The Reluctant Disciple (Linton Hall Sermon)

Paul’s First Chair: A Proud Man

• Family Status Pride

Acts 22, Paul says, I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia.” 

• Education Pride

• Religious Pride

Philippians 3:4-6 CSB – If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. 

Acts 7:58,60 CSB – They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

[Stephen] knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”

Acts 22:3-5 CSB – Paul says, I was zealous for God…. ⁴ I persecuted this Way to the death, arresting and putting both men and women in jail,⁵ as both the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. After I received letters from them to the brothers, I traveled to Damascus to arrest those who were there and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.

Acts 26:11 CSB – Paul says [I] often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

Galatians 1:13-14 CSB – For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I intensely persecuted God’s church and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.

Matthew 23:12 CSB – Jesus says, Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Proverbs 18:12 CSB – Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

Paul’s Second Chair: A Humbled Man

Acts 22:6-7 CSB – Paul tells the story himself: “As I was traveling and approaching Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. ⁷ I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

1 Timothy 6:16 CSB – [God] lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see,

1 Thessalonians 4:16 CSB – For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. ³ When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them…, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief.

Acts 9:8b-9 CSB – So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.

He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.

Matthew 23:12 CSB – Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

1 Corinthians 10:12 CSB – So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.

James 4:6,10 CSB – God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

1 Timothy 1:13-15 CSB – I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, ¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord overflowed,…. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 

What Can We Do to Humble Ourselves?

1. Never forget the ugliness of your sins
2. Stay Hungry for God’s Purpose

Philippians 3:13-14 CSB – I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, ¹⁴ I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 103:4 CSB – For he knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.

Philippians 3:8 CSB – Paul says, I also consider everything to be a loss [rubbish] in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord

Paul’s Third Chair: A New Man

Acts 9:13-14 CSB – “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.¹⁴ And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

Acts 9:15 CSB – the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.

Acts 9:16 CSB – I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Acts 9:17-18 CSB – Ananias went and entered the house. He placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 

Acts 22:15 CSB – [Saul] you will be a witness for him to all people of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now, why are you delaying? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Titus 3:5 CSB – …according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Makes Paul a New Man

1. New Righteousness: Saved by grace

Philippians 3:7,9 CSB – But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ.

…and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.

2. God Gave Paul a New Personality: A Servant’s Heart

Philippians 1:21-22 CSB – For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me

Philippians 2:3-5 CSB – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. ⁴ Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.

⁵ Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

3. A New Purpose: Share the Good News of Jesus

Acts 9:15 CSB – God tells Ananias, [Paul] is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Romans 15:20 CSB – My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named,

Acts 20:24 CSB – But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.