(Acts 9:1-16 NKJV)

1. (Acts 9:1-16 NKJV) 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,

2. 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?"

3. 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."

4. {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.

5. {9} And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. {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,

6. "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."

7. {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,

8. "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."

9. introduction Bible Scholars generally agree that next to the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus; the conversion of Paul ranks as one of the most significant events of the NT, and probably modern history.

10. introduction Paul is set apart from any other Bible personality in that Luke (the author of acts) records Paul’s conversion three times - Here in Acts 9 and then again in Acts 22 and 26.

11. introduction During the late 1800’s, in England, there were two well known and scholarly men who joined forces in an attempt to discredit Christianity and put an end to it - Sir Gilbert Hawkins and Lord Littleton.

12. introduction They undertook to disprove the two events upon which they believed the credibility of Christianity hinged. The resurrection of Jesus and the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.

13. introduction The resurrection of Jesus, because it validates 1.) the claims of Christ to deity and 2.) the necessity of the sacrifice of the cross. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus, because his transformed life proves that Christ is risen.

14. introduction HAWKINS undertook a study to prove the Resurrection a hoax. LITTELTON planned on disproving the Conversion of Paul.

15. introduction HAWKINS had found that the Resurrection record proved undeniable and credible because the historical and archaeological evidence was irrefutable.

16. introduction LITTELTON discovered that the Conversion of Paul was a result of Paul’s own, personal experience with the resurrected Jesus, and had so TRANSFORMED Paul that it literally changed the course of History.

17. introduction But here’s the kicker - They agreed to come together after one year of research to celebrate their findings and when they did, they discovered that each of them had, without the other’s knowledge, become Christians!

18. introduction So let’s look at this history-changing event, and in it we are going to see – 1.) A Myth Dispelled 2.) A Sinner Pursued 3.) A Sinner Surrendered

19. a myth dispelled There is a common belief among unbelievers that Christianity is a crutch for the weak. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus utterly dispels this myth because he was in no way a weak man.

20. a myth dispelled First of all, he was intellectually strong. (Acts 22:3 NKJV) "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.

21. (Acts 26:4 NLT) "As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem.

22. a myth dispelled He was one of the most promising young Pharisees in Jerusalem and was well on his way to becoming a great leader of the Jews.

23. (Gal 1:14 NKJV) And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

24. a myth dispelled He was not only an intellectual force in Israel, he was also a driven man, wielding all of his religious and political power to exterminate Christians and Christianity.

25. (Acts 22:4-5; 10-20 KJV) And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. {5} As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren,

26. and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. …. {19} And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

27. {20} And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.

28. (Acts 26:10-11 NKJV) "This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. {11} "And I punished them

29. often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

30. a myth dispelled Insight: enraged = to transform; to become maniac; to go insane; to be mad

31. a myth dispelled He would snap. He would threaten. He would be angry to the point of violence. This man was no weakling, no coward.

32. a sinner pursued The conversion of Paul leaves no doubt that Jesus receives sinners.

33. (1 Tim 1:13;15 KJV) Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious… {15} This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

34. a sinner pursued It was while in that state of maniacal rage that Jesus met Saul on the road to Damascus! So in his conversion we also see that Jesus not only receives sinners, He PURSUES them.

35. a sinner pursued Saul was not pursuing Jesus, yet Jesus went and apprehended Saul on the road to Damascus. Jesus was not waiting for Saul to find his way into a Bible study so that He could save him.

36. a sinner pursued Key Insight: Even when you weren’t coming to church looking for Jesus, Jesus was out there looking for you.

37. a sinner pursued Note: I also believe that somebody in Jerusalem was PRAYING for Saul of Tarsus because they remembered that Jesus said -

38. (Mat 5:44 KJV) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

39. a sinner pursued Key Insight: When God is going to work He always moves His people to pray.

40. a sinner pursued It is NOT the prayers of the people that move God in a certain direction. It is God who moves people in prayer, bringing them in line with His will and purposes.

41. a sinner pursued Key Observation: Luke tells us that Jesus came upon Saul SUDDENLY.

42. a sinner pursued Very few people wake up and say, “Today I shall meet Christ and be converted.” My testimony. Students in England. (You’ve turned my world upside down / Andrew)

43. a sinner pursued Key Observation: Paul had no where to run, no where to hide. (Acts 26:13 NKJV) "at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.

44. a sinner pursued Key Insight: The word shining means, to flash and blaze, to flash all around, an envelope of light:

45. a sinner pursued In Hiroshima and Nagasaki, when the Enola Guy dropped the Atomic Bomb, the flash of light was so great that the images of people where etched in the earth and concrete.

46. a sinner pursued Jesus (who said He was “the light of the world”) pursued this man, and blazed into Saul’s life with such intensity that the life and nature of Jesus was etched into Paul.

47. a sinner pursued Key Observation: Luke tells us that Saul fell to the earth. There are those who think that if they were to see Jesus that they would stand up and give Him a piece of their mind.

48. a sinner pursued There are those who actually believe that they are great and Jesus is nothing.

49. a sinner pursued Example: Bumper sticker of an evolutionist – “My god can kick your God’s …” Here we see arrogant Saul on his face before the presence of Jesus.

50. a sinner pursued Key Observation: Luke tells us that Saul Heard a voice.