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service and I just two announcements no Wednesday night Bible study we will recommence I think it's September 4th the first Wednesday night in September where for well for our called to worship you can turn with me in your Bibles to psalm 119 psalm 119 I'll read the section verses 145 to 150 to psalm 119 beginning in verse 145 I cry out with my whole heart hear me o lord I will keep your statutes I cry out to you save me and I will keep your testimonies I rise before the dawning of the morning and cry for help I hope in your word my eyes are awake through the night watches that I may meditate on your word hear my voice according to your loving-kindness Oh Lord revive me according to your Justice they draw near who follow after wickedness they are far from your law you are near Oh Lord and all your Commandments are truth concerning your testimonies I have known of old that you have founded them forever Amen well please turn in your hymn book to Psalm 99 will sing Psalm 99 B as in Bravo when you find that you can stand and will sing together Psalm 99 be [Music] well let us pray God Most High it's a joy and a privilege to gather here in the presence of Father Son and Holy Spirit we acknowledge your glory and your majesty we acknowledge that you are worthy of our praise and adoration and worship we acknowledge your handiwork in the created order we acknowledge your government and Providence and God we rejoicing Li praise you for the work of redemption through our Lord Jesus Christ how we give praise to you for the forgiveness of sins how we give praise to you for your having giving us a righteousness that avails with God for in the gospel of our salvation you have provided every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus and God we pray today that as we sing as we look to Holy Scripture as we pray to you we would enter into your presence with reverence with trembling and fear and with great joy with celebration in our hearts something like what David had when he said I was I was glad when they said let us go to the house of our Lord God we rejoice in your mercy to us we rejoice in your having saved us giving us the graces of faith and repentance showing us the Lord Jesus Christ as prophet priest and King as the one who is altogether lovely in chief among 10,000 and even now Lord God may we be drawn to consider you and may you keep us and guard us from thinking about other things in this glad hour of worship may we by grace take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ our Lord and may God be exalted and glorified in this place we bless you father for sending your son into this world we bless you for the work of the Lord Christ on behalf of sinners and we praise you for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit God how we thank you that you have supplied all things necessary for life and for salvation to your people here and even today we pray that you would cause us to grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior cause us to reflect upon your it's revealed in Holy Scripture caused us to marvel at the way that you saved the Apostle Paul and the way that you used him in such a mighty way to extend the kingdom of God on earth we ask that you would encourage and strengthen our hearts for God we confess we come here weary we confess that we come here having battled with sin and temptation and various things that go on in this world and Lord we need this place as a as a place where our thoughts are drawn out to you and to you alone and so we pray that your Holy Spirit would be at work in our hearts that we would approach you in spirit and in truth that we would have that that that reverent hope before a living and true God and that we would find great joy and comfort in your presence we do ask that you would forgive us for our sins and transgressions God we know that you have given a perfect law a law that reveals who you are in your perfections and God we see our own waywardness our own proneness to wander that proneness to leave the God that we do love so forgive us now and cleanse us from all sin thank you Father for that blessed promise in the Prophet Zechariah that in those days that would be a fountain open for sin and uncleanness and even now wash us and purify us and cleanse us from all sin and iniquity and God for those here that are dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that you would awaken them that you would show them their state before a holy God that you would breathe their put in their arts the fear of God and put in their hearts that faith to close with the Lord Christ that repentance unto life may sinners who have entered into this place today leave rejoicing in the mercy and in the grace and the gospel of our Lord God Most High we ask that you would bless this congregation and help us to to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace look with favor upon those in our midst who have temporal means ongoing physical concerns we just commit our brothers and sisters to you those with chronic pain those with chronic illness asking that you would undertake on their behalf that you would encourage their weary hearts that you would strengthen them with might and the inner man so that Christ may dwell richly in their hearts through faith and our Father we pray for Ashley this morning we thank you that should soon she will be having this baby we pray that everything would go well she would watch over mother and baby and that father in this she would be glorified and exalted and with reference to the babies and to the children into the young people in our congregation we thank you for this kind provision god we know that children are a gift from you and Lord we see such delight in their young faces it's a joy to have them in the house of God on the Sabbath day we pray specifically that you'd open their eyes and their hearts to behold wondrous things from your word may they hear the truth as it is in Jesus Christ and may they in their youth believe on him and know the joy of being found in him not having their own righteousness which is from the law but that which is from you given through faith in Christ Jesus the Lord God blessed the Saints and Surrey we thank you for that church and for the way that things are progressing there we pray that they would have an impact on their community that they would be a faithful light and that city that is in great need and bless Pastor Mike as he Labor's in the word and doctrine be with the Saints and Vernon we thank you for that work and we pray that in your time you would give them a man that would labor there among them on a regular basis and for churches in our community we thank you for those that are preaching the truth those are are holding forth the gospel we pray that you would bless and prosper them and God in this community we pray that the gospel would go forth and that more and more sinners would be would be called out of darkness into marvelous light confessing sin and finding that that forgiveness that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord and God be merciful to this nation as a whole we certainly live in in ethically dark times we live in days where men call good evil and evil good and father we look ultimately to your hand we look to your power we look to the gospel to right the wrongs that we see so so prevalent among us father we cry out against the sins of abortion and euthanasia the reality that that the most the weakest among us are targeted for execution God in your wrath we pray you would remember mercy and we pray that more and more people would be convinced of what scripture says concerning this reality that you have commanded that we are not to murder that you despise you abominate hands that shed innocent blood we pray father send forth your gospel today and we pray that more and more people would think your thoughts after you and that such acts of lawlessness and wickedness would be would be condemned for what they are we pray for the persecuted church for brothers and sisters in Christ that suffer for Christ God we thank you that this is occurring not because there is physical suffering but because the gospel is going forth in these nations we know that