LIKE SAUL OF TARSUS, I NEED TO SEE THAT…
1. MY TRADITION CAN BLIND ME FROM THE TRUTH.
"Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense." 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: 3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors... Acts 22:1-3a (NIV)
2. I CAN BE ZEALOUS FOR GOD, BUT LOST.
…I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. Acts 22:3b-5 (NIV)
Zeal is not good without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily sins. Proverbs 19:2 (HCSB)
3. JESUS IS WHO HE CLAIMED TO BE.
“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 10 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. 10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. Acts 22:6-10 (NIV)
We want to tell you about the Word[a] that gives life—the one who existed before the world began. This is the one we have heard and have seen with our own eyes. We saw what he did, and our hands touched him. 2 Yes, the one who is life was shown to us. We saw him, and so we can tell others about him. We now tell you about him. He is the eternal life that was with God the Father and was shown to us.
1 John 1:1, 2 (ERV)
4. GOD WILL HUMBLE ME IN ORDER TO HELP ME.
My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. Acts 22: 11 (NIV)
He leads humble people to do what is right, and he teaches them his way. Psalm 25:9 (GW)
5. FINDING JESUS INVOLVES FOLLOWING PEOPLE.
My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. 12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
Acts 22: 11-13 (NIV)
6. GOD STILL HAS A PURPOSE FOR HIS LIFE.
“Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. Acts 22: 14-15 (NIV)
God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (ERV)
7. SAVING FAITH IS OBEDIENT FAITH.
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’ Acts 22: 16 (NIV)
He will take revenge on those who do not know God and on those who refuse to obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 Such people will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction by being separated from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious power.
2 Thessalonians 1:8b-9 (ISV)