Redirecting a Rebel

Today we’re wrapping up our series called, “Beyond the Tomb,” where we’ve studied the various appearances Jesus made between His Resurrection and His ascension into Heaven. This morning our focus in on one last appearance, though this one took place after the Ascension, as Jesus radically redirects a rebel named Paul (also known as Saul – his Hebrew name).

Just for a minute, think about what you would do if we just heard that a terrorist was headed to this city and was specifically targeting this church for destruction. After we locked the doors, we’d pray, wouldn’t we? But what would we pray for?

That God would intercept him.

That God would somehow strike him dead.

That he would have a divine accident.

That God would send His angels to guard this building.

Would any of us pray that he would be converted and saved from his sins?

That’s what happened to the fanatic named Saul.

Just outside the city he was targeting, God broke through and redirected the course of his life. I want to suggest that Saul’s salvation has application for us today. God’s purpose in saving Paul is to give you hope for yourself and for the people you want to see saved.

Let’s look at how God claimed this terrorist. We’ll pray and read our text for this morning.

Pray!

Acts 9:1–22 ESV

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

Let’s first look at:

His Struggle

Saul was a Pharisee who really believed that he needed to destroy Christianity because it was a threat to Judaism. Actually, he believed he was doing God’s will by taking out followers of the “way.” In his mind, believers in Jesus were heretics and blasphemers and if he did what he could to stop this new religion, maybe God would bring the “real” Messiah to Israel. Saul was very religious, well-educated, ambitious, zealous, and full of hatred and bitterness. He thought that those who didn’t believe like he did should be eliminated.

When Stephen was martyred in Acts 7, we’re told that the executioners “laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.” In Acts 8:1, we find that Saul not only stood guard over their outer garments, he approved of their actions.

After Stephen’s death, persecution broke out against the church and the apostles scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. God actually used this persecution to help fulfill the mission of Acts 1:8 so the believers didn’t stay clustered in Jerusalem, but spread out to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Acts 8:3 gives us an idea into what kind of man Saul was:

Acts 8:3 ESV

But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

As believers are being persecuted, some of them fled to Damascus, a city about 200 miles away. They thought they would be safe there. But like a bloodhound on the trail, Saul headed to this community out in the desert. Look at verses 1 and 2:

1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Paul wasn’t just doing a job; he was on a mission. His very breath was filled with spite and hatred. The image is one of intensity. He didn’t care if the believers were men or women; he was armed with the legal documents to arrest and extradite, and nothing was going to stop him.

Paul was religious but he had no relationship with God; he thought he was doing “God’s work,” but he wasn’t doing His will. Does that maybe describe you today? You may be zealous in what you’re doing, you could be far from what God wants you to do, or maybe you’re just far from God.

His Salvation

Paul might not have agreed that he was in a struggle but verses 3-5 reveal that he was actually in a battle with Jesus Himself:

3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

Saul could not stop God’s purposes. Saul learned that he was a sinner and that the Savior was alive. On his way to arrest others; the Lord arrested him.

We know from Acts 22:6 that it was about noon when this light from heaven flashed around him. Acts 26:13 tells us that it was brighter than the sun. This “light from heaven” was in no way ordinary.

When Paul saw the light, he hit the dirt. He probably thought he was in big trouble because when God sent this type of light it usually meant judgment. He then heard a voice repeat his name twice for emphasis: “Saul, Saul.” God repeated the name of Moses twice in Exodus 3:14. Jesus said, “Martha, Martha” and “Simon, Simon” in order to correct them.

Now imagine how Saul must have felt. He’s been certain that he’s doing God’s work and then the voice says, “Why are you persecuting me?”

To his credit, when Saul asks who is speaking to him, he refers to Him as “Lord.” The next statement must have shaken him to his sandals. He thought Jesus was dead and that members of the Way were mistaken. And then he hears the words, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

The phrase “I am” takes us back to Exodus 3:14 when God Himself says: “I am who I am.” Jesus is the Great I Am. And don’t miss the connection between Jesus and his church. What is done to Christians is done to Christ. When a believer is persecuted, Jesus feels the pain. He takes persecution very personally.

In verse 6 Saul is told to go into the city where he would receive further instructions. Verse 7 gives us some insight into how Saul’s companions processed everything when we read that they “stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.”

When Saul got up from the ground, he opened his eyes but could see nothing. His friends then take him by the hand and lead him into Damascus. What a picture! The tough guy is now led like a child and was so traumatized that he didn’t eat or drink anything for three days. In the darkness of his sight, he realized how dark he was in his soul. I’m sure he replayed his life during these 72 hours, remembering ways in which he had wronged God and times in which he had persecuted people.

I wonder if his mind went back to:

Deuteronomy 28:28–29 ESV

The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of mind, and you shall grope at noonday, as the blind grope in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways. And you shall be only oppressed and robbed continually, and there shall be no one to help you.

28 The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of mind,

29 and you shall grope at noonday, as the blind grope in darkness…

After struggling and then getting saved, Saul needed some support.

His Support

The Lord calls out to a disciple named Ananias in a vision in verse 10. Interestingly, his name means, “Jehovah is gracious.” He was about to find out what grace really means. His assignment is found in verse 11:

11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,

The street called Straight was very well known; it would be like Michigan Avenue in Chicago. And he was told to go to the house of a man named Judas and ask for Saul.

Jesus is describing what Saul is doing in order to help Ananias see that Saul’s conversion was real. Prayer is evidence of conversion as he has been changed from a persecutor to a pray-er.

Charles Spurgeon put it this way:

“Prayer is the autograph of the Holy Ghost upon the renewed heart.”

A believer who is not praying is an oxymