We are finishing our final lesson in our four-part series called After Easters. We have a special Mother's Day message for you next week. And then in two weeks, we're starting an awesome new series called Pillars based on the five foundations of our church, which is on that sign right there. Can't wait to head to that series with you guys.
But we're going to finish our series called After Easter. Now, Pestion and I got together and we talked about this idea that we would spend a few weeks after Easter because Easter is the greatest event in history, amen? Right? The resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything.
And so because of that, we didn't want to just spend one week out of 52 and say like, oh, that's all we'll talk about. The resurrection has such power. We wanted to take you through about four lessons and this is the fourth one about how it changed everything, the resurrected Christ changed everything. And today we're closing with one of my personal favorite stories in the Bible about the story of the conversion of Saul to Paul.
And so I'm really excited about that. Before we get into it though, and I don't normally do this and I'm actually kind of uncomfortable doing this because I don't, as a pastor, I don't like bragging. I don't want to make anything about me. I always want to point you guys to Jesus, but I'm going to take a moment and just brag about something so huge in my life.
One of the greatest opportunities that I've ever gotten to do and I want to share with you. So it was in 2015. Does anybody know anything significant that happened in 2015? The church started, yes, but that's not the story I'm bragging about.
Okay? So it was great that was something even greater happened that year that was just, it's mind blowing and I hesitate to share with you guys because I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Like you thinking, wow, that pastor J is so much better than me. Like I don't want you to think that.
I don't want you to hear all this and think like, oh, I could never achieve his status of what he's done. Like I don't want you to feel that, although I'm aware that by telling the story many of you probably will. So with that said, in around 2015 was the fall, there was my oldest daughter was in fifth grade and there was this need at the private Christian school for a soccer coach. And I know you guys are thinking like, there's no way that could be you, right, Pastor J?
Listen, I stepped up and they chose me as the head coach of the fifth and sixth co-ed soccer team for a private Christian school division five league soccer. And I got to be the coach. All right? Now they selected me.
And you can put me right up in the ranks of Bill Belichick, Bill Jackson, like you name it. Like I'm some people have called me the goat already about this. So you're saying, Jane, were you qualified for this? Yes, I was.
I played AISL when I was a little kid. And I even scored a couple goals. Again, I'm not trying to brag here. I'm just saying I did.
I scored a couple goals and it was a big deal. And so the fact that they selected me volunteered. The fact that they selected me was one of the greatest honors in my life. And I went through that season.
You guys, we even won a couple of games. So we were two and 11, but we won a couple of games. And I worked with these kids. And I mean, some would have said I was the greatest soccer coach of all time that year.
And in fact, they threw a banquet at the end of the season. And I'm here to show you guys. Again, I'm not trying to brag, but I've got to share this. They gave me this plaque right here.
So thank you. Thank you. And it says here a special thanks. I'm not just thanks, but a special thanks to coach, capital C, coach Jason Carson.
And it says for your thank you for your hard work and dedication for fifth, sixth grade, co-ed soccer 2015 Mission Hills Christian School. And there I am the head coach with my team of warriors, you guys. I can't even pass this around if any of you want to be hold of the greatness, Justin, you're asking for it. You know, you're asking for it.
You can take a look. Be blessed, brother. Be blessed. Be blessed.
I went through autograph. Yeah. Listen, after service, I'll humbly give autographs for this great endeavor. But I just wanted to show that you guys.
I mean, it's kind of a big deal to list your resume, your accolades, isn't it, these days. And so we go to this guy in the Bible named Saul. Now, some of you are saying, isn't this about Paul? He becomes Paul.
Before he became Paul, he was this guy named Saul. And he had, I know, stupid joke of the soccer thing. It's still being passed around. I wasn't, I wasn't serious about it.
It was a joke to give it to Justin. Now people are really passing around. What a distraction to the word of God. Okay.
So, so anyhow, you guys, Paul, this guy in this Bible, in the Bible, he wrote half the New Testament. He's a really big deal. But he had, before he came to Christ, he had a resume that could knock anyone's socks off. This would be the most impressive resume that you've ever seen.
Now, I had like, seriously, I went and did the research. I had like two pages of notes of like everything that Paul had accomplished and could brag about and could say, look what I've done, all of his accolades, all of his accomplishments. They've been there, they've done that, all that stuff. Yes.
