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A Wild Animal Tamed · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We'll turn back to a reading in Acts chapter 9.
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As we look here at the conversion of Saul,
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! We're going to focus mainly on verse 10 down to verse 20.
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! I just want to read again at verse 15.
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But the Lord said to him, he was saying to Ananias,
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Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name
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before the Gentiles and kings and the children,
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of Israel.
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He is a chosen instrument of mine.
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We hear the word testimony used in church,
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and particularly maybe as we approach a communion season,
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we hear people talking about their testimony.
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But what does it mean?
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Perhaps many of us know what a testimony is.
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Maybe we've told our testimony.
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Maybe we've heard others sharing what we call their testimony.
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But perhaps we're not sure just what it means.
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The word testimony itself has two real meanings.
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One can be, and they're both related to evidence.
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One is when you think of a testimony given in court.
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So in a legal setting, someone will give a testimony.
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That's an account of something that they've maybe done,
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or something that they may be seen happening.
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So they give a testimony.
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It's spoken.
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It's giving evidence.
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But the other testimony is speaking about the Christian's experience.
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And again, it's making something public.
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And it's speaking about evidence.
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It's speaking about something that's happened.
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But it's the work of God's grace in our lives.
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So instead of when we're giving evidence in court,
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we're looking maybe at the accused, or maybe at ourselves.
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That's giving testimony to a person.
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When we're thinking of the Christian's testimony,
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it's not just looking at ourselves,
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although it's telling about our experience,
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but it's looking to God,
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and telling of the wonder of what God has done in our lives.
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So what's your testimony today?
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When you think of the two ways that we can give a testimony,
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one is kind of giving evidence about ourselves.
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That is a testimony of some,
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where the focus is on what we're doing,
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or what we've done in life.
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Is that your testimony today,
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when the focus is on what you are doing?
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Or is your testimony today to the experience
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and the work of God's grace in your life?
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That you're able to say that the Lord has helped me,
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that the Lord has been with me,
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that the Lord has taken me from the mighty clay
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and put my feet on that rock that is Jesus Christ.
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That he's taken me from darkness into his marvelous light.
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Is that your testimony today?
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And is your testimony a public one?
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Is it one that you are delighted to show to others?
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Whether you think of the selfish way we can boast in ourselves,
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or whether it's a public way we're able to profess Christ
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as our Lord and as our Savior.
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Well, every testimony of God's grace
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is a reason to rejoice.
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It doesn't matter who it is.
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It doesn't matter what they've done.
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Young or old, male or female, boy or girl.
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It doesn't matter.
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It doesn't matter what kind of conversion it's been.
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Whether it's been a dramatic one.
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Whether it's been a major change,
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as we see here with Saul.
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Or whether it's just the quiet way that God has worked.
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Maybe from your childhood,
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you've always known and loved the Lord.
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And then you come to a point where you make that a public profession.
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A testimony is a wonderful thing.
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It's a beautiful thing to hear and to see
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the way the Lord works in so many people's lives.
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But what do we do when we hear of someone becoming a Christian?
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When someone gives their testimony,
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do you rejoice?
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And do you give thanks to God for that work?
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Or do you maybe begin to question it?
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Is it real?
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Is it true?
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Can it really be right that that person is converted?
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Well, think of the conversion of Saul here,
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the testimony of Saul.
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What do you see?
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We think of Saul, who became known as Paul.
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We think of him and all that he did for the Lord.
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And all the letters that he wrote to the churches,
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the places he went.
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And we think of him as a great evangelist in the New Testament,
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going out proclaiming the wonders of Jesus Christ.
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But what was he before he came to that?
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Before he came to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Well, all you have to do is look at the first verse of Acts chapter 9.
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And you see what he was.
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But Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.
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This is what he was.
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He was a persecutor of the church.
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And the more we look at the scriptures,
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the more we see the wonder of God's grace.
