WEBVTT

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 Christ. Lord, open our ears and our minds to hear from you this morning, we pray. Amen.

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 Well, friends, this morning we're continuing our series in the book of Acts, and we are looking at

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 Acts chapter 9, verses 1 through 31. So let me invite you to turn there with me. Acts chapter 9,

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 verses 1 through 31.

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 Let me read this text for us.

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 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the

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 high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus so that if he found any

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 belonging to the way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way,

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 he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the

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 ground, he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said,

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 who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city,

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 and you will be told what you are to do. The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,

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 hearing the voice, but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened,

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 he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days

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 he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias.

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 The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, here I am, Lord. And the Lord said to him,

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 rise and go to the street called Straight. And at the house of Judas, look for a man of Tarsus named Saul.

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 And behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his

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 hands on him so that he might regain his sight. But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many

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 about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from

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 the chief priests to bind all who call on your name. But the Lord said to him, go, for he is a chosen

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 instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

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 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. So Ananias departed and entered

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 the house. And laying his hands on him, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you

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 on the road by which you came, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy

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 Spirit. And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight.

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 Then he rose and was baptized. And taking food, he was strengthened.

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 For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus, and immediately he proclaimed Jesus

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 in the synagogue, saying, He is the Son of God. And all who heard him were amazed and said,

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 Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon his name? And has he not come

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 here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests? But Saul increased all the more

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 in strength and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

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 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul.

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 They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night

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 and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. And when he had come to

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 Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe

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 that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them

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 how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly

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 in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of

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 the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.

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 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

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 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking

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 in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

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 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.

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 I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see. Those are some of the most familiar

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 words in English hymnody, aren't they? And the writer, John Newton, the story of his conversion

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 is also incredibly well known. He was an 18th century ship captain and slave trader. In his own words,

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 he was an infidel and a libertine. And yet one day at sea, he met Jesus Christ and his life changed.

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 In time, he would leave the slave trade, become a minister of the Church of England,

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 and end up becoming an active supporter of the abolition of slavery.

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 His conversion to Christ made a complete change.

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 Of course, the radical and obvious 180 of John Newton's life doesn't initially seem to be the

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 pattern of everyone who becomes a Christian, does it? Some grow up in the church and come to believe

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 in Jesus at a young age. Some come to faith gradually over time. Experiences and stories radically differ.

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 John Newton's conversion happened at sea in the middle of a severe storm in a ship that nearly sunk.

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 Compare that with C.S. Lewis.

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 In 1929, in his room at Maudlin College, Oxford, after much intellectual and personal wrestling,

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 he finally came to believe in God,

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 calling himself the most reluctant convert in all England.

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 That was his coming to believe in God. His actual commitment to Christ

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 came a couple years later, after a long night talking with friends,

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 in the morning, headed to the zoo with his brother,

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 riding in the sidecar of his motorcycle.

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 When we set out, I did not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Lewis writes,

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 and when we reached the zoo, I did.

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 It's hard to imagine two pictures more different than that.

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 A slave trader, face down, in a sinking ship,

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 and an Oxford Don pondering the Son of God in the sidecar of a motorcycle.

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 And yet for all the differences,

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 is there something in common,

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 something similar running through them all?

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 What is the nature of genuine Christian conversion?

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 And that's an important question.

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 It's an important question if you're considering the claims of Christ

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 and wondering what it actually means to become a Christian.

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 But it's also an important question if you already are one.

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 Because the dynamics of becoming a Christian

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 are actually the same ones that function throughout the Christian life

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 for our growth.

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 So it's a good exercise, even for believers,

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 to go back to the beginning

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 and consider again what conversion actually means.

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 Well, this morning we're considering

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 one of the most famous conversions in all of religious history, right?

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 The conversion of the man we now call the Apostle Paul.

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 And as we'll see, there's a lot of unique things about Paul's conversion,

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 things that really can't and aren't going to be repeated today.

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 But this passage also displays

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 some of the most essential things

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 about every conversion to Christ.

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 In this chapter in Acts,

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 we're shown how Jesus Christ

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 radically turns around Paul's life.

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 In fact, that's what the word conversion actually means,

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 to be turned around.

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 And in so doing, it shows us what it means

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 for Jesus to turn our lives around.

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 Paul himself saw his conversion this way,

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 as an example for other believers.

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 We read earlier in 1 Timothy 1,

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 but I receive mercy for this reason,

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 that in me,

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 as the foremost of sinners,

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 Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience

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 as an example

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 to those who are to believe in him

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 for eternal life.

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 There it is.

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 Paul's conversion,

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 an example of what Jesus does

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 for those who believe.

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 So let's follow the narrative of Acts 9,

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 and let's look at the nature of Christian conversion this morning.

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 And we're going to take it in four parts.

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 And the first part is right in verses 1 and 2.

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 I haven't given the sort of points of my sermon

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 very creative titles this morning,

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 so there you go.

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 I titled this one,

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 Jesus, Paul before meeting Jesus.

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 Then the second one's going to be,

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 Paul meets Jesus.

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 The third point is,

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 Paul after meeting Jesus.

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 Jesus.

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 And then the fourth point is,

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 a summary.

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 So there you go.

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 There's my creative outline.

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 So first,

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 verses 1 and 2,

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 Paul before meeting Jesus.

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 Now we met Paul at the end of chapter 7,

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 do you remember?

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 In the beginning of chapter 8.

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 And in these chapters,

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 Luke refers to Paul

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 by his Hebrew name, Saul.

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 It was a very common practice

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 for Hebrews in the first century

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 to have a Hebrew name

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 and also to have a Roman name.

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 So Saul had a Roman name,

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 Paul,

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 and that's what we typically know him by.

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 And in fact,

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 in Acts chapter 13,

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 when Paul sort of launches out

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 in the Gentile mission,

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 Luke will begin referring to him as Paul

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 pretty much for the rest of the narrative

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 since he's there among the Gentiles.

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 And in fact,

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 as we know,

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 that's the name that Saul,

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 Paul will use

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 in all of his letter to the churches.

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 But here,

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 he's referred to as Saul.

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 Back in chapter 7,

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 what do we find?

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 We find Saul

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 at the execution of Stephen,

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 approvingly holding people's coats

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 while they throw the stones.

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 And after that,

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 we see him ravaging the church in Jerusalem,

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 going from house to house,

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 dragging men and women off to prison.

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 In other words,

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 he is the spearhead

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 of the opposition to the gospel.

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 He is the arch enemy of the church,

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 Saul,

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 the zealous young Pharisee

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 from Tarsus,

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 brought up in Jerusalem.

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 And now,

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 Luke picks up the story

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 in chapter 9.

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 And what we find there

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 is that he's doing everything he can

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 to stop the church

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 from spreading to other cities.

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 You see,

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 for Saul,

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 the message of Jesus

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 is like gangrene.

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 It's like a deadly disease

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 that's moving very quickly

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 and has to be stopped

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 as violently

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 and as vigorously

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 as he possibly can.

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 So he's using

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 whatever means he might find

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 to cut it off.

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 And Damascus,

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 this very ancient city

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 in the Middle East,

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 with a large Jewish population

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 and with multiple synagogues,

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 was, of course,

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 a reasonable target

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 for Saul's attack.

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 Now, perhaps the most striking thing

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 about Luke's description

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 of Paul here

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 are the overtones

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 of the language

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 that he uses.

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 Even that initial phrase,

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 breathing threats

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 and murder,

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 it actually

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 conveys the picture

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 of a wild beast

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 stalking

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 and tearing

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 at its prey.

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 It's almost as if

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 Paul's hatred

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 of Christianity,

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 of the way,

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 as Luke calls it,

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 had begun

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 to steal his humanity.

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 His hatred of Christ

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 was turning him

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 into a wild animal

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 of violence

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 and rage.

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 Now we see

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 why years later

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 Paul would look back

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 on this part of his life,

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 his persecution

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 of the church,

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 and say,

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 I am the chief

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 of sinners.

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 Of course,

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 if there was anyone

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 that the early church

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 thought would never

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 have become

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 a follower of Jesus,

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 it was Saul.

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 We see from verse 13

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 that he was notorious.

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 Everyone in Damascus,

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 before he even got there,

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 had heard that he was

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 killing Christians,

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 and they knew that he was

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 coming to round them up.

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 If there was anyone

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 who was too far gone,

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 it was surely this guy.

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 If there was anyone

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 that was beyond the pale,

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 it was him.

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 There was no way

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 that he was going

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 to believe the gospel

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 and follow Jesus.

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 And yet,

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 that's exactly

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 what happens.

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 even though he hated

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 everything to do

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 with Christianity,

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 even though he used

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 every ounce of his strength

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 to stomp it out,

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 even though his heart

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 had become twisted

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 and cruel,

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 none of that

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 was a match

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 for the grace

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 of Jesus Christ.

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 Don't you see, friends,

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 Paul was the chief

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 of sinners,

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 and yet,

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 Christ loves him

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 and rescues him.

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 Isn't that amazing?

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 And don't you see

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 what that means?

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 If Christ can save

00:13:32.019 --> 00:13:33.400
 someone like Saul,

00:13:33.580 --> 00:13:33.860
 friends,

00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:35.860
 he can save anyone.

00:13:36.900 --> 00:13:38.480
 No matter how dark

00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:38.879
 the sins,

00:13:38.980 --> 00:13:40.220
 no matter how twisted

00:13:40.220 --> 00:13:42.399
 and beastly the hearts.

00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:45.460
 So when you think

00:13:45.460 --> 00:13:46.500
 about and pray

00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:47.879
 for that friend

00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:48.540
 or neighbor

00:13:48.540 --> 00:13:50.519
 who seems so unlikely

00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:51.340
 to believe,

00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:53.600
 friend,

00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:54.019
 in that moment,

00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:55.040
 remember Paul,

00:13:55.540 --> 00:13:56.620
 the chief of sinners,

00:13:57.000 --> 00:13:57.779
 the persecutor

00:13:57.779 --> 00:13:58.300
 of Christians,

00:13:58.600 --> 00:13:59.600
 the most unlikely

00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.279
 convert of all time.

00:14:02.100 --> 00:14:02.420
 You see,

00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:03.860
 no barrier of belief

00:14:03.860 --> 00:14:04.820
 is so thick

00:14:04.820 --> 00:14:06.019
 that the grace of God

00:14:06.019 --> 00:14:07.460
 can't break through.

