Well, you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts, Acts chapter 9. While you're turning there, I'll remind you that a couple of weeks ago, we looked in our studies in John's gospel at John 16, specifically verses one to four, where Jesus promises his disciples that there will be opposition to them. Basically, he says, if they hate the master and reject the master, they're gonna hate the disciple and reject the disciple. And in that particular sermon, I made reference to Stephen.

So last week we looked at Stephen. his specific martyrdom there in Acts chapter 7. And one of the things that Stephen does that is very similar to what our Lord did when he died was he prayed, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. So I thought it would round out that study or that subset of study in John's gospel to look at Saul of Tarsus and his baptism. as I believe that Saul of Tarsus is a direct answer to that prayer of Stephen in Acts 7 at verse 60, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. Of course, Saul was standing there guarding the cloaks of those who stoned Stephen to death.

And then we see Saul's conversion here on the road to Damascus. So our focus this morning will be verses 17 to 25, but I do wanna read beginning in verse one, just to set the larger context. Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.

Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.

So he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what do you want me to do? Then the Lord said to him, arise and go into the city and you will be told what you must do. And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but saying no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one.

But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias.

And he said, Here I am, Lord. So the Lord said to him, arise and go to the street called straight and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.

And here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who call on your name. The Lord said to him, go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. And

Ananias Commissions and Greets Saul

Ananias went his way and entered the house, and laying his hands on him, he said, brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once, and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Immediately he preached to Christ in the synagogues that he is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed and said, Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests? But Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. Now, after many days were passed, the Jews plotted to kill him.

But their plot became known to Saul, and they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and led him down through the wall in a large basket. Amen. Well, let us pray.

Opening Prayer

Our gracious God and Holy Father, we thank you for this day. We thank you for your mercies to us in the gospel of our salvation. We thank you for your handiwork in the created order and in providence and in that redemptive order. And we thank you that these three want to enter into the waters of baptism this morning.

We pray that you would be glorified that as we see this we would not extol them, that we would not congratulate them or see some good works on their part, but may we see it as a result of the redeeming work of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lived for sinners, who died for sinners, and who was raised again for sinners. We thank you for your sovereign grace that taught their hearts to fear, and we trust in that power even now. And we pray for any and all who have come here this morning that are dead in their trespasses and sins, that you would awaken them by your spirit. Give them the graces of faith and repentance that they may close with Christ, not only here, but all over the earth today as your gospel is preached.

Forgive us now and cleanse us now from all sin and unrighteousness and guide us by the Holy Spirit. And we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Introduction

Well, as I said, that section there in John 16 actually continues from John 15 verses 18 and following. So the opposition of the world against Christ and against his disciples was evident in the first century. We'll see it here. And Paul's an interesting case.

He went from persecutor to persecuted. He comes into Damascus with extradition papers to arrest believers in that city and to take them back to Jerusalem. Well, he's converted, he preaches Christ, and then he has to be lowered down from the city gate in a basket. So we see the providence of God there.

That idea of persecution continues. In fact, today is the international day of prayer for the persecuted church. It's good for us to remember our brothers and sisters. And if you question anti-Christian bias in this world, you only need to open your eyes.

That fellow Peter that Mark mentioned in our time of prayer, we have prayed for the situation in Myanmar for several years now. And we have noted something recently that there's utter lawlessness in that country. It's war-torn. Basically, it's just a plundering ground.

There's lots of minerals and a lot of things that are very desirable to China, for instance. And so, there is absolute, utter chaos in that land. So, naturally, the government arrests Peter. a pastor who cares for orphans. There's no other explanation than a John 15.

There's no other explanation than if they hate Christ, they're going to hate Christ's disciples. And when we look at this particular passage, we see the conversion of Saul of Tarsus in verses 1 to 9. We then see the mission of Saul of Tarsus specified in verses 10 to 16. And then, as I said, our focus this morning will be on his baptism and ministry in verses 17 to 25.

But consider Saul just by way of introduction. He mentions, or rather Luke in the book of Acts mentions Saul's animosity or enmity toward the church. Go back to chapter 8. We see the stoning death of Stephen at the end of chapter seven.

And then in chapter eight at verse one, we see, now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time, a great persecution arose against the church, which was at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house. dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. The chapter that we read, verse 1, then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. He would lay his hands on men and women, bring them bound to Jerusalem, not so they could be simply slapped on the wrist, but that they could be prosecuted and persecuted to the fullest extent of Jewish law. Remember, the unbelieving Jews despised Jesus.

That gave evidence that they despised Yahweh. And they would actually think in the killing of others that they were rendering service unto God. Jesus says that in John 16. We notice Paul's own testimony in Philippians chapter 3, when he's basically giving us his religious summary or his religious resume to show us that it's not by works, but rather by grace through faith that a man is born again or saved.

He says, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. He says in Galatians 1, 13 and 14, For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. And in 1 Timothy 1, 13, he says, Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man.