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Saul's conversion is one of these high points in scripture,
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where we see the wonder of grace towards one who was literally killing Christians,
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arresting them, having them put to death.
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And the history of the church and the change that would come through his conversion,
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it's remarkable.
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And we think of Saul here.
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But there's another name mentioned,
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just as important in the midst of Saul's conversion.
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Not as well known,
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little is known of him,
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but this man,
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Ananias.
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He is mentioned here too.
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And as a reminder to us,
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yes,
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there's dramatic conversions,
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and the wonder of Saul's conversion.
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But there's also the way God works through all his people.
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Ananias being one.
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God is able to transform anyone.
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And here we're looking at Saul.
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And really,
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he was like an animal,
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and a wild animal.
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But God tamed him.
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John Calvin uses that kind of illustration
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in his commentary on Acts.
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He says,
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Luke tells how the Lord not only brought him under control
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when he was like a wild animal,
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but made him a new person.
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It wasn't like taming an animal and putting him in a cage
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because they were still dangerous,
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but this wild animal was a new creation.
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Saul, who was breathing out murderous threats,
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is now going out,
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proclaiming the wonder of the grace of God.
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He's a new person.
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He ever tried to tame a wild animal?
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I'm sure many have had pet lambs over these last months.
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They're not exactly wild animals,
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but by nature,
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they want to go and do their own thing.
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But you can.
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You can feed them,
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and they can come very close to you.
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The closest I ever came
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was catching two baby rabbits out in the garden.
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Again, not exactly wild creatures,
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but by nature,
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they just want to be out.
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But I thought I could look after them.
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I thought I could care for them
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and make them love me.
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But the first opportunity they got,
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they were away.
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They ran away.
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And that's just the way we are.
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We are by nature a people
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who God needs to tame.
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But by nature,
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we are a people who run away.
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And it's amazing when you see
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truly wild animals tamed.
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Lions and those who can work with them
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and get alongside them.
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But the worst of sinners
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in the hands of God
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can be changed and tamed
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and made into new creations as well.
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And this is what this passage reminds us of.
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The power of God to change.
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And that God is in control.
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And that when we trust him,
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he is able to help us.
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When we think of that thing
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that we need to do
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as we're talking about
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with the children,
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the bravest thing we've ever said,
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help.
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That is what we need,
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to say help to the Lord.
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And there's just two things
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I want us to look at this passage,
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two headings we want to look under it.
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And the first is looking at
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the taming that takes place.
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And then secondly,
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we're going to look at the tamer,
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the one who does it.
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So first of all,
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we see the taming.
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So we think of Saul
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breathing out murderous threats.
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He's like a wild animal.
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So what changed?
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Do you believe in miracles?
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You might say yes,
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because we see them in the Bible.
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We read about miracles
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that Jesus performed in the Bible.
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We read about the miraculous works of God
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throughout the scriptures.
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But what about today?
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Do you believe that God does miracles today?
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There's a psalm, Psalm 77, verse 14.
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In the St. Sam's version,
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it says,
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you are the God of miracles,
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whose power the nations view.
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Other translations use the word wonders,
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but it means the same thing.
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You are the God of miracles.
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And today we still view God in that way,
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that he is the God of miracles,
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because God still does wondrous works.
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God still takes people
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from darkness to light.
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God still takes people
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from anger and a rage against God
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to love the Lord.
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He is the God of miracles.
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But we can be scared
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of what God is doing as well.
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Think about it for yourself.
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Maybe you've been out on a walk,
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walking around the castle grounds, perhaps,
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and you're on a narrow path
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and coming towards you
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is someone with a dog
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and the dog is kind of
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straining at the leash
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to come towards you.
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And if you're a little bit scared of dogs,
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you're quite hesitant
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to go towards them.
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But the owner very often
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will say something like,
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don't worry,
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it won't bite you.
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But you're still not sure,
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are you?
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You're still a little bit wary,
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especially if they start barking.
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You're still a little bit wary
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and sometimes rightly so.
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Well, think about Saul here then.
