The Gospel Changes Everything! | February 22, 2026

Sermon number twenty-four brought us to one of the most dramatic turning points in all of Scripture, and Pastor Justin walked us through Acts 9:1-19, the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. He reminded us that Saul was no neutral seeker but a fully formed, deeply religious man trained under the respected rabbi Gamaliel, a Hebrew of Hebrews who considered himself blameless under the law, and who had already overseen Stephen's stoning and was ravaging the church house by house, dragging believers off to prison.

The Setup: A Light on the Damascus Road

Still breathing threats and murder, Saul obtains letters from the high priest to hunt down Christians as far away as Damascus, over one hundred miles from Jerusalem. Pastor Justin was clear that Saul was sincere in his mission, convinced he was defending God's honor, which gave us the first point of the message, that the gospel confronts and humbles our self righteousness. Sincerity, he reminded us, does not make a person right, and Saul is proof that a person can know Scripture, keep every rule, and still be fighting directly against Jesus Christ.

On the road, a light from heaven suddenly surrounds Saul, and a voice asks why he is persecuting Him. Saul falls to the ground blind, led by the hand into the very city he intended to terrorize, a complete reversal of his power and control. Pastor Justin connected this moment to his own testimony of hitting bottom before finally calling out to Jesus, noting that sometimes God has to knock us off our horse to get our attention.

Meanwhile God speaks to a disciple named Ananias in a vision, telling him to go pray for Saul despite Ananias' understandable fear of Saul's reputation. That gave us the second point of the message, that the gospel redefines our identity and purpose. God tells Ananias that Saul is a chosen instrument to carry Christ's name before Gentiles, kings, and Israel, and Pastor Justin reminded us that in Christ we are not who we used to be, we are who God says we are, sharing his own struggle to find a new identity after his own conversion despite people who kept seeing him only as his old self.

Ananias obeys, enters the house, and greets Saul with the word brother rather than suspicion or revenge, laying hands on him so scales fall from his eyes and he is filled with the Holy Spirit, baptized, and strengthened. That gave us the third point, that the gospel places us in a new community of grace and obedience, since Saul immediately joins the disciples in Damascus rather than isolating himself in private faith.

Hebrews 10:24-25 and Colossians 3:16 reinforced that real conversion always moves believers into committed, accountable community rather than a solitary relationship with Jesus disconnected from His church. Pastor Justin was pointed that the idea a person can skip regular church attendance because their relationship with Jesus is all that matters does not match the pattern of Acts anywhere in Scripture.

First Corinthians 15:1-7 rounded out the message with the gospel Paul himself would go on to define for the church, that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day, appearing to hundreds of witnesses, a gospel no one's past disqualifies them from receiving.

This Week's Application

So this week, is there someone in your life you have written off as too far gone for the gospel to reach? Saul of Tarsus says otherwise. We would love for you to join us this Sunday as we continue walking through Acts together.