Turning to Acts chapter 9 here this morning.
Acts chapter 9 and I want to continue
on from where we were last week.
Last week we dealt with the power of
regeneration but this week I want to continue
on the same chapter and the same verses
dealing with the continuation.
That's why I said last week don't take
it as a message in itself.
What I'm going to deal with this morning
is so very important.
My message this morning, the importance of the
local church, the importance of the local church.
Reading from Acts chapter 9 and verse 8.
And Saul arose from the earth and when
his eyes were opened he saw no man
but they led him by the hand and
brought him into Damascus and he was three
days without sight and neither did eat nor
drink and there was a certain disciple at
Damascus named Ananias and to him said the
Lord in a vision, Ananias and he said
behold I am here Lord and the Lord
said unto him arise and go into the
street which is called straight and inquire in
the house of Judas for one called Saul
of Tarsus for behold he prayeth and has
seen in a vision a man named Ananias
coming in and putting his hands on him
that he might receive his sight.
Then Ananias answered Lord I have heard by
many of this man how much evil he
has done to thy saints at Jerusalem and
here he has authority from the chief priests
to bind all that call on thy name
but the Lord said unto him go thy
way for he is a chosen vessel unto
me to bear my name before the Gentiles
and kings and the children of Israel for
I will show him how great things he
must suffer for my name's sake and Ananias
went his way and entered into the house
and putting his hands on him said brother
Saul the Lord even Jesus that appeared unto
thee in the way as thou camest has
sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight
and be filled with the Holy Ghost and
immediately there fell from his eyes as it
had been scales and he received sight forthwith
and arose and was baptized and when he
had received meat he was strengthened then was
Saul certain days with the disciples which were
at Damascus and straightway he preached Christ in
the synagogues that he is the Son of
God but all that heard him were amazed
and said is not this he that destroyed
them which called on this name in Jerusalem
and came he hither not for that intent
that he might bring them bound unto the
chief priests but Saul increased them more in
strength and confounded the Jews which dwelt of
Damascus proving that this is the very Christ
let's pray here this morning father I do
pray that you speak to us that you
reveal to each one of us the absolute
vital importance of the local church to all
of those that are regenerate born again changed
and indwelt by the Spirit of God father
I do thank you God that you didn't
leave Saul of Tarsus and his blindness and
his loneliness and his isolation and the confusion
of his thoughts my God you sent a
man you sent a certain disciple you sent
a born-again believer a brother in Christ
to lay hands upon him my God and
they say brother Saul my God what a
miracle the body of Christ is thank you
that you operate through the body that you
place us in a body that you send
good brothers and sisters on to us to
minister healing to minister the spirit to minister
the things of God and father I do
thank you that you you surrounded Saul of
Tarsus with the right people at the right
time to minister the right thing nor God
to prepare him as a chosen vessel unto
the Lord father speak to us this morning
nor God make it beautiful the body of
Christ that you have created that you raise
up of your Holy Spirit we love you
Lord Jesus and we acknowledge you as the
head of this body we are submitted as
individual members there is only one head of
the Church of Jesus Christ and we acknowledge
you as God as our Sovereign Lord as
High King of the Church of Jesus Christ
blessed be your name amen last week we
dealt with the power of regeneration in the
message last week as I finished that I
left you looking at Saul in a state
of blindness here this morning by the time
I finish you're gonna see that his eyes
are wide open to great revelations given by
God last week when we finish we see
Saul being led into Damascus blind and by
the hand by the end of this message
you're gonna see him leading men to Jesus
Christ last week when we finish we seen
him sitting alone in silence and isolation but
by the end of this message we're gonna
see him standing publicly preaching Jesus Christ last
week we seen him sitting in frailty and
weakness not even able to guide himself but
this week right by the time I'm finished
we're gonna see him in great strength and
victory in spirit last week he was saved
but this week he'll be saved sanctified spirit
filled and separated to the ministry of preaching
Christ and him crucified you see what is
the difference between what I preached last week
and what I'm gonna preach this week what
is it that makes a difference he was
a regenerate man where we left him last
week but the man I'm gonna deal with
here where we're gonna leave him today he
is a very different man he was born
again last week but he's not the man
I'm gonna show you by the end of
today what happened between the end of last
week's message and what will be the end
of this message what is it that makes
the difference and this man called Saul of
Tarsus you see there's certain things happen in
all of our lives that move us from
a certain place to another spiritual place from
sitting alone in a home on that street
called straight sitting there blind with many questions
in the mind to moving you to a
place where you have moved out boldly filled
with the Spirit of God something happens in
that short window of opportunity since we all
need those seasons because it moves us we
all need those experiences what am I saying
happen in that short period of time what
is it that took soul from a converted
man radically saved to being on the high
street preaching can I tell you this morning
and this is my message the importance of
