Kingdom For All: Acts 9:1-31

Kingdom For All: A Story Of Redemption

February 21st, 2021/First Riverside Service & The Lookout

Story: Moving to Boulder and believing that God was at work.

Passage:

• Acts 9:1-9 (A Converted Sinner)
• Acts 9:10-19 (An Obedient Servant)
• Acts 9:20-31 (An Empowering Sponsor)

Pray:

Title: A Story Of Redemption

Big Idea:

God will use whatever means necessary to bring about redemption in your life. As redeemed believers, we are called to listen, obey, and empower.

Main Points: Three Unique Callings

1. A Converted Sinner
   1. Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul said. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.

   2. Saul was a persecutor of Christians

      1. “Breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord”

      2. Saul was found watching over the coats of those that had just previously murdered Stephen for standing up for the truth of Jesus Christ.

         3. Damascus Road

      3. Damascus was a key commercial city located about 150 miles northeast from Jerusalem. Saul knew that Christians had fled from Jerusalem to Damascus when persecution began after Stephen’s death. Even though Christians had fled for refuge, Saul was relentless in his pursuit to track them down and bring them back in chains to Jerusalem.

      4. “a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him.” The word “flashed” is the same greek word to describe light that comes from a bolt of lightning. The fact that Jesus' appearance around noon, with the hot desert sun beaming down, threw Saul to the ground is astounding.

         4. “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul said. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,”

      5. Notice the connection between Jesus and His Church. He makes no distinction between the two. The church is the body of Christ, to persecute the church is to persecute Jesus Christ.

      6. It’s not only common among believers, but often popular to be isolated and often dismissive of the local church. Some might even go as far as to criticize local churches and the work they are doing to advance the Gospel. Here’s how I’d apply that: when we tear down a local church, we are tearing at something Jesus calls His own body.
      7. Illust: Imagine if someone said “I like you, but I hate your skank wife.” I would imagine we would have a problem right?!
      8. Application: At Pinewood we are advocates for local churches. We champion their efforts and we pray for their people. We are not competing or comparing, but we are celebrating the work they are doing for Christ.

      9. Question: Are you an advocate or an adversary to the local church? Are you a promoter or persecutor of the work God is doing in other churches?

         5. Three Days:

      10. Three often marks completeness in the Bible.

      11. “In Jewish culture, three days past the time of death indicated they were truly dead. Therefore, Jesus truly conquered death by not rising until the third day.” - Crosswalk
      12. The text doesn’t tell us what went through Saul’s mind in those three days. We do know he could not see, he did not eat or drink, and he was praying (v. 11). I believe that while he was physically blind, he was finally gaining spiritual sight.
          6. An encounter with Jesus
      13. This Damascus Road experience changed everything.
      14. Question: Have you ever had an encounter with Jesus?

      15. An Obedient Servant

          1. 10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” “Here I am, Lord,” he replied. 11 “Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Ananias went and entered the house. He placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 And after taking some food, he regained his strength.
          2. “Here I am, Lord,”

      16. He was listening.

          3. Ananias hesitates and questions God
      17. “I have heard from many people about this man…”

      18. Question: Think of a challenging assignment you received from the Lord. What objections did you raise? Did you question God?

          4. “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument”

      19. Saul had a plan on his journey to Damascus, but God had a bigger plan.

      20. Question: How many of you know that you’ve been chosen as a special instrument? You have a purpose! You have a special assignment from God.
      21. You may be on the road to somewhere and have grand plans, but what if God wants to do something bigger.

      22. What would happen if you allowed God to do something in you, so He could do something through you, instead of you doing something for Him?!

          5. Ananias obeys in spite of his fear

      23. “Ananias went and entered the house.”

      24. 
          

          6. “Then he got up and was baptized.”

