A STORY TO TELL

Delivered on 11/6/16

                         
 
Philippians 3:8
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
 
Every believer should have a story to tell…of how they were drawn to the Son. This afternoon we will be looking at the life of the Apostle Paul, and how his was changed when he was confronted by our Lord Jesus.
 
Every believer never has to worry about, what we might be “missing out”, by following Christ. Because of the christian faith, nothing we can give has any lasting value. “I count all things lost for excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord”. Paul made this statement very personal “my Lord”, meaning Master, one who we all belong to. In a little while, we will dig into the life of Paul for this verse to have its deeper value. “count them as rubbish”. as Paul had mentioned. The Greek word has a very graphic meaning before it was translated. Rubbish, meant to “refuse”, or in a another translation (dung, manure) Everything Paul was, before knowing Christ meant nothing, rubbish, manure dung. Everything that he has accomplished meant nothing!
 
Now let us dig into Paul’s life…
 
Acts 9:1-6
9 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
 
In our criminal justice system, much time, effort and financial resources are spent attempting to "reform" hardened criminals. Well, when Paul met Jesus his life was more than "reformed" it was "transformed"! And the same has happened to each of us who have met the Savior. If you have not had an encounter with Jesus, the very same thing could happen to you.
 
Contrary to what many people think, we don't find Jesus...HE FINDS US!!! Those people who are lost are guilty of trespasses and sins and will not willingly seek out the righteous Savior and surrender to Him. But in His amazing love, grace and mercy Jesus Christ will reach out to the lost man and call him unto salvation.
I know that many believe, till this day that they had a part in being saved. You will never, ever, see that in Scripture, simply because the sinner would take all the credit for his or her salvation.This is the picture that is painted for us in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. (A.K.A The Apostle Paul) In this fantastic story we see just what happens when we are caught by Gods Grace.
 
Lets look back at Acts 9:1-2
 
Acts 9:1-2
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
 
Saul's goal in life was to tear down everything the Apostles and the other members of the early church were building up. He was not your stereotypical sinner, on the contrary, he was actually a very religious man, well educated, and firm on his belief.
 
Philippians 3:4-6
4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
 
Saul was a very religious man. Obeyed the law…just loot at his credentials.. “circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel,( Gen 17 ) if you want to read about that covenant with Abraham. “of the tribe of Benjamin”, Jacob’s youngest son through Rachel. Jacob as we all know will be called Israel. a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee”. Paul was a son of a Pharisee, a religious leader. Paul had bragging rights, he was it. You want to see a religious man..that’s Paul.
 
Paul was a feared man. He is first mentioned at the stoning of Stephen in…
 
Acts 7:58
and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
 
Wow!!! with what we have read so far about Paul, its clear to say that with everything he has done, he would have no part in being saved. Lets look at some more of Paul’s life and decide whether or not he can earn his way to heaven, or does he deserve to be forgiven?
 
Acts 8:3
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
And again on…
 
Galatians 1:13
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
 
And also on…
 
1 Timothy 1:15  (NIV)
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
 
The worst of sinners, according to Paul. With all of that..all that we have just read, can he have any part in being saved? So…Why did Jesus in His marvelous grace pursue Saul? It was not because he was a Jew or Pharisee. It was not because he was a willing participant in the stoning of Stephen. It was not because of the blasphemous things he said about Christ. It was not because of his persecution of Christians. It was not because of his attempt to destroy Christianity as a whole. Saul's greatest problem was that with all of his "religion" he was a still a lost sinner in need of a Savior! He described religion so well when he used the phrase "traditions of my fathers" in…
 
Galatians 1:14
14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
 
That is what religion is...rules, regulations and rituals handed down from generation to generation. It does not matter who your bloodline is, they cant save you. And if you die without Jesus you will find that religion is not enough, what you need is a RELATIONSHIP WITH A PERSONAL SAVIOR!!! Understand this, if you have never been born again you are as guilty as Saul of Tarsus was!!! When were you drawn to the Son? When did you receive His forgiveness? Do you have “A Story To Tell”?
 
What is our crime? SIN! And we are told in Romans that "the wages of sin is death"!! But praise God even though we were "dead in trespasses and sins", we are pursued by Gods grace. I for one am glad, and it safe to say that you are as well, that we have been captured by grace! But maybe you are here and you have yet to encounter the saving Grace of Jesus Christ. Whether you know it or not you are being pursued by grace. If you are here tonight, and you have been saved for some years now, and have wondered off the path that God has for you, then go back. It is that same saving grace that will correct our mistakes.
 
Come back with me on Acts 9:3
 
Acts 9:3
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
Paul had obtained authorization from the High Priest to apprehend ANY Christians that he could find and bind them and bring them back to Jerusalem.. What a picture of Gods grace! God could have written Paul off. In His Sovereignty the Lord could have struck him down and killed him on the spot. And if he had died and went to hell he would have gotten just what he deserved! And if you die lost in your sins that is exactly what is going to happen to you. And if it does you will receive your just reward! But that is not God's plan and it is not His desire.
 
