Note: Select one of the audio-only options if you need to download, rather than stream, the chapel.
The Advance of The Gospel: Acts 9:1-22 — 11/15/2024 10:00 AM
Today's speaker is Dr. Greg Couser, Senior Professor of Bible and Greek at Cedarville University. Speaking from Acts 9:1-22, Dr. Couser looks at Paul's conversion and call, and encourages us never to get over the miracle of our salvation.
Notes
In today's chapel service, Dr. Greg Couser, Senior Professor of Bible and Greek, spoke about the transformative power of God's grace through the conversion of Saul in Acts 9. His message focused on the far-reaching scope of God's mission and the profound impact of salvation on the life of a believer.
Dr. Couser began by reflecting on the dramatic encounter between Saul and Jesus on the road to Damascus. Saul, a zealous persecutor of Christians, was on a mission to eradicate the early church. But in a moment of divine intervention, Jesus appeared to him in a blinding light, asking, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4). Despite Saul's past actions, God reached out to him not to condemn but to call him into service. Dr. Couser emphasized that this moment reveals God's intimate involvement with Saul. God knew him, saw him, and chose him despite his sin. Saul's conversion became a powerful testimony of God's grace and sovereignty.
Dr. Couser highlighted a profound truth from this passage: "Paul learns the lesson in his life that when he’s weak, God is strong." In his conversion, Paul was physically blinded, humbled, and rendered powerless. Yet in his weakness, he discovered the strength that comes only through God's grace. This is a powerful reminder that God is in control, not us, and that His purposes prevail even when we are weak. As believers, we must learn to rely on God's strength, not our own.
Reflecting on the personal implications of salvation, Dr. Couser reminded the students that they must never lose sight of the miracle of their own conversion. As believers grow older, their understanding and appreciation of salvation should deepen, making their conversion "sweeter" over time.
Through the example of Saul’s conversion, Dr. Couser reminded the students of the vastness of God’s mission and the continual need to marvel at the grace that saved them.