Now, if you'll find in your Bible
the book of Acts, one more time, Acts chapter 9, Acts chapter
9, we see God's mighty working of
grace in the heart of a rebel named Saul of Tarsus. He was
most religious, being a Pharisee, but he was most lost. He claimed
that he knew the truth. He claimed he knew God. But come
to find out, he didn't know the true and living God until he
met him on that road of rebellion and God enforced him. God put
him in the dust. God made him a new creature in
Christ Jesus and sent him to preach the gospel You see, the
gospel we have is a sinner's gospel. Not for good folks. Did you know that? It's for the
sinner. It's for those who are sick. For the well don't need a physician,
but those who are sick. He said, I didn't come to call
the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Saul of Tarsus, later
known as Paul the Apostle, writing of his salvation. And he declared
in no uncertain terms that his salvation was all wrought of
God, all purpose of God. Writing of that glorious salvation
that was revealed in his heart, he said, it's God who saved us,
God who saved us and called us. with a holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to God's own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of
the world." Now that's how God saves sinners. By His grace alone. By His sovereign purpose. And
He justifies the ungodly through the merit of another, the Lord
Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ alone is
everything in salvation. Now, what I want to do in this
message today is consider some of the things that happened to
Paul after he met the Lord and after he was made a new creature
in Christ Jesus. We see manifested in these verses
here the fruit of salvation. The fruit of his salvation. Our
Lord told His church that He has ordained us that we should
bring forth fruit unto Him. And here we see the fruit of
His salvation. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Verse 18, we see this. When the
scales were removed from His eyes, He received His sight and
immediately He confessed Christ in believer's baptism. Now, baptism
is for believers. And we fence it about by that
one thing. Have you heard and do you believe
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? This man publicly confessed
that the Lord Jesus, now you think about this, the one he
despised, the one he hated, Now he's baptized and identified
with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
the fruit of his salvation. He wasn't baptized to be saved,
was he? He was baptized because he was
made new and was redeemed and regenerated by the grace of God. Something else we see. Talking
about the fruit of his salvation. Something else we see in verse
19. He identified with believers.
Then was Saul certain days with the disciples. Now one time he
stood vehemently against them. He was opposed to the disciples. Now he's one with them. He identified
with people who were lovers of Christ. And this is the fruit
of salvation. in verse 28 of Acts 9, and he
was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. He was with
them. Now, before when he was in Jerusalem,
the Pharisee, well, he stood against them. But now he identifies
with them. And my friend, that is the fruit
of salvation. That's the fruit of salvation.
He was one with them in Christ. And that's that vital union that
the believer has in Christ. We're one in him. And what's
true of the head is true of the body. We're one in Christ. And he desired to be with them
and to identify with them where the gospel is preached. And that's
the fruit of salvation. That's what God does when He
does the work of grace in our heart. We seek out the gospel
where it's preached and we want to identify with those people. I remember years ago when the
Lord was teaching me the gospel of His grace and revealing Himself
to me. And I sought out an assembly
of people where the gospel of God's grace was declared plainly. And it just so happened In that
particular city was one preacher named Mahan. And as I said to
some others around me, well, where can I go and hear this
message of grace? And they said, there's some fella
down there on 13th Street. He preaches that stuff. Why don't
you go down and hear him? You know, that's what I did.
And I took up with them because they declared the gospel of Christ
identified with those believers there in Ashland. And that's what Saul did here.
He was with the disciples. And that is the fruit and evidences
of being. David said, I was glad when they
said to me, let's go to the house of the Lord. Can't wait to get
here. Fellowship with his people and
to hear his gospel. Something else that happened
to this man. How do you account for this? It's only by the grace
of God. Something else that happened
to this man in verse 20. He straightway preached or declared
Christ to these lost Jews that He is God. That He is God the
Son. He preached and believed the
deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. God incarnate. God manifest in
the flesh. He became a bold witness to the
Lord Jesus Christ, that He is God, that He has come to save
His people. He became a bull, and notice
this, He didn't just go into the back room. He didn't walk
around and sneak around. He went in publicly to the synagogue
and stood up and said, Hey, you guys! You've missed the gospel. It's
in Christ. God doesn't have any secret disciples.
