WEBVTT 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:06.639 Welcome to the Enduring Grace Sermons Podcast. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:10.560 This is the home for the weekly teaching and ministry of Pastor Ben Hill. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:15.199 Our mission is to share the timeless truth of God's Word with a world in need of hope. 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:21.359 For more resources, articles, and updates, visit us online at enduringgrace.com. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:24.640 And now, here is this week's message. 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:29.359 Good morning, church. 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:34.640 Hasn't it been great to be in the house of the Lord and praising his name? 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:37.119 Wow, that was really weak. 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:38.719 We're going to do that one more time. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:43.600 Hasn't it been great to praise the Lord this morning? 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:44.320 Amen. 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:45.280 There we go. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:47.039 That's what I like, right there. 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:53.200 It is always good to gather together as a church to worship the Lord. 00:00:53.359 --> 00:01:02.159 In fact, that's what we the reason why we worship on Sundays is because the Lord rose from the grave on a Sunday morning. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:08.640 It is the Lord's day, and today we are remembering the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:14.319 If you're taking notes, the simple title is simply this: Because He Lives. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:20.799 In fact, everything we do in life as a Christian ultimately is because he lives. 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:24.560 The fact that you have a salvation is because Jesus lives. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:33.040 If Jesus had just died and stayed dead, like we talked about on Friday at our Good Friday service, then we would not be here. 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:35.040 We would not be a church. 00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:39.599 We would not be anything more than a religious cult. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:48.239 Because Jesus, his resurrection is essential to the faith that we hold near and dear as Christians. 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:53.120 Without the resurrection, then Jesus would be no more than Muhammad. 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:55.359 He would be no more than Buddha. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:02:03.599 He'd be no more than just simply a religious zealot who lied his way to popularity. 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:21.280 But because Jesus rose from the grave, because he lives, we have reason to worship and to celebrate the man named Jesus, who is fully God and fully man. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:26.400 Here at First Baptist, we have been studying through the book of Acts, and we're going to continue our study this morning. 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:31.840 So if you've got your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn to Acts chapter 9. 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:44.800 This text is one that is near and dear to my own heart because it is, as you might know, Acts is one that has many near and dear texts to me if you've been here during our series. 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:51.360 Because this yet again shows how Jesus changes lives. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:56.719 How Jesus changes the very way that we go about how we live our lives. 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:07.280 And we're going to look at a man named Saul, a man named Saul from Tarsus, who is a Jew of Jews, as his own descriptor. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:14.319 Saul, we're introduced just a few chapters before in Acts chapter 7. 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:20.000 And so if you've got your Bibles, I'm going to encourage you just to follow along here because I'm setting it up for us. 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:31.360 But starting in verse 54 of Acts chapter 7, what it says is now when they had heard these things, they were enraged and they ground their teeth at him. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:40.479 The hymn in this text is a man named Stephen, one of the first disciples, one of the seven chosen to serve the Hellenistic Jew widows. 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:46.159 And this man has just preached a message declaring Jesus is God. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:55.520 And so the leaders of the Jewish people, the religious leaders, are angry because it is against their teaching. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:05.120 Verse 55 says, But he, that is Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:10.960 And it said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:16.560 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:20.560 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:26.399 And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:31.920 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:38.399 And falling to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:41.839 And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:46.000 Verse 1 of chapter 8 says this about Saul's response. 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:54.959 Saul was celebrating the death of this man. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:00.959 He thought it was a righteous deed to kill Stephen. 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:05.040 And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:11.519 They were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles, verse 3. 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:20.639 But Saul was ravaging the church and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:29.279 So the context of Saul's life is that this man is a religious man who's pursuing his God in his mind. 00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:34.000 He's pursuing the righteousness of the Lord in his mind. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:48.639 And these people called Christians, not even called Christians yet, but those who follow the way, as we see, we'll see here in just a moment, are against the true people of God in his mind. 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:52.399 He thinks he's pursuing righteousness. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:06:07.360 But the reality is he is persecuting the very people that he should endear, that he should be a part of as a church, as a family, by surrendering his life to the man named Jesus. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:11.040 But as Saul was concerned, Jesus was dead. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:12.720 He was not alive. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:19.920 As far as Saul was concerned, it was a lie about the resurrection of Jesus. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:30.480 But on the road to Damascus, what we're going to see is that Jesus will reveal himself to this man named Saul. 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:39.920 And because he lives, Saul's life is transformed forever. 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:46.959 So if you found your place in Acts chapter 9, I'm going to encourage you to stand in the honor of God's word. 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:54.000 And one of the things we like to do here at First Baptist, because we love God's word, is we like to say word when we get to our text. 00:06:54.079 --> 00:06:56.879 So if you found your place in Acts chapter 9, would you say word? 