Christianity is a threat to Islam it's a threat to atheism and secularism and all the other false religions and God it warms and encourages our hearts as we see the promise of Matthew 16 come to fruition where Christ said that he would build his church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it may you send forth there a glorious word today may it run swiftly and be glorified and may you encourage those who are in prison those who are suffering for the cause of God may they know the nearness of God as their good in the midst of these trials and difficulties we thank you that were a small part of a much larger whole and we pray that wherever your people gather together today you would be there in the midst of them you would receive the worship that is due to your most holy name and that you would bless and strengthen each and every one of your saints and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnal Trinity hymnal - psalm or to him number 1 5 3 hymn number 1 5 3 we'll stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] well you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts Acts chapter 2 for our scripture reading this morning Acts chapter 2 will pick up reading in verse 1 when the day of Pentecost had fully come they were all with one Accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting then there appeared to them divided tongues as a fire and one sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance and there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews devout men from every nation under heaven and when the sound occurred the multitude came together and were confused because everyone heard them speak in his own language then they were all amazed and marvelled saying to one another look are not all these who speak galilaeans and how is it that we hear each in our own language in which we were born parth ends and means and elle' mites those dwelling in Mesopotamia Judea and Cappadocia Pontus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphylia Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene visitors from Rome both Jews and proselytes Cretans and Arabs we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God so they were all amazed and perplexed saying to one another whatever could this mean others mocking said they are full of new wine but Peter standing up with the eleven raised his voice and said to them men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem let this be known to you and heed my words for these are not drunk as you suppose since it is only the third hour of the day but this is what was spoken by the Prophet Joel and it shall come to pass in the last days says God that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your young men shall see visions your old men shall dream dreams and on my men's servants and on my maid servants we'll pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath blood and fire and vapor of smoke the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming the great and awesome day of the Lord and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved amen we'll stop there and God willing pick up the rest of the reading next Sunday morning but it's important for us to understand this day of Pentecost is significant in redemptive history a day when the Holy Spirit comes in mighty power upon the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and we see this happen we see that they spoke in new tongues or or different tongues so that all the persons that were participating in the feast day that day heard the wonderful works of God communicated to them and as a result persons mocked and said oh these are filled with new wine so Peter takes the occasion or the opportunity to stand up and interpret this phenomena and the first thing that he says is this is what was spoken by the Prophet Joel in other words in Joel 2 there was this prophecy concerning the new covenant era the time of Messiah the time of the Lord Jesus Christ and when that Lord Jesus Christ came the Spirit of God would come in a powerful way as well the spirit would come in such a way that there would be prophesying there would be tongues speaking again for a particular use and a particular occasion it's not to continue on with reference to private people in their living rooms there is a specific redemptive historical context going on in this situation so Peter stands up and says these are not drunk as you suppose it's only the third hour of the day but this is rather what was spoken by the Prophet Joel and then if you look at verse 21 again this is quotation from Joel 2 verses 28 to 32 in verse 21 of chapter 2 he says and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved the remainder of the sermon Peter flashes out the Lord you are to call on in order to be saved in other words he explains he defines he describes he highlights in great detail both the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved it's crucial that you believe whatever the Bible says but if you believe that the Hittites were an ancient civilization that is not going to appropriate for you forgiveness of sins and the imputation of righteousness we believe everything the Bible says generally but the principle acts of saving faith are looking to the Lord Jesus Christ believing on him receiving and resting upon him alone for our salvation so the remainder of acts 2 the sermon on the day of Pentecost is Peters explanation of the Lord whose name persons are to call upon in order to be saved well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word we thank you that everywhere conspicuously presents to us that blessed Lord Jesus Christ that one who you made to be sin that one who received for us the punishment that was due to us and that one who has raised the 3rd day Lord God how we thank you for the righteousness that you have given to us how we thank you for the forgiveness of sins and how we thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit and we would pray even now that he would come as we preached or look to the Word of God we pray that the Holy Spirit would be at work in our hearts that you would indeed strengthen us and that you would indeed convict and save those who are unsaved and we ask this through Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me again in your Trinity hymnal to number 186 186 we'll use a different tune but what I think is familiar so 186 will stand as we sing together [Music] we can turn with me to Acts chapter 9 as we continue to work our way through this book Acts chapter 9 looking presently at the conversion of Saul of Tarsus and our focus this morning will be on verses 17 to 25 but I'll pick up reading in verse 10 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 priests to bind all who call on your name but 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 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 the Christ in the synagogue's that 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 saw and they watch the gates day and night to kill him then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket amen let us pray father thank you for this written word of God thank you for the reality that it's given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit we pray that it would be profitable this morning for us for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness we do pray that we would stand amazed at the glorious conquest of this Saul of Tarsus and the reality it used used in so mightily to advance the cause of Jesus Christ on this earth again forgive us for our sins and our transgressions fill us with your Holy Spirit and guide us and lead us into all truth and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well as we have had cause to reflect the conquest of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus was a great debt for the Lord Jesus now Jesus doesn't need any particular individual but the fact that he did save this man that he turned him from the arch enemy of the church to the arch proponent of the Christian gospel is truly an amazing description of the the grace of God and the power of the Christian gospel if you've ever thought you're too sinful to be saved just read the story of Saul of Tarsus if