s hard to admit when you are wrong, but think how hard it must have been for Saul. When Saul got up and opened his eyes, he couldn’t see. A physical handicap can humble you, but this blindness made Saul completely helpless. HE HAD TO BE LED BY THE HAND.
God can humble anybody, at any time and in any way. He can crush our pride in an instant.
ILL.- When the great Titanic ship was built, someone boasted, "God himself could not sink this ship." But in April of 1912, an iceberg cut a 300-foot gash in the side of that ship and down she went with 1,502 men, women and children going to their deaths.
I don’t think God caused the Titanic to go down to her grave. I think it is just another example of the tragedy of living in an imperfect world where imperfect things happen. I do know, however, that man can get too big for his own britches and bring himself down. At other times, God is not hesitant to bring us down.
I Cor. 10:12 "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall."
We can be humbled by the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, the disappointment of a friend, the breaking of our health, the loss of any material possession, etc. JUST WHEN WE THINK WE HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER, WE CAN BE BROUGHT TO OUR KNEES!
Three thoughts should keep us humble.
1- Exposure to other people. People are better than us.
ILL.- One man was always boasting that he had been through the Johnstown, PA, flood of 1889. Every place he went he dominated the conversation because he had survived that flood. He died and went to heaven and there he met Peter. He said, "Peter, I went through the Johnstown flood. I’d like you to get everyone together, because these people ought to hear about it."
Peter said, "THAT’S FINE, BUT JUST REMEMBER THAT NOAH WILL BE IN THE AUDIENCE."
There is always someone out there who is better, wiser, faster, etc. and this thought should humble us.
2- The memory of past failures should keep us humble.
ILL.- One preacher said that he had the habit of sticking his napkin under his belt when he ate. One day after he made several hospital calls he then went back to his office. His secretary pointed to him and laughed. He looked down and read "WENDY’S HAMBURGERS" across his lap.
All past failures should keep us humble. Some more than others.
3- Comparing ourselves to Jesus Christ should definitely keep us humble. By comparison with Jesus, we’re all...what? All sinners and in need of divine mercy.
ILL.- A guide was showing a group of people through a famous art gallery. He pointed to a wastebasket in the corner and said, "That wastebasket is where aspiring young artists discard their paintings after they have looked at the works of the Masters."
When we look at the Master as portrayed in the gospel accounts, we can’t help but be humbled. When we see him in all his fullness and beauty, we realize how poor we really are.
Paul was a humbled man. We should be humbled too.
III. HE WAS A NEW MAN
ILL.- Glen was having a discussion with his friend Rich. He said, "I was hypnotized last week." Rich said, "What does that mean?" Glen said, "To hypnotize a man is to get him under your power and make him do whatever you want." Rich replied, "That’s not hypnotism, that’s marriage."
Some people think that when they enter into marriage they are going to hypnotize their mate and make them do whatever they want. Both men and women sometimes think that way. NOT!
It doesn’t work that way and we know it. The truth is: No human being can change another person. Only the divine can change the thinking and life of the human.
Acts 4:13 "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
This association with Jesus made a difference in their lives. They were different men. They were new men. And they were better men.
We do influence others with our lives and we should. We may not be able to change people like Jesus did, but we can influence others for the better.
ILL.- As a student at Ozark Christian College in the 60’s I was greatly impressed with certain preacher/professors. Some of my professors just sparkled with enthusiasm, energy and encouragement. One was Don DeWelt, professor of O.T. and N.T.
I was preaching at a small church on Sundays while I was a student. And I asked Brother Don DeWelt if he would preach at our 5th Sunday rally in the afternoon. He agreed. When Don preached that afternoon he was at his very best. He was very humorous and yet very inspirational and challenging.
The next Sunday when I returned to the pulpit at my church I sounded just like Don DeWelt in regard to my mannerisms, voice, etc. I AM SAYING THAT WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR NOT, WE DO INFLUENCE OTHERS!
Paul became a new man through Christ. How did that happen? Through another man named Ananias.
Acts 9:10-11 "In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Go to the house of Judas and ask for a man named Saul..." Ananias went as God commanded.
Some people think that Saul was converted to Christ when he was knocked down by the light from heaven. If this is true, then why did Ananias say to Saul three days later, Acts 22:16 "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name."?
It’s true that Saul met Jesus on the Damascus road. He may have come to some faith in Him, but his faith needed to grow in response to Christ.
Saul needed to be humbled even more. He needed to surrender to Christ in baptism. EVERYONE NEEDS TO DO THIS. It’s a command from God to be done in the name of the Godhead. Remember the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20?
Every conversion account in the book of Acts has baptism in it.
Acts 2 - the people at Pentecost, the 3,000
Acts 8 - the people of Samaria, and the eunuch
Acts 9 - Saul of Tarsus
Acts 10 - the household of Cornelius
Acts 16 - Lydia, the business woman and the Philippian jailer
Acts 18 - the Corinthians
All these people became new people in Christ by surrendering to Christ in faith and obedience. They obeyed the Lord in baptism.
Paul became a new man in Christ and he gained a new mission as well. Saul the persecutor became Paul the preacher. Instead of hurting others, he began to help others.
Acts 9:15-16 "The Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
God had a plan for Paul’s life. God wanted to use him to spread the gospel message about Christ.
God has a plan for our lives too. And spreading the gospel is a part of that plan.
ILL.- At a Bible conference, the text in Eph. 4:1 was emphasized over and over. "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." At the close of the conference one of the men attending was asked, "Say, Tom, what’s your job?" He replied, "I’M AN ORDAINED PLUMBER."
He meant he was a plumber, but he was ordained by God to live a worthy life. All of us should feel that way about our lives as Christians regardless of what we do for our living.
ILL.- Lucy in the old Peanuts cartoon said to Charlie Brown one day, "I would have made a great evangelist." Charlie Brown said, "Is that so?" Lucy replied, "Yes, I convinced that boy in front of me in school that my religion is better than his religion." Charlie Brown asked, "Well, how did you do that?" Lucy said, "I hit him over the head with my lunch box."
God has a plan for your life. He has ordained for you to serve Christ and spread His Word, but you don’t have to use your lunch box to do it.
CONCLUSION--------------------------------------
ILL.- Dale Evans, wife of cowboy star Roy Rogers, said one time, "All my life I searched for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but I found what I really needed at the foot of the cross." Saul of Tarsus discovered that same truth.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Life is full of its ups and downs, but Christ can make a difference. Why not decide for Him? Why not humble yourself before Him and allow Him to make you into a new person?
