Bible Characters                                                                                                          Power Point Show

Scripture Reading:  Acts 22:1-16

Part 1

Journeys of the Apostle Paul

(From Sinner to Saint)

Intro.

     Saul of Tarsus made an incredible impact on the world.  His life is filled with journeys.  Next few weeks we will look at & learn from some of them.

I.  SAUL OF TARSUS:  HIS CONDUCT IN JUDAISM – Gal. 1:13.

  A.  His Standing Before Men:  Hebrew of the Hebrews – Acts 22:3; 26:4-5; Gal. 1:13-14; Phil. 3:4-6. 

    1.  Advanced beyond his peers (Gal. 1:14): 

      a.  Educated at feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).

      b.  Prominent, educated, advancing, trusted – Acts 22:5.

    2.  Concerning the law, a Pharisee – Phil. 3:5.

      a.  Acts 22:3:  “Strictness of our fathers’ law” (Acts 26:5).

      b.  Conservative (resurrection, angels & spirit, Acts 23:6-9; 24:15).

      c.  In their strictness, the Pharisees often overlooked the weightier matters of the law (Matt. 23:23) plus they bound human traditions (Matt. 23:1-3).

      d.  Paul would have to overcome this as a Christian (as we must!).

    3.  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church –Acts 22:4; 26:9-11; 9:1-2.

      a.  Exceedingly zealous for the traditions of the fathers – Gal. 1:14.

      b.  Preeminent persecutor (Gal. 1:13, “beyond measure”); Pro-active (Acts 9:1-2).

      c.  He was feared by the saints – Acts 9:13-14, 26.

    4.  Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless (3:6); Gal. 1:14.

      a.  “Deserving no censure, free from fault or defect.”

      b.  Knew & practiced all the rules of the rabbis (100% in Judaism).

    5.  Lessons for us:

      a.  Advantages & approval in the sight of our peers do not approve us before God – Phil. 4:7; Rom. 2:17-24.

      b.  Zeal without knowledge is futile – Rom. 10:2.  (So, don’t be fooled by religious zeal; it does not equal God’s approval! – Matt. 7:22-23)

      c.  Cannot trust in moral/religious advantages to save us.  (Acts 10:1-2)

  B.  His Standing Before God:  Sinner of the Sinners – 1 Tim. 1:13-15.

    1.  A blasphemer (1:13) – Acts 26:9.  He was a hostile opponent to the “name” (power, preaching, promotion) of Jesus.

    2.  A persecutor of Christ (1:13; Acts 22:19-20)

    3.  An insolent man (1:13); Acts 9:13.  (Arrogant; violently aggressive)

    4.  An unbelieving, ignorant man (1:13).

    5.  Lessons for us:

      a.  The way we see ourselves is not necessarily the way God sees us, cf. Rom. 2:17; 1 Cor. 4:4 (Rev. 3:15-17).

      b.  The will & ways of men do not defeat the plans of God, Prov. 19:21; (Acts 26:14; 5:39).

      c.  Pride goes before a fall, Prov. 16:18.

II.  HIS JOURNEY TO SALVATION.

  A.  Jesus Appears to Saul:  From Unbelief to Faith – Acts 9:3-6.

    1.  Jesus appeared & his unbelief was forever removed.

    2.  Penetrating question to produce self-examination – 9:4.

    3.  God’s displeasure & Saul’s futility – 9:4-5.

  B.  Sought the Lord’s Will:  “What would you have me to do?” – Acts 9:6

    1.  Willing, humble heart.  [The man who thought he was saved had to admit he was lost before he could be saved!]

    2.  Would be told what he “must do” in Damascus – 9:6 (22:11-16).

  C.  His Faith Produced Repentance in his Heart – Acts 9:9, 11.

    1.  No longer the confident, strident persecutor.

    2.  Humble, trembling sinner – Fasting & praying.

  D.  His Faith Compelled Him to be Baptized – Acts 22:16 (9:18).

    1.  One of the things told him that he “must do”!

    2.  He obeyed & his sins were washed away!

  E.  When He Became a Christian his Life Immediately Changed – Acts 9:19-20.

    - Lessons for us:

    1.  Our treatment of Christians is our treatment of Christ.  (Matt. 25:40)

    2.  Self-examination is necessary (without humble hearts we will never have faith)­­ – cf. Acts 2:36-37.

    3.  Blessed if we believe without seeing – Jno. 20:29 (1 Pet. 1:8-9).

    4.  We must do what God tells us in order to be saved.  (Matt. 7:21)

    5.  Repentance will cause drastic changes in our life.  (Acts 26:20)

    6.  Without baptism one’s sins are not washed away.  (1 Pet. 3:21)

    7.  When we become a Christian we are to be different than we used to be!  (Rom. 6:4-6)

III.  SAUL’S CONVERSION IS AN ENDURING EXAMPLE – 1 Tim. 1:14-15.

  A.  God’s Mercy is Available to All through Faith in Christ – 1 Tim. 1:14-15.

  B.  Paul Became a Pattern of God’s Longsuffering & Mercy – 1 Tim. 1:16.

    1.  Pattern (hupotuposis)  - “an outline, sketch, brief and summary exposition.” – cf. Rom. 7:24…8:1!

    2.  Paul is the “‘specimen’ sinner as an encouragement to all who come after him” (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures of the NT).

Conclusion 

1.  Amazing journey from blasphemer to apologist, from arrogance to self-abasement, from persecutor to the persecuted, from sinner to saint!

2.  The power of the gospel is magnified in Saul & available to all in Christ (Rom. 1:16-17).