you think that you are too far gone to ever receive or benefit from the grace of God read the story of Saul of Tarsus if you've ever thought that you are beyond hope read the story of Saul of Tarsus because here was a man that was armed with letters to go to the synagogues in Damascus to bind Christians men and women to take them back to Jerusalem so that they would be either punished or or murdered or or taken off the face of the earth and so what we find in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus is an absolutely wonderful display of God's glorious grace well last time or the last two times we've seen his conversion last week we saw the instructions to Ananias specifically the program of the mission for Paul notice in verses 15 and 16 go for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles kings and the children of Israel for we'll show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake so Paul must preach Paul must suffer and interestingly that's precisely what happens in the passage before us so I want to consider first the baptism of Saul of Tarsus in verses 17 and 19 and then secondly the preaching of Saul of Tarsus in verses 20 to 25 but notice with reference to the baptism Ananias and Saul meet up verse 17 Ananias went his way and entered the house and laying his hands on him he said brother Saul now I wonder for Ananias if he woke up this morning thinking that this day would be the day that he addresses this Saul of Tarsus has brother Grace made this arch-enemy a brother Grace now made this man for a voom Ananias newest reputation knew that he went into Jerusalem knew that he seized many knew that he caused much time did he ever think that morning he was going to address this arch enemy as brother saw Grace is an amazing thing it takes persons who at one time we're at odds with one another and now brings them together in this filial relationship brother saw the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you came uh-uh-uh-uh-uh has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit so he lays hands on him which is a signification of God's blessing God's commendation and then he informs him of Jesus plant it's almost as if Ananias doesn't want Saul of Tarsus to ever think that this was happen not that I think Saul of Tarsus would have but this was not a haphazard this wasn't a random meeting this was orchestrated by the Lord Christ this was orchestrated by the sovereign of the universe to bring these men together he lays hands on him and he receives his sight and then notice as well he's equipped for the fulfillment of verses 15 and 16 it says notice in the middle of verse 17 he has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit this would be crucial now he'd be filled with the Holy Spirit when he receives Christ when he believes the Gospel according to Ephesians 1 12 to 14 wait we received the Holy Spirit when we by grace believe the gospel he'd also need the power of the holy spirit to do what Christ is specified in verses 15 and 16 if Paul's going to preach to Gentiles to Kings and to the children of Israel and he's going to suffer countless things for the name of Jesus price he needs supernatural assistance he needs aid from on high brethren I think at times we forget our absolute dependence upon the Holy Spirit we start to fight the battles of God with carnal weaponry well if we just know more or we're just better or we're just more thoughtful I'm gonna argue that we should know more I'm gonna argue that we should be better in terms of argument and rational presentation because that's what Paul is about the brethren we need the spirit we can't come to church on this on Sunday and think we're gonna worship God and that the people of God are going to grow in the knowledge of the Lord and that sinners are gonna get saved apart from the Holy Spirit the Apostle teaches in Ephesians 6 we don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities the powers of darkness all these things are behind Planned Parenthood they're behind debauch government they're d-bob behind the the sorts of wickedness that we confront well understand and the spirituality of the battle why would we enter into it without having prayed without having sought the spirit without having knowledge of God's Word we can't fight a Goliath in the valley of a lock using Saul's armor we go in the strength and power of God Almighty and so the Holy Spirit comes upon Saul of Tarsus here in a powerful way because he would need the spirit to bear the name of Christ he would need the spirit in order to suffer for the name of Christ now notice the baptism verse 18 says immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales now there's a lot of discussion as to what this is your guess is as good as mine it's a tough one these scales were on his eyes and they fell off that much I can confidently tell you he saw he was for that period three days of blindness now I don't think it's all to be interpreted in a mystical sort of experiential way but it certainly is representative of the life of Saul of Tarsus he has been blinded now to what he wants was the the light that he had before this this self-righteousness this boastful NESTA's this Pharisee is up this is nothing this is this is rubbish this is dung and as he emerges now and is able to see he is filled with the knowledge of Jesus Christ the Lord it is symbolic of the the trajectory of his own spiritual life but it is intriguing as to what he does he receives his sight at once and he arose and was baptized he was baptized noticed again the the conspicuous pattern conversion to Christ then baptism in the name of Christ baptism is not a converting ordinance baptism is rather something done by somebody who has been saved by God's grace so faith belief on the Lord Jesus Christ repentance under life knowing what it is to be saved and then baptism and interestingly when Paul is rehearsing this in Acts chapter 22 he mentions that nnis says arise and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on the name of the Lord and we don't believe that that water washes away sin we believe that's solely and alone the blood of Jesus Christ that's what washes us from sin but it symbolized in the water it's symbolized in the whole process it is an evident outward display of what God the Lord does internally and so no one should ever get baptized except for those who have been forgiven of their sins those who have believed the gospel those who have received the righteousness but having done that having been born again having believed the truth of the gospel it's imperative that persons do get baptized to identify with the triune God to give him the glory that is due his name we talked in the last hour but those sorts of persons that that never really know if they're saved or not if you believe the gospel the Bible tells you you're saved you should give glory to God for that now I'm talking genuine saving faith I'm not talking about the sort of thing that just nods at Jesus and somehow thinks everything is hunky-dory you know me better than that the genuine saving faith the Bible specifies those who leave on the Lord Jesus Christ are saved therefore get baptized therefore give him glory give him honor give him praise he shall see the travail of his soul and be what satisfied except for that handful of people that that are in this sort of place this sort of no-man's land where they're not really in but they're not really out well if you've believed you're in and you need to confess that and you need to show for it the glory of God Almighty in the salvation of your hell deserving soul do you understand what happens when God actually saves us we go from darkness into light we go from that place of abject misery to that place of total blessing why wouldn't we be happy why wouldn't we want to be baptized why wouldn't we want to give all praise and glory to God if somebody does a good turn to you you like to tell others about it well that guy he's a really wonderful person I broke down on the side of the road and he stopped and he helped me and all this stuff if Jesus has saved you you should be about telling it we should be like we just say I'm not ashamed to own my Lord we ought to be like the Apostle Paul in Romans 1 