Acts #9

Paul’s Conversion

Thank you guys, and thank you Kristi & Eloise for that wonderful music, but before we continue in our studies of the book of Acts tonight, please if you would:

“Join me in a word of prayer.”

I’ve entitled tonight’s message, simply “Paul’s Conversion”.

Last week in our study of the book of Acts, we talked about how Paul persecuted and scattered the new church and how Philip went down to Samaria and preached the gospel of the coming kingdom and how he performed so many signs and wonders that a sorcerer named Simon wanted to come to Jesus, but for the wrong reasons as we learned. We also talked about how the Holy Spirit Spirit instructed Philip to go down to the desert road leading to Gaza and share the good news about Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch that was traveling back home from Jerusalem. Tonight we are going to take a look, in my opinion, at one of the most important chapters, if not the most important chapter in the book of Acts, chapter 9, the conversion of the most influential Christian, other than the Lord Himself of course, to ever live, the great apostle Paul. Lets start of by reading the first 19 verses together.

Read text: Acts 9:1-19.

After the arrival of the Holy Spirit, shortly after Jesus’ ascension, the followers of Jesus were in for a lot of surprises. The apostles stopped hiding in seclusion and began to speak boldly in the streets and in the temple courts— even at risk of arrest and imprisonment. Jewish Priests and Samaritans both were among those being adding to the number of believers. But the biggest surprise yet found in the book of Acts, was that one of the most determined Christian persecutors of the day, has a dramatic encounter with Jesus and becomes the most influential Christian evangelist in the New Testament.

Saul’s experience on the road to Damascus is the most famous conversion in all of church history. Paul will later share his story with other people, which Luke also records, so the account is found three times in the book of Acts. But so far, all the mentions of Saul of Tarsus has portrayed him as a relentless opponent of Jesus and His church.

That hostile image of Saul continues in Acts 9:1–2, notice what ti says, (“1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”). Saul had been involved, to an extent, with the stoning of Stephen. We don’t know whether or not he actually participated in the killings of other believers, but based on verse 1, that could be the case, but scripture doesn’t tell us.

In any event, he had gone out of his way to obtain special permission and the paperwork needed to imprison any believers he found in Damascus. Believers weren’t yet being called Christians. Jesus had referred to Himself as the way, the truth, and the life back in John 14:6, so at this point the movement of His followers was sometimes called “the Way”. This term is found several times throughout the book of Acts.

Saul’s trip to Damascus was a commitment in itself. The city was about 150 miles from Jerusalem— a journey that would require almost a week. But a lot of Jewish people lived in Damascus, and the synagogues there would be a good place to seek out new believers in the so called “Way”.

Saul wasn’t alone. He had traveling companions. We don’t know who exactly, but perhaps they were members of the temple guard to help transport any believers he might find back to Jerusalem. Saul and his group were almost to Damascus when he saw a light from heaven and heard clearly the voice of Jesus. Look at verses 3 and 4. (“3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”). Saul fell to the ground in response, and the voice confirmed that, indeed, it was Jesus. It’s worthwhile to note that Jesus didn’t accuse Saul of persecuting the church; but it was Jesus Himself who was being persecuted. Saul would later come to understand the close interrelationship Jesus had with His followers, and would include the concept into all 13 of his Epistles.

Jesus told Saul to go on into Damascus and wait to be told what to do. Look at verse 6. (“6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”). The men with Saul heard a noise, but did not discern that it was a voice speaking to him. When he arose to comply, he discovered he was blind and had to be led by the others into the city. He was there three days, and unwilling to eat or drink anything. It was quite a humbling turn of events. Saul had come to Damascus to arrest anyone who believed in Jesus; instead he was arrested by Jesus, whose light shone not only in his eyes, but also in his heart. He had expected to enter the city with pride and power as a self-confident opponent of Jesus, but found himself humbled and blinded, a captive of the very One he had opposed.

Jesus was calling Saul to an un-prophesied new ministry, but first He called a believer named Ananias for a short-term assignment. Notice verses 10 thru 12. (“10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”). So Saul had traveled to Damascus for the express purpose of arresting believers— which would perhaps result even in their deaths. Ananias had full knowledge of Saul’s mission, so it was a big deal for him to approach Saul and to extend a favor and treat him as a believing brother. He expressed his concerns to the Lord, and was assured that Saul was now a different person.

In Jesus’ comments to Ananias, we learn a lot about Saul. His hometown is mentioned for the first time in verse 11. Tarsus is still a city in Turkey, and having been in existence for more than 4 thousand years, may be the oldest city on earth. (Another contender for that title could be Damascus however.) Tarsus had a good reputation as an intellectual city. It’s mentioned only five times in the Bible, and each time in connection with the apostle Paul.

Though it’s not commonly heard today, Ananias was a common name in the Mideast during the first century. This passage tells of a disciple in Damascus by that name. Acts chapter 5, told of another Ananias and his wife, Sapphira. And later in Acts 23, Paul will defend himself before a high priest also named Ananias.

Jesus’ instructions to Ananias will explain that Saul would become His representative to the Gentiles, as well as to his fellow Israelites. Look at verse 15. (“15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.”). Later chapters in Acts will show Saul or (Paul), before Roman rulers and various other groups of Gentiles. Ananias was also told of all the suffering Saul would endure in verse 16. Over the course of his life, Saul was beaten eight times for his faith. Once he was stoned and left for dead but survived. On various other occasions he spent time in prison. And tradition says that eventually Paul was beheaded in Rome by the order of Caesar.

