Acts 9: The Worst Sinner Make the Best

The New Testament doctor turned investigative journalist is back. The first time, he is chronicling the life and ministry of Jesus. This time, he is telling Theopolis about the birth and growth of the early church. Jesus told the church to wait to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. Then, they are to make disciples of all nations. We have a front row seat to how this happened.

Here’s the good news: God does amazing things through ordinary people. If God be your partner, make your plans large. If God can fisherman and a Pharisee and shake the world, what can He do with you?

Key Verse: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Detailed Outline of Acts

1. They’ve just Begun

• Before Pentecost [1:1-26]
• Day of Pentecost [2:1-47]

2. They start to Do

• Healing miracle [3:1-31]
• Opposition [4:32-5:11]
• The Seven appointed and church organization [6:1-7]

3. They’re forced to flee

• Stephen, the first martyr [6:8-8:1]
• Persecution spreads the Gospel [8:1-40]
• Saul is saved [9:1-31]

4. God Opens Doors

• Peter raises the dead [9:32-43]
• The Gospel comes to the Gentiles [10:1-11:18]
• Antioch church grows strong in the Spirit [11:19-30]
• James killed but angel frees Peter [12]

5. A Missions drive

• Journey to Galatia via Cyprus [13-14]
• Jerusalem council about Gentiles [15:1-35]
• Paul returns to Galatia & strengthens the churches [15:36-16:5]

6. Extended Trips

• Mission trip to Greece [16-19]

7. To Rome, then heaven

• Revisited the churches [19:21-21:14]
• Arrest and trials [21:15-26:32]
• Journey to Rome [27-28]

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Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT).
Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Bible Breakdown Podcast
• 1:21 Saul's Persecution and Damascus Road Encounter
• 4:33 Ananias: The Unsung Hero
• 6:46 Saul's Ministry and Escape from Damascus
• 8:32 Peter's Healing Miracles in Lydda
• 10:26 Key Lessons and Call to Share Testimonies

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Hey everyone and welcome to the Bible Breakdown Podcast. In this podcast, we will be breaking down the Bible one chapter a day. Whether you are a new believer or have been following Christ for a while, we believe that you will learn something new and fresh every single day. So thank you for joining us and let's get into breaking down the Bible together.

Speaker 2: 0:23

Well, hello everybody and welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon. Today Acts chapter 9, and if I were to give this a title, it would be the Worst Sinners Make the Great Testimonies. I'm telling you, it's going to be so exciting to see what God does in the life of the greatest antagonist to Christianity at this time, a guy named Saul, but then also, what I absolutely love, was one of the most unsung heroes of the entire New Testament. We're going to get into that in just a moment. But, as always, if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share and subscribe this video on YouTube. If you're listening to this as a podcast, you're my favorites and I would love for you to leave us a five-star review and let us know how you are being impacted by God's Word. I'd love for everybody to go to our Facebook group at Bible Breakdown Discussion and let us know what you are finding as you're digging into God's Word, because, man, the more we dig, the more we find, and there's so much more to God's Word than what we're able to get into here together. So let me review real fast. We're going to get into what's going on Well in Acts, chapter 2, as we are learning about the early church.

Speaker 2: 1:26

The first 30 years of the church was written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by the doctor-turned-investigative journalist Luke, and we find out that in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit descends, fills everyone and they begin to move in the power of the Holy Spirit, speaking with other languages, boldness to preach the gospel, working miracles. And as the church continues to grow, so does the opposition to the church. At first they are just given a really stern talking to, then they get beat up. Well then, finally, we see in chapter seven, we have the first martyr of the faith, stephen, as he is stoned because he's refusing to back up on believing that Jesus is the Messiah. Well, at that stoning, the death of Stephen, there's a young man by the name of Saul who not only does he endorse what's going on, he decides to get in on the act and he becomes the chief antagonist to the early church and persecution starts to spread. But as the people are being scattered, so is the gospel, and it's amazing to see all the different things that God starts to do. But now, as we see in chapter nine, god is not going to let Saul get away with this, but he actually has a much bigger plan for Saul, and so we're going to read about the wonderful thing that happens in Saul's life and than what I consider to be one of the most unsung heroes in the entire New Testament. So if you have your Bibles, open with me to Acts, chapter 9, let's dive into what happens in this chapter. You ready? Here we go.

Speaker 2: 2:56

Meanwhile, saul was uttering threats at every breath and eager to kill the Lord's followers. So at this point it's got to the place. He's not just wanting them to be arrested, he's trying to kill the Lord's followers. So at this point, it's got to the place. He's not just wanting them to be arrested, he's trying to kill a fool, he is trying to end people's lives. So he went to the high priest and 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, and he wanted to bring them, both men and women, back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on his mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him and he fell to the ground and he heard a voice saying Saul, saul, why are you persecuting me? To which he would have the answer we would all have, and that is who are you, lord? So he's not being mean anymore. Now he's like hey, I am so sorry. Who are you, lord, he asked. 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. Now the men that were with Saul stood speechless, for they had heard the sound of someone's voice, but they didn't see anyone. So Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he was blind, and so his companions helped him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there for three days and for three nights, and he didn't eat or drink anything. Now, to me, this is one of the most unsung heroes in the entire New Testament, because listen to what he has to deal with Now.