So in some, Saul of Tarsus was a good get for our Lord Jesus Christ. He went from this one that was animated by a hatred for Jesus and a hatred for the church of Jesus to its chief proponent in terms of missionary enterprise. It is a wonderful illustration of the redemptive grace of God and a wonderful reminder and encouragement to anyone in here has not come to the Lord Jesus Christ, there is forgiveness with Him that He may be feared. There is mercy to be had in the Lord of glory.

There is salvation. In fact, Paul later in 1 Timothy 1.15, he says, this is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And then he says, of whom I am chief. So be encouraged that this Lord Jesus receives to himself guilty, vile, helpless sinners.

He receives them to himself and he gives them not only forgiveness, but a righteousness by which one day they will be accepted in the sight of a thrice holy God. So we see that conversion in verses one to nine. Then we see that mission specified, notice in verse 15. But the Lord said to him, this is the Lord to Ananias, go for he is...

And you get why Ananias is a bit reluctant, right? Notice Ananias in verse 13, Lord, I've heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priest of Bindal who call on your name. Imagine the Lord coming to you and saying, I want you to go talk to that fellow who's all about your extermination.

I want you to go talk to that fellow who wants to see you in prison. Or better, he wants to see you dead. I want you to go talk to that fellow. So Ananias rightfully so, expresses a bit of hesitancy or a bit of reluctance.

So Jesus says in verse 15, go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. And now the shift changes in chapter 13 specifically, and the spotlight is no longer on Peter primarily, but upon Paul the Apostle. And the rest of the book sort of follows that pattern.

We see Paul before Gentiles. We see Paul before kings. We see Paul before the children of Israel. So the grace of God manifested in the salvation of the Apostle Paul was for the Apostle Paul, but it was for contemporaries.

His preaching, blessed by the Spirit, owned of the Spirit, was instrumental for the salvation of multitudes. But then Paul, under the Spirit, writes much of the New Testament, lastingly benefiting the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Baptism of Saul: Verses 17–19

So let's look now at the baptism of Saul of Tarsus in verses 17 to 19. Notice Ananias' contact with him. Verse 17, Ananias went his way and entered the house and laying his hands on him, he said, brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who came to you on the road as you came has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. I think this laying on of the hands was a sign of commendation, not only of Ananias' but specifically of the Lord Jesus.

As well, notice that Ananias calls him brother Saul. He goes from reluctance, he goes from hesitancy to now calling this man who was a persecutor and an attempted destroyer of the church, he calls him brother. Isn't that one of the blessed things about our religion? It brings together those who at one time were at great odds.

Not only are we reconciled to God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, but we're reconciled one to another. In fact, John in 1 John tells us we know that we've passed from death to life when we have love for the brethren. And so Ananias sees this former persecutor of the church, and the way that he addresses him underscores the very grace of God. He calls him Brother Saul.

Equipping by the Holy Spirit

Notice, he then equips him specifically. And again, he doesn't have the power. This is conveyed by Christ, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Now that Holy Spirit is the person who seals and guarantees us when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 1, 13 and 14.

But as well, Saul of Tarsus, the Apostle Paul, would need the Holy Spirit to go and testify before Gentiles, before kings, and before the children of Israel. He would need a great measure of the Spirit so that he could go into the then known world and turn it upside down along with the other apostles. And so we see here somewhat of a commissioning ceremony that Ananias is engaged with.

The Baptism Itself

And then notice the baptism, verses 18 and 19. Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once, and he arose and was baptized. So the scales fall from his eyes. John Gill makes an interesting observation here.

Baptism follows illumination. Baptism follows conversion. Baptism follows the expression of faith and repentance in the risen Savior. We don't baptize people in the hopes that they might get saved.

We baptize people because they have been saved. Notice Gil, he says, and this also may suggest to us that only enlightened persons. Now that doesn't mean enlightened in the sense that he went to the best universities, he went to the best colleges, he was trained at the feet of Gamaliel. No, the enlightenment there means that wrought by the spirit.

You must be born again, John 3. It is the reality. So this also may suggest to us that only enlightened persons are the proper objects of this ordinance, such as have the scales of darkness, ignorance, and unbelief removed from them, and have a spiritual sight and sense of divine things. I think there's some legitimacy to that, and you see it in the specific order.

So he was converted and then he was baptized, just like the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts chapter 8. He professes faith in Jesus, goes down to the waters of baptism. It's never baptism and then hopefully somebody will get saved as a result. This reflects the Great Commission.

In Matthew 28, Jesus says, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Notice what he doesn't say. Go on, baptize people. Hopefully then they'll become disciples and then you teach them.

No, the pattern laid out in the Great Commission reflects Old Covenant prophecy coming to fruition and shows or demonstrates New Testament consistency. Every time we see disciples made in the Book of Acts, they're made and then baptized. They're made and then baptized. They're made, we could do this for another hour.

They're made and then they're baptized. And then they enter into the life of the church and there they're taught. Taught to observe all things that the Lord Jesus has commanded. And so the specific pattern is absolutely obvious in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.

Baptism and Circumcision Distinguished

Notice as well that he was baptized. We know that Saul was circumcised. It tells us that in that religious resume in Philippians 3. Sometimes you'll hear that baptism has replaced circumcision.

And the text that typically people go to is Colossians 2, 11 and 12. Well, we can say this, that if it replaced one-to-one parallel, then why would somebody who is circumcised need to be baptized? They're similar, and I think the emphasis in Colossians 2, 11, and 12 is not on physical circumcision, but it's on circumcision made without hands. Physical circumcision in the Old Covenant, baptism in the New Covenant, look at that reality of the circumcision made without hands, vis-a-vis the new birth, regeneration, God's work in the hearts of sinners.

It has not replaced it. Circumcision was the sign of the Old Covenant. Baptism is a sign of the New Covenant. The Old Covenant is not the New Covenant.

There are differences, some consistencies, some certain continuities, but there are some great discontinuities as well. So he is baptized. He refers to this also in Acts 22. arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. That's not teaching baptismal regeneration.

It is rather that tank and the three people that go into it today are representing physically, symbolically, via this sign, what God has done inwardly. that he has washed away their sins, that they are in union with Jesus Christ, that they are now identified by or with the triune God. It is a wonderful, glorious ordinance that the church gets to celebrate together. And on the heels of that, notice that Saul is then strengthened. Verse 19, so when he had received food, he was strengthened.

Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. It's kind of a throwaway statement at the end there. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. First part, yeah, we get it.

He received food and he was strengthened. He had been three days without food, right? After three days without food, when you eat, you get strengthened. But that last statement, then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

It's a curious turn of events. from 9, 1, and 2. breathing threats and rage against the church in Damascus, going to the authorities in Jerusalem and asking that they sign documentation, extradition papers, so that when Saul of Tarsus goes to Damascus, he can seize both men and women and take them back to Jerusalem so that they can be prosecuted. Now he's spending days with these disciples. Now he wants to be in their company. Now they are a family of God together.

The adopting grace of Almighty God brings us into that blessed place. Matthew Poole says, Saul is no sooner changed, but he changes his company and acquaintance. He resorts to none of the rabbis of the Jews, but to the disciples of Christ. He would love any, learn of any, that had Christ for their master.

And that's precisely the emphasis at the end of verse 19.

Ministry of Saul: Verses 20–25

So after he is baptized, we notice now the ministry of Saul of Tarsus in verses 20 to 25. Now the expectation isn't for Philip and Derek and Samantha to go and do thou likewise. All right, immediately leave this morning, go find a synagogue and start to preach Jesus. I mean, if you want to, go right ahead.

But Saul is unique. We see that in that mission specified in verses 15 and 16. Jesus had plans for Saul of Tarsus. Jesus had plans for the apostle Paul.

And so notice,

Immediacy of His Preaching

there's three things I want to observe. The immediacy of his preaching in verse 20, the effects of his preaching in verses 21 and 22, and then the hostility toward his preaching in verses 23 to 25. Note the immediacy. He doesn't immediately go to seminary.

He doesn't immediately go to Bible college. He doesn't immediately go to Sunday school. He immediately preaches. Now, brethren, this is not normative.

I would suggest that anybody that ever wants to preach, men, need to be qualified according to 1 Timothy 3, verses 1 to 7. They need to be trained. I mean, if we require mechanics and brain surgeons to be trained, we ought to require that ministers of God's holy word be trained. You see, Saul of Tarsus, in one sense, had been trained.

He was a rabbi. He was of the Pharisees. He sat under the feet of Gamaliel. He knew his stuff, but there was one thing missing in terms of his stuff.

Paul refers to this in Galatians 1. At verses 11 and 12, he says, but I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached to me, or by me, is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now, the revelation of Jesus Christ for the apostle was the revelation of Jesus Christ.

That was the one thing missing. He had Genesis to Malachi. He was a Pharisee. He was knowledgeable of the law, concerning the law, he says, blameless.

He had all the data, but he didn't have that key ingredient in order to interpret the data, which was the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He, along with other unbelieving Jews at the time of Jesus, rejected. They resisted. Paul understood all too well, or Saul understood all too well, Jesus of Nazareth's claims.

I think that's what animated him in his great hatred for the church. He was like those Jews we see in John 8 and John 10, when Jesus says, why, you know, if I've not done anything wrong, do you want to stone me? He said, well, you, being a man, make yourself equal with God. See, Saul of Tarsus understood all too well the claims of Jesus Christ.

He just resisted them. He rejected them. He said there's no possible way that this is the Messiah. Who would have ever thought in terms of a crucified Messiah?

Listen to J. Gressom Machen. I think he gets the nail on the head. He says, what Jesus really gave him near Damascus was not so much the facts as a new interpretation of the facts.