00:14:07.540 --> 00:14:07.840
 So friends,

00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:09.800
 don't lose your hope.

00:14:10.220 --> 00:14:10.800
 For your friends,

00:14:10.899 --> 00:14:11.180
 your neighbors,

00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:11.680
 your co-workers.

00:14:11.820 --> 00:14:12.040
 Instead,

00:14:12.680 --> 00:14:14.240
 expect that God

00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:14.980
 can work

00:14:14.980 --> 00:14:17.000
 even in what seems

00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:17.840
 to be the hardest

00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:19.440
 of hearts.

00:14:21.680 --> 00:14:22.279
 After all,

00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:23.720
 we know our own hearts,

00:14:23.800 --> 00:14:24.180
 don't we?

00:14:25.300 --> 00:14:26.420
 Isn't that part of the reason

00:14:26.420 --> 00:14:27.259
 why Paul can say,

00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:28.480
 I'm the chief of sinners?

00:14:29.340 --> 00:14:30.160
 Because he looks

00:14:30.160 --> 00:14:30.879
 at his own heart.

00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:32.000
 And friends,

00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:32.820
 we do the same thing,

00:14:32.860 --> 00:14:33.240
 don't we?

00:14:33.920 --> 00:14:34.840
 And if we know

00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:35.920
 our own hearts,

00:14:35.920 --> 00:14:37.139
 if we see

00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:38.420
 the darkness there,

00:14:38.419 --> 00:14:39.039
 and if God

00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:40.519
 can save us,

00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:43.259
 then surely

00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:44.459
 he can save anyone.

00:14:47.899 --> 00:14:48.539
 But I think

00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:49.000
 we should go

00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:49.740
 even a step

00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:50.639
 further

00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:51.599
 and apply

00:14:51.599 --> 00:14:52.120
 what we see

00:14:52.120 --> 00:14:52.819
 of Paul here

00:14:52.819 --> 00:14:53.439
 in these verses

00:14:53.439 --> 00:14:54.319
 to our own hearts

00:14:54.319 --> 00:14:54.959
 even deeper.

00:14:56.599 --> 00:14:57.039
 Friends,

00:14:57.079 --> 00:14:57.199
 today,

00:14:57.240 --> 00:14:57.719
 I wonder if you're

00:14:57.719 --> 00:14:59.319
 battling with guilt.

00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:02.360
 I wonder if past

00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:04.299
 sins keep haunting you.

00:15:04.299 --> 00:15:06.539
 If your soul

00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:07.199
 is burdened

00:15:07.199 --> 00:15:07.899
 with regrets

00:15:07.899 --> 00:15:09.039
 and shame

00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:09.879
 over things

00:15:09.879 --> 00:15:11.339
 that you've said

00:15:11.339 --> 00:15:12.459
 or left unsaid

00:15:12.459 --> 00:15:13.519
 or things that you've done

00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:14.779
 or left undone.

00:15:15.779 --> 00:15:16.500
 If so,

00:15:16.599 --> 00:15:17.279
 look at Paul.

00:15:18.979 --> 00:15:19.779
 Look at all

00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:20.519
 that he had done

00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:21.699
 against the name of Christ.

00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:22.159
 Look at this

00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:23.759
 chief of sinners

00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:25.879
 and now see the grace

00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:26.859
 of Jesus Christ

00:15:26.859 --> 00:15:28.399
 covering it all

00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:30.399
 like a great wave

00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:31.859
 covering the shore.

00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:34.879
 Like Paul,

00:15:35.180 --> 00:15:37.240
 no sin of yours

00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:39.080
 is too great

00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:40.080
 to withstand

00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:40.779
 his mercy.

00:15:44.220 --> 00:15:45.039
 So what does this

00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:45.759
 picture of Paul

00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:46.980
 before meeting Jesus

00:15:46.980 --> 00:15:47.680
 in verses 1 and 2

00:15:47.680 --> 00:15:48.180
 tell us about

00:15:48.180 --> 00:15:48.919
 Christian conversion?

00:15:49.500 --> 00:15:50.139
 Well, it tells us

00:15:50.139 --> 00:15:51.159
 quite a lot actually

00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:52.580
 but centrally

00:15:52.580 --> 00:15:53.560
 it tells us this

00:15:53.560 --> 00:15:54.759
 that conversion

00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:56.820
 is by no means

00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:58.840
 about cleaning up

00:15:58.840 --> 00:15:59.960
 your own act

00:15:59.960 --> 00:16:01.120
 and then trying

00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:02.000
 to come to God.

00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:04.019
 Real conversion

00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:04.840
 isn't about

00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:05.740
 trying harder

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:07.000
 to be a better person

00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:08.480
 or making earnest

00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:09.340
 resolutions

00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:10.440
 to change.

00:16:11.620 --> 00:16:12.980
 No, in fact,

00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:14.379
 at first

00:16:14.379 --> 00:16:16.360
 conversion is just

00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:16.980
 the opposite.

00:16:18.299 --> 00:16:19.539
 It's about admitting

00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:21.279
 that we're worse

00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:22.620
 even than we think

00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:23.080
 we are.

00:16:24.659 --> 00:16:26.159
 And from that place,

00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:26.960
 not to work

00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:28.980
 but to receive.

00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:30.680
 to receive

00:16:30.680 --> 00:16:31.259
 something that's

00:16:31.259 --> 00:16:32.399
 given to us

00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:35.060
 or to be

00:16:35.060 --> 00:16:36.180
 actually more accurate

00:16:36.180 --> 00:16:37.000
 to receive

00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:37.980
 someone

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:39.500
 who's given to us.

00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:42.039
 And that actually

00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:42.620
 brings us to the

00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:43.240
 second section

00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:43.879
 of Acts 9

00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:44.940
 which is in

00:16:44.940 --> 00:16:45.879
 verses 3-9.

00:16:47.080 --> 00:16:48.139
 Paul meets

00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:48.800
 Jesus.

00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:51.159
 Now briefly,

00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:51.879
 first and foremost,

00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:52.720
 we have to realize

00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:53.899
 that as we look again

00:16:53.899 --> 00:16:54.740
 at verses 3-9

00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:55.840
 there's a lot here

00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:56.980
 that's going on

00:16:56.980 --> 00:16:57.980
 that is completely

00:16:57.980 --> 00:16:59.100
 unique in the

00:16:59.100 --> 00:16:59.920
 history of salvation.

00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:00.820
 You see,

00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:01.659
 what happens to Paul

00:17:01.659 --> 00:17:02.460
 on the road to Damascus

00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:03.460
 isn't sort of a mere

00:17:03.460 --> 00:17:04.400
 spiritual vision.

00:17:04.860 --> 00:17:05.839
 No, it's actually

00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:07.720
 a genuine bodily

00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:08.779
 appearance of the

00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:09.480
 risen Jesus.

00:17:10.620 --> 00:17:11.500
 Later in the chapter,

00:17:11.620 --> 00:17:12.380
 both Ananias

00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:13.079
 in chapter 17

00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:14.160
 and Barnabas

00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:15.860
 in verse 17

00:17:15.860 --> 00:17:16.599
 and Barnabas

00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:17.480
 in verse 27

00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:18.079
 they're going to

00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:18.599
 confirm this.

00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:20.099
 You saw Jesus, Paul.

00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:21.420
 And Paul will say

00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:21.980
 the same thing

00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:22.579
 in his letters.

00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:24.380
 1 Corinthians 9-1

00:17:24.380 --> 00:17:25.520
 Have I not seen

00:17:25.520 --> 00:17:26.300
 the Lord?

00:17:28.660 --> 00:17:29.380
 It's interesting

00:17:29.380 --> 00:17:31.080
 that in 1 Corinthians 15

00:17:31.080 --> 00:17:31.940
 where Paul's again

00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:32.520
 talking about

00:17:32.520 --> 00:17:33.620
 meeting the risen Jesus

00:17:33.620 --> 00:17:34.580
 he says that

00:17:34.580 --> 00:17:35.520
 he was like one

00:17:35.520 --> 00:17:37.200
 untimely born.

00:17:38.300 --> 00:17:39.000
 It's a very

00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:39.700
 interesting phrase.

00:17:39.780 --> 00:17:40.240
 In other words,

00:17:40.360 --> 00:17:41.240
 he's acknowledging

00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:42.100
 on the one hand

00:17:42.100 --> 00:17:43.040
 that the timing

00:17:43.040 --> 00:17:43.900
 of Jesus appearing

00:17:43.900 --> 00:17:44.380
 to him

00:17:44.380 --> 00:17:46.240
 was very unlike

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.300
 the rest of the apostles.

00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:48.520
 It was much later

00:17:48.520 --> 00:17:50.920
 untimely born.

00:17:51.120 --> 00:17:51.680
 And yet,

00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:53.000
 nonetheless,

00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:54.779
 just like them,

00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:57.200
 he had seen Jesus

00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:58.960
 with his own eyes.

00:18:01.900 --> 00:18:02.819
 And as he goes on

00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:03.799
 to say in 1 Corinthians 15,

00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:05.180
 Paul was the last one

00:18:05.180 --> 00:18:06.559
 to have done so.

00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:08.119
 So clearly,

00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:09.119
 this seeing

00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:09.799
 the risen Jesus

00:18:09.799 --> 00:18:10.960
 is a very unique element

00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:11.859
 of Paul's conversion.

00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:12.980
 If you're considering

00:18:12.980 --> 00:18:13.660
 the claims of Christ

00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:14.099
 this morning,

00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:15.460
 don't expect that.

00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:16.660
 I'm just going to

00:18:16.660 --> 00:18:17.279
 throw that out there.

00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:18.079
 Okay, good.

00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:20.299
 Unique also

00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:20.700
 is this call

00:18:20.700 --> 00:18:21.539
 to apostleship,

00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:21.960
 isn't it?

00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:23.380
 Jesus comes to Paul,

00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:24.640
 radically changes his life,

00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:25.460
 and immediately

00:18:25.460 --> 00:18:26.519
 gives him a commission.

00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:28.220
 A commission to be

00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:29.019
 one of his apostles.

00:18:29.180 --> 00:18:29.600
 And apostles,

00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:29.960
 of course,

00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:31.460
 were unique figures

00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:32.420
 in the early church.

00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:33.460
 They were first

00:18:33.460 --> 00:18:33.880
 and foremost

00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:34.720
 eyewitnesses

00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:35.539
 of the risen Jesus.

