Who is God Calling You To?
Acts 9:10-19
Watch & Listen
Summary
Closing out the 'Made for More' series from Acts 9:10-19, Pastor Kent tells the story of Saul's conversion and the often-overlooked disciple Ananias whom God sends to pray for him. He draws out three insights—God calls us to Himself and does the heavy lifting, God commands us to do the follow-up work of discipleship, and God creates us for community—closing with his own testimony from a wheelchair that the body of Christ has no spare parts.
Sermon Outline
- 1
Nobody Gets There Alone ▶ 0:01
Like a turtle on a fence post, none of us is self-made; whatever we've accomplished, someone helped us get there, and God uses people in His work.
- 2
God Calls Us to Himself ▶ 5:10
Saul wasn't seeking Jesus—Jesus came looking for him; we are spiritually dead and would never come to God unless He first calls us and does the heavy lifting.
- 3
Jesus Identifies With His Church ▶ 10:38
Jesus asks 'why are you persecuting me?' because He so identifies with His people that He takes it personally, which is why the church—His body and bride—deserves our respect.
- 4
Coming to Christ Is a 180 ▶ 13:40
Saul's entire world is dismantled and rebuilt; coming to Christ is not a minor tweak but a complete turnaround of confessing sin and being led in a new way.
- 5
God Commands Us to Do the Follow-Up ▶ 15:00
God sends a reluctant Ananias to the dreaded Saul to do the work of discipleship, showing that people are God's plan and we are nudged to go to those we'd rather avoid.
- 6
God Creates Us for Community ▶ 19:34
We're made for one another, not isolation; the New Testament's many 'one another' commands and the body of Christ together reveal we are made for more.
- 7
No Spare Parts in the Body ▶ 20:55
From his wheelchair, after 26 years of transverse myelitis, Kent illustrates that the body of Christ has no excess members—when any part withholds itself, the whole body is crippled.
Key Points
- None of us is self-made; God uses other people to help bring us to Himself and grow us.
- God makes the first move—we are spiritually dead and would never come to Him unless He calls us first.
- Jesus so identifies with His church that whatever happens to His people, He takes personally.
- Coming to Christ is a complete turnaround, not a minor tweak or mid-flight correction.
- God commands us to do the follow-up work of discipleship, often sending us to people we'd rather avoid.
- We are made for community; the body of Christ has no spare parts, and every member is needed.
Quotable Moments
“Dead people don't make decisions. Dead people don't make choices. Dead people don't pray prayers. Unless the Spirit of God comes to us in our state of spiritual death, and breathes the breath of life into us.” ▶ 6:26
“There's a price to be paid for following Christ. It won't cost you anything. It's all done by his grace. It'll just cost you everything.” ▶ 17:17
“When God wants to do something impossible, he'll take an impossible man and he'll break him and then use him for his own purposes.” ▶ 14:42
Discussion Questions
- 1
Kent said none of us is self-made. Who are the people God used along the way to help bring you toward Him?
- 2
Why does it matter that 'God makes the first move' in calling us, and how does Saul's story on the Damascus road illustrate that?
- 3
Jesus told Saul, 'why are you persecuting me?' What does this reveal about how Jesus relates to His church, and how should that shape the way we treat the church?
- 4
God sent a reluctant Ananias to someone he feared. Is there someone God may be nudging you to reach out to, even though you'd rather not?
- 5
Kent said the body of Christ has no spare parts. What gift or role do you sense God has given you, and how are you using it for the body?
Take It With You
- Thank God this week for one specific person He used to bring you closer to Himself.
- Respond to a nudge to talk to someone about Christ, saying 'here am I, Lord, send me,' even if it's uncomfortable.
- Engage your gift in the body of Christ this week instead of withholding yourself—find one concrete way to serve.
The study guide above (summary, outline, key points, quotes, questions) was generated from the sermon transcript with AI and reviewed by our team. Spot something off? Let us know.
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