He had known some of the facts before, but they had filled him with hatred. The Galilean prophet Jesus had cast despite upon the law. He had broken down the prerogatives of Israel. It was blasphemous moreover to proclaim a crucified malefactor as the Lord's anointed.

Paul had known the facts before. He had known them only too well. Now, however, he obtained a new interpretation of the facts. He learned that Jesus was indeed the yea and amen of all the promises of God.

Machen says he obtained that new interpretation not by human intermediation, not by reflection upon the testimony of the disciples, not by example of the holy martyrs, but by revelation from Jesus himself. So this is what we find here immediately. Immediately because chapter 9 tells us he's converted on the road to Damascus. When he's converted on the road to Damascus, he understands this Jesus whom Saul is persecuting.

Notice Jesus whom you are persecuting. What does that teach us? When Saul was persecuting the disciples, when Saul comes after the church, that is the persecution of Jesus himself. So Saul gets that information.

He's now able to interpret the Old Testament. He's now able to see that Moses wrote of Jesus. He's able to see that Isaiah prophesied of Jesus. He's able to see that great promise in Jeremiah 23 concerning the Lord our righteousness is said of Jesus.

He's understanding now the Psalms that he has sung, the Psalms that he has recited, the Psalms that he has prayed have as their primary subject matter, this Jesus whom you are persecuting. This was revolutionary for Saul of Tarsus. So now he's converted. Now he sees.

Now he understands that everything all finds its fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth. So that's why immediately he goes to preach. And notice in verse 20, the subject matter of his preaching. This is great.

I think there's a tendency in, I don't want to say some of us, because it's all of us, to be a bit fearful, to be a bit hesitant, to have some trepidation. You're at Tim Hortons, and you know, if we pray right here, people might think we're weird. I don't know why we think that, but hey, it is the way it is, right? There's a natural inclination to fear.

In fact, Paul himself in Ephesians 6 says to the Ephesian church, pray for me that utterance may be given to me, that I may speak the gospel boldly as I ought to speak. So, even within the Holy Apostle Paul. But the unique thing here is that Saul of Tarsus, converted now, the Apostle Paul goes into enemy territory. And he goes into enemy territory with the most offensive message that he can bring. the most offensive thing.

Notice that Saul doesn't try to appeal to them on what we already believe or hold in common together. We all acknowledge that Yahweh created the earth. We all acknowledge that David was God's man. We all acknowledge that God is sovereign in providence.

He governs all their actions, all his creatures and all their actions. He doesn't do that. He goes to that linchpin dividing unbelieving Israel from the church. Notice in verse 20, immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues that he is the son of God.

Again, enemy territory, the most possibly offensive thing that he could have said, and that's precisely what he said. Why? Because he knew that was the issue. He knew that was the issue for him.

He had this set of facts. He had heard about this Nazarene. He reckoned there's no way the Nazarene could be the one that Isaiah spoke of. So therefore, I've got to target the people of the Nazarene.

Well, for him on that road to Damascus, given that key of interpretation, which is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, now that everything made sense, he's like that pearl merchant that finds that pearl of great price, and what does he want to do? He wants to go tell people about it, and that's precisely what he does here in verse 20. He knows what these unbelieving Jews need. He knows that it's Christ the Lord that can save them or Christ the Lord alone who can save them.

So he goes with that message to that enemy territory. And he emphasizes that reality that has animated their hatred for Jesus and for his church. He preached the Christ in the synagogues. Notice that he is the son of God. the very thing that the unbelieving Jews in the earthly ministry of Jesus took exception to.

They didn't like that. When Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, remember when Jesus asks the disciples, who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? And they give him various responses, and then he brings it home to bear upon them. But who do you say that I am?

And Simon Peter says, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And what does Jesus say? Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. That is a glorious statement concerning who Jesus is.

And in our studies in John's gospel, we know he's not just meaning he's the son of God by adoption, the son of God by grace, or the son of God by creation. He's the son of God by nature. In fact, that's how Gil explains what Saul is doing here. The reality that Jesus Christ was the only begotten of the father, the eternal son of God, truly and properly God, of the same nature and essence with God his Father and equal to him.

He preached that Jesus of Nazareth, the true Messiah, was not a mere man, but a divine person, even the Son of God. Make no mistake about it, brethren. Luke doesn't spend, you know, lots and lots and lots of sentences and paragraphs and pages on different aspects of apostolic preaching. He gets to the heart of it with this one statement.

Immediately, he preached to Christ in the synagogues that he is the Son of God. The most revolutionary concept that persons in those synagogues would ever hear comes from Saul of Tarsus, newly converted on the road to Damascus, and immediately going in to preach this wonderful truth that Jesus is the Son of God. And the reality is that John tells us about this. tells us that Jesus is the Son of God, not by creation or adoption. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, John 1.1.

