A Startling Resurrection

A Startling Resurrection

1. Saul was

• Saul approved of the murder of Stephen. Acts 8:1
• Saul was a serious persecutor of the early church. The threatened them with prison, and even death. (Acts 9:1)
• He was headed to Damascus. It is the ancient capitol of Syria. In that city was a small Christian community, lead by a man named Annias.
• Saul was trained by Gamaliel, a respect Jewish rabbi of that day.
• Acts 9:3, compare to Acts 26:13, the Light shown around him at noon. The brightest time of day, but there was a greater light than the light of the sun. The Light of Jesus outshines the material creation. This is how John saw him in Revelation, and how Moses saw him.
• Illustration, 19yr old young man headed home from a concert. He got lost on the road home. He was headed to Montgomery. But, the more he drove, the more lost he got. His growing frustration caused him to drive faster and faster. Everything changed when he topped a hill, in the distance over Montgomery, he saw the light of the top of the tower, radio station WSFA. He saw the light, oriented himself, and knew exactly where he needed to go. He wrote these words, “I wandered so aimless, my life full of sin, I wouldn’t let my dear savior in. Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night. Praise the Lord I saw the light.”
• Acts 9:4, Jesus asks him why he is persecuting him. This is four years after the Resurrection, but counted as a resurrection appearance. (See 1 Cor. 15:18.) It is an abnormal appearance.

2. Resurrection of Saul. (Acts 9:10-18)

• Wow =
• Wow =
• Wow =

III. When HS Raises me:

Jesus still raises the dead.

1. When the Holy Spirit raises me, my love for

• Saul felt right when he was lost. He didn’t see his actions as sinful, until Jesus confronted him. “Why are you persecuting me?”
• When you are lost, you are hungry, craving the carnal nature, lust and to satisfy sexual desires and gratify the passions of the flesh.
• When you are saved, you are hungry for God. You have an appetite for holiness, Godliness.

2. When the Holy Spirit raises me, He will give me a

• Acts 9:16, he becomes so passionate he is willing to suffer for Jesus. This verse is almost prophetically fulfilled, from what Jesus promised to what actually happened. See Philippians 1:29. Jesus’ words have come true!
• Passion starts as a flame of emotion in almost everyone. But for it to remain, it has to transform into conviction – conviction with hot sauce! Some people have conviction, but their just stubborn. They are passionless. Our passion is the settled truth that drives us like a blazing fire.
• When we baptized people, we ask, “Will you suffer for him?”
• There is a passion only Jesus can give. “I will show him how much he must suffer…”

3. When the Holy Spirit raises me, He Shows Me the

• Acts 9:26, he wants to joint he church he had been trying to destroy.
• Acts 9:27-31 is funny! He tries to join the church, but they won’t let him. So Barnabas has to come and help him join the church.
• Acts 9:31, “Comfort” of the Holy Spirit. They could feel god’s presence in the church.
• Acts 9:31, they walked in the fear of the Lord. They understood the church, the movement, was not theirs; it belonged to someone else.
• The church is the resurrected people of Jesus doing live together.

4. When the Holy Spirit raises me, my Future is Focused on

• Acts 9:15, Jesus makes it clear that he has a plan for Saul’s future. He is a “chosen” instrument.
• Jesus chooses people world count out to carry out big assignments. Saul would write 13 books of the New Testament, start fourteen churches.