ARCC Sermons

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

November 27th

The bible reading today is 1st and 2nd Thessalonians

“We give thanks to God always for all of you (O church of Thessalonica), constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of “faith” and labor of “love” and steadfastness of “hope”

1 Thessalonians 1

Paul wrote this letter and the letter to the Galatians during his second missionary journey. It probably hadn’t been more than a year since he had visited Thessalonica.

Paul wrote how that their faith, hope, and love encouraged him and other churches who had heard of their living testimony to Christ.

Their faith was the real deal because it produced good works that glorified Jesus. Their love was the Jesus kind of love...they loved one another even when it was hard. And their hope and confidence in the Lord produced a patience that waited upon God to answer their prayers as well as a patience that endured dry seasons of little recognizable God activity.

O Holy Spirit, work that kind of faith, love, and hope in us and throughout our church family and friends.

Paul went on...“For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:4‬

Or as I read it...“You truly are our brothers, our sisters, our family in the faith of Jesus.

Like us, you are God’s beloved. You are the bride of Christ...loved and cherished by Jesus. Like us, you are the chosen ones...chosen for life eternal with God...chosen for life abundant in the joy of the Lord...chosen to be a part of the fellowship of the cross and the resurrection...chosen to be a part of the fellowship of the blood-bought church of Jesus. Halleluiah!

We know it. May God help you to live in and from this truth that we hold dear.

And Paul continues...“For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere so that we need not say anything.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:8‬

Wow...what a testimony...a young church is known “everywhere” for living and spreading the gospel of Christ.

“O Lord make us that church in our day...in our town...in our state and in our nation and beyond for your glory and the expansion of your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.”

And Paul continues..“For they in Macedonia and Achaia report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, People have heard about your getting saved...and how you turned to God from idols

People have heard how your lives have completely changed...to serve the living and true God.

People have heard the strangest thing...and it’s not that you've added another god to the many you already have...you've chosen One to actually serve. That’s totally unheard of in Greco-Roman culture. People were not expected to love a god. But they have heard from you that there is One God...to know personally and to love enough to desire to serve His every purpose. That was strange enough to cause people to listen to his good news message.

And people have heard...that you live to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:9-10.

Now that is inspiring...I'd join that church!

Have a great day

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

November 26th

The bible reading today is in Acts 17 and 18.

We were in Acts chapter 16 three days ago. There, Paul and Silas and young Timothy were on Paul’s second missionary journey.

“And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭16:7-9‬

Paul believed that God was leading his missionary band into Bithinyia. But...The Spirit of Jesus changed the apostle’s plan.

Paul did life with Jesus. Or said another way...Wherever and whenever Paul felt or saw or heard that Jesus was at work, Paul took that as Jesus’ invitation to join him in that kingdom spreading work.

Or said another way...Paul was open to the Holy Spirit’s promptings in his life.

Here was one such prompting. One door of opportunity closed and another one opened. So Paul changed direction....just getting in on what God was up to. And that meant leaving Asia and going over to Macedonia.

“And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭16:10‬

Paul and Silas and Timothy and Dr. Luke believed that God was calling them to go to Phillipi to preach the gospel to them.

This speaks tons to me. This group of disciples believed that the call to help the Macedonians would be to preach the gospel. There would be sick people to minister to. There would be young people and old people in need. There would be all kinds of needs to address.

But the missionaries knew that the primary need of the people was to hear and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Certainly, they made themselves available to serve the Macedonians. But they understood what their main objective was...Share Jesus with those they came into contact with...Jew and Gentile.

The Lord gave them spiritual fruit right away. They witnessed to a woman who made her living selling purple cloth in the region. Her name was Lydia. Lydia placed her full faith and trust in Jesus for his great salvation. Then she immediately shared her experience with her family and they got saved too.

The missionaries also shared the good news of Jesus with a demonic woman who was in the service of some idol makers and sellers in Phillipi. Jesus used Paul to cast out the demons and the slave girl began to believe Jesus too.

It was amazing to many. But not to the idol builders and sellers. They had Paul and Silas put in jail on trumped-up charges.

But guess what? God had his purposes for that imprisonment.

He used the faithful testimonies of Paul and Silas to lead the jailer and all of his family to Christ. How awesome are the ways of God!

Then Paul and his friends left Phillipi...walking 100 miles to Thessalonica. And when they reached that city they went to the synagogue three straight Sabbaths.

