And we do welcome you to
3ABN's Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:32.49\00:00:35.23
I'm Mollie Steenson and
today, we are studying out of
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the Book of Acts in our
Sabbath School Quarterly.
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We're on Lesson #5, but
let me encourage you to go
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now to your computer
and download this lesson
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if you don't
already have a copy of it.
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It's very simple to download,
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just go to: ABSG.Adventist.org
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and download it - go ahead
and download next week's as well
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so that you'll have
it available next week...
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But, you know, there's
another way for you to receive
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the Sabbath School Quarterly,
and that's to go to your
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local Seventh-day
Adventist Church and tell them,
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"I'm studying your
Sabbath School Quarterly on
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the Book of Acts and I
would like to have a copy."
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They would be so happy
to get a get a copy for you
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and you know
something else they would do?
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They would invite you to come
and study that Sabbath School
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Quarterly with them as well.
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That would be a
good thing for you to do.
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So get your Sabbath School
Quarterly, get your lesson,
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let's study along together.
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Now let me introduce to
you the teachers that we
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have for you today
of this lesson on...
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"The Conversion of Paul"
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To my left, I
have Shelley Quinn.
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Shelley, it's always a joy
to have you with us. Thank you.
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And then Pastor
John Dinzey, A pleasure.
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And our local theologian
here on staff at 3ABN...
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CA Murray, thank you.
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And next to him is our dear
precious sister, Jill Morikone.
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Jill, always a
joy to have you here.
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Jill, you always encourage
me with your knowledge of
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God's Word and I'd like
to ask you now, if you will,
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to open up in
prayer. Absolutely!
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Holy Father, We
come before you in the
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name of Jesus and we just
thank You for the privilege of
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opening up the Word of God.
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We thank You that it's inspired.
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We thank You for Your Holy
Spirit and we ask that You would
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give us an extra portion
of Your Spirit just now as
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we speak and share from
Your word and for our friends
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who are at home
watching and listening just now,
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we ask for an
anointing of Your Holy Spirit
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that Your Word would go
forth with power - that lives
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would be convicted
and converted and changed,
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and we thank You in
Jesus name... Amen, Amen
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It is our heart's desire, isn't
it panel, that this word will
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will go forth powerfully
and will touch every one of us
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and change us into the
image and likeness of our
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Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ. Amen!
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Well again today we are looking
at the conversion of Paul.
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Now the conversion of Saul
of Tarsus - who becomes Paul
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is one of the most remarkable
events in the history of
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the apostolic church.
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He was an enemy of the church
who became a genuine Christian.
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I mean, that was
an amazing event.
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There was
something innate within Paul,
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whatever he did, he did
it with all his heart. Yes
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Now that's a
good quality when it's
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directed in the right direction.
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He had been an incorrigible
opponent of the early believers,
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and the harm he could have
done to the infant church was
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enormous.
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He had both self-determination,
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that's motivation on his
own, and the official support
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of the religious
leaders to destroy everyone who
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who called
themselves a Christian.
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So he was motivated of
himself to do it and he had the
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backing of the church
leaders to destroy everyone
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that would call upon the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ...
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But something happened to him
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and that's what we
get to study today. Amen
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We get to study,
look at, be encouraged by,
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what happened to the Apostle
Paul on the road to Damascus.
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Well, Sister White tells
us, from among the most bitter
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and relentless persecutors
of the church of Christ
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arose the ablest
defender and most
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successful herald in the gospel.
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You know he wrote more
of the New Testament books
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than anybody else.
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He was not just a
powerful preacher,
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he was good with
pen and paper as well...
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as we're all so
thankful for. Amen!
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Paul was converted and
Christianity changed forever.
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Let's look at our memory
text ladies and gentlemen...
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It's Acts 9:15... now
this is our Lord and Savior
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Jesus Christ
speaking to Ananias, so let's
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read this together...
"Go, this man is My chosen
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instrument to proclaim My name
to the Gentiles and their kings
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and to the people of Israel."
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So, talking about the Apostle
Paul, well I've got Sunday,
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and I get to talk to you about
the persecutor of the church.
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Now who would that be?
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Who was the #1
persecutor of the church?
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This same man that
Shelley gets to share,
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and his conversion,
but I get to tell you about
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some of the things he
did as the persecutor.
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First let me tell you
a little about Paul...
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He was a Hellenistic Jew.
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Now, did I say that word
right "Hellenistic Jew?" Okay
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To me, that just sounds awful.
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Just that word, "Hellenistic,"
but all that means is...
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A Jew who spoke Greek
and adopted, to some extent,
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a great way of life,
but I think because it's got
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the word "hell" in it.
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It just makes me uncomfortable!
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but that just
defined his origin of birth.
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That's what a Hellenistic
Jew is - someone who spoke
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Greek and adopted some
of the Greek ways of life.
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Paul was also a Roman citizen.
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His birthplace was
Tarsus, that's why he was called
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"Saul of Tarsus" and
that's the capitol of Cilicia.
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But, he was by race a
Jew, born of Jewish parents,
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raised in a Jewish home,
raised in the Jewish faith,
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and he was educated in
the Jewish educational system.
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As-a-matter-of-fact, at a very
young age, he was brought to
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Jerusalem to study under
Gamaliel - did I say that
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correctly?
Gamaliel... the most influential
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pharisaic teacher at the time.
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Paul was a Pharisee and he
would tell you very quickly,
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"and I'm the son of a Pharisee."
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Now a Pharisee was
strictly Orthodox...
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It's one who
adheres to most strictly to
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traditional
beliefs and practices.
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He was zealous -
that's that drive in him,
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to the point of
fanaticism, he strongly upheld
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what he believed to be true.
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Now is that a bad thing?
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Don't we strongly uphold
what we believe to be true?
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Okay, Acts 26, I want
to read this, verses 9-11.
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Act 26:9-11...
Paul says about himself,
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"Indeed I, myself,
thought I must do many things
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contrary to the name
of Jesus of Nazareth.
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This I also did in Jerusalem,
and many of the saints
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I shut up in prison, having
received authority from the
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chief priest and when
they were put to death,
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I cast my vote against them.
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Verse 11. And I punished
them often in every synagogue
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and compelled them
to blaspheme, and being
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exceedingly enraged
against them, I persecuted them
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even to foreign cities."
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Now, why was Paul doing this?
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Because he believed
in what he was doing.
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He believed he was
doing the right thing.
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Now Paul says this...
in 1 Corinthians 1:23,
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this is a statement
from the Apostle Paul and I'm
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gonna ask - why did
he make such a statement?
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1 Corinthians 1:23,
"The preaching of Christ
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is a stumbling
block to the Jews."
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Now a stumbling block...
what's a stumbling block?
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It's something
that will make you fall
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on the path that
you're walking on - is it not?
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Make you slip and fall.
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You see, Jesus
didn't fit the traditional
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Jewish expectation
of the Kingly Messiah.
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Let me ask you this...
Is Jesus the Kingly Messiah?
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Yes He is, but He didn't fit
their traditional expectation,
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so that means that
their expectation was skewed,
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does it not? Okay.
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So when things are
skewed, it's like your teeth
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being out of alignment.
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When you have crooked teeth,
what do you get put on them?
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Braces. They put braces.
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Okay, if you just put
those braces and go (noise)
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straighten them
up, what happens?
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It kills every
tooth in your head.
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So things were skewed
and what God had to do
00:10:00.10\00:10:05.47
was put His people
in braces and bring them
00:10:05.50\00:10:09.27
out of the wrong
mindset, into the right mindset
00:10:09.30\00:10:13.27
because Paul truly
believed what he was doing
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was the right thing to do.
00:10:17.51\00:10:19.01
The religious Jews
couldn't by any means accept
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the idea that the one
who had died on a cross?
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Could be God's Messiah?
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For the Scripture says
in Deuteronomy 21:23...
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"That anyone who
is hung is"... what?
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Under God's curse.
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To the Jews, the
crucifixion was the clearest
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evidence that the
early church's claim
00:10:41.50\00:10:44.24
about Jesus was false.
00:10:44.27\00:10:47.44
Paul was basing his
persecution of the early church
00:10:47.51\00:10:52.68
on what he truly
believed, even though
00:10:52.71\00:10:56.38
what he believed was error.
00:10:56.42\00:11:00.56
Now, let me tell you
something about "present truth,"
00:11:00.59\00:11:03.63
what does the Scripture
say about present truth?
00:11:03.66\00:11:05.69
"We are to be
established in present truth,"
00:11:05.73\00:11:09.06
and here we have the Messiah,
Jesus Christ, His death,
00:11:09.10\00:11:14.87
His burial, His
resurrection, His ascension
00:11:14.90\00:11:17.51
to the right hand of the Father.
00:11:17.57\00:11:19.24
Did this bring present
truth into the Jewish community?
00:11:19.27\00:11:25.68
Let me tell you
something about present truth...
00:11:25.71\00:11:27.98
Present truth never
does away with past truth.
00:11:28.02\00:11:32.09
What does present
truth do every time?
00:11:32.12\00:11:34.56
Present truth builds on
and enhances past truth.
00:11:34.59\00:11:40.46
But here is something
else about present truth...
00:11:40.50\00:11:43.70
Present truth will
always expose past error. Yes.
00:11:43.73\00:11:48.70
And what we have happening
here is - people that are
00:11:48.74\00:11:52.67
operating in error, thinking
that they're doing God's will,
00:11:52.71\00:11:56.91
so God is in the process
of exposing the error and God
00:11:56.98\00:12:03.72
never wants to expose
the error to condemn...
00:12:03.79\00:12:06.99
everything God
does is redemptive.
00:12:07.06\00:12:09.26
He exposes the past
error to bring you gently
00:12:09.29\00:12:12.86
into present truth. Amen!
00:12:12.89\00:12:15.66
Okay, now... let me say this
to each one of us sitting here
00:12:15.70\00:12:19.00
before we get
holier than thou...
00:12:19.03\00:12:20.70
None of us would ever do that.
00:12:20.74\00:12:22.74
So like Paul, each
one of us base our actions
00:12:22.77\00:12:27.38
on what we
believe... is that the truth?
00:12:27.44\00:12:29.54
Well let me ask
you... Have any of you
00:12:29.58\00:12:32.48
ever zealously
upheld a matter...
00:12:32.51\00:12:36.99
Shelley and I can
both say we have...
00:12:37.05\00:12:40.12
and later had to
change our mind? Why?
00:12:40.16\00:12:42.46
Because we received the truth!
00:12:42.49\00:12:45.33
And in the light of the truth,
00:12:45.36\00:12:47.36
error is exposed every time.
00:12:47.40\00:12:49.43
Okay, Acts 9:1-2... "Then
Saul still breathing threats
00:12:49.46\00:12:57.14
and murder against
the disciples of the Lord,
00:12:57.17\00:12:59.37
went to the high priest
and asked letters from him
00:12:59.41\00:13:02.38
to the synagogues of
Damascus, Where? Damascus!
00:13:02.41\00:13:06.08
so that if he found
any who were in the Way,
00:13:06.11\00:13:09.65
whether men or women,
he might bring them bound
00:13:09.68\00:13:12.55
to Jerusalem."
00:13:12.59\00:13:13.96
With these letters
from the high priest,
00:13:13.99\00:13:16.39
head of the Sanhedrin,
the highest supreme council
00:13:16.42\00:13:19.86
in Jerusalem, they had
the power over religious,
00:13:19.89\00:13:23.37
civil and criminal jurisdiction,
00:13:23.43\00:13:27.34
Paul became...
this word, "shaliah,"
00:13:27.40\00:13:32.81
with authority to
arrest any followers of Jesus
00:13:32.84\00:13:36.41
and bring them to Jerusalem.
00:13:36.44\00:13:37.95
Now I found this interesting,
in Greek, the equivalent to
00:13:37.98\00:13:41.52
"shaliah" is
what word? "apostolos"
00:13:41.55\00:13:45.32
from which the word
"apostle" is derived.
00:13:45.35\00:13:48.59
And he is who - He is
the Apostle Paul, is he not?
00:13:48.62\00:13:51.16
Thus before being an apostle
of the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:13:51.93\00:13:55.56
do you know what Paul was?
00:13:55.60\00:13:56.93
He was an
apostle to the Sanhedrin.
00:13:57.00\00:13:59.47
Now, he has this letter and
why was he going to Damascus?
00:13:59.50\00:14:04.61
It says that he is
about to go to Damascus,
00:14:04.64\00:14:07.08
and I'm gonna leave
Damascus alone because
00:14:07.11\00:14:09.41
I'm gonna get him on
the road to Damascus,
00:14:09.44\00:14:11.55
and then Shelley is
gonna take it from there...
00:14:11.58\00:14:13.35
he was breathing out
threats, he was breathing out
00:14:13.42\00:14:17.12
anybody that called
on the Lord Jesus Christ
00:14:17.19\00:14:21.99
he was going to arrest them.
00:14:22.02\00:14:23.63
That's why he was
going to Damascus and bring
00:14:23.66\00:14:26.36
them back to
Jerusalem. Sister Shelley...
00:14:26.39\00:14:28.56
Thank you Mollie Sue!
00:14:28.60\00:14:31.17
It is so interesting to
me, my lesson is Monday,
00:14:31.20\00:14:35.24
"On The Damascus Road."
00:14:35.27\00:14:37.11
It is so interesting to
me how someone can go out
00:14:37.17\00:14:41.44
breathing murderous threats,
traveling with his companions.
00:14:41.48\00:14:45.78
This misguided Saul of
Tarsus trying to round up
00:14:45.81\00:14:50.55
Christians ready to
rid Jerusalem and the
00:14:50.59\00:14:55.02
Jewish religion of what
he thought was a dangerous
00:14:55.06\00:14:59.03
heresy and have his
life changed just like this.
00:14:59.06\00:15:03.60
But it was because he
had a personal encounter with
00:15:03.67\00:15:07.34
the Lord Jesus Christ and
you can experience that as well.
00:15:07.37\00:15:11.81
I think many of us have.
00:15:11.84\00:15:13.88
So on the road to
Damascus, what happens is that
00:15:13.91\00:15:17.45
Jesus calls Paul to be
a minister and a witness.
00:15:17.48\00:15:20.35
I want to read two accounts.
00:15:20.42\00:15:21.92
I want to read Luke's
account of Saul's encounter
00:15:21.95\00:15:26.22
with Christ and then I
want to read Saul's accounts,
00:15:26.25\00:15:29.59
so here we go... Acts 9:3-9
00:15:29.62\00:15:33.40
"As he journeyed, he came
near Damascus and suddenly
00:15:33.43\00:15:36.67
a light shoun
around him from heaven.
00:15:36.73\00:15:38.90
Then he fell to the ground
and heard a voice saying to him,
00:15:38.93\00:15:41.80
"Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting me?
00:15:41.84\00:15:45.11
And he said, "Who are you Lord?
00:15:45.14\00:15:48.01
Then the Lord said, "I am
Jesus who you are persecuting.
00:15:48.04\00:15:52.48
It is hard for you to
kick against the goads."
00:15:52.51\00:15:54.98
So he, Paul,
trembling and astonished said,
00:15:55.02\00:15:58.75
"Lord, what do
you want me to do?"
00:15:58.79\00:16:00.32
Then the Lord said to him,
"Arise and go into the city,
00:16:00.39\00:16:03.46
and you will be
told what you must do."
00:16:03.49\00:16:06.83
And the men who journeyed
with him stood speechless,
00:16:06.86\00:16:09.63
hearing a voice,
but seeing no one.
00:16:09.66\00:16:13.34
Then Saul rose from the
ground and when his eyes were
00:16:13.37\00:16:15.80
opened, he saw no
one, but they led him
00:16:15.84\00:16:19.41
by the hand and
brought him into Damascus."
00:16:19.44\00:16:22.44
He was there three days without
sight and neither ate nor drank.
00:16:22.48\00:16:27.42
Now I'm going to add something
because I love Paul's account
00:16:27.45\00:16:32.45
and that's
found in Acts 26:9-20.
00:16:32.49\00:16:35.82
And in Acts 26:9, He is speaking
now before King Agrippa,
00:16:35.86\00:16:42.20
and he says, he has
just told him how he was out
00:16:42.23\00:16:46.30
with this murderous
intent, and he said,
00:16:46.33\00:16:50.01
"Indeed I thought
myself, I must do many things
00:16:50.07\00:16:54.24
contrary to the name of Jesus
of Nazareth, this I also did
00:16:54.28\00:16:58.28
in Jerusalem and many of
the saints I shut up in prison
00:16:58.31\00:17:01.72
having received authority
from the chief priest when
00:17:01.75\00:17:04.02
they were put to death, I
cast my vote against them,
00:17:04.05\00:17:06.25
and I punished them in every
synagogue... and he's going on,
00:17:06.29\00:17:09.96
and then he says in
verse 12, "While thus occupied,
00:17:09.99\00:17:13.93
as I journeyed to Damascus
with authority and commission
00:17:13.96\00:17:17.17
from the chief priests,
at midday, O king, along
00:17:17.20\00:17:21.10
the road I saw a light from
heaven brighter than the sun
00:17:21.14\00:17:26.14
shining around me and
those who journeyed with me."
00:17:26.17\00:17:30.75
Christ said, "I am the
light, did He not?" Yes
00:17:30.78\00:17:35.82
And he's saying this light was
brighter than the sun and it was
00:17:35.85\00:17:39.52
as it were - he got knocked
off his high horse. Laughter
00:17:39.55\00:17:44.79
Here's this hate
mongering, religious zealot,
00:17:44.83\00:17:49.83
and he has a face-to-face
encounter with Jesus.
00:17:49.86\00:17:53.60
And he says, "And when we
all had fallen to the ground,
00:17:53.64\00:17:57.11
I heard a voice speaking
to me and saying in the Hebrew
00:17:57.17\00:18:01.48
language, "Saul, Saul,
why are you persecuting Me."
00:18:01.51\00:18:08.22
So what he finds out
here... is that by attacking
00:18:08.25\00:18:12.75
believers, he was
attacking Jesus Christ,
00:18:12.79\00:18:15.76
and we need to remember that.
00:18:15.79\00:18:17.99
And then he said, "It is
hard for you to kick against
00:18:18.03\00:18:20.86
the goads," now this is
a proverb that was common
00:18:20.93\00:18:24.50
to the culture of the day,
and what it's referring to...
00:18:24.53\00:18:28.10
it pictures an ox's legs,
you've got the tender - the one
00:18:28.14\00:18:33.78
who is herding him along,
with a stick that had a chain
00:18:33.81\00:18:38.68
and then this metal
ball that had pricks on it...
00:18:38.71\00:18:42.88
And what he would do when
the ox wasn't moving rapidly
00:18:42.92\00:18:47.06
enough, he would flick
that against it and if the ox
00:18:47.09\00:18:51.99
... this got the ox to move
a little faster, but if the ox
00:18:52.29\00:18:55.13
kicked against it, he
ended up wounding himself.
