Sermon: God’s Divine Disruption
Scripture: Acts 9: 1-18 Saul’s Conversion
“Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. 10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Introduction – One of the descriptive terms that defines God’s work in the world is disruption. Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Ruth and Naomi, Daniel and Isaiah and many others all had to come to terms with their lives being thrown into disarray. A common pattern emerges among these biblical figures whose lives God chooses to disrupt, God will disrupt lives and plans to accomplish his purpose. Disorientation became the order of the day in the early church. Amid the expansion, opposition, Jewish and Roman oppression, the church moved forward. A disruption is a major disturbance, something that changes your plans or interrupts our event or process. A disruption causes a break in the action, especially an unplanned and confusing one. Disruption may cause one to think and act differently, and maybe see opportunities and truth where you have not looked before. Saul’s conversion was a divine disruption. It changed his life, direction, understanding and purpose.
Our lesson is a story of a divine disruption in the life of Saul of Tarsus. Saul had been taught to work with his own hands, a tent maker by trade. He could travel with a few leather-working tools and set up shop anywhere. It is doubtful that his family was wealthy or aristocratic, but he was well educated. Saul was a member of the Pharisees, a religious party that believed in life after death, which was one of Saul’s deepest convictions. They accepted nonbiblical “traditions” and Saul was an expert in those “traditions.” Saul was the best Jew and the best Pharisee of his generation. Saul spent much of the first half of his life persecuting the new Christian movement. The chief persecutors of the Christian movement in Jerusalem were the high priest and his associates. It is possible that Saul believed that Jewish converts to the new movement were not sufficiently observant of the Jewish law, mingled too freely with Gentiles, and held to the notion of a crucified messiah. All of which made the movement a target of his wrath.
Saul’s persecutions involved traveling from synagogue to synagogue and urging the punishment of Jews who accepted Jesus as the messiah. Disobedient members of synagogues were ostracized or by light flogging. Saul was on his way to Damascus when he experienced a divine disruption. He had a vision that changed his life. God revealed his Son to Saul, and he saw the Lord. Following that revelation, God called Saul to a new direction, new life, and new assignment. Sometimes divine disruptions are necessary. Saul begins using his Greek name, Paul. Paul believed that his vision proved that Jesus lived in heaven, that Jesus was the Messiah and God’s Son, and that he would soon return. Moreover, Paul thought that the purpose of this revelation was his own appointment to preach among the Gentiles and he understood his own place in God’s plan. Throughout his ministry Paul recounted his encounter with God. It was a divine disruption.
Many of us are like Paul, sure of ourselves, head strong and self-motivated, going our own ways and charting our own course, unable to see the forest for the trees. You may have heard the expression, 'they can't see the wood for the trees. ' Saying it to someone means that they are so involved in the details of something that they forget or do not realize the real purpose or importance of the thing as a whole. The Pharisees were so busy keeping rules and watching others, they fail to realize that God was seeking to bring people into a right relationship with himself and with each other. Our overfilled, congested lives require divine disruptions. The call of God is a divine disruption. It was that way in my life. Have you received God’s call yet?" That's the question young, aspiring ministers often ask seasoned pastors. "The word call has come to signify the very moment a person knew God wanted him or her to minister, preach or shepherd a flock.
Biblically, Saul conversion on the Damascus road was a divine disruption that alter the life of Church. In Acts 9, we read about God's miraculous conversion of Saul, a religious man who persecuted followers of Christ. Describing His new relationship with Saul, the Lord said to Ananias, "Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel" (Acts 9:15). In an instant, Brother Saul was saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, blinders both physically and spiritually removed from his eyes, was baptized, physically nourished himself to regain strength, and went off to begin preaching the Gospel. (Acts 9:17-22). His call was a unique, divine disruption given by God that Paul might accomplish God’s purposes through his faithful and active obedience, unwavering commitment, and devotion to His God-given Call.
