Saul Is Converted

Answers Bible Curriculum Year 3 Quarter 3 Lesson 11

This week in Sunday school, we see God’s gospel plan in the book of Acts feature an extremely surprising twist: the conversion of the very one leading the deadly persecution against the Christians! How did wicked Saul receive salvation? What happened to Saul afterwards? Why did God save Saul? And what does all this show us about God and His salvation? We’ll consider these questions and more!

Our main text for Sunday school is Acts 9:1-31.

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all right good morning welcome to Sunday school we are continuing in our study of the New Testament and specifically the book of Acts last week we saw how the gospel spread despite the terrible persecution that was unleashed on the early Christians I saw and the Sanhedrin saw from the account in acts 8 that God is completely sovereign would appear to be a great tragedy God used for good and as a result of the persecution actually the gospel came to Judea Samaria and even Ethiopia God’s plan first told twist the beginning of the book of Acts for the gospel to reach to the ends of the earth was being fulfilled this week though we look at an extremely surprising development in God’s plan that is Saul is converted it’s important to know it’s important for us to get to know this central character to the book of Acts saw later the Apostle Paul Paul wrote 13 letters in the New Testament perhaps 14 if you count Hebrews if you see him as the author of Hebrews he is a very important person for us to know about and he’s also an extremely critical showpiece of the grace of God so let’s pay attention we may know a lot about saw already saw also Paul let’s pay close attention to the text today we may know what God wanted us to know about this man’s conversion let’s pray before we go on I create God this is a wonderful wonderful section of Scripture we get to look at today but help me to be able to explain it well and help us to appreciate the truth of it and that it might impact our lives appropriately in Jesus name Amen before we dig into the text proper let me ask a question for you to think about if you had to guess who is the worst sinner on the earth right now Oh No okay well hold on I wasn’t actually asking you today as for out loud just think about it we might think of a specific kind of person or maybe a specific person who would be the Center is it perhaps a bloody dictator opposed to the saving gospel an unscrupulous businessperson purposefully leading people into sin for profit a self-righteous do-gooder continually piling up offenses before God and in an effort to please God a false teacher claiming to speak for Christ but actually leading people in the darkness or perhaps an anti-christian zealot not only committed to opposing Christianity in word but actually killing Christians wherever they might be now truly it is hard to say who the worst sinner today would be and as someone did say it is good for us to recognize ourselves if they even think of ourselves as the worst sinner we’ll say a little bit more about that later on there’s difficult to say who is the worst because we don’t know the extent of each person’s sins we can’t see into their hearts and we don’t know the culpability factors we don’t know how much a person has heard about God’s truth and still rejected it because the Bible does say he who knew his master’s will and yet would not do it it’s more guilty than the one who did deeds worthy of punishment but didn’t know and we don’t know how much grace God has shown to each person that that person has subsequently spurned or even used for sin though all sinners outside of Christ are in infinitely offensive to God only God knows who is truly the worst but imagine now that some notorious Center some that’s why a sinner repented and believed in Christ even the worst in the world what would happen it is that even possible could such a person like that ever turn to God even one of the ones that I outlined and if so would God ever accept such a person show that person mercy even one who is previously hated God corrupted his people and even tried to kill them and if that person got saved would that person ever be anything more than a second-class citizen in God’s kingdom then fine to the corner really allowed to experience the full blessing fellowship or ministry of God’s church well we already know where I’m going with this amazingly the answer to each one of these questions is yes it is possible for even the worst sinner to turn to God God will accept such a person if he or she turns and God will give that person full salvation of blessings in the church and in the coming Kingdom God can even use the worst sinner as a great instrument for the spread of his gospel and the advocacy of his church and how do we know this because of what God did in the life of Saul of Tarsus let’s now open our Bibles to Acts chapter 9 this is where we’re gonna be looking today Acts chapter 9 we’re gonna start with verses 1 to 1 to 9 but recall what we’ve learned about this certain man Saul of Tarsus up to this point who introduced to him in the end of Acts chapter 7 stephen is giving his defence glorifying Christ but he’s stoned and those putting Stephen to death are laying their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul we’re learning at the beginning of chapter 8 Saul approved of Stephens death and then led a persecution against the Christians last week we mentioned how he was entering the homes of Jewish Christians dragging off men and women it like we had an armed group with him to help him do so and he’s putting these Christians on trial before the Sanhedrin trying to get them to blaspheme and even voting for their death and many of them or some of them did die apparently now there’s some other background pieces of information that useful for us to know about this man Saul we say he saw the Tarsus because according to acts 21 verse 39 saul was born in Tarsus in Cilicia that southern area of Asia Minor Greeks would have pronounced colicchio but Silesia he was born there and he was Roman citizen a very