the local church you see I believe in
Acts chapter 9 the verses we just read
the outstanding mark of it is Saul of
Tarsus who was regenerate only God can save
a man only the Spirit of God can
change a person's heart only the Spirit of
God can turn you from being a persecutor
to a witness who loves Jesus Christ only
the Spirit of God can do that but
what is it that makes the difference here
I want to show you that one of
the first things Christ done was to introduce
Saul of Tarsus to a local church this
was of utmost importance you see there was
a persecution against the church in the book
of Acts from the stoning of Stephen until
the conversion of Saul of Tarsus there was
a short period of unbelievable persecution every Christian
was under threat every believer was in danger
of their very life but after Saul's conversion
after he becomes a regenerate man listen to
what it says in here in Acts chapter
9 and 31 then when after Saul's conversion
then had the church's rest throughout all of
Judea and Galilee and Samaria that's three large
regions to know what that tells me Saul
of Tarsus was the driving force behind the
persecution of churches across many times and many
cities he was the main instrument the main
vessel of persecution against the first revival and
the first churches and the first leaders of
the of the body of Christ this was
the man that most radically opposed it and
yet let that man get saved let him
meet with the living Christ and you know
what it says that all the churches had
rest and were edified walking in the fear
of the Lord and in the comfort of
the Holy Ghost and they were multiplied you
see I believe that after Saul's conversion the
most important thing we do see here is
in being introduced to a thing called the
church he persecuted it he saw it he
saw its preachers die he persecuted the members
of it he had an effect upon it
and yet he never really knew what the
body of Christ was or the local church
you see I believe as he's on the
way to Damascus letter in hand saying I
am going to destroy the church every Christian
in the city of Damascus I am gonna
lead them to Jerusalem to be in prison
do you know what was happening amongst the
believers of Damascus I believe they were praying
the church in Damascus was praying Paul didn't
know that our soul didn't know that but
that church says that man is coming to
imprison us to persecute us so they began
to pray but little could they have realized
that very shortly he is going to join
that church he is going to become a
member of that church can I warn you
here this morning that maybe someone who attacks
you violently someone who hates you someone who
would want to destroy your testimony may well
get born again and join this church and
in fact it could be vital for the
trip for the future of Jesus Christ it
goes on and when what we dealt with
last week when Christ dealt with Saul the
first thing he said to him was Saul
Saul why persecute us thou me?
Now Saul wasn't persecuting Jesus he'd never met
Jesus he never heard the voice of Christ
he never seen the face of Jesus but
when Jesus said Saul why are you persecuting
me you know what he's saying you touch
Stephen you touch those men and women that's
my church when you touch the church you
touch me if you persecuted you persecuted me
if you lie to it you've lied to
me if you disturb it you've disturbed me
if you divide it and cause disunity you
have done that to me you know what
Christ was beginning to reveal at the time
of his conversion I am the head and
there is a body on the earth and
you know what I am joined to it
I feel what it feels and he said
again I am Jesus whom thou persecute us
you know what he's beginning to reveal to
Saul and on the day of his conversion
I have a church and you've been touching
that church but you know what I'm gonna
make you a member of that church I
am here to change your life the way
you were you wouldn't have fitted in here
you would have you would have killed a
lot of them but when I finish with
you you're gonna become a vital member of
the body of Christ do you know what
Saul responded Lord what will thou have me
to do and the Lord said unto him
arise go into the city and it shall
be told thee what thou must do now
listen carefully he has just met the living
Christ a resurrected Christ heard his voice seen
his glory he has been radically changed he
believes this is the Messiah no he believes
Jesus has risen from the dead he didn't
believe that before but here he is a
regenerate born-again man and you know what
Christ says what do you want me to
do you know what at this moment I'm
not going to tell you here here the
risen Christ revealed to you I'm not gonna
tell you I want you to go into
the city and I want you to wait
there and you know what I am going
to tell you once you're there what you
must do that's the first step you know
there's people got saved in this city they've
never made the first step they are regenerate
and they have never made the first step
of going to the place where Christ can
now lead them and show them what he
wants to do they're gazing into the sky
saying Lord speak to me and nothing is
coming to them they are sitting waiting they're
blind they're alone they're isolated and they're in
their hearts and they're looking for something to
happen you need to make the first step
here this morning I do have a message
for you and it's going to involve a
man called Ananias a simple disciple it says
in Acts chapter 9 and verse 10 and
there was a certain disciple at Damascus named
Ananias look at him he's not an apostle
he's not a preacher he's not a pastor
he's not a teacher we're not even told
he's an elder we're told nothing about him
a certain disciple which is at Damascus over
in chapter 22 we read and one Ananias
a devout man according to the law having
a good report of all the Jews that
dwelt there you know who Ananias was he
was from a Jewish family a Jewish background
and you know what as far as the
Jews go he was a devout man according
