Whatta Change | Acts 9:1-30

Alright, here we go—turn in your Bibles with me to Acts 9 [p943]. Acts 9.

Earlier this year we began a journey together. On the Sunday after Easter, we began a sermon

series through the New Testament book of Acts that will take us through the middle of next year.

As we’ve walked through, we’ve been watching the risen Jesus work through the Holy Spirit and His

people to carry the gospel into the world. Remember the mission? Acts 1:8 You will receive power

when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all

Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

And that’s what we’ve seen happening—even when following Jesus gets dangerous, the mission

continues.

Back in Acts 7, Stephen was killed for his testimony about Jesus. And standing there, approving his

death, was a young man named Saul.

Then, this Saul began going from house to house, dragging Christians off to prison. The believers

scattered from Jerusalem—but they preached the Word wherever they went.

The last time we were in Acts we watched Philip share the gospel with an Ethiopian man in

Samaria…and baptize him on a desert road…it was a beautiful and joyful moment to end chapter 8.

Today we come to Acts 9 and Luke, the writer of Acts, begins in v1 with two words “Meanwhile,

Saul…”

The believers have left Jerusalem. They’re telling people about Jesus. Saul is still trying to stop

them—and he’s willing to go beyond Jerusalem to do it.

Let’s read it. Acts 9:1-2.

Saul is passionate, huh? He thinks he’s defending God’s honor. He thinks these followers of The

Way—that’s the Way of Jesus—Saul thinks they are leading people away from God. In his mind,

arresting them is the right thing to do.

But being convinced you are serving God does not mean you are obeying Him.

And that ought to make those of us who’ve been around church for a while stop and think.

Saul’s problem wasn’t that he didn’t care about God. He was so sure he was right that he couldn’t

see how wrong he was about Jesus. And we can do that too.

We can know our Bibles, serve in the church, and have strong opinions—and still resist Jesus when

He confronts something in us.

When His Word exposes an attitude or a choice, do I let Him correct me? Or do I start explaining

why somebody like me couldn’t possibly be wrong?

So Saul heads for Damascus in Syria—about 140 miles from Jerusalem. And he goes with authority

to arrest followers of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem. He thinks he’s doing God’s work.

Then Jesus steps in and says otherwise.

READ Acts 9:3-6

Don’t miss Jesus’ question: “Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Saul thought he was attacking a dangerous movement; but Jesus says Saul’s persecuting Him.

Jesus identifies Himself with His suffering people. Which today, we understand, right. The church—

the people of God—we are the body of Christ.

And Jesus just lets him know—I am Jesus—I am alive—I am glorified (hence the bright shining

light), and I have all authority. Get up—go into the city—there you’ll be told what you must do.

Listen, just because you or someone else doesn’t believe Jesus is alive or Lord and King,

doesn’t mean He’s not. Saul found that out that day on the road to Damascus. Right there in the

middle of the road, his heart and mind were changed.

Acts 9:7-9

Can you imagine how this scene unfolded for Saul’s traveling companions?? What is that voice?

Who is he talking to? Why’s he on the ground?

When Saul stood up, he was blind. The bold, zealous, strong persecutor—humbled, brought to his

knees in the middle of the road.

He had been so certain he could see what everyone else had gotten wrong. But he had been wrong

about the most important thing—who Jesus is.

Now the man who came to Damascus—ready to take charge—has to be led there by the hand.

And while all that was taking place outside the city—the Lord was working things out on the other

end—inside the city.

Acts 9:10-16

Look at how the Lord is working. He met Saul on the road, and now He’s sending an ordinary

disciple to meet Saul in a house.

Ananias has a part to play in what Jesus is doing. And so do we. But obeying Jesus is going to

mean walking toward a man Ananias has every reason to fear.

We understand his hesitation, don’t we? This is so real. Uh—Lord—You sure about this? I mean,

I’ve heard the stories of this guy. You know what he’s been up to, right? This dude has been hurting

a lot of people!

And the Lord doesn’t tell Ananias that Saul’s past is insignificant; He reveals that Saul’s future will

be different.

v15 is one to highlight: This man [Saul] is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the

Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. [we might also label his mission field, “the

ends of the earth.”]

And don’t miss v16. Jesus says Saul will suffer for His name. He’s going to tell people about Jesus

—and it’s going to cost him.

Which reminds us: God’s grace gives us salvation…it also gives us a mission…but it doesn’t

give us an exemption. Following Jesus doesn’t mean we get an easy road. Sometimes the road

gets harder because we belong to Him.