“And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17:2-4‬

Paul, from the scriptures, reasoned, explained, and laid out evidences concerning the life and work of Jesus, especially his atoning death and His triumphant resurrection from the dead.

Some Jews were persuaded and a great many Greeks. That had to thrill the missionaries’ hearts.

From Thessalonica, Paul sailed to Athens, Greece. He left Silas and Timothy in Thessalonica to encourage and teach the kingdom’s newest laborers in Christ.

From Athens, Paul went to Corinth. There he met and led a Jewish couple from Rome, Aquilla, and Priscilla. Paul led them to Jesus and for the next year, they partnered in ministry there in Corinth. Some people got saved and became the church at Corinth. But persecution caught up with Paul there...

“And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭18:9-10‬ ‭

Friends...let us go on speaking of Jesus and his salvation...perhaps he still has many in this city who are his chosen people.

Have a great day

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

November 25th

The bible reading today is in Galatians 4-6.

Now when we read Galatians, let us keep in mind that most likely some of the recipients of the original letter were apart of the Jew and Gentile mob that stoned the writer, the apostle Paul, just a few years before in Lystra of Galatia.

Paul was preaching that the Gentile gods were no gods at all and that the Jewish scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem were just as lost and in need of a savior as the Gentiles. No wonder a riot broke out in Lystra against Paul.

Paul survived the attack and finished his first missionary journey. And apparently, some Jews and Gentiles that came under the courageous ministry of Paul and Barnabas were converted to Christ and began to gather as a church and spread the good news of Jesus throughout the region.

And other churches sprung up across Galatia. And all of those who believed the message of Jesus would have had the inspiring and exciting reunion with their spiritual father, Paul, a few years later.

More than likely, after the Galatian reunion of Paul’s second missionary journey with Silas this time, Paul found out that some of his converts there had begun to blend Judaism with Christianity...retreating back under the law instead of thriving in the salvation of Christ.

It’s to this other gospel being spread that Paul writes to....quote...“I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything,”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4:1‬

Paul was addressing the Jewish church members. He wrote...Before you began to believe Jesus as the Messiah Savior, your faith in God at best left you a slave under the taskmaster of the law. And though the law was to point you to the Savior to come, it was not the savior...but many wanted to make it thusly.

You were an heir of the promised land and the blessings bestowed there. But you were as a child, owner of everything, but under harsh tutors and governors making you little more than slaves to the law rather than sons to a loving father.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4:4-5‬ ‭

Paul wanted them to know what they had in Jesus...The fullness of time had come. The law and the prophets had prepared a remnant for the coming Messiah. The law and the prophets helped them look forward in faith and holy anticipation of the coming Savior God.

And that Savior God was Jesus...the God/Man...born under the law and lived in perfect obedience to that law, that he might qualify as the redeemer of those under its curse.

Jesus...not only the one who would buy lawbreakers like us out of the slave market of sin and death...and into the house of eternal fellowship as adopted sons and daughters of God.

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭

Oh, how wonderful...let’s read that part one more time.

Have a great day

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

November 24th

The bible reading today is in Galatians 1-3.

Galatians is perhaps the first of Paul’s many letters in our New Testaments. And many a scholar dates it in the early ’50s, perhaps during his second or third missionary journey.

The primary message of Galatians deals with how a person gets saved...by the works of the law or by faith?

Paul says there is “...not another gospel of salvation, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1:7‬

“We ourselves are Jewish sinners by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet we know that a person is not justified before God by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Jesus Christ, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified...no one will be saved...

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:15-16‬ ‭

There were some churches and their leaders in the Galatian region that were challenging Paul’s “apostle status”.

So Paul starts his letter like this...“Paul, an apostle— not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1:1‬

So who are we? Christians...not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. Amen and Amen!

And Paul, as inspired by the Spirit says to the churches in Galatia...“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1:3-4‬

What a greeting...”Grace to you...God’s riches at Christ’s expense to you, followers of Jesus in Galatia...Grace to you...God’s power to do His will to you, little Christ ones in Galatia...Grace to you...sufficient supplies for your every need, disciples of Jesus in Galatia...“And peace to you”...in that order...Grace and then peace of God for everyday living, especially for the challenging and pressing days to come.

And did you notice where the grace and peace came from?...”From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”...Grace for salvation and grace for our spiritual growing in the Lord comes as a mercy gift from God... because Jesus...“gave himself for our sins”.