Our Lord said, if you're afraid and ashamed to confess Me before
men, I'll be ashamed to own you before
My Father. He later writes to the Romans
and said, I'm not ashamed. I'm ready to preach the gospel
to you who are at Rome also. I'm not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ. It's the power of God and the salvation to everyone
that believes it. I'm not ashamed of this message. Paul wasn't. You see, this is
the fruit of salvation. The fruit of salvation. And that's
what God does with His people. When He works in their heart,
He makes them a bold, steadfast witness to the truth. Not ashamed
of the gospel of God's sovereign grace in Christ Jesus. Identified with His people. Identified with His gospel. Became
a bold witness. And then it says in verse 22
of Acts 9, verse 22, Something else about the fruit of salvation.
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the
Jews which dwelt at Damascus. He increased in strength. Now here it's not talking about
physical strength. Here it's talking about being
strong in faith, strong in grace. Let me show you two scriptures
on this if you'll turn to Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians chapter
3. You see the outward man perishes
daily, don't we? The flesh is grass. But the inward
man, that new man, made new in Christ, is renewed day by day. And Paul prayed that way for
the church here. Look at Ephesians chapter 3.
Ephesians chapter 3, verse 14, he says, For this cause I bow
the knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom
the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would
grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened
with might by His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell
in your hearts by faith, that you, being rooted and grounded
in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the
breadth, length, depth, height, and to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge, that you might be filled with all
the fullness of God. Now unto Him that is able to
do exceedingly abundant above all we ask to think according
to the power that worketh in us." His power works in us. Unto Him be glory in the church
by Jesus Christ throughout all ages, world without end. To be
strengthened inwardly in Christ Jesus. That's what happened to
this man. He increased. This sinner is
saved by God's grace. He's growing in grace. and in
the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the fruit
of salvation. Where there's life, there's growth. There's growth
in Christ. Something else we'll see about
the fruit of salvation is this. God used this man mightily to
preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. God used this man. He raised him up for this purpose,
for this cause. Notice, if you will, in verse
22, proving, he dwelled at Damascus, proving that this is the very
Christ. Proving this by preaching Christ. It says also down in, up in verse
20, he preached Christ in the synagogue. And then again at
verse 27, Barnabas says of him how he preached boldly at Damascus
in the name of the Lord Jesus. And then again in verse 29, it
says of him, he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and he disputed with these Grecians who went about to kill him. God used him to preach the gospel
of the Lord Jesus. You remember back in verse 15
of Acts 9, God told Ananias, Speaking of Saul of Tarsus, go
thy way, he's a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before
the Gentiles and the kings and the children of Israel. God chose
him in eternity, blessed him, made him a new creature in Christ,
and purposed to send him out to preach this gospel that God
might use that to call in his sheep and to bless his people. Now, how did This recently converted
Pharisee preached the gospel in such a convincing manner as
to prove to these Jews at Damascus and at Jerusalem that in salvation
the Lord Jesus Christ is everything. What did he use for weight and
evidence? A powerful argument to prove,
it says there in verse 22, proving that this is truly the Christ. Let me show you his manner, his
message. Turn, if you will, in the book
of Acts, chapter 17. Acts 17. Acts 17, verse 1. And here we get an indication
of his manner and method and message of preaching. Acts 17,
verse 1. Now when they would pass through
Amphipolis and Apolloni, They came to Thessalonica, where was
the synagogue of the Jews, and Paul, now this is the same man,
Saul of Tarsus, he takes his name now, Paul the Apostle, as
his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days
reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. He took the word
of God, The Old Testament. Now, the New Testament wasn't
written. It was being written at that time. He took the book
of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, proving by the Scriptures that
Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah. Reasoned with them by the Scriptures,
opening and alleging that Christ must need to have suffered and
risen again from the dead, that this Jesus who might preach unto
you, He is Christ. approving from the Scripture
to him give all the prophets witness. Now stay right here
in the book of Acts and turn to Acts 18 verse 28. It says of another preacher of
the gospel, a man named Apollos in verse 28 of Acts 18, for he
mightily convinced the Jews and that publicly showing by the
Scriptures that Jesus is Christ. So we take the Word of God and
teach the Word of God, showing the Scriptures have one message.