And he's the most impressive guy, the world had ever seen at that point. You know, like this was like, anyone would look to him and say, he's got it all. And so I put it up on the screen just a few points of what Paul had done. And so follow along on this, this is Paul's resume.
Before his conversion, Saul had this, he had the perfect resume in terms of Jewish religious prestige and lineage. Like he could claim that. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was this strong Pharisee from a sect that was the strongest of the strongest Pharisees.
And he was the head of it. And he was a Roman citizen. So he could just claim, everyone in society could just say, man, that's the man right there. I mean, again, this guy is top notch.
And then second bullet points, as he had elite education and authority. And he trained under this guy named Gamelil, who was a top Jewish teacher. And he was unquestioned in a zeal and confidence in knowing and keeping the Jewish law. In fact, they said he appeared blameless.
He even thought to himself, I'm blameless. I do everything by the book. Everything, I cross all my teeth, not all my eyes. Everything is perfect in Paul's world.
You guys get this? Okay. And then the last bullet point there, he had this reputation as a defender of tradition. Which can anyone in here appreciate that?
Can anyone appreciate a defender of tradition? Come on, you guys. I'm not saying it in the bad way that we know that Saul ended up doing it. But don't you love people that defend traditions?
Right? So Paul was the ultimate man in this. He was the guy if you're a Jew, you would be sitting here saying like, thank God for Paul. I mean, he is really the whole package.
He does everything right. If there's one person on this planet to look to, it is Paul. And man, wouldn't it be great to be him? Wouldn't it be great to have his knowledge?
Wouldn't it be great to be in his position and to have that power? He is so in control of everything he does. And so here he is, this defender of tradition, but he persecuted Christians aggressively, capturing them, throwing them into prison, sometimes putting them to death. And on his way to Damascus, he was going to capture more Christians and put them in prison.
That was his mission. He's on the way. He's like, I've got a plan and I'm going to put these Christians to rest. I'm going to stop this thing that they call the way.
I'm going to put it to death. And so Paul's on this mission. And it's crazy because Paul's defining feature was that he believed he was serving God at the highest level. Like he thought his whole life, like I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to do.
I'm serving God at the highest level all the while actively opposing what he would become the very message that he later preached. Isn't that crazy? So I don't know much you, but if you ever been in a position where you feel like all I'm trying to do is serve God and you feel like your whole life is about ministry, your whole life is about God, your whole life is about doing things the right way. And maybe that whole time you're actively opposing what the Holy Spirit wants to do in your life.
And it's going to take a cataclysmic event for something to happen to change God's heart for you. So here it is. In Paul's story, it's this template of grace. Open your Bibles to Acts chapter.
We'll start in seven. Okay? Acts chapter seven, we're going to get there in a second. But in this story of Paul, it's this template of grace.
If you guys are ever looking for a template of grace, man, I love this story. Do you know this story? Since I Became a Christian in high school, this story has meant so much to me. I remember one of the first lessons I taught was on this passage today about Saul turning into Paul.
I remember when I was in the Supertones, the only song I actually wrote the lyrics to on any recording we've ever done was this on the first album, this song called found. And in it, I wrote about Paul's conversion. That was like, that's my one tiny contribution. Again, look at my accolades.
Okay. So, I know the lyrics say Paul was walking on the road to Damascus, a big bright light, and the Lord came and asked him, hey, Saul, what's up? Come follow me. And after he was blinded, he could finally see.
Like that was, that was my contribution to the band. All right. And those are horrible cheesy lyrics if you're actually into lyric writing. But for the time, it was innocent and pure and from the heart, we're going to move on.
Okay. So, here, one of the most profound transformations in all of history is what we're looking at today. The church is growing, but opposition to the church is intensifying. That's where we're at.
And so Jesus continues to pursue Paul and seek him and humble him and use him and send him. And he does the same thing to all of us. Amen? He pursues us.
He seeks us. He humbles us. He uses us and he sends us. And so just when you think, like, gosh, what's happening in my life?
There seems to be chaos. There seems to be confusion. What's the point of all this? God has a plan and he's using you.
So when you're hand out, let's fill this first one in. It says the transforming power of the risen Christ. Number one, God can reach any hard heart. Amen?
God can do it. He can reach any hard heart. He reached mine. He can reach any hard heart.