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:15.360 Starting with verse 1, it says, But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:23.199 Now, he, as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:28.399 And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:30.319 And he said, Who are you, Lord? 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:34.399 And he said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:39.279 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do. 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:44.319 The men who were travelling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:50.639 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:58.399 So they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus, and for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:02.000 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:06.000 The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias, and he said, Here I am, Lord. 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:14.959 And the Lord said to him, Rise and go to the street called straight, and at the house of Judas, look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:18.000 For behold, he is praying. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:27.360 And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight. 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:40.399 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem, and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name. 00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:55.360 But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel, for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:09:10.000 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and laying his hands on him, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:19.759 And immediately something like scales from fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, then he rose and was baptized, and taking food he was strengthened. 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:20.799 Let us pray. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:34.799 Lord, I pray and ask that you would just move in our hearts that you would encourage us as we see that because you live we can have a new life. 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:40.799 Okay that is unmatched. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:42.960 Lord, we love you. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:50.159 We thank you for your sacrifice, and we thank you for defeating sin and death through the resurrection. 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:51.679 In your name we pray. 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:52.399 Amen. 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:53.919 You may be seated. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:59.679 Saul is also known as Paul, if you're not aware. 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:04.000 And so if you hear me say Saul or Paul, it's the same person. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:08.240 It's just we typically talk about Saul a lot more as Paul. 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:15.039 Paul is his Greek name, whereas Saul is his Hebrew name, and so they are the same. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:18.000 It's just they are different in the text. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:21.039 And so Saul, Paul are synonymous. 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:22.799 So please don't get confused. 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:30.799 But here what we see is that Saul is still ravaging the church in Acts chapter 9. 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:34.159 He starts out persecuting the church. 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:37.600 He sees that Stephen's stoning and he celebrates it. 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:39.679 He gets joy out of it. 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:44.720 And it says that he's breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:49.360 Now I want you to know that in Saul's mind, this is not murder. 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:53.120 This is the righteous judgment against blasphemers. 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:57.440 And so what he is saying is that simply, hey, these people deserve to die. 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:07.759 And that he is trying to make sure every person who follows the name of Jesus, who does not deny Jesus, is murdered so that it cannot spread any further. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:10.799 And so he wasn't satisfied with just Jerusalem. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:14.720 He goes to the high priest and asks for permission to go to Damascus. 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:21.679 So he says, Let me go to Damascus so that I can also find those that are in the way there, both men and women. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:27.840 He was not someone who resisted the urge to also go after women. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:32.320 He was going after both men and women. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:49.279 And here's the thing with Saul is that because he is zealous in his religion, he is making sure that he pursues it with the most intensity possible. 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:53.600 He's a kind of that all in or all-out kind of guy. 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:58.799 You might know somebody like that, that they get obsessive about something, and that's all that they think about. 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:00.559 That's all they want to talk about. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:07.200 That's all that they are doing is because they are obsessed with that one thing. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:10.000 Well, Paul, in many ways, is like that. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:18.480 He is obsessed with making sure that these, in his mind, uh heretics are eradicated. 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:19.840 And so he's all in. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:21.039 He's focused. 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:26.320 And having received permission, he then proceeds to go to Damascus. 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:27.200 And he's not alone. 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:28.159 There's people with him. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:29.600 He's traveling down. 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:34.720 But as he is going, look at what happens. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:40.639 Suddenly, a light from heaven shone around him. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:43.440 Just think about being on that road to Damascus. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:57.519 And you're there, and it's probably midday, and you see the sun, it's around you, but then all of a sudden, there is a brighter light than the sun that blinds everything from your sight. 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:01.360 That's a bright light. 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:11.840 So here's Saul on the road to Damascus, and suddenly there is light that appears before him. 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:18.080 And he falls to his knees. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:24.720 I don't know about you, but if I can't see, I'm probably crawling on the ground too. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.840 I don't want to trip and fall. 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:35.279 And if it's a rocky road, which it likely was, there's a greater chance of falling. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:37.919 But he goes down to his knees. 