I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes will notice that in Saul of Tarsus is life what does he do according to verse 20 immediately he preached Christ immediately he preached Christ it's a wonderful testimony to God's grace in this man's life but notice verse 19 tells us when he had received food he was strengthened this is inevitable you're three days without food you eat you're gonna be strengthened that's a natural effect of what he had gone through but as well he's strengthened in the spirit his Grace's are strengthened his understanding is strengthened he's going forward in the fear of the Lord God most I but the end of verse 19 is quite beautiful it says then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus we know what his purpose was for those disciples at Damascus we know that prior to meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus he was going to go bind them he was going to go arrest them he was going to go and strip their Liberty from them he was going put them in some sort of shackles and take them back to Jerusalem where they could be further punished and now he spends time with that you see the blood-bought people of God like other blood-bought people of God they do they like them they want to be around them there's this love and abiding desire to be among the blood bots that doesn't mean we're all gonna be BFFs it doesn't mean we're all going to be everybody's bestest friends but we enjoy the company of those who have the same orientation we enjoy the company of those who have been conquered by the same blood we enjoy the company of those who've been saved by grace through faith that Matthew pool makes the observation Saul is no sooner changed but he changes his company and acquaintance he resorts to none of the rabbi's 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 one of them one of the embassies throughout the book of Acts it's a very Pro Church book it is very much an emphasis on the place of the church and God's redemptive plan the fact that Saul of Tarsus is meeting with Ananias of course Jesus could have just caused the scales to fall from his eyes of course Jesus could have just caused him to be strengthened but he uses Ananias he uses the company of the Saints he uses the people of God to stress to this man that will later write letters to the churches just how important the people of God as a whole are so that's the baptism of so let's look secondly at the preaching of Saul and I want to give us a bit of chronology here because if we compare acts 9 to Galatians 1 we may run up to a little bit of a puzzle so I'm going to tell you how I'm gonna proceed in Acts chapter 9 in Galatians 1:17 Paul writes in terms of his proof that he wasn't taught the gospel by the disciples he wasn't taught the gospel by the Apostles rather he was taught by Jesus one of the things he says in Galatians 1:17 he says that he went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus now in verses 20 and following we have Saul in Damascus I take verse 22:22 as a brief visit to Damascus before he goes to Arabia he's then in Arabia for three years and then he comes back to Damascus so verses 20 to 22 happens immediately after he's converted he's in the city of Damascus he's at the house of Judas on that strait called Street this that street called straight this is where Ananias has met with him and so he's in Damascus now and he immediately preaches verses 20 to 22 then there is this three-year hiatus when he goes to Arabia and that should be seen two separate verses 22 and 23 so after that three years in Arabia he comes back to Damascus he's not long in the city until he's essentially chased out and that's when he makes his first post conversion conversion visit to Jerusalem which is what goes on in verses 26 and following now that you're all thoroughly confused all I want us to appreciate is something about the preaching of Saul actually I don't think that was confusing if you read Galatians 1 you compare it I think it makes sense he goes immediately to these synagogues and then he leaves he goes to Arabia for three years well what did he do in Arabia well the only Saul of Tarsus he preached the gospel so I'm saying well that's where he was taught by Christ I'm gonna argue is taught by Christ in those three days he already knew about Christ he just missed one fundamental ingredient and that was Christ funny isn't it he knew the Old Testament he knew the testimony concerning Jesus but he didn't know that Jesus was who the Old Testament prophesied so for that three days I think that was the lesson Jesus told Paul I'm the one that Isaiah wrote about I'm the one that Moses wrote about I'm the one that the the sacrificial system pointed to I'm the one that will bring salvation I'm the one that has orchestrated this so the the three years where he's in Arabia was he there for quiet contemplation and meditation no he was probably preaching he was bringing it that's what preachers do they go and they preach and that's what Saul of Tarsus was called to do so I want to consider three things with reference to the preaching of saul of tarsus first the immediacy of his preaching second the effects of his preaching and then finally the hostility toward his preaching but in terms of the immediacy in verses verses 11 and 12 in Galatians 1 Saul or Paul says I make known to you brethren that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man trying either received it from man nor was I taught it but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ she was absolutely crucial in order to be counted as an apostle that one had seen the resurrected Christ now Saul of Tarsus said he had seen the resurrected Christ and the fact that Saul of Tarsus had this great understanding of the Christian gospel confirmed that he had seen Christ confirmed that he had been taught by Christ that he didn't get it from James he didn't get it from Peter he didn't get it from the rest of the Apostles rather he was directly taught by Jesus now I think nation describes what I tried to a moment ago in much better language he says what Jesus really gave saw near Damascus was not so much the facts as a new interpretation of the facts see this is the crucial key the crucial piece of the the biblical pie that that Saul didn't have course he knew to look for a messiah of course he knew to look for a champion of course he knew to look for the Lord our righteousness of course he knew the suffering servant passages but he didn't associate those realities in the Old Testament with Jesus of Nazareth as far as he was concerned Jesus of Nazareth was probably a political hack Jesus of Nazareth was probably just another fellow that came along that that tried to be something great Saul of Tarsus never associated Jesus of Nazareth with the truth of Holy Scripture it was this that was being provided for him in this instruction by Jesus he goes on to say Saul had known some of the facts before but they had filled him with a Trent think about this why do you think he wanted to destroy Christians why he wanted to bind men and women why he wanted to see them punished further in Jerusalem you don't do that unless you hate something right do that because you hate it because you hate the founder you hate the master he couldn't get to Jesus of Nazareth but he could certainly get to these unaware people in the synagogues in Damascus he knew some of the facts but he hated it he goes on to say the Galilean prophet had cast dispite 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 I think nature gets at what Saul is thinking why in the world would I worship this crucified malefactor how in the world could we ever think that this is Israel's Messiah how in the world could we accept him as being the one of whom the prophets wrote and testified McMahons on the right track here he says Paul had known the facts before he had known them only too well now however he obtained a new interpretation of the facts he obtained that new interpretation not by human intermediation not by reflection upon the testimony of the disciples not by the example of the holy martyrs but by revelation from Jesus himself so he gets this he understands now that's why immediately he can preach the gospel see for the most