00:18:36.579 --> 00:18:37.100
 And moreover,

00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:38.100
 they were the ones

00:18:38.100 --> 00:18:39.400
 the risen Jesus himself

00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:40.860
 commissioned in person

00:18:40.860 --> 00:18:42.440
 to be his authoritative

00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:43.160
 representatives

00:18:43.160 --> 00:18:44.200
 to teach

00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:45.500
 and to lead the church.

00:18:46.819 --> 00:18:47.799
 Paul says again

00:18:47.799 --> 00:18:48.660
 in 1 Corinthians 15

00:18:48.660 --> 00:18:49.700
 that he was the last

00:18:49.700 --> 00:18:50.400
 to be chosen

00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:51.360
 and commissioned

00:18:51.360 --> 00:18:52.539
 by the resurrection Jesus.

00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:54.680
 So that, too,

00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:55.720
 is unique about his conversion.

00:18:55.819 --> 00:18:56.640
 And even on top

00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:57.519
 of all that,

00:18:58.259 --> 00:18:59.140
 we shouldn't expect

00:18:59.140 --> 00:18:59.779
 there to be the same

00:18:59.779 --> 00:19:00.799
 kind of spectacular,

00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:02.240
 visible manifestations

00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:03.259
 that we see here, right?

00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:04.319
 The blinding light,

00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:05.620
 the audible voice,

00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:06.700
 everyone falling

00:19:06.700 --> 00:19:07.440
 to the ground.

00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:08.759
 Those things don't even

00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:09.220
 happen again

00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:10.140
 in the book of Acts,

00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:11.220
 so we shouldn't necessarily

00:19:11.220 --> 00:19:11.819
 expect them

00:19:11.819 --> 00:19:13.319
 to be happening today.

00:19:13.319 --> 00:19:16.099
 which is all to say

00:19:16.099 --> 00:19:17.259
 that there's a lot here

00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:19.000
 that is gloriously

00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:21.339
 and beautifully unique.

00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:23.619
 What we have here

00:19:23.619 --> 00:19:25.039
 is the risen Lord himself

00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:26.579
 stopping Paul

00:19:26.579 --> 00:19:27.399
 in his tracks,

00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:29.879
 taking this wolf

00:19:29.879 --> 00:19:30.679
 who is trying

00:19:30.679 --> 00:19:32.819
 to devour the church,

00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:35.019
 taking this wolf

00:19:35.019 --> 00:19:36.460
 and turning him in

00:19:36.460 --> 00:19:37.599
 not just to a sheep,

00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:38.960
 but turning him

00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:39.599
 into a shepherd.

00:19:40.399 --> 00:19:42.339
 An incredible transformation.

00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:46.319
 But even if all that

00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:46.939
 is specific

00:19:46.939 --> 00:19:48.639
 and not repeated today,

00:19:49.179 --> 00:19:50.759
 at the same time,

00:19:51.659 --> 00:19:52.720
 the core

00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:54.559
 and the essence

00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:55.879
 of what's going on

00:19:55.879 --> 00:19:57.159
 in Paul's conversion

00:19:57.159 --> 00:19:58.299
 is still true today

00:19:58.299 --> 00:19:59.859
 of every conversion.

00:20:01.679 --> 00:20:03.039
 And that is,

00:20:03.919 --> 00:20:05.439
 it is a personal

00:20:05.439 --> 00:20:08.259
 trust and submission

00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:09.960
 to Jesus

00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:11.720
 as the living Lord.

00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:14.659
 turning from whatever

00:20:14.659 --> 00:20:15.399
 was once

00:20:15.399 --> 00:20:16.919
 the center of our lives

00:20:16.919 --> 00:20:19.319
 and taking hold

00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:20.079
 of him.

00:20:22.919 --> 00:20:23.419
 And you see

00:20:23.419 --> 00:20:23.939
 what that means.

00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:24.439
 That means that

00:20:24.439 --> 00:20:24.899
 Christianity

00:20:24.899 --> 00:20:26.259
 is not

00:20:26.259 --> 00:20:27.720
 at its core

00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:30.179
 an ethical code.

00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:32.519
 Christianity

00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:33.179
 at its core

00:20:33.179 --> 00:20:33.879
 is not

00:20:33.879 --> 00:20:34.639
 a sort of

00:20:34.639 --> 00:20:36.259
 brilliant

00:20:36.259 --> 00:20:36.899
 philosophical

00:20:36.899 --> 00:20:37.679
 worldview.

00:20:39.259 --> 00:20:39.559
 Christianity

00:20:39.559 --> 00:20:40.700
 is not even

00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:41.559
 a sort of

00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:42.860
 moving set

00:20:42.860 --> 00:20:43.380
 of religious

00:20:43.380 --> 00:20:44.120
 practices.

00:20:45.900 --> 00:20:46.460
 No.

00:20:47.420 --> 00:20:48.580
 What it is

00:20:48.580 --> 00:20:50.180
 is a vital

00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:51.559
 relationship

00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:53.480
 with Jesus Christ,

00:20:53.620 --> 00:20:54.559
 the living one.

00:20:55.900 --> 00:20:57.059
 All those other things

00:20:57.059 --> 00:20:57.600
 are important,

00:20:57.700 --> 00:20:57.920
 of course,

00:20:57.980 --> 00:20:58.500
 the ethics,

00:20:58.900 --> 00:20:59.460
 the worldview,

00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:01.220
 the practices.

00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.600
 But they're not

00:21:03.600 --> 00:21:04.100
 the center.

00:21:04.900 --> 00:21:05.960
 They're not really

00:21:05.960 --> 00:21:07.380
 what it comes down to.

00:21:07.380 --> 00:21:09.540
 No, friends,

00:21:09.580 --> 00:21:10.160
 it's all about

00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:10.620
 him,

00:21:11.140 --> 00:21:11.980
 who he is,

00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:13.160
 what he's done,

00:21:13.360 --> 00:21:14.320
 and responding

00:21:14.320 --> 00:21:15.340
 personally to him.

00:21:15.580 --> 00:21:16.680
 After his conversion,

00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:17.680
 Paul gets this.

00:21:17.900 --> 00:21:18.900
 Look again at verse 20.

00:21:19.320 --> 00:21:20.340
 What did Paul proclaim

00:21:20.340 --> 00:21:21.000
 in the synagogues

00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:21.600
 of Damascus?

00:21:22.360 --> 00:21:23.240
 Not even a what,

00:21:23.320 --> 00:21:23.820
 but a who.

00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:26.180
 He proclaimed Jesus.

00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:29.120
 The one who had spent

00:21:29.120 --> 00:21:30.080
 his whole life

00:21:30.080 --> 00:21:31.840
 proclaiming Torah

00:21:31.840 --> 00:21:32.800
 and obedience

00:21:32.800 --> 00:21:33.500
 to the law

00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:35.820
 now proclaims

00:21:35.820 --> 00:21:36.140
 Jesus.

00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:38.860
 You see,

00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:39.880
 what Paul experienced

00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:40.759
 on the Damascus road

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.759
 functionally

00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:43.640
 ripped his world apart

00:21:43.640 --> 00:21:44.600
 and put it back

00:21:44.600 --> 00:21:45.300
 together again.

00:21:46.140 --> 00:21:46.780
 Imagine,

00:21:46.940 --> 00:21:47.400
 if you will,

00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:48.220
 this young,

00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:49.200
 zealous,

00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:51.180
 highly religious man

00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:52.540
 walking down the road

00:21:52.540 --> 00:21:54.040
 and suddenly being

00:21:54.040 --> 00:21:56.160
 drenched in light.

00:21:56.420 --> 00:21:57.900
 A light so bright,

00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.460
 a light so heavy

00:21:59.460 --> 00:22:00.980
 that it probably made

00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:02.259
 his quick,

00:22:02.600 --> 00:22:03.240
 intelligent,

00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:04.860
 scripture-saturated

00:22:04.859 --> 00:22:06.539
 mind jump right

00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:07.139
 to passages

00:22:07.139 --> 00:22:08.039
 about the light

00:22:08.039 --> 00:22:08.740
 of God's glory

00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:09.279
 in the temple

00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:10.699
 or the light

00:22:10.699 --> 00:22:11.959
 of Ezekiel's vision

00:22:11.959 --> 00:22:13.139
 of God's chariot.

00:22:15.259 --> 00:22:15.699
 And then,

00:22:15.779 --> 00:22:16.619
 out of this heavenly

00:22:16.619 --> 00:22:17.559
 vision of light,

00:22:17.719 --> 00:22:18.079
 suddenly,

00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:19.259
 a voice speaks,

00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:19.980
 Saul,

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:20.000
 Saul,

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:20.879
 Saul,

00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:23.299
 his name being

00:22:23.299 --> 00:22:23.779
 repeated,

00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:25.160
 just like in the Old

00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:26.140
 Testament when God

00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:27.099
 would address human

00:22:27.099 --> 00:22:27.640
 beings.

00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.660
 You can hear

00:22:30.660 --> 00:22:32.079
 Saul's heart start

00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:33.420
 beating with excitement

00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:34.400
 and then

00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:36.039
 the message comes

00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:37.740
 and it doesn't make

00:22:37.740 --> 00:22:38.440
 any sense.

00:22:39.539 --> 00:22:40.299
 Why are you

00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:41.200
 persecuting me,

00:22:41.319 --> 00:22:42.019
 the voice says.

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.559
 And Saul replies,

00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:45.640
 who are you,

00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:45.980
 Lord?

00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:47.819
 And then,

00:22:47.900 --> 00:22:48.680
 out of the glorious

00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:49.940
 light,

00:22:50.620 --> 00:22:51.539
 comes the same

00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:53.160
 voice saying,

00:22:53.500 --> 00:22:54.980
 I'm Jesus.

00:22:56.980 --> 00:22:59.099
 Imagine the shock

00:22:59.099 --> 00:23:01.220
 and the confusion

00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:02.279
 of that moment.

00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:04.779
 Paul staring

00:23:04.779 --> 00:23:06.140
 into the very

00:23:06.140 --> 00:23:07.940
 light of God.

00:23:09.880 --> 00:23:11.500
 Hears the voice

00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:13.400
 and sees the face

00:23:13.400 --> 00:23:14.860
 of Jesus.

00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:16.679
 the same

00:23:16.679 --> 00:23:17.179
 Jesus

00:23:17.179 --> 00:23:18.719
 who was crucified.