00:18:55.16\00:18:58.17
So now he says...
if I can find my place,
00:18:58.20\00:19:03.30
So, here Jesus has said, "You're
kicking against the goads.
00:19:03.34\00:19:07.21
And he said, "Who are you
Lord?" And He said, "I'm Jesus
00:19:07.24\00:19:11.81
whom you are persecuting.
00:19:11.85\00:19:13.18
But rise and stand on
your feet; for I have appeared
00:19:14.05\00:19:16.08
to you for this
purpose, to make you a minister
00:19:16.12\00:19:18.72
and a witness both of the
things which you have seen
00:19:18.75\00:19:21.19
and the things which I
have yet to reveal to you.
00:19:21.22\00:19:23.99
I will deliver you from
the Jewish people as well as
00:19:24.06\00:19:28.13
from the Gentiles to
whom I now send you..."
00:19:28.16\00:19:32.93
And wait a minute, here is
the Pharisee of the Pharisees;
00:19:32.97\00:19:38.51
here is someone who will not
00:19:38.54\00:19:41.11
have anything to do with the
Gentiles, and who does Jesus,
00:19:41.14\00:19:45.38
of all people - who is He
going to send Saul of Tarsus
00:19:45.41\00:19:49.95
to minister to? The
Gentiles! I love this!
00:19:49.98\00:19:54.29
And now, listen to why
He says He is sending him,
00:19:54.32\00:19:58.03
what the message is?
00:19:58.06\00:19:59.76
And this is one of my favorite
scriptures, Acts 26:18...
00:19:59.79\00:20:03.63
Jesus said, "I'm sending you
to open their eyes, to turn them
00:20:03.67\00:20:07.60
from darkness to
light, from the power of
00:20:07.64\00:20:09.54
Satan to God that they may
receive forgiveness of sins
00:20:09.57\00:20:13.74
and an inheritance among those
00:20:13.78\00:20:15.98
who are
sanctified by faith in Me.
00:20:16.01\00:20:18.11
Faith has sanctifying
power when we believe in the
00:20:18.15\00:20:22.22
Lord Jesus Christ, it
will set us apart - that belief
00:20:22.25\00:20:27.56
helps set us apart from
sin and it's so amazing because
00:20:27.62\00:20:32.03
what we see here...
Paul had mentioned to the
00:20:32.06\00:20:34.83
Corinthians in 1 Corinthians
15, He said that Jesus had been
00:20:34.86\00:20:40.37
buried, rose again and on
the third day that He appeared
00:20:40.40\00:20:43.00
to Cephas, which
was Peter, the twelve,
00:20:43.04\00:20:45.87
then He appeared to over
500, then to James and the rest
00:20:45.91\00:20:49.21
of the apostles and he
said that He was seen by me
00:20:49.24\00:20:53.45
also, last of all, as
one born out of due time."
00:20:53.48\00:20:59.25
What Paul is saying here
is... "I had a face-to-face
00:20:59.29\00:21:03.76
encounter with Jesus Christ,"
and let me tell you something...
00:21:03.83\00:21:06.56
a personal encounter with Jesus
Christ will change your life.
00:21:06.59\00:21:11.93
Paul responded to
the heavenly vision,
00:21:11.97\00:21:16.81
and his beliefs
changed, his attitudes changed,
00:21:16.87\00:21:21.41
how he viewed others
changed, the murder Saul became
00:21:21.44\00:21:29.68
the Apostle Paul and he
became God's greatest ambassador
00:21:29.72\00:21:34.22
for grace and
righteousness by faith.
00:21:34.26\00:21:36.93
He ALSO became God's
ambassador for sanctification!
00:21:36.99\00:21:41.90
I want to read this,
1 Corinthians 15:10...
00:21:41.93\00:21:44.47
He says, "But by the
grace of God I am what I am,
00:21:44.50\00:21:48.07
and His grace toward me
was not in vain; but I labored
00:21:48.10\00:21:51.84
more abundantly than they
all, yet not I, but the grace
00:21:51.87\00:21:55.68
of God which was in me."
00:21:55.71\00:21:57.28
In these few seconds, let
me give you the seven takeaways
00:21:57.31\00:22:02.28
that I see in this lesson...
00:22:02.32\00:22:04.39
If we attack God's
people, we're attacking Him.
00:22:04.42\00:22:07.39
We've got to be careful
in the church and realize
00:22:07.46\00:22:11.16
what we're doing.
00:22:11.19\00:22:12.53
Don't kick against
the goads, don't resist
00:22:12.56\00:22:16.50
the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit
had been working in Paul's life,
00:22:16.53\00:22:20.94
but he was resisting
Him, so we don't want to
00:22:20.97\00:22:24.84
be guilty of that sin.
00:22:24.87\00:22:26.64
Don't be a religious
zealot, be intellectually open
00:22:26.68\00:22:30.71
and honest; be like a Berean
who is searching the Scriptures
00:22:30.75\00:22:34.35
to make sure that what
you are zealously defending
00:22:34.38\00:22:39.49
is the truth.
00:22:39.52\00:22:40.99
Remember that an encounter
with Jesus Christ brings
00:22:41.02\00:22:44.83
true faith, but don't be just
devoted to the cause of Jesus,
00:22:44.86\00:22:49.66
be devoted to
the Person of Jesus.
00:22:49.70\00:22:54.07
Active faith has
sanctifying power.
00:22:54.10\00:22:56.20
Power to set us apart for
God's purpose is to turn us away
00:22:56.24\00:23:01.58
from sin, make us Holy
and learn to be like Paul,
00:23:01.61\00:23:05.51
who developed this personal
relationship with the Lord
00:23:05.55\00:23:08.62
was totally dependent
upon Him - just as each of us
00:23:08.65\00:23:13.05
are totally dependent
upon grace. Amen, Amen!
00:23:13.09\00:23:16.19
I know you have
more to share! I do!
00:23:16.22\00:23:19.19
But it's amazing what God
does in the human heart that is
00:23:19.23\00:23:22.50
willing to receive what
the Holy Spirit is guiding
00:23:22.53\00:23:27.20
him to do and it's marvelous.
00:23:27.24\00:23:30.27
Paul's conversion is a
story that is such a blessing,
00:23:30.31\00:23:34.91
and it's interesting
because Paul was sincere in what
00:23:34.94\00:23:40.82
he believed, but he
was sincerely wrong...
00:23:40.88\00:23:44.25
to the point of that he was
actually doing the devil's work,
00:23:44.29\00:23:47.46
because he was
persecuting God's children,
00:23:47.52\00:23:51.63
and he had great
conflict in his mind,
00:23:51.66\00:23:54.36
but the Holy Spirit
was working in his heart
00:23:54.40\00:23:56.70
and when you hear
Paul ask "Who are you,"
00:23:56.73\00:24:01.40
he had Jesus Christ
who you are persecuting.
00:24:01.44\00:24:04.31
He realized right there and
then, I've been doing wrong,
00:24:04.34\00:24:09.71
because he asked the
question, "Lord, what do you
00:24:09.74\00:24:11.58
want me to do?"
00:24:11.61\00:24:13.31
That reminds me of the
question addressed before
00:24:13.35\00:24:16.35
in the Sabbath School
Lesson when Peter was preaching,
00:24:16.38\00:24:19.29
and he told the people
about how they had crucified
00:24:19.32\00:24:23.73
the Savior, the Messiah.
00:24:23.76\00:24:25.66
They said, "Lord,
what do you want me to do,
00:24:25.69\00:24:28.03
what shall we do brethren?"
00:24:28.06\00:24:29.43
And here Paul is asking
something very similar...
00:24:29.46\00:24:31.73
So I would like to take
this up in Acts 9:10-19.
00:24:31.77\00:24:35.97
I want to ask Sister Mollie
Sue to help me read Acts 9,
00:24:36.00\00:24:40.24
and will you please read
from verse 10 thru verse 14.
00:24:40.28\00:24:44.48
"And there was a
certain disciple at Damascus
00:24:44.51\00:24:48.82
named Ananias; and to him
the Lord said in a vision,
00:24:48.85\00:24:53.52
"Ananias," And he said,
"Behold I am here Lord."
00:24:53.56\00:24:59.16
And the Lord said unto
him, "Arise and go to the street
00:24:59.19\00:25:02.53
which is called, "Straight,"
and inquire in the house
00:25:02.56\00:25:05.57
of Judas for one called
Saul of Tarsus, for behold
00:25:05.60\00:25:09.47
he prayeth. "And has seen in
a vision, a man named Ananias
00:25:09.50\00:25:13.91
coming in and putting
his hand on him that he might
00:25:13.98\00:25:18.01
receive his sight."
00:25:18.05\00:25:19.38
Then Ananias answered, "Lord,
I have heard by many of this
00:25:19.41\00:25:23.69
man, how much evil he has
done to the saints at Jerusalem.
00:25:23.72\00:25:28.19
And here he had authority
from the chief priests to
00:25:28.22\00:25:32.79
bind all that call on Thy name."
00:25:32.83\00:25:35.33
Isn't that interesting
how Ananias thinks he's giving
00:25:35.36\00:25:39.80
information that
Heaven doesn't know.
00:25:39.83\00:25:43.24
But he was so shocked
at hearing that Saul was
00:25:43.27\00:25:47.44
converted that he had to
go talk to him that he...
00:25:47.48\00:25:49.78
"Wait a minute,
I've heard... you know...
00:25:49.81\00:25:52.25
like he's telling
something new to the Lord.
00:25:52.28\00:25:55.42
But look at verse 15...