part new converts I wouldn't encourage you to go and immediately breach maybe you could call me a harsh meanie but I actually think you shouldn't do that certainly testify the Lord saved me I was blind now I see but to get up in front of persons and preach the Bible I would never say go ahead and do that but Saul of Tarsus knew the Bible Saul of Tarsus knew the facts Saul of Tarsus at one time was filled with rage because of those facts but now this direct confrontation by Jesus Christ where Jesus says I am the one that synthesizes these facts he is the new interpretation on the set of facts that saw had everything made sense now yes the scales fell as it were from his eyes yes things all looked bright and beautiful now yes he saw that Christ was as the Puritans tell us the the scope of Scripture that all biblical roads lead to Jesus in one form or another Saul now knew this and solvent preaches and notice what he does occur diverse Lani immediately preached the Christ in the synagogue's that he is the son of God you see this Trinitarian faith this understanding Jesus not as just a super person but it's a divine person this Jesus as the Son of God this Jesus as God himself he preaches this in the synagogue's because this was the stumbling block for the Jews you see it in Jesus earthly ministry they got mad at him why because he made himself equal with God they didn't see that they had the blinders on they were not able to appreciate that Jesus Christ is in fact the second person of the Trinity that he took on our humanity that he became one of us without sin in order to redeem us now saw the apostle or saw the saul of tarsus goes into synagogues that are opposed to the doctrine that Jesus Christ is the son of God and saw preaches that Jesus is the Son of God so I don't think we really reflect upon how fundamental a confession of faith that is we take it for granted cos were brought up Christian we're brought up learning the Nicene green of parents teacher kids those Creed's teach them the confessions teach them good Christology but but we become sort of immune to the reality that we were brought up with these benefits and blessings and that we assume that that Jesus is the Son of God dude that means for Jesus to be the Son of God that means he's unique that means he is God and man that means he's two natures one person that means he's glorious that means he's from everlasting to everlasting that means he is everything scripture says concerning him as John Gill says 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 em he preached that Jesus of Nazareth the true Messiah was not a mere man but a divine person even the Son of God you might just look at verse 20 for a moment and say well that's not a whole lot you know he preached the Christ in the synagogue's that he is the son god I don't think that means he stood behind the lectern or wherever he was at the synagogue Jesus is the Christ he is the Son of God amen he explained what that meant he explained the significance he explained how the second person of the Trinity left heaven to come into our world to take on our humanity with all the essential properties and all the common infirmities thereof yet without sin he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief he was the darling of heaven and nevertheless he left that to come into this cesspool on a mission of recovery for the persons of the likes of us he explained the significance behind the reality that Christ is the son of God now notice the effects of his preaching in verses 21 and 22 the people were amazed and again I don't think this is difficult verse 21 is one of those passages you don't need a rocket science degree to figure it out then all who heard were amazed and said is this not he who destroyed those who called on the name in Jerusalem and has come here for that purpose so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests it's just incredible isn't it he was coming here with letters to take us away and now he's up there preaching Jesus Christ as the Son of God to us I guarantee you brethren and that meeting service people were saying God is amazing God God is glorious this fellow came here with the expressed purpose and intention of taking us to Jerusalem we're talking 135 miles this isn't you know buses and trains and and planes and all that sort of thing I mean you know you ever lost your wallet it's not wow I've lost a billion dollars you've you've gained a hassle you've got a replace your ID card you got to replace your license you guys do all that all that stuff even if they went to Jerusalem and were found not guilty a hundred and thirty-five miles is a 135 miles of hassle he had come to not only hassle but to bind them and to bring them to Jerusalem so that they would be punished and yet here he is standing before them preaching Jesus as the Christ the Son of God making connections in Old Testament scripture that they themselves perhaps had never made because again he was a trained rabbi he knew the scriptures he knew the connections but he didn't know the connection and now he has it so they are amazed FF 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 they were amazed it would have been incredible to take the archenemy of your religious faith and now to sit under his preaching you would conclude that God's grace is amazing you would conclude that God is able to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto Him through Jesus Christ the Lord you'd have no problem whatsoever believe it the power of the Christian gospel when Saul of Tarsus stood before you in a Jewish synagogue and preached to you Jesus as the Christ the Son of God it's an amazing and a glorious thing now notice what else happens the people are amazed so increased all the more and strength verse 22 I don't think that means that he was on a high-protein diet now protein and fats keto diet you know there are carbs in his life and he was just you know feeling good feeling feeling the that feeling the pump but that's not what it means he strengthened spiritually he strengthened in terms of his understanding of who God is and the mission of Jesus Christ he strengthened as his graces and gifts are being opposed he is strengthened because he's God's man for God's hour he's strengthened because he has a lot of work ahead of him brethren I don't think I have the mathematic capabilities to successfully explain the miles that this man traversed the lengths that he went to the difficulties that he encountered the first plot of the Jews is already hatched here he's just been converted and then he's three years in Arabia he comes back and they want to kill him this is something has to continuously face so he's strengthened in his Grace's he strengthened spiritually je Alexander says he increased not only in the strength of his convictions but in the force of his defense and in the power of his persuasion that brings us to consider the rest of verse 22 so the crowds are amazed but the Jews are refuted notice in verse 22 beat and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus proving that this Jesus is the Christ the Jews obviously opposed Jesus the Jews obviously rejected the messianic claims of Jesus and now Saul of Tarsus has been conquered by Jesus and Saul of Tarsus is confounding them in their inability to be able to destroy the truth of what he is saying the word is quite intriguing Barrett I think kind of gets at it well he says the Jews who argued with Paul found themselves unable to establish their position he tied them in knots that were that that confounded that's kind of what it means he tied them in knots have you ever been in an argument with somebody and you're winning might happen with you spouses and you know when you're losing two to me make sure I qualify that you know on your wedding but boy you know when you're losing it's the last ditch of fact attempt to just try to maintain some dignity but you know when you're winning don't you so you've heard it from you brethren one of the greatest joys I have is when brethren in our church say oh I got to share the gospel this week at work or I got to testify that's great I'm not where everybody is you the whole hope is theirs that everybody here gets equipped they understand who Jesus is