00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:20.319
 The same

00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:20.919
 Jesus whose

00:23:20.919 --> 00:23:21.639
 followers

00:23:21.639 --> 00:23:22.559
 he had been

00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:23.299
 persecuting

00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:24.359
 as a plague.

00:23:25.579 --> 00:23:26.459
 In that

00:23:26.459 --> 00:23:26.819
 moment,

00:23:26.919 --> 00:23:27.619
 Paul must have

00:23:27.619 --> 00:23:28.519
 realized that

00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:29.419
 despite all

00:23:29.419 --> 00:23:30.339
 of his raging,

00:23:30.839 --> 00:23:31.359
 Jesus was

00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:32.319
 exactly

00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:33.879
 who they had

00:23:33.879 --> 00:23:34.639
 said he was.

00:23:35.639 --> 00:23:36.279
 Alive

00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:37.199
 and risen.

00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:38.740
 The Messiah.

00:23:39.579 --> 00:23:40.240
 The Lord

00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:40.679
 of all.

00:23:41.339 --> 00:23:41.779
 The one

00:23:41.779 --> 00:23:42.740
 whose shameful

00:23:42.740 --> 00:23:43.439
 death on a

00:23:43.439 --> 00:23:44.299
 cross was not

00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:45.039
 a defeat,

00:23:45.419 --> 00:23:46.259
 but in fact

00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:47.099
 the perfect

00:23:47.099 --> 00:23:48.159
 sacrifice

00:23:48.159 --> 00:23:49.440
 for his,

00:23:49.819 --> 00:23:50.559
 for Saul's

00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:51.500
 own sins.

00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:53.180
 And the one

00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:54.019
 to whom he owed

00:23:54.019 --> 00:23:55.960
 total allegiance

00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:56.740
 and trust.

00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:00.000
 That's what

00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:00.819
 genuine conversion

00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:01.539
 is, friends.

00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:03.399
 Entrusting

00:24:03.399 --> 00:24:04.119
 oneself

00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:06.500
 to the person

00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:07.119
 of Jesus.

00:24:07.539 --> 00:24:08.619
 The crucified,

00:24:09.579 --> 00:24:10.039
 risen,

00:24:10.619 --> 00:24:11.720
 ascended Lord

00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:12.880
 who lives

00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:13.759
 and sits

00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:14.019
 at the

00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:14.400
 Father's

00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:15.039
 right hand.

00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:18.620
 Of course,

00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:18.980
 for many

00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:19.519
 of us,

00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:21.420
 this won't

00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:21.920
 happen

00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:23.259
 in a flash

00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:23.759
 of light,

00:24:24.100 --> 00:24:25.400
 in an instant.

00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:27.920
 Getting to

00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:28.360
 the point of

00:24:28.360 --> 00:24:29.039
 believing that

00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:29.700
 Jesus is the

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:30.360
 Son of God,

00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:31.339
 of trusting

00:24:31.339 --> 00:24:31.779
 Him with

00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:32.200
 your whole

00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:32.600
 life,

00:24:32.759 --> 00:24:33.440
 for most

00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:33.799
 people,

00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:34.299
 that's a

00:24:34.299 --> 00:24:34.980
 process

00:24:34.980 --> 00:24:37.259
 of months,

00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:38.420
 even of

00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:38.940
 years.

00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:40.320
 But you

00:24:40.320 --> 00:24:40.400
 know,

00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:40.920
 regardless

00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:41.360
 of the

00:24:41.360 --> 00:24:42.299
 time frame,

00:24:43.640 --> 00:24:44.740
 the heart

00:24:44.740 --> 00:24:45.340
 of it all

00:24:45.340 --> 00:24:46.559
 is actually

00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:47.039
 the same.

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:49.880
 Listen to

00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:50.240
 what Paul

00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:50.600
 would write

00:24:50.600 --> 00:24:51.120
 later in

00:24:51.120 --> 00:24:51.799
 2 Corinthians

00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:52.620
 4, 6.

00:24:53.900 --> 00:24:55.080
 For God,

00:24:55.840 --> 00:24:56.559
 who said,

00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:57.259
 let light

00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:58.120
 shine out of

00:24:58.120 --> 00:24:58.660
 darkness,

00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:00.240
 has shown

00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:00.680
 in our

00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:01.320
 hearts

00:25:01.320 --> 00:25:02.759
 to give

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:03.460
 the light

00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:04.200
 of the

00:25:04.200 --> 00:25:04.620
 knowledge

00:25:04.620 --> 00:25:04.920
 of the

00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:05.460
 glory of

00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:05.880
 God

00:25:05.880 --> 00:25:06.700
 in the

00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:07.200
 face of

00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:08.019
 Jesus Christ.

00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:10.180
 You have

00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:10.460
 to wonder

00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:11.039
 whether Paul

00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:11.460
 had his

00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:12.080
 experience

00:25:12.080 --> 00:25:12.360
 on the

00:25:12.360 --> 00:25:12.820
 Damascus

00:25:12.820 --> 00:25:13.240
 road in

00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:13.640
 mind when

00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:13.880
 he wrote

00:25:13.880 --> 00:25:14.420
 those words,

00:25:14.519 --> 00:25:14.860
 don't you?

00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:16.759
 Because even

00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:17.640
 more impressive

00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:18.400
 than the

00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:19.100
 light that

00:25:19.100 --> 00:25:19.680
 shone into

00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:20.640
 Paul's eyes

00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:21.160
 and made

00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:21.779
 him blind

00:25:21.779 --> 00:25:22.759
 for days

00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:24.039
 was the

00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:24.539
 light that

00:25:24.539 --> 00:25:25.140
 God had

00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:26.240
 shone into

00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:27.019
 his heart.

00:25:29.600 --> 00:25:30.259
 What is

00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:30.600
 that light?

00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:30.860
 It's a

00:25:30.860 --> 00:25:31.100
 light of

00:25:31.100 --> 00:25:31.720
 knowledge,

00:25:31.799 --> 00:25:32.259
 he says.

00:25:33.080 --> 00:25:33.620
 That is,

00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:33.960
 it's a

00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:34.600
 new way

00:25:34.600 --> 00:25:35.299
 of seeing.

00:25:36.080 --> 00:25:36.519
 In other

00:25:36.519 --> 00:25:36.720
 words,

00:25:36.840 --> 00:25:37.380
 God put

00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:38.059
 a new

00:25:38.059 --> 00:25:39.179
 understanding,

00:25:39.460 --> 00:25:39.980
 not just

00:25:39.980 --> 00:25:40.240
 in his

00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:40.480
 mind,

00:25:40.539 --> 00:25:40.700
 but in

00:25:40.700 --> 00:25:41.279
 his heart.

00:25:41.579 --> 00:25:41.919
 God put

00:25:41.919 --> 00:25:42.139
 a new

00:25:42.139 --> 00:25:42.720
 heart

00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:43.179
 knowledge

00:25:43.179 --> 00:25:43.579
 in Paul

00:25:43.579 --> 00:25:43.960
 that the

00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:44.379
 very

00:25:44.379 --> 00:25:45.200
 glory

00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:46.159
 of God,

00:25:46.379 --> 00:25:46.720
 the very

00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:47.879
 sum of

00:25:47.879 --> 00:25:48.500
 all that

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:49.200
 the Creator

00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:50.200
 and Redeemer

00:25:50.200 --> 00:25:51.079
 is,

00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:53.200
 the very

00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:53.700
 thing that

00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:54.679
 Saul as

00:25:54.679 --> 00:25:55.279
 a young,

00:25:55.700 --> 00:25:56.139
 zealous

00:25:56.139 --> 00:25:57.079
 Pharisee had

00:25:57.079 --> 00:25:57.759
 been trying

00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.720
 to attain

00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.460
 with all

00:25:59.460 --> 00:25:59.759
 of his

00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:00.200
 effort,

00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:01.059
 the glory

00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:02.279
 of God

00:26:02.279 --> 00:26:04.579
 is found

00:26:04.579 --> 00:26:04.980
 in none

00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:05.460
 other than

00:26:05.460 --> 00:26:06.039
 in the face

00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:06.460
 of Jesus

00:26:06.460 --> 00:26:06.980
 Christ.

00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:10.359
 You know,

00:26:10.379 --> 00:26:10.559
 if you've

00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:11.019
 grown up

00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:11.259
 in the

00:26:11.259 --> 00:26:11.659
 church,

00:26:12.599 --> 00:26:13.339
 you might

00:26:13.339 --> 00:26:13.720
 feel like

00:26:13.720 --> 00:26:14.019
 your own

00:26:14.019 --> 00:26:15.859
 testimony isn't

00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:16.359
 much to

00:26:16.359 --> 00:26:16.839
 write home

00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:17.179
 about.

00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:20.119
 You think

00:26:20.119 --> 00:26:20.460
 there's no

00:26:20.460 --> 00:26:21.259
 great sin

00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:22.179
 or ruin

00:26:22.179 --> 00:26:22.859
 from which

00:26:22.859 --> 00:26:23.399
 God has

00:26:23.399 --> 00:26:24.179
 rescued you,

00:26:24.940 --> 00:26:25.539
 and you can

00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:26.039
 often sort of

00:26:26.039 --> 00:26:26.519
 feel like your

00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:27.039
 story is a

00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:27.639
 bit boring,

00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:28.779
 a bit bland.

00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:30.639
 Who would

00:26:30.639 --> 00:26:31.000
 want to hear

00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:31.639
 my story?

00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:32.639
 I grew up

00:26:32.639 --> 00:26:32.839
 in the

00:26:32.839 --> 00:26:33.159
 church.

00:26:33.559 --> 00:26:34.000
 I trusted

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.559
 in Jesus.

00:26:35.339 --> 00:26:35.839
 The end.

00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:35.879
 The end.

00:26:38.059 --> 00:26:40.619
 No one's

00:26:40.619 --> 00:26:41.359
 exactly making

00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:41.919
 movies out

00:26:41.919 --> 00:26:42.279
 of that.

00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:44.879
 And yet,

00:26:45.700 --> 00:26:46.240
 don't you

00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:46.539
 see what

00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:46.859
 Paul's

00:26:46.859 --> 00:26:47.299
 saying here?