Yes, even souls. Okay. We take a look now at the Word of God. Everybody there?
Acts chapter seven, the end of chapter seven, we're going to be verse 53 through Acts 8, 3. Okay? So the end of Acts chapter seven, we're going to start with verse 53. And it says this.
Oh, did I say 53? 58. My bad. 58.
The Bible says they just killed this guy named Stephen and it says this. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. That's Stephen. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named who.
So there he is. Okay, that's our introduction. In verse 59, and as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, Stephen called out, Lord Jesus received my spirit and falling to his knees. He cried out with a loud voice.
Lord, do not hold this sin against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Verse one, chapter eight, and Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day, a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem.
And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church and entering house after house. He dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
You guys get the picture? This is who Saul was. And man, God can change any hard heart. Somebody, amen, right?
Do you believe this? The hardest of hearts, the people that you have picked last. I mean, if you had the question in front of you, who's the least likely person on this planet to come to Christ? Do you know God can reach them?
You know that? You? No matter how hard your heart is or even if you think you didn't have a hard heart, God can reach any hard heart. Don't give up on anyone here.
Saul is violently opposed to the gospel. There's this massive tension between Christians and Jewish authorities. They saw this Jesus movement as a total threat to their way of life, right? They're thinking, man, if Jesus comes in and we follow everything, he says, that means we're not going to be empowered anymore.
That means we're not going to get all the accolades, all the credit, all the glory. That means people aren't going to bow down and kiss our rings. That means people aren't going to come in and give homage to us and just give us all this credit in the marketplace. And that's what was happening.
I thought their way of life was threatened because Jesus' way of life was not glory. It was humility. It was this idea of humbling yourself. And so they had hard hearts.
Look at this verse on the screen that says, Luke 137, nothing will be impossible with God. And with Saul, if anybody, I guarantee you in that day, if somebody said, hey, do you think Paul could ever become a follower of the way? What do you think they would say? Absolutely not.
In fact, once he even did, no one believed it. No one believed it. No one believed it. Everyone's like, yeah, right.
This guy's up to tricks and he's going to kill us through this whole miscommunication, right? And so people were completely against it. So, but Paul was resistant. And I asked the question to myself as I was playing this, am I resistant towards God?
Am I resistant to the Holy Spirit? Now I'm asking you, are you resistant to the Holy Spirit working in your life? Is there an area of your life right now that you would say, I'm a little resistant, letting the Holy Spirit have free reign here. I'm a little resistant, trusting God with that.
I'm a little resistant saying God have your way in me. If that's the case, let that heart heart break. You know, I love Keith Green, man, Keith Green, one of the coolest moments of his whole ministry. He was praying, when he wrote that song, I created me, I cleaned heart of God.
He was singing it and in a live show, he said, you know, I've been really struggling with my heart lately. And it's not because of anything I've done. It's because of kind of what I'm not doing. And he says, I woke up in the night and I prayed a prayer.
God, take this heart of mine and put baby skin on my heart. Like he said, he's felt like he had a hard heart and he wanted God to put baby skin on his heart. Isn't that cool? So God can reach any hard heart.
You just have to submit to him that because culture, our culture seems aggressively anti-God. And I know it'd be real easy for any of us to sit here and say, yeah, that guy's not going to come to the Lord, that lady's not going to come to the Lord. There's no way they can come to the Lord. But don't give up on them.
Don't write anyone off. God can move mountains. Yes? You fill this in on your hand out.
We all encounter the risen Christ. There we go. That's the name of some church around here, isn't it? Okay, we all encounter the risen Christ.
Every one of us encounters the risen Christ. Here's the story. Flip in your Bibles over to Acts 9, one chapter over. Acts 9, we're going to read verses 1 through 5.
And here's what the word of the Lord says. This is so powerful. Watch how Saul has an encounter with the risen Christ. And then nothing you do about it.
Nor he can run. Nor he can hide. I mean, here's this guy in full control. This guy's got all the accolades of all life.
Everyone looks to him as the ultimate power guy. He's got it all together and nothing could stop God reaching him. Right? Here we go.
But Saul, still, somebody say still, right? He's still doing it. Still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He's breathing threats and murder against them, you guys.
He's still doing it. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus so that if he found any belonging to the way men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now, as he went on his way, he approached Damascus and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, who are you, Lord?