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He's like a wild animal.
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He was ravaging the church,
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breathing out murderous threats.
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But now the grace of God
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has taken hold of him
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and he's a new creation.
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He is tamed.
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Now, had you heard
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or known of Saul at this time,
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what would your reaction be?
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Especially if you're told,
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go and see him.
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Go and speak to him.
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Well, we see it with Ananias here
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how he responds in verse 13.
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The Lord has told him
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to go and lay hands on him
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that he might regain his sight.
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In verse 13,
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Ananias answered,
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Lord, I have heard
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from many about this man
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how much evil he has done
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to your saints in Jerusalem.
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That's his initial reaction.
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And that would probably be our reaction
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if we were in his shoes as well.
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Think about it in this way.
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Every year,
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the Christian organization
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open doors.
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They work highlighting
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where Christians are persecuted
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around the world.
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And they produce
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a world watch list
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every year.
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the top 15 countries
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where Christians face persecution,
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the most extreme persecution.
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The top three countries
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in the world
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are North Korea,
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Somalia,
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and Yemen.
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And you can see the list
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for yourselves online.
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And they recorded
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that last year,
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4,476 Christians
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were killed
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for their faith.
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Imagine being asked
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to go to one of these places.
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To North Korea,
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Somalia,
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or Yemen.
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And being told
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to go and speak
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to one of the main people
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who have been
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persecuting
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those of the Christian faith.
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And to say to them,
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I have a word
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from God for you.
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Would you go?
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Would you go
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immediately?
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You would be hesitant,
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I'm sure,
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same as myself.
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There would be that fear,
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that natural fear.
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And that's the natural fear
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that Ananias has here.
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He has heard
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about Saul.
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He's heard
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what he's doing.
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And he's told
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to go and see him
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and lay hands on him.
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And he's saying
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almost to the Lord,
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are you sure?
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I have heard
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about this man.
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And yet,
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Ananias here
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is one of those
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special people
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who almost just
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steps onto the scene
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of the Bible
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for a few moments
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and then quickly
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disappears again.
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But so important.
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One of these unsung
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heroes of the faith.
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But Ananias
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is a picture
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of what faith does.
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It trusts God.
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Faith trusts God.
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And in verse 14,
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we see,
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and here he has authority,
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so he's still speaking
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about how he's come
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to arrest the people.
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But the Lord said to him,
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go,
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for he is a chosen
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instrument of mine.
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And so with these words
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from the Lord,
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Ananias goes.
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And look at the way
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he describes
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Saul then.
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He departed,
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and it says in verse 17,
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and entered the house,
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this is where Saul was,
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and laying his hands
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on him,
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he said,
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brother Saul.
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Not just
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at a distance,
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carefully,
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saying Saul,
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but laying his hands
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on him,
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saying,
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brother Saul.
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Acknowledging the work
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of God's grace.
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that he is accepted
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by God.
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Ananias
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is calmed
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by the grace
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of God,
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and Saul
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is transformed
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by the grace
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of God.
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And God
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is able
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to tame.
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And that's the wonder
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of everyone's testimony.
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Whether it's the
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quiet testimony,
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still with the fear
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and anxiety
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and an element
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of how am I
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going to go on.
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Or whether it's
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those who are brought
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from a background
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of very publicly
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disrespecting
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or cursing
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the Lord.
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Turning your back
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on the Lord
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that the Lord
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is able
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to tame.
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There's two examples
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here.
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Ananias,
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the one who knows
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and loves the Lord,
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and Saul,
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breathing out
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murderous threats
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against the Lord.
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And yet we see
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the wonder
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of the grace
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of God.
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And so it reminds us
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how we are to deal
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with one another.
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How we are to look
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at one another.
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And to see that
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God is able
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to change
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anyone.
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God is able
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to take the vilest
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of sinners
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and make them
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a new creation.
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salvation.
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And we are challenged
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by Jesus himself
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when we look at
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Matthew chapter 16.
