I. Unlikely Election
A. God Chooses Whom He Wills, Not Whom You Suspect
B. "They Would Make a Fine Christian" Is a Statement I Have Heard a Pastor Make of an Unsaved Lawyer. The Truth Is Anyone Touched by God’s Grace Would Make a Fine Christian. Whether They Are Now in the Gutters of Sin or the Penthouses of Pleasure -- There Is No One Outside the Reach of God’s Transforming Grace.
C. God’s Grace Always Surprises You by Who He Pursues. God Is Not Intimidated by Your Sinful Defiance or Need. It Is Just as Easy for Him to Transform a Heinous Sinner by His Mercy, as it Is for Him to Transform a Small Guilty Child.
D. Your Vocal Defiance and Outspoke Hate for Christianity Does Not Scare God Off. He Sees Your Heart and Knows How One Encounter with Jesus of Nazareth Will Bring You to Your Knees.
E. God’s Sense of Humor -- Psalm 2:2-4
2 the Kings of the Earth Set Themselves, and the Rulers Take Counsel Together, Against the Lord, and Against His Anointed, Saying,
3 Let Us Break Their Bands Asunder, and Cast Away Their Cords from Us.
4 He That Sitteth in the Heavens Shall Laugh: the Lord Shall Have Them in Derision.
F. At the Height of Your Sinful Defiance, God’s Irresistible Grace Forcefully Confronts You
II. IRRESISTIBLE GRACE
A. Romans 9:19 - "Who hath resisted His will?"
B. Romans 2:4 - "knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"
C. Some folks experience Christ’s command to follow them, and like Peter they leave the nets of their life behind to pursue Christ.
D. Yet there are others, maybe because of their stubbornness, or because of the opposite direction they are running, that must have a "Belly of the Whale" experience, or a "Damascus Road" encounter.
E. Jesse Duplantis calls "Close encounters of the God-Kind"
F. This experience was personal -- though there were folks like Saul accompanying Saul, only Saul was targeted to see, to fall, and to hear.
G. HE SAW a great light -- For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
1. Ephesians 5:8 "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:"
2. The light was turned on. In darkness sin was hidden, but when the light comes on in a dark room, what do we do? We close our eyes, we resist it. Not because it is not an improvement, but because it is unfamiliar.
H. HE FELL to the earth -- Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:10)
1. Repentance is falling from pride, humbling yourself
2. God is not encountered as an equal -- "When I stand before God, I’ll. . ."
3. When you encounter God you will be on your face
4. He is holier than your eyes are worthy to look upon, mightier than your feet can stand before, and more glorious than your mind can comprehend
I. HE HEARD A VOICE
1. The words were not at first REVEALING, but CONVICTING.
2. Saul’s persecution of the church was a persecution of CHRIST
3. He realized what he had done in religious zeal was SIN against God.
4. There is a right and a wrong. There are absolutes. Truth does not depend on what you were taught.
5. Can you imagine if Saul’s equivalent in the world today was saved?
6. We ought to pray for the salvation of SAUL -- Saddam Hussein, Osama Ben Ladin.
7. After the voice convicted, it then REVEALED
8. The powerful God He was encountering, like Moses at the burning bush, was JESUS of NAZARETH
9. Banker Hidden Treasure
Jeweler Pearl of Great Price
Baker Living Bread
Lawyer Advocate with the Father
Shepherd Lamb of God
Doctor Great Physician
Lonely Friend That Sticks Closer than a Brother
Florist Lily of the Valley, Rose of Sharon
Builder Sure Foundation, Corner Stone
Thirsty Fountain
Lost Way, Truth, Life
Philosopher Word of God
Carpenter Door
Gardener True Vine
Astronomer Day Star
Judge Faithful Witness
Sinner Savior of the World 10. In revealing Christ’s person, the words revealed Christ’s power -- it is hard to kick against the pricks.
11. You cannot prevent or hinder HIM -- Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? (Isaiah 43:13)
12. After REVEALING, the words were COMMANDING
13. Small acts of obedience were commanded -- Arise and go to the city, and you will be told. . .
14. Gradual growth -- small steps of faith
15. He had to journey by faith -- He had to walk where He could not see
16. One he completed the walk of faith, he would hear his next command.
17. Don’t fear the magnitude of this new life, "the journey of 1000 miles begins with 1 step"
18. Take a couple immediate commands to work on, and BEGIN the journey.
III. FAITHFUL WITNESS
A. Ananias (God’s Favor) was not an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher.
B. The greatest soul-winning is done by disciples -- Christians who hear from God and faithfully obey.
C. God told Saul that Ananias would come to him, BEFORE God told Ananias that He would go to Saul.
D. Are you such a faithful, dependable servant that God can tell someone your on the way before He speaks to you?
E. Do you shrug off the voice of God when He tells you to stop and minister?
1. In WV, I pulled off the interstate to help to big men changing a flat tire
F. Has God’s voice been ignored so many times by you that He has ceased to "page you" with the ministry needs around you.
G. Ananias was willing to witness to that person that Christians had warned each other about -- He was stereotyped as un-savable.
IV. POWER OF SUFFERING
A. Paul’s (Saul’s) ministry could be summarized in his great sufferings or his miraculous accomplishments.
B. Why is great suffering accompanied by great power?
C. Look at the anointing and ministry of Joseph, David, Job, Jeremiah, Daniel, John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul.
D. What God reveals to Ananias is that Paul is a chosen vessel to bear His name to many nations
E. What God is going to reveal to Saul is He must suffer for His name
F. Suffering brings humility, which precedes and accompanies God’s power
G. Suffering brings patience, which strengthens faith to trust God’s plan
H. Suffering brings wisdom, which enables you to be a good steward of God’s provision
I. Suffering brings compassion, which causes you to prayerfully love others and feel their needs as your own
J. Is there suffering in your life? Don’t curse your pain, but with strength and determination, press on through it, knowing that with your suffering comes an abundance of God’s glory into your life.
K. Romans 8:17-18 "if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
