From Wolf to Sheep to Shepherd Pastor Dan DeRushia 11/22/2015

Acts 9:1-30 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

Acts 9:1-30 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Acts 9:1-30 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.  Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

Acts 9:1-30 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

Acts 9:1-30 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

Acts 9:1-30 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Acts 9:1-30 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Acts 9:1-30 Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

Acts 9:1-30 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

Acts 9:1-30 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

Acts 9:1-30 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus Contemporary of Jesus

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus Contemporary of Jesus Devout Jewish Family

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus Contemporary of Jesus Devout Jewish Family Roman Citizen

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus Contemporary of Jesus Devout Jewish Family Roman Citizen Fluent in Greek & Hebrew

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus Contemporary of Jesus Devout Jewish Family Roman Citizen Fluent in Greek & Hebrew Top Student in Jewish School

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus Contemporary of Jesus Devout Jewish Family Roman Citizen Fluent in Greek & Hebrew Top Student in Jewish School Pharisee

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus Contemporary of Jesus Devout Jewish Family Roman Citizen Fluent in Greek & Hebrew Top Student in Jewish School Pharisee Zealous

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus Contemporary of Jesus Devout Jewish Family Roman Citizen Fluent in Greek & Hebrew Top Student in Jewish School Pharisee Zealous Leader in Persecution of Christians

10 Key Details about Saul of Tarsus Born in Tarsus Contemporary of Jesus Devout Jewish Family Roman Citizen Fluent in Greek & Hebrew Top Student in Jewish School Pharisee Zealous Leader in Persecution of Christians Complicit in Martyrdom of Stephen

Ananias The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

Ananias

Ananias- 7 Key Details First Christian to speak to Saul following Conversion

Ananias- 7 Key Details First Christian to speak to Saul following Conversion First Christian to Call Saul “Brother”

Ananias- 7 Key Details First Christian to speak to Saul following Conversion First Christian to Call Saul “Brother” Confirmed God’s Calling of Saul

Ananias- 7 Key Details First Christian to speak to Saul following Conversion First Christian to Call Saul “Brother” Confirmed God’s Calling of Saul God Used Him to Heal Saul

Ananias- 7 Key Details First Christian to speak to Saul following Conversion First Christian to Call Saul “Brother” Confirmed God’s Calling of Saul God Used Him to Heal Saul Likely Baptized Saul

Ananias- 7 Key Details First Christian to speak to Saul following Conversion First Christian to Call Saul “Brother” Confirmed God’s Calling of Saul God Used Him to Heal Saul Likely Baptized Saul Likely Fed Saul

Ananias- 7 Key Details First Christian to speak to Saul following Conversion First Christian to Call Saul “Brother” Confirmed God’s Calling of Saul God Used Him to Heal Saul Likely Baptized Saul Likely Fed Saul That’s It!

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear 1 John 4:17-19 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear Do not define the enemy by the evil that they do or did Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image,     in the image of God he created them;     male and female he created them.

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear Do not define the enemy by the evil that they do or did “the evil deed of the enemy neighbor (Saul), the thing that hurts, never quite expresses all that he is. An element of goodness may be found even in our worst enemy… This simply means that there is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear Do not define the enemy by the evil that they do or did

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear Do not define the enemy by the evil that they do or did Love Your Enemies Matthew 5:43-47 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear Do not define the enemy by the evil that they do or did Love your enemies

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear Do not define the enemy by the evil that they do or did Love your enemies “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear Do not define the enemy by the evil that they do or did Love your enemies

What Can We Learn from Ananias, Barnabas and the Early Church? The Love of God Drives out Fear Do not define the enemy by the evil that they do or did Love your enemies

“We must make a choice. Will we continue to march to the drum-beat of conformity and respectability, or will we, listening to the beat of a more distant drum, move to it’s echoing sounds? Will we march only to the music of time, or will we, risking criticism and abuse, march to the soulsaving music of eternity?” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The early church understood that the Love of God drives out fear The early church understood that the Love of God drives out fear. They purposed to love their enemies and pray for their persecutors. They knew not to define their enemy by the evil that they did because they too are made in the image of God and therefore have some good in them. And finally, they understood that love is the only effective way to transform hate.

Do we here at First Baptist Church in Cambridge Minnesota understand and believe the same things?

Do we here at First Baptist Church in Cambridge Minnesota understand and believe the same things? How then shall we live?