Scripture: Acts 9:1-20
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:11-12
Introduction
- The word repent comes from the Latin word repoenitēre which literally means “change.”
- Another part of the translation of repent is “regret.”
- So, when we say, “repent from sin”, there is an implied overtone of regret that one feels.
- Mainly, because without the sense of regret, “why change!”
- Today’s message is about change – I mean a 180-degree, unbelievable change.
- Who doesn’t like a great comeback story?
- Like Muhammad Ali coming back to beat Joe Frazier and then George Foreman.
- Ali knocked out ole George Foreman all the way into the grill business.
- Then there was Tiger Woods coming back to win the Masters in 2019.
- After 86 years, the Boston Red Sox finally defeated the New York Yankees.
- And then there is Simone Byles who, after dropping out of competition in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, came back to win gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics – amazing.
- These stories are all amazing, but they are nothing compared to the incredible turnaround story of Saul of Tarsus.
- Saul was a Hebrew zealot and tormentor and persecutor of Jesus believers called the Way
- Saul thought what he was doing was right until he had a come-to-Jesus meeting.
- We now know him as the Apostle Paul. A Christian zealot who ministered to Gentiles.
- Yes, Paul the author of 13 or 14 books in the New Testament:
Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and maybe Hebrews.
- That’s about half of the 27 books of the New Testament.
- Pretty good for one of the most notorious anti-Christians in history.
- How is it possible to have such an amazing turnaround?
- The power of Jesus to turnaround
- The power of obedience to turnaround
1. The power of Jesus to turnaround
- Saul was busily targeting Christ-followers in “the way” when he saw an opportunity to go to Damascus and persecute and go after any could find there.
- He went to the high priest to get authorization through the synagogue to arrest them.
- The high priest gave him letters that essentially amounted to arrest warrants.
- As he was walking along the road to Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly appeared.
- He fell on the ground and heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
- He cried out: “Who are you, Lord?”
- He clearly realized that this was someone he should call “Lord”, but didn’t know who.
- He just knew something was up because of the light from heaven and the voice.
- Jesus told him: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”
- The men traveling with Saul were paralyzed and just stood there speechless.
- They could hear Jesus speaking but couldn’t see Him.
- Saul couldn’t see Him either because his eyes were closed.
- And when he finally opened his eyes, he was totally blind.
- In fact, he stayed blind for the next three days.
- They had to help him up off the ground and lead im by hand all the way to Damascus.
- Jesus told him: “get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
- Also, for the next three days he didn’t eat or drink anything.
- The power of Jesus overcame Saul and that was the beginning of his turnaround.
- If you need to change anything in your life, you too must start with Jesus.
2. The power of obedience to turnaround
- The incredible transformation of Saul continues through obedience of Saul and 3 others.
- First, Jesus speaks to a local disciple named Ananias through a vision.
- Again, we have Jesus calling out to Ananias by name first.
- Ananias obediently answers: “Yes Lord?”
- Jesus gives him very specific and detailed instructions.
Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.
- Jesus is setting the stage for a very convincing plot to get through to Saul.
- Saul was such a zealot in the wrong direction that its gonna take some convincing.
- Ananias had heard about Saul and all the terrible things he had done so he was hesitant.
- Ananias told the Lord: “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.”
- Seems kind of funny that Ananias thought he had to remind the Lord, but he was sincere.
- Ananias even went a step further to “inform” the Lord in verse 14:
And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.
- The Lord stood firm and didn’t rebuke Ananias, but explained himself patiently in vs 15:
Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
- He also intimated to Ananias that He would handle in verse 16:
I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.
- Ananias was obedient and did as the Lord told him.
- He went to the house and met Saul
He placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
- As soon as he said these things, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again.
- The very next thing he did was to get baptized.
- And so began the most incredible, amazing turnaround from Saul the persecutor to Paul the minister to the Gentiles.
- Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
- And then he hit the ground running, preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
- The very synagogues where he had arrest warrants for anyone saying, “Jesus is the Son of God.”
- God saw in Saul a fire and a drive that was just going in the wrong direction.
- Through the encounter on the Damascus road with Jesus, the change began.
- Through the obedience of Judas and Ananias, Saul was convinced.
- And then Saul became the most obedient, faithful servant that God needed.
- The same process will work today: REPENT; submit to Jesus Christ, and be OBEDIENT.
- It’s not too late.