And he said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Okay. Wow, right? How many of you would say that Saul had an encounter with the living God, right?
I mean, wow. And we all have it. We all have an encounter with the living God. Every single one of us.
You've had an encounter with the living God. I've had an encounter with the living God. I remember mine. Mine was, I'll never forget it.
As long as I lived, I was raised in church my whole life and yet I was still living for myself, still doing my own thing. And just one night at my youth group in the middle of worship song just as loud as you hear my voice speaking to you now, I heard the voice of God say to me, Jason, you're either for me or against me. God's saying to Saul, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? I mean, it's just this moment of like, whoa, where did that come from?
I freaked me out. You imagine how freaked out I was as a 16 year old kid hearing the voice of God for the first time in my life say, Jason, you're either for me or against me. And here I was raising church. I was like, I don't want to be against you, God.
Like I know where that leads. You're right? Okay. I don't want anything to do with that.
Right? So I'm like, man, I don't want to be against you. What's the alternative? Well, I better before you.
And God's like, yeah, I'm going to use all your talents for me, Jason. All this stuff you're doing in life. It's going to be now for me. It's going to be for my glory.
This music thing, this drumming thing that you're doing, it's all going to be for me. And I'm like, but God, it's my whole identity. And he says, you're right. And that identity is going to go away.
I'm going to give you a new identity, just like he did with Saul. You give him a new identity. And his name is Paul. And it's amazing what God did.
And we've all had encounters with the living God for Saul. It was Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? What was it for you? Has there been a moment in your life where you just came to terms with Jesus?
You might not have heard of voice. You might have felt a small leading. You might have been so little. But maybe you don't even remember it.
Whatever the case is, have you had an encounter with Jesus where you kind of have to come to the mat and say, Hey, am I in? Lord, does my life really surrender to you? Does my life belong to you? I would challenge you.
If you feel like you haven't had that moment, you need to pray about that. You need to say God, is my life surrendered to you? Have an encounter with Jesus and watch what he does. You know, it says in Revelation 3 20 on the screen.
It says, Behold, Jesus said, I stand at the door, knock, Am I cool? He comes to your life and he knocks. And the verse continues to say like, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I'm going to come in, I'm going to fellowship with them. the door knock.
You got to open it. You got to say, I want an encounter with Jesus. And I read through scripture, I wrote down a big list here. We don't have time to go through all these, but man, the personal encounters with Jesus is all over the New Testament, isn't it?
It's all over. Like think about Mary and Martha. They had an encounter with Jesus, didn't they? One was working real hard, one was sitting at the feet of Jesus.
They both had an encounter with Jesus. Okay? Martha comes and he's like, what about my sister? Why isn't she working?
Why isn't she helping? Lord, I'm doing everything alone. And he said, Martha, Martha, like there was an encounter with her. And she realized she came around later and proclaimed the risen Christ.
Like she was the one that did it. Mary had this encounter with Jesus just sitting at his feet. She had a total encounter with him. Other people, Zacchaeus, this little dude, doing everything wrong, everything wrong in life.
Here's that Jesus is coming and all he wants to do is see Jesus. He climbs a sick mortry and he's up on the tree and he says, hey, Zacchaeus, calls him out by name. You come down. I'm coming to your house.
Salvation is coming to your house. And he goes to his house and everything changes. Zacchaeus has an encounter with Jesus. Everything changes.
He gives all his money back to the poor, fourth times fold. He gets his life right. Everything's just right. And all the people are saying, oh, Jesus, noobotus, man, was and what sooner he was, he wouldn't be having his house dinner.
And she's like, you guys missing everything. You didn't have an encounter with me. Zacchaeus just did, though. Uh, continuing to help with the dude that got lowered through the roof.
Remember? The, the cripple. He's on a mat and he can't get to Jesus, but he has four friends that want to help him get to Jesus. So the four friends go up the side of the house through the staircase, go to the top and they cut a hole in some dude's roof that's not even their house.
Can you imagine if someone did that to your house and go, what are you doing? Roots are $20,000. I can't afford that. Right?
You would have a problem with this. But these friends love this guy so much and they knew Jesus was the one. Like, let's drop it. Let's, let's get him to Jesus.
The house will so fall and then we can get in. We'll get him in. Let's got a hole in this dude's roof. So they got a hole.