00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:49.799
 What is

00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:50.740
 as true

00:26:50.740 --> 00:26:51.299
 of you

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:51.799
 now,

00:26:53.220 --> 00:26:53.559
 Christian,

00:26:54.259 --> 00:26:56.299
 is as

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:56.919
 true of

00:26:56.919 --> 00:26:57.559
 Paul himself

00:26:57.559 --> 00:26:57.899
 then,

00:26:58.639 --> 00:27:00.460
 that God

00:27:00.460 --> 00:27:01.919
 who said,

00:27:02.579 --> 00:27:03.079
 let light

00:27:03.079 --> 00:27:03.960
 shine out

00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:04.500
 of darkness,

00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:05.700
 has shown

00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:06.559
 into your

00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.840
 heart to

00:27:07.840 --> 00:27:08.700
 give you

00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:09.799
 the light

00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:10.279
 of the

00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:10.720
 knowledge

00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:11.140
 of the

00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:12.039
 glory of

00:27:12.039 --> 00:27:12.920
 God in

00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:13.440
 the face

00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:13.880
 of Jesus

00:27:13.880 --> 00:27:14.400
 Christ.

00:27:17.220 --> 00:27:17.819
 So,

00:27:17.900 --> 00:27:17.980
 see,

00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:18.580
 what happens

00:27:18.580 --> 00:27:19.440
 in every

00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:20.440
 genuine

00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:21.440
 conversion

00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:22.380
 is the

00:27:22.380 --> 00:27:23.860
 most amazing

00:27:23.860 --> 00:27:24.819
 supernatural

00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:25.779
 event of

00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.299
 all,

00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:27.680
 regardless

00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:28.100
 of the

00:27:28.100 --> 00:27:28.340
 outward

00:27:28.340 --> 00:27:29.080
 circumstances.

00:27:30.819 --> 00:27:31.360
 Paul says,

00:27:31.539 --> 00:27:32.720
 it's like a

00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:33.519
 new creation.

00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:34.819
 when God

00:27:34.819 --> 00:27:35.539
 created the

00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:36.019
 world with

00:27:36.019 --> 00:27:36.819
 his speech,

00:27:37.139 --> 00:27:37.720
 that's

00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:37.920
 what's

00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:38.680
 going on.

00:27:41.480 --> 00:27:42.139
 God

00:27:42.139 --> 00:27:42.839
 shines

00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:44.139
 his light

00:27:44.139 --> 00:27:45.099
 into the

00:27:45.099 --> 00:27:45.639
 dark of

00:27:45.639 --> 00:27:46.119
 our dead

00:27:46.119 --> 00:27:46.660
 hearts,

00:27:46.859 --> 00:27:47.599
 and we

00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:48.619
 come alive

00:27:48.619 --> 00:27:49.299
 with a

00:27:49.299 --> 00:27:50.400
 love and

00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:51.420
 trust in

00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:52.319
 Jesus that

00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:53.639
 knows him

00:27:53.639 --> 00:27:54.440
 to be the

00:27:54.440 --> 00:27:55.599
 very display

00:27:55.599 --> 00:27:56.819
 of God's

00:27:56.819 --> 00:27:57.700
 radiance.

00:27:59.019 --> 00:27:59.579
 Now,

00:27:59.639 --> 00:27:59.859
 what does

00:27:59.859 --> 00:28:00.559
 that mean,

00:28:00.940 --> 00:28:02.180
 that we

00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:02.599
 come to

00:28:02.599 --> 00:28:03.279
 know the

00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:03.719
 glory of

00:28:03.719 --> 00:28:04.059
 God in

00:28:04.059 --> 00:28:04.379
 the face

00:28:04.379 --> 00:28:04.719
 of Jesus

00:28:04.719 --> 00:28:05.219
 Christ?

00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:08.019
 Well,

00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:08.179
 friends,

00:28:08.219 --> 00:28:08.939
 over time,

00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:10.659
 it means

00:28:10.659 --> 00:28:10.959
 that there's

00:28:10.959 --> 00:28:12.119
 no aspect

00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:13.379
 of who

00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:14.259
 God is,

00:28:14.899 --> 00:28:15.959
 his mercy,

00:28:16.599 --> 00:28:17.480
 his majesty,

00:28:17.959 --> 00:28:18.819
 his wisdom,

00:28:19.159 --> 00:28:20.000
 his power,

00:28:20.359 --> 00:28:21.119
 his beauty.

00:28:22.339 --> 00:28:23.439
 There is no

00:28:23.439 --> 00:28:24.119
 aspect of

00:28:24.119 --> 00:28:24.519
 who God

00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:26.379
 is that

00:28:26.379 --> 00:28:26.899
 you don't

00:28:26.899 --> 00:28:27.339
 come to

00:28:27.339 --> 00:28:28.240
 increasingly

00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:29.159
 see,

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.740
 summarized,

00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.640
 epitomized,

00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:33.339
 fulfilled,

00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:34.559
 displayed in

00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:35.160
 its fullest

00:28:35.160 --> 00:28:37.259
 extent in

00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:37.680
 the person

00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:38.059
 and work

00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:38.440
 of Jesus

00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:38.960
 Christ.

00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:42.579
 It all

00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:43.099
 centers in

00:28:43.099 --> 00:28:43.359
 him.

00:28:44.099 --> 00:28:44.460
 He

00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:45.559
 becomes

00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:47.039
 the very

00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:48.160
 lens

00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:48.900
 through

00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:50.279
 which we

00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:51.079
 can see

00:28:51.079 --> 00:28:51.980
 the glory

00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:52.599
 of God.

00:28:56.880 --> 00:28:57.680
 And that's

00:28:57.680 --> 00:28:57.940
 what this

00:28:57.940 --> 00:28:58.579
 second section

00:28:58.579 --> 00:28:59.180
 of Acts 9

00:28:59.180 --> 00:28:59.660
 shows us

00:28:59.660 --> 00:29:00.400
 about conversion.

00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:00.460
 conversion.

00:29:01.180 --> 00:29:01.740
 It's not

00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:02.420
 primarily a

00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.040
 conversion to

00:29:03.040 --> 00:29:03.580
 some rules

00:29:03.580 --> 00:29:04.019
 to live

00:29:04.019 --> 00:29:04.440
 by,

00:29:04.700 --> 00:29:05.420
 to a new

00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:05.980
 sort of set

00:29:05.980 --> 00:29:06.600
 of ideas

00:29:06.600 --> 00:29:07.480
 about understanding

00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:08.120
 the world,

00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:08.880
 or a new

00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:09.500
 collection of

00:29:09.500 --> 00:29:10.259
 spiritual practices.

00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:11.000
 Certainly it

00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:11.780
 entails all that,

00:29:11.820 --> 00:29:12.060
 right?

00:29:14.060 --> 00:29:14.900
 But at its

00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:15.220
 heart,

00:29:15.300 --> 00:29:15.960
 conversion is

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:16.900
 being turned

00:29:16.900 --> 00:29:18.940
 around by

00:29:18.940 --> 00:29:19.740
 and to

00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:21.019
 a person,

00:29:21.560 --> 00:29:23.300
 the person

00:29:23.300 --> 00:29:23.720
 of Jesus

00:29:23.720 --> 00:29:24.280
 Christ.

00:29:26.080 --> 00:29:26.580
 Friends,

00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:27.160
 I wonder

00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:28.519
 if you've

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.000
 let that

00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:29.540
 slip

00:29:29.540 --> 00:29:30.240
 in your

00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:30.660
 life.

00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:32.680
 I wonder

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:33.180
 if your

00:29:33.180 --> 00:29:33.820
 walk with

00:29:33.820 --> 00:29:34.360
 the Lord

00:29:34.360 --> 00:29:35.460
 has grown

00:29:35.460 --> 00:29:36.080
 cold

00:29:36.080 --> 00:29:37.100
 relationally.

00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:39.600
 The rules

00:29:39.600 --> 00:29:40.200
 are good.

00:29:41.320 --> 00:29:41.820
 The ideas

00:29:41.820 --> 00:29:42.400
 are great.

00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:43.019
 The practices

00:29:43.019 --> 00:29:43.940
 are wonderful.

00:29:45.660 --> 00:29:46.480
 But don't

00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:46.920
 lose sight

00:29:46.920 --> 00:29:47.140
 of the

00:29:47.140 --> 00:29:47.680
 person

00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:48.900
 who's at

00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:49.300
 the center

00:29:49.300 --> 00:29:49.580
 of them

00:29:49.580 --> 00:29:49.880
 all.

00:29:49.880 --> 00:29:54.740
 Then in

00:29:54.740 --> 00:29:55.120
 verses 10

00:29:55.120 --> 00:29:55.520
 through 30

00:29:55.520 --> 00:29:55.760
 we have

00:29:55.760 --> 00:29:56.100
 the third

00:29:56.100 --> 00:29:56.400
 section

00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:56.760
 of Paul's

00:29:56.760 --> 00:29:57.160
 conversion.

00:29:58.560 --> 00:29:58.860
 And in

00:29:58.860 --> 00:29:59.260
 these verses

00:29:59.260 --> 00:29:59.620
 we see

00:29:59.620 --> 00:30:00.080
 what happens

00:30:00.080 --> 00:30:00.480
 to Paul

00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:01.060
 after

00:30:01.060 --> 00:30:01.600
 meeting

00:30:01.600 --> 00:30:01.980
 Jesus.

00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:03.940
 And here

00:30:03.940 --> 00:30:04.200
 what we

00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:04.560
 see in

00:30:04.560 --> 00:30:04.880
 Paul's

00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:05.280
 life

00:30:05.280 --> 00:30:06.460
 are things

00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:07.080
 that are

00:30:07.080 --> 00:30:07.820
 increasingly

00:30:07.820 --> 00:30:08.800
 true of

00:30:08.800 --> 00:30:09.340
 those who

00:30:09.340 --> 00:30:09.660
 have

00:30:09.660 --> 00:30:10.420
 experienced

00:30:10.420 --> 00:30:11.540
 genuine

00:30:11.540 --> 00:30:12.400
 conversion.

00:30:12.560 --> 00:30:13.060
 Here are

00:30:13.060 --> 00:30:13.380
 some of

00:30:13.380 --> 00:30:14.260
 the effects,

00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:14.860
 some of

00:30:14.860 --> 00:30:15.620
 the results

00:30:15.620 --> 00:30:15.960
 that come

00:30:15.960 --> 00:30:17.380
 flowing out

00:30:17.380 --> 00:30:18.520
 of genuinely

00:30:18.520 --> 00:30:19.380
 meeting

00:30:19.380 --> 00:30:20.340
 and believing

00:30:20.340 --> 00:30:20.900
 in Jesus.