Paul seems determined to never get too far away from the “doctrine of atonement”...because there is only one way to be saved...a perfect sacrifice for our sins...and that was Jesus at the cross.

Jesus didn't give himself away for our righteousness...we didn't have any.

He gave himself for our sins...of which we had plenty to be saved from.

Paul wrote....“Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:2-3‬ ‭

Friends, I grew up in a church that taught “another gospel”. They taught exactly what Paul was warning the Galatian disciples to reject. They taught that to become a Christian one must believe in Jesus ...plus: be baptized by their denomination, and keep the commandments. If you kept enough of the commandments then you would be saved and go to heaven.

In other words, they were saying, one can only receive the Salvation of the Spirit by the works of the law, not just by faith in Jesus Christ.

Reminds me of a memory verse from 50 years ago...Titus 3:5...“Jesus saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the spiritual washing of regeneration...or...” being born again as Jesus told Nicodemas”...and the renewal of the Holy Spirit,”

‭‭Titus‬ ‭3:5‬

Eternal salvation was and is about faith in Christ, trusting him and only him for God’s eternal life! Amen and amen!

Have a great day

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

November 23rd

The bible reading today is in Acts 15 and 16.

Paul and Barnabas spent the better part of three years, 46-48, on their first missionary journey. The church of Galatia was started in the region of Lystra and Derbe. And during their time in Lystra, Paul was stoned by locals...almost killed.

And what did Paul do? He convalesced in Derbe for a while and then he and Barnabas finished their missionary journey and returned to Antioch Syria.

After a short trip to Jerusalem to share their experiences with the church elders there, Paul suggested to Barnabas they go back to the Mediterranean and strengthen the churches they planted on their journey.

Barnabas was good with the suggestion and suggested that they take John Mark with them again. Paul balked at the suggestion and the two missionaries went their separate ways.

Question...Who sinned? Paul or Barnabas?

All that we know from the scriptural record is that Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement. And a disagreement is not a sin unless we disagree with God.

By the way, Paul took Silas and Barnabas took John Mark. And they all took off to spread the gospel in their God-given directions and God-given ways.

Now to today’s text...“Paul came to Derbe and to Lystra again. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭16:1‬

Timothy is a great story to my soul. He grew up in a Jewish home with a Jewish mother and a Jewish grandmother. But he couldn't call himself a Jew because his father was a Greek. To the Jewish community, Timothy was nothing clean.

Because of that, Timothy could not go to the synagogue school with the boys his age. Timothy could not worship Yahweh at the synagogue in his town or at the House of God in Jerusalem. He was unclean...thus he was shunned by the community of his birth mother and the community of his birth father. Timothy grew up in no man’s land...Until...the Apostle Paul and Barnabas came preaching Jesus in Lystra three or four years before then.

His grandmother and his mother were saved under the ministry of the missionaries. And then God used the two women to lead the teenager Timothy to saving faith in Christ.

How many times did the child growing up ask his grandmother for the real reason why the other kids couldn't play with him?

How many times did the young teenager ask his mom why the other boys were getting picked for rabbi school and he was passed over time after time?

How many times did the lonely teen have to endure the snobbery of his Gentile neighbors who called him “half breed”?

This young man needed what his mom and grandmother had. Praise God that they understood that and passed on the good news of Jesus to him.

And now we read where the apostle Paul invited him to join he and Silas on the second missionary journey.

Talk about a discipling adventure...Paul recognized the laborer and invited him into the harvest...what a kingdom thing!

And what did Timothy learn on his maiden voyage as a missionary? Something about...either a sovereign God changed his mind...or...Paul missed God’s directions in the beginning.

Well, that’s the rest of the story...

Have a great day

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

November 22nd

The bible reading today is the five chapter book of James.

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:1‬

James was the half brother of Jesus and the bishop of Jerusalem at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles. Some even consider the writer of James as one of the twelve apostles...perhaps another name for Matthias, the replacement of Judas. But being the half brother of Jesus and the Bishop of the church in Jerusalem would have been praiseworthy enough.

And still, James did not identify himself at the beginning of his epistle as either one of those. He chose a lowly term...servant...servant of his Lord...Jesus. Apparently, James considered that the highest authority for his authorship of the letter.

Reminds me of Jesus’ own words about himself...“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10:11‬ ‭

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life away for many.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:45‬ ‭

Back to the text of today’s reading...“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-4‬

I love the way Charles Spurgeon interpreted James here.