to the law according to the law of
God he was an upright he was a
righteous man he was a holy man but
he was more than that he was a
born-again man who knew Jesus he was
a member of a local church in the
city of Damascus here tonight or here this
morning it might be tonight by the time
I'm finished but here in this message listen
carefully the importance of the local church I
have eight simple things here in the text
that we have just read that show the
importance of the local church at Damascus to
Saul of Tarsus after he was regenerate God
done the miracle in his heart but the
Lord says I'm not going to speak to
you I'm going to send someone to you
and you've got to be in the right
place for that I want you to take
the first step go into that city and
wait on me and you know how Christ
is going to come to him next he's
going to come working in the members of
his body he has chosen life there are
eight things here that happen all and six
of them happen all in one day through
one man one member of the body of
Christ and two of them happen over a
short period of time through the entire local
church this was vital for Saul let me
give them to you these eight things here
this morning as we see the importance of
the local church and the life of a
new Christian a new regenerate believer called Saul
of Tarsus number one the sovereign supernatural gifts
of the Holy Spirit I'm talking about nine
supernatural gifts that are written about in 1
Corinthians 12 through to 14 and you know
what those gifts are found in the local
church the local body and the members of
the local church look with me in chapter
9 verse 10 to him said the Lord
in a vision Jesus came unexpectedly to Ananas
and he said behold I am here Lord
look at this instantaneous you know what he's
not surprised that Christ would show my vision
he's not surprised that Jesus is alive no
not at all he's not surprised that Jesus
would speak to him but you know what
he's going to be very surprised that the
message that Christ gives to him very very
surprised Lord here I am and the Lord
said unto him arise arise God is actually
meeting here with with Ananas in a vision
he comes to him and he says I
want you to get up and I want
you to get out of your house and
I want you to go to Saul of
Tarsus well Ananas had heard all about him
you know what no way are you gonna
get Ananas going to visit Saul with the
knowledge he has he has heard from many
that he's on his way to persecute he
goes he's the greatest enemy of the body
of Christ he hates me he'll kill me
if he sees me so what does the
Lord do the Lord has to bring a
vision now what is a vision a vision
is not one of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit it's not a dream is not
a gift of the Holy Spirit it is
not it's not one of the nine guests
you know what a dream and a vision
is it is a means by which God
can operate his guests all it is a
dream or a vision is a means of
communication and so Jesus appears to Ananas Jesus
appeared it wasn't just a vision Jesus used
the dream to speak to Ananas and to
reveal factual information on to him I believe
it was actually a word of knowledge not
just a prophecy the gifts of the Spirit
were operating here and he gave him facts
he gave him a street name he gave
him a house address he he told him
who would be in that house he gave
the name Saul of Tarsus remember the guy
you've heard about Saul of Tarsus and you
know what I'll tell you what he's doing
he is praying and I'll tell you what
else he's blind and I need you to
go and lay hands on him so that
he's going to see I'm telling you his
physical condition his spiritual condition I'm telling you
the address he's at and I'm telling you
what I want you to do since it
was in a vision you know the difference
between a dream and a vision a dream
is at night when you're asleep a vision
is when you're awake you get a vision
when you have all your faculties your eyes
are open you're there in whatever situation and
you have a word from the Lord I
mean a vision that is what a vision
is you have you're awake all your faculties
are there what does he say arise and
go into the street which is called straight
it's still there today in Damascus and inquire
in the house of Judas for one called
Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth and
has seen in a vision a man named
Ananas coming in and putting his hands on
him that he might receive his sight do
you see what happened here not only did
God give this vision to Ananas but in
the vision he says you know what I've
given Saul a vision as well and I
told Saul your name and I've told him
what you're gonna do that you're gonna come
to him and that you're gonna pray for
him lay hands on him and his eyes
are gonna be open so look at this
you have a new Christian saved three days
who has never been in the local church
never been a member of a church and
there he is in darkness and blindness and
he's all alone with all of his thoughts
but his life has changed and Christ gives
him a vision says Saul don't worry this
is the next step I'm sending a man
to you why do you think Christ didn't
heal him well why do you think Christ
didn't just baptize him in the Holy Ghost
why don't you just think that Christ on
everything you know why Christ has a body
a church members that he actually works through
so here are two visions why did he
get two visions one the soul said he's
coming and he's gonna pray for you and
why did he give it to Ananas and
said look I I want you to do
this here he is and you know what
I've given him a vision saying what you're
gonna do so Christ arranged it on both
sides and he's trying to bring the happy
couple together somewhere in the middle you see
why does Christ give two visions to confirm
it to verify it to make sure that
both of their hearts are settled to establish
it do you know when you know this
is real the gifts of the Holy Spirit
when they're supernatural and you know nobody could
have planned this no man could do this