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
 
And Jesus tells us that…
 
John 3:17
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
 
For this reason, we are pursued by Gods grace. At the point of his conversion there was nothing that Paul had done that was worthy of salvation. In fact, after all that Paul did after his conversion, he still had done nothing that could have earned his salvation. THAT IS WHY IT IS CALLED GRACE!!! Grace is defined as " the free and unmerited favor of God". All God! Not your family, not your pastor, not the evangelist, all God!!!
 
Saul woke up that day with specific plans for his life. His goal was to destroy the church, not to meet the Christ! Saul didn't "find" Jesus, He was not looking for Him! But Jesus found Saul. Jesus sought him out... Jesus called His name... Jesus changed his life... Saul was pursued by grace! And if you are saved it is because you been saved by grace. And if you are ever going to be saved it will be because of Gods grace!
 
Notice what happened when grace caught up with Paul…
 
Acts 9:4-5
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
 
Did you know that it was Jesus who called you? Paul did! Not only did he see this amazing light shining from Heaven, he also heard a voice... the voice of Jesus!! Jesus had caught up with Saul. There was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Can you imagine what ran through Saul's mind when he realized it was Jesus speaking to him?
We are told that Saul was "trembling and astonished" when this took place. And church
when you encounter Jesus it will do the same for you! When Jesus comes on the scene there is no doubt that it is Him! He will make His presence known in your life in a mighty way! When He calls your name there will be no question Who it is!!
Great things happen when one has been saved by Gods grace. After a criminal is apprehended and charged he, or she is then tried and the next step is conviction. Paul was immediately convicted when He heard the Savior's voice.
 
Acts 9:6-9
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
 
Jesus didn't just call Saul's name, He called Him out! Saul immediately knew who had confronted him. And he immediately and completely surrendered to Him. He asked "Lord, what do you want me to do?". And when Jesus told Him what to do, HE OBEYED!!!
 
Saul was overwhelmed by the power of the Savior and he found himself "trembling and astonished". Paul would tell you that great things happen when you are saved by grace. There on Damascus Road everything changed for Paul. 1. Jesus gave him a new name
2. Jesus gave him a new purpose, 3. Jesus gave him new future, 4. Jesus gave him an entirely new life!
 
Once a criminal is pursued, apprehended, arrested, tried, and convicted of his crimes comes the sentencing. This is where a judge will determine the duration of his or her imprisonment. After Paul was pursued and apprehended by grace, he too was sentenced. Notice with me…
 
Acts 9:10-16
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.
 
Yes, when Paul was apprehended by grace he received a life sentence. He would never go back to the things he knew before! From this moment on he was property of the Lord Jesus Christ! And Jesus sentenced him to a lifetime "bearing his name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel”.
Paul named himself a prisoner for Christ in…
 
Ephesians 4:1-3
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
 
When he penned the Epistle to the Ephesians he was imprisoned at Rome. But he did not descried himself as "a prisoner of the Roman government". Rather, he identified himself as a "Prisoner of the Lord" . He was not bound by a prison cell or shackles on his hands and feet. He was bound by love, service, devotion!! Before he was ever imprisoned for preaching the Gospel of Christ, he was already a prisoner of Jesus Christ! But this was a "willful imprisonment" so to speak! When Jesus called him, his only response was “YES LORD”!
 
Paul was pursed by Gods grace and fell in love with the One Who called him. And he remained with Him for the rest of his life! Paul was imprisoned by Jesus on Damascus Road, and he never sought to be free of the Lord’s incarceration.  
 
Because Paul was captive to the Lord Jesus Christ, he had no will of his own. He had no rights of his own. He had no plans of his own. He saw everything through the eyes of the Lord Jesus. Paul was held in divine captivity and every thought he had ...every deed he performed ...every letter he wrote ...every word he spoke ...every thing he did was carried out according to the will of the One Who held him captive.
 
He lived the remainder of his life for the glory of God! And we know that it was not an easy life. Just after Paul's conversion, Jesus told Ananias that Paul's "life sentence" would involved a great deal of suffering.
 
Paul gives us a brief overview of what he had to suffer… to write this letter to help and equip us with our daily walk. And what we can face by receiving Gods grace.
 
2 Corinthians 11:24-27
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
 
With everything that Paul faced he never wavered! He willingly faced the persecution. He not only survived but thrived in prison.
He loved his Savior and he was willing to go even unto death for Jesus! God had a plan for this man, and God used him in a mighty way. In fact, He is still using him today!!! He used Him to author 14 out of 22 books in the New Testament. And a good many of them were written while Paul was in prison for preaching the Gospel of Christ. God used him to establish churches in many of the major cities. The shackles that bound him inside the prison could not prevent the influence that he had all over the world. And all of this began with Paul being saved by Gods grace. For that, Paul has “A STORY TO TELL”.
 
Those of us who are saved must never forget that we were saved by Gods grace. Through Christ alone!
 
Lastly, I will end with this familiar verse…
 
Acts 4:12
12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
 
 
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