“Do not sorrow over your trials. Do not look upon them as misfortunes and calamities. They are black vessels to be sure. But they are vessels filled with gold. Often God’s choicest mercies are disguised as sharp trials.”

I too believe that God is most sovereign when He is at work upon His beloved children. And He aims and He gifts those times of suffering to us for the purpose of growing us in faith and dependence upon Him.

An Austin Stone song that James has taught us at ARCC speaks to that thought.

“Because of Christ, I'm not forsaken...Because of Christ, I'm not alone...Because of Christ, I have a confidence and a hope...It’s all, It’s all because of Christ.

Who could stand amidst the winds and the waves except the One who made them to obey...Who could sing in the midst of the suffering but those He has redeemed and called by name.

O friends...” that’s us” who believe Jesus is the way...the way through suffering...“It is Him in us” that will stand in the midst of winds and waves that come against us...And we believe that because we believe “He” is the way through everything...

If I stand and see it through...if I stay the course and make it home...if my heart is overwhelmed with peace in the storm...It’s all because of Christ

That’s what I believe!

Enjoy the rest of James’ letter

Have a great day

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

November 21st

The bible reading today is in Acts 13 and 14.

Paul and Barnabas were on their first missionary journey...having been sent out by the elders of the church at Antioch Syria.

Some notable things happened in the beginning of that missionary journey. One had to do with an opportunity to preach the gospel to the governor of the island and to a demon-possessed magician who was opposing Paul’s preaching. I'm sure that was scary, especially to young John Mark who was accompanying Paul and his uncle Barnabas. The Spirit used Paul to strike the demonic magician blind. And the Governor was smitten and began to believe the gospel of Jesus from then on.

One curious thing happened. When the three missionaries sailed from Cyprus to Perga of Pamphilia, John Mark decided to go back home to his family in Jerusalem.

There is nothing in the record that gives us any clue as to the reason for John Mark’s leaving the team at that time. Remember, John Mark would be apart of several missionary journeys in the future...at least one with his uncle Barnabas and another with Peter to Rome. And remember...at the end of Paul’s life while in Roman imprisonment he asked Timothy to visit him and to bring John Mark with him...Paul said of John Mark...”He is profitable to me.”

Well, today’s reading is Paul and Barnabas in Antioch Pisidia...and Paul has been given permission to preach in the synagogue there.

“So Paul stood up and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭13:16-17‬

Paul did exactly what Stephen did when he preached before his peers at his stoning. Stephen and Paul took the Israelites in the audience on a brief historical journey that would remind them of the business of God with their ancestors. God delivered them from cruel Egyptian bondage and through the wilderness and into the promised land.

All of which was a historical panoramic picture of the salvation of God

in the Messiah...Jesus Christ...and Paul continued his message...“For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.

And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead,”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭13:27-3

Paul took his audience from Exodus in Egypt to salvation in Christ at the cross and the resurrection.

Every preacher who preaches through the Word of God...the Bible...would do well, in my opinion, to always find the message destination at the cross of Jesus and his prophesied resurrection on that third day.

I'm delighted that our preachers here at Alamo Ranch Community Church do just that whether they are preaching texts in the Old Testament or the New.

Well, enjoy the rest of the story...

Have a great day

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

November 20th

The bible reading today is in Acts 11 and 12.

“Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭11:1‬

This was huge. The saving gospel message of Christ was spreading beyond the city of Jerusalem since Pentecost. Now there were more churches and believers outside of Jerusalem to take notice of.

For instance, there were now gatherings of believers constituting churches in Samaria and Galilee as well as Judea. In other words, there were now young churches throughout Roman-occupied Israel. Jewish communities were affected. And Gentile communities were being affected by the gospel of Christ.

And the word of Gentiles being saved got to Jerusalem quickly. They heard that Gentiles were hearing and accepting the word of God...the word of eternal salvation in and through Jesus Christ.

Apparently, many of the Jewish followers of Christ in Jerusalem were stumbling over that message. Not that spiritual salvation was in Jesus and in Him alone, but that the salvation gift was for “Jews and Gentiles” all over the world.

Remember Jesus to his disciples before his ascension to heaven?...“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”,

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18

And as Mark recorded it in his gospel...“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature..."

‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15‬ ‭

Can you imagine Peter coming back to Jerusalem after being a part of a spiritual awakening in the region of Caesarea? Peter had to be excited.