no man could possibly arrange this it's gotta
be Christ do you know the confidence that
that brings since I'm telling you this is
Saul's first encounter with the real body of
Christ he is going to find out the
gifts of the Spirit are real when Christ
gives a word of knowledge it is very
very real Ananas was neither surprised about the
vision or Christ speaking but he was about
the message master he persecuted the church don't
you know God had to show this vision
to him to settle his heart you realize
that God uses gifts to settle your heart
so that you'll have confidence God is in
this it's not me it's not my imagination
I am being led by the Spirit of
God some of you here will not do
certain things unless God speaks to you unless
he operates through the gifts of the Holy
Spirit you see Christ was commanding him to
go and do this but he's a human
being he is a normal guy with fears
and prejudice and concerns oh if I have
all these fears or worries God can never
use me in the gifts of the Spirit
God could never give me a vision because
I've got doubts and concerns Ananas was terrified
here oh Lord not me please not today
Lord please not this man the greatest enemy
of the church and you want me to
go to him do you realize he's using
a clay vessel a man with normal feelings
and normal thoughts who's going hold on you're
telling me the supernatural revelation you're giving me
all these facts Lord there's some things you
don't know you you really don't know you're
making a big mistake here since I'm telling
you the gifts operate through flesh and blood
Saul of Tarsus is just about to find
himself caught up into a dimension this doesn't
happen amongst Pharisees it didn't happen in the
temple in Jerusalem here are normal men and
women receiving divine revelation to bring about the
will of God and the purpose of God
can I remind you who this new convert
is he's only saved three days he's regenerate
but you know what he is the one
who's going to write 1 Corinthians chapter 12
through to chapter 14 he's going to be
the one who writes more on the gifts
of the Holy Spirit than any man in
church history he is the man that's going
to teach the church about the gifts but
that wasn't the start of the gifts the
gifts were already all operating way before Paul
wrote it and 1 Corinthians chapter 12 oh
I was on an ass and Saul to
know that this was God you can't afford
to be wrong if you're on an ass
I do not want to be going knocking
on the door on that door saying hey
it's all of Tarsus there I'm a Christian
I'm a local believer I'm your welcoming party
you don't want to make a mistake you
know what I believe there is an assurance
with the real gifts of the Spirit there
is such either it's radically wrong or it's
radically right there is no in-between and
that's something remarkable the gifts of the Spirit
are supernatural he will be at that address
he will be in a state of blindness
his heart will be open he is going
to get healed when I go on to
him you can have that assurance when it's
the real gifts of the Holy Spirit do
you realize that these gifts had to be
supernatural to introduce Paul to the body of
Christ look work could Christ have done all
this side on the road yes he could
have but he says you know what I
want you to go into the city and
then I'm gonna start my work through normal
members of the body that's the first thing
sovereign supernatural gifts when you come into the
local church there is a realm in the
church where the gifts of the Holy Spirit
are revealed since they may not always operate
when we think they should operate but I'll
show you I can give hundreds of testimonies
of the genuine operation of the gift that
operated at the right time when I needed
it thank God even here we read about
healing as well maybe the gift of healing
was in operation but secondly brotherly love this
new three-day year old three-day Christian
soul of Tarsus with a radical conversion is
introduced to the love of the Lord Jesus
Christ look with me in verse 17 an
ananas went his way and he entered into
the house and putting his hands upon him
said brother Saul what a dynamite statement brother
Saul you better be sure about that then
over in chapter 22 verse 13 and it
says again Paul testified he came unto me
and stood and said unto me brother Saul
do you realize Paul never forgot that sentence
brother Saul it is the first time Saul
is ever being called brother by another Christian
he'd never heard that before here is a
stranger that he's only seen in a vision
and he's standing and he's put his hands
on him and he says brother Saul brother
Saul do you know the word brother means
to be birthed out of the same womb
it means we come from the same source
we've had the same experience we are family
now can you imagine Saul of Tarsus say
three days and you're laying hands on him
and saying brother brother I love you I
love you you see Saul was introduced to
the love of God in this house Christ
had prepared him I'm sending a real brother
to you I'm sending someone to you that's
gonna embrace you you know where he was
when Ananias came in he was blind he
was alone he was quiet he was waiting
he desperately needed the local body he desperately
needed real Christians he desperately needed someone to
stretch out their hand and say brother brother
Saul be very careful with the love of
God in your heart towards those that we
meet along the way and laying hands on
him it meant acceptance reception and the blessing
of God he was not a part of
the family of God with a common identity
with a common identity since the local church
is where new Christians experience the love of
God remember what brother soup ministered there the
other week and may continue with is this
love of God where is it written about
where did brother soup turn to when he
wanted to preach on love charity love and
action where did he turn to he turned
to one Corinthians 13 and he began to
read that beautiful chapter about charity the love
of God in action who was it wrote