John 1.14, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. That One who is fitted for the task of mediation, that One who is fitted to save us from our sins, is then announced in John 1, 29, when John the Baptist says, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. I would imagine that in this room we have a lot of different opinions on religion. We have a lot of different opinions on churches.

We have a lot of different opinions on how things ought to be done with reference to the Bible. But on this one thing we must all agree, the only way to God is through the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

And the coming to Him is faith, repentance. It's to look to Him, to realize you can't save yourselves, to realize parents can't save you, spouses can't save you. You got to say with the hymn writer, nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling. That same hymn, he says, fowl, I chew the fountain fly, wash me, Savior, or I die.

Let us not forget who we're talking about in this passage. Would you ever imagine in your wildest imaginations that the chief persecutor of the church would become the chief preacher of the church? God's providence is glorious. Of whom I am chief, Paul says.

What's he saying? If you are a sinner, if you are dead in your trespasses and sins, if you want salvation, it comes under no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved than Jesus Christ the Lord. Again, we may disagree on a lot of things. We may disagree on, you know, eschatology, that's a big one, the study of the last things.

You ask if there's, you know, 100 people in here, you'll have 100 different replies on what's going to happen at the end. It's just the way it is, but we cannot disagree. We cannot mistake. We cannot misinterpret, and we cannot misunderstand.

The way of salvation is through faith in Jesus. These three are not entering these waters because of their goodness. They're entering these waters because of the goodness of Jesus, His life of perfect obedience to the Father, His death as a sacrifice and a substitute on the cross, and His resurrection again the third day. Paul summarizes it beautifully in Romans 4.25.

He says that Jesus was delivered up because of our offenses. Wasn't delivered up because of his own sin. Wasn't delivered up because he actually was a revolutionary. Wasn't delivered up because he was a tax evader.

He was delivered up because of our offenses. And Paul continues, but he was raised for our justification. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. And Paul shows that.

He demonstrates that. Sometimes people say, I'm too sinful to be saved. It's always encouraging to be able to say, you're the exact kind of person Jesus came into this world to save. It's like saying, I'm too hungry to eat.

I'm too thirsty to drink. Because you're so sinful, your only hope, the only potential for hope, not potential, you come, you're saved, is in Jesus Christ, the Lord.

Effects of His Preaching

So back to the text, notice the effects of his preaching. In verses 21 and 22, then all who heard were amazed. They kind of had that Ananias thing going on. Him?

Him? That one who was quite content to march into our meeting place with his extra edition papers in hand, to seize not only the men but the women, to drag them off back to Jerusalem so they could stand trial for their crimes. That one? The surprise, the shock is all too real.

Verse 21, Then all who heard were amazed and said, Is this not He who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that He might bring them bound to the chief priests? It's a good observation. He's the one doing this. He's the champion now in our religion.

He went to Damascus to try and destroy the church. Now he is preaching. the Christ of the Church. F.F. Bruce says, instead of presenting his letters of credence and demanding the extradition of the disciples of Jesus, he appeared as the bearer of a very different commission, issued by a higher authority than the high priests.

And as a disciple and messenger of Jesus, he announced his master's claims. No wonder that his hearers were amazed by the change that had come over him. Imagine, you know the worst guy in the city and you happen to come to church and there he is sitting with a hymn book praising God. You're looking surprised.

Brethren, I would be questioning. I'd be a bit curious. You'd have known me as a young man and came into this church and saw me up here. You'd go, him?

You kind of get that vibe, right? You're going to get into heaven. And you're going, you? You?

You're going to probably hear that about yourself, too. You? Yeah, because it's not us. It's the glory of Jesus.

Life, death, resurrection. Believe on him. That's the unifying principle amongst the people of God. They are confounded.

Notice, I'm sorry, they are amazed, the Jews are confounded. Notice in verse 22, but Saul increased all the more in strength. This ain't the verse 19. Verse 19, he hadn't eaten, he's eaten, now he's strong.

That's not the connection here with verse 22. Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. J. A.

Alexander said he increased not only in the strength of his convictions, but in the force of his defense and in the power of his persuasion. He refuted the Jews. Just like we saw there in Acts chapter 6 as the buildup to Acts 7 and the martyrdom of Stephen. Stephen threw down with those unbelieving Jews.

Stephen bested them. Stephen reasoned. Stephen argued. Stephen exegeted.

Stephen showed how the Old Testament scriptures pointed unequivocally to the Lord Jesus Christ. So what happened? They couldn't dispute him back, so they turned him over to the Sanhedrin so that Sanhedrin could execute him. That's what you get in a world in opposition to God and his Christ.

They hate the church too. Now notice he's confounding them. The language is beautiful. The Jews opposed Jesus and rejected the claim that Jesus was in fact Messiah or Christ.

The apostle proved that Jesus is the Christ and also that he's the son of God. Don't forget that in verse 20. The apostle did this by preaching the scriptures. This is crucial.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ or the word of God. Your experiences and your testimony, those are good. Very edifying. Isn't it wonderful having lunch together and hearing about how God saved somebody?

