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The Greatest Turn-Around in History
Acts 9:1-9
Pastor Marv, Grace Bible Church
5-30-21

You just can’t help but be astounded at the grace of God. He is the God who turns people’s lives around. People whom we have given up on… People who maybe have given up on themselves… People with sins so many and so great that it would seem that surely God Himself would have written them off. But then grace happens. Today we’ll see the many who is arguably the greatest turn-around in history…a man named Saul.

Saul the Protégé.

• Our first introduction to him in Acts was at Stephen’s martyrdom. See 7:58…and how the whole thing affected Saul in 8:1-3. Here and there in the New Testament we get little glimpses into the background of the man we know better as Paul. A Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5). A Roman citizen (Acts 22:28). A sister and a nephew (Acts 23:16). Etc., etc.

• Philippians 3:4-6…three things we learn about his up-bringing and the way he had learned to live life.

great education
great dedication
great motivation

• A challenge: who or what are the greatest influences in our lives?


Saul the Persecutor (Acts 9:1-2)

• Back to 8:1-3. Where: Jerusalem. What: “ravaging”…

• 9:1-2…

Where: “Damascus”

What: “breathing”…

What Saul and his team of armed guards were doing? See Acts 26:10-11.

• The most amazing thing of all is that Saul felt that he was serving God.
Saul the Lord’s Prisoner (Acts 9:3-9)

• The event in Acts 9 is recorded two additional times in Acts (in chapters 22 and 26).

• The event described…

A brilliant flash of light (verses 3-4a)…


A booming voice (verse 4b)…


A brand new beginning (verses 4b-6)…



• The aftermath (verses 7-9)



For thought. What does this episode from the life of Saul tell us about people…about God…about the power of the gospel?