that it was a man who's sitting in
darkness and blindness with all of his thoughts
had someone come and say brother Saul do
you realize they never forgot that the first
time a Christian said you are my brother
because you met Christ and I met Christ
and that makes this family this is a
miracle it is a remarkable thing you know
a little bit later three years later we
read about Saul going up to Jerusalem and
remember what I said here when the Lord
says I want you to go to him
what they say no way this man is
after me do you realize if the love
of God had not conquered that he would
never have gone near Saul he wouldn't have
tried to hand him a tract on the
high street would you guys hey there's Saul
of Tarsus as soup tries to grab Rory
no no not him no Rory goes charging
said I'll give him a gospel tract as
soup tries to hide behind the street bin
or something else since it is real what
happens Ananas was scared of Saul of Tarsus
but the love of God overcome it was
a very very real thing but look at
verse 26 and when Saul was come to
Jerusalem he is three years later he has
saved to join himself to the disciples but
they were all afraid of him and believed
not that he was a disciple Ananias didn't
initially believe us the Church of Jerusalem with
its twelve Apostles didn't believe it they're scared
so what did God do in Damascus he
had to have an Ananias who had love
in his heart who says I believe he's
been changed and the Church in Jerusalem there
had to be a Barnabas members Barnabas who
no one believed that the Barnabas said I
believe you'd been changed and he brought Saul
to the Apostles and said you're changed you're
born again yes yes I am you see
the Bible says in Galatians 5 and 6
faith which worketh by love do you realize
you need faith before that love operates you
see how could he if he didn't have
faith to believe he's been changed why would
he go and show him love you see
you've got to have faith out of real
faith comes a real love towards those who
don't deserve it I'm telling you this is
what you find in the body of Christ
brotherly love acceptance since we may be scared
at times we may fail in our love
but we must manifest the real brotherly love
to every soul that comes in that door
third of all divine healing I'm talking about
a convert of three days who he's discovered
gifts are real these gifts are supernatural this
love is real I've been brought right in
man I wonder what he's done about his
letter that was given by the high priest
it says there's your authority go and kill
the Christians in Damascus go and imprison them
here's soldiers to take with you I wonder
what he done did it drop in the
fireplace the day of his conversion or maybe
when he's getting baptized in water it just
floated down the river I don't know I
really don't know but this third point divine
healing he had never experienced healing before never
seen anyone healed before he'd heard that the
false Messiah healed people but he never experienced
it but he is in the body of
Christ he is being brought right into a
real church verse 17 brother Saul the Lord
Jesus even Jesus that appeared unto thee in
the way as thou camest has sent me
that thou mightest receive thy sight and then
in verse 18 and immediately there fell from
his eyes as it had been scaled and
he received his sight forthwith it was Ananas
laying hands on him that brought that healing
Christ said I want you to go and
do it Christ also said to Saul I'm
gonna do this for you here as hands
are laid on his eyes are healed there
is a miracle of healing do you realize
Saul later as Paul the Apostle writes about
healing and the gifts of healing and all
of the various things that happen but you
know where it began it began with him
having his own eyes healed this is the
third thing you realize there's gifts of healing
in the church not just one gift many
gifts there's also the prayer of faith to
be prayed by the elders with the anointing
of oil for those who are sick it's
not my job to go to you when
you're sick you are to call for the
elders to anoint with oil the healing is
the children's bread why didn't Christ heal him
out on the road to Damascus outside the
city why did Christ not heal him he
had the power to he could answer Saul's
prayers for three days he must have said
Lord will you heal me very shortly I
will but I'll send someone who's gonna pray
for you and lay hands on you do
you know Christ chooses to use men and
women I can't heal neither can you heal
but Christ actually chooses to use normal men
and women a member of the body of
Christ do you know what Christ has shown
Saul there is a body the year to
be reliant upon fourth of all being filled
with the Holy Spirit again verse 17 and
the Lord even Jesus has sent me that
thou mightest be filled with the Holy Spirit
of God since he not only got healed
on this day he not only had an
experience of the love of God and of
the gifts of the Holy Spirit as the
hands are still upon him he is about
to get filled with the Holy Spirit three
days before he got born again to be
born again or have the Spirit live in
you is different than being filled with the
Holy Spirit that word filled means you're so
full nothing else can get in there you
know what it means to be filled that
you're filled the capacity you're actually full of
the Holy Spirit of God you go I've
got no room for anger I've got no
room for bitterness bitterness God has poured in
his Holy Spirit to me I mean I
am overflowing with the Holy Spirit there is
an experience where the Holy Spirit not only
indwells you but he comes to fill you
you see Saul had already met Christ he
was born again he was already changed he
was going in a different direction he was
already called a brother as a member of
the body of Christ he's already been healed
but he has never ever been filled with
the Holy Spirit of God can I ask
you this morning have you been filled with
the Holy Spirit of God he was already
a part of the body but had not
experienced this dynamic work on the third day
