Damascus Road

Acts 8:4-13 (ESV) 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

To be sovereignty scattered:

• to sow throughout,
• distribute in foreign lands:
• scatter abroad.
• to disperse
• Scattering is unsettling because people are creatures of comfort.
• Scattering looks random.
• Within the random there is always God’s specific purpose. The man should seek God.

Acts 17:26 (NKJV) And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

Acts 9:1-7 (ESV) 1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 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 9:3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

1. Saul was not looking for Jesus.

1.1.  Paul was the vessel being used to scatter God’s people before Jesus appeared to Saul.

1.2.  Misplaced zeal.

1.2.1. His own zeal for his own noble purpose had blinded him to the truth.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV) In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

1.2.2. There was much misplaced zeal demonstrated in Saul’s desire to go to Damascus in the first place.
1.3. He was highly anticipating getting to Damascus.

1.3.1. Why Damascus?
1.3.1.1. Damascus was/is one of the oldest cities in history.

1.3.1.3.Abram even traveled seemingly to and through Damascus on his famous campaign of bringing people back to Jerusalem.

1.3.1.4. This was the city that when things happened mattered. 1.3.1.5. Paul was going to make a name for himself.
1.3.1.6. Which he did just not as he thought.

1.3.2.  He would have just travel upwards 140 miles on horseback and foot.

1.3.3.  Could have taken up to a week to get there.

1.4. When he approached Damascus his anticipation was high. Acts 9:3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus,

1.4.1.  Timing.

1.4.2.  Location.

1.4.3.  People prepared.

Acts 17:26 “and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings”

2. Jesus finds us, excepts us, as we are that no man should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Luke 19:10 (ESV) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

2.1.  Those whom the Lord chooses to use.

2.2.  Saul was the most unlikely candidate in human terms for salvation andnthis calling.

2.3.  There is a humility and brokenness that comes over a person.

2.4.  Paul later embarked on four main missionary journeys, traveling about 9,150 miles (14,725 km) in 14 years.

3. They led him by the hand.

3.1.  In Paul’s case there was a lot of zeal to break down.

3.2.  When Christ shows up in our life the pursuits we are zealously pursuing change in one encounter.

3.3.  (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible) How near to us is the unseen world! It is but for God to draw aside the veil, and objects are presented to the view, compared with which, whatever is most admired on earth is mean and contemptible.

3.4.  But it was broken down immediately.

3.5.  There was no more fighting from that day.

3.6.  There was no more misplaced zeal from that day.

3.7.  There was no more pride in his personal accomplishments from that day.

3.8.  One of greater value captured his zeal.

4. How much one will suffer……

Acts 9:16 (ESV) For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

4.1.  There was a measure of suffering that was going to happen in Paul’s life to make him into he vessel he was needed to be for the Lord.

4.2.  But think this not strange….

Hebrews 5:8-9 (NKJV) 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

4.3. Perfection can only come from the challenges that the grace of God gets us through in life.