Acts Pt. 19 | Sermon Notes
Acts Pt. 19 | “He is the Son of God”
Pastor Chris Pletcher
April 6, 2025
Acts 9:18-31 // And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.
For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Saul’s Conversion //
God confronted Saul with LIGHT
“He is a chosen instrument of mine…” (9:15)
1 Timothy 1:12-16 // I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
What is your “formerly I was”???
It is so powerful to REMEMBER our own testimonies because it keeps us rooted in the MERCY we ourselves received from God.
What is MERCY?
2 Corinthians 4:1-6 // Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Salvation is a “Let there be light!” miracle.
Who are you praying for in this season?
Pray: Father, help us grow as people who are comfortable with “the open statement of the truth”
Ephesians 5:8-14 // at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Saul immediately confronted others with the Gospel
Acts 9:19-20 // For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
Days after His encounter with Jesus he was Proclaiming (v. 20), Proving (v. 22) and Preaching (v. 27-28)
You don’t have to be a seasoned believer with a doctrine in theology
Paul’s preaching was all focused around ONE REVELATION…
The Name of Jesus //
“He is the Son of God”
Son of God = A claim to be of the same nature as God; this title is used 76 times in the New Testament… most of them by Jesus
Luke 1:32;35 // He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David… And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
John 1:14 // And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Hebrews 1:1-3 // Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature…
THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF CHRIST!
Angels declared it, Satan questioned it, demons recognized it, the Pharisees called it blasphemy, His disciples called it truth, and those that witnessed His death could not deny it… “TRULY THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD.”
Application //
If you want to know God, look at Jesus.
If you want to make God known, proclaim Jesus.
Colossians 1:19 // For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.
HE IS THE SON OF GOD!
“[He is] the Christ”
Christ = ANOINTED (w/ oil) = Messiah = God’s Chosen KING
1 Samuel 16:1-13 //
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.
Isaiah 61:1-3 // The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
THE ANOINTED KING COMING TO HEAL & LIBERATE HIS PEOPLE! The poor, the brokenhearted, the captive, the bound, the mourning, and the faint spirited.
To bring (good news)
To bind up
To proclaim (liberty, grace and justice)
To comfort
To grant/give (beauty, gladness, praise)
Jesus self-identified as the fulfillment of this prophecy in Luke 4 when He preached in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth. He quoted it word for word. HE IS THE CHRIST!
WHO DO YOU SAY THAT HE IS???
Matthew 16:13-18 // Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
There is only ONE REVELATION of Jesus that He will build His church upon… the revelation of His TRUE NAME, His TRUE IDENTITY, and within that, His TRUE MISSION in the earth. The early church was established upon this revelation, and look at the progress report that Luke gives us here as we wrap up our passage today…
Acts 9:31 // So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Response //
Are we being diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace?
Are we striving for that which will build up (encourage) one another?
Are we walking in a healthy fear of the Lord?
Are we leaning on the comfort of the Holy Spirit?
Father in Heaven,
Search us and know us, O Lord.
Lead us in your eternal and right paths.
Give us clean hands and pure hearts.
Establish us in peace and encouragement.
Teach us to rightly revere You, Lord.
Comfort us with Your Spirit as we encounter trials of many kinds.
And as You do these things in us, may you multiply Your church through us.
Amen.