00:30:21.160 --> 00:30:21.340
 And we're

00:30:21.340 --> 00:30:21.500
 going to

00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:22.220
 just run

00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:22.500
 through them

00:30:22.500 --> 00:30:23.180
 very quickly.

00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:24.240
 First,

00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:24.880
 what we

00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:25.660
 see is

00:30:25.660 --> 00:30:26.340
 fellowship.

00:30:27.340 --> 00:30:27.480
 Do you

00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.000
 notice that?

00:30:28.060 --> 00:30:28.380
 Both in

00:30:28.380 --> 00:30:29.060
 Damascus and

00:30:29.060 --> 00:30:29.580
 later in

00:30:29.580 --> 00:30:30.000
 Jerusalem,

00:30:30.360 --> 00:30:31.040
 Paul seeks

00:30:31.040 --> 00:30:31.600
 out and

00:30:31.600 --> 00:30:32.000
 stays with

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.500
 the disciples.

00:30:33.940 --> 00:30:35.160
 This is

00:30:35.160 --> 00:30:36.120
 something that

00:30:36.120 --> 00:30:36.840
 characterizes

00:30:36.840 --> 00:30:38.040
 everyone who's

00:30:38.040 --> 00:30:38.380
 come to

00:30:38.380 --> 00:30:38.700
 genuinely

00:30:38.700 --> 00:30:39.180
 believe in

00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:39.480
 Christ,

00:30:39.600 --> 00:30:39.960
 that they

00:30:39.960 --> 00:30:40.280
 want to

00:30:40.280 --> 00:30:40.600
 be with

00:30:40.600 --> 00:30:41.100
 the people

00:30:41.100 --> 00:30:41.740
 of Christ.

00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:43.880
 And Paul,

00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:44.060
 you know,

00:30:44.100 --> 00:30:44.680
 not only seeks

00:30:44.680 --> 00:30:45.020
 out this

00:30:45.020 --> 00:30:45.800
 fellowship nearly

00:30:45.800 --> 00:30:46.140
 from the

00:30:46.140 --> 00:30:46.340
 start,

00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:46.940
 but he also

00:30:46.940 --> 00:30:47.920
 experiences its

00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:48.660
 power,

00:30:48.660 --> 00:30:49.560
 through

00:30:49.560 --> 00:30:50.300
 Ananias and

00:30:50.300 --> 00:30:50.680
 later in

00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:51.100
 Barnabas.

00:30:51.320 --> 00:30:52.140
 When everyone

00:30:52.140 --> 00:30:52.960
 else is

00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:54.480
 suspicious or

00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:55.040
 afraid,

00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:55.900
 when Paul

00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:56.480
 literally doesn't

00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:57.060
 have a friend

00:30:57.060 --> 00:30:57.700
 in the world,

00:30:58.660 --> 00:30:59.580
 these two men

00:30:59.580 --> 00:31:00.860
 become friends

00:31:00.860 --> 00:31:01.440
 to Saul,

00:31:02.180 --> 00:31:02.700
 but no one

00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:03.240
 else is.

00:31:05.000 --> 00:31:05.600
 And the scene

00:31:05.600 --> 00:31:06.320
 with Ananias is

00:31:06.320 --> 00:31:07.600
 particularly poignant.

00:31:08.660 --> 00:31:09.140
 Did you catch

00:31:09.140 --> 00:31:10.320
 the first words

00:31:10.320 --> 00:31:11.360
 that Ananias

00:31:11.360 --> 00:31:12.000
 speaks to him?

00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:13.759
 Brother,

00:31:14.180 --> 00:31:14.480
 Saul.

00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:16.320
 Brother.

00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:17.319
 Ananias,

00:31:17.319 --> 00:31:18.159
 even though

00:31:18.159 --> 00:31:18.599
 Saul was

00:31:18.599 --> 00:31:19.299
 just days

00:31:19.299 --> 00:31:19.899
 before the

00:31:19.899 --> 00:31:20.359
 church's

00:31:20.359 --> 00:31:21.139
 enemy,

00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:22.439
 Ananias now

00:31:22.439 --> 00:31:23.480
 receives him

00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:24.899
 as family

00:31:24.899 --> 00:31:25.740
 in Christ.

00:31:27.579 --> 00:31:29.019
 How comforting,

00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:30.439
 how powerful

00:31:30.439 --> 00:31:31.220
 that must have

00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:32.039
 been for Saul.

00:31:33.939 --> 00:31:34.859
 Knowing that

00:31:34.859 --> 00:31:35.460
 he deserved

00:31:35.460 --> 00:31:36.399
 to be cast

00:31:36.399 --> 00:31:37.759
 out because

00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.319
 of what he

00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:38.879
 had done

00:31:38.879 --> 00:31:39.779
 to hear

00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:40.779
 in the word

00:31:40.779 --> 00:31:41.299
 of his

00:31:41.299 --> 00:31:42.339
 brother Ananias

00:31:42.339 --> 00:31:43.879
 that he

00:31:43.879 --> 00:31:44.259
 had indeed

00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:44.939
 been welcomed

00:31:44.939 --> 00:31:45.459
 because of

00:31:45.459 --> 00:31:46.119
 what Christ

00:31:46.119 --> 00:31:46.619
 had done.

00:31:48.699 --> 00:31:48.899
 Friends,

00:31:48.919 --> 00:31:49.259
 this is one

00:31:49.259 --> 00:31:49.759
 of the main

00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:50.240
 reasons why

00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:50.919
 we need

00:31:50.919 --> 00:31:51.659
 one another

00:31:51.659 --> 00:31:52.079
 in Christian

00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:52.619
 community.

00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:54.919
 Dietrich Bonhoeffer

00:31:54.919 --> 00:31:55.379
 says in Life

00:31:55.379 --> 00:31:55.799
 Together that

00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:56.240
 the word

00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:56.859
 of Christ

00:31:56.859 --> 00:31:57.679
 in the mouth

00:31:57.679 --> 00:31:58.519
 of my brother

00:31:58.519 --> 00:31:59.799
 is stronger

00:31:59.799 --> 00:32:00.619
 than the word

00:32:00.619 --> 00:32:01.079
 of Christ

00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:01.740
 in my heart.

00:32:02.879 --> 00:32:04.000
 And I need

00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:04.720
 you to tell

00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:06.599
 me the truth

00:32:06.599 --> 00:32:07.220
 of the gospel

00:32:07.220 --> 00:32:08.639
 so that I

00:32:08.639 --> 00:32:09.259
 believe it.

00:32:09.899 --> 00:32:10.699
 And you need

00:32:10.699 --> 00:32:11.559
 me to tell

00:32:11.559 --> 00:32:11.899
 you.

00:32:12.339 --> 00:32:15.759
 Now the

00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:16.240
 implications of

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:16.519
 all this are

00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:17.119
 pretty straightforward,

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:17.639
 aren't they?

00:32:18.399 --> 00:32:19.359
 Genuine conversion

00:32:19.359 --> 00:32:20.179
 and healthy

00:32:20.179 --> 00:32:21.199
 discipleship will

00:32:21.199 --> 00:32:22.099
 naturally lead

00:32:22.099 --> 00:32:22.899
 to publicly

00:32:22.899 --> 00:32:23.500
 joining up

00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:23.899
 with a local

00:32:23.899 --> 00:32:24.859
 church, a

00:32:24.859 --> 00:32:25.459
 local fellowship

00:32:25.459 --> 00:32:25.839
 of the body

00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:26.220
 believers.

00:32:26.939 --> 00:32:27.539
 And the first

00:32:27.539 --> 00:32:28.480
 step is baptism.

00:32:28.639 --> 00:32:29.199
 Verse 18.

00:32:29.539 --> 00:32:29.919
 That's what

00:32:29.919 --> 00:32:30.419
 Paul does.

00:32:31.159 --> 00:32:31.399
 So friends,

00:32:31.419 --> 00:32:31.679
 if you've

00:32:31.679 --> 00:32:32.459
 recently come

00:32:32.459 --> 00:32:33.379
 to faith in

00:32:33.379 --> 00:32:33.879
 Christ, you

00:32:33.879 --> 00:32:34.139
 should be

00:32:34.139 --> 00:32:34.559
 considering

00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:35.159
 baptism.

00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:36.179
 It's a way

00:32:36.179 --> 00:32:36.419
 to make

00:32:36.419 --> 00:32:37.959
 public, to

00:32:37.959 --> 00:32:38.459
 make a public

00:32:38.459 --> 00:32:39.019
 profession of

00:32:39.019 --> 00:32:39.439
 your faith in

00:32:39.439 --> 00:32:39.779
 Christ.

00:32:41.099 --> 00:32:41.939
 Jesus himself

00:32:41.940 --> 00:32:42.480
 commanded the

00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:43.080
 disciples to

00:32:43.080 --> 00:32:43.500
 do this.

00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.000
 But even

00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:45.880
 after baptism,

00:32:45.880 --> 00:32:46.480
 it's important

00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:47.400
 to be known

00:32:47.400 --> 00:32:48.160
 by a local

00:32:48.160 --> 00:32:48.600
 church.

00:32:49.120 --> 00:32:49.600
 After Paul

00:32:49.600 --> 00:32:50.059
 goes to a

00:32:50.059 --> 00:32:50.460
 new city

00:32:50.460 --> 00:32:51.360
 in verse 26,

00:32:51.519 --> 00:32:51.860
 after he has

00:32:51.860 --> 00:32:52.160
 to leave

00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:52.740
 Damascus and

00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:53.220
 go back to

00:32:53.220 --> 00:32:53.559
 Jerusalem,

00:32:53.840 --> 00:32:54.220
 what's his

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:54.980
 very first

00:32:54.980 --> 00:32:55.420
 move?

00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:57.660
 To join up

00:32:57.660 --> 00:32:57.900
 with the

00:32:57.900 --> 00:32:58.340
 disciples.

00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:00.160
 We know

00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:00.620
 from Galatians

00:33:00.620 --> 00:33:01.200
 1 that Paul's

00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:01.820
 actually in the

00:33:01.820 --> 00:33:02.460
 Damascus area

00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.740
 for three years.

