Sermon preached on Sunday, July 29, 2012 at Garden Valley Chapel during our morning worship service based on Acts 9:19b-31.

If you have your Bible, I invite you to open up to the Book of Acts, chapter 9 – Acts 9 where we are introduced to a converted Saul.

If you recall we began studying, THE BODY OF CHRIST – what it means to be a part of the Body of Christ, a few weeks back.

All Christians are part of the same Body – one body, called the church (Gr. the ἐκκλησία).

This body was formed in eternity past (“before the foundation of the world” – Eph. 1:4) and at the moment of salvation (spiritually immersed into the Body of Christ – 1 Cor. 12:13). This is what we studied when we look at Eph. 1:22-23 – the church, which is His body.

Next we spoke of the unity of the body. There are many Christian organizations, many denominations, many agencies, many clubs, and many groups of every sort, but there is only one Church, of which every true believer in Christ is a member.

As Paul says in 1 Cor 12:12 – “sure there are many members…but they form one body, so also is Christ.”

Now we draw this short series to a close, I want us to consider the function of this great Body of Christ asking ourselves:
 What is the church to do?
 What is its purpose?

This is where we turn to the Acts of the Apostles chapter 9.

*Saul had done a 180-degree turnabout. Instead of persecuting the Christ, he began preaching Christ. Read Acts 9:19b-31.