Intensely Personal February 10, 2019
Overview
Intensely Personal: Grace That Calls Us by Name
John Newton, the slave trader turned hymn writer, had these words placed on his tombstone: "once an infidel and libertine… by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy." Few stories illustrate transforming grace more vividly—except, perhaps, the story of Saul of Tarsus.
Acts 9:1-2 opens with cold water in the face: "Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord." The Greek verb pictures a wild animal inhaling before it charges. Trained under Gamaliel, fluent in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, Saul was zealous for the traditions of his fathers Galatians 1:14 and convinced that salvation came by works. The followers of "the Way"—a name drawn from Jesus' own claim in John 14:6—had to be eradicated. He secured letters from the Sanhedrin and set out to drag men and women bound to Jerusalem.
But on the road to Damascus, a light flashed like lightning, and the risen Christ spoke: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Notice the doubling of the name. Scripture records this pattern about fifteen times—God to Moses at the bush Exodus 3:4, David's grief over Absalom 2 Samuel 18:33, Jesus to Martha Luke 10:41, and his lament over Jerusalem Matthew 23:37. The doubling is never anger. It is intensely personal—a tender, urgent address. And to persecute the church is to persecute Christ himself: "if you persecute the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, you persecute Christ."
Saul did not deserve the doubling of his name. Neither do we. We sin in thought, word, and deed; we are born with hearts of stone, and what we deserve is God calling us by name in the full expression of his wrath. Yet Scripture records one more doubling—on the cross, where Jesus cries, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46). The Father turns his back as the Son bears the sin of the world. Atonement is accomplished. The tomb is emptied. And now Christ comes to each of us with the sweet, gentle caress of the doubling: calling us by name in baptism ("you are mine—I will never let you go"), calling us back daily to repentance, calling us to his table where his body and blood are given for you. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound—that saved a wretch like Saul, like Newton, like you.
Transcript
Would you open your Bibles, please, with me to the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts? 0s
His name was John Newton. 6s
And John Newton penned the hymn that we just sang, 9s
Before John Newton was converted by the grace of God, 18s
John Newton was a slave trader. 23s
He captured people and forced them into slavery. 26s
But in God's omniscience and omnipotence and sovereignty, 33s
God changed his heart into a believer. 39s
Newton writes amazing grace how sweet the sound 46s
that saved a wrench like me. 50s
Newton had this pen to be put on his tombstone. 58s
John Newton clerk, once an infidel and libertine, 64s
a servant of slavors in Africa, 70s
was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 73s
preserved, restored, pardoned, 79s
and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy. 84s
Appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy. 93s
There's a heart that's transformed. 104s
Why as you look at history, there are a host of people over the centuries 109s
that have tried to literally eradicate Christianity. 114s
Near the top of the list, you're going to find soul. 120s
Turn with the police to the ninth chapter. 129s
Look at verse 1. 131s
Meanwhile, soul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. 133s
Went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, 141s
so that if he found any who belonged to the way men or women, 145s
he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 151s
As one moves into the ninth chapter of Acts, 155s
it's like cold water being splashed on your face. 157s
As you remember in the eighth chapter, there are some positive developments 161s
that have occurred here. 165s
You've got the spread of Christianity into the next concentric circle 166s
outside of Jerusalem, in the Judea and Samaria. 170s
You have the conversion of the sorcerer who had been bound up 174s
in these occult practices. 179s
You have the explanation of the scriptures to the Ethiopian 181s
Unic and his baptism. 185s
These are positive developments that the church, the early church, 187s
is rejoicing over. 193s
And then you move into the ninth chapter 195s
and you're brought right back to the reality of the struggle. 197s
Right back to the reality of what it was that caused 202s
by the scattering of the Christians. 206s
And that is Saul breathing threats. 209s
Look again at verse one. 213s
Meanwhile, Saul still breathing threats 215s
and murder against the disciples of the Lord. 220s
