Acts 9:1-9

One undergoes change when he comes to Jesus.› “Do you not know that all of us who have been

baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:3-4, ESV).

› “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24, ESV).

The Gospel brought great change to Saul of Tarsus.› When Saul is first introduced, he’s persecuting

the church. Those who killed Stephen laid their coat at Saul’s

feet (Acts 7:58). Saul consented to Stephen’s death (Acts 8:1). “Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house

after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison” (Acts 8:3, ESV). “Ravage” used of a wild boar’s destruction of a

vineyard (Ps 80:13). Women were usually spared from this type of brutality.

Yet, Saul had an encounter on his way to Damascus that forever changed his life & church history.› Acts 9:1-9.› As we look at “The Truth about Repentance,”

we see: The Truth of Tradition. The Truth of Tumbling. The Truth of Teaching. The Truth of Transformation.

The Truth of Traditionvv 1-2

Saul was caught up in tradition – doing what he had always done.› He was a major persecutor of the church.› “But Saul, still breathing threats and murder

against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2, ESV).

Paul was doing what he believed was right.› Before his conversion, Saul was “a Hebrew of

Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (Phil 3:5-6, ESV).

› Paul told the Sanhedrin that he had lived his life in all good conscience (Acts 23:1). Paul really wanted to do what is right. This illustrates two important principles.

One: The conscience is not necessarily a safe guide. Two: Religious individuals can be lost.

What does this have to do with us?

Paul believed the “Truth of Tradition” & we can also believe that “truth.”› We can follow our conscience straight to the

gates of hell.› We can sit in a pew every Sunday & still hear

Jesus say, “Depart from me; I never knew you.” The outward motions don’t matter one whit if my

heart isn’t right with God! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For

you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean” (Matt 23:25-26, ESV).

We dare not get caught up in the “truth” of tradition!

Truth of Tumblevv 3-9

Saul took quite a tumble in this text.› Not only did he fall to the ground, but his total

worldview changed.

“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank” (vv 3-9, ESV).

Saul’s perspective underwent a radical change!

If we are to repent, we must undergo a radical change in thinking.› The Prodigal Son did!

He wanted the share of the inheritance that was coming to him.

When his money ran out, he realized what a mistake he had made.

› For the Prodigal Son to repent, he had to reach “rock bottom.”

Several have undergone the same realization as the Prodigal Son & Saul.› Peter underwent that transformation after he

denied Jesus.› The jailer in Philippi underwent that

transformation when he washed Paul & Barnabas’ stripes.

› The sorcerers in Ephesus underwent that transformation when they burned their books of magic.

› Do you need to undergo that transformation yourself?

Truth of Teachervv 17-19

“Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened” (vv 17-19, ESV).

Saul needed a teacher to know what to do.› Jesus simply told Saul that he would be told what

to do.› Why didn’t Jesus tell Saul what to do?

The privilege of preaching has been given to men! When the Ethiopian eunuch was on his way back

from Jerusalem, an angel told Philip to join himself to the chariot.

Jesus instructed his disciples to share his message.› “Go . . . and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19, ESV).

› “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Lk 24:46-47, ESV).

› “We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Cor 4:7, ESV).

Each of us has had the truth of God explained to us by a teacher.

How can we not explain the truth to others?

Truth of Transformationvv 20-22

“Immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ And all who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?’ But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ” (vv 20-22, ESV).

Repentance is never complete without a transformation of life.› “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him

labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Eph 4:28, ESV).

› Not only is there a huge shift in perspective, but there is a huge shift in action.

The Apostle Paul is a wonderful example of that transformation.› Saul of Tarsus is on his way to Damascus to

persecute Christians, but Saul the Christian preaches the Christ.

› Saul of Tarsus doesn’t believe that Jesus is the Christ, but Saul the Christian proves that he is the Christ.

There must be a shift in behavior when we come to Jesus.› Have you demonstrated that change in behavior?› Do you need to demonstrate it tonight?