"But the Lord said to him,
00:25:55.45\00:25:59.39
"Go, for he is a chosen
vessel of Mine to bear My name
00:25:59.42\00:26:04.46
before the Gentiles, kings
and the children of Israel,
00:26:04.49\00:26:08.10
for I will show him how
many things he must suffer
00:26:08.13\00:26:11.37
for my name's sake."
And Ananias went and entered
00:26:11.40\00:26:14.90
the house and laying his
hands on him, he said... notice
00:26:14.94\00:26:19.64
"Brother Saul, the Lord
Jesus who appeared to you
00:26:19.67\00:26:23.78
on the road as you
came, has sent me that you may
00:26:23.85\00:26:27.05
receive your sight and be
filled with the Holy Spirit."
00:26:27.12\00:26:30.19
Immediately there fell from
his eyes something like scales
00:26:30.22\00:26:34.59
and he received his
sight at once and he arose
00:26:34.62\00:26:38.09
and was baptized." Amen!
00:26:38.13\00:26:40.20
Wow! This is a marvelous,
marvelous Scripture...
00:26:40.23\00:26:43.26
This is Saul that was
persecuting Christians,
00:26:43.33\00:26:46.57
and now he has accepted
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior,
00:26:46.60\00:26:51.21
and is baptized!
00:26:51.24\00:26:53.54
And so, verse 19-
remember he had not been eating,
00:26:53.58\00:26:57.31
so when he had received
food, he was strengthened.
00:26:57.35\00:26:59.55
"Then Saul spent some days
with the disciples at Damascus."
00:26:59.58\00:27:06.05
So what is happening here
is something very powerful,
00:27:06.09\00:27:09.22
and very interesting that we
need to consider and that is...
00:27:09.26\00:27:12.16
that the Lord is speaking
to Saul and he says, "Lord what
00:27:12.19\00:27:16.10
do you want me to do?"
God has to connect Saul
00:27:16.13\00:27:20.27
to the church - He says,
00:27:20.34\00:27:24.21
you will be told
what you have to do."
00:27:24.24\00:27:25.74
The Lord could have
told him right there that
00:27:25.81\00:27:27.51
Saul, this is what I want you
to do, do A, B, C, E, F, G and..
00:27:27.58\00:27:31.25
No, he connected Saul
to the brethren, to the
00:27:31.28\00:27:34.52
Christian family and
so he was going to be told
00:27:34.55\00:27:38.49
what to do by the
Christian family...
00:27:38.52\00:27:41.59
the church at that time.
00:27:41.62\00:27:43.53
And so, Ananias came and
noticed that he spent several
00:27:43.56\00:27:48.00
days with the disciples at
Damascus and there he learned
00:27:48.03\00:27:52.67
what his mission was to
be and that's what the Lord
00:27:52.70\00:27:57.37
had told him would happen.
00:27:57.41\00:27:59.27
Now notice something interesting
that it is written in
00:27:59.31\00:28:05.21
Galatians 1:11-12
concerning the gospel itself...
00:28:05.25\00:28:11.32
In Galatians 1:11-12,
Paul makes this statement...
00:28:11.35\00:28:16.99
"But I make known unto
you brethren, that the gospel
00:28:17.06\00:28:19.46
which was preached by
me, is not according to man,
00:28:19.49\00:28:22.96
...is not of origin of
man... it is of divine origin.
00:28:23.00\00:28:27.84
For I neither received it
from man, nor was I taught it,
00:28:27.87\00:28:31.34
but it came through the
revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:28:31.37\00:28:35.14
Marvelous - it's a marvelous
thing to consider here...
00:28:35.18\00:28:38.11
and imagine - here's Paul,
he's persecuting Christians,
00:28:38.15\00:28:41.32
he's killing
Christians; which one of them
00:28:41.35\00:28:43.39
would knock at Paul's door
and say, "Paul, I'd like to
00:28:43.42\00:28:46.42
do a Bible study with you?"
00:28:46.45\00:28:47.96
How many would survive that?
00:28:47.99\00:28:50.33
And so the Lord had
to use a means that Paul
00:28:50.36\00:28:54.83
was able to recognize - that
he understood that it was God
00:28:54.83\00:29:00.07
talking to him and this is
why this remarkable conversion
00:29:00.10\00:29:04.07
takes place - he's on
his way to kill Christians,
00:29:04.14\00:29:06.44
but the Lord took him from that
mission - to another mission,
00:29:06.47\00:29:10.18
and that is to
convert people to Christ.
00:29:10.21\00:29:12.95
And I want to read
this from a book called:
00:29:12.98\00:29:15.85
"Acts of the Apostles,"
because I am concerned
00:29:15.88\00:29:19.25
that there are some
Christians that think they have
00:29:19.29\00:29:22.52
to be the "Lone Ranger
Christian," that they have to
00:29:22.56\00:29:25.49
be out there
having their own church,
00:29:25.53\00:29:29.06
form their own denomination;
you see, God has a body
00:29:29.10\00:29:33.54
of believers and He
has a church on earth.
00:29:33.57\00:29:37.11
And this is in "Acts of
the Apostles," a book by
00:29:37.14\00:29:40.51
Sister Ellen G. White, p.122.
00:29:40.58\00:29:44.28
It says, "And immediately
there fell from his eyes
00:29:44.31\00:29:48.15
as there had been scales
and he received sight forthwith
00:29:48.18\00:29:51.72
and arose and was baptized,
according to the Scriptures...
00:29:51.75\00:29:53.99
And then Ellen G. White
says, "Thus Jesus gave sanction
00:29:54.06\00:29:56.86
to the authority of
His organized church
00:29:56.93\00:29:58.96
and placed Paul in
connection with His appointed
00:29:58.99\00:30:01.30
agencies on earth.
00:30:01.33\00:30:02.66
Christ had now a church as
His representatives on earth,
00:30:02.70\00:30:06.30
and to him belong the
work of directing the repentant
00:30:06.33\00:30:09.50
sinner and the way of life.
00:30:09.54\00:30:10.87
Many have an idea that they
are responsible to Christ alone
00:30:10.91\00:30:14.14
for their light and
experience, independent of His
00:30:14.18\00:30:16.75
recognized followers on earth.
00:30:16.81\00:30:18.35
Jesus is the friend of sinners
and His heart is touched with
00:30:18.38\00:30:21.98
their woe. He has all power
both in heaven and on earth,
00:30:22.02\00:30:25.22
but He respects the
means that He has ordained
00:30:25.25\00:30:28.56
for the enlightenment
and salvation of men.
00:30:28.59\00:30:31.13
He directs sinners to the
church which He has made a
00:30:31.16\00:30:34.46
channel of light to the world."
00:30:34.46\00:30:36.46
And so this is a message
that we have here in this story
00:30:36.50\00:30:41.80
for us concerning Paul
and his conversion experience.
00:30:41.84\00:30:45.44
And God is still
doing conversions
00:30:45.47\00:30:48.14
in such a mighty way,
I've heard so many stories
00:30:48.18\00:30:50.11
about 3ABN, I am tempted to
tell a story concerning this
00:30:50.18\00:30:56.08
because we have heard of some
powerful, powerful conversions.
00:30:56.12\00:30:59.69
Now when you think of
Saul and what he used to do...
00:30:59.72\00:31:04.36
I want to bring
this point out...
00:31:04.39\00:31:05.73
What he used to do -
there were many Christians
00:31:05.76\00:31:08.16
that Paul gave his vote,
as he said - now when we all
00:31:08.20\00:31:12.53
get to heaven and Stephen
is there and he sees Paul
00:31:12.57\00:31:17.51
coming up to him,
he's going to be shocked!
00:31:17.57\00:31:20.84
There will be many,
many surprises in heaven.
00:31:20.88\00:31:24.21
People we thought, "Oh
no, there's no way that person
00:31:24.25\00:31:27.18
is going to be there,"
they will be there because
00:31:27.22\00:31:29.22
God is working in human
hearts leading them to surrender
00:31:29.25\00:31:35.92
so that they can
become active members of God's
00:31:35.96\00:31:38.79
community of the laborers.
00:31:38.83\00:31:40.16
And likewise, there are
also some that appear to be
00:31:40.20\00:31:43.20
great lights, but unfortunately,
they will be led astray.
00:31:43.23\00:31:48.14
You have the
scribes and the Pharisees...
00:31:48.17\00:31:51.01
at some point or
another, they had great lights,
00:31:51.04\00:31:54.91
but something the
devil did distracted them
00:31:54.94\00:31:58.55
from their mission and
now they became active in
00:31:58.58\00:32:02.45
persecuting Christians.
00:32:02.48\00:32:04.45
And so that's why the
Bible says to us, "Let every man
00:32:04.49\00:32:07.82
examine himself to see whether
or not he is in the truth."
00:32:07.86\00:32:11.56
And I am so glad that 3ABN
has been chosen by the Lord
00:32:11.59\00:32:15.76
to bring a message of
salvation to the world.
00:32:15.80\00:32:19.23
We are members of the
Seventh-Day Adventist Church,
00:32:19.27\00:32:21.94
we support the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:32:21.97\00:32:23.77
in the work of bringing
the gospel to the world,
00:32:23.81\00:32:26.47
and 3ABN has been used
by God in so many ways.
00:32:26.51\00:32:31.18
I've heard of
witches being converted
00:32:31.21\00:32:34.28
to the Lord Jesus Christ,
drunkards and drug addicts
00:32:34.32\00:32:37.35
being converted to the
Lord Jesus Christ through the
00:32:37.39\00:32:39.22
ministry of 3ABN,
but all of these people,
00:32:39.25\00:32:42.36
they go to
Seventh-day Adventist Churches,
00:32:42.39\00:32:44.93
and they say, "I'm
ready for baptism."