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Chapter 6,
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verse 14 and 15.
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And this is at the end
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of the Lord's prayer
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where it says,
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For if you forgive
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others their trespasses,
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your heavenly Father
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will also forgive you.
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But it goes on to say,
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if you do not
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forgive others
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their trespasses,
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nor will your Father
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forgive your trespasses.
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And there's an example
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for us here
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of that in Ananias,
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where he's saying
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initially,
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I've heard
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about this man.
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I've heard
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the things
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he has done
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against his people.
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but he is able
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to forgive
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and to call him
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Brother Saul,
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to see that the
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Lord's grace
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is a powerful thing.
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So we are to
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forgive others.
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Because if we're
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not able to,
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it says,
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your Father
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will not be able
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to forgive
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your trespasses.
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So there's that
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serious warning.
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God tames
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his people.
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And we're shown
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just how he does
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it with Saul.
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How does
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he change?
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Well, we see
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three things
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very briefly here.
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We see Saul
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is praying
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in verse 11.
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And the Lord
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said to him,
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rise and go
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to the street
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called straight.
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And at the house
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of Judas,
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look for the man
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of Tarsus
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named Saul.
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For behold,
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he is praying.
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Immediately,
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Saul is praying.
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He is looking
17:55
to God.
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He knows
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he can come
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into that
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relationship
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with God.
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As Gordon
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was preaching
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on the last
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couple of weeks,
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the importance
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of prayer
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in our personal
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and our corporate
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life.
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Here it is
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shown to us,
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Saul immediately
18:09
is praying.
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You see,
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Saul is humble
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before the Lord.
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Saul would have
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gone on and said,
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I can do it
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myself previously
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and everything,
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but now he can
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receive that help
18:22
from Ananias.
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us.
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And so we are
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to be humble
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before the Lord
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ourselves as well,
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to humble ourselves
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under the mighty
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hand of God.
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That's what we
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need to do.
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And you see then
18:36
also,
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Saul is living
18:38
for Christ.
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A transformation
18:40
has come
18:40
in his life.
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He's baptized.
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He has fellowship
18:44
with the disciples.
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And then he goes
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on to proclaim
18:47
Jesus in three
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verses,
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18,
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19,
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and 20.
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What a dramatic
18:52
change.
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Baptized,
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fellowshipping,
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and proclaiming
18:57
Jesus.
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And it leaves
18:58
people amazed.
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He has been
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transformed.
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He has been
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tamed by the
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grace of God.
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And so what is
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God saying
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to you today?
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Do you believe
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in miracles?
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Do you believe
19:15
that God is
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able to save
19:18
you?
19:18
He can save
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anybody
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if we but
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look to him,
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if we ask
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him for help.
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Saul
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and Ananias,
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two very
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different kinds
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of people,
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but both
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under the
19:37
grace of
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God,
19:39
used in
19:41
amazing ways.
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And so
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can you be.
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Every one
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of us
19:46
can be used
19:47
by God
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by coming
19:49
to put
19:49
our trust
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in the
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Lord Jesus
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Christ.
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And what
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makes the
19:55
difference
19:56
here?
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Well,
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the second
19:58
thing we
19:58
see here
19:59
is the
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tamer.
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I just
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want to
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think
20:01
briefly
20:02
on this.
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The
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tamer.
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What
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made the
20:05
difference
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to Saul?
20:07
What
20:08
made the
20:08
difference
20:09
to Ananias?
20:10
Why
20:12
was
20:12
Saul
20:13
so
20:13
changed?
20:14
Why
20:14
was
20:14
Ananias
20:15
in his
20:16
fear
20:16
able to
20:16
go to
20:17
Saul
20:17
and put
20:17
his hands
20:18
on him
20:18
and say,
20:19
Brother
20:19
Saul,
20:20
well,
20:21
it was
20:21
all of
20:21
God.
20:23
You see,
20:23
testimony,
20:24
it's not
20:25
about us.
