Acts 9

In Acts 9, Luke relates the amazing work of the Holy Spirit in Saul's life. Saul was renamed Paul to reflect the radical turn his life took from being a passionate persecutor of Christ's followers to being a passionate follower of Christ himself. Not only did he "sell out" everything (in the Philippian letter, he says, "I count everything as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord"), but I daresay, he became the most passionate church planter and discipler that the church has seen.

He wasn't content to be won over by his disabling encounter with the risen Christ on the Damascan road, he wanted everyone possible to be won over as well. Early on, we read that the disciples were understandably suspicious of his conversion, having seen and heard what he had too recently done to their brothers in his passionate pursuit of believers in Jesus. As people, led by the Holy Spirit, took a chance on Paul, they saw that his life-change was real and Paul was able to fully pursue the new mission he had been given - convincing, pursuing and entreating men and women to follow Christ.

His fueling passion was to see the church (God's people) be built up and become strongly committed to reaching people with the same truth that had changed his life. In 2 Tim 2:2, Paul reminds Timothy, "and the things you heard from me, in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful man will be able to teach others also." His words reveal a strategy of not just winning people to a cause, but winning their hearts and minds to become fully committed followers of Christ and to win and lead others who can win and lead others. This is what we must also be about.

I find several applications here for my life.

1) When God speaks, listen. Paul had the "privilege" of being struck down from the wrong path he was on and confronted by the living Christ. We may not have that same opportunity in that same way, but we do hear from God in many ways through our own reading of the Bible, through other believers and through the teaching of the Word. We need to listen when God speaks and realize that while He is calling us to die to our old life, He is offering us a brand new life, the only life that is really worth living.

2). God may call you to acts of bravery beyond what you think you are able. Do it! He may ask you to be like Ananias who obeys in helping Paul, formerly a murderer of believers, simply because Jesus asked him to go and do His will. In that act, Ananias (and later Barnabas) demonstrated trust in the faithfulness of God, and began the process that led to Paul becoming the foremost leader in the early church. God may be calling you to enter a discipleship relationship and you may feel inadequate or ill-prepared. Trust in the faithfulness of God and say, "Yes!"

3). God doesn't write people off. The church could not foresee the radical change that was going to occur in Paul's life, nor could they have effected it. God saw a man whose heart and passion He was going to claim and He made it happen. We should never write off someone as too far gone, too hard-hearted or otherwise "un-winnable." Our God is a masterful artisan of men and can redeem His creature (Us) with power. When He does, you and I want to be present, wholly in the game, and be ready to be the people He's calling us to be - whether that be an Ananias, a Barnabas, or a man with a story like Paul. 

 TOM ALBERS | Elder Chairman

Tom committed his life to Christ as a junior in high school in 1975. After moving to Austin in 1995, Tom and Cindy attended Hill Country Bible Church in Cedar Park before becoming part of the HCBC Pflugerville and Hutto Bible church plants. Tom serves as a Small Group Leader and in Youth ministry and in other ministry oversight roles. Tom and Cindy were married in 1986 and are parents to Will, Emily, Clare, Hannah and Nathan and grandparents to Owen.