They'll lower this guy down and he comes right in front of Jesus and Jesus, take your mat, get up and walk. You're forgiven. You're healed. The dude had an encounter with Jesus.
Two thieves on the cross. Did they have an encounter with Jesus? One of them. It's like saying, well, if you're really God, why don't you save us?
Do something about it. Skeptical, bitter, angry. The other's like, why are you yelling at him? We're getting what we deserve.
But hey, Lord Jesus, one requests if you could remember me when you go into your kingdom. And Jesus says, truth, I tell you today, today you'll be with me in paradise. Get in account of Jesus. Wonder what happened to that other thief on the cross.
Did he, anything happen? I can't wait for the heaven, I'm like, really not one. Can't wait. How about the herd of pigs?
Remember that? Jesus sent this demon possess guy, a legion full of many demons. They are many. And he took all the demons, he sent them into a herd of pigs numbering maybe 2000 and all the pigs went down to the equivalent of the Sea of Galilee and they all drowned.
And all these owners of the pigs were like, this guy's a demon possess man. Why is he ruined our herd of pigs? They missed the fact, right? They had an encounter with Jesus and it wasn't good.
And lastly, the rich young ruler. Status of all, right? Here's a guy that comes and says, I know it all. I studied it.
I've been in church my whole life. Lord, what must I do to get eternal life? This guy's thinking, oh, there's a slam dunk. I've already received it.
I've already obtained it. And Jesus says, well, one thing you lack, sell everything you have and give it to the poor and then come and follow me. Man went away sad because he was so rich and he says, like, I'm going to hold on to my money. He hadn't encountered Jesus.
Didn't go well. Didn't go well. And when I tell, why do I tell all those stories? Why did I take a few extra minutes?
Because every single one of you, young and old, no matter who you are, you've all had an encounter with Jesus. You're all facing what Jesus is going to do. You're going to be like the people that saw the herd of pigs go in and just get all mad about your stuff got ruined. Are you going to be the rich young ruler saying, yeah, but I wanted to keep control of my life?
Are you going to be like Martha? Where you're like, I just want justice and I want to be like a worker. Or you're going to be like Mary and sit at the feet of Jesus. You're going to be like a woman at the well.
It was like, come and see about a man that told me everything I did. And I once was lost and now I'm found. I once was blind. Now I see like, I'm in, right?
I mean, these are encounters with Jesus. We all have encounters with the risen Christ. And in this case, Saul got radically changed. Let's move on to number three.
Here's the biggest one of the morning people. Let's pay attention to this one. Number three, fill this in true transformation is a transfer of control. Oh, I hate this villain, everybody.
Anyone with me? Okay. I hate this woman. I was playing this lesson.
I might go this one. Stinks. I guess it's horror. Like I don't want to transfer control.
I want control. I want to be in charge. I want to know what the plan is. I want to know what's next.
I want to like make plans and do the things that I want to be in control. But if it's true transformation, it's a transfer of control. Let's look at the word of God. We're in verses six through nine now in chapter nine.
Six through nine. Remember, Saul, why are you bringing who are you? He said, I'm Jesus. I'm here.
Jesus says, but rise and enter the city and you will be told what you are to do. And the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one and Saul rose from the ground and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. He was blinded people. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
And for three days, he was without sight and either ate nor drank. Wow. It's a total transfer of control. I've been over this whole intro of my lessons was about this idea that Paul was that guy.
He was like, look at all I've done. My stupid soccer analogy that I gave you guys at the beginning. This was real for Paul. Like I have it all.
I've been there. I've done that. I bought the t-shirt. I bought the coffee mug.
Like I'm the number one person you can look to on this earth that knows everything that has done everything that has seen everything. I have a list of pedigree better than any of you. You need to look to me as an example. I'm in control.
I'm going to make a plan. I'm going to go to Damascus and I'm going to take anyone that's falling away. I'm going to put him in prison. Like I am in charge.
I'm in control to the ultimate degree for any of you control freaks. You look at this story. Paul came into this story in full control and in one instant he lost all of his control. You guys see that?
He's blinded. He got knocked off his donkey by a big blinding light and he's on the ground and he can't see everyone else. Here's the voice. Paul actually hears it clearly and knows that he says Jesus is talking to him and he hasn't counted what Jesus in everything changes.
So Paul once powerful and in full control. Now he's not. He had to lose physical sight to gain spiritual sight. Amen.
Right? So under number three, fill this in two. How do you have a transfer of control? You do it with three things and these are really hard things.
You do it with humility, submission and surrender. Humility, submission and surrender. Now these three things I believe are the key to your Christian life. They're the key to your walk with God.
They're the key to you being transformed as a disciple of Jesus. So I don't know if you want to circle those three words real big across your page. Do whatever it takes. But these three things, listen, church, you got to believe me, study the scriptures.
If you have humility, submission and surrender to Jesus Christ, you're going to be okay. That's the key. That's the transfer. That's the transfer of control.
It's you saying, I'm not in charge anymore in my life. I was bought with a price. My life isn't my own anymore. I belong to Jesus.
It brings you to a humility there. And so that you can worship the Lord freely and you submit yourself to him and he lifts you up and you surrender and he works through you. I mean, he's an awesome God. The world celebrates the opposite, doesn't it?
The world celebrates control and achievement, self-sufficiency. But this requires surrender. That verse on the screen, James 4, 10 says, humble yourself before the Lord and he will what? He's going to exalt.
He's going to be the one to lift you up. God will take care. You want to be lifted up? Do it right.
Let the Lord lift you up. Don't lift yourself up. It won't work. You're going to fall flat on your face.
Whoever exalts themselves is going to be humbled. But if you humble yourselves, you'll be exalted. It's Jesus's way. I didn't make it up.
I'm not even smart enough to make up something like that. It's Jesus's way. And so you go with it because this is like, for the case of Saul, disruption was something that God is life back on track. So it's next time you have disruption.
Don't be too quick to say like, why am I going through this? Disruption can be used to get your life back on track. Are you currently being humbled? Are you currently in a position where you're saying like, God, I really got to rely on you in this season.
That's a good thing because transformation is happening and it's a transfer of control. That's probably the I could spend all morning on this one point. I'm not going to keep moving, but I'm telling you church, put a star next to number three or do something like where you go back and look at this. Do you have a transfer of control in your life?
Is there a transfer you say, God, you're in control and I'm not like, let's all say that together. I'm not going to go. God, you're in control and I'm not ready to go. God, you're in control and I'm not.
Try praying that every day for a week. See what happens. God, you're in control. I'm not.
Wow. Watch what happens. Your faith is going to be so powerful if you're praying that each day. Number four.
Okay. Got to keep moving here. Number four is God uses community to shape your life. He uses community to shape your life.
So all the people sitting around you right now, they're a blessing. God, you have this community to shape your life. Let's read verses 10 through 19, the longest portion of our passage today. And we're going to read about this guy named Ananias.
It comes out of nowhere. You haven't heard of him yet. You know why? Because he hasn't been in the Bible yet.
This is the first time he's in it. And he's a major piece in what God is doing. And he had no idea he was going to be used. And in the snap of a finger, God uses them in a massive way.
Let's look at verses 10 through 19. Now there was a disciple of Damascus named Ananias. And the word said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, here I am Lord, go to answer Ananias.
Verse 11. And the word said to him, rise and go to the street called straight. And at the house of Judas, look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. For behold, he is praying.
And he has seen an division, a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight. And in verse 13 it says, but Ananias answered, Lord, you're crazy. He says, Lord, I've heard from many about this man how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.
Hold your finger there. In verse 15, Ananias was actually being pretty gracious in saying this. What would you have said? I would have been like, ah, they say the voice of God.
Heck no. The president of Satan Church is coming after us right now. And you're telling me I need to go to him and help him and bless him? Like, no, I'm not going to do that.
The president of Satan Church is an evil man. And I'm not going anywhere near him. And he has killed so many Christians. He killed part of my family.
Are you joking, God? Heck no. Right? And he's like, but respectfully, doesn't it?
Wow, what a lesson here that you've all missed. And I missed what a lesson in the middle of a scripture story that wasn't even the point of the story. How many times do you have the opportunity to at least respectfully respond to the Lord when you're mad about something, when you don't know something? Because Ananias did that.
That's pretty cool. Right? He stopped and he said like, okay, you're saying this, God, but here's what's happening. You know this, God.
This isn't good. Verse 15, we continue. But the Lord said to him, go for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer from my name's sake.
So Ananias departed and entered the house and laying his hands on him. He said, brother, Saul, right away, brother. Isn't that great? You guys, the transformation, have it already.