valuable privilege that he was born into it we also learned in Acts chapter 22 verse 3 that Saul was trained by the famous rabbi Gamaliel Emile it was someone that we meet in the beginning the book of Acts remembered the Sanhedrin very prestigious for have I saw was actually trained about him Philippians chapter 3 verses 4 and 5 says something else about Saul kind of summarizing his pedigree Philippians 3 verses 4 and 5 the scriptures say if anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh this is Paul speaking I found more circumcised the eighth day of the nation of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of Hebrews as to the law a Pharisee as to zeal a persecutor of the church as to the righteousness which is in the law found blameless so there’s from this short description we can see that Saul is actually named after the more famous member of the tribe of Benjamin King Saul in Hebrew the work the name saw Showell it means one who was begged for or one who has been pleaded for like a parent would plead for God to give that child this is the man’s name and he’s raised as a as a perfect Hebrew he is not only has a perfect pedigree but he’s he seems perfect on the outside totally righteous a hebrew of hebrews but he’s thoroughly convinced that belief in jesus is a blasphemous heresy don’t know how much he actually encountered Jesus Jesus in Jesus earthly ministry it’s not clear in the scriptures but he was very zealous for the Anti Jesus and Pro fare sake interpretation of Judaism next 26 9 Saul recounts his attitude he says so then I thought to myself I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth so as a result Saul hates Christians and he ultimately hates Jesus Christ as a Messianic imposter he therefore becomes the scourge of the fledgling Christian Church he is a imprison ER of Christians and even a killer of Christians he’s leading the charge to destroy Jesus’s Church all in the name of God no from just looking at Saul from the outside we might say as maybe some said then assuredly such a one is a soul lost forever to Satan and to hell but let’s read what happens in Acts chapter 9 verses 1 to 9 the follow along with me in the text now Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord went to the high priest and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus so that if he found any belonging to the way both men and women he might bring them bound to Jerusalem as he was traveling it happened that he was approaching Damascus and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him Saul Saul why are you persecuting me and he said who are you lord and he said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting but get up and enter the city and it will be told you what you must do the men who travelled with him stood speechless hearing the voice but seeing no one Saul got up from the ground and though his eyes were open he could see nothing and leading him by the hand they brought him into Damascus and he was three days without sight and neither ate nor drank well there’s more to tell about what happens to Saul but let’s observe this first section it says he’s breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord that’s a pretty vivid description what does it communicate one cannot literally breathe threats and murder but by that description what do we learn about salt he is consumed possessed with a singular desire to destroy the disciples of Jesus it’s like his very breath is murder and threats this is his passion this is his goal in life he obtains letters from the high priest notice to use for the synagogue leaders in the place that he’s going to travel the priest is giving saul authority to track down Christian converts even in foreign cities now did the high priest have authority over foreign Jews well apparently I mean he is the high priest that was according to the law a supreme position of authority and whether he formerly had this authority over Jews outside of Judea he at least claimed it and remember the Romans when they governed their various provinces in their empire they tried to be his hands off to the locals as possible if the Jews can take care of the Jews even if it’s a Jews outside of Judea then so be it Romans don’t need to get involved they prefer to have the Jews look after themselves and so if the high priest wants to manage the Jews in this other place that would probably be fine with the Romans the high priest gives us authority to Saul and Saul heads to Damascus now where is Damascus it’s in Syria where Syria yeah it’s north of Israel it’s still on the coast but north of Israel and it would have been one of the Roman provinces at that time he’s heading to Damascus one of the Chiefs cities of Syria and he’s looking for those notices says belonging to the wag on the way is an early label for Christians particularly Jewish Christians from where does this label probably come why would they be called the way yeah this has got to come from Jesus’s own teaching about Jesus being the way the only way to life and to the Father and the Jews of the Jews who believe in Jesus they recognize this of course Jesus said other things about the way he talked about two different ways there’s a wide way in a narrow way but it’s only in the narrow way that leads to life and there’s a reference to that even in this teaching somehow the Christians have become known as followers of the way or adherence to the way and he’s looking for these Christians they’re actually not yet called Christians that comes later in the book of Acts they’re called disciples of Jesus or followers of the way now Saul’s intent is to find these followers and bring them back to chains to Jerusalem so they might be put on trial and be put to death notice this says he’s looking for both men and women he’s not gonna discriminate if you’re a Christian he’s gonna take you down but something happens a song the way a light suddenly flashes around Saul he falls to the ground now did he fall off his horse maybe we don’t know if he was on a horse despite this picture I put on this slide he could have been traveling on an animal but we don’t know