you have this all through the Acts look
in Acts chapter 2 you have a hundred
and twenty believers men women children they're all
regenerate they're washed in the blood they're actually
in communion with God but they have never
been filled with the Holy Spirit of God
but in Acts chapter 2 that's what happens
they love Jesus they're in a prayer meeting
they're walking with God but they get filled
with the Holy Spirit of God and speak
in tongues what about in Samaria and Acts
chapter 8 we read of Philip the Evangelist
he leads thousands of them to the Lord
they're born again the joy of God is
there miracles of healing surely they must have
everything oh no there's more there is more
Philip the Evangelist seen the entire city stirred
for God but there's more it says the
church in Jerusalem sent on Peter and John
to lay hands on them that they might
receive the Holy Spirit because none of them
in that community had received the Spirit yet
they were born again they had the joy
of God they were seeing miracles but they
weren't baptized in the Holy Spirit but you
know what happened when Peter and John came
down and began to lay hands on them
as the hands were laid on them instantly
they are filled with the Holy Spirit of
God or what about in Acts chapter 10
and chapter 11 and Cornelius's house Peter is
sent there remember an angel spoke to Cornelius
send for Peter he's gonna preach to you
so he sends messengers what happens just before
Peter has a vision he's wide awake it's
during the day he has a vision three
men are coming to your house today I
want you to go with them and I
want you to they're Gentiles oh no master
I won't go with them yes you will
yes you will see why the gifts operate
some of you are so prejudiced some of
you's have prejudice and me I'm sure we
have prejudice we don't let all realize there
it could take a work of the Spirit
of God to get you to go to
someone with the gospel you say I can't
go there I can't go to their house
why not why not maybe the Lord will
give you a vision or a dream and
say I want you to go with them
no Lord you don't understand I want you
to go with them you see it's very
very real and we know that when Peter
went to Cornelius's house they believed the gospel
and the Holy Spirit's poured out and they're
filled with the Spirit or what about in
Acts chapter 19 we read about 12 disciples
who have been followers of John the Baptist
message they believe but they haven't been filled
with the Holy Spirit of God as Saul
or Paul lays hands on them they're filled
with the Holy Spirit of God what happened
to Saul here he had a real experience
of being filled with the Holy Spirit of
God he didn't get it out on the
highway it wasn't Christ personally done that Christ
operated through the body through the church since
I'm not confining it to that we knew
that Paul brother Paul was at home nine
nine thirty at night I'll never forget it
I spoke to him in the morning he
said brother keep I'm trying to be filled
I'm saved three years whatever it was I'm
praying I'm praying everyone's prayed for me I
just smiled at him said just receive brother
receive I went home had my dinner my
heart smoked me and I went Candace I
felt so bad I went I've left he
got more for his face when I said
just receive brother it's easy just receive honey
and he went away cringing my heart smoked
me do you know I refilled the Lord
said go to your bookshelf get that little
booklet give it to him tonight I refilled
it was the Lord I went to him
give brother Paul the little booklet receive without
tarrying without waiting just receive I give it
to him says I really believe the Lord
one should read this he's been trying to
get filled everyone had laid hands on him
nothing had happened well that night about 930
at night I got a text I've just
been filled with the Holy Spirit of God
here in my house the Spirit of God
filled me you don't need a person there
but we are the body of Christ healing
is in the midst of God's people there
is a baptism in the Holy Spirit but
there's also more point five the call of
God the call of God this all happens
on the same day it's remarkable in verse
15 as Ananias is standing there look what
the Lord said but the Lord said unto
him go thy way for he is a
chosen vessel unto me to bear my name
before the Gentiles and Kings and the children
of Israel he hasn't gone to see him
yet and the Lord says I want to
tell you he's a chosen vessel he is
an elect vessel an elect instrument of my
hand he's not just someone passing through I
have chosen him he is a vessel I'm
gonna use and you know what I'm gonna
send him to many Kings this won't happen
for at least begin to happen for another
10 to 15 years now all these years
he's gonna pass through this is before Ananias
goes in the house do you know there's
a great call on this young convert he's
only saved three days and I'm telling you
he's a chosen vessel to preach to Kings
and not only the Jews to go and
preach to Gentile nations this is a chosen
call vessel who's gonna be used in the
kingdom of God God revealed that do you
know God can reveal that you know I
was in a church of ministry once and
it was very strange for a period of
six years anyone who walked through the door
that was going to join that ministry instantly
I knew it I mean over a six
-year period without fail there wasn't one person
I thought would join who didn't and there
wasn't one person who joined who I thought
wouldn't and I mean I don't know that
but for six years that happened without fail
that there was a knowledge of that I
don't know how I don't know how but
it was amazing to watch the reality of
that God or Christ revealed to Ananias the
calling on this young convert only three days
saved but then over in chapter 22 listen
to what it says and he Ananias said
speaking to Saul on that day the God
of our fathers has chosen thee that thou
shouldest know his will and see the just
one and shouldest hear the voice of his
mouth for thou shalt be a witness unto