You know, I was doing this. I was persecuting the church. I got some extradition papers. I was gonna go to Damascus.

I was gonna haul off the men and women. I was gonna take them back. That's all very encouraging. But faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Brethren, if you want to do your friends, unsafe friends or family service, give them scripture, read them scripture, teach them scripture, tell them scripture, because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So back to the statement. The apostle did this by preaching the scriptures, not by appealing to experiences or feelings. The particular verb here used means to present a logical conclusion, to demonstrate, to prove.

So all that training as a rabbi, all that sitting under the feet of Gamaliel, all that knowledge of what we call the Old Testament scriptures now makes perfect sense to Paul the Apostle. So when he goes into those synagogues, he ain't there to play games. This isn't up for grabs. This isn't a debatable position.

Well, maybe Jesus does satisfy the requirements of the Old Testament. The apostle argued, he demonstrated, he proved from their scriptures that such was the case. This meant everything for their salvation and for Paul's faithfulness. F.

F. Bruce again says, the verb rendered proved means literally placing together. Here placing the Old Testament promises alongside their fulfillment and hence proving that Jesus was the one to whom they pointed. This was the method of argument regularly employed according to Luke by Paul, Apollos and others in the synagogues around the Eastern Mediterranean.

I think there's something very instructive for us there in the church, as church. It's not our feelings that win people to Jesus. It's not our religious experiences that win people to Jesus. It's the power of the Holy Spirit working by, in, and through the word of truth.

Sinners need to hear the reality that Christ crucified is the way of salvation. And that is precisely what the apostle does.

Hostility Toward His Preaching

And then let's round this out, connecting it to the two previous Sundays, the hostility toward his preaching. Notice the hostility stated in verse 23. Now, after many days were passed, the Jews plotted to kill him. One has to imagine, I think, maybe you don't have to, but I'm gonna suggest you should, One has to imagine that some of these who plotted to kill him a week ago were thick as thieves with him.

After all, concerning the law, a Pharisee. After all, extradition papers for that nasty sect of the Nazarenes. Likely Saul of Tarsus was a folk hero in that part of the world at that time. What happened?

Why are they plotting to kill him? So I mentioned this when we were looking at John's gospel. We don't, as God's people, realize the degree of the enmity, the degree of the animosity Like in any context, would it ever be right to arrest a Peter in Myanmar, not the apostle? His crime is watching over orphans?

Again, if you're arresting the guy that's watching over orphans, you're in the wrong. It's not him, it's not the orphans. You're on the losing team. Notice. who at one time would have seen Saul of Tarsus as a guy they'd like to see in the lunchroom, they're now plotting to kill him?

This is the nature or the gravity of the warfare that's involved. This is why Paul tells Timothy, wage the good warfare, not with military might, but with the weapons of our warfare. They're not carnal, but they're mighty for the pulling down of strongholds. It is preaching, it is praying, it is the missionary enterprise, it is evangelism, it is the church.

So the apostle Paul now goes from persecutor to persecuted. So notice, he's aware of this according to verse 24, but their plot became known to Saul, and they watched the gates day and night to kill him, either by God directly or by his friends. Hey, Paul, by the way, all those people you used to shock and jive with, they now want to kill you. Notice that Paul doesn't, you know, I know it's a supposition here, but what do you mean I'm only preaching Jesus as the Messiah?

He understood, because he knew what Jesus as Messiah says in John 15, if they reject me, they're gonna reject you. If they hate me, that means they hate the Father also. They're going to do it in such a way, according to chapter 16, they're going to throw you out of their synagogues. Then, they're going to actually kill you and think they're doing service for God, John 16, 3.

Solitarisis was no dummy. He had been on the persecuting end. Now, as one who is persecuted, it all makes sense to him. So what happens?

He shows us the validity of Matthew 10, 23. Jesus tells the disciples, when they persecute you in this city, flee to another. It's a perennial question. Do I stay in a combat zone or do I leave?

I believe God gives wisdom. I believe that God gives help. And I believe that there is warrant at times to leave the combat zone. And that's precisely what happens.

Verse 25, then the disciples took him by night and led him down through the wall in a large basket. Paul refers to this in 2 Corinthians 11, verses 32 and 33. The particular man in charge at the time was a man by the name of Aretas. And he died in AD 39.

So Acts 9, 1 to 26 likely takes place in AD 36 to 39. not long after the death, the resurrection, and the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. He saves Paul, and then he calls for Paul to go and be his witness, to go and testify before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

Application

Well, just a couple of thoughts, and then the, I was gonna say the baptized ease, and I will go change our clothes, and we'll meet in the tank. But in terms of the preaching of the apostle, the preaching of the apostle. I'm convinced for the church's good, for the church's advance, for the church's health, for the church's strength, we need to make much of preaching. For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." Paul says that in 1 Corinthians 1.