Christ died for our sin according to the Scripture. Now I want
you to find the book of Acts 28. Acts 28. The last chapter
in the book of Acts 28. This is Paul in Rome now, and
he's in a prison house. But they gave him liberty to
receive those who would come to him, and he used that as an
opportunity to preach the gospel. But notice his manner here. This
is Acts 28, verse 23. And when they appointed him a
day, there came many to him into his lodging, that is, his prison. to whom he expounded and testified
the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus the Savior,
both out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets, from
morning till evening." It was an all-day session, morning to
evening. He took the word of God, and
use that and open that Scripture to them and preach Christ. Just
as Philip did to the eunuch. Remember, beginning at that same
Scripture, he preached unto them Christ, from Isaiah 53. Now look at Acts 28, verse 24. And some believed the things
which were spoken. Now here's the response. And this response will be given
here today as well. Look at verse 24. Some believed
the things which were spoken. Some believed not. Some believe
not. Now, why did he preach that way? I want you to find 1 Corinthians
chapter 2. Why did he preach that way? Preaching
Christ, proving Christ from the Scriptures. And that's what we
try to do. We take the Word of God line
by line, verse by verse, book by book, and we have such a treasure. Now we have the book of Romans,
and Corinthians, and Galatians, and Ephesians, and all these
epistles that he's given us. Peter, and John, and the Revelation
all tell us about the Lord Jesus Christ. We have the completed
revelation of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 1, and
here's the reason that Paul preached that way, and the reason that
I try to take the Word of God and teach it line by line. And
I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech
or wisdom, but declaring unto you the testimony of God." He
did what? Not the testimony of Paul, the
testimony of God. For I determined not to know
anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was
with you in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling. and my
speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's
wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power."
How do you preach that way? With the Word of God, with the
Word of truth. That, verse 5, that your faith
should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God,
in the Word of God. Now, you see how Paul preached
the Gospel with the Scriptures, but you know more importantly
Who preached that way in his day? Turn to Luke chapter 24. The Lord Jesus Christ preached
the gospel the same exact way. Taking the scriptures and showing
by the scriptures that He is the Christ. In Luke 24 verse
25, this is a risen Lord walking down the road in two men come
to him, and he said to them in Luke 24 verse 25, O fool, slow
of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, ought
not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his
glory? All that the prophets have spoken,
and beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expanded unto
them in all the scripture the things concerning himself." himself. Again in Luke chapter 24 verse
44, he said unto them, these are the words which I spake unto
you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled
which are written in the law of Moses and in the prophets
and in the psalms concerning me. Then he opened their understanding
that they might understand the scriptures. The scriptures. Thus it is written, and thus
it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the
third day, that repentance and remission of sin should be preached
in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you
are witnesses of these things." So that's how Paul, look back
to Acts chapter 9, that's how Paul took the Word of God, proving
that Jesus of Nazareth, He is the victorious Christ The Son
of God, He is the Messiah. Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to everyone that believeth. And then, later
on, He said to those in Berea, search the Scriptures whether
these things be so. And I challenge you, search the
Scriptures to see if I'm telling you the truth. This plain and bold, simple manner
and message of preaching will accomplish God's purpose twofold. Preaching Christ from the Scriptures,
line by line, verse by verse, we just read a moment ago, some
believe and some believe not. This plain, bold manner of preaching
will accomplish God's purpose twofold. The first one is this,
it will expose rebellion. It will expose rebellion. To
some, the gospel is a saber of death unto death. It says in
chapter 9 of the book of Acts, notice this, chapter 9 verse
23, After many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to killing. Why did they get so energized?