and then wherever you find yourselves you're not ashamed to own the Lord and to testify to the glory of God but but you've known this where it would I didn't know where it came from I just had this fluidity of speech I I was remembering tax I was I was applying it and and and when you say that's not proud I'm just this great guy of snow it's like it was really amazing is almost as if God took over yeah it's exactly what it's like God takes over uses the Holy Spirit he speaks through you so that you can tell people about the glory of Jesus not mysticism it's not experientialism it's not charismatic sysm it is God working with Concord centers to testify to the truth that Jesus conquers sinners but it's a beautiful thing and you know when you've won you know when you've confounded that's what's happening in this particular instance he confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus now notice what it goes on to say proving that this Jesus is the Christ the Apostle proved that Jesus is the Christ and the son of God according to verse 20 now that's imperative that we get this because I'm going to argue as we move through the book of Acts much of the apostolic preaching is not what we're witnessing today it's not a proving that Jesus is the Christ it's an experience it's a feeling it's a warmth in my bosom akin to Mormonism that's not what brings sinners into the kingdom of heaven it ain't my experience it ain't my book burning bosom it's the the clarity of the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord it's the Holy Spirit working faith in a center to believe propositional revelation the propositions of the Bible Christ Jesus came into the world sinners to save believe that we need to prove we need to demonstrate we need to argue we need to preach persuasively I think two of the biggest problems facing us in North America today are boring preaching and a preaching that is unpersuasive no one should preach boring sermons the Bible is the most exciting book in the world if persons are falling asleep I don't blame those persons I blame the bad preacher but it should be persuasive you get the chatty pastor with the hand in the pocket and the gum in the mouth and the latte on his desk kind of talking in the civil tone there's no civility here you need to believe the gospel or you will go to hell that's the reality of it knowing therefore the terror of the Lord the Apostle Paul says we persuade men life is too short hell is too real and God is too angry with sinners each and every day for us to try and have chats you need to be persuaded you need to have it prove to you you need to go to scriptures you need to be taught what God's Word says concerning these crucial areas I love this testimony to the preaching of the Apostle he confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus he literally tied them and knots and he proved that this Jesus is the Christ did he didn't do that with you no flannel grafts he didn't do that with pictures he did it with preaching he did it with Isaiah he did it with Jeremiah he did it with Daniel he did it with Moses he did it with Stephens testimony he did it with the data that was given to him and he told man that this Jesus is the Christ this Jesus is the Son of God again Bru's commenting on the second verb the verb rendered proof means literally placing together here placing the Old Testament promises alongside their fulfillment and hence proving that Jesus was the one to whom they appointed whom they pointed he says this was the method of argument regularly employed according to Luke by Paul Paulus and others in the synagogues around the eastern Mediterranean we cite several places in the book of Acts not today you got the guy with the biggest stage presentation the guy with the strangest entrance the guy with the best anecdotes the guy with the best story it's the guy with the the the the the best family the guy with the the the best everything we need men to preach the Word of God that's what we need we need men to prove that Jesus is the Christ when he meant to tie in knots any detractors or any opposers or anybody that would try to refute the reality that Jesus Christ is in fact the son of God read the early church fathers you know how many of their treatises were against the Jews why was that anti-semites is what we hear today no they weren't they were Pro Christ and they wanted to tell Jews who are living in a miserable condition in rejecting the Messiah they wanted to convince the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah I mean imagine that what do you think Saul's doing in these in these synagogues in Damascus he's not in there you know God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life you're gonna have everything hunky-dory you come to Jesus and all your all your cares will melt away that's not what he's doing it's proving that Jesus is the Christ why because unless you believe that I am Jesus Christ says in in John 8:24 unless you believe that I am you will die in your sins as I've said we differ on things we differ probably on eschatology we differ probably on ethics in some areas we differ on a host of things but I think all of us are agreed that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God if we're not we're not saved and if you do not believe that you need to believe that that is absolutely crucial truth and that's what Saul of Tarsus brought of course notice the hostility toward his preaching so there at the end of verse 22 he leaves he goes to Arabia he spends three years in Arabia now if somebody says well why didn't Luke record that Luke's focus is on theological history and specifically church history it wasn't necessary for Luke's narrative to conclude or to include the three years that fall spent in Arabia not everything that is ever done is included in the pages of Scripture listen John the Apostles sign off John 21 that way you know Jesus did so many more things that if I wrote about everything then then I don't think the world itself can contain the books well Paul was probably a character like that as well but if you ask the simple question what did he do in Arabia I argue he preached I don't think it was there for quiet contemplation and meditation he got that in the three days he got that when Jesus told him that Jesus was the key to the Bible he got that the scales fell he strengthened he's bringing it he's preaching he's confounding and he's proving that this Jesus is the Christ so three years goes by he goes to Arabia he eats he lives he drinks he has friends he you know ministers now he comes back to Damascus and we see the initial hostility of the Jews directed toward him verse 23 says now after many days were passed the plotted to kill him he had been one of those Jews hadn't he again this would be a time to just reflect sort of on the Providence of God Ananias woke up that morning never thinking he called Saul brother little saw the Apostle there solid Saul of Tarsus rather never saw himself as being a preacher of Jesus Christ in synagogues to the chagrin of Jews that ultimately wanted to kill him they they're plotting to kill him that's what the text specifies they plotted to kill Jesus and they were ultimately successful if you asked the question were they ultimately successful with Saul of Tarsus yes they were it wouldn't happen immediately but it would happen we find Paul's and in second Timothy that's the last letter that Paul wrote in terms of his his corpus his body of writings and he knows he's going to die that's when he gives that great statement you know my time or I fought the good fight I have kept uh finished the race I've kept the faith there's a crown laid up for me he knows he's gonna die he's in a prison cell in Rome at that particular time history tells us that it was Nero Caesar that ultimately gave the kill order and that's all Paul had his head chopped off so ultimately they weren't successful they plotted but several years passed thankfully for him to do a whole lot of good stuff but here their plot to kill him the first of several plots by the Jews against Paul do you always think it's the the civil authority that that's out to stop Christianity in this instance it was religious authority it was the religion of the Jews it