Paul also, as sort of as parting words to Timothy, his young ministerial companion, says this, Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.

What's the modern logic tell us? Well, they don't endure sound doctrine, so let's get rid of sound doctrine and replace it with all kinds of trivialities, because that's what modern Americans and Canadians are up for. Preach the word. It's as if God is saying, I don't care if you won't endure sound doctrine.

It is sound doctrine that you desperately need. It's kind of like a parent. Do you let your two-year-old say, no, I'm not going to eat that broccoli? Oh, well, sorry there, dearie.

I'll just go get you cake. you'd say, no, there's some nutritional value there. Go ahead and swallow it. Preach the word, Paul says. Be ready in season and out of season.

Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. There is an emphasis in the New Testament that picks up on the prophetic emphasis in the Old Testament on the proclamation of God's truth. It's not about feelings. It's not about experiences.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Paul preached immediately. Paul preached Christocentrically. That means he preached about Christ.

He preached apologetically. That word apologetically there does not mean I'm sorry. It means to defend. He defended the truth.

The claims that he was making had their grounding, their rooting in the Old Testament. And he preached persuasively, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. Secondly, we ought to appreciate the providence of God. The providence of God.

He governs all His creatures and all their actions. Every detail, every jot and till, every raindrop that falls from heaven. It's not haphazard, it's not chance, not blind fate, it's God. Our God is in the heavens, He does whatever He pleases.

Psalm 115, Psalm 136. God, I'm sorry, 135. God is in heaven. Saul came to Damascus in order to bind the disciples of Christ.

He ends up preaching to them as one of them. I call that a blessed stroke of providence. Saul came to Damascus with threats of murder in his heart toward the disciples of Christ. He ends up as the target of threats of violence against his own life.

Again, another beautiful stroke of providence. Saul comes to Damascus with extradition papers for others, and he himself is lowered out of a basket. Do you just look back at the providence of God and say, boy, that's neat. That's cool, as the kids would say.

That is really awesome, as the kids would say today. Or epic, I guess, is where we're at. Where are we at in the whole gradation? There's probably words I don't even know.

But that providence is still God's providence. That means anybody in your life that is outside of saving faith in Jesus, there's hope for them. There's hope in Jesus for sinners. It is a faithful saying.

It's worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. Paul moved in light of that reality for the entirety of his apostolic career. And then I would suggest finally, relative to baptism, the baptism of Saul marked him out as a disciple of Christ. The first thing was prayer.

When Jesus tells Ananias to go find Saul, it says, behold, he is praying. Saul the Pharisee probably prayed a lot. He probably logged in plenty of hours of prayer. It wasn't real prayer.

Behold, he is praying. That is the first expression of a born again heart in this passage. The baptism of these three marked them out as disciples of Christ. Again, the water doesn't save them.

Contra those who have taught regeneration by water. We don't believe that here. It is an outward sign of what the Lord has done inwardly. We do not believe that baptism precedes conversion.

Baptism follows conversion. They believed and were baptized. We do believe that baptism is commanded by Jesus Christ. It is a sacrament or an ordinance given by the Lord for his church to be practiced until he comes again in glory.

Second London Confession, our confession says, baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the party baptized. And we believe that baptism signifies the blessings received by God's grace through faith in Jesus. So Philip and Derek and Samantha, think about this. This is a sign of his fellowship with him, Jesus, in his death and resurrection of his being engrafted into him of remission of sins and of giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life.

That's the significance for you three when you go into the water this morning. And if you are not a believer, I want to end by saying, look unto the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.

Closing Prayer

Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for your power and your providence displayed here in Acts 9, taking a man who was breathing threats and hatred and murder to the people of God and converting him and saving him, even such that he preaches the Christ he formerly tried to destroy. We thank you that there is hope in your gospel.

We pray that this gospel would be preached all over the world today, that it would run swiftly and be glorified. And we pray again that you bless Philip and Derek and Samantha and encourage their hearts and build them up in their most holy faith. And we pray through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Well, you can all turn to hymn number 447, and the three of us will go change our clothes. separate rooms, of course. Baptists have been accused of some heinous things in the history of the church. I want to make sure everybody knows that. of all my hopes around. Christ, the sweet of all my joy, still in you may I be found.

Still for you, my thousandth Lord. Still for you, my thousandth Lord. be your praise See me from the moment in, till I was tired in it, may I prove it right to live. ♪ God shall bless the blind ♪ ♪ Safely reaching anew's path ♪ ♪ Safely reaching anew's path ♪ let me know Are you seated? You're not cold? Come on.

It's cold. Do we need to put the clip on or no? Okay. Hey, buddy.

Well, it's good to be here. And the reason why we asked the children to come up is because it is a visible expression of what God does invisibly. And it's kind of like a book that said, beautiful British Columbia. And it was all just pictures.

You learn a lot about British Columbia by those pictures. You learn a lot about the gospel by what's happening here. And so it's a good way for our young people to see what is happening.