Speaker 2: 4:33

There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias minding his own business, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision and said Ananias, can you imagine, yes, lord, having a good day? Yes, the Lord said, go over to Straight Street and to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now I have shown him in a vision a man named Ananias coming in to lay hands on him so he can see again, to which Ananias says but Lord, exclaimed Ananias, I have heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem. He has now been authorized by the leading priest to arrest everyone who calls upon your name. In other words, he's saying, lord, this guy's killing people, and now he's come to kill people in my town, and I was really wanting to meet you today, lord. But oh Lord. But the Lord replied to him Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel, and I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake. So he's saying don't worry, he's not going to get off scot-free. It's going to be a hard road for him, but I got a plan for him. And so here's the amazing thing. Look at this verse 17.

Speaker 2: 6:00

So Ananias went and he found Saul. You imagine the amount of courage it took for him to go and find Saul, but he had heard from the Lord and that filled him with courage. He laid his hands on him and he said Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Instantly, something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Now watch what happens.

Speaker 2: 6:36

Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days and immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying he really is the Son of God. And all who heard him were amazed Isn't this the joker? Isn't this the same man who caused such devastation among the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem? They asked and didn't he come to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priest? Saul's preaching became more and more powerful and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus really was the Messiah. After a while, some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. They were watching him day and night at of the Jews plotted together to kill him. They were watching him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him. But Saul was told about their plot. So during the night some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through the opening in the city wall. They had to smuggle Saul out. He came in and blind Now he can see. But they smuggling him out because he has immediately become a force to be reckoned with with the gospel Verse 26, when Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him.

Speaker 2: 7:48

Well yeah, they did not believe that he had truly become a believer. Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had been preaching boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them preaching boldly in the name of the Lord, and he debated with some of the Greek-speaking Jews. But they also tried to murder him. And when the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, to his hometown. They said listen, man, you shouldn't go home. We don't really know what to do with you. You ain't got to leave, but you can't stay here. So why don't you go on home? Verse 31,.

Speaker 2: 8:35

The church then had peace throughout Judea, galilee and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord and with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers. Now verse 32,. Let's get back to what Peter's been up to. Meanwhile, peter traveled from place to place and he came to visit the believers in a town called Lydda, and he met a man there named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him Aeneas, jesus Christ heals you, get up, roll up your sleeping mat, and then he was healed instantly. Then the whole population of Lydia and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around and they turned to the Lord.

Speaker 2: 9:22

There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha, whose Greek name was Dorcas. She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor, but this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room, but the believers had heard that Peter was nearby and Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him please come as soon as possible. So Peter returned with him and as soon as he arrived they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and the other clothes that Dorcas had made for them. But Peter asked them all to leave the room. He knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said get up, tabitha. And she opened her eyes when she saw Peter. She sat up and he gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called the widows and all the believers and he presented her to them alive and the news spread throughout the whole town and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa living with Simon, a tanner of hides, which, by the way, stinks. So he's in this place called Joppa, but he's probably not very happy to be staying with this guy because a tanner of hides that area, a taxidermist is stinks. But he's there and great things are happening, even if he's sleeping in the stinky Okay.

Speaker 2: 10:46

Now, what can we get from this chapter? First of all, when God calls you to do something, it's not always going to make sense. Can you imagine Ananias hearing the voice of the Lord and saying I want you, in his mind, to go on a suicide mission? Now, he wasn't literally doing that. We know that he wasn't doing that and God's not going to call you to go on a literal suicide mission. Okay, god doesn't do that, but what? 99.9% of the time, okay, I, uh, I, I get allergic to say what God will never do. Okay, but 99.99% of the time God's not going to call you to do that. But if he calls you to do something hard, there's a reason for it.

Speaker 2: 11:25

And what I love about this is what Ananias doesn't realize is that for three days and three nights, paul has been praying and preparing for this, and so what we don't always realize is that we see what we see, but the Holy Spirit has been preparing things all along the way. We can see this same thing that happens with Peter when he goes to this area. God has already prepared a way for him to be able to perform these miracles so that the people will believe, and so the encouragement for us is this Whatever God brings you to, he has already prepared a path through it for his victory. And all throughout this, we see testimonies forming. Saul has a testimony now about Jesus appearing to him. Ananias has a testimony now that if you just trust and obey the Lord, he always is going to make a way. There's a guy named Aeneas who had been paralyzed. Now he has a testimony of God's faithfulness. And now you got a name lady named Tabitha, who had a nickname Dorcas. She has a testimony that even if you're dead, god's not done, if he says you're not done.

Speaker 2: 12:35

And so I want to ask you this question what testimony do you have to share today? What is God doing in your life? Maybe you haven't been struck down by the light of God, maybe you haven't been you know, maybe you hadn't received something like Ananias did. Maybe you aren't paralyzed, maybe you hadn't literally died, but what has happened in your life that you can share with somebody else? Because, yes, the worst sinners make the greatest testimonies, but we all have a testimony to share, and I want to encourage you today to share your testimony with somebody. Share what God is doing in your life, because you never know who might need to hear it.

Speaker 2: 13:12

Let's pray together. Father, I'm so thankful that you're for us and not against us. You're with us in all things. My prayer today, god, is you'll help us, lord, open our eyes to see the testimony all around us and then give us the courage to share it with someone today. I thank you for that. In Jesus' name, we pray Amen. Don't forget that Jesus said in Acts 1-8, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. My prayer is you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit. No-transcript.