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:38.720 He's confused. 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:39.440 He's dazed. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:41.679 It's like a flashbang going off. 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:46.159 But then he hears a voice. 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:56.159 Why are you persecuting me? 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:06.320 Why are you persecuting me? 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:13.120 I think back to my own salvation experience, and I grew up in a Christian home. 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:27.120 Made a profession of faith as a six-year-old because the preacher preached on hell, and I didn't want to go there, and I did not know what he was going to tell me to do, but I knew that I needed to do whatever he said because I wasn't going to go to that bad place called hell. 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:32.639 But there was no fruit in that profession of faith. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:34.639 There was no life change. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:38.480 All I wanted was a get-out-of-jail free card. 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:44.720 The time would pass and would prevail in my life. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:58.480 At the age of 16 years old, I learned how to play church really well and live how I wanted to, away from church, away from my family. 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:14.080 But in December of that year, I went to Winter Camp in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:21.759 Winter Camp had a special guest speaker, and his name was Adam Robinson. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:35.600 And I can remember sitting on the left-hand side of the room, second, third row back from the very back, listening to him go through his preaching. 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:39.200 And then he got to a part of his message towards the end. 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:42.639 And he said, There are three types of people in this room. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:46.399 Said, a room this size, there's at least three. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:56.639 He goes, There's the person that just so happened to stumble in because they heard there's a camp and they're in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and it is wonderful. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:59.200 So I'm going to go and have a great time. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:02.720 But they're kind of exploring their faith. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:06.799 They're kind of learning that, you know, I don't really know who Jesus is. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:08.720 I want to know who Jesus is. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:11.759 Then there's a second type. 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:16.639 You heard Bible camp and you're there because you love Jesus. 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:20.720 And then he got to the third. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:25.200 And he goes, but there's a third type in this room. 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:31.039 You're really good about playing the role of Christian. 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:34.879 But you live like a heathen. 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:41.519 You live up in your sin anytime you get a chance when you're away from Christians. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:46.080 And what I call that is a hypocrite. 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:56.399 And let me tell you, as soon as he said that last word, I knew that was me. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:00.399 I knew I was wrong. 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:08.000 It was as if I heard Jesus say, Ben, Ben, why do you pretend to know me? 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:14.799 Why do you live for yourself and not me? 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:26.079 And I resonate with his life a little bit in this regard because Saul thought he was serving God. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:34.160 But here's a man who has appeared to him that says, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:36.640 Saul is confused. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:38.960 He says, Who are you, Lord? 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:46.559 And Jesus responds, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:52.240 I just want you to think about Saul's transformation that we see. 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:54.559 Just for a moment. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:01.039 Saul hears Jesus speaking to him. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:04.400 The man who he thought was dead is alive. 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:13.359 The man he thought he was killing people because they were worshiping him, that it was a heretic, is alive. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:14.960 He is the Christ. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:18.880 He is the one he said he was. 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:24.640 And so Saul couldn't help but see that he had been wrong. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:30.720 That he had been mistaken because Jesus lives. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:33.359 He is alive. 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:37.519 He's speaking to Saul. 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:40.160 And it's not just Saul that hears. 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:41.680 Look what it says. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:48.400 Verse 7: the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:19:04.240 Saul hears the mouth of God Himself and Jesus appearing before him, saying, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:13.279 Have you heard the Lord's voice in your own life and responded with saving faith? 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:18.640 Or are you playing the church? 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:28.720 Because Jesus lives, you don't have to pretend you can have true life transformation. 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:31.680 Jesus lives. 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:33.839 And so what does Saul do? 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:42.480 He goes, he obeys what the Lord says, which is the instruction to rise and enter the city and wait to be told what to do. 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:47.599 And what we see with Paul is that he is blind. 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:54.240 That the result of this encounter with Jesus blinds him. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:20:04.640 I don't think it's happenstance that God takes his vision from him in this moment because he's reminding him that I am God. 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:08.720 You have been blind to the truth. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:18.319 And so this man who is blind now is guided back to the city by hand by his men that are with him. 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:26.960 And for three days, verse 9, he says, He was without sight and neither ate nor drank. 00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:29.119 He waited. 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:39.039 Sometimes we as Christians have to go through a season of waiting, waiting for the Lord to act in our situation. 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:46.559 This morning, if you came in and you're just saying, Hey Lord, I've been waiting, wait, the Lord will answer. 