THE CHURCH WINS AN ENEMY
Lesson: Vv 1-8]
According to freddie, "The best way to get rid of your enemies is to make friends of 'em"
Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Acts 9:2 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.
Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:5 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.
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.
Acts 9:7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
Acts 9:8 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.
Introduction; The effects of today's lesson upon western civilization and today's world.
1. Saul unintentionally aided the spread of the Gospel by persecuting the Church.
Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
Acts 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
2. His actions then, added to the depth of his commitment later.
1 Cor 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1 Cor 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
3.God directed his efforts toward the Western world instead of the East.
Acts 16:7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
Acts 16:8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
Acts 16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
4. Though often trampled underfoot, the principles of the Gospel still have a tremendous influence on the thinking, culture and even the laws of the Western world.
5. The Lord's churches have thrived in western culture, even as they have influenced it. They have withered in Eastern cultures with very little influence upon it. (Though there is evidence that some may have persevered in hiding, while
many in the west are dying because of complacency.)
V-1&2. Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Acts 9:2 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.
1. Like most sinners under conviction by the Holy Spirit, He becomes even more determined and vicious in his sins.
( I once had a lady tell me that perhaps we should STOP praying for her husband because he just seemed to be getting meaner; but we kept on praying, and that meanness was what the Lord used to finally convict (convince) him that he needed a change which only God could bring about.)
2. and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues.
He was not a tool of the priests in this; he was using them to further his depravity. He desired to keep it all legal. This was the self-righteous pharisee in him. However, he took personal responsibility for his own actions.
I Cor 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Paul NEVER tried to blame someone else for what he had done.
Vv 3-5. Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:5 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.
2. Like a deer caught in a spotlight, Saul was immobilized. A sinner under conviction cannot shake off the Holy Spirit without dooming his soul.
Pro 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
3.I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: Any harm to a Scriptural New Testament Church is a personal affront to Jesus Christ for it is His body and His Bride.
I Cor 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
I Cor 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
4.. kick against the pricks. Picture a stubborn ox as it kicks and rebels against the goads with which it is being driven. The harder it rebels, the more severe the pressure to obey.
Every sinner must finally come to the realization that it is not a contest between him and the preacher or those who witness to him. It is between him and the Lord. To resist the Holy Spirit is to rebel against Christ.
Vv 6-8.
1. v 6. And he trembling and astonished said; No one comes to a personal encounter with Christ and remains unchanged.
2. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? This seems to have been the moment of his new birth. He knew by instinct that he now had a responsibility to serve the one he had formerly despised.
3.And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Accepting Christ is not the end of our responsibility to Christ. It is the BEGINNING!
4. v 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
God deals in one-on-one relationships. As an individual, you are important to Him.
5. v 8 and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
The babe in Christ must be led by the hand because he is totally unaware of what lies ahead. God will see to it that he is brought to a knowledge of Biblical requirements for him, IF he will but submit to the leadership provided, and STUDY and follow God's instructions.
The proud, in-charge pharisee, had to submit to being the student instead of the teacher.
6. They led him to scriptural baptism.
Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.