that text doesn’t mention that but he falls to the ground and he heard a voice saying Saul Saul why are you persecuting me I apparently doesn’t recognize his voice at first because he says who are you and his use of the term Lord is not necessarily a recognition of Jesus or God that’s what often used as a term of respect just like using the word sir so he says who are you sir or who are you lord and the voice identifies himself to Saul as Jesus whom you are persecuting now Jesus commands Saul to get up enter the city and wait for further instructions but what’s different about Saul when he gets up he’s blind that’s right acts 2211 and giving more information about this instance says that he could not see due to the brightness of the light it’s actually the light that blinded him and he has to be led by the hand or he has to be led by hand by his companions into the city certainly these companions must’ve been spooked by the sudden change and saw and it says they also heard the voice but they saw no one once arriving in the city blinded saw eats and drinks nothing for three days in other words he fasts now let’s recall what is fasting associated with again in that culture primarily extreme trouble and spirit you feel anguish you would fast you don’t feel like eating but also it’s associated with prayer now we give more information about this event describing these verses here in acts 9 later in the book of Acts in Acts chapter 26 and before we talk about the rest of Acts 9 please let’s look at what Paul or what Saul Saul Paul recounts in Acts chapter 26 verses 12 to 18 this is one of the many times that Saul is giving his testimony about what God did on the road to Damascus and at this point he’s testifying before King Agrippa acts 26 verses 12 to 18 listen to what so further testifies happened in the instance we just read acts 26 verse 12 well so engaged in persecuting Christians as it was turning to Damascus with the authority and Commission of the height of the chief priests at midday o King I saw on the way a light from heaven brighter than the sun shining all around me and those who are journeying with me and when we had all fallen to the ground I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew Saul Saul why are you persecuting me it is hard for you to kick against the goads and I said who are you lord and the Lord said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting but get up and stand up and stand on your feet for this purpose I have appeared to you to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which have which you have seen but also to the things in which I will appear to you rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the Dominion of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in me now from this second accounts of what happened on the Damascus Road we get a number of new details notice verse 13 says that this happened at midday the Sun would have been high above and that the light comes from heaven and sources was brighter than the Sun it shined all around Saul and his companions and they all fell to the ground Saul also mentions that Jesus spoke to saw in the Hebrew dialect probably meaning Hebrew Aramaic as is interesting because acts 20:29 another instance where Saul’s recounting his testimony he says that his companions all saw the they all saw the light but they could not understand the voice so piecing this together acts 9 says they heard the sound but they didn’t see who was talking we also know that they saw the light but they couldn’t understand the voice it might be because his companions didn’t speak the Hebrew dialect they didn’t speak Hebrew Aramaic but we also hear that Jesus tells Saul it’s hard for you to kick against the goads what’s a goat now a sharp stick our products like a cattle prod struck and stick for moving animals along or you might attach it to a cart to prevent your animals from kicking back against the cart and Jesus says that’s what you’re doing so you’re kicking against this sharpened stick and that’s only gonna hurt you why are you doing that but he also amazingly Jesus appoints Saul as a minister and witness of Christ he says you’re gonna be a witness not just of what you’ve seen but of what I will further reveal to you actually the way Jesus says it he emphasized that Jesus himself will continue to appear – to Saul and the things in which I will appear to you I’ve appeared to you now but I’m gonna appear to you more and you’re gonna testify those things he’s got more to show Saul and in this foretelling of what Saul would be for Christ he promises rescue to Saul he says I’m gonna rescue you from the Jews and rescue you from the Gentiles there’s an implicit message there that Saul is going to suffer for Jesus and he even says I’m going to be sending you to the Gentiles I’m be sending you to different peoples including the Gentiles to open their eyes to turn them from darkness to light turn them from Satan to God and they this is all for the goal of they will receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in me so we even hear Jesus is laying out you’re gonna be spreading a message of salvation by faith in me among the Gentiles and they’re going to recognize their communal inheritance among God’s holy people you’re gonna open their eyes saw and of course what’s the irony in that statement Saul leaves this encounter blind it and here Jesus says you’re gonna be the one that opens the eyes of many so from with these two descriptions of what what happened at on the Damascus Road just when I asked to interpretation questions how could Jesus say that Saul was persecuting Jesus himself I mean Saul wasn’t literally persecuting Jesus say that again that’s right the church is Christ’s body if you if you impact the body you’re gonna impact the head of that body even more explicitly when Jesus talks about when he describes the judgment of the sheep and the goats the parable of the sheep and the goats the judgment is based on what they did to his disciples and he tells them whatever you did to the least of them you did to me so indeed Saul was persecuting Jesus himself by going