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:51.039 Seek his face, pray, and he will answer. 00:20:53.039 --> 00:21:06.480 And then the Lord speaks to Ananias, and what we see is Ananias, like any Christian would in this situation, gets a word from the Lord, and the Lord says, Go to this man named Saul, and he goes, Hold up, I've heard about this guy. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:15.839 You really want me to go talk to the man that's going to put, probably put me in jail, if nothing else, and maybe take my life? 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:20.720 Are you really wanting me to go there, Father? 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:31.119 And the Lord said, Lord, or and here he has the authority from the chief of priests, is what Ananias says, to bind all who call on your name. 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:47.519 And then the Lord responds, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine, to carry my name before the Gentiles and the kings and the children of Israel, for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:51.680 Just think about that from this perspective, from Saul's perspective. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.599 Do he's now re Jesus has revealed himself to you. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:09.759 You're now blind and waiting and not eating or drinking as you seek the Lord's face because he's been praying. 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:12.960 And here's the thing. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:19.839 God says, I have chosen him as my special instrument. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:25.440 Did you know that God has saved you to be an instrument in his tool belt? 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:32.000 To be a tool for the Lord, to be used by the Lord for his glory and purpose. 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:35.039 And it's because Jesus lives. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:41.359 That he has called you, drawn you. 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:47.279 And if you've received that gift of grace, praise Jesus. 00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:48.720 But it doesn't end there. 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:54.960 You are now in his kingdom to serve him faithfully for a specific purpose. 00:22:56.880 --> 00:23:01.279 He has called you for a purpose because he lives. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:07.440 But not only that, he also says Jesus does, and he's going to suffer for me. 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:15.200 And if you know Saul's life, then you know very good and well that he suffered and suffered well for the Lord. 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:18.799 Prison, beaten multiple times, shipwrecked. 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.839 All for Jesus' name. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:36.799 And so Ananias goes and he prays with him, lays his hands on him, and what we see is the scale-like things on his eyes fall off. 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:42.480 And his life is changed forevermore. 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:51.119 When Jesus comes into your life, he changes you dramatically. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:24:01.440 You can't stay the same because you are now a transformed creature for his glory and praise. 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:09.680 And then what we see unfold in Saul's life is that he wastes no time getting serious for Jesus. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:12.400 Look at verse 19, second part here. 00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:19.759 It says, for some days he was with the disciples at Damascus, and immediately, did he delay? 00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:25.759 No, immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, He is the Son of God. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:30.079 Just imagine the stark contrast in Damascus. 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:36.480 You hear, Saul's coming, he's coming to persecute the Christians. 00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:39.359 Saul doesn't even make it to Damascus. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:40.720 His life is changed. 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:46.559 He finally shows up at the synagogue, and he's not there to see who are the Christians. 00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:53.039 No, he's up there a Christian himself proclaiming, hey, Jesus, he is the Son of God. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:58.960 You think they were shocked? 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:00.880 Absolutely. 00:25:02.160 --> 00:25:03.359 Do you know why? 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:07.279 Because Jesus lives. 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:10.000 He changed Saul. 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:13.519 And now he preaches what he persecuted. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:17.519 But it doesn't stop there. 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:20.480 Look at what it says in verse 21. 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:29.119 It says, and all who heard him were amazed and said, Is this not the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon his uh on this name? 00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:34.240 And has he not come here for this purpose to bring them bound before the chief priests? 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:46.319 But Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. 00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:55.839 He goes, Hey, I'm not just proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God, I'm proving that he's the Son of God, as he reasoned with them. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:26:03.119 And then what we see is that not only does he prove, he then goes and escapes persecution himself. 00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:07.279 In verse 23, when many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him. 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:09.839 If you can't argue with him, kill him. 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:11.519 That's what they say. 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:16.640 But their plot became known to Saul. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:18.240 Saul hears about it. 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:23.759 He's like, okay, they're doing, planning what I was doing, so guess what? 00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:26.640 I'm gonna sneak away because I know how this works. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:36.720 They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, luring him in a basket. 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.839 He gets away. 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:39.839 The Lord provides an escape. 00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:46.480 And when he had come to Jerusalem, notice how Paul struggled to get part of this church. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:51.039 He attempted to join the disciples, and they were all afraid of him. 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:52.079 Rightfully so. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:56.480 Remember, he's in the hometown where he had been killing everybody. 00:26:56.720 --> 00:27:02.319 And here's Saul trying to get into the church going, hey, let me attend, guys. 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:05.200 And they're like, whoa, no, no, no, no, no. 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:06.559 We know who you are. 00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:08.960 There's no way we're letting you in. 