1. The Call to Salvation is a Divine Disruption – Acts 9:3-5 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!”
Salvation can only be experienced when we recognize who we are, our position and condition and see God for who Jesus is, his position and condition. The question Saul asked was “Who are you Lord?” The call to Salvation is a divine disruption that involves three steps. Paul must recognize who he is, a fallen blind sinner in need of God’s help. His every act has been persecuting God. No one can be saved without understanding that in the God’s sight, we are helpless sinners. In our thoughts, words and actions, we have continually disobeyed God’s commandments and fallen short of what we should have been. You have missed the mark. Consequently, we are separated from God. Divine disruption causes us to see ourselves for what we are. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Then we must know who Jesus is. Then we must believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay our sin debt and to be the very Savior we need. Jesus, God’s Son loves us and gave himself for us. He bore our sins in his own body. He was made sin for us. More than that, he voluntarily endured the penalty for our sins, He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.
Isaiah 53:5, 6 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Finally, by faith, we must repent of our sin and Christ as our Savior by faith. It is Personal, I must come to Christ and claim my personal share in what He did for everybody. He died to be the Savior of the world. I must ask him to be my Savior personally. He bore the sins of all men; I must ask him to take my sins away personally. He suffered to bring everybody back to God. I must ask him to bring me back to God personally. Exactly what I must do is explained by Christ in Revelation 3:20. Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man (person) hears my voice, an open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
2. The Call to Discipleship is a Divine Disruption. Acts 9:6-9 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.’
The call to discipleship is a divine disruption. We must be careful that we are not confused by the message of cheap grace or have it your way Christianity. There is a cost to follow Jesus. Before taking this step, it will be wise to pause to consider thoughtfully its implications. The Lord Jesus himself constantly encouraged people to count the cost. Irresponsible emotions are not enough. Jesus urged them not to begin building until they had work out the cost of construction. Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Before accepting the call to discipleship, we must consider the cost involved. There are rich compensations for following Christ, but there is also a price to be paid. What demands does Christ make on us? What is the cross I must bear? Allegiance to Christ means following Him and rejecting sin. The cost includes surrendering to Christ, allowing Him to be our Lord as well as our Savior. It includes allowing Christ Jesus to take possession of our lives, setting the rules, and guiding our path. It also includes sharing our faith, realizing that we cannot be a secret disciple. Since Jesus has opened our eyes, we must help open the eyes of others. We are His witnesses by word, signs and deeds. The call to Salvation and the Call to discipleship are divine disruptions.
3. The Call to Service is a Divine Disruption. Acts 9:10-17 “Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
The Call to Service is a Divine Disruption because it disturbs our comfort, crosses our boundaries, and calls us into community. Christian fellowship is necessary because God does not intend us to live the Christian life alone. The question Paul asked was “What will you have me to do?” God could have answered Paul’s question on the road alone, but God sends him to the church. The preparation Paul needed would be provided by the Church. Paul must enter the church with others. The Lord had appeared to Paul and qualified him for apostleship, but he must learn the way of the gospel from the Church. Christ gave the Great Commission to the church; Ananias was the church’s agent to finish what Jesus’s supernatural manifestation has had begun in Saul. Ananias would help Paul receive his sight, find new direction, discover his spiritual gifts and position him for usefulness.
Some disciples of Christ struggle with the divine disruption experienced in the call to Service. Service requires us to work together, with different people in different ways. The call to service is not limited to positions of leadership, it includes every gift in the body. Whatever God is leading, all are led by the same spirit, all experience the same anointing of the Holy Spirit, and all are important to the body. Maybe in a classroom, teaching students, you will feel most alive and know you are fulfilling your purpose on this earth. Not only will you be anointed to teach; you will be good at it.
The God’s call is always a divine disruption. Salvation, discipleship, and service will disrupt your normal activities and redirect your life. Paul had no idea what following Christ would cost him, yet he chooses to follow Him. He counted the cost, took up his cross and follow Jesus. He chooses to align himself with God’s will, make himself accessible to God’s direction and kept himself available to God’s call. God’s call is continuous, so we must remain aligned, available, and accessible to God. Allow His call to disrupt you!