after his followers indeed even as you say the members of his body another question Saul had a very anti-christian plan set up for his life he’s gonna arrest Christians dragging them back in Chains and execute them but Jesus arrested Saul in a sense on the Damascus Road with his sudden confrontation so what attribute of Jesus is highlighted in these two passages we’ve read is sovereignty yeah we could point to other elements but chiefly his sovereignty Jesus is God God does whatever he pleases and Psalm a hadith may have had a plan for himself but God said that’s not what you’re going to do in fact I’m going to confront you and put you on a totally different course this is the sovereignty of God clearly displayed so we have salt blinded deeply troubled fasting completely for three days but what happened next let’s go back to Acts chapter 9 and we’ll read the rest of the account about Saul here acts 9 verses 10 to 31 let’s see what happens next now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias and the Lord said to him in a vision Ananias and he said Here I am Lord and the Lord said to him get up and go to the street called straight and inquire the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul for he is praying and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him that he might regain his sight but in a nice answered Lord I have heard from many about this man how much harm he did to your Saints at Jerusalem and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name but the Lord said to him go for he is a chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel for I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake so Ananias departed and entered the house and after laying his hands on him said brother Saul the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales and he regained his sight anakata was baptized and he took food and was strengthened now for several days he was with the disciples were at Damascus and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogue saying he is the son of God all those hearing him continued to be amazed and we’re saying is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on his on this name and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests but Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ when many days had elapsed the Jews plotted together to do away with him but their plot became known to saw they were also watching the gates day and nights that he they might put him to death but his disciples took him by night and led him down through an opening in the wall lowering him a large basket when he came to Jerusalem he was trying to associate with the disciples but they were all afraid of him not believing that he was a disciple but Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the Apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road that he had talked to him and how it Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus and he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord and he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews but they were attempting to put him to death but when the Brethren learned of it they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus so the church throughout all Judea and gallery’ Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace being built up and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit they continued to increase it’s just an amazing outcome to all of this but let’s observe this section God communicates with a certain Ananias and division though several Ananias is in the book of Acts this is one of them God commands this Ananias go to a certain Street inquire at a certain house for a certain man Saul of Tarsus lay your hands on this man that he can receive his site this Saul is praying and he’s seen you come so that you can do this healing now this description that Saul was praying it informs us a little bit of what was going on earlier he’s not eating he’s not drinking it is connected with his praying he is praying to God now Ananias hesitates to follow the Lord’s order because he he mentions I know Saul by reputation I know what he did to your people and it’s as if you can even see Saul in this this description from God this vision from God he says he look he has led us from the high priests to bind Christians probably saw would have actually sought out Ananias to bind him and bring him back but the Lord reiterates his command and nice and he gives some reasons for a bang he says go he’s my chosen instrument to bear witness before Gentiles kings and the sons of Israel and then this arresting statement for I will show him how much he must suffer from my sake well at this Ananias obeys and when he speaks to Saul fine Saul speaks of Saul he calls him brother Saul and he reminds all of his experience on the road and he says that Jesus sent Ananias to give saw his sight and to cause saw to be filled with the Holy Spirit and when he lays his hands on Saul there’s this physical sign that accompanies the end of Saul’s blindness something like scales fell from his eyes now what does Saul to you next immediately he’s baptized and it’s only then that Saul takes food and there’s then strengthen Saul stays with the disciples the very people you come to arrest and drag away and then notice what else happens immediately he goes to the synagogues and begins to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God this is what four or five days after he had after Jesus confronted him and now he’s in the synagogues proclaiming can you imagine the shock of all who saw and heard Saul doing this I mean it’s described in the text isn’t this the one who was destroying Christians in Jerusalem he came here and do the same thing now he’s he’s proclaiming Christ as Messiah Jesus as Messiah this would have dumbfounded anybody would ever heard of Saul Tarsus he indeed became a powerful witness of Jesus in Damascus text says he kept increasing his strength he was confounding the Jews but after many days it says what did the Jews and that place plan to do but kill Saul does this remind you of anyone recently someone