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:12.960 For they did not believe that he was a disciple. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:24.880 In their minds, what they're thinking is simply this: that Saul is trying to get in there saying that he had this big spiritual transformation, and now he is this little poison that's going to come in and arrest us all. 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:29.920 But Saul had an advocate. 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:34.640 He had an advocate in Jesus, and he had an advocate in Barnabas. 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:36.160 Look at verse 27. 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:48.160 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:52.799 He goes, Hey, I've got testimony of the faithfulness of this man. 00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:55.680 God has changed his life. 00:27:56.319 --> 00:28:07.519 Praise Jesus that when he gets serious, which he is always, and he starts saving people, their life is not the same. 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:13.920 You can say goodbye to the old self because he makes you new. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:18.160 He changes your life. 00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:22.960 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem. 00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:26.720 So they embrace him, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:29.759 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. 00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:32.079 But they were seeking to kill him. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:38.240 You think Saul got on the wrong side of a lot of people because he knew how to argue well? 00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:42.880 I think so. 00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:45.759 But they were seeking to kill him. 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:53.279 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Cassarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 00:28:54.079 --> 00:29:03.920 Essentially, the church goes, Saul, you need to go away so that they don't kill you because God's got plans for you. 00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:10.079 But in the midst of all this, look at the beauty of what God is doing in the church. 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:24.000 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:33.279 When believers get serious about following Jesus, when they get all in, God multiplies his people. 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:40.640 So this morning I have four things very quickly that I want you to be able to take away this morning. 00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:45.920 And it all centers on the fact it's because Jesus lives. 00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:55.440 And it's because Jesus lives that you can have today, you can have new life. 00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:56.720 Did you know that? 00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:58.640 You can have new life. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:05.279 Jesus died on the cross, rose from the grave so that you could have life. 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:18.160 But you have to repent of your sins and believe and trust in Jesus alone for your salvation. 00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:19.440 Are you trusting him? 00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:22.559 Have you trusted in Christ alone for your salvation? 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:35.039 This morning, on this beautiful Easter morning, you can receive the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Savior of the world as your Lord and Savior. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:40.640 All you have to do is humble yourself and repent. 00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:45.759 You can receive new life today because Jesus lives. 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:50.400 But not only can you receive new life, you can be used for his glory. 00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:59.359 If you receive Jesus, or if you have received Jesus, then you have a life to live to glorify the Lord. 00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:03.920 But in order to do that, you have to be all in on Jesus. 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:06.400 Are you all in on Jesus? 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:11.200 Are you living for Christ today? 00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:15.119 Or are you living for yourself? 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:22.400 Would you rather pursue your career, your hobbies over Jesus? 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:28.799 Would you prefer to pursue comfort rather than faithfulness? 00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:40.079 When Jesus calls, he asks for our whole life to be laid down at the feet of the cross, to be used by him for his glory and praise. 00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:41.759 Are you surrendered? 00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:47.839 Because Jesus lives, it is a worthwhile endeavor. 00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:54.880 You can be used if you will humble yourself and allow God to use you. 00:31:55.039 --> 00:32:00.799 But not only can you be used for his glory, you can be bold for the Lord. 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:01.680 Did you know that? 00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:06.240 Because Jesus lives, you can be bold because we don't have to fear sin and death. 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:09.599 He has given us victory in Christ. 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:19.200 And fourthly, because he lives, you can be part of the greatest purpose in life. 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:25.759 We see all four of these realities in Saul's transformation and his life in this text. 00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:29.920 He receives new life by trusting in Jesus. 00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:33.839 He is used for God's glory by proclaiming the truth. 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:40.960 He is bold, not fearful for the glory of the Lord. 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:53.839 And then he is used to be part of the greatest mission ever, which is to share the gospel with all he came in contact with. 00:32:56.079 --> 00:33:08.319 You too can live as Paul lived by being simply humble and submitted to the Lord's glory. 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:13.279 But in order to do that, you have to have a personal relationship with Jesus. 00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:17.119 So this morning I'm going to ask simply a simple question. 00:33:23.119 --> 00:33:27.359 Have you ever said yes to Jesus? 00:33:28.079 --> 00:33:37.200 If you haven't, I want to encourage you this morning to simply come and say, I am surrendering all to Jesus because he lives. 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:48.640 For children of God in this room, maybe you haven't been living as submitted as you should, that you've told the Lord no a few times. 00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:55.920 Would you just simply lay those things before him and say, Lord, help me say yes in all things? 00:33:56.319 --> 00:34:18.239 Reveal in my heart areas I have not given to you so that I can glorify you with my life, so I can be part of the greatest purpose in this world, which is to be a child of the living God, serving him faithfully and proclaiming the good news to all I come in contact with. 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:22.400 With every head bowed and eye closed.