00:32:44.96\00:32:48.06
And there are some
pastors that say, "Oh, well
00:32:48.10\00:32:50.30
we'd like to study
the Bible with you."
00:32:50.33\00:32:51.67
I've been studying
with Pastor Doug Batchelor,
00:32:51.70\00:32:54.10
and Stephen Bohr and that's
because they've been watching
00:32:54.17\00:32:56.64
3ABN for so long and
so God has a marvelous,
00:32:56.67\00:33:01.04
marvelous work that
is being done even today,
00:33:01.08\00:33:03.28
and I'm encouraged to see
that even people like Saul
00:33:03.35\00:33:06.95
can be converted to Christians
powerful workers for the Lord.
00:33:07.02\00:33:11.09
Amen, Amen... Well said!
Thank you so much Johnny.
00:33:11.12\00:33:14.39
One of the things that
we are beginning to see here
00:33:14.42\00:33:18.16
is that God is organizing a
fraternity that is going to be
00:33:18.19\00:33:24.27
called very soon
"The Christian Church,"
00:33:24.30\00:33:26.57
the "ekklesia -
the called-out ones."
00:33:26.60\00:33:29.60
He is going to put together
a group of people filled
00:33:29.64\00:33:33.74
with the Spirit which
are going to take the gospel
00:33:33.78\00:33:36.08
message throughout the world,
and this is necessary because
00:33:36.11\00:33:40.08
soon, rules are going to
come in and we've talked about
00:33:40.12\00:33:44.69
this in past lessons,
Judaizers are going to
00:33:44.72\00:33:48.66
come in, opposition
is going to come in,
00:33:48.69\00:33:50.96
so very early on, God
is purifying to Himself
00:33:50.99\00:33:53.96
a group of Holy
Spirit-filled people and Paul is
00:33:54.00\00:33:58.80
again in that number.
00:33:58.83\00:34:00.24
And the same way in the history
00:34:00.27\00:34:01.60
of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church... when we first came
00:34:01.64\00:34:04.51
out of the various churches,
there was a call not to be
00:34:04.54\00:34:07.58
too organized - they said it's
not good to be too organized
00:34:07.61\00:34:09.91
because then we're
going to be Babylon.
00:34:09.94\00:34:11.28
So they wanted to
keep it loose and kind of
00:34:11.31\00:34:13.35
nonstructured, but then
they realized that there were
00:34:13.42\00:34:16.79
people coming in
teaching things that were not,
00:34:16.82\00:34:18.92
can I say "kosher?"
And so that were not
00:34:18.95\00:34:22.62
"kosher," and so they
said, "We're going to have
00:34:22.66\00:34:24.96
to organize and try to
put some structure here
00:34:24.99\00:34:27.60
because everybody
can't claim to be in the tent
00:34:27.60\00:34:29.60
if you're not
teaching the right thing.
00:34:29.63\00:34:31.80
And so, we can see this
here and Paul is another one of
00:34:31.83\00:34:36.91
these Holy Ghost-filled
persons who has had a
00:34:36.97\00:34:40.88
personal encounter with
Jesus, and it is that personal
00:34:40.94\00:34:43.81
encounter that gonna take
him through a lot of bumps and
00:34:43.85\00:34:47.08
lumps and all kinds of
stuff in the next several years.
00:34:47.12\00:34:50.65
I want to pick this up...
we are in Wednesday of course,
00:34:50.69\00:34:54.52
and in chapter 9 of the
Book of Acts and I will begin
00:34:54.56\00:34:58.96
reading at verse
20, just 5 verses...
00:34:58.99\00:35:01.10
Then I've got some
extensive things on the
00:35:01.13\00:35:03.47
"Spirit of Prophecy"
because Ellen White has much to
00:35:03.50\00:35:05.30
say on this
particular chapter...
00:35:05.33\00:35:07.27
"Immediately he preached
the Christ in the synagogue,
00:35:07.34\00:35:13.14
that He is the Son of God,
then all who heard were amazed
00:35:13.17\00:35:17.25
and said, "Is this not he
who destroyed those who called
00:35:17.28\00:35:23.72
on His name in
Jerusalem" and has come here
00:35:23.79\00:35:27.46
for that purpose, so
that he might bring them bound
00:35:27.49\00:35:31.43
to the chief priest?"
00:35:31.46\00:35:33.26
So his reputation had
preceded him. That's right.
00:35:33.29\00:35:36.93
But Saul increased all the
more in strength and confounded
00:35:37.03\00:35:43.57
the Jews who dwelt in
Damascus proving that this Jesus
00:35:43.61\00:35:49.58
is the Christ.
00:35:49.61\00:35:50.95
And after many days
were past, the Jews plotted
00:35:50.98\00:35:54.68
to kill him... there's
that same pattern again...
00:35:54.72\00:35:57.62
But their plot became
known to Saul and they watched
00:35:57.65\00:36:01.79
the gates day and
night to kill him.
00:36:01.82\00:36:04.86
Then the disciples took
him by night and let him down
00:36:04.89\00:36:08.73
through the wall
in a large basket."
00:36:08.76\00:36:11.33
First of all, I think
that is so cool...laughter
00:36:11.37\00:36:15.40
They're afraid of this guy.
00:36:15.44\00:36:18.04
He's got a bad reputation,
but there's enough of the
00:36:18.07\00:36:21.51
Spirit moving in the hearts
of these men - let's do the
00:36:21.54\00:36:25.85
will of the Lord and let him
out and get him away from here.
00:36:25.88\00:36:28.88
So Paul is being pressed by
Jews who don't want to hear,
00:36:28.92\00:36:32.85
who want to kill him and would
be proselytes and Christians
00:36:32.89\00:36:37.69
who were just afraid of this
guy because if we accept him,
00:36:37.73\00:36:43.16
if we let
ourselves be known to him,
00:36:43.20\00:36:45.20
we might end up in chains
heading back to Jerusalem...
00:36:45.23\00:36:47.60
so he's got this
double whammy as it were.
00:36:47.64\00:36:51.51
Ellen White has a lot
to say and I to want to
00:36:51.54\00:36:53.34
just touch on
something real quick because
00:36:53.38\00:36:54.71
we're going to come back
to this in just a little bit.
00:36:54.74\00:36:57.11
I'm in verse 20... "Immediately
he preached the Christ
00:36:57.15\00:37:01.72
in the synagogues
that He is the Son of God."
00:37:01.75\00:37:04.49
That became Paul's
missionary pattern, to go to the
00:37:04.52\00:37:08.62
synagogues, meet with
the people and preach.
00:37:08.66\00:37:10.96
And we're going to
see a little bit later,
00:37:10.99\00:37:13.16
he broke that pattern
though in a very, very sharp way
00:37:13.19\00:37:15.33
when he got to Athens
because of some other things,
00:37:15.40\00:37:17.57
but this is fabulous.
00:37:17.60\00:37:18.93
I want to read some
things that Ellen White said.
00:37:18.97\00:37:21.97
Again we're in the
book, "Acts of the Apostles."
00:37:22.00\00:37:24.01
Ellen White informs us
that Ananias' words found
00:37:24.04\00:37:27.18
resonance with Paul when He said
to Paul, "God has selected you,
00:37:27.21\00:37:32.51
God has called you to be
a special vessel unto Him.
00:37:32.55\00:37:36.18
This really found
resonance in Paul's heart,
00:37:36.22\00:37:38.45
and perhaps the idea that he
was a persecutor of Christians,
00:37:38.49\00:37:42.76
now God is calling me - as
you well said, He's call me to
00:37:42.79\00:37:46.59
be a herald for him
- this is almost more
00:37:46.63\00:37:49.80
than my mind can
take, but God has called me
00:37:49.83\00:37:52.63
through all of this
history that I have,
00:37:52.67\00:37:54.60
yet the Lord is using me.
00:37:54.64\00:37:57.37
Ananias said to him, "The
God of our Fathers has chosen
00:37:57.41\00:38:01.84
thee," then he told him
to arise and be baptized.
00:38:01.88\00:38:05.05
Paul took these
words very seriously...
00:38:05.08\00:38:07.18
As he pondered
these things in his heart,
00:38:07.25\00:38:09.48
Paul understood more and more
clearly the meaning of his call
00:38:09.52\00:38:13.99
to be an apostle of Jesus
Christ through the will of God.
00:38:14.02\00:38:18.49
So he wasn't called by a
group or a man or a committee,
00:38:18.53\00:38:21.26
this call came
directly from our Lord.
00:38:21.30\00:38:23.60
The greatness of the
work before him led him to
00:38:23.67\00:38:27.77
give much study to
the Holy Scriptures
00:38:27.80\00:38:31.17
in order that he might
preach the gospel - not with the
00:38:31.21\00:38:35.21
wisdom of words,
but in a demonstration
00:38:35.24\00:38:39.38
of the Spirit and Power of God.
00:38:39.41\00:38:41.82
So Paul realizes that I've got
to unlearn what I've learned...
00:38:41.85\00:38:48.09
...we've heard that before,
we've got to sort of strip
00:38:48.12\00:38:52.06
ourselves down and I've
got to start all over again
00:38:52.09\00:38:56.43
as a brand new baby.
00:38:56.46\00:38:58.33
What I think I
know, I don't know,
00:38:58.37\00:39:00.60
so I've got to study.
