acts 9 acts 22 & 26. convert; converted cain - “ but unto cain and to his offering he had not...
TRANSCRIPT
Acts 9
Acts 22 & 26
Convert; Converted
Cain - “But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.” Gen. 4:5a “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, …” Heb. 11:4a
Matt. 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12
His father was a Pharisee.
He was a Jew and a Pharisee.
Born in Tarsus.
Tribe of Benjamin.
Trained under Gamaliel.
Learned the craft of tent making.
Was Zealous
Persecuted the Church
Honest and Sincere
Before His Conversion
Enemy - PersecutorEnemy - PersecutorActs 7:58 - An accompliceActs 7:58 - An accompliceActs 8:1-3 - Havoc of church / Acts 8:1-3 - Havoc of church /
prisonprisonActs 9:1-2 - Threats & murderActs 9:1-2 - Threats & murderActs 22:4-5 – DeathActs 22:4-5 – DeathActs 26:9-11 - “Enraged against Acts 26:9-11 - “Enraged against them”them”
His Conversion - Acts 9:1-19
On the way to Damascus to persecute ChristiansLight from heavenFell to the earth
On the Road to Damascus
His Conversion - Acts 9:1-19
On the way to Damascus to persecute ChristiansLight from heavenFell to the earth
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”“Who are you Lord?”“I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”“Lord, what do You want me to do?““Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
He was Blind
Led by others into Damascus
3 days without eating or drinking
God tells Ananias to go speak to Saul
Ananias hesitant
He went to SaulActs 9:17
Acts 9:18 “And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.”
Saul’s Conversion
Jesus Sent a Preacher
Ananias Told Saul what to do
Later Paul related his conversion
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Acts 22:16
Lessons from Paul’s Conversion
“New Birth”John 3:3-5 “Except a man be born again”1 Pet. 1:22-23 “Being born again,…”
Paul changed from a persecutor to the persecuted
Lessons from Paul’s Conversion
Many make excuses I’m just as good as… Some Christian did me wrong When I have…. I’m too bad
Paul obeyed when he learned what to do !
Lessons from Paul’s Conversion
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18
“Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” II Timothy 4:2
Lessons from Paul’s Conversion
“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:” Acts 26:19
Paul could have chosen to ignore the heavenly calling.
“Choose you this day whom ye will serve” Josh.24:15
Freedom to choose doe not mean we make the best choices. Acts 26:18 Agrippa “Almost”
Lessons from Paul’s Conversion
Paul told others:Acts 22:1-22Acts 26: 9-291 Tim. 1:12-16
This will help others learn what to do
Acts 9:20 “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.”
ESV “And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying “He is the Son of God.”
He had gone to Damascus to punish Christians
He is now preaching Jesus from the synagogues.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16
“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;” 1 Cor. 1:23
1 Cor. 2:1-2 “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
Preaching must be so we can understand Eph.3:4
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Gal. 1:10
Many preach today to please men !
Paul was one of the greatest servants of Christ
Paul is an example or model for us to follow
We learn that….
When we learn the gospel we should obey it
After conversion tell others the good news
Be steadfast and faithful
Sermon by Arthur Pigman
Evans Church of Christ
515 Gibbs Road
Evans, Ga. 30809
706-855-1249
[email protected]@bellsouth.net
www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org
Sunday Evening August 12, 2012