20:27
Ananias
20:28
wouldn't go
20:28
and say,
20:29
oh,
20:29
well,
20:29
I got
20:29
strength in
20:30
myself to
20:31
go and
20:31
speak to
20:32
Saul,
20:33
look at
20:33
me.
20:35
No,
20:35
he would
20:35
testify to
20:36
God.
20:37
God spoke
20:38
to me.
20:39
He said,
20:40
I have
20:40
this man
20:41
Saul,
20:42
but he
20:42
is an
20:42
instrument
20:43
of mine
20:44
to carry
20:45
my name.
20:46
It's
20:46
all about
20:48
God.
20:51
And the
20:51
same with
20:52
Saul.
20:53
Saul,
20:53
in his
20:54
pre-conversion
20:55
life,
20:56
had believed
20:56
Jesus was
20:57
dead and
20:58
his mission
20:59
was to
21:00
destroy any
21:01
lingering thought
21:02
that this
21:03
religion,
21:04
this Christian
21:04
faith,
21:05
would go
21:05
anywhere.
21:07
He was
21:07
going to
21:08
get rid
21:08
of it.
21:09
But now
21:10
he's an
21:11
instrument in
21:11
God's
21:12
hand.
21:13
The
21:13
tamer is
21:15
God and
21:15
God is
21:16
able to
21:16
use in
21:17
them to
21:17
proclaim the
21:18
wonder of
21:19
this Christ
21:20
far and
21:21
wide.
21:23
God had
21:24
other
21:24
plans.
21:27
And the
21:27
Bible is
21:28
full of
21:29
these chosen
21:30
instruments in
21:31
his hands.
21:32
People who
21:34
were brought
21:35
from different
21:35
backgrounds,
21:36
people who
21:36
others would
21:37
have looked
21:38
down on,
21:38
yet the
21:39
Lord used.
21:41
Because if
21:42
we start
21:42
comparing
21:43
ourselves with
21:44
others, we
21:45
always end up
21:46
in difficulty.
21:47
Because we
21:48
always end up
21:48
thinking, I'm
21:49
not as good
21:49
as that
21:50
person.
21:50
I can't
21:50
be used
21:51
like that
21:52
person.
21:54
And yet
21:54
many of us
21:54
have different
21:55
personalities,
21:57
different
21:57
characteristics,
21:58
and the
21:58
Lord can
21:59
use them
22:00
all for
22:01
his glory.
22:02
What we
22:02
see as a
22:03
weakness,
22:04
God can
22:05
use as a
22:07
strength.
22:09
And Paul
22:10
goes on to
22:11
speak about
22:12
that in his
22:13
letter to
22:13
the Corinthians.
22:15
1 Corinthians
22:16
chapter 1
22:17
verse 26,
22:18
he says,
22:18
For consider
22:19
your calling,
22:20
brothers.
22:21
Not many of
22:21
you were
22:22
wise according
22:23
to worldly
22:23
standards.
22:25
Not many
22:25
were powerful.
22:26
Not many
22:27
were of
22:27
noble birth.
22:29
But God
22:30
chose what
22:30
is foolish
22:31
in the world
22:32
to shame
22:33
the wise.
22:33
God chose
22:35
what is
22:35
weak in
22:36
the world
22:36
to shame
22:37
the strong.
22:39
God
22:39
can tame.
22:41
He's the
22:41
one who
22:42
has power
22:43
and the
22:43
one who
22:44
uses
22:44
his people.
22:46
Because God
22:46
is in the
22:47
business of
22:47
taking people
22:48
and using
22:48
them in
22:49
ways they
22:50
never imagined
22:51
possible.
22:53
When you
22:53
look through
22:54
scripture,
22:54
you find
22:55
that again
22:56
and again.
22:57
You think
22:57
of Esther
22:58
in the Old
22:59
Testament who
23:00
had set off
23:00
for such a
23:02
time as
23:03
this.