00:33:04.680 --> 00:33:05.160
 So when Luke

00:33:05.160 --> 00:33:05.920
 says in verse 23

00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:06.640
 that many days

00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:07.080
 had passed,

00:33:07.140 --> 00:33:07.400
 he really

00:33:07.400 --> 00:33:07.800
 means it.

00:33:07.960 --> 00:33:08.660
 Many days

00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:09.200
 had passed.

00:33:11.320 --> 00:33:11.900
 But the

00:33:11.900 --> 00:33:12.700
 pattern here I

00:33:12.700 --> 00:33:13.440
 think is very

00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:14.340
 relevant to our

00:33:14.340 --> 00:33:15.800
 context where

00:33:15.800 --> 00:33:16.840
 people are always

00:33:16.840 --> 00:33:17.980
 coming and going

00:33:17.980 --> 00:33:18.920
 about every three

00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:19.600
 to four years.

00:33:21.060 --> 00:33:21.880
 And the healthy

00:33:21.880 --> 00:33:22.720
 pattern is this.

00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:24.480
 You come to a

00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:26.100
 new city, you

00:33:26.100 --> 00:33:26.900
 find a fellowship

00:33:26.900 --> 00:33:27.740
 of believers, a

00:33:27.740 --> 00:33:28.920
 church, and you

00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:29.600
 join in.

00:33:31.400 --> 00:33:32.259
 That's what formal

00:33:32.259 --> 00:33:33.200
 church membership is

00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:33.640
 all about.

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:35.519
 Being known by a

00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:36.240
 body of disciples

00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:36.980
 who can help you

00:33:36.980 --> 00:33:37.519
 along in your

00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:38.319
 walk with Christ

00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:39.460
 and who you

00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:40.420
 can help in turn.

00:33:42.299 --> 00:33:42.920
 So genuine

00:33:42.920 --> 00:33:43.579
 conversion results

00:33:43.579 --> 00:33:44.599
 in fellowship, a

00:33:44.599 --> 00:33:45.460
 new relationship to

00:33:45.460 --> 00:33:46.019
 other believers.

00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:46.799
 But it also

00:33:46.799 --> 00:33:47.819
 results, second, in

00:33:47.819 --> 00:33:48.240
 ministry.

00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:49.180
 This is the pattern

00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:49.480
 you see.

00:33:49.700 --> 00:33:50.619
 Paul goes, he

00:33:50.619 --> 00:33:51.379
 finds the fellowship,

00:33:51.559 --> 00:33:52.200
 and then he starts

00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:52.879
 ministering.

00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:53.859
 In other words, Paul

00:33:53.859 --> 00:33:55.039
 has a completely new

00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:56.119
 responsibility to the

00:33:56.119 --> 00:33:56.420
 world.

00:33:57.400 --> 00:33:58.119
 We see in verse 20

00:33:58.119 --> 00:33:59.079
 that immediately after

00:33:59.079 --> 00:33:59.879
 his conversion, Saul's

00:33:59.879 --> 00:34:00.720
 proclaiming Jesus in

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.980
 the synagogues, bearing

00:34:01.980 --> 00:34:02.920
 witness to Christ.

00:34:03.259 --> 00:34:03.799
 It's interesting in

00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:05.019
 verse 25 that Luke,

00:34:05.019 --> 00:34:06.059
 even at this early

00:34:06.059 --> 00:34:06.879
 point in Paul's

00:34:06.879 --> 00:34:07.680
 ministry, can speak of

00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:08.380
 his disciples.

00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:11.300
 Paul is busy making

00:34:11.300 --> 00:34:12.860
 disciples of Jesus, just

00:34:12.860 --> 00:34:13.820
 like Jesus told the

00:34:13.820 --> 00:34:15.860
 apostles, go into all

00:34:15.860 --> 00:34:17.579
 the world and make

00:34:17.579 --> 00:34:19.380
 disciples of all

00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:19.800
 nations.

00:34:21.259 --> 00:34:22.259
 That's exactly what

00:34:22.259 --> 00:34:22.820
 Paul is doing.

00:34:22.940 --> 00:34:24.280
 He's making disciples.

00:34:25.780 --> 00:34:26.679
 Now, of course, not all

00:34:26.679 --> 00:34:28.759
 of us post-conversion are

00:34:28.759 --> 00:34:29.900
 going to take up full-time

00:34:29.900 --> 00:34:30.920
 ministry like Paul.

00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:33.739
 But coming to know Jesus

00:34:33.739 --> 00:34:36.619
 will give us this new

00:34:36.619 --> 00:34:38.919
 sense of vision and

00:34:38.919 --> 00:34:40.539
 responsibility for the

00:34:40.539 --> 00:34:41.459
 world that we live in.

00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:43.899
 We continue to do our

00:34:43.899 --> 00:34:45.599
 jobs well as a way to

00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:46.639
 love our neighbors and

00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:48.059
 glorify God, but we also

00:34:48.059 --> 00:34:49.099
 want to see our neighbors

00:34:49.099 --> 00:34:50.599
 flourish spiritually.

00:34:51.159 --> 00:34:52.719
 So we long for them to

00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:54.439
 become disciples of Jesus

00:34:54.439 --> 00:34:54.959
 as well.

00:34:57.019 --> 00:34:58.099
 And what's more, we want

00:34:58.099 --> 00:34:58.699
 to see our fellow

00:34:58.699 --> 00:34:59.779
 believers grow in the

00:34:59.779 --> 00:35:00.099
 faith.

00:35:00.099 --> 00:35:02.500
 So we'll begin to want

00:35:02.500 --> 00:35:03.839
 to find ways of doing

00:35:03.839 --> 00:35:04.940
 good to them spiritually

00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:05.460
 as well.

00:35:06.860 --> 00:35:08.059
 We'll want to be in

00:35:08.059 --> 00:35:09.299
 discipling relationships.

00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:10.779
 We'll want to seek them

00:35:10.779 --> 00:35:12.699
 out and look for them in

00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:13.579
 small groups and on

00:35:13.579 --> 00:35:13.839
 Sundays.

00:35:13.980 --> 00:35:15.759
 We want to be open to

00:35:15.759 --> 00:35:16.980
 people speaking into our

00:35:16.980 --> 00:35:18.159
 lives and walking along

00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:18.460
 with us.

00:35:18.500 --> 00:35:19.719
 And we want to be open to

00:35:19.719 --> 00:35:20.779
 finding others that we can

00:35:20.779 --> 00:35:21.639
 do that with.

00:35:24.019 --> 00:35:25.779
 Who can I meet with to do

00:35:25.779 --> 00:35:25.960
 this?

00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:27.539
 Who can I encourage in

00:35:27.539 --> 00:35:28.519
 their walk in Christ?

00:35:28.519 --> 00:35:28.599
 Christ.

00:35:30.920 --> 00:35:32.420
 So conversion produces not

00:35:32.420 --> 00:35:33.300
 just a desire to take

00:35:33.300 --> 00:35:34.079
 part in the fellowship of

00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:34.940
 the church, but also a

00:35:34.940 --> 00:35:35.659
 desire to see that

00:35:35.659 --> 00:35:37.860
 fellowship grow through

00:35:37.860 --> 00:35:39.599
 your personal active

00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:40.579
 discipling ministry.

00:35:41.559 --> 00:35:43.099
 So fellowship, ministry,

00:35:43.380 --> 00:35:44.659
 and then the last thing we

00:35:44.659 --> 00:35:47.980
 see, third, is cost.

00:35:50.820 --> 00:35:52.920
 Jesus makes it clear to

00:35:52.920 --> 00:35:55.400
 Paul that Paul's going to

00:35:55.400 --> 00:35:57.400
 suffer for his sake.

00:36:00.380 --> 00:36:01.720
 And in both Damascus and

00:36:01.720 --> 00:36:02.900
 Jerusalem, after Paul finds

00:36:02.900 --> 00:36:04.139
 the fellowship and begins

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:06.380
 ministry, people end up

00:36:06.380 --> 00:36:07.880
 wanting to kill him and he

00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:08.559
 has to escape.

00:36:11.160 --> 00:36:12.420
 He's forced to leave the

00:36:12.420 --> 00:36:13.900
 people he's come to love in

00:36:13.900 --> 00:36:15.920
 Damascus and he's forced to

00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:17.599
 flee from the city he loves,

00:36:17.740 --> 00:36:18.139
 Jerusalem.

00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:20.099
 He's got to leave it all

00:36:20.099 --> 00:36:20.539
 behind.

00:36:20.539 --> 00:36:24.699
 You see, genuine conversion

00:36:24.699 --> 00:36:26.980
 will lead to doing costly

00:36:26.980 --> 00:36:28.800
 things for the sake of

00:36:28.800 --> 00:36:29.219
 Christ.

00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:31.480
 Of course, few people will

00:36:31.480 --> 00:36:33.840
 literally want to kill us,

00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:35.300
 would be my guess.

00:36:37.380 --> 00:36:38.759
 But being a follower of

00:36:38.759 --> 00:36:39.940
 Christ will still be costly.

00:36:41.460 --> 00:36:42.759
 Our reputation in the world

00:36:42.759 --> 00:36:43.279
 may suffer.

00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:45.860
 Our job success may be

00:36:45.860 --> 00:36:46.279
 hindered.

00:36:46.280 --> 00:36:48.440
 Some of our relationships

00:36:48.440 --> 00:36:50.260
 may be strained or even

00:36:50.260 --> 00:36:51.140
 end altogether.

00:36:52.740 --> 00:36:54.160
 There will come points when

00:36:54.160 --> 00:36:56.060
 faithfulness to Jesus will

00:36:56.060 --> 00:36:58.760
 try us with a very hard

00:36:58.760 --> 00:36:59.600
 path to tread.

00:37:01.900 --> 00:37:03.760
 And so we have to ask,

00:37:04.519 --> 00:37:09.660
 what made Paul so willing to

00:37:09.660 --> 00:37:11.340
 bear the costly weight of

00:37:11.340 --> 00:37:12.060
 discipleship?

00:37:12.920 --> 00:37:14.820
 What enabled him to leave so

00:37:14.820 --> 00:37:15.820
 much that he loved?

00:37:16.280 --> 00:37:18.240
 What enabled him to leave all

00:37:18.240 --> 00:37:19.620
 that behind and head out

00:37:19.620 --> 00:37:21.820
 to begin ministering among

00:37:21.820 --> 00:37:23.560
 Gentiles people that just

00:37:23.560 --> 00:37:26.280
 a few years before he

00:37:26.280 --> 00:37:27.420
 couldn't care anything about?

