The 3 C's of Conversion | Hosanna City Church

Devotional

Day 1: Light That Knocks You Off Your High Horse

A blinding light from heaven stops Saul mid-stride, flattening the self-righteous persecutor into trembling surrender. This confrontation reveals how religious zeal without love becomes violence. Jesus interrupts Saul’s mission not with debate, but with divine authority, exposing the futility of fighting God’s purposes. The voice from heaven reframes Saul’s entire identity: persecuting believers means persecuting Christ himself. True conversion begins when we stop kicking against God’s persistent nudges. [45:49]

Then 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?” (Acts 9:1–4, ESV)

Reflection: What “righteous mission” in your life might Jesus be interrupting today? How has God used unexpected confrontations to redirect your heart toward Him?

Day 2: The Goads That Prick the Soul

Goads—sharp prods steering stubborn oxen—mirror God’s persistent nudges through mentors, conscience, and unresolved guilt. Saul ignored Gamaliel’s wisdom and Stephen’s Christlike forgiveness, yet these unresolved tensions haunted him. God’s goads aren’t punishment but correction, inviting surrender before the struggle destroys us. Every kick against conviction hardens; every yielded ache softens. [57:54]

And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And the Lord 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. (Acts 9:5–8, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you feel the persistent “prick” of the Spirit’s conviction? What repeated resistance might Jesus be asking you to release today?

Day 3: Scales Falling, Sight Restored

Three days of blindness strip Saul of religious certainty. Ananias’ hands don’t just heal eyes—they transfer spiritual sight. The scales falling symbolize Saul’s shattered worldview: the persecuted become family, the Law finds fulfillment in Christ, and zeal transforms from weapon to witness. True vision comes not through self-effort but surrendered dependence. [48:02]

Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:18–20, ESV)

Reflection: What spiritual “scales” might Jesus be removing from your eyes? How has community helped you see Christ more clearly?

Day 4: From Persecutor to Persecuted

Saul’s conversion flips his social standing: the hunter becomes hunted, the religious elite becomes a homeless evangelist. Former allies plot his murder; former targets distrust his motives. Yet losing status gains him eternal purpose. Suffering for Christ’s name becomes the proving ground where self-righteousness dies and gospel courage rises. [01:02:22]

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. (Acts 9:22–25, ESV)

Reflection: Where has following Jesus cost you socially or relationally? How does persecution refine rather than diminish your witness?

Day 5: Chosen Vessels in Unlikely Places

Ananias—a nobody disciple—becomes God’s lifeline to Saul. His obedience despite fear models how ordinary believers participate in extraordinary callings. God uses hesitant hands to heal, doubtful voices to affirm destiny, and simple faithfulness to launch world-changing missions. Every “Ananias moment” requires trusting God’s vision over our assumptions. [47:39]

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.” (Acts 9:15–17, ESV)

Reflection: Who has been an “Ananias” in your spiritual journey? How is God calling you to steward someone else’s calling today?

Sermon Summary

Acts 9 brings Saul of Tarsus onto the road to Damascus, breathing threats and murder against the followers of the Way. Saul comes from a strong Jewish background, a Roman province, a good family, and serious training under Gamaliel. Saul has zeal, knowledge, status, and confidence in the flesh, but self righteousness turns all that into force, punishment, and pain. Gamaliel had already warned that if the work was of God, nobody could overthrow it without fighting against God, but Saul keeps kicking against that goad.

Jesus meets Saul right in the middle of his mission. Saul heads to Damascus ready to confront believers, but Jesus does the old switcheroo and confronts Saul instead. The light from heaven knocks him down, and the voice of real authority says, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” The accuser becomes the accused, the seeker becomes the sought after, and the hunter becomes the hunted. Saul thought he was serving God, but Jesus shows him the truth, that hatred against the people of Jesus is persecution against Jesus himself.

