6-21-2026 Acts 9 No Man is Too Far Gone!

Devotional

Day 1: When Your Past Screams Louder Than Your Potential

A man hunched over on the Damascus road, hands stained with believers’ blood, hears his name called twice. Grace interrupts Saul’s violence mid-stride, proving no rebellion outpaces divine pursuit. God specializes in rewriting stories that others would discard as ruined manuscripts. Your worst choices become the canvas where Christ paints redemption. The same voice that stopped Saul’s rampage calls you beyond shame into purpose. [44:45]

“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”
(Acts 9:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: What chapter of your story feels too damaged for redemption? How might Jesus’ interruption of Saul’s mission speak to your own hidden struggles?

Day 2: The Courage to Trust God’s Risky Invitations

Ananias clutches the doorframe, heartbeat syncing with Saul’s labored breathing inside. Obedience means walking into the house of his worst nightmare – a persecutor turned prayer warrior. Faith often requires embracing assignments that defy human logic, trusting that God sees future apostles where we see only enemies. Every “But Lord…” surrendered becomes a bridge for miracles. [45:33]

“Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
(Acts 9:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life seems least likely to change? How might God be inviting you to participate in their transformation story?

Day 3: Chosen Before Clean

Scales still crust Saul’s eyes when Heaven labels him “chosen instrument.” God issues identity over imperfect men like a royal decree, long before their performance proves worthy. The Father’s approval precedes human achievement, just as dawn breaks before birds sing. Your resume of failures cannot void your divine job description. [56:57]

“But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’”
(Acts 9:15-16, ESV)

Reflection: What areas of your life feel unqualified for God’s use? How does Saul’s pre-proven calling challenge that narrative?

Day 4: When Fatherhood Becomes Holy Ground

A child’s hand grips yours during bedtime prayers – ordinary moments become eternal legacies. Studies confirm what Scripture implies: a father’s active faith shapes generations more powerfully than perfect sermons. Your consistent “yes” to Jesus, even in small daily choices, builds altars your family will remember. [01:00:25]

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
(Deuteronomy 6:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: What simple spiritual rhythm could you start (or restart) this week? How might consistency matter more than eloquence in modeling faith?

Day 5: From Persecutor to Planter

Saul staggers into Damascus blind, unaware his prison-binding hands will soon church-build. Grace never just forgives – it repurposes. Your past failures become fertilizer for future harvests when surrendered to the One who makes “all things new.” The man who destroyed communities ends up planting them, proof that no experience gets wasted in God’s economy. [01:02:48]

“And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ And all who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name?’”
(Acts 9:20-21, ESV)

Reflection: What broken part of your story could God repurpose for others’ healing? How might your scars become someone else’s roadmap to hope?

Sermon Summary

Acts 9 steps right into a day that can feel beautiful and complicated at the same time. God brings a word for celebrating fathers, grieving children, wounded hearts, regretful dads, and anybody sitting under the weight of what could have been. Acts 9 brings forward Saul, a man with a dark past, a violent reputation, and a life that looked impossible to redeem. Grace answers that lie with one simple truth: no man is too far gone for the grace of God.

Saul is not looking for Jesus. Saul is not cleaning up his life, showing up to church, or trying to get right. Saul is breathing threats and murder, carrying letters to bind Christians, and actively fighting against God. Jesus meets him right there, right in the rebellion, and says, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Jesus does not wait for Saul to get his life together. Jesus comes looking for Saul.

The voice from heaven also shows something beautiful about Jesus and his people. Jesus does not say, “Why are you persecuting my followers?” Jesus says, “Why are you persecuting me?” Christ identifies with his bride so deeply that the wounds of his people are taken as his own. The believer’s life is not hidden from him, and the believer’s pain is not distant from him.

Ananias hears the command to go to Saul, and Ananias reacts like a normal person would. Saul is the man who dragged believers into prison, approved Stephen’s death, and terrorized the church. Yet God calls Saul “a chosen instrument of mine” before Saul preaches, plants churches, writes letters, or does anything impressive. God speaks purpose over Saul while everybody else can only see his past.