But none of these signs of belief had taken place in Saul’s life yet, as Ananias responded in great faith he went to the house where Saul was staying. Ananias even addressed Saul as “Brother Saul” in verse 17, as he explained why he was there. Notice. (“17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”). After laying his hands on Saul, something like scales fell from his eyes and he could see again. The first thing he did after that, was go to be baptized. Then he ate something for the first time in three days.

A subtle distinction is made between the appearance of Jesus to Ananias and His appearance to Saul. Ananias saw Jesus in a vision back in verse 10. But Saul had an actual physical encounter with the resurrected Jesus, which he confirms later in his writing in 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

Saul spent several days with the Damascus disciples. However the reference to many days in verse 23 was most likely a three-year period. In telling this story in his letter to the Galatian churches, Paul adds the fact that he went to Arabia during this time. Scripture doesn’t tell us this, but I personally believe that Paul went to Mt Sinai in Arabia and spent those 3 years being taught the gospel of grace by the ascended Lord Jesus, the same way Jesus spent 3 years here on earth teaching the other disciples the gospel of the kingdom. After the 3 years Saul/Paul went back to Damascus to start his ministry. Lets read Galatians 1:13–18 together. (“13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.”). During his time back in Damascus, Saul/Paul immediately began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. The persecutor of the church had become the main proclaimer for Jesus. Right from the start, Saul was a powerful witness and defender of the faith. His sudden commitment to his newfound faith in Jesus, of course, was confusing to people at first. But when the Jews tried to challenge what he was saying, he bewildered them with his persuasive teaching. No one could refute his arguments. Notice verses 21 and 22. (“21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”).

As days passed and Saul attracted more and more attention, the Jews in Damascus began to conspire to have him killed. The Roman governor was in on the plot as well, as 2 Corinthians 11:32–33 tells us. (“32 In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.”). They set up a twenty-four-hour surveillance of the city gates and planned to catch him leaving the city, but he learned of their plot. The Damascus believers lowered him in a basket down the outside of the city wall during the night, and he was able to escape safely to Jerusalem.

Back in Jerusalem, Saul was a man with no place to go. He, of course, wanted to unite with the believers there, but they didn’t know what had happened to him back in Damascus and most were afraid of him. He needed someone to reach out to him, as Ananias had done in Damascus. That person turned out to be Barnabas, the “Son of Encouragement,” who had already been an example of generosity in the early church. Barnabas thought that giving someone a chance for repentance and forgiveness was simply the right thing to do.

With Barnabas as his ally, Saul met with Peter and James, the church leaders, as recorded in verse 27 and in Galatians chapter 1. He recounted the events in Damascus and stayed with them 15 days. He also spoke boldly about Jesus throughout Jerusalem. And in very little time, he became involved in debates with the Jews there and they also conspired to kill him. When the Jerusalem believers discovered their plot, they sent Saul to Tarsus.

Saul had been perceived as such a threat to the Jewish way of life, that once he was sent to Tarsus from Jerusalem the church throughout the whole area had a period of peace. It continued to grow both in spiritual depth and in numbers. Notice verse 31. (“31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.”).

Saul will be absent from Luke’s narrative for the next couple of chapters, with the fading of Peter’s ministry taking prominence. But then the account of Saul’s/Paul’s ministry picks back up again and continues throughout the rest of the book of Acts.

Closing:

It’s almost impossible to consider how the history of the church would have been different if Saul (Paul) had not played the part he did. Yet twice in the early stages of his faith, it was other people who played important roles in helping him find his place in the church. Ananias is only mentioned in the Bible for the role he played in Paul’s conversion experience. Barnabas is a little better known, but not nearly as recognized as the apostle Paul himself. Yet the fearless service of Ananias and Barnabas should not go unnoticed. The church is always in need of those who will go out of their comfort zones to connect with people who both need to know more about Jesus and who have much to contribute to the church. Do you know anyone who seems like a modern-day Ananias or Barnabas? Can you think of any opportunities you might have to reach out to someone, even if the prospect of doing so seems to be a little frightening? Something for us to think about during our quiet times this week.

Lets pray together: ..........................

Invitation:

As Kristi and Eloise are getting us ready to sing our last hymn tonight, and as we’re considering all the things we’ve learned together, about the beginning of the church in the book of Acts, and if you have never honored God by asking Him to save you from what we all deserve, which is spiritual death, this would be the perfect time to do just that. God has made that so easy for us to do. The Bible says that anyone, and I do mean anyone, who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus “SHALL BE SAVED”. It doesn’t matter what your past may look like. The Lord just cares about your future. And He wants everyone to spend that future with Him in heaven, forever. Don’t wait another second. If you have any doubt at all about your eternal security, or what’s going to happen to you when you die physically, I beg you to get it settled right now. Don’t wait another second. Get it taken care of right this minute, right here,----- just quietly, ----- with your eyes closed, ----- with your heads bowed, ----- and with your heart’s toward God, ----- just pray a little prayer like this......just pray......Lord, thank you that you love me. I am a sinner, in need of a savior. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins and for the sins of the whole world. I also believe that after three days He was raised from the dead by Your power, so that I also may live in newness of life. Save me Lord, so I may live the rest of my life for You.----- The Bible says if you prayed a simple little prayer like this “you will be saved”.

Please, as we’re singing our last hymn tonight, and if you still need too, just pray that little prayer I mentioned as we sing. And God will save you !! Lets sing together.