00:37:31.420 --> 00:37:32.480
 Well, friends, it comes back

00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:33.580
 to his conversion, doesn't

00:37:33.580 --> 00:37:33.820
 it?

00:37:35.740 --> 00:37:37.500
 That the Jesus who was

00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:40.660
 himself and is the glory of

00:37:40.660 --> 00:37:43.300
 God is the one who took up

00:37:43.300 --> 00:37:45.560
 the greatest cost for Paul.

00:37:46.280 --> 00:37:49.060
 Later, Paul will write,

00:37:49.600 --> 00:37:51.360
 the life I now live,

00:37:52.040 --> 00:37:53.700
 I live by faith in the Son of

00:37:53.700 --> 00:37:56.820
 God who loved me and gave

00:37:56.820 --> 00:37:58.140
 himself for me.

00:38:01.019 --> 00:38:02.220
 You see, friends, when Jesus

00:38:02.220 --> 00:38:03.500
 died on the cross,

00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:06.460
 he was dying the death

00:38:06.460 --> 00:38:09.320
 of a persecutor and a

00:38:09.320 --> 00:38:11.920
 blasphemer and an enemy of God,

00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:14.380
 God, even though he had done

00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:15.240
 nothing wrong.

00:38:18.200 --> 00:38:20.019
 And what Paul came to see in

00:38:20.019 --> 00:38:23.079
 that blinding vision was that

00:38:23.079 --> 00:38:24.360
 the death of Christ was

00:38:24.360 --> 00:38:27.320
 something that Jesus had done in

00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:31.539
 Paul's own place, bearing the cost

00:38:31.539 --> 00:38:34.700
 that his sins deserved, bearing the

00:38:34.700 --> 00:38:36.440
 cost that our sins deserved.

00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:41.019
 Paul knew that his infinite debt had

00:38:41.019 --> 00:38:43.880
 been paid on the cross so that any

00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:47.139
 cost he might now bear was nothing

00:38:47.139 --> 00:38:50.159
 compared to the love that he had

00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:53.820
 received in Jesus, the Son of God who

00:38:53.820 --> 00:38:56.639
 loved me and gave himself for me.

00:38:56.639 --> 00:39:00.759
 And friends, it's the same for us.

00:39:01.420 --> 00:39:04.179
 When we come to know the one who

00:39:04.179 --> 00:39:06.779
 loved us and gave himself for us,

00:39:07.159 --> 00:39:09.460
 no cost will deter us.

00:39:10.779 --> 00:39:14.000
 No cost will compare to knowing him,

00:39:14.420 --> 00:39:16.379
 the one who took hold of us.

00:39:16.380 --> 00:39:26.960
 Well, in Acts 31, 9-31, Luke ends his

00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:28.900
 account of Paul's conversion with a

00:39:28.900 --> 00:39:29.140
 summary.

00:39:30.820 --> 00:39:32.160
 He says this in verse 31,

00:39:32.260 --> 00:39:34.320
 So the church throughout all Judea and

00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:36.539
 Galilee and Samaria had peace and was

00:39:36.539 --> 00:39:38.880
 being built up, and walking in the fear

00:39:38.880 --> 00:39:40.320
 of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy

00:39:40.320 --> 00:39:41.440
 Spirit, it multiplied.

00:39:44.039 --> 00:39:45.440
 It's a fitting summary, you know.

00:39:45.440 --> 00:39:48.440
 Paul, of course, is a hero of the faith,

00:39:48.659 --> 00:39:49.360
 no doubt.

00:39:50.139 --> 00:39:52.440
 God used Paul in simply uncomparable

00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:55.099
 ways to spread the gospel.

00:39:55.800 --> 00:39:58.280
 You and I functionally are sitting here

00:39:58.280 --> 00:40:00.440
 this morning because of what the

00:40:00.440 --> 00:40:02.460
 apostle, because what God did through

00:40:02.460 --> 00:40:03.220
 the apostle Paul.

00:40:04.960 --> 00:40:08.000
 He was the one that God used to take

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:11.340
 the gospel in its most sort of poignant

00:40:11.340 --> 00:40:13.380
 and powerful ways to the Gentiles.

00:40:13.380 --> 00:40:15.800
 That's most of us.

00:40:17.800 --> 00:40:22.400
 And yet, doesn't verse 31 remind us

00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:26.780
 that Jesus loves the whole church,

00:40:27.340 --> 00:40:31.820
 and that what he did in Paul and through

00:40:31.820 --> 00:40:36.960
 Paul was for the church, the church that

00:40:36.960 --> 00:40:37.640
 he loves?

00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:41.259
 Did you guess what Jesus said back in

00:40:41.259 --> 00:40:45.000
 verse 4 when he arrests Saul on the road

00:40:45.000 --> 00:40:45.779
 to Damascus?

00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:48.940
 He says, Saul, Saul, why are you, not

00:40:48.940 --> 00:40:53.299
 why are you persecuting them, but why are you

00:40:53.299 --> 00:40:54.279
 persecuting me?

00:40:54.280 --> 00:40:57.820
 Isn't that astounding?

00:40:59.580 --> 00:41:01.480
 Jesus doesn't say, why are you persecuting

00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:02.519
 those Christians over there?

00:41:02.780 --> 00:41:04.500
 Why are you persecuting me?

00:41:05.980 --> 00:41:09.580
 And doesn't that tell us the kind of vital,

00:41:10.240 --> 00:41:13.500
 intimate union that Jesus has with the whole

00:41:13.500 --> 00:41:13.900
 church?

00:41:14.120 --> 00:41:17.519
 That he so identifies with us, and so

00:41:17.519 --> 00:41:22.380
 completely, and so intimately, that any harm

00:41:22.380 --> 00:41:24.420
 done to the church is as if it's harm done

00:41:24.420 --> 00:41:24.840
 to him.

00:41:26.159 --> 00:41:28.940
 That he has connected himself with his body

00:41:28.940 --> 00:41:31.940
 in an unbreakable way.

00:41:34.940 --> 00:41:36.659
 Martin Luther, in his short work,

00:41:36.739 --> 00:41:39.239
 The Freedom of a Christian, describes what

00:41:39.239 --> 00:41:40.980
 happens when someone puts their trust in

00:41:40.980 --> 00:41:41.360
 Christ.

00:41:41.360 --> 00:41:44.559
 And he describes it like a marriage.

00:41:45.860 --> 00:41:51.519
 He says, faith unites us to Christ in such a

00:41:51.519 --> 00:41:53.320
 binding and intimate way.

00:41:53.660 --> 00:41:56.720
 It's like the same way that a husband and wife are

00:41:56.720 --> 00:41:59.180
 united to one another and become one flesh.

00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:02.880
 And then he goes on and he says, and just like a

00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:05.960
 marriage, so it is with our marriage to Christ that

00:42:05.960 --> 00:42:09.120
 what's true of the one becomes true of the other.

00:42:11.360 --> 00:42:16.760
 In other words, Jesus takes what's rightfully mine,

00:42:17.960 --> 00:42:23.960
 my sin and my death and my condemnation, and I get

00:42:23.960 --> 00:42:25.519
 what's rightfully his.

00:42:26.820 --> 00:42:31.099
 His righteousness, his life, and his intimacy with

00:42:31.099 --> 00:42:31.539
 the Father.

00:42:33.460 --> 00:42:37.180
 This is the union that the church has with Jesus.

00:42:38.400 --> 00:42:40.920
 This is the union and the kind of relationship that

00:42:40.920 --> 00:42:44.360
 everyone who believes has with the risen Lord.

00:42:48.519 --> 00:42:51.260
 From heaven he came and sought her, the song says,

00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:53.159
 to be his holy bride.

00:42:54.139 --> 00:42:56.039
 And with his own blood he bought her.

00:42:56.920 --> 00:42:58.440
 And for her life he died.

00:43:00.019 --> 00:43:04.000
 Friends, the same way in which Jesus pursued Saul and

00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:06.860
 turned his life around and took him to himself,

00:43:06.860 --> 00:43:10.700
 that is what he desires to do with every one of us.

00:43:13.400 --> 00:43:15.420
 In a minute we're going to go to the Lord's table where we

00:43:15.420 --> 00:43:18.599
 actually remember those twin truths.

00:43:19.260 --> 00:43:23.400
 That Jesus' body was broken for us and his blood was shed for us

00:43:23.400 --> 00:43:25.120
 to forgive our sins.

00:43:26.460 --> 00:43:28.920
 And then we do something that's kind of weird.

00:43:28.920 --> 00:43:33.400
 Lord, we take that bread and we take that cup and we eat it.

00:43:36.039 --> 00:43:42.519
 What could be more intimate and close than eating with someone,

00:43:43.880 --> 00:43:45.680
 than sharing a meal together?

00:43:45.679 --> 00:43:52.679
 Jesus says, that's the kind of closeness that I actually have with you.

00:43:55.159 --> 00:43:57.679
 So friends, let's pray and let's prepare our hearts.

00:44:03.279 --> 00:44:08.099
 Lord Jesus, we pray that now as we come to the table,

00:44:08.099 --> 00:44:13.179
 Lord, you would stir our hearts once again

00:44:13.179 --> 00:44:17.019
 to see how beautiful you are

00:44:17.019 --> 00:44:19.699
 and how much you love us.

00:44:20.659 --> 00:44:22.980
 Lord, I pray for those who are here this morning

00:44:22.980 --> 00:44:24.719
 who are wrestling with

00:44:24.719 --> 00:44:29.079
 the claims that you make, Jesus.

00:44:30.679 --> 00:44:33.619
 Lord, those who are perhaps wrestling with

00:44:33.619 --> 00:44:37.460
 believing in you, trusting in you,

00:44:37.460 --> 00:44:41.380
 Lord, I ask that your great grace

00:44:41.380 --> 00:44:44.360
 would break through their hearts

00:44:44.360 --> 00:44:48.320
 and draw them to yourself.

00:44:50.340 --> 00:44:53.579
 And Lord, for those of us whom you have taken hold of,

00:44:54.880 --> 00:44:57.559
 Lord, would you feed us and strengthen us

00:44:57.559 --> 00:44:59.519
 and help us to remember

00:44:59.519 --> 00:45:01.599
 the great love that you have for us.

00:45:02.340 --> 00:45:03.360
 Lord, we pray this in your name.

00:45:03.599 --> 00:45:03.820
 Amen.