who confounded the Jews Stephen and it’s certainly Jesus before him but this is a same description that was given to Stephen Stephen before he was hauled in to be tried and then killed but you know I’m also reminded of another person who else in Jesus’s own ministry was such an obvious display of Jesus’s supernatural power that the Jews determined to destroy him Lazarus right it says after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead they were determined to put Lazarus today because on his account many people were believing in Jesus it was just such an obvious display of Jesus is Jesus is God all right his deity in power now gotta get rid of him that’s the same conclusion these Jews come to we got to get rid of this guy salt but the plot became known to Saul it surely hides himself from their plans but they’re watching the gates you can’t even leave the city day and night they’ve steadfastly determined to accomplish their murder and give Saul no ability to leave but God provided another way Saul managed to escape by being let down by his disciples in a basket by a window in the wall or some another translation would be over over over the wall now this escape is later treated by Paul in second Corinthians as a clear example of the humiliation that comes with being a follower of and an apostle of Jesus Christ says ouch I went from the star of Judaism with a high priest own authority to seize Christians and Damascus and other places to a wanted man forced to flee the city through a hole in the wall the next place we hear about Saul going to Inditex is Jerusalem he’s not immediately received by the Brethren there though and we can understand why last they knew of saw he was trying to kill it but who takes the lead and making Saul accepted Barnabas this isn’t the first time we meet him he actually appears back in the early chapters of Acts he gave away a piece of land and he took the proceeds and he laid it at the Apostles feet so that they might provide for any believers who were in need he’s a man that throughout the book of Acts lives up to his name does anyone know what Barnabas means son of encouragement that’s a great name so Barnabas he takes Saul and he brings him before the Apostles and he shares Saul’s testimony Saul’s then received by the Apostles and the other Jerusalem believers and he’s allowed to fellowship freely and he quickly returns to proclaiming Christ and confounding the Jews and this time is the Hellenized Jews are in Jerusalem remember Hellenized means the ones who have been influenced by the Greeks or who lived in an area very influenced by the Greeks now this same group was the one that most recently sparred with Stephen now what do you know they have the same response to solve what Saul confounds them they again look to kill Saul it says they will they were continually doing this they were continually plotting to kill Saul but what did the Brethren do when they hear of it they bring saul or scored saul to Caesarea as it probably Caesarea maritima on the coast of northern Israel and they send him off the Tarsus in Cilicia by boat sidenote not mentioned here but Saul will remain in Tarsus until Barnabas goes to pick up Saul in Acts 11 verse 26 we they’re that Barnabas went to look for Saul and Tarsus and he found them there but then there’s this summary statement in verse 31 peace after after Saul was converted in Saul traveled to these various locations peace returned to the growing church of Jesus and they continued to grow up in faith and they continue to multiply continue to share the gospel and more people were coming to know Jesus having observed the second section second section we have a lot of interpretation questions to discuss so let’s look at this first how did saul go from being a full unbeliever and persecutor of Christians drew claimer of christ a son of god so quickly yeah so you bring up a good point Paul certainly we know that he’s believed the gospel it’s striking it’s very noticeable that when Anna nice meets all he says brother Saul and he’s intent on having saw received the Holy Spirit which is so something that only happens to believers so how soon after Jesus’s confrontation that saw believed it’s not entirely clear it may have been actually at that moment because he says I’m commissioning you as my witness but it may have taken some time for Saul to implore man think through and you certainly praying and during these three days and fasting but as a result of this supernatural confrontation by God and the subsequent indwelling of the Holy Spirit salt was a changed man an empowered man one who immediately felt compelled to proclaim Jesus Christ here again we see someone who’s a new believer but immediately goes into the work of proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God and more to the point of what we said last week you don’t have to be a seasoned believer to be used by God you can be a new Christian and start telling people about the Lord and that’s exactly what Saul does that’s the power of God’s Holy Spirit in a person that’s the change that comes from salvation yes Steve that’s true that’s a good point yes we know this all was well had some training in the scriptures now he had to kind of unlearn what he had learned yeah the Holy Spirit was leading him to a new conclusions based on the gospel of Jesus but you’re right the in the sense the Lord had prepared him for this work but like we said last time these new believers also who were trained up by the Apostles in Jerusalem they didn’t have the same privileges I saw and yet they did the same thing so it is true what you say but it is indeed the power of the Holy Spirit yes we right well say more about in just a second Dwayne you point out that salsa specifically I didn’t receive the gospel from man but I received it through the revelation of Christ and we have more to say about Jesus’s promise now I’m gonna train you more but certainly it is remarkable that he is so quickly declaring the gospel even only on small number of days after Jesus confronted him where’s the significance of Saul’s blindness the falling scales and the regained sight