Back at the end of August, in looking at Acts 22, we had a message that I entitled: “It’s All about Jesus.”
There is probably a rule somewhere in John Broadus’ book on preaching, or perhaps in Spurgeon’s “Lectures to my Students,”
but that it exactly what I’m doing this evening.
If Christianity is all about Christ, then all the Christian sermons should be about Christ.
And if all the sermons are about Christ then why couldn’t they all be titled: “It’s all about Christ” or “It’s all about Jesus”?
As we have noted about fifty times so far, Paul is giving his “apologia” to Agrippa and Festus.
He has said, “This is who I was,” and now he is saying, “This is who I am.”
And when we stop for a moment and lift our eyes above the man with the chains around his wrists, we see the Lord Jesus.
And when we peel back the layers of his words, we hear Paul saying once again, “It’s all about Jesus.”
Let me show you what I mean.
I have been reading Gill for years now,
for constantly referring to various old versions in several languages other than English or Greek.
But if he was referring to these other versions as if they were running commentaries on the inspired Word of God,
The early Christians in Ethiopia and Syria (perhaps the church in Antioch) were positive that this was no one else but the real Jesus of Nazareth who was talking to Paul.
If the Lord didn’t have his attention already with that bright light from Heaven, He had it after He spoke.
So Who was this One speaking to Paul?
He could have said, “Hey Saul, stop right where you are, this is the Messiah talking.”
He could have said, “I am the eternal Son of God, and I have a commission for you.”
He might have merely said, “Saul of Tarsus, this is Jehovah speaking; listen to what I have to say.”
But rather than saying these things which were perfectly true, the Lord got right to root of Paul’s problem – “I am Jesus; Jesus of Nazareth.”
This was the Jesus Who had been causing such a fuss a few years early, criticizing the Pharisees and condemning the Sadducees.
This was the One of Whom that lunatic John the Baptist had been testifying out there in the wilderness.
This was the man whom Saul was saying had been crucified by the Romans at the behest of Sanhedrin.
This was the voice of the dead man whose body had been stolen by his disciples.
This was the now deceased leader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
This was the One of Whom Peter and the other disciples had been speaking – on that extraordinary Pentecost a few years earlier.
This was the One of Whom Stephen was preaching when Saul and other zealots attacked and killed him.
And now He was speaking to Saul from out of a light which didn’t permit the penetration of human eyes.
“Who art thou Lord? I am Jesus.”
If it wasn’t the Lord who was speaking, we might say that the conversation became self-centered, or egotistical, or even conceited.
But when we are thinking about Christianity, we need to remind ourselves: “It IS all about Christ Jesus.”
We are struck with that fact almost immediately the Lord said: “Why persecutest thou ME?”
Saul might have replied, “Wait a minute. You are dead.
I am punishing your followers for blasphemously worshiping you.”
Jesus kept right on talking about HIMSELF.
We have pointed out the obvious several times already, but we must do it once again.
The Lord Jesus took Saul’s attacks personally.
When Saul consented and approved the execution of Stephen, the Lord understood that to be an attack upon Him.
As Saul attempted to rid Jerusalem of the despicable worshipers of Jesus, the Lord Jesus felt the sting.
When Saul started reaching out into Samaria, Syria and Caesarea, he may not have thought of himself as attacking Christ, but the Lord Jesus knew better.
It’s all about Jesus.
Let’s say that on a few occasions the wrists of some young mothers were bound so tightly that they started to bleed.
Even though the blood dripped from female hands, it was blood that belonged to the Lord; it had been bought and paid for by Christ.
Let’s say that some of the Christian men were beaten with forty-strips save one.
Those backs may have been on bodies that housed the souls of Christian men, but there is a sense in which both the souls and the backs belonged to Jesus.
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
but the Lord was perfectly accurate, when he said that Saul was persecuting Him.
It is all about Jesus.
to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen,
and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee.”
Why did the Lord save and redeem wicked Saul of Tarsus?
Did He say that He had great pity on that poor deluded Pharisee?
Did He say that He longed to have the pleasure of his converted company in Heaven?
Did He say that it ruined His day to think that Saul would spend eternity in Hell?
The Lord didn’t say one word about the benefits of salvation to Saul.
It was all about Jesus.
Without trying to put words into the mouth of the Lord,
It appears that God had been permitting Saul to sink deeper and deeper into the cesspool of unbelief.
It appears that God was giving Saul more and more of a reputation among the wicked.
Humanly speaking, there was no possible way that this persecuting mad-man would ever become a lamb in the fold of the Lord.
But it happened, and the only one who could take credit for it was the Lord Himself.
And then without talking to Paul about all the benefits of being one of the Lord’s most precious,
Jesus only told His new convert about the work that he was to do to magnify Christ’s name.
“I have appeared unto thee for this purpose…”
I will keep you alive in the midst of the Jews and Gentiles who will hate you….
I will reveal new and special things about my Christian assembly and about my second coming.
I have a job for you to do – to glorify me.
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
Shouldn’t we be reminded from this that the Christian life is not about us?
Yes, we long for our Heavenly home, and we wouldn’t be hurt if the translation of the saints occurred this evening.
Yes, we are excited about all of the promises about things on the other side.
The Christian life is about the Lord Jesus.
Paul was being commissioned to be a minister and a witness.
There is a sense in which these two things are the same; and in another sense they are different.
Any Christian, and all Christians, have the capability and the responsibility to be witnesses.
We know that we were sinners; we know that the Lord has saved us;
We know, to some degree, how the Lord did that saving.
But I think that in this case the Lord was saying that He had a special ministry for Saul, which reached beyond just witnessing of what He knew.
Most people whom the Lord saves, will not be sent to the Amazon, or Siberia, or San Francisco to start Baptist churches.
We should all be willing and able to freely speak of our own salvation, but that doesn’t make us all prophets of God – preachers and missionaries.
Paul was going to be sent to do both – for the glory of Jesus.
But getting back to the application:
Don’t we think more of the benefits of being a Christian than of the responsibilities of being a Christian?
But doesn’t the Lord talk a lot more about Himself here in this conversation with His new convert?
It’s not about you; it’s about Jesus.
Your job will be:
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
It’s all about Jesus.
“Jesus” is the human name which was given to the eternal Son of God.
“Jesus” is the human name given to the One who bore the title “Christ” – “the Anointed One.“
But not once are we told in this scripture that Jesus needed to make those connections for Saul.
As the conversation continued, it continued to be about “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.”
There is an eternal inheritance to be given to all those who are sanctified by faith which is in JESUS.
JESUS asked, “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man am?”
And Peter replied, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
He might have replied, “Jesus, we know that you are the Christ.”
When the Bible says,
“Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” – that name is “Jesus.”
When the Bible says,
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins” – that man was named “Jesus.”
And to whom will these blessed gifts be given?
To those who have been “SANCTIFIED by faith that is in me.”
What is a saint? Someone who has been sanctified or set apart unto the Lord.
And humanly speaking what is it which sanctifies the sinner? Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s all about Jesus.
Christianity is all about Christ.
The Christian life is all about Jesus.
May Jesus Christ be praised.