Easter Sunday 2022 - Acts 9: 1-19 We shared The Lord's Supper (communion) with each other during the service. Communion ought to be an act of faith where we (re)discover all we need in Jesus’ death and resurrection. We can not only receive forgiveness, but we can also receive the ability to forgive. We not only receive healing, but we also receive the ability to believe for others to encounter God’s amazing love.
Meeting people who leave important footprints in our lives affect us and others as well. I have met a lot of well-known people in this world, but they were not the ones who impacted me the most. Some impacted me with a sentence, or a particular teaching, or their lifestyle. Over the course of my life, there have been many mentors who have profoundly influenced me. Some don’t know me or how their connection to me affected my life. Still, I am exceedingly grateful. As is the fellow in the text today:
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Committed to God and defending his honor, following his understanding of the scriptures Saul is going to stamp out this new movement of Messiah followers. He is going to keep the traditions handed down through his forefathers. He is waiting for a real deliverer who will establish the Kingdom of David again and return all to the glory days of old. His zeal has blinded him. This Jesus they are talking about is dead and cannot fulfill the goals expected by the real Messiah. These rebels are deceived. Jesus was cursed by dying on a tree. Saul’s zeal for God drives him to rid the world of this menace. Notice that the church is already expanding beyond what was already noted!
Saul was not prepared for the Damascus Road encounter:
Life Changing Encounters
Sins, transgressions, iniquity: gross injustice or wickedness
3 Dark Days – and a radical transformation
What goes on in his head during this time? Seeing his iniquity Isaiah 53:6
The resurrection is not just an historical event, it is a personal experience for all who meet him
Chuck Colson the former White House advisor knows the reality of the Resurrection from the lying perspective! Now we don’t just look back we look at our need now for the activity of God in our lives. He can change everything! The gross transformation he needed; is what we all need. From a self based perspective on life to a God based perspective on life! Relying on the activity of Jesus to do what he promises in his way and time. This includes many surprising activities when we expect him to show up!
A calling and a promise
At his conversion, Saul receives his life’s calling
The means involvement of the community and action of the Holy Spirit who is obviously in charge of building trust, relationships, obedience in the face of danger.
God’s perspective is greater than ours! From individualistic to building a Kingdom that cannot be defeated and covers the earth over all time!
What God does with broken vessels
Here is an example of what God does with those who trust him:
Takes our misconceptions and our own abilities to change and he carries them on our behalf- and then gives us the power to conquer the devil’s activity in our lives. He delivers us from great and small things! From sin, transgression, and iniquity!
Who is this Lord? He is the Lord of all! He breaks down the racial divides, the cultural divides, as well as the sin, transgression, and iniquity divides! He unites his followers with His Father!