Sermon Central
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When Saul Met Jesus Series
Contributed by Ricky Tuttle Thd on Feb 7, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: There is a story in every believer’s life of an encounter with the Saviour. Some find Jesus while reading the Bible Some find Him while listening to a preacher The point is; every conversion comes with a time when we meet Jesus in a personal way.
“When Saul Met Jesus”
Acts 9:1-9
2-2-2025
There is a story in every believer’s life of an encounter with the Saviour.
Some find Jesus while reading the Bible
Some find Him while listening to a preacher
And others may have been introduced to Jesus by a friend.
The point is; every conversion comes with a time when we meet Jesus in a personal way.
I. A Determined Soldier
Acts 9:1-2 “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”
I have discovered that motivation can be misdirected.
Threatening - Dictionary “intending to do harm, causing alarm”
Slaughter - to murder, kill
Saul’s zeal against the new believers has put Saul with the desire to clean out any who would follow this new belief which, by Saul’s standards, was against the Jewish faith.
A word of warning: Just because something is in the name of religion does not make it right.
Don’t follow man follow the Bible.
II. A Dismounted Soldier
Acts 9:3-5 “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven - imagine in the middle of the day a light that exceeds even the sun.
No real direction just from heaven.
And he fell to the earth,- Not being able to bear the light, in great confusion, amazement, and fear, he fell with his face to the ground, and lay there prostrate
and heard a voice, saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? this voice was the real voice of Christ in his human nature, and who visibly and in person appeared, and was seen by the apostle; Acts 26:16 the language he spoke in was the Hebrew tongue, and he calls him by his Hebrew name Saul
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutes - Jesus was telling Saul “when you are persecuting my family you are persecuting me.”
Hard for thee to kick against the pricks - While oxen were yoked together some that drove the team would use a sharp stick or a thorn to get the oxen to move. Often the oxen would react by kicking back trying to get the person to stop.
III. A Dismantled Soldier
Acts 9:6 “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.”
Trembling and astonished - this gives to us a picture of Saul who is no longer proud and arrogant, but rather humble and submissive.
Another Question from Saul: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
“Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”
Notice vs. 7 that the others who were with Saul; “stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.”
In Acts 22:9, it is said, “They which were with me (Paul) saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.”
In this place, the words “heard not the voice” must be understood in the sense of “understanding the words,” of hearing the address, the distinct articulation, which Paul heard.
They heard a “noise”; they were amazed and alarmed, but they did not hear the distinct words addressed to Saul.
IV. A Defenseless Soldier
Acts 9:8-9 “And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”
Not a long thought but this simple truth; God will often leave us helpless so that we can be shown that HE is our only hope.
It should not surprise anyone that knows the Lord; that Jesus will bring us to our end in order to show us His great salvation.
Conclusion:
What is your testimony of salvation?
Many will speak of their devotion to a church or their baptism but if there is no encounter with Jesus then there was no salvation.
