07-10 Vermenigvuldigen [06]

Amazing Grace The Church was characterized by JOY, SIMPLICITY, and UNITY. These wonderful descriptive words ought to characterize every Church and as I have been praying for us these past weeks, these words have become what I pray God would develop and protect in our Church. Dr. Luke includes two historical events that allow us to place Acts on the timeline. In chapter 11 we have a prophecy regarding a great famine during the reign of Claudius (11:28) and in chapter 12 we have the unforgettable death of Herod (12:23). These events frame yet another imprisonment of Peter and a -- how shall we call it -- faithless prayer meeting. Since Christ died somewhere in the years 32-34 AD, that means that Luke has covered the first fifteen years of the Church. He has introduced Stephen, Saul and Phillip into the narrative. Saul, who is named Paul by chapter 13, becomes the major focus of the second half of the book of Acts. We will cover four chapters of material this morning as we follow God’s pursuit of this man of Tarsus. By all definitions a religious fanatic; a zealot; or in our modern vernacular: a terrorist. Graceless Unbelief [8-9] We are introduced to this man at the stoning of Stephen with a simple sentence: he approved of the stoning and held the mob’s coats, while they murdered a man - unlawfully. He is then described as “ravaging the Church” (8:3), which causes gospel multiplication. Saul asks for letters to find anyone “of the way” in Damascus. Here is a man foaming at the mouth against the Church (9:1). There is no faith. There is no grace. He is blinded to the grace of God in Christ. Unbelievable Grace [9-13] And then the road to Damascus. He is pursued by Christ and stopped dead in his tracks. “Why do you persecute me?” This proud, angry, zealous man is reduced to a shaking, bewildered heap. His recorded response? “What do you want me to do?” He is left blind and dependent upon the courage of Ananias - a follower of the way in Damascus - to come and touch his eyes. Verse 18 describes him regaining his sight as: “scales fell off his eyes.” Isn’t that the truth? He has been blind, but now he can see. He stands up and the first thing he desires is to be baptized. To testify to the change that Christ made in his heart. Luke adds that he “immediately” preaches Christ in the synagogues. And here is the irony: the persecutor is now persecuted… he has to flee Damascus… at nightfall and in a basket let down along the outside of the city wall. The Jews want him dead. He is even persecuted (spiritually) by the Apostles, who don’t trust his conversion. In Jerusalem, he preaches to the Greeks and they want to kill him. So he is sent to Caesarea and eventually he ends up in Tarsus. Paul shares his testimony with his disciple in 1 Timothy 1:12-17. It is God’s unbelievable grace that saves this graceless unbeliever and it is spectacular… perhaps the greatest miracle recorded in Acts. The persecutor of Christ becomes the persecuted for Christ. And God still saves today… even in modern, graceless, unbelieving western society. Do you believe that? Pray for it. Expect it. Don’t pray like the Church prayed for Peter to be released from prison… saying the words, but not expecting God to do more than we ask or pray.