The 3 Touches in the Process of Life
God is always at work in the lives of His people.
Where Are You In the Process?
Let’s look at Paul’s Conversion and who had a part in it.
Saul had three touches in his life that impacted him. Stephen – Jesus – Ananias
Stephen - Acts 7 Verse 51-59 51 “You stubborn people! You are heathen[l] at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! 52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. 53 You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.”
54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
1. Stephen gave his life for the message of Christ and Saul was the official who had him stoned.
2. Stephen looked up to heaven and said “Look! I see the heavens opened and the son of man in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
3. This was more than they could take, and so they stoned Stephen.
Truth has a way of still making it through, even when under intense persecution. The truth of the gospel was going to be making a huge impact on the life of Saul.
What was Saul’s condition after seeing Stephen martyred for following Jesus. Acts 8:1-3 A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.
Paul writes in Galatians 1:13 of his zeal to kill Christians where it says 13 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it.
Saul turned up the heat Acts 9:1-2. Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.
Saul set out for Damascus to get more of these followers of the Way and bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
Enter Jesus - Acts 9:3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
The power of God was seen in the light that blinded Saul. So God struck him blind and his progress to kill more Christians stopped right then and there.
Jesus is the second touch in the process of Saul’s life.
Saul’s process for living his life was interrupted by the light of Jesus and now is was time for him to get in on a whole. new process that was God-centered!
Enter Ananias - Acts 9:10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
Ananias said “Yes Lord” when God spoke to him and welcomed “good conversation” with God. Then he got the news that he was to go a minister to Saul, but Ananias still followed God’s bidding. He is the third touch in the process of Saul’s life.
The End Result - The End Result was Saul was born again, and sent out with the gospel, even though he had persecuted the church as Paul reflects on this attitude of his in 1 Corinthians 15:9 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
What is happening in the process of your life? Have you met Jesus and are you born again? If so, what are you doing with that salvation the process of your life. What is your testimony of salvation? Who impacted you and what was the impact of those people. Also, who are you impacting in the process of your life. Maybe you are like Stephen, or Jesus, or even Ananias. Wherever you are in the process of your life, use your time wisely and be committed to let Jesus work through your life to the fullest. Maybe you are one of those touches in a family member, a work associate, or even another church member. Do not discount the impact of your life in the process and give it to Jesus.