is that just some interesting physical details yeah I agree I think this is symbolic not that these things weren’t literal but they have a symbolic significance what did Jesus say about the Pharisees in his own ministry they are blind guides leading the blind Saul was a Pharisee and he became physically blind but then the Lord opened his eyes which is exactly what the Lord did spiritually for Saul and this was indeed even a testimony for everybody who’s who encountered Saul now another question did Saul’s conversion result in a name change actually may have noticed that there’s no mention in Bandar text Saul doesn’t become Paul here in fact it doesn’t take place until Acts chapter 13 verse 9 that’s when Luke first writes Saul who was also known as Paul or in the Greek solace it was also known as Paulus but it’s other thing that that’s where the name change occurs because what else begins in Acts chapter 13 Sall goes on his first missionary journey and that’s no accident that the name change happens there because what’s the difference between the two names saul and paul saul is a hebrew name and paul is a Roman name Paul’s a Roman name in fact we even see that in Acts chapter 13 one of the Roman dignitaries that Paul meets is a guy named Sergius Paulus it’s the same name as Paul so it’s no accident that when Saul begins his ministry his formal ministry as a missionary to the Gentiles to the Romans that Paul starts to go by a Roman name now it’s not clear when he first received this name or why they may have been an additional name given to Saul because he was a Roman citizen or it may simply been an accommodation that’s all made for his Gentile audience just call me Paul you know that name it’s now similar to Saul but Saul would have been one that they were familiar with just call me Paul so that name change doesn’t occur with his conversion but it has something to do with Saul’s missionary journeys later on another question was the was the Lord’s promise that Saul would suffer for him punishment for what Saul did to the church no it’s not and why can we say that it’s not because in salvation the full penalty of sin is paid there’s nothing left that God says alright you’re saved but I still got to punish you for this thing now all of it was paid for by Christ now it’s true that some sins have natural consequences that are gonna come whether the repentance takes place or not but that’s not what we’re talking about here this the reason that Jesus expresses this Ananias is not because Saul deserves it and he’s gonna get it everything that Saul deserved was paid for by Jesus when Saul was saved so it must be for some other reason that Jesus says this to Ananias for one it would have been a reassuring to Ananias that far from causing Christians to suffer Saul himself would suffer for Christ’s sake so Ananias could go and heal him another question where does Saul’s trip to Arabia fit in all of this you say trip to Arabia well turn over to Galatians 1 Galatians chapter 1 we get another description of Saul salvation experience with some details that are a little different than than what we’ve read thus far relations chapter 1 verses 15 to 24 Galatians 1 15 to 24 Paul saw Paul’s again describing his salvation experience but when God who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace was pleased to reveal his son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me but I went away to Arabia and returned once more to Damascus then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas that’s Peter and stayed with him 15 days but I did not see any of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother now what I’m writing to you I assure you before God that I’m not lying then I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia I was still unknown by sight to the church which were in Christ but only they kept hearing he who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy and they were glorifying God because of me so this adds some details not mentioned in Acts chapter 9 at some points all makes a trip to Arabia or Nabataean Nabataean Arabia would have been east and south of Judea and Syria so where does this fit exactly with what we get in acts 9 well there are two ways I could see it fitting Acts and I mentions that after many days he went up to Jerusalem so it may be that Saul’s converted he began speaking in the synagogue and then goes into Arabia for a time for about three years comes back to Damascus preaches again is nearly killed escapes and goes immediately to Jerusalem or it could be that he’s preaching in Damascus he’s nearly killed he escapes he goes to Arabia for three years then comes back to a Damascus for a short time and then goes to Jerusalem either way it has to has to fit in there because what Saul says afterwards I didn’t go Jerusalem until after those three years in Arabia I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood Paul’s point in Galatians 1 is is as Dwayne mentioned earlier he’s trying to show I didn’t get my gospel message from the other apostles I didn’t get it from any man I was giving it by Christ himself and that wouldn’t work if he if he had gone up to Jerusalem right away what he says in Galatians wouldn’t make sense he would be contradicting himself and notice that the end of this passing the Galatians he says after I went to Jerusalem I then went to Syria and Cilicia which is exactly what acts 9 says after being in Jerusalem they sent him to Tarsus which is in Cilicia so what was Saul doing in those three years in Arabia well based on what Jesus says in acts 9 he was apparently being taught by the Lord mm oh Jesus said I have other things in which I will reveal myself to you you’re going to testify things it’s interesting John MacArthur points out that just as Jesus spent three years with his disciples the twelve training them so it seems he spent three years with Saul training him for ministry in Arabia and in Damascus because to be a true apostle Saul would have to be taught by Jesus himself that’s the requirement for an apostle and indeed salt shows himself to be an apostle throughout the New Testament