The first “C” of conversion is confrontation. Jesus confronts the lies, the bitterness, the anger, and the self made righteousness that drive Saul forward. The goads show how God had already been poking at Saul’s heart through Gamaliel’s wisdom, Stephen’s mercy at death, and the strange love of believers who blessed their enemies. Truth always confronts, because God is in the transformation business and is making all things new.

The second “C” is change. Saul does not just get religious information, he meets Jesus. The one he hated becomes the one he adores and calls Lord. His heart changes, his people change, his position changes, and the persecutor becomes part of the fellowship he tried to destroy. Saul knew the Scriptures, but he did not know the Author until Jesus came alive in him.

The third “C” is challenge. Jesus calls Saul as a chosen vessel to bear his name before Gentiles, kings, and Israel, and that calling includes suffering. Ananias also faces a challenge, because God sends him to lay hands on the very man feared by believers. Jesus gives vision, gives power, and gives everything needed for life and godliness. Every Damascus Road, addiction, rebellion, hatred, unforgiveness, greed, or lust, becomes a place where Jesus wants to shine truth and bring life.

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Key Takeaways

1. Truth confronts the hunter [55:30] Jesus does not flatter Saul’s zeal or admire his religious energy. Jesus names the truth: Saul’s war against the Way is a war against Christ himself. Conversion begins when the real authority stops a person in the road and shows that the mission felt as obedience may actually be rebellion. [55:30]
2. Goads expose hidden resistance [57:54] The goads are not random pain, they are merciful pressure from God. Gamaliel’s warning, Stephen’s forgiving death, and the love of believers all poke at Saul’s conscience before the light ever shines from heaven. God often uses those quiet irritations to reveal where the heart is fighting the Holy Spirit. [57:54]
3. Scripture needs its Author [01:05:12] Saul knew the words, the laws, the “don’ts,” and the religious system, but the knowledge did not make him merciful. The living Word had to meet him before the written Word came alive in him. Bible knowledge without Jesus can still leave a heart hard, angry, and sure it is right. [65:12]
4. Change follows real encounter [01:02:01] Saul’s conversion does not leave him in the same crowd, the same posture, or the same purpose. The persecutor becomes the persecuted, and the enemy of the church becomes a brother. A real encounter with Jesus moves a life out of neutral, because there is no fence to sit on once Christ has spoken. [62:01]
5. Weakness becomes Christ’s platform [01:11:49] Saul’s calling includes suffering, not as proof that God forgot him, but as the place where grace proves sufficient. Weakness squeezes out false security and makes the solid rock visible. The power of Christ rests on the life that stops pretending strength is the same thing as faith.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[39:02] - Continuing Through Acts
[39:24] - The Three C’s of Conversion
[40:13] - Saul’s Background and Training
[43:24] - Self Righteous Zeal
[45:08] - Acts 9 Reading
[49:34] - Gamaliel’s Warning Ignored
[51:22] - First C: Confrontation
[57:54] - Kicking Against the Goads
[60:55] - Second C: Change
[64:41] - “Who Are You, Lord?”
[69:33] - Third C: Challenge
[72:38] - Ananias Steps Out in Faith
[76:20] - Jesus Is the Answer
[77:36] - Every Damascus Road
[82:04] - Invitation to Receive Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 9:1-22 (ESV)
Philippians 3:4-6 (ESV)
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

Observation questions

What specific actions was Saul taking against believers before his encounter with Jesus (Acts 9:1-2)? How does Paul describe his former confidence in his religious achievements in Philippians 3:4-6?
What physical and spiritual changes occurred in Saul immediately after his confrontation with Jesus (Acts 9:8-9, 18-20)?
How did Ananias respond when God called him to help Saul, and what reassurance did God give him (Acts 9:13-16)?
What does Jesus mean by saying it is “hard for you to kick against the goads” (Acts 9:5)? What examples of these “goads” were mentioned in the sermon? [57:54]

Interpretation questions

Why did Jesus confront Saul directly instead of allowing him to continue persecuting believers? How does this confrontation reveal the connection between harming believers and harming Christ Himself? [55:30]
Saul knew Scripture deeply but lacked mercy until meeting Jesus. How can religious knowledge without a relationship with Christ lead to self-righteousness or hardness of heart? [01:05:12]
Ananias feared Saul but obeyed God’s call to help him. What does this teach about trusting God’s purpose even when His instructions seem risky or counterintuitive?
Paul later wrote, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9). How does suffering or weakness become a platform for God’s grace in our lives? [01:11:49]

Application questions

Are there areas in your life where you might be “kicking against the goads”—resisting God’s gentle conviction through circumstances, people, or Scripture? What would surrender look like in those areas? [57:54]
Saul’s identity and relationships completely changed after meeting Jesus. What habits, relationships, or attitudes might need to shift in your life to reflect a deeper surrender to Christ?
Ananias faced fear but chose obedience. Is there a step of faith God is asking you to take that feels uncomfortable? How can you lean on His promises rather than your doubts?
Paul embraced weakness as a place for God’s strength. Where do you feel inadequate or overwhelmed? How might God want to use that struggle to deepen your reliance on Him? [01:11:49]
The sermon mentions “Damascus Roads” like addiction, rebellion, or unforgiveness. What personal “road” is Jesus shining His light on right now? What practical step can you take to invite Him into that area? [01:17:36]

Sermon Clips

41s

“``That Jesus Christ, God Almighty, the one who lives forevermore wants to confront us on every one of those things that would be in our hearts. Yes. He wants to confront us. He desires that. He wants to shine his light of truth into us and bring his presence into us so that we would know truth. That so that it it it it's it's so close to his coming and you can see it in the world and everything that's going on. It's it's like we need to stop kicking against the goads. Amen? We need us to start giving in to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and moving forward in the things that God has called us to do, man.”

45s

“In us too when we allow the living Jesus Christ into our heart in the word of God to abide in us. Amen? Because he is the word man. And it's because Saul knew the scriptures. He knew all the scriptures. He's a pharisee. He could probably recite whole books of the of the of the new of the old testament back word for word, all of it without reading any of it and just repeat it back because they memorized things like that. That's what the pharisees did. They were very zealous and very religious. You know he knew the scriptures but none of them changed him. Yeah. They didn't change him. He still was full of bitterness and hatred and self righteousness. You know because he didn't know the author of the scriptures. Amen?”

73s

“And that's what we all need to bring change in our lives. We need to see and be confronted with Jesus, the son of God. And an encounter with Jesus can only go two ways. You know? It there'll never be nothing that happens. They'll always either be, no I choose my way and I choose to move away from you Lord, or it'll be, yes Lord and we'll move in closer to the Lord. There is no middle ground. Because if you stay in the middle ground and go don't go towards him, you're actually going away. Yes. There's there's no sitting on the fence once you've heard about Jesus. Amen? Praise God, man. Yes. And so who are you Lord? The question that he asked in these scriptures is the most important question any of us will ever answer. Because all of our eternity hinges on that fact. Hinges on the answer that we give. Who are you Lord? It's the most important question that we can answer or we could ask in our heart and receive an answer by God from. Amen? Yeah because Jesus is the living word. He is the living word of God. He's alive and alive forevermore and he is the word of God.”

56s

“Praise God. And I'm sure that stuck in Saul's craw where he's like, yeah, why are these people acting like that? And why are they, you know, why are they so full of love? And why can't they why can't they be bitter and angry like me? Because if you notice bitter and angry people want everybody to be bitter and angry around them. Yes. Because then that justifies the way that they feel, but when people don't respond that way, it's a goad to them. Amen? And and most of all, the kicking against the goes describes our fighting against the prompting of the holy spirit to stop doing the things that we do that are anti God, walking down our own path, not listening to the Lord, and we will be confronted with the Lord. Amen? Yes. Every time. Because the Lord is truth, and when truth comes in, it confronts us and it convicts us to do the things that God wants us to do.”

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The 3 C's of Conversion | Hosanna City Church | June 28, 2026