03 May 2026 - Peter van Breda - God Chooses and Uses the Foolish things of this World

Now the tool that God uses to carry the gospel throughout the Roman Empire was a very unlikely one. We saw him back in Acts chapter seven. We were introduced to him there. We saw what he did. We read in acts chapter eight that Saul was consenting to Stephen's death. But then he becomes God's tool by giving his life to Christ. He was radically changed as we all are when we come to Christ. Each one of us can probably remember what he was like before we were Christian. What was your life really like before you became a Christ follower? [01:04:26] (42 seconds)  #UnlikelyInstrument

He realized he was dealing with something greater than even he could understand. And then comes the three words. That changes Saul's life and world history. I am Jesus. Now, let's stop for a moment. Here you are. You're on your way Damascus, 150 miles. You've gone about six days. It's the seventh day now and you encounter this bright light. You see this bright light and you fall down on the ground. In the night, something out of the light says, why are you persecuting me? [01:27:19] (54 seconds)  #IAmJesusEncounter

No way, Jose. He woke up that day and he says, I'm on my way to Damascus breathing fire and it's a good day to kill Christians. He was Christ's greatest enemy. Acts chapter seven verse 58. At the death of Stephen, we meet him. The witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man by the name of Saul. Then in Acts chapter eight and verse one, there he is approving of their of Stephen's death. It is good that this man, Stephen, is being killed. [01:14:39] (33 seconds)  #BreathingFireToFaith

The inference is that men are never touched and impressed by their insignificance until they contrast themselves with the majesty of God. Let me say that again. The inference here is that you and I, we are never touched and impressed with our own insignificance until we contrast ourselves with the majesty of God. Have you ever thought about how majestic God is? That he reached down one day and he touched me and he touched you and he turned your life around. But how many of us, once we've received Christ as our lord and savior, forget the majesty of god and we just go our own way. [01:22:28] (56 seconds)  #MajestyRevealsUs

Maybe there's one of those that you're praying for. Somebody that you deeply care about. Let me encourage you. Don't give up hope. Key text is one Timothy one verse 15. There's a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom. Now listen what Paul says. Of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason, I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus, might displace unlimited patience as an example to those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. [01:13:13] (44 seconds)  #MercyForSinners

Instead of breathing threats and murder against the Christians, he entered the city helpless, blind, led by the hand. And then came three days of fasting and praying. So finally, each person here today and in the hearing that my voice can find personal hope in Saul's conversion. Secondly, Saul's conversion was for your sake. His moral life counted for nothing. You concerned about somebody else, don't lose hope. Let's be a church that is willing to go out and see what God can do. Let's trust him to work in the mighty ways here on this earth and in this area. [01:33:16] (51 seconds)  #BlindAndBroken

That we are those living stones that Christ selected to be part of his eternal temp temple. Kind of stones that any architect would reject. But Jesus, the master of craftsmen is selecting people every single day to build his eternal temple. And I believe Peter spoke of the building project in one Peter two because he will never forget the moment he first heard that building project through Christ's own words. He was useless in himself but he was made useful by the master craftsman by Jesus himself by transforming the power of almighty god through Christ's work in his life. [01:00:15] (44 seconds)  #ChosenLivingStones

Maybe the way, that's the way that God looks at us. Some of the time, figures powerful and poised, longing to be set free. Some of us are still partly done. We haven't been completed. In fact, I would say none of us are complete. God is working on us, chiseling away this part of our lives and that part of our lives, this part of our thinking as he molds us into the image that he has for us. Set free from the impediments, from the shackles of stone that bind and paralyze us. [01:34:32] (37 seconds)  #BeingChiseledByGod