00:39:00.67\00:39:03.64
Now Galatians 1:17
tells us that he spent some
00:39:03.67\00:39:07.31
time in Arabia. Yes
00:39:07.34\00:39:09.41
Paul says, preparing for
this... You know when you
00:39:09.44\00:39:12.25
have a big load to carry,
you need to get your mind right.
00:39:12.28\00:39:15.22
Christ went off into
the wilderness for 40 days;
00:39:15.25\00:39:17.75
Paul went to just
think this thing through.
00:39:17.79\00:39:20.49
I remember when I first
got the call to ministry...
00:39:20.52\00:39:22.42
Well I got the call
to ministry at age 10,
00:39:22.46\00:39:25.43
but when I was in college
and I had to begin to change
00:39:25.46\00:39:27.96
my course work, I
fasted for 8 days, from Tuesday
00:39:28.00\00:39:34.70
thru to the next Tuesday
because I wanted to make sure
00:39:34.74\00:39:38.64
that what was moving
me was not, you know...
00:39:38.67\00:39:41.58
I had a college professor
come into my room... yeah,
00:39:41.61\00:39:44.15
they want it to be of
human origin - thank you.
00:39:44.18\00:39:49.65
It wasn't of human origin,
but my college professor,
00:39:49.68\00:39:52.49
he came in and said,
"You know God is calling you."
00:39:52.52\00:39:54.26
"He said you're going to
end up like Jonah," you know,
00:39:54.29\00:39:58.23
and he said, "I've seen
this in you," Dr. J. J. Beal,
00:39:58.26\00:40:01.86
bless his heart, came
to my room about 7 o'clock
00:40:01.90\00:40:04.17
at night and
stayed until sun up. Wow!
00:40:04.23\00:40:06.53
All night long - we
went thru Scripture,
00:40:06.57\00:40:09.04
and then I went into
this fast because he said,
00:40:09.07\00:40:11.44
...I gave just a little talk...
He said, I see it, I see it,
00:40:11.47\00:40:14.74
I see it, I see it...
and I'm going to stay here
00:40:14.78\00:40:17.11
until you see it.
00:40:17.15\00:40:19.31
So at 7 o'clock in
the morning, I told him,
00:40:19.35\00:40:21.08
"I see it." I don't
know if I saw it or not,
00:40:21.12\00:40:23.02
but I needed to get some sleep.
00:40:23.05\00:40:25.09
So Paul is doing the
same thing, he's preparing
00:40:25.12\00:40:28.36
for ministry - orienting
his mind because he's taking
00:40:28.39\00:40:32.49
this thing very, very
seriously and he's devoting
00:40:32.53\00:40:35.26
himself to study.
00:40:35.30\00:40:37.20
As Paul searched
the Scriptures...
00:40:37.23\00:40:38.57
I'm back in Acts
of the Apostles...
00:40:38.60\00:40:39.93
"He learned that
throughout the ages,
00:40:39.97\00:40:43.67
not many wise men,
after the flesh, not many
00:40:43.74\00:40:47.01
mighty men, not many
noble men are called,
00:40:47.04\00:40:50.18
but God has chosen the
foolish things of the world
00:40:50.21\00:40:53.08
to confound the wise and
God has chosen the weak things
00:40:53.11\00:40:57.25
of the world to confound
the things which are mighty,
00:40:57.32\00:40:59.72
and the base things of the
world and the things which are
00:40:59.75\00:41:02.62
despised hath God chosen,
yeah and things which are
00:41:02.66\00:41:07.30
not to bring to
naught things that are."
00:41:07.30\00:41:10.53
So this became what
was in Paul's heart.
00:41:10.57\00:41:14.57
This is what he was studying;
this is what was moving him
00:41:14.60\00:41:18.71
from that point on.
00:41:18.74\00:41:20.54
So he goes now to
Damascus, goes to the synagogue,
00:41:20.58\00:41:23.65
he gets stronger and the
Bible says, his arguments
00:41:23.71\00:41:27.68
confounded those that were
there who tried to dissuade him.
00:41:27.72\00:41:32.35
And the word for
"confounded" in the street Greek
00:41:32.39\00:41:36.26
the Koine Greek is "sugono."
00:41:36.29\00:41:38.83
Now two things had happened
00:41:38.86\00:41:40.66
when someone has an
argument that strong...
00:41:40.70\00:41:42.46
The argument can shut you
up to the point where you just
00:41:42.50\00:41:44.90
sit and think or the
argument can make you so
00:41:44.93\00:41:48.30
upset that you don't
know what to do with yourself,
00:41:48.34\00:41:50.14
and this is what
happened to Paul.
00:41:50.17\00:41:51.81
To use modern parlance
Paul, as young people say,
00:41:51.84\00:41:54.71
"We kinda blew the place
up," he just threw them in an
00:41:54.74\00:41:57.28
uproar - everybody
was just in an uproar.
00:41:57.31\00:42:00.15
He totally rocked their
world with this new gospel,
00:42:00.22\00:42:04.85
and this new idea,
and so he moved on and got
00:42:04.89\00:42:08.69
stronger and
stronger and God blessed him.
00:42:08.72\00:42:11.06
I want to close with
this verse quickly...
00:42:11.09\00:42:12.79
Paul talks about his life
and in 2 Corinthians 11:32-33,
00:42:12.83\00:42:18.03
he catalogs his trials.
00:42:18.07\00:42:19.70
He talks about his
battles and in 2 Corinthians 4,
00:42:19.73\00:42:24.27
also we see this -
pressed but not crushed,
00:42:24.31\00:42:28.04
perplexed but not in despair,
persecuted but not forsaken,
00:42:28.08\00:42:32.68
struck down but not destroyed.
00:42:32.71\00:42:35.38
Paul had a tough, tough
life, but he was a great
00:42:35.42\00:42:39.92
stalwart for the Lord and
God, through His power, Jill,
00:42:39.95\00:42:43.59
sustained him and he
became a leading light
00:42:43.63\00:42:47.00
in the New Testament and
in the early church of God.
00:42:47.03\00:42:49.86
Amen! Thank you
so much Pastor CA.
00:42:49.90\00:42:53.37
What an incredible journey to
see what God did in Saul's life;
00:42:53.40\00:42:57.91
persecutor in the
church turned to Paul.
00:42:57.94\00:43:00.58
I think this is one of my
favorite stories actually,
00:43:00.61\00:43:03.01
to see that God can take
anyone, no matter where we are,
00:43:03.04\00:43:06.31
no matter how strong
we are against the truth,
00:43:06.35\00:43:08.85
God can turn that around and
God can make us the strongest,
00:43:08.88\00:43:12.72
and most ablest and
most able to defend the truth
00:43:12.75\00:43:17.73
and the word of God,
so that's just incredible.
00:43:17.76\00:43:20.10
My passage is
Thursday, "Return to Jerusalem"
00:43:20.13\00:43:24.73
and we're going to
pick up with Acts 9:26-30,
00:43:24.77\00:43:28.60
but before we read that,
I actually want to jump over
00:43:28.64\00:43:31.11
to Galatians - Paul chronicled
this journey, this conversion
00:43:31.14\00:43:35.38
experience and some of
his story in several different
00:43:35.41\00:43:38.18
passages in Scripture.
00:43:38.21\00:43:40.58
So turn with me to
Galatians 1:17, Pastor CA
00:43:40.62\00:43:46.42
referenced this, he
went to Arabia and returned
00:43:46.45\00:43:51.46
again to Damascus and
this was his, as we could say
00:43:51.49\00:43:54.03
"wilderness experience," Mollie,
where he spent those 3 years
00:43:54.10\00:43:57.40
learning and relearning,
unlearning everything
00:43:57.43\00:44:00.97
he had learned before and
relearning under the power
00:44:01.00\00:44:03.91
and anointing
of the Holy Spirit.
00:44:03.94\00:44:05.91
And then verse 18 says,
"After three years, I went up
00:44:05.94\00:44:10.45
to Jerusalem to see Peter and
remained with him 15 days..."
00:44:10.48\00:44:14.05
So after 3 years, Paul -
his name is Saul at this point,
00:44:14.12\00:44:18.25
Saul wanted to go up to
Jerusalem, after this time of
00:44:18.29\00:44:22.39
study, after this time
of preaching in Damascus,
00:44:22.42\00:44:24.86
But when he got to
Jerusalem, the brethren weren't
00:44:24.89\00:44:27.73
very ready to receive
him... we find that in Acts 9.
00:44:27.76\00:44:31.63
Let's go back to Acts
9:26, "And when Saul had come
00:44:31.67\00:44:37.77
to Jerusalem, he tried
to join the disciples...
00:44:37.81\00:44:41.38
remember Galatians 1
tells us he wanted to go
00:44:41.41\00:44:43.71
to see Peter, remember?
So it was important to him.
00:44:43.75\00:44:46.21
Peter was a leader in the
early church and he's saying,
00:44:46.25\00:44:49.12
"I want to go see
Peter, I want to meet the rest
00:44:49.15\00:44:51.69
of the apostles - those who
walked and talked with Jesus."
00:44:51.72\00:44:55.59
Because now Paul (Saul) is
in love with Jesus and he says,
00:44:55.62\00:44:59.79
I want to go to
the Jerusalem church.
00:44:59.83\00:45:02.56
And when he tried to come
and tried to join the disciples;
00:45:02.60\00:45:05.70
but they were all
afraid of him, and did not
00:45:05.73\00:45:10.11
believe that he was a disciple."