23:03
She was
23:03
an instrument
23:04
in God's
23:05
hand who
23:06
saved her
23:07
people at
23:09
that time.
23:10
You think
23:11
of how God
23:11
used an
23:12
unknown
23:13
shepherd boy
23:14
called David
23:15
to become
23:15
one of the
23:16
greatest kings
23:17
of Israel.
23:19
You think
23:19
of how God
23:20
used a
23:21
blind beggar
23:22
named
23:22
Bartimaeus
23:23
begging at
23:24
the side
23:24
of the
23:25
street and
23:26
yet who
23:26
cried out
23:27
for help
23:27
to God
23:28
and taught
23:29
the disciples
23:30
in a large
23:31
crowd such a
23:32
powerful
23:33
lesson,
23:33
an instrument
23:34
in God's
23:35
hand.
23:36
You think
23:36
of the
23:37
Samaritan
23:37
woman who
23:38
was rejected
23:39
by many
23:40
who Jesus
23:41
met at a
23:42
well one
23:42
day, an
23:43
instrument in
23:44
God's hand
23:45
who went
23:45
back into
23:46
her town
23:47
and told
23:47
people that
23:49
she had
23:49
met this
23:50
Messiah,
23:50
the Christ.
23:51
Could this
23:52
be the
23:53
Christ?
23:54
You think
23:54
of the
23:55
disciples who
23:55
were called
23:56
by God,
23:58
various walks
23:59
of life,
24:00
and yet it
24:01
was said
24:01
these men
24:02
have turned
24:02
the world
24:03
upside down
24:04
because they
24:05
were instruments
24:05
in God's
24:07
hand.
24:09
There's a
24:09
book with
24:10
the title
24:11
Ordinary
24:11
People,
24:13
Extraordinary
24:14
God.
24:15
It's a
24:15
book that's
24:16
told of the
24:17
hundred year
24:18
history of
24:19
the church
24:20
in Roskeen,
24:21
the free
24:21
church in
24:21
Roskeen.
24:23
Ordinary
24:23
People,
24:24
Instruments
24:25
in God's
24:26
Hand,
24:27
an
24:27
extraordinary
24:28
God who
24:28
can do
24:29
great
24:30
things.
24:32
And
24:32
shouldn't
24:32
it be
24:33
exciting
24:33
for us
24:34
to think,
24:34
well,
24:34
what can
24:35
God do
24:36
with me?
24:38
If we
24:39
were to
24:39
put our
24:39
lives,
24:40
our hearts
24:41
into the
24:41
hands of
24:42
God,
24:42
what can
24:43
he do
24:43
with me?
24:45
Instead
24:46
of thinking,
24:46
but I'm
24:47
weak,
24:48
I've got
24:48
nothing to
24:49
offer,
24:50
God is
24:52
able.
24:54
Ordinary
24:54
people,
24:55
extraordinary
24:56
God.
24:58
Formerly,
24:59
Saul had
24:59
a mission,
25:00
but it
25:01
was all
25:01
about
25:02
self,
25:03
persecuting,
25:04
eliminating
25:05
the people
25:06
of God.
25:07
He was
25:08
advancing,
25:09
as he
25:09
says in
25:09
Galatians,
25:10
advancing
25:11
beyond many
25:12
of his
25:12
contemporaries.
25:13
He was
25:13
on the
25:14
ladder to
25:15
success as
25:16
he saw
25:16
it,
25:17
but he
25:18
was brought
25:19
down
25:19
and to
25:21
realize
25:21
that that
25:22
was nothing
25:23
compared to
25:24
the surpassing
25:25
worth of
25:25
knowing Christ
25:27
Jesus my
25:27
Lord.
25:30
And what
25:31
does Paul
25:31
put this
25:33
down to?
25:35
The work
25:35
of God.
25:38
You see
25:38
Paul,
25:39
Saul,
25:40
sharing his
25:40
testimony
25:41
throughout the
25:41
book of
25:42
Acts.