Then watch how time in prayer impacts Ananias—off to the house on Straight Street—just like the

Lord told him.

Acts 9:17-19

Brother Saul…the man who came to arrest Christians is received as family.

Ananias places his hands on him—reassures Saul—oh that voice you heard, that was Jesus—and

Saul’s eyes are opened to the truth.

And Saul gets up and is baptized. Later, in Acts 22:16, Saul tells us what Ananias said to him: “Get

up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”

That’s who Saul is depending on now—Jesus. The One he opposed is the One he calls on to wash

away his sins.

WHATTA CHANGE!! Then he eats and regains his strength. He hasn’t eaten in three days.

But don’t miss how God used an ordinary disciple to carry forth His gospel mission.

This is how the Lord most often works in the lives of lost people—through His followers. Ya

see, this mission isn’t just for missionaries and preachers, it’s for Christians—all those who follow

The Way.

Jesus met Saul on the road. Then He sent Ananias to put a hand on his shoulder and call him

brother. And that’s another strong reason why we need the church being the church!

Now—watch what happens next.

Acts 9:20-25

to who Jesus is.

Saul immediately began going to his people—the Jewish people there in the synagogues—testifying

Luke moves through this period quickly. But Galatians tells us that Saul actually spent time in

Damascus and the surrounding area for three years!

But WHATTA CHANGE! This is more than a violent man becoming nicer or a passionate man

finding a better cause. The person he persecuted is now the Lord he proclaims!

Of course, there is still some hesitancy. Even here in Damascus, Saul’s history was known. The

people were astonished at his repentance, but they needed time to understand it.

Eventually, opposition turns into a plot to kill him.

The persecutor had become the persecuted. The man who arrived with plans to arrest Christians,

had become a Christian escaping—with the help of Christians—in a basket through the wall at night.

Don’t miss that. Being called by Jesus didn’t make Saul self-sufficient. All of us—especially new

followers—need others to help us develop and—in this case—keep us alive.

And that’s a forever thing…Acts 9:26-30.

Saul finally gets back to Jerusalem and—with good reason—the Jesus-followers there are still

skeptical. How many of their brothers and sisters had Saul helped imprison or kill?

They’re afraid Saul is still the man they remember.

But Barnabas…don’t you just love Barnabas? Remember he was the faithful, generous man who

sold property in Acts 4 and brought the money to provide for people’s needs.

Barnabas doesn’t ask them to pretend Saul’s past never happened. He tells them what has

happened since—Saul’s changed: He met Jesus, and now he won’t stop speaking in His name.

Barnabas helps bridge the distance between a changed man and a wounded people.

Welcomed there as a brother too, Saul continues witnessing in Jerusalem…more opposition

arises…and fellow believers help him leave safely—actually send him home to Tarsus—wonder how

that conversation went with his parents.

But WHATTA CHANGE! Spoiler alert--Saul later has his name changed by God and he becomes

Paul...possibly the greatest witness of Jesus to ever live...and he wrote the better part of the rest of

the New Testament.

We will learn much more about him as we continue through Acts—but for today: How does Saul’s

story speak into our lives? What should we understand from reading the account of Saul's

beginnings? Three things.

1—YOUR PAST DOESN’T PUT YOU BEYOND THE REACH OF JESUS’ GRACE

When we meet Saul in Acts 9, he isn’t asking for forgiveness. He is “still breathing out

murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples” and trying to capture as many as he can.

Some of you believe Jesus forgives sinners, but you struggle to believe He would forgive you. You

think, “If you knew what I’ve done, you would understand why I can’t come to Jesus.”

You know what you did. You know who you hurt. And you’ve started treating your past as proof that

you can’t come to Him.

Can I tell you something? Jesus knows more about your sin than you do. You don’t need to

make your past sound better than it was. Jesus knows what you’ve done, He knows who you’ve

hurt…and He went to the cross for you. He bore your guilt in His death and defeated death for you.

Your hope rests in what He’s already done.

There may still be consequences to face and relationships to repair. But you don’t have to straighten

everything out before you come to Jesus. You can be honest about your sin, turn from it, and trust

Him.

You don’t have to make yourself worthy. Just come! [PAUSE]

And church, there is another side to this. We can believe in grace for ourselves while quietly

deciding that someone else is too far gone: the family member who mocks your faith; the friend who

wants nothing to do with church; the person whose hostility makes you think, “They will never

change.”

You don’t know what Jesus may yet do in their life. When Acts 9 opens, Saul is making plans to

arrest Christians. There is nothing in his behavior to suggest that he is about to become one. But his

resistance does not put him beyond Jesus’ reach.