Full of hate. Because he exposed their refuge
as a refuge of lies, and they got upset. It says again over
here in verse 29 of Acts 9, He spake boldly in the name of the
Lord Jesus, disputed with these Grecian Jews, and they went about
to kill Him again. They get so angry. He exposed
their refuge as a lie. You remember the preaching of
Stephen? He said, you stiff-necked in
heart and uncircumcised in heart to believe all that the prophets
have spoken. And they ran on him and killed
him and dashed out his brains. Why? He told them the truth. The Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate,
came among his own people and they received him not. When Pilate
brought him forth that day before crucifixion, he said, Behold
your king. Remember what they said? We have no king but Caesar. Away with him. Then what'd they
say? Kill him. Kill him. You see,
the gospel, when it's faithfully declared, it'll expose two things. It'll expose rebellion. in the rebel. The gospel of Christ
is offensive to fallen flesh. The natural man will not receive
the things of God. They are foolishness to him,
neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.
The gospel of God's grace offends man's sinful pride. It addresses
them as sinners. None righteous, no, not one.
And that offends their sinful pride, does it not? Does that
offend you when I call you guilty, when I call you ungodly? David's
sitting down here smiling, agreeing with me. That's me. See, that doesn't offend me.
Salvation's for the ungodly. Christ died for the ungodly.
But it offends a natural man, the sinful pride of man, the
gospel of God's grace and not only Offends man's sinful pride,
but it offends his self-glory and dignity. When we tell him
salvation's not in your hands, it's in God's hands. Not of him
that willeth, nor of him that runneth. But it's God that will
have mercy on whom he will have mercy. You mean salvation's not
by my choice? Salvation's not by my free will?
That's what I'm saying. If you're saved... You see, God
doesn't save people by accident. Is it an accident you got saved?
If you are justified in Christ, God saves on purpose. Purpose. Not of him that willeth or of
him that runneth. It's God that shows mercy. And that offends
a natural man. That doesn't offend me. Because
I know in Adam I'm dead and shut out. Thank God for His sovereign
mercy. That's my only hope. The gospel of God's grace offends
man's sinful pride, offends his Self-glory and dignity offends
his self-righteous nature that he has. His self-righteous nature. When you tell a sinner that all
of his doing is nothing but filthy rags, he says, now wait a minute,
wait a minute. No, it doesn't count for anything.
It's just dumb before God. And this offends his self-righteous
nature. He still loves himself. The gospel of God's grace also
offends man's so-called wisdom. Christ crucified his foolishness
to the natural man. You see, when the gospel is plainly
sat down and preached, it will expose rebellion because it exposes
a refuge. If it's a refuge of lies, it
will expose it as nothing but dumb. The second thing it will
do This plain preaching of the gospel will expose rebellion,
but it will also energize believers. It will energize the regenerated. It won't be a saver of death
unto death. It will be a saver of life unto life. They want
to hear more. Have God save sinners. They want
to hear more. Now, notice, if you will, in
the book of Acts, chapter 9, verse 31. then had the churches rest throughout
all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified, walking in
the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and
were multiplied." True gospel preaching brings out this and
energizes this, rest, rest, rest. The Word preached unto the sheep,
God's elect, gives us rest. We rest from our labors and we
enter in upon the merit of another, the Lord Jesus Christ. He said,
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I will give
you rest for your soul. We rest in the righteousness
of Christ that justifies us before God. And that's the fruit of
true preaching and that energizes us more to rest in Him. and to
trust Him, and to have confidence in Him and no confidence in the
flesh. It says there also, in verse
31, that the churches had rest. Believers had rest. And this
was through preaching. Through preaching. It says that
they were edified. Edified. That is, they were built
up and established in and on the foundation of Christ Jesus. God had laid in Zion. a sure
foundation, true, a true stone, a tried stone, elect and precious,
those who believe on Him and rest in Him shall never be ashamed,
never be confounded, never forced to flee, will build up. You see where living stones build
up in this spiritual temple, resting on Christ. He's the foundation. They were edified. True gospel
preaching energizes our edification, being built up in Christ. Thirdly,
look at this here in verse 31. Walking, and that means living. That's the tenor of our life,
of the believer's life. Walking in the fear of the Lord. Walking in the fear of the Lord.