was the unbelievers it was those who rejected the claims of Jesus Christ as Messiah they were the first enemy of the church the Roman Empire got on board eventually but initially they weren't so bothered with Christianity but it was the unbelieving Jews that brought persecution you see these plots not just here but you see it in acts 20 see it in acts 23 acts 23 again acts 25 and the irony of the situation ought not to be lost on us Saul of Tarsus had been breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of Christ and now he as a disciple of Christ is facing the threats of murder of these enemies the Jews it isn't that just amazing you look at God's world and profit it's just is delightful it's delicious it's it's amazing and incredible the way that God does what he does as I mentioned before Saul will go to Rome but it won't be on a luxury cruise Paul will end up before Caesar but it won't be on a jet plane Paul will even leave Damascus but it won't be on one of his three planes it'll be in a basket Lowertown uh-uh-uh-uh over the wall it shows us how how God is exciting and why preaching should never be boring I mean if you ever thought preaching should be boring read the book of Judges sometime I mean I could you be bored reading judges judges is like you know the best piece of literature on the face of the earth I'm biased I love that book there's just great stuff I mean Eglon and Samson and get him just reading judges and my my private time now so it's kind of fresh in my head you see the Bible is is delightful because God is and God didn't make everything to taste like broccoli he gave us mangoes and and avocados and he gave us steak and and and crabby he gave us good things to to sort of make this life beautiful he didn't just make everything green I mean as nice as green adds you get green you get blue you get beauty God is delightful brethren this idea that God's just as miser and he's up there trying to get us it gives profusely you just look out a day like this and just saying wow I can't believe how gorgeous this is and you think about the Psalter that say the heavens declare them that the glory of God you say well yeah obviously it's clear explain it's it's so so beautiful well he works providentially that way as well think of the irony saul of tarsus breathe out threats and murder against the disciples of christ Saul of Tarsus is now a disciple of Christ facing the same threats and and murder of these Jews that want to liquidate him I find it intriguing notice he's aware of this I don't know that it had to have come by special revelation it certainly could have but he could have seen it for himself or he could have had friends who told him notice in verse 24 but there their plot became known to Saul and they watch the gates day and night to kill him don't miss that this isn't you an intramural debate on the place of Jesus in redemptive history this is something that makes men want to kill other men it's intriguing that you know with reference to religious convictions and faith and belief and all that we're ready to spill blood over that we shouldn't be Christ has never told us to go out and spill blood in order to advance or progress the kingdom of God no we do it through idea we do it through doctrine we do it through persuasive preaching and that's the emphasis that we find but in terms of the detractors they want to kill him and then notice the assistance of the disciples verse 25 then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket yeah just just think about that for a moment that would be a bit of an undignified way to leave the city wouldn't it I've got my pride get in the basket and go down the wall I doubt he said I got my pride this shows us that at times it's okay to run too doesn't it or you got to stay on there and take the gun for Jesus no you can run just don't deny your faith doesn't Jesus teach this in Matthew chapter 10 when they persecute you in one city go to the next now obviously we need to be willing to die for our faith in Jesus I'm not suggesting otherwise but if he provides an exit door go ahead take it well I have to die for Jesus know you can move from that bludgeon you can get out of the way you can run to the next city that's not dishonouring to deny the Savior is the dishonor to not overcome is the dishonor but to live to fight another day the Lord God most high is okay with that and we have evidence we have testimony and we have proof in the Apostle Paul going out of the city of Damascus in a large basket now he refers to this himself in 2nd Corinthians 11 you can turn there 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 so you see how the plan or the mission for Saul of Tarsus as specified in acts 9 15 and 16 that he'd preach and that he'd suffer has already started to be fulfilled immediately he preached Christ and immediately he is being persecuted immediately he is suffering immediately he is having to leave the city in a way that he probably never wanted to in 2nd Corinthians 11 verse 30 if I must post I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity the the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is blessed forever knows that I'm not lying in Damascus the governor under era 'test the king now this is very helpful information because Aaron 'test the king died in a t30 9 which helps us to understand that probably acts 9 1 to 26 takes place from 80 36 to 80 39 Christ is crucified resurrected and ascended in a t-33 you can see we're not living far off from the time of the life and Ministry of Jesus we're not dealing with you know millennia in the book of Acts we're dealing with the first 20 or 30 years of the history of the church era disguise in AD 39 so the events of Acts 9 the conversion of Saul of Tarsus this event with Ananias the first preaching in Damascus the three years going to to Arabia takes place in 36 to 39 ish it helps us to keep our mind set in the chronology of Scripture and to realize it's not mythical it's not a land far far away it's not a sum undeformed undefined point in time it's real it's historic it's it's legit there really was an era test who was the king over the city of Damascus now when Paul here says that the king was guarding the city of the day machines with a garrison desiring to arrest me so I'm saying well you know in acts 9 it's the Jews and here it's its era tiss and his men Airness and his men have a vested interest in quelling social unrest just like Pilate when Pilate is confronted with the reality that the Jews want to execute Jesus Pilate knows the political risk involved Pilate knows that if he gives the kill order on this very controversial fellow there will be some unrest well air it is probably at the bidding of the Jews or at least the commander of the the troops at the bidding of the Jews said well well we'll watch the gates we'll watch the walls we'll make sure that this guy doesn't escape we'll make sure that you Jews can have him and that you can ultimately kill him so when he says that this is the way he's not contradicting what Luke says see this is you've heard that right oh yeah there's contradictions all over the Bible like that you're gonna have to do better than that you're gonna have to pony up a lot more proof than that you can't think see or rationalize how you could have a group of Jews and a particular magistrate that work in concert to try and liquidate it's all yeah it's easy we see that kind of thing happen all the time you certainly see it in life and Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ and then verse 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands so you see terms of the mission the Apostle Paul would in fact preach which he dies and the Apostle Paul would in fact suffer which he does now obviously this ain't too bad leaving a City through a wall in a big basket but we read last week in 2nd Corinthians 11 other sorts of things that he suffered for the cause of Jesus Christ and it was horrific it was horrendous and certainly Christ was accurate when he said I will show him how many things he must suffer from my name say well brethren in conclusion we ought to remind ourselves of the mission of the Apostle Paul he's going to fade a little bit in the end of chapter 9 chapter 10 chapter 11 and 12 but he'll come back with great power in Chapter 13 to chapter 28 in fact the latter half of the book of Acts is pretty much focused on the Apostle Paul up until this point you've got Peter primarily you've got other apostles but when we get to acts 13 the trajectory changes and now the gospel goes to the ends of the earth and so it is Paul's career that Luke focuses on as he goes from place to place preaching the gospel in and secondly of the preaching of the Apostle Paul I want to suggest in the first place he preached immediately again he was uniquely qualified to do that I don't even think everybody fresh out of the womb of conversion or fresh out of the womb of regeneration should go door to door because people are going to hit you with questions or with complaints or with sorts of things that you may not be ready for you need to learn you need to understand you need to have some appreciation of the Christian system of truth before you go out and preach it and defend it because if you do not you're gonna be had you're gonna be bested and that's not good you don't want to be the one tied in knots you don't want to be the one confound it I would suggest secondly he preached Christocentric Allah that means Christ centered it wasn't Paul centered it wasn't story centered it was an experience centered it wasn't feeling centered it was Christ centered what does he do he preached the Christ in the synagogue's that he is the son of God and then verse 22 confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus proving that this Jesus is the Christ his preaching thirdly was what I'll call apologetic now for those of you who think apologetics simply means I'm sorry that's not what it means it's a defense he confounded he tied them and not because he could defend the truth he knew his Bible well enough now that he'd been given this ingredient that Christ is the scope of Scripture he is able to defend everything that he is say with an appeal to Holy Scripture as well he preached persuasively he proved that this Jesus is the Christ now when I talk about persuasive preaching I don't mean shouting people down screaming at them intimidating them or making them feel like they have no out that's not what I mean I mean go to scripture expound the passage and apply it it really shouldn't be as hard as it's gotten it should be a very simple thing that the church has in terms of her desires for ministers is not that they be showman it's not that they being you know the bestest and everything it's that they preach the Word of God isn't the lasting mandate for the church preach the word be ready ins in an autumn season convinced rebuke exhort I love that second Timothy I've already mentioned last book the Apostle Paul wrote the last official command later after that he says to Timothy you know bring the cloak that I left and and in Carper's bring the books especially especially the the books he asked for certain things he gives commands to Timothy of a private nature but the last corporate command has preached the word how did we get so far off that how did we get to the point where it's showmanship how do we get to the point where it's new entertainment how do we get to the point where you know Joel Osteen is packing a a stadium of people I mean okay he's got great teeth a nice hair but there's got to be more to life than that their souls this is truth this is heaven it's hell the states matter in all of this to call that Christian that's just not it's it's an aberration it's defective it is it is feel good or read it is self helper read it is you know give him a little booster shot in the arm what better booster shot in the arm comes from the contemplation of a crucified and risen Savior it's always perplexed me that when the church tries to become culturally relevant that's when she becomes the most irrelevant do you know what this culture needs it needs a great big dose of Jesus Christ and him crucified that's the message we always have that's the message we're always supposed to espouse that is the message that has been entrusted to and given to the church let those guys you know entertain the masses let the others do whatever it is they do but Paul said we preach Christ crucified we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Greeks foolishness but to us the power of God as well we ought to appreciate not in a good way the enmity of the Jews they plot to murder Paul and eventually do so but even in that you see something of the unique Providence of God because it's when he's running it's when he's hiding it's when he's you know on being pursued that he's preaching he's he's standing before the Jews he's he's he's called before the sanhedrin get that account if you're reading McShane you read this morning chapter 22 and 23 or the last couple days 22 and 23 22 he's in Jerusalem he preaches he tells us his story tell us about his conversion he tell us how Jesus wanted him to go to the Gentiles and it's there everything stops it's there the mood changes it's there that he lost them why because they hated the Gentiles that's what brought the animosity upon him at that time they want to kill a man they deliver him over to the magistrate he gives them a hearing with with the the Sanhedrin it's an amazing thing that God does it is sovereign Providence to put his people where he'll have them we may not choose these things but if God is purposed for us we will be there and that brings us finally to consider that blessed gospel immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogue's that he is the son of God we have that confession in acts 8:37 with the fee Theo pian unit if you believe with all your heart you may and he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God we have this in Matthew 16 when Jesus says who do men say that I am I the son of man am and then he says but who do you say that I am and Peter says thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God Jesus says blessed are you simon barjona flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my father who is in heaven blessed are you simon barjona for confessing the fact that jesus christ is the son of the Living God that's everything if you have not confessed faith in him that's everything everything depends upon that in your life you may have great plans for your future you may have great plans for family you may have great plans for what you're going to do in your professional life but if you do not have faith in Jesus if you are not a believer in him if you have not been forgiven and received that righteousness from God through faith you are going to go to hell that's why he immediately preaches the Christ and the synagogue's that he is the son of God that's why he says in second Corinthians knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men it is simply too heavy too grave a concern to chat with men to simply you know stir up men to come with hands no we persuade men if you don't know Jesus Christ you need to come you need to believe and you need to see how great and glorious it is to be found in him well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for this history that we have in the book of Acts we thank you that this archenemy became a chief proponent of the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ God made this encourage our hearts and may it strengthen us and may you help us throw off any sluggishness or any coldness and cause us to not be ashamed of the gospel knowing that it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen will stand with me and turn in your hymn book - 563 563 will use a familiar tune [Music] Oh [Music] the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace God thank you for that peace that you give thank you for that that mercy and that grace expressed in the gospel of our Lord and Savior thank you that he is in fact the son of the Living God and that all those who believe in him will have everlasting life may these things encourage our hearts now may help us to sanctify the day they bring us together tonight as we celebrate the supper and find that fresh refreshment and that grace and that strengthening that comes from the hand of our good God go with us we pray in Jesus name Amen close with a brief time of meditation