25:43
In chapter
25:44
26 of
25:45
Acts,
25:45
verse 14,
25:46
again we're
25:47
told some
25:47
more of
25:48
Paul's
25:48
testimony
25:49
there.
25:50
When we
25:50
had all
25:52
fallen to
25:53
the ground,
25:53
I heard a
25:54
voice saying
25:54
to me,
25:54
in the
25:55
Hebrew
25:56
language,
25:56
Saul,
25:57
Saul,
25:57
why are
25:57
you
25:58
persecuting
25:58
me?
25:59
It is
26:00
hard for
26:00
you to
26:01
kick
26:01
against
26:02
the
26:02
goads.
26:04
It's
26:04
reminding
26:05
us there
26:05
of the
26:07
tamer,
26:08
how God
26:09
is able
26:10
to tame
26:11
because that
26:11
word
26:12
goads,
26:14
or as in
26:14
another
26:14
translation it
26:15
says,
26:16
kicking
26:16
against the
26:17
pricks,
26:17
it's all
26:18
about what
26:19
is used
26:20
to direct
26:21
animals,
26:21
the stick
26:23
that is
26:23
used to
26:24
push them
26:25
in the
26:25
right
26:26
direction.
26:26
You hear
26:27
that phrase
26:27
goading
26:28
them on.
26:30
That's
26:30
what it
26:30
means,
26:30
it just
26:31
means pushing
26:32
you,
26:32
prompting
26:33
you on
26:33
in a
26:33
certain
26:34
direction.
26:37
And
26:37
Saul
26:38
is
26:39
fighting
26:39
against
26:40
it.
26:41
The
26:42
Lord is
26:42
goading
26:43
him,
26:44
but he's
26:45
fighting
26:46
against it.
26:46
And he's
26:47
saying to
26:47
him,
26:48
why are
26:49
you kicking
26:50
against
26:50
me?
26:52
Is that
26:53
you today?
26:55
Are you
26:56
feeling these
26:57
goads,
26:58
the Lord's
26:58
prompting you
27:00
in a certain
27:01
direction,
27:01
and you're
27:01
trying to
27:02
fight against
27:03
it,
27:03
you're trying
27:03
to push
27:04
in a
27:05
different
27:05
direction,
27:06
but the
27:07
Lord is
27:08
still
27:08
pushing you.
27:11
Is it
27:11
time to
27:13
stop
27:13
kicking
27:13
against
27:14
him?
27:15
Is it
27:15
time to
27:16
stop
27:16
fighting
27:17
against
27:17
that and
27:18
just say,
27:18
Lord,
27:19
help.
27:20
help.
27:22
Lord,
27:23
help.
27:26
The
27:27
bravest
27:27
thing we
27:28
can say
27:29
is,
27:31
Lord,
27:31
help.
27:33
I've
27:34
done it
27:34
long
27:34
enough,
27:35
going
27:36
against
27:37
you.
27:39
Help.
27:41
Help me
27:41
go in
27:43
the right
27:43
direction.
27:46
Paul was
27:46
fighting,
27:48
but he
27:49
still
27:50
a chosen
27:51
instrument
27:52
in the
27:52
hands of
27:53
God.
27:53
Maybe you
27:54
are today
27:54
too,
27:56
but it's
27:57
time to
27:58
stop kicking
27:58
against him
27:59
and just
28:01
to let him
28:02
come and
28:03
have your
28:04
life and
28:05
live for
28:06
him.
28:08
Paul would
28:09
see himself
28:10
as weak,
28:11
and so do
28:12
we,
28:13
but that's a
28:14
good thing,
28:14
God.
28:15
Because it's
28:16
only then
28:16
we see
28:17
the strength
28:18
of God.
28:24
Charles
28:25
Spurgeon
28:25
put it like
28:26
this,
28:26
grow in
28:29
the root
28:29
of all
28:30
grace,
28:31
which is
28:32
faith.