      25. If you’ve made Jesus Lord of your life, then your next step is baptism.

          7. Ananias name meaning - A common name among Jews, Ananias is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Hananiah and means “The Lord is gracious.” Wasn’t God gracious in using Ananias to impact the life of Saul. Wasn’t God gracious in saving Saul on the road to Damascus.
          8. “Behind many well-known servants of God are lesser-known believers who have influenced them… We must never underestimate the value of one person brought to Christ. Peter was ministering to thousands in Jerusalem, and Philip had seen a great harvest among the Samaritan people, but Ananias was sent to only one man. Yet what a man! Saul of Tarsus became Paul the apostle, and his life and ministry have influenced people and nations ever since. Even secular historians confess that Paul is one of the significant figures in world history.” - Warren Wiersbe
      26. An Empowering Sponsor
          1. Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some time. 20 Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.” 21 All who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man in Jerusalem who was causing havoc for those who called on this name and came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. 23 After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plot. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall. 26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. 27 Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
          2. Question: What could happen if we chose to believe in someone that everyone else has given up on? What if we chose to open a door for someone that everyone else is closing? Or even crazier, what if you put your stamp of approval on someone everyone else is afraid of?
          3. There’s something so powerful when one person says “I believe in you.” That’s it.
          4. Question: Has anyone ever stood in the gap for you? Opened doors for you that otherwise wouldn’t have been opened?
          5. Story: Todd Cox opening the door for me at Long Hollow
          6. Background: After preaching in Damascus, Saul left for Jerusalem. The believers in Jerusalem were afraid of him. Very afraid.
          7. He believed in Saul before anyone else in Jerusalem
      27. “When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe (They didn’t believe) he was a disciple. Barnabas, however…”

      28. I believe in you = Empowerment:

          1. If you want to become a successful leader then you have to understand the principle of empowerment. The only way to make yourself indispensable is to make yourself dispensable. The more you endorse & empower others and help them develop the more valuable you become in any organization.
          2. The same is true in the local church. We can easily stake our positions in the church and then try to protect our territory. But we are called to something so much more.
          3. Barnabas was an encourager and empowerer. He never wasted an opportunity to build people up and add value to them.

          4. His name means “Son of Encouragement”. And he was true to his name. 3. Be bold, be the first to believe:

          5. It’s easy to step up and show your support to someone that is controversial or that has a past AFTER everyone else has given their support. But it’s another thing to be the first to step up and believe in someone.

          6. It’s also easy to show your support to someone that has a long track record of success. When you know it’s going to be the biggest win, who wouldn’t want to be the first to step up and show their support.
          7. To be an empowering leader means you have to be willing to take a chance on people.
          8. You have to be able to see the potential in people that nobody else sees and speak that potential over their lives.
          9. This is a risk because what if that person lets you down. What if that person doesn’t come through. The process is your responsibility, not the results! You could be responsible for inspiring a new leader to rise up and achieve more than ever thought possible.

          10. A rising leader never forgets the first person that believed in them.

              8. He endorsed Saul’s leadership to other leaders
                 1. “Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.”
                 2. Can you imagine the apostles’ perspective of what was going on in this moment? Here you have the man that stood by and approved the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr and now is claiming to be a supporter of Christianity.
                 3. Here comes Barnabas with Saul showing up at a gathering with Peter and the other apostles and I can imagine the silence that fell over the room. This was the moment that Barnabas spoke on Saul's behalf. Saul didn’t have to say a word. It was the character and reputation of Barnabas that opened the door for Saul to be accepted by the apostles and the church.
                 4. There’s 2 points that I’d like to make about this interaction..

          11. First, empowerers work hard to maintain a reputation that is known for integrity and transparency. When someone untrustworthy speaks on someone else’s behalf it doesn’t carry much weight, but when someone of good character speaks, people listen.

          12. Second, empowerers are aware of their ability to open doors for others by leveraging their credibility. It’s not enough to just have a good name. You must leverage what you have for the better of others and the glory of God.
              9. He empowered Saul to reach his potential
                 1. “Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.”
                 2. I believe that when someone is empowered, then they are given an opportunity to reach their full potential. The contrary is also true, that when people are not empowered then there are barriers created within the organization that hinders both personal and numerical growth.
                 3. Barnabas and Saul worked closely together for years until they parted over John Mark (Acts 15:36-41). After Barnabas endorsed Saul it allowed him to teach and debate freely throughout Jerusalem.
                 4. A while later, Barnabas was assigned to help the church in Antioch and he reconnected with Saul, who was now named Paul. It was that action that empowered Saul to take his first assignment as a leader.
                 5. To be an empowering leader you have to do more than just believe in someone, you have to come alongside them and help them become the leader you believe them to be.
                 6. If you do this right then you will have the joy and privilege in watching that leader grow and make a greater impact than you could have ever made alone.
                 7. Question: Who in your life needs to hear “I believe in you.”

Invitation