Baptismal Service

So I just want to rehearse again. our confession of faith. I mentioned paragraph one that speaks of the significance of baptism. It is an ordinance of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him in his death and resurrection, of his being engrafted into him, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life. It then goes on to speak of the proper subjects.

Those who do actually profess repentance toward God, faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus are the only proper subjects of this ordinance. It speaks of the outward element, and that's obviously water. The outward element to be used in this ordinance is water, wherein the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And then the final paragraph deals with immersion or the mode in which we apply that water.

Immersion or dipping of the person in water is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance. So before we actually baptize Philip and the others, it's part of my, I've mentioned this before, a benefit or a privilege associated with being in the ministry here is I get to interview the candidates, talk to them about their own conversion, hear something of the way they came to know the Lord. and then have them or hear from them an explanation of the gospel. And it's always an encouragement. It's always a blessing.

I've known Philip since he was born, and it's been good to see him grow up in the context of the church. He's got lots of good questions. When he pulls out his phone in my office, I know I'm in for a for some rousing conversation, because he keeps track of all these things, which is great. Don't ever change.

But very encouraging to see this young man identified publicly with our triune God. So I'm going to ask him the questions and then baptize him in the name of our triune God. Do you believe there is one true and living God who exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Do you believe that you have sinned against God and justly deserve His punishment for your sins?

Yes. Do you believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived in obedience to God's law, died as a sacrifice and substitute for sinners and rose on the third day? Yes. Do you believe in Jesus Christ alone to save you from your sins?

Yes. And do you commit to walk in obedience to God through faith in Jesus Christ? Yes. Amen.

I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Hang on, hang on. Another, just to commend to you, Derek and Samantha. It's been very good to get to know them as well and to hear of their eagerness to be baptized, to join with us.

Just a real encouragement to see young people committed to the Lord, wanting to walk according to scripture, wanting to be faithful to our God. And just been a real privilege and a pleasure to get to know this family as well. I don't know. Are you loud enough?

Are you able to hear me? Can we touch the mic? I don't want to zap anybody. Yeah, you can pick it up.

After medical trauma in my teenage years left me broken and aware of my place before our holy God, the Lord came to me through Isaiah 55. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Christ's final words on the cross became real to me.

It is finished. My sins were paid in full, all because of grace. In the years that have followed, that truth has become clearer and clearer to me as the goodness of God has not only bound up my wounds, but showed me more and more of the beauty of Christ. Baptism is a beautiful picture of the grace of God, something I need to be reminded of every day, even on my worst days.

God sees me washed clean from my sins and clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ. Tis grace has brought me safe this far and grace will lead me home. I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. after losing my dad to cancer as a teenager. I spent several years struggling with the reality of needing a savior myself, but not being able or willing to truly trust in him.

Knowing my dad had been saved and died with true peace was a huge encouragement to me. My older brother and some other Christian friends continually witnessed to me over those years and prayed for me a ton, and I'll always be grateful to God for them. I was finally freed when I heard a sermon on Mark 5, verse 36, where Jesus says to Jairus, be not afraid, only believe. The Spirit used that to turn my eyes away from all my doubts and fears, and instead turned to Jesus and trust Him with it all.

He alone is our faithful Savior. And I hope that baptism today will be used to show us again how willing Christ is to wash us clean from all our sins and give us new life with Him. I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. They are now members of our church, so we pray for them and encourage them, and hopefully they, I trust they will be praying for the rest of us also.

So we'll stand and sing 568 in your hymn book, the doxology of praise to our triune God, and then I'll close in a word of prayer. I've fallen in heaven today. Jesus Christ, that he will build his church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. We thank you for these three.

We pray for your great blessing upon them, that you would encourage them along the way, and look with favor upon the entirety of our church. We pray for your forgiveness when we sin, for all the sins that we do commit. Fill us with your Holy Spirit, and cause us to shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation, and give us boldness to hold forth your word of truth. Go with us this day, cause us to call it a delight, and to find our true rest and our peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.

And it's in his name that we pray. Amen. Well, please be seated for a brief time of meditation.

Scripture References

• Isaiah 55:2
• Jeremiah 23
• Psalms 115; 135; 136
• Matthew 10:23; 28:19-20
• Mark 5:36
• John 1:1; 1:14; 1:29; 3; 8; 10; 15:18; 16:1-4; 16:2-3
• Acts 7; 7:60; 8; 8:1; 9:1-26; 9:15; 9:17-25; 22:16
• Romans 4:25
• 1 Corinthians 1:21
• 2 Corinthians 11:32-33
• Galatians 1:11-12; 1:13-14
• Ephesians 1:13-14; 6:19-20
• Philippians 3
• Colossians 2:11-12
• 1 Timothy 1:13; 1:15; 3:1-7
• 2 Timothy 4:2-3
• 1 John 3:14