Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Acts: A Church of Converts
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Acts: A Church of Converts
A Church of Converts
Pastor Eric Burton
May 24th 2026
A Church of Converts. Acts 9:1-21
Meanwhile, the church is growing. Philip just converted an Ethiopian, and meanwhile, Saul is persecuting the church.
Consider the context of Saul. He’s an upcoming star in the religious ranks. He’s an expert on Hebrew law, having been taught by Gamaliel, one of the top lawyers in Israel. He is both a Jewish and Roman citizen, giving him access to two worlds in conflict with each other. He is passionate about defending the law of Moses and Temple worship, and now he is on an ambitious campaign to destroy the Way, this Christian movement. He believes Jesus is a charlatan leading people away from God.
There are lots of people going on their ambitious way, believing they are doing good. Saul meets the Lord on the road to Damascus on his way to persecute Christians.
How many of us have been on our way when the Lord prevented us? I’m thankful Jesus is a Preventer. So many of us are on “our” way, but need to start doing it His way.
Jesus tells Saul, “You are kicking against the pricks” (Acts 26:14). Pricks, or goads, are pointed objects used to direct cattle in a specific direction. Jesus tells Saul, “Fighting against Me, you are only going to hurt yourself.”
Saul was confronted with a question. Jesus asks Saul, “Why are you persecuting Me?” Saul thought he was doing the right thing and didn’t know he was actually persecuting the body of Christ. Our ambition and the approval of others are not validation that we’re doing the right thing.
When Saul is confronted with this question, he is convicted and converted. I believe for there to be conversion, we need to be convicted of our ways. Saul was converted when he met Jesus and saw Him for who He was.
You will be converted when you see Jesus for who He is. Jesus is not just a prophet. He’s not just a historical figure. He’s not a 21st-century construct of how to live a good life. He is the Son of the living God.
When you get a revelation of Jesus, you see Him as Lord. “No man can call Jesus Lord except the Spirit reveal it to him” (1 Corinthians 12:3).
A real conversion is a change of thinking and actions. Conversion will change your previous religious beliefs.
Peter was a fisherman. But after he met Jesus and was converted, Jesus told him, “You used to fish for fish, but now you are going to fish for men.”
Conversion is a transfer of what you used to do for yourself to what you now do for Jesus. What you did for the world, you now do for the kingdom of God. Conversion gives you a whole new prerogative.
Your conversion needs an Ananias. Acts 9:10
There was a man named Ananias that helped Saul confirm his encounter with Jesus. You have revelation but no ability. You have all the spirituality but no practicality. Ananias showed up to help Saul have clarity. His obedience worked in tandem with Saul’s conversion.
We need an Ananias in our conversion that helps confirm what has happened in our lives was not a worldly occurrence, but a real spiritual one. Some of you are called to lay hands on someone so their eyes are opened.
Converted for purpose. Acts 9:15: “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.”
Lastly, people won’t believe it. Acts 9:21: “Isn’t this the same Saul that persecuted the church?” After Saul was converted, he started telling people about Jesus. That’s the natural progression of conversion.
Jesus told Peter, “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:32). Convert means to turn back.
There are some conversions that need to take place on this Pentecost Sunday. Some have turned away from truth but need to turn back. We need some road-to-Damascus conversions. You think you are doing right, but you need the Holy Ghost to ask you, “Why are you persecuting Me?” You think you’re doing right, but you need a confrontation with God. Stop seeing Jesus as an alternative to get you out of trouble and begin seeing Him as the only Way.
View all episodes
By Eric Burton
A Church of Converts
Pastor Eric Burton
May 24th 2026
A Church of Converts. Acts 9:1-21
Meanwhile, the church is growing. Philip just converted an Ethiopian, and meanwhile, Saul is persecuting the church.
Consider the context of Saul. He’s an upcoming star in the religious ranks. He’s an expert on Hebrew law, having been taught by Gamaliel, one of the top lawyers in Israel. He is both a Jewish and Roman citizen, giving him access to two worlds in conflict with each other. He is passionate about defending the law of Moses and Temple worship, and now he is on an ambitious campaign to destroy the Way, this Christian movement. He believes Jesus is a charlatan leading people away from God.
There are lots of people going on their ambitious way, believing they are doing good. Saul meets the Lord on the road to Damascus on his way to persecute Christians.
How many of us have been on our way when the Lord prevented us? I’m thankful Jesus is a Preventer. So many of us are on “our” way, but need to start doing it His way.
Jesus tells Saul, “You are kicking against the pricks” (Acts 26:14). Pricks, or goads, are pointed objects used to direct cattle in a specific direction. Jesus tells Saul, “Fighting against Me, you are only going to hurt yourself.”
Saul was confronted with a question. Jesus asks Saul, “Why are you persecuting Me?” Saul thought he was doing the right thing and didn’t know he was actually persecuting the body of Christ. Our ambition and the approval of others are not validation that we’re doing the right thing.
When Saul is confronted with this question, he is convicted and converted. I believe for there to be conversion, we need to be convicted of our ways. Saul was converted when he met Jesus and saw Him for who He was.
You will be converted when you see Jesus for who He is. Jesus is not just a prophet. He’s not just a historical figure. He’s not a 21st-century construct of how to live a good life. He is the Son of the living God.
When you get a revelation of Jesus, you see Him as Lord. “No man can call Jesus Lord except the Spirit reveal it to him” (1 Corinthians 12:3).
A real conversion is a change of thinking and actions. Conversion will change your previous religious beliefs.
Peter was a fisherman. But after he met Jesus and was converted, Jesus told him, “You used to fish for fish, but now you are going to fish for men.”
Conversion is a transfer of what you used to do for yourself to what you now do for Jesus. What you did for the world, you now do for the kingdom of God. Conversion gives you a whole new prerogative.
Your conversion needs an Ananias. Acts 9:10
There was a man named Ananias that helped Saul confirm his encounter with Jesus. You have revelation but no ability. You have all the spirituality but no practicality. Ananias showed up to help Saul have clarity. His obedience worked in tandem with Saul’s conversion.
We need an Ananias in our conversion that helps confirm what has happened in our lives was not a worldly occurrence, but a real spiritual one. Some of you are called to lay hands on someone so their eyes are opened.
Converted for purpose. Acts 9:15: “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.”
Lastly, people won’t believe it. Acts 9:21: “Isn’t this the same Saul that persecuted the church?” After Saul was converted, he started telling people about Jesus. That’s the natural progression of conversion.
Jesus told Peter, “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:32). Convert means to turn back.
There are some conversions that need to take place on this Pentecost Sunday. Some have turned away from truth but need to turn back. We need some road-to-Damascus conversions. You think you are doing right, but you need the Holy Ghost to ask you, “Why are you persecuting Me?” You think you’re doing right, but you need a confrontation with God. Stop seeing Jesus as an alternative to get you out of trouble and begin seeing Him as the only Way.