all men as he's nearly enhanced he's been
healed he's been filled with the spirit and
now with his hand still on him he
has said God has chosen you God has
chosen you do you think this was news
that Saul didn't know do you think this
convert of three days didn't know he was
a chosen vessel listen again to what it
says in chapter 26 remember there's three stories
of this chapter 26 verse 15 and I
said who art thou Lord this is Saul's
conversion on the road when he's getting regenerate
and he that is Christ said I am
Jesus whom thou persecutest but rise stand upon
thy feet for I have appeared unto thee
for this purpose to make thee a minister
and a witness both of those things which
thou has seen and of the things which
thou which which I will appear unto thee
deliver me from the people and from the
Gentiles unto whom thou I send thee do
you realize the call of God is revealed
in the church do you realize that the
call of God to preach to minister to
be a chosen vessel is upon your life
God will use the church to confirm that
he will literally use it you see it
was Christ who called Saul on the on
the day he was saved he said you're
a chosen vessel I'm gonna show you I'm
gonna use you that doesn't always happen but
it did with Saul on the day he
was born again you're gonna preach this gospel
one of these days three days later as
Ananas comes in he says do you know
you're a chosen vessel Christ the same one
who met with you has shown me that
you're a chosen vessel what confirmation do you
realize that in the life of Saul of
Tarsus the church in Damascus as well as
Antioch was used for his calling his preparation
his commission and his separation and is sending
out to the mission field since I'm showing
you all these things in the local body
six of them happened all on the same
day but two of them would happen over
the next period number six and verse 18
and it says he that is Saul arose
and was baptized it's all about being baptized
in water three days later when Ananas is
there he gets up and goes and gets
baptized in water over in chapter 22 verse
14 and it says and this is Ananas
speaking to him after his healing after being
filled with the Spirit after receiving the call
of God he actually says to him and
now why tarryest thou what are you waiting
for do you hear me you've been filled
with the spirit you've been healed you're regenerate
you're born again and you know you're born
again and you know Christ is real and
alive what are you waiting for arise and
be baptized and wash away thy sins calling
on the name of the Lord you know
what Ananas said hey get up let's go
get you baptized in water I don't know
whether they use the bath the pool outside
or the river down the road I just
don't know I wonder if they gathered the
other disciples locally but they said hey hey
Bojo get up let's go baptize you in
water notice in our day there's a lot
of things lacking baptism but not in the
Bible true baptism only comes after you've repented
you put faith in the blood of Christ
you've separated yourself from sin and it's the
response of a good conscience saying I know
I'm born again I know that I'm regenerate
I've seen a lot of people go through
waters of baptism claiming a lot they've never
stopped their sin they're still living out in
that world you see this is the man
who would later write Romans chapter 6 the
spiritual meaning of water baptism and yet here
he is a certain normal disciple is putting
them down into the world I baptize you
into the death the burial and the resurrection
of Jesus Christ many years later he's gonna
ride on this he's gonna impact the churches
but here he is submitting to water baptism
he had already met Christ being changed called
a brother healed filled with the spirit but
no he was commanded urged instructed to rise
up and to go be baptized in water
have you been baptized in water since you
were a generous since you've been born again
have you responded with a good conscience to
be baptized in water number seven just give
me a couple of minutes and I'll finish
verse 19 discipleship these next two things happened
over a very short period of time verse
19 and when he that is so had
received meat he'd been fasting for three days
I assure you if some people only fasted
we'd see more healing more fillings of the
spirit more calls of God after three days
of prayer and fasting soul of Tarsus had
not touched food or water for three entire
days he's there alone he's in blindness but
it says after all this happens on that
third day and when he had received me
now you know you're a Christian disciple you're
sitting with other believers and you're eaten and
it goes on to say he was strengthened
you know after a time of fasting come
aside and be strengthened again so now entered
into fellowship not just with Ananias he is
part of the local church here in Damascus
this is a remarkable thing he joined the
local church that he came to destroy he
had a letter to persecute them he had
anger venom and hatred and now he is
being received in by the love of Christ
he is eaten with them he is being
strengthened in the midst of them and it
says then was sold certain days with the
disciples which were at Damascus what is a
disciple means a taught one a learner someone
who whose whole heart says I want to
learn I want to become like Jesus I
want to learn the Word of God I
want to know how to conduct myself in
the church do you realize Saul became a
disciple in the midst of other disciples it
wasn't a 10-week course it wasn't a
little book it wasn't an online video course
it was none of those it was dwelling
amongst real genuine believers this is spiritual growth
don't tell me someone can be a Christian
in this city I'm not a member of
the body of Christ then I tell you
what Saul made a mess of it I
assure you if Saul a new convert he
was a theologian he was a radically dedicated
man I mean he was sold out he
was really born again in a vision of
Christ but he needed to be a member
of the local church he needed to experience