Peter had 75 miles to think about what God had done in the household of the Gentile Cornelius. Repentance and faith in Christ had been given to this Roman...given to him and his family and his servants and their families...and on and on...given to them by God through the power of the gospel message spoken by Peter and his friends.

Yes, Peter had to be excited about sharing with the church in Jerusalem “this God thing” that he had witnessed with his own eyes and ears.

In Peter’s testimony to the church elders, he spoke of how God got him from Joppa to Caesarea and to Cornelius’s home. “The Spirit bade me”, he said.

“And the Spirit told me to go with Cornelius’ servants, making no distinction between Jew and Gentile. And those six brothers in Christ (the ones that I am pointing out to you) accompanied me, and we entered the Gentile’s house.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭11:12‬

Peter knew, that before Christ, there were any number of Jewish laws that forbade him to socialize and fellowship with an unclean Gentile. But the Spirit told him to go and not count anyone unclean that God deems clean.

Jesus, his life and death and resurrection, did away with such ceremonial rules of personal rituals qualifying a person to worship God. It was Jesus and his shed blood at the cross that made Peter and all believers clean...forgiven...and qualified for true worship of the God of salvation.

“The Spirit told him to go...” The Holy Spirit only says what is in harmony with the words and will of the Father and the Son. Jesus told his friends....“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify Me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭16:13-15‬

So it is not a stretch for me to believe that the Spirit not only directed Peter, but He set Peter’s mind at ease by reminding him of the perfect unity of the Godhead of salvation...he’s not telling Peter anything that Jesus and the Father wouldn't tell him also.....How Cool!

Peter went on to testify of what happened in the house of Cornelius....“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭11:15-17‬ ‭

O friends, that is exactly what God intends to do with all those who believe...the Spirit of life and truth and conviction and salvation fell upon them and they believed Jesus from their hearts.

Praise God

Have a great day

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

November 19th

The bible reading today is in Acts 9 and 10.

So who was this Saul that was instrumental in the killing of Stephen...that deacon who was full of grace and power...whom Jesus used to demonstrate the presence and supernatural power of God in and around Jerusalem?

“But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭8:3‬

“And Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:1-2‬‬‬

Saul of Tarsus was breathing out threats and murder against the followers of Jesus. Anger and hatred for Jesus and his disciples was his breath. Murder and slaughter of men women and children who believed the Nazarene teacher was Saul’s breathing. He could not exist...he could not live without capturing, imprisoning, and slaughtering those who went by the name Christian.

But Jerusalem was too limited for him. He had to broaden his hunt...all the way to Damascus.

“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:3-4‬

From ground level... what do we see? Something was happening “suddenly” to fire breathing Saul.

“Suddenly”...a man...a self-centered man...a sin-loving man was getting saved. From a darkened place in his soul, Saul is given the ability to see what he could never see up to now.

God sent divine light to Saul. His companions didn't see it, but Saul did...a light that gave Saul “heart eyes” and “heart ears” to see and hear Jesus. The light from heaven also gave Saul a “heart faith” to believe and desire the Lord Jesus.

Wow...so it is with a man that God intends to save. God takes the initiative. Others may not recognize God at work at first. But the one to be saved from his sins, he or she recognizes it. And soon others will.

Saul was blinded by the light and fell from his horse to the ground. And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And the Lord answered, “I am Jesus whom you are kicking against.”

And Saul asked, “Lord what would you have me do?”

What a turn around that was. Earlier Saul was advancing as hard as he could in hate and vengeance toward Jesus and his followers. Now he was broken and humbly asking Jesus what he would have him do.

What a change of heart was wrought in Saul by Jesus. That reminds me of Paul’s message to the church in Corinth...

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬

Back to the text...“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:10‬

After Saul’s Damascus Road experience with Jesus, this story about the disciple, Ananias, stirs my soul the most. The Lord engaged his follower in a vision. Ananias heard Jesus call his name. And Ananias responded...” Behold Lord, I am here”...implying that Ananias was reporting for duty.

That’s the kind of response that I want to be ready to give my Savior God...wherever He finds me...whatever the assignment.

One more thing about a saved man...“And the Lord said to Ananias, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:11‬

One mark of a disciple is seen in Ananias...the spirit of “yes”...even before a disciple knows what Jesus wants of him, he has already said “yes” to the assignment.

And what did Jesus tell Ananias about the one-time destroyer of Christians? “He is praying.”

Another mark of a Christian?...his or her conversations with God in prayer.

What happened next? Well, that’s the rest of the story.

Have a good day