He was a Jew from Tarsus. 227s
He trained under the most honored rabbi 230s
in the day, the Maliil. 235s
He spoke Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. 239s
He was a learned, learned man. 246s
But he describes himself this way in Galatians the first chapter. 252s
I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age. 258s
I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 266s
And Saul hated Christianity, hated. 274s
Saul was taught that you work your way into the good favor of God Almighty. 283s
It was a salvation by works and Christianity. 290s
These followers of this Jesus proclaiming grace nonsense. 295s
And he was going to eradicate it from the face of the earth. 306s
Notice that word there in verse one that he was still breathing threats and murders. 313s
Literally that word means to inhale. 322s
And so he is inhaling threats and murder before he breathes them out. 326s
But the word is associated with a wild animal. 335s
So the image here for train Saul is saying he is breathing in like a wild boar before he snorts and charges. 338s
That is a stark picture, isn't it? 351s
And notice what he did. 356s
He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus so that if he found 358s
any who belonged to the way men or women he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 368s
To receive letters to do that to have the authority to act as he was acting, 376s
he went then to the Jewish Supreme Court the Sanhedrin. 382s
So that he would have the ability to enter into synagogues and hall Christians off. 387s
Who would then if they weren't murdered would then come before the Jewish Supreme Court for trial. 394s
He wanted to get rid of notice how Christianity is referred to the way. 403s
Remember what Jesus said in John 14? 411s
He said, I am the way and the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except through me. 413s
Not a way, not a truth, not a life, the way, the truth and the life. 426s
And so Christians were referred to as belonging to the way that's John 14. 437s
So, says of himself, in Galatians 1, 449s
I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 453s
But God had other plans. 467s
We go on verse 3. 476s
Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 479s
That word there is the same flash that would occur when a lightning bolt strikes. 488s
So it's the flash of lightning. 496s
It is that bright and that intense. 498s
Verse 4, he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, so, why do you persecute me? 502s
He asked, who are you, Lord? 509s
That's not Lord in the sense of God there. 513s
That's Lord in the sense of surre. 515s
You don't understand who it is that's addressing. 518s
So I'd much prefer it if they translated that. 520s
Sir, who are you, sir? 524s
The reply came, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 526s
You see, if you persecute the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, you persecute Christ. 532s
Verse 6. 541s
But get up and enter the city and you will be told what to do. 543s
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless. 548s
They heard the voice, but saw no one. 550s
Saul got up from the ground and though his eyes were open he could see nothing. 554s
So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 558s
For three days he was with outside and neither ate nor drank. 563s
Here is what? 570s
With all of the bravado that came with his having secured the letters to eradicate this way. 573s
Now being humbled to where he has to be led by hand, 584s
because he can't see having been confronted by the risen Lord Jesus Christ. 591s
Who be persic? 601s
Here's my question for you. 606s
Notice here in verse 4. 610s
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him. 614s
So, why do you persecute me? 618s
Why does Jesus say Saul twice? 626s
Why does he say it twice? 633s
And how is he saying his name? 638s
What is he saying? 642s
And how is it that he is saying? 645s
What is the tone there? 650s
Some 15 times in the scripture. 656s
You have examples of the doubling of a name. 660s
15 times where the name is doubled. 666s
For example, Exodus 3 chapter, 671s
God called to him out of a bush. 675s
2 Samuel 18 chapter. 681s
You have David morning the death of his son. 685s
And David says, Oh my son, 689s
Absalom, my son, my son, 691s
Absalom. 696s
Or, loop the 10th chapter. 698s
There's a story of Mary and Martha. 700s
And Jesus turns and says to Martha, 703s
Martha, Martha. 708s
You are worried and distracted by many things. 710s
Or, Matthew 23, Jesus says, Jerusalem. 715s
The city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it. 724s
There's 15 examples in scripture where there's the doubling of the name. 729s
Why is the name doubled? 735s
What does that communicate when it's doubled? 738s