Shame tells men that failure is identity, that bad choices have ruined too much, and that God can forgive others but not them. The cross says something better. Peter denied Jesus, David fell deeply, Moses murdered a man, and Saul persecuted the church, yet God kept giving people a new story and a new name. Sin does not get the final word over a surrendered life.

The call to fathers lands right there. Spiritual leadership does not mean having all the answers or being perfect. Spiritual leadership can look like praying before dinner, reading one Bible verse, asking forgiveness, and bringing a family toward Jesus. God is not looking for perfect fathers. God is looking for surrendered men.

Grace does not only save a person from something. Grace saves a person for something. Saul’s story is not really about Saul. Saul’s story is about Jesus, a Savior whose grace is stronger than sin, whose mercy is stronger than shame, and whose calling is stronger than failure.

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Key Takeaways

1. Grace meets rebels in motion Saul was not sitting quietly, waiting for a holy moment. Saul was on the road with authority in his hands and violence in his heart, and Jesus still interrupted him. Grace is not fragile, and it does not require a cleaned-up starting point. Grace is strong enough to meet a person while that person is still walking the wrong direction. [51:23]
2. Jesus names his wounded people Jesus asked Saul, “Why are you persecuting me?” because Christ identifies with his people in a stunningly personal way. The pain done to the church is not treated as distant information in heaven. Christ holds his people so closely that their wounds are not separate from his concern. [51:52]
3. Purpose speaks before performance God called Saul a chosen instrument before Saul had done anything that looked useful or safe. Human eyes saw danger, history, and disqualification, but God saw what Saul would become under grace. Calling is not earned by a cleaned-up resume. Calling begins in the authority of the God who speaks a better name. [56:57]
4. Fathers lead by surrender Spiritual leadership is not the same thing as perfection, volume, or having every answer. A father can begin with small faithful steps: prayer, repentance, Scripture, consistency, and a visible pursuit of Jesus. A family does not need a flawless man performing strength. A family needs a surrendered man pointing toward Christ. [58:31]
5. Grace saves for mission Saul was not only rescued from his past. Saul was sent into a future where the same man who once spread fear would spread the gospel. God’s grace does not leave a person parked at forgiveness alone. Grace gives identity, purpose, and people to love.

## [62:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[35:10] - Father’s Day Joy and Weight
[37:53] - God’s Perfect Timing in Acts 9
[39:20] - No Man Too Far Gone
[40:47] - A Man Who Felt Too Far
[44:04] - Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
[46:38] - Saul the Persecutor’s Backstory
[48:05] - Jesus Pursues the Rebel
[51:23] - Jesus Identifies With His People
[53:15] - Shame Cannot Name a Life
[56:34] - A Chosen Instrument Before Performance
[58:31] - Spiritual Leadership Starts Small
[60:12] - The Father’s Influence at Home
[62:29] - Saved For Purpose and Mission
[64:02] - Saul’s Story Points to Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 9:1-19
“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' And he said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.' The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.' And the Lord said to him, 'Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.' But Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.' So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.” [44:04]

Matthew 3:17
“And behold, a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'”

Psalm 103:12
“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

Romans 1:20
“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

Observation questions

In Acts 9:1-2, what words describe Saul’s attitude and actions before he meets Jesus, and what was he planning to do in Damascus? [47:44]
When Jesus stops Saul on the road, what exactly does Jesus say, and what is surprising about the way he describes Saul’s actions against believers? [51:23]
What concerns does Ananias raise about Saul, and how does the Lord answer those concerns in Acts 9:13-16? [56:34]
In Acts 9:17-19, what happens to Saul after Ananias obeys, and what outward signs show that Saul’s life is changing?

Interpretation questions

Saul was not looking for Jesus at all, yet Jesus came looking for Saul. What does that reveal about how grace works when a person is running the wrong direction? [48:22]
Jesus says, “Why are you persecuting me?” instead of “my followers.” What does that show about how closely Jesus identifies with his people, especially when they are wounded? [51:52]
God calls Saul “a chosen instrument” before Saul has preached, served, or proven anything. What does that say about the difference between a person’s past reputation and God’s calling? [56:57]
Matthew 3:17 shows the Father speaking pleasure over the Son, and Acts 9 shows God speaking purpose over Saul before visible performance. How should that shape the way believers think about approval, identity, and usefulness? [57:35]

Application questions

Where is the temptation right now to think, “I need to get my life together first, and then I can really come to God”? What would it look like to bring that mess to Jesus now instead of later? [51:08]
Shame often tries to turn failure into identity. What is one failure, regret, or label that has been loud in your mind lately, and what would it look like to let God’s voice speak louder than that label? [54:31]
Jesus takes the pain of his people personally. If that is true, how might it change the way someone brings hurt, rejection, or old wounds to him in prayer this week? [52:22]
Spiritual leadership begins with surrender, not perfection. For fathers, husbands, or anyone influencing others, what is one small faithful step that could happen this week—praying out loud, reading one Bible verse, asking forgiveness, or inviting someone toward Jesus? [58:57]
Some people are willing to attend but feel disqualified to lead. In what area has it been easier to sit back than to step forward, and what might surrendered obedience look like there? [58:10]
Grace does not only save from the past; grace also saves for purpose. Where might God be asking someone in the group to stop living under yesterday’s failure and start stepping into today’s assignment? [01:03:16]
If God can turn a man who spread fear into a man who spread the gospel, how could God redeem part of your own story so that the place of former weakness becomes a place of ministry to others? [01:02:29]

Sermon Clips

65s

“``Again, God isn't looking for perfect fathers. He's not looking for perfect people. He's looking for surrender. And Jesus, when he saves us, he doesn't just leave us there. We see that he gives us mission. He gives us identity. He gives us what? He gives us purpose. In in acts nine fifteen, we see that the goal wasn't simply Saul being saved. We see that the goal was Saul's mission. Jesus had a divine purpose for his life. That same man who destroyed churches would now help plant churches. Isn't that cool? The same man who once spread fear would go on to spread the gospel. God's grace is not merely about what you've been saved from, but it is also what you have been saved for.”

46s

“You guys with me? No man is too far gone for the grace of God. This has been what's been in my heart. Then I open up my bible, I'm like I'm like, Lord, what's next in our bible? Acts nine. If God can redeem Saul, he can redeem anyone. If God could restore Saul, he can restore anyone. If God could use Saul, then maybe that there's hope for all of us after all. He didn't just forgive him. Amen? He didn't just restore him. Amen? He also called him and said, you have a promise. You have a destiny. I have plans for you. That is good news.”

63s

“Before Saul planted a church, before he wrote two thirds of the bible, you see, God speaks purpose over him while everyone else only saw his past. You know, I don't think people, I don't think men, I don't think fathers, I don't I don't think they mind attending church, but I will say that many men that I've spoken to personally do feel disqualified from leading. Many many people are okay with sitting. That's okay. I think that's I think that's a a big part of it, but won't necessarily feel qualified to lead. But scripture teaches something powerful that God doesn't just use perfect men. Hallelujah. Weight off the shoulders. At ease, shoulder. God doesn't just use perfect men. He uses men that are surrendered to him.”

47s

“Grace meets us right in our mess. Grace meets us right in our rebellion. Saul was literally on his way to bind Christians and take them to prison. Like, right in his rebellion, Jesus meets him. And I think it's profound. I've always thought it's profound that what does Jesus say? He says, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And I just think that that's so fascinating that Jesus didn't say, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting my believers or people that believe in me? He said, so so, why are you persecuting me? And I've always taken that portion of scripture as an as an extreme encouragement with the reality that Jesus himself, we are the bride of Christ. He identifies with us.”

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