00:45:10.14\00:45:11.74
Now this is three years
after his conversion experience,
00:45:11.77\00:45:15.18
and in three years, even
though communication is not the
00:45:15.21\00:45:17.55
same way it is today,
but in three years you
00:45:17.58\00:45:19.51
would think that the news
had traveled to Jerusalem,
00:45:19.55\00:45:22.58
and that they had heard
that Saul had changed and now
00:45:22.62\00:45:25.65
he is preaching
for the Lord Jesus.
00:45:25.69\00:45:27.36
But in spite of that, whether
they thought it was just a
00:45:27.39\00:45:29.89
rumor mill or whether they
weren't convinced themselves,
00:45:29.92\00:45:32.76
they were still afraid
of him and it took someone
00:45:32.79\00:45:37.87
someone special
named "Barnabas" to bring
00:45:37.90\00:45:40.90
Saul to the apostles there.
00:45:40.94\00:45:43.17
Verse 27... "But Barnabas
took him and brought him
00:45:43.20\00:45:47.04
to the apostles."
00:45:47.08\00:45:48.41
I want to stop just a
moment there and look at who
00:45:48.44\00:45:51.45
Barnabas is - let's
turn back to Acts 4.
00:45:51.48\00:45:54.78
Acts 4 is the first time where
we see mention of Barnabas.
00:45:54.82\00:45:58.59
This is in the early church.
00:45:58.62\00:46:01.66
Acts 4:36-37, and
Barnabas is a Hellenistic Jew,
00:46:01.69\00:46:06.96
Molly, you started with
Paul being a Hellenistic Jew,
00:46:07.03\00:46:09.53
and Barnabas was as
well, but he became one of the
00:46:09.56\00:46:12.23
early converts
of the new church.
00:46:12.27\00:46:14.40
It says... "And Joses...that's
also known as "Joseph,"
00:46:14.44\00:46:17.67
who was also named Barnabas
by the apostles which is
00:46:17.71\00:46:21.98
translated "Son of
Encouragement," a Levite
00:46:22.01\00:46:24.75
of the country of
Cyprus, having land, sold it and
00:46:24.78\00:46:27.88
brought the money and
laid it at the apostles' feet."
00:46:27.92\00:46:30.62
So he was a Greek-speaking
Jew who was not from native
00:46:30.69\00:46:34.52
Palestine, he was from Cyprus.
00:46:34.56\00:46:37.06
But he had become a
follower of the way,
00:46:37.13\00:46:39.46
he had become a follower
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:46:39.49\00:46:42.03
His name means,
"Son of Encouragement,"
00:46:42.06\00:46:45.30
and the word in the Greek
for encouragement is kind of a
00:46:45.33\00:46:48.34
spinoff of the
word "parakletos."
00:46:48.37\00:46:51.01
We know Parakletos is
used many times to refer to
00:46:51.04\00:46:54.58
the Holy Spirit - "One
called alongside another."
00:46:54.61\00:46:57.91
It's translated other
times this word as comfort,
00:46:57.95\00:47:01.08
encouragement,
consolation, exhortation...
00:47:01.12\00:47:05.42
And so Barnabas was
a man of encouragement,
00:47:05.45\00:47:08.42
and for whatever
reason, he took a risk on Saul,
00:47:08.46\00:47:12.99
and he brought
him to the apostles.
00:47:13.03\00:47:15.53
Let's read the rest of
our passage here in Acts 9,
00:47:15.56\00:47:18.20
and then I want to
look at my remaining time
00:47:18.23\00:47:20.04
at some of the
qualities of Barnabas.
00:47:20.07\00:47:23.07
Acts 9, we're in
the middle of verse 27.
00:47:23.10\00:47:25.54
Barnabas brought the
Apostle Saul to the apostles,
00:47:25.57\00:47:30.95
and he declared to them
how he had seen the Lord on the
00:47:30.98\00:47:33.72
road and now Saul has
the opportunity to have his
00:47:33.75\00:47:36.22
personal
testimony with the apostles
00:47:36.25\00:47:38.62
and the brethren at Jerusalem.
00:47:38.65\00:47:40.16
He shared how the
Lord had spoken to him;
00:47:40.19\00:47:42.56
how he had
preached boldly at Damascus
00:47:42.59\00:47:44.86
in the name of Jesus.
00:47:44.89\00:47:46.59
So he was with them
at Jerusalem, coming in
00:47:46.63\00:47:49.13
and going out, and he
spoke boldly in the name of
00:47:49.16\00:47:52.63
the Lord Jesus and
disputed against the Hellenists
00:47:52.67\00:47:55.84
those were them who...
they were obviously there
00:47:55.87\00:47:58.44
in Jerusalem and
he's disputing with them,
00:47:58.47\00:48:01.44
but they attempted to kill him.
00:48:01.48\00:48:03.78
When the brethren found
out, they brought him down
00:48:03.81\00:48:06.48
to Caesarea and
sent him out to Tarsus."
00:48:06.51\00:48:09.48
So Saul had a short span of
time where he got to be with the
00:48:09.52\00:48:13.59
brethren at Jerusalem, he got to
share his testimony, his story,
00:48:13.69\00:48:17.69
he witnessed and boldly
proclaimed the Lord Jesus.
00:48:17.73\00:48:21.03
There was opposition
that arose against him and the
00:48:21.06\00:48:24.90
disciples said, "We're
going to send him away because
00:48:24.93\00:48:27.94
of this opposition and he
went to Tarsus which is actually
00:48:27.97\00:48:31.14
where he was raised
and where he grew up.
00:48:31.17\00:48:33.61
I want to look here - we
see in the story of Saul,
00:48:33.68\00:48:38.65
we see the influence
of Barnabas in this story.
00:48:38.68\00:48:43.39
Barnabas to me, is one
of the unsung heroes of the
00:48:43.42\00:48:47.46
New Testament.
Amen! We hear a lot about
00:48:47.49\00:48:49.52
Paul, we hear a lot about
Peter, we hear a lot about
00:48:49.56\00:48:52.16
John, but I think Barnabas
is one of the unsung leaders.
00:48:52.19\00:48:55.73
To me, this is
a broad definition
00:48:55.76\00:48:58.57
of a Christian leader...
00:48:58.60\00:48:59.93
"You are a Christian
leader to the degree that you
00:49:00.07\00:49:03.14
shape others toward the
image of Christ," and so
00:49:03.17\00:49:08.11
in that sense, all of
us are Christian leaders.
00:49:08.14\00:49:11.68
Every single person has
an influence on someone else
00:49:11.71\00:49:14.78
to shape them, to
influence them, to accept Jesus,
00:49:14.82\00:49:17.99
and to become more like Jesus.
00:49:18.02\00:49:19.99
So I want to look at five
marks of a Christian leader
00:49:20.02\00:49:22.66
from the life of Barnabas...
00:49:22.69\00:49:24.73
#1... He was a risk-taker.
We saw that here. He took a risk
00:49:24.76\00:49:29.63
on Saul. He took a risk
on him in saying, "No, I'm
00:49:29.66\00:49:33.54
trusting you, I'm trusting your
story, I'm going to introduce
00:49:33.57\00:49:36.44
you to the brethren, the
apostles here in Jerusalem.
00:49:36.47\00:49:39.01
He also took a risk on
his cousin John-Mark and you
00:49:39.04\00:49:43.04
see that later throughout the
Book of Acts - that he took a
00:49:43.08\00:49:45.48
risk with John-Mark,
remember he left and went back
00:49:45.51\00:49:48.62
and Paul said, "We don't want
anything more to do with him."
00:49:48.65\00:49:51.32
And Barnabas said what?
"No, I want to take a risk on
00:49:51.35\00:49:55.52
him again," and later
John-Mark proved worthy.
00:49:55.56\00:50:01.93
#2... I see that
he is an encourager.
00:50:01.96\00:50:08.67
He visited the church at
Antioch and we see this over
00:50:08.70\00:50:12.27
in Acts 11 which is for
another day, but in Acts 11,
00:50:12.31\00:50:16.64
Barnabas went to the church
in Antioch - when he came,
00:50:16.71\00:50:19.61
he saw the grace of God,
he was glad and encouraged
00:50:19.65\00:50:22.95
them all - that with purpose
of heart they should continue
00:50:22.98\00:50:26.15
with the Lord. So he encouraged
the brethren. He saw who
00:50:26.19\00:50:30.23
they could become in
Jesus. He encouraged people.
00:50:30.29\00:50:34.36
#3... I see his
humility. What did he do when
00:50:34.36\00:50:37.80
his ministry was
flourishing in Antioch?
00:50:37.83\00:50:41.07
We're still in Acts 11-
the ministry was flourishing,
00:50:41.10\00:50:44.47
the church had sent
Barnabas there to Antioch.
00:50:44.51\00:50:47.11
The ministry is flourishing,
many people were added
00:50:47.14\00:50:49.88
to the Lord. And then,
when everything is going well,
00:50:49.91\00:50:53.15
you would think he'd want
to consolidate his leadership.
00:50:53.18\00:50:56.62
You would think as things
are going well in the church in
00:50:56.65\00:50:59.05
Antioch - he wants to set
himself up as this leader,
00:50:59.09\00:51:01.86
and instead what does
he do? He goes and he finds
00:51:01.89\00:51:04.69
Saul and he brings him
from Tarsus to Antioch.
00:51:04.73\00:51:08.83
He, as it were, saw someone
younger, someone with gifts
00:51:08.86\00:51:14.14
and ability, someone that God
was going to use and he brought
00:51:14.20\00:51:18.61
him into the work
and pushed him forward.
00:51:18.64\00:51:21.08
To me, that's humility.