so I would say his trip to Arabia must fit in one of these two ways and now the big question why did the Lord choose to save Saul of Tarsus clearly the Lord did it for his own glory and that’s what God does everybody that’s what God always does in salvation but the New Testament letters give us more specific information and it shows us that God did this to show the greatest the great extent of God’s patience and mercy now this has something to do with the question that came up last week why did Saul obtain mercy from God turn over the first team at the temporary chapter one we can see how Saul actually expresses this himself 1st Timothy chapter 1 and we’ll look at verses 12 to 17 you can see that this conversion experience of saw appears in many ways in the New Testament this is a very central event and the Apostle Paul will be used in such a great way that it it’s no accident listen what Paul says in 1st Timothy wanders is fall 2:17 he says well I think I might have the wrong text here first Timothy oh that second teacher ok there we go first Timothy 1 verse 12 I think Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me because he considered me faithful putting me into service even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus it is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance that Christ Jesus came to the world to save sinners among whom I am foremost of all there for this reason I found mercy so that in me as the foremost Jesus Christ might demonstrate his perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life now to the king eternal immortal invisible the only God the honor and glory forever and ever amen now notice from this passage in first Timothy that twice Paul refers to the mercy of God as the reason why he was saved it was because of God’s great mercy but he describes the application of this mercy in two ways the reason for this mercy verse 13 because I acted ignorantly in unbelief I was shown mercy and verse 16 I was shown mercy so that I as the foremost might be a demonstration of Christ’s patience and ability to save sinners translation for most here in the new American Standard I think is a good one since the word means the chief one the most prominent the greatest of that category Paul claims here I am the worst sinner and for that reason I was shown mercy so that God’s glorious patience might be put on display for all now what’s Paul really the worst scenario diddily simply feel that way well some say he just felt that way and truly and I think I began to allude to this earlier when we understand the weight of our own sin before God we too ought to cry out that we are the worst think of the tax collector and that one parable from Jesus that ferrocene the tax collector the tax collector said God be merciful to me the sinner that is the sinner par excellence I’m the worst and God said Jesus said that man went home justified rather than the Pharisee you thank God for how righteous he was so in one sense that should be our attitude but I’m inclined to think this all really was the worst sinner hence the power of his conclusion considered the display of God’s patience in saving even the worst now Saul was only a pretty bad sinner then some might be encouraged to come and seek God but others who assure that they were far worse than Paul they might still despair but salt salt Paul says no I’m the worst you can’t be worse than I already was and I was shown mercy therefore based on what Paul says here no repentant sinner should ever despair of being saved because if God saved Saul the Christian killer he can save anyone likewise no person praying or witnessing ought to despair of seeing even the worst sinner save because of what God did with Saul but what if Saul’s first line of reasoning I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief I wrestled a lot with this question since it came up last week in Sunday school done a little bit of research softened counsel even from others here at the seminary I could probably spend a lot of time trying to think through and talk through this question with you but let me just present a few bullet points certainly Saul’s not minimizing or excusing his sin because that would contradict is claimed to be the chief of sinners and contradict God’s consequent display of patience and mercy insult many interpreters see a theme in the Bible distinguishing willful sin from ignorant sin for example in the Old Testament there’s something termed presumptuous sin or sin done with a high hand and strikingly for those sins the Old Testament law prescribes that there is no ability for atonement there’s no forgiveness possible for such sins whereas other sins done by accident are done ignorantly they can receive a tongue they these interpreters then linked what the Old Testament says well Jesus says about the unpardonable sin those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit have no hope of forgiveness and what the writer Hebrew says in chapter 6 of Hebrews that those who fall away from the faith those who taste Christ become believers but then a pasta sighs that there’s no hope for them for renewed repentance moreover Acts chapter 3 and acts 17 present sermons in which ignorance sins done and ignorance is linked with the possibility of repentance Peter says in acts 3 look you crucified Jesus the Messiah you Jews but you did it in ignorance now God’s giving you opportunity to repent Paul says in acts 17 you Gentiles you’ve been worshipping idols God has overlooked this time ignorant but now he’s calling you all to repent so is Paul aligning with this saying my sins were done in ignorance therefore they could still be forgiven that’s why I was shown mercy well encounter to this even though the Old Testament does talk about presumptuous sin one of the presumptuous sins listed is premeditated murder Exodus 21 verse 14 if you commit premeditated murder you cannot receive atonement according to the law but who committed premeditated murder and was still forgiving David the king and we could even add Moses they commit a premeditated murder yet they were for you moreover some argue that those