Think about the people in your life. Is there someone you’ve written off? Someone you’ve stopped

praying for because you’ve decided they’ll never believe?

Now, we have to understand, this doesn’t mean everyone will be saved—Acts 9 does not promise

that every person will respond like Saul did. But it does give us reason to keep praying, keep

inviting, and keep speaking about Jesus—even to people who seem least interested

So if you are ashamed, come to Jesus. And if you are praying for someone who seems far away,

keep praying.

Your past is not beyond His grace. Their resistance is not beyond His power.

Here’s a second thing:

2—SAYING YES TO JESUS MEANS JOINING HIS MISSION

Even though Jesus says, You will be my witnesses…and go and make disciples of all nations…

it’s possible that we miss it. Or ignore it.

We can be grateful for what Jesus has saved us from without giving much thought to what He has

saved us for. We want His forgiveness, but we still want to set our own priorities and decide how

much of our lives He can have…that’s not how it works.

Following Jesus means full surrender to Him. “Lord, who do you want me to love? Where do you

want me to serve? Who needs to hear about you? Whatever, wherever, whoever…I’m all in.”

You may never preach to a crowd, but you can speak to a friend. You can welcome someone others

avoid. You can come alongside a new believer. You can help someone take their next step with

Jesus, even when their past makes that complicated.

And you don’t have to wait until you feel fully prepared. Obedience often begins with the next

right step, not a complete picture of the future.

It most likely will cost you: comfort, time, even someone’s approval or friendship. But following

Jesus means trusting that He and His mission is worth that cost.

So where is He calling you to speak up? Who could you pray for, reach out to, or serve this week?

Jesus’ mission is not an extra for especially committed Christians. Every follower has a part.

The mission belongs to everyone who says, “yes” to Jesus.

Lastly,

3—CHANGED PEOPLE NEED THE CHURCH TO HELP THEM DEVELOP

Jesus changes us, but that does not mean we instantly know how to follow Him. We still need

teaching, encouragement, correction, and people who will walk beside us as we grow.

We see this with Saul in Acts 9. Jesus brings him into a family of people—the church—and they

receive him, baptize him, feed him, protect him. Ananias, Barnabas, and a whole bunch of other

brothers and sisters help Saul develop in his walk with Jesus.

Being changed by Jesus does not mean you are finished growing. Which means you need

more than a seat in a Sunday service. You need relationships with believers who know you well

enough to help you follow Jesus.

Let someone help you. Ask for prayer. Receive correction humbly. You do not have to pretend you

have everything together to belong here.

This also means…you have a responsibility to be that person for someone else. We can’t celebrate

someone’s conversion and then leave them to figure out the Christian life alone. Someone needs to

make the call, share the meal, open the Bible with them, and keep showing up—that’s discipleship

—making a disciple.

That’s not just the staff’s job. Or the elders. You and I are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers and

responsible for one another.

So here’s a question worth considering: Who is helping me grow and who am I helping?

Jesus brings people into His family. We need to make sure we treat them like family.

CONCLUSION

When Saul headed toward Damascus, he was planning to take followers of Jesus away as

prisoners. By the time he left, followers of Jesus were helping him spread the gospel.

Jesus had met him. The people he had come to arrest had received him as a brother. And the man

who wanted to silence the witnesses had become one.

WHATTA CHANGE!

And it began with Jesus—the same Savior who died for our sins and rose again, the One we’re

invited to come to and trust today…and every day.

So what is your next step in following Him?

If you need to come to Jesus—to turn from your sin, trust Him, and be baptized—we would love to

help you take that step. Before you leave today, come talk with us. You don’t have to repair your

whole past first. And you won’t have to figure out how to follow Him alone.

And if you’re already following Jesus, think about one person.

Maybe it’s that friend you’ve stopped praying for. Maybe it’s someone new to following Jesus who

needs some help. Or maybe you’re the one who needs help, and there’s someone you need to

reach out to. Who comes to mind?

Call them. Invite them to share a meal. Ask if you can sit down and read the Bible together. Or tell

them, “I could use some help. Could we talk?”

You don’t have to do all of those things. But make a plan to do something, today.

Church, Jesus has welcomed you by grace. And now, by that same grace, He invites you to be part

of what He's doing in someone else's life.

Because Jesus still changes people.

He still turns enemies into brothers.

He still turns skeptics into witnesses.

And He still uses ordinary followers to help people take their next step.

So take yours today.