28:33
Believe
28:34
God's
28:34
promises
28:35
more firmly
28:36
than ever.
28:38
Allow your
28:39
faith to
28:39
increase in
28:40
its fullness,
28:42
firmness,
28:43
and simplicity.
28:46
Don't
28:47
over
28:47
complicate it,
28:50
but by
28:51
grace,
28:52
grow
28:52
through
28:53
faith.
28:54
believe.
28:57
Stop
28:57
kicking
28:58
and believe
29:00
and be
29:02
an instrument
29:02
in God's
29:04
hand that
29:05
your testimony
29:06
would be,
29:07
not look
29:07
what I've
29:08
done,
29:09
but look
29:10
at what
29:10
God has
29:11
done to
29:12
me and
29:13
to many
29:14
more,
29:15
and give
29:16
glory to
29:17
him.
29:18
Let us
29:18
pray.
29:22
Lord,
29:23
our
29:23
gracious
29:23
God,
29:24
we do
29:24
thank you
29:25
that you
29:25
are one
29:26
who is
29:26
patient
29:27
and
29:27
merciful.
29:28
You
29:28
know,
29:28
as we
29:28
think of
29:29
Saul
29:30
kicking
29:30
against
29:31
the
29:31
goads,
29:32
and how
29:32
often we
29:33
find
29:33
ourselves
29:34
like that
29:35
too,
29:35
when we
29:35
are just
29:36
kicking
29:36
out
29:36
against
29:37
you,
29:38
turning
29:38
into
29:38
our
29:38
own
29:39
ways,
29:39
but yet
29:40
by your
29:40
grace,
29:41
by your
29:41
love,
29:42
you guide
29:43
us,
29:43
you help
29:43
us,
29:44
and we
29:44
pray that
29:45
you will
29:45
continue
29:46
to do
29:46
that,
29:47
and to
29:47
help us
29:48
to give
29:48
that testimony
29:49
of glory
29:50
to your
29:51
name,
29:52
as we
29:52
ask all
29:53
with the
29:53
forgiveness
29:53
of our
29:54
sin,
29:54
in Jesus'
29:55
name,
29:55
Amen.
30:00
We'll
30:00
conclude by
30:01
singing to
30:02
God's
30:02
praise in
30:03
Psalm 73
30:04
in the
30:05
Scottish
30:05
Psalter
30:06
version,
30:08
page
30:08
316,
30:10
we'll
30:11
sing from
30:11
verse 23
30:12
to 26.
30:15
And this
30:16
is a
30:16
psalm where
30:17
you see
30:17
the psalmist
30:18
initially
30:18
questioning
30:19
the Lord,
30:20
but then
30:20
you see
30:21
this great
30:22
change
30:23
in verse
30:23
23,
30:25
nevertheless
30:25
continually,
30:26
O Lord,
30:27
I am
30:27
with thee,
30:28
thou dost
30:28
me hold
30:29
by my
30:30
right hand
30:30
and still
30:31
upholdest
30:32
me,
30:32
thou with
30:33
thy
30:33
counsel
30:33
while I
30:34
live,
30:35
wilt me
30:35
conduct
30:36
and guide
30:36
and to
30:37
thy glory
30:37
afterward
30:38
receive me
30:39
to abide.
30:40
Let's sing
30:40
these four
30:41
verses to
30:41
God's
30:42
praise.
30:43
miracle.
31:13
my right hand, and still thou holdest me.
31:24
Though it I counsel while I live, will be conduct and guide,
31:43
and to thy glory afterward receive me to abide.
32:02
Whom have I in the heavens high, but thee, O Lord, alone,
32:21
and in the earth through my desire, besides thee there is none.
32:40
My flesh and heart doth paint and fill, but God doth fail me never.
32:59
For of my heart, God is the strength and portion forever.
33:19
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right.
33:22
We'll close with the benediction.
33:23
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
33:29
rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore.
33:34
Amen.
33:53
Amen.