New Testament situations describing blasphemy of the spirit and even the apostasy of Hebrews 6 that their situations that don’t apply today because they involved in miracles that Jesus the Apostles did we can’t blaspheme the spirit in the same way that they could in that day so we can’t be barred from forgiveness moreover Ephesians 4:17 link’s ignorance with the reason that Gentile unbelievers are excluded from the life of God far from giving them mercy ignorance is what brings about their condemnation so all of us to say there’s some tension here that I feel like I would need more time to figure out but here’s some conclusions I’m I’m coming to for now certainly there was an element of ignorance to solve sin s that there is indeed with all the Jews and he links that ignorant to God’s ability to extend mercy to him if there is indeed a distinction in the scriptures between ignorant and willful sin and the ability to still be saved as a result none of us will ever be able to tell when someone crosses the line for ignorant sintel willfulness because even the worst sinner saw did all his sin in ignorance so still I say no one turning to God should ever despair because if they repent God will still forgive him for the sins done in ignorance at one final question of interpretation somewhat related there’s a formerly sinful life help or hurt someone’s ability to follow Christ and be a testimony for him well on the one hand a former sinful life or formal way of sin it can hurt a new believer if he’s not diligent to protect himself against falling back into those former sins he’s gonna he’s gonna have some challenges that others who didn’t participate in those sins he’s gonna have some challenges in his Christian life not going back to those things over there’s so much regret that one experience is over the damage and waste of sinful days it’s not like any of us would ever say oh you know if I had a chance I would do all those sins again not at all but what did Jesus teach in the parable of the two debtors the one forgiving little does what loves little and the one forgiven much loves much there is a connection between seeing your terrible sinfulness and loving Christ even the more because of it consider what Saul says in 1st Corinthians 15 as he rehearses the gospel 1st Corinthians 15 verses 8 & 8 to 10 Saul’s describing our Paul is describing Jesus’s appearances after his resurrection and he says and last of all as to one untimely born he appeared to me also try no least to fie apostle and not fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God but by the grace of God I am what I am and His grace toward me did not prove vain but I laboured even more than all of them that is all the Apostles yet not i but the grace of God with me so Saul says I was the worst sinner but I became the most or one of the most if not the most zealous apostle for Jesus Christ so his former life was sinfulness actually produced in him and the greatest sermon hood and zeal for Jesus Christ how does this mean unless you’ve lived a really simple life in the past that you’ll never amount to much for God well no but we can draw two conclusions from this one as I think I’ve said already past sin does not mean you can’t be used greatly by God and to the more you appreciate your past sinfulness and God’s grace to you the more you’ll be motivated and empowered to witness Jesus Christ don’t think that because you’re not a former criminal womanizer drug user etc that you somehow I haven’t been horrendous sinner before God the fact that you think you haven’t been that bad is actually more evidence that you really were that bad the Pharisee is just as much an offense to God as the prodigal the self-righteous son of the church is as much a devil as the fast and loose son of the streets though you might not be as bad as Paul when you realize just how sinful you were and even are you ought to come to his same conclusion I think I’m the chief of sinners but God’s grace is greater price has fully paid the sin debt even for you if you have believed in him live then as one aware of the great sin debt paid by Christ on your behalf and declare to others God’s mercy impatient shown to you we’ve seen this morning an incredible and surprising testimony of God’s grace to one sinner but falls just one testimony how many others can testify the same way that despite the different backgrounds they all can testify of the overwhelming grace of God shown to them despite their heaps of sin I hope that’s your testimony to this morning we’re out of time but I’ll just mention a few questions of application things for you to think about as a result of this lesson have your eyes been opened like Saul of Tarsus were have you seen the same things that he needed to see is there anyone in your life that you stopped believing can be or should be saved do you not yet realize that even the worst person you know is a potential brother or sister in Christ and a powerful witness of God’s grace remember God’s sovereignty and remember God’s mercy extend the same in your own life and finally are you ashamed of your Christian testimony because it’s not as dramatic as someone else’s don’t be look in your own testimony of the profound grace shown to you by God and realize that just as many prodigal zhh might be touched by the testimony of a prodigal many Pharisees you need to be touched by the testimony of one who was good on the outside but wrong on the inside every testimony of God’s work is precious and powerful don’t minimize yours God has saved you the way he did for a reason now that’s it for this week next week we’ll look as the gospel officially goes to the Gentiles as a Roman centurion hears the Gospel message from the Apostle Peter any other questions or comments in today’s lesson just email me let’s close in prayer God we thank you for this wonderful testimony of your grace and Lord I pray that you’d help the people to meditate on their own and the own way that you’ve done you’ve shown grace to each of them see just how simple they were so that they might magnify you Allah and Jesus name Amen yeah welcome all I will see you next week