all these things in the local body he
had a serve as a disciple if he's
in Damascus he's part of that church in
Damascus if he's in Jerusalem he's a part
of that church in Jerusalem if he's in
Antioch he's a member of the body of
Antioch he would he never functioned apart from
that local church but let me finish here
on my last point eight points I said
concerning the importance of the local church first
20 evangelism and straightway he preached Christ in
the synagogues when straightaway he is born again
he's been healed he's been received into a
local church he is a disciple he's been
filled with the Spirit he's received the call
of God straightway where did he do it
out by himself no in a local body
in a community he straightway preached Christ in
the synagogue they went down to the local
synagogue and he began to preach that Christ
was the Son of God but all that
heard him were amazed do you know when
you get saved don't lose the moment do
you know there's people who have known you
for years and watched you now is a
good time to tell them I got born
again I'm changed you you give it seven
days fine I'll take up the bat do
you know people who knew Saul knew why
he was there knew his character knew his
commission they were amazed can you imagine the
local synagogue hey Hannah guess who's preaching on
Saturday the Sabbath guess who's coming who Saul
of Tarsus from Jerusalem what's he gonna do
he's gonna preach and then lead the crusade
against the false teachers of the city man
I can't wait with Galilee and then he
gets there and he stands up man he's
gonna give it to them he's gonna rip
apart this Jesus of Nazareth and he stands
up and he says on the basis of
God's Word Jesus Christ is the Son of
God the promised Messiah can you imagine the
amazement the word amazed there means they're all
struck their jaw hits the ground they are
in shock their mind is confused they're dumbfounded
they can't believe this since the power of
a new convert who's really met Christ you
don't need all the arguments Saul didn't have
all of them but he does know Jesus
is the Son of God and what did
they say is not this he that destroyed
them which called on this name in Jerusalem
and came he not here with this intent
that he might bring them bowing to the
unto the chief priests in Jerusalem and it
says but Saul increased more in strength that
means dynamic power or better ability this eats
the last point is Saul first stepped out
to evangelize to tell men about Christ to
prove from the written scriptures it says that
he was proving that this is the very
Christ and he confounded the Jews he knew
all their arguments he used to use all
their arguments he used to write out the
best arguments against Christ now he is proving
I can prove it to you I can
show you I can stop your argument I've
got an answer for you and you know
what they were utterly confounded they were utterly
confounded evangelism and listen this as I close
I'm allowed three closes evangelism is never separated
from the local church those who go on
the high streets in I'm born again I
can go preach and I don't need to
be a member of the local church you're
utterly deceived and it never happened in the
Bible not with a Saul of Tarsus a
holy spirit filled dynamically saved man you know
what it was in the context of the
disciples in Damascus never separate evangelism from the
local church we're not looking for converts we're
looking for disciples you see what's the difference
there's a big difference a convert go I
say say a prayer after me there you're
a convert that is not a disciple someone
learning growing walking with Jesus Christ would you
leave a baby on the doorstep there it's
got life it's a human it's got two
eyes it's definitely got a mouth and it's
absolutely got a belly it's got two little
legs and it's got two little arms all
its toes and all its fingers are there
just leave it it's as much as human
as you or I I mean what's it
like him just leave it on the doorstep
and let it make its own choices make
its own way I don't want to force
food on it when it doesn't want it
since that is as ridiculous as to say
that Saul three days born again can be
left to make a loom because all he
needs is Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
that's how foolish it is here this morning
I'm preaching on the importance of the local
church I told you I bring it from
last week Saul sitting in a room alone
blind alone isolated lost his occupation boom it
blew up lost his comrades that were with
him where did they go he's lost his
old friends in Jerusalem I'll never walk back
into that high priest again I'll never be
able to look him in the eye again
after this I have been born again how
does he get from there to standing in
a city proclaiming and proving Jesus Christ for
a short period of time there was a
local church made up of simple disciples who
knew the reality of Christ and they knew
the love of God and once they are
convinced that he was a convert they said
brother Saul brother Saul stand with me this
morning thank you Lord Jesus Oh hallelujah hallelujah
hallelujah hallelujah blessed be your name this is
an environment I know we don't look like
much I know that but this is real
this is the house of God this is
the body of Christ we are the body
of Jesus Christ let his spirit fall on
us once again let's sing this as we
close this gathering this morning hallelujah
Oh
Oh Oh
Oh
Oh we
just pray for Paul and Sophie again this
morning just as we we close father we
do pray for Sophia Lord God just heal
her hand just restore not little finger my
God we pray for a quick healing of
her finger in Jesus name just restore it
make it whole and the mighty name of
Jesus just settler Oh God let her mind
and her body be at rest Oh God
and Jesus mighty name and just for our
brother Paul no God just quicken him Oh
God just touch him and heal him my
God even cause him to shake this thing
off and the mighty name of Jesus we
give you glory and honor and praise in
Jesus