Not in fear of being condemned. There's no condemnation to those
who are in Christ. But this is a loving reverence
and honor of the glory of God. God forbid we should glory in
any save in the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's what we're talking
about in the fear of the Lord is giving Him all the honor and
glory for all of our salvation in Christ. We live that way,
walking in the fear, glorying in the gospel of Jesus Christ. So we have rest. We are edified,
we are built up in Christ. We live in the glory of God that
shines in the face of Jesus Christ. And then he mentions this. Comfort. Comfort. Comfort ye, comfort
ye my people, saith the Lord. What is our comfort? The comfort
of all of our sin forgiven. Can you think of the comfort
of that? All your sin. Mine. Many as they are. More than the hairs in my head,
more than I can count, more than I can even think of. All my sin
of past, present, and that of tomorrow, gone. The blood of
Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. We walk in the comfort,
notice what it says there, the comfort of the Holy Spirit. He
said, when I go away, I'll send you another comforter. He'll
lead you and guide you into all truth. What does the Holy Spirit
comfort us with? It's good, gushy feelings? Uh-uh. You know what He comforts us
with? Christ. He'll take the things of Christ,
John 16, and show them to you. That's what the Holy Spirit comforts
us with. Christ, our comfort. The comfort of sin forgiven.
The comfort of righteousness imputed to you. Blessed is the
man, happy is the man to whom God will impute righteousness
without works. in Christ. And then it says in
verse 31, the believers were multiplied, multiplied to the
gospel. You see, this is what good gospel
preaching does. It exposes rebellion and it energizes
revival and regeneration in the believer. They were multiplied. God blessed the preaching of
the gospel to the calling out of his people, and they were
multiplied as they grew in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord
Jesus Christ. These things are the fruit of
salvation. Two of the things here in these
verses that reveal unto us the fruit of salvation, those that
we've talked about, the preaching of the gospel, the identifying
with God's people, confessing Christ and believers' baptism,
being a bold witness. Something else we see here in
verse 26 down to verse 28. When Saul was come to Jerusalem,
he tried to join himself with the disciples, but they were
all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple, but
Barnabas, faithful Barnabas, took him, brought him to the
apostles, declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the
way, how he had spoken to him, how he had preached boldly at
Damascus in the name of the Lord Jesus. Evidently, Barnabas met
him in Damascus, heard him preach the gospel, and was astounded.
And when he had heard that Paul had come to Jerusalem, he was
convinced that he was a true man. And he brought him to the
church in Jerusalem and introduced him as brother in Christ, brother
Saul. Believers should and do seek
out places where the gospel of God's grace is preached and camp
right there. They camp right there where the
gospel is preached. And that's the fruit of salvation.
They camp where the gospel is preached. They don't go here,
they don't go there, they don't try this out, try that out. They
find out where the gospel is preached and they sit down and
camp right there until they die. Something else we see here in
verse 30, this is the fruit of salvation. Verse 30, when the
brethren knew that they brought him down, when the brethren knew
that some were about to kill Paul, they brought him down to
Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus. You know his hometown? He was Saul of Tarsus. They sent
him and they recommended him, Paul, why don't you go home?
Saul, go home. Why did they tell him that? You
need to look at this. Turn to Mark chapter 5. Mark
chapter 5. Why did they say, well, Saul,
you go home? Do you reckon what he did when he went home? What do you think he did when
he went back to Tarsus? Here's what he did. Mark chapter
5, verse 18, the Lord had just healed this wild, demon-possessed
man who was dwelling among the tombs, who couldn't be tamed. They chained him up and he broke
the chain. But when he met the Master, God saved him by his grace, and
he wanted to follow the Lord Jesus. And the Lord told him
in verse 18, when he was coming to the ship, he that had been
possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him,
follow him, go with him. Howbeit, Jesus suffered him not,
but said to him, Go home to thy friends. Tell them how great
things the Lord hath done for thee, and had compassion on thee,
And he departed and began to publish in Decapolis how great
things Jesus had done for him, and they all marveled. Friend,
go home. Go home to your family, to your
friends, to your neighbors. Don't try to be a theologian.
Go tell them how great things God had done for you. And I'm confident, we don't have
the scriptural record of what happened when Saul went down
to Tarsus, but you know when he went back to his parentage,
to his brothers, his sisters. I don't know if his mom and dad
were still alive, I don't have any idea. But he went back to
his hometown and declared unto them the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ.