DON'T LET PAST SINS HOLD YOU BACK

Proclamation:

“At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is The Son of God.  All those who heard him were astonished and asked, ‘Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?  And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?’  Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is The Messiah.” Acts 9:20-22 (NIV)

Explanation:

During his past life, before being converted on the road to Damascus, Saul had persecuted Christian men and women.  He even entered their homes, hauled them out, and committed them to prison. (Acts s 8:3)  He was so bad to the believers that it was hard for the people to accept him as a preacher of the gospel.  But as bad as he was, God was able to change him and use him. (Acts 9:20-22)  Saul was his name as a Hebrew; Paul was his name as a citizen of Rome. (Acts 13:9)  Paul not only preached the gospel, he organized several churches while on his various missionary journeys.  Additionally, thirteen of the twenty-seven books of the new testament of The Bible were written by the apostle Paul. 

Application:
Has your pre-Christian past ever been an embarrassment to you?  When you meet your old friends are they shocked at the new Christian you?  Do you feel that you were so bad in the past that God would not use you to spread His Word or build His kingdom on earth?  If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then remember the apostle Paul.  He went from persecuting Christians to preaching the gospel.  Don't let your past sins, for which you have been forgiven by God, get in the way of your present work for The Lord.  Let go of your past and let God use you now and in the future.  God has forgiven you.  All of us have sinned. (Roman 3:23)  We have all done things which were not Christ-like.  After we ask God to forgive us, we need to forgive ourselves and move on.  God has a plan for each of us. (Jeremiah 29:11)