Sermon; The Pentecost Effect - Paul’s Encounter On The Road To Damascus

Sermon: Paul’s Encounter on the Road to Damascus

Scripture: Acts 9:1-11 “Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 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.” The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 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. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now.”

Introduction: During this season of Pentecost, we have been studying the book of Acts to witness the Pentecost effect. The Holy Spirit empowered the early believers to be effective witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea, in Samaria and to all the world. We have witnessed their personal transformation from timid fishermen, tax collectors and sheep herders to bold witnesses who became fishers of men. Today’s lesson is different. The Holy Spirit did not choose to use a human instrument in the conversion of Saul. Saul had seen the growth and expansion of the church; he had witnessed the preaching of Stephen, yet he refused to believe.

Saul was steeped in the Jewish tradition and fought hard to preserve the Jewish way of life. He fought to protect the temple, the rituals, the sacrifices and the Law of Moses. Saul considered the new movement a threat to everything he believed. He committed all of his energy and strength to fight for what he believed and was willing to destroy anything that stood in his way. Misguided zeal is dangerous. The things that most threaten the Gospel and the abundance and freedom in Jesus Christ are caused by misguided zeal. Some things may appear to be good, maybe even seem godly, yet stand in the way of the gospel. Saul’s problem was his Jewish roots that blinded his vision of God. He needed a new vision. When any of us allow our personal causes and concerns to overshadow the revealed will of God or at worse, supersede the Gospel message, we are in serious danger, our faith is robbed of its power and people are robbed of hope. Saul was like the mob the attacked the Capitol, believing that was the way to protect freedom. Rights were violated, policemen were killed, the White House was damage all in the name of freedom. Saul may be dead physically and gone, but his descendants are still around.

Acts chapter 9 give a glimpse into the life of Saul. He had gain a reputation for violence against Christian. How can you stop a man who is dead wrong but, thinks he is dead right? Just as the Holy Spirit’s power evaded the upper room with wind and fire, He appears upon Saul in a bright light, revealing Jesus to Him. Saul was on his way to Damascus and while on his way there, he had an encounter with the Lord himself. This encounter ultimately led to his conversion. As I was looking at the story, I felt compelled to share with you some things we can learn from Paul on the road to Damascus.

1. Saul’s Misguided Zeal Encounters Truth. Acts 9:1-2, “Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.”

Saul was very much like you and me were before we met Christ, he was committed to his misguided zeal. He was all in. Misguided zeal normally brings out the worst in men. He held nothing back in his pursuit of followers of Christ. His mission was to find them, jail them, and if possible, even kill them. We often hear the term sold out for Jesus, well Saul was sold out for Judaism and protect their way of life. Paul even acknowledged his previous condition when writing to Timothy, he said in 1Timothy 1:12-13, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.”