00:51:21.11\00:51:23.35
#4... He's patient with
the mistakes of others. You see
00:51:23.41\00:51:28.45
with John-Mark, as John
left, remember he left the work
00:51:28.48\00:51:33.12
of Paul and Barnabas and
he just said, "I'm going back
00:51:33.15\00:51:36.49
to Jerusalem and I'm done
with this, but yet Barnabas was
00:51:36.52\00:51:39.13
patient. He gave him another
chance. He took, as it were,
00:51:39.16\00:51:43.00
another risk with him.
00:51:43.03\00:51:45.43
#5... And finally, we see
that he's free from materialism.
00:51:45.47\00:51:49.54
He loved people, but
not necessarily money.
00:51:49.57\00:51:53.44
In Acts 4, the first time
when we were actually introduced
00:51:53.51\00:51:56.24
to Barnabas, he
sold land - remember?
00:51:56.28\00:51:58.31
And he laid it at the apostles'
feet, but in addition to that,
00:51:58.35\00:52:01.92
this is probably 20 years later,
Paul is writing 1 Corinthians,
00:52:01.95\00:52:06.35
and in 1 Corinthians
9, he says, "Do we have no
00:52:06.39\00:52:09.29
right to eat and drink?
Do we have no right to take
00:52:09.32\00:52:12.19
along a believing wife as
do also the other apostles,
00:52:12.23\00:52:15.56
the brothers of the Lord
and Cephas - meaning Peter,
00:52:15.60\00:52:18.93
or is it only Barnabas
and I who have no right to
00:52:18.97\00:52:22.90
refrain from
working?" So in that sense,
00:52:22.94\00:52:25.17
Paul was even saying - he
and Barnabas were laboring,
00:52:25.21\00:52:28.91
were supporting themselves as
we know Paul was a tent-maker,
00:52:28.94\00:52:32.65
supporting themselves to
help support the work in the
00:52:32.68\00:52:35.28
ministry of the gospel.
Barnabas was not ministering
00:52:35.32\00:52:39.22
for money - he was ministering
and laboring for souls.
00:52:39.25\00:52:43.09
So to me, and this passage,
what I see - is the pivotal
00:52:43.12\00:52:47.03
work that Barnabas
played, the role that he played
00:52:47.10\00:52:51.27
in bringing Saul to the
brethren there at Jerusalem,
00:52:51.30\00:52:56.07
and in helping to
launch his ministry as well.
00:52:56.10\00:52:59.31
Amen! Thank you Jill,
and thanks to all of you.
00:52:59.34\00:53:01.68
You know, I think and I
think somebody mentioned this
00:53:01.71\00:53:05.38
earlier - one of the
most encouraging stories
00:53:05.41\00:53:08.32
in the Word is the story
of the conversion of Paul.
00:53:08.35\00:53:12.75
Doesn't that give
us all hope? Amen!
00:53:12.79\00:53:15.09
Because I think about this...
00:53:15.12\00:53:16.96
Now who is the #1
persecutor of the church?
00:53:17.03\00:53:20.00
That would have to be Paul.
00:53:20.03\00:53:21.33
On the road to Damascus
- do you know instead of
00:53:21.36\00:53:24.47
knocking Paul off his
high horse and bringing him
00:53:24.50\00:53:28.14
to conversion, God
could have killed him. Yes.
00:53:28.17\00:53:31.11
But you know what
God says about Paul?
00:53:31.14\00:53:33.44
He says, "You're a
chosen vessel to bear My name
00:53:33.48\00:53:38.01
to the Gentiles."
00:53:38.05\00:53:39.61
So what God saw in Paul
was the thing that makes him
00:53:39.65\00:53:43.45
so powerful - it's that tenacity
to what he believes in...
00:53:43.49\00:53:47.16
he's going to give
his whole heart to it.
00:53:47.22\00:53:49.39
And then, not only does
God take Paul out of the hands
00:53:49.42\00:53:56.60
of the enemy - it says he
could have done horrendous
00:53:56.63\00:53:59.90
damage to the early
church, but He brings him into
00:54:00.04\00:54:04.31
that early church and
he does horrendous damage
00:54:04.34\00:54:07.38
to the kingdom of the enemy.
00:54:07.41\00:54:09.34
And so that's
like a double whammy
00:54:09.38\00:54:13.15
on behalf of the kingdom of God.
00:54:13.18\00:54:15.12
Well each one of you brought
such a beautiful message,
00:54:15.15\00:54:18.22
Shelley, you know, this
is what I heard you say...
00:54:18.25\00:54:20.86
If we attack God's
people, we're attacking God
00:54:20.89\00:54:24.96
and that's powerful!
00:54:24.99\00:54:26.46
And Brother Johnny, there
are no Lone Ranger Christians.
00:54:26.49\00:54:30.53
We all need to be in
the safety and the security
00:54:30.57\00:54:34.00
of the established church.
00:54:34.04\00:54:35.94
And Brother CA, make your
calling and election sure.
00:54:35.97\00:54:38.87
I'm not sure those were
your exact words, but it was
00:54:38.91\00:54:41.84
give yourself even if
you have to pray to 7 o'clock
00:54:41.88\00:54:44.65
in the morning - to the
ministry God has called you to.
00:54:44.68\00:54:47.38
And Sister Jill, you are a
Christian leader to the degree
00:54:47.42\00:54:52.19
that you shape others into the
image of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:54:52.22\00:54:55.46
All of those were so beautiful,
and we still have 2 minutes,
00:54:55.49\00:54:59.23
so that's a long time.
00:54:59.26\00:55:01.33
Shelley, I want
to start with you
00:55:01.36\00:55:02.86
What was your
take-away from all of them.
00:55:02.90\00:55:04.63
My favorite Scripture,
Acts 26:18, what Jesus said
00:55:04.67\00:55:08.67
to Paul was... "I am sending
you out to open their eyes
00:55:08.70\00:55:13.24
to turn them from darkness
to light and from the power
00:55:13.27\00:55:15.68
of Satan to God, that
they may receive forgiveness
00:55:15.71\00:55:19.41
of sins AND an
inheritance among those who are
00:55:19.45\00:55:24.59
sanctified by faith in Me."
00:55:24.62\00:55:26.55
And I want you to know
that God can do that for you,
00:55:26.59\00:55:30.56
pray, claim Acts 26:18,
pray it over your children
00:55:30.63\00:55:34.93
or anyone who needs
to know the Lord. Amen!
00:55:34.93\00:55:39.03
Building on that, you know,
I'm reminded of 2 Peter 3:9.
00:55:39.07\00:55:43.71
"God is not willing that
any should perish, but that all
00:55:43.77\00:55:46.27
should come to
repentance," and some of us have
00:55:46.31\00:55:48.94
brothers and sisters
out there in the world...
00:55:48.98\00:55:51.01
Paul was persecuting Christians,
no one would think he would
00:55:51.05\00:55:52.95
think he would be converted,
and we have family members
00:55:52.98\00:55:56.08
and friends and there's hope
00:55:56.12\00:55:58.25
and God is trying
to reach them. Amen!
00:55:58.29\00:56:00.99
Amen, Pastor CA... Amen!
00:56:01.02\00:56:02.79
Paul says in 2 Corinthians,
"Therefore do no lose heart,
00:56:02.82\00:56:07.13
even though our outward man
is perishing, yet inward man
00:56:07.13\00:56:10.67
is being renewed day by day."
00:56:10.70\00:56:13.44
We can always be renewed in
Christ Jesus, don't lose hope.
00:56:13.47\00:56:16.74
Amen! I think we
live in a world of
00:56:16.81\00:56:19.41
discouragement - we
live in a world of fear,
00:56:19.44\00:56:21.91
and God is calling you at home,
God is calling each one of us
00:56:21.94\00:56:25.11
to be encouragers
for other people...
00:56:25.15\00:56:28.12
to speak a word in
season, to believe in what God
00:56:28.15\00:56:31.95
can do in and through
the lives of those around us
00:56:31.99\00:56:35.49
How many of us,
Jill, like to be around
00:56:35.52\00:56:37.43
discouraging people?
00:56:37.46\00:56:38.79
No, I appreciate what you're
saying - we all want to be
00:56:38.83\00:56:41.93
around people that
bring courage to us.
00:56:41.96\00:56:44.70
This is what an
encourager does...
00:56:44.73\00:56:47.00
They take courage and they
put it on the inside of you,
00:56:47.04\00:56:50.17
but this is what a
discourager does...
00:56:50.21\00:56:52.34
they take the
courage that you have in you,
00:56:52.37\00:56:55.21
and they pull it out of you.
00:56:55.24\00:56:57.01
So it is so vitally important
that we surround ourselves
00:56:57.05\00:57:00.68
with people and continue
in God's word because God's
00:57:00.75\00:57:04.49
word will bring in you
so much encouragement...
00:57:04.52\00:57:07.72
Just this story of the Apostle
Paul that went from being
00:57:07.76\00:57:12.96
Saul of Tarsus to the
Apostle Paul - one of the
00:57:12.99\00:57:16.10
greatest ambassadors for the
cause of the Lord Jesus Christ
00:57:16.13\00:57:20.17
in the early church.
00:57:20.24\00:57:21.57
So I want to encourage
each of you - you know,
00:57:21.60\00:57:23.91
join with us again next
week, get you a Bible Study
00:57:23.94\00:57:27.58
Guide - download it
and then you'll be prepared
00:57:27.61\00:57:30.45
to come and sit with
us next week and together
00:57:30.48\00:57:33.42
we will study God's word!
00:57:33.45\00:57:36.38