When the name is doubled, it is an intensely personal form of communication. 741s
To double the name, communicate intensity and a personal touch. 753s
Think of this verse in Matthew 7, 764s
when Jesus is speaking of the last day, Jesus says this. 766s
On that day, many will say to me, Lord, 772s
Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name? 775s
And do many deeds of power in your name? 782s
See, there's an attempt then to communicate this personal intense. 788s
Relationship with Jesus and Jesus exposes that there was never any relationship there with them. 796s
Where Jesus turns and says, I don't know you. 804s
I don't know you. 807s
When there's the doubling of the name, 809s
it's never anger in scripture. 813s
So Jesus, when he meets Saul, he doesn't approach him and say, 818s
So, so, why are you persecuting me? 824s
It's no anger. 833s
It's intensely personal, so, so. 836s
Why do you persecuting me? 848s
Saul doesn't deserve that, does he? 855s
He doesn't deserve the doubling of the name. 862s
Saul is a persecutor of the church. 868s
He's dedicated his life to getting rid of every single Christian he comes across. 871s
He had gone out of the way to get the letters from the Jewish Supreme Court. 876s
He had all the authority he needed. 881s
And he was marshalling the forces along with the temple police to get rid of Christianity. 885s
He delighted that they were scattered now out of Jerusalem. 892s
And he was going to go get him and stop Christianity in its tracks. 896s
Saul didn't deserve the doubling, did he? 903s
He didn't deserve the doubling of his name. 909s
And neither do we. 921s
Neither do we. 925s
We confess that we have sinned against him and thought in in word and indeed by what we've done and by what we have left undone. 930s
That is an all-encompassing confession. 941s
Why the manifestation of our sin is simply a manifestation of our condition of our sinfulness. 948s
We are born wanting nothing to do with God. 959s
We are born as our confessional writing state. 967s
We are born with a heart of stone toward God. 971s
God is holy and just and perfect. 979s
And we sin daily because we are sinners. 983s
We don't deserve the doubling either. 993s
Do we? 999s
What we deserve is the God for God to call each one of us by name in the full experience. 1001s
The expression of his wrath for sinfulness and condemn us to hell itself for all eternity. 1013s
That's what we deserve. 1025s
Not the doubling. 1030s
There was another example of doubling in Scripture. 1037s
It's when Jesus is on the cross. 1043s
And Jesus draws on Psalm 22. 1048s
It's a lament song. 1051s
And Jesus on the cross says, 1054s
My God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me? 1058s
It's the doubling. 1072s
It is that intense personal form of a dress. 1075s
And he cries out to the Father who has turned his back on his son. 1082s
Because the sun bears the sin of the world. 1092s
But on the cross, when the Lord Jesus Christ cries out and says, 1101s
My God, my God, He is atoning for the sin of the world. 1106s
He's taking the punishment that should have fallen upon you and me. 1112s
He's taking it all upon himself. 1118s
He's taking the punishment and the wrath of God for sinfulness all upon himself on the cross. 1121s
And that intense doubling, my God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me? 1131s
As the Father's back is turned. 1144s
But Jesus dies in our place. 1150s
Jesus sheds His blood for us. 1153s
Atonement is affected. 1156s
Jesus is raised out of the tomb. 1159s
The sacrifice for sin has been accepted. 1162s
And the word of victory has been won. 1165s
The sweet, gentle, 1170s
caress of the doubling, 1174s
where He comes to each one of us and calls us by name, 1180s
not an anger in sweetness, in gentleness. 1192s
He calls you by name in the waters of baptism and said, 1202s
I'll never let you go. 1206s
He washed you in the promises, 1209s
one through the cross and the empty tomb. 1211s
He said, Your mine, 1214s
and He used your name. 1218s
He keeps calling you back to baptism, 1221s
calling you by name, 1225s
to return to it daily in repentance. 1226s
He calls you to His table, 1230s
and He calls you by name. 1232s
This is my body given for you, 1236s
the blood of Christ shed for you. 1241s
It is the beautiful doubling of the name, 1246s
and He's invoking our name, 1252s
giving us of His very presence, 1257s
giving us of His very self, 1259s
giving us of the forgiveness of sins. 1261s
He comes each and every day, 1266s
calling you by name, 1270s
calling you and giving you His promises, 1272s
to stand on, 1277s
to fear not, 1279s
to cling to. 1281s
He calls you with the sweetness, 1284s
each and every day, 1287s
over and over and over again. 1291s
Your name, 1298s
your name. 1301s
How sweet the sound. 1310s
That saved a wrench, 1314s
like me, 1321s
you too. 1327s
Thank you. 1340s