He says, brother, Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by what you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Wow. And immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight and then he rose and he was baptized and taking food. He was strengthened.
And for some days, he was with the disciples at Damascus. And this is a great story. Sananias was obedient, man. And he did it.
That's the point number four in your handout. God uses community to shape your life. Here's Ananias, an unknown disciple and he's called a minister. He's hesitant, but he obeys, doesn't he?
Can you relate, Church? He's hesitant, but he's going to obey and God works through people. And you don't know who he's going to work through. And God can use you to speak into someone's life.
There's another Saul out there that God needs you to go reach. You guys heard the story of Billy Graham. The guy that reached Billy Graham was a nobody you've never heard of before. But God called him to share Christ with Billy Graham and look what God did through Billy Graham.
God used Ananias, this character in the Bible that we don't know really anything about. And he called him to go minister to Paul who wrote half the New Testament. Who's God calling you to reach out to? Who's God going to use you to reach?
That's why God uses community to shape your life. You are the community. You are God's answer. You're his plan A.
There is no plan B. You're his ambassadors. You are the ones that represent him. You're his hands and you're his feet.
And you get to share Jesus with people. Look at this verse on the screen. Verse that's 1 and 5, 11 says, encourage one another and build one another up. That's your call.
That's the call to the Church. Does anyone know who wrote that verse? Yeah, Paul wrote it. And he's like, I wonder if you thought of Ananias when he wrote that one, right?
I mean, this is a big deal. So are you called out for a purpose like Ananias? You may not feel significant, you guys, but obedience matters. A simple prayer, a conversation, some encouragement to someone, standing up for what's right, an act of faith.
It could be the catalyst to someone's encounter with God. Let the word use you as community. Last thing, number five, fill this in. Resurrection leads to life on mission.
Resurrection leads to life on mission. One of our core values on the sign on the wall over here is life on mission. And resurrection leads to that. Look what happened to Paul after Ananias came and prayed for him.
We close out our story in verses 20 through 22. And it says this, and immediately that's Paul. He proclaimed Jesus in the synagogue saying, he is the Son of God. And all who heard him were amazed and said, is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon his name.
And has he not come here for this purpose to bring them bound before the chief priests, but Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. This is awesome. The most radical transformation we have recorded in scripture of this guy named Saul that was a number one enemy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And he became the absolute number one ambassador in the early church for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And what does it say, right underneath number five, it says 2 Corinthians 5, 17. If anyone, who? Anyone's in Christ. They're in new creation.
The old is gone. The news come. Paul started sharing the gospel immediately. His transformation is public.
It's on purpose. Has God transformed your life? Like Paul, are you ready for being on mission? Because if Christ truly lives in you, your life will point others towards him.
It's going to be happening. Your faith is not meant to be hidden. It's going to be happening. And that was the transformation.
That's the transforming power of the risen Christ. Now, at the bottom here, I got three big after Easter challenges. As we close this whole series about after Easter, Easter, because of the resurrection, I've got three big challenges. Number one is pray for one person this week.
And don't give up. Pray for them. One person. Who's God going away on your heart?
Maybe right now you know that person right there, name off to the side of that number one. You just filled in. Who will God put on your heart to pray for? You got to pray for one.
I'm going to ask every person right now. I'm not going to wait. Go ahead and write. Go ahead and write down one name of a person that you're going to pray for this week.
It's got to be one. Is everyone ready? Yes. Okay.
Got to be one. Pray for them all week. Pray for them every day. It's a radical challenge, a radical commitment to say, I'm going to be an ananias this week.
I'm going to pray for someone. I'm going to encourage them. Right. Number two, submit and surrender one area of control.
Paul had to submit all of it. We all do eventually. But which area of your life? There's got to be one area that you are fully in control still and you're not letting go.
You're not trusting the Lord with what is one area you can submit and surrender one area of control for. And number three, the last one is share the love of Jesus with one person this week. Maybe it's that person you're praying for. Maybe it's somebody else.
But it's the idea of, yeah, like God use you, be His ambassador, be His hands and feet, be the transforming power. Because of Easter, our faith is not meant to be hidden. Amen, somebody? It's meant to be shared.
It's meant to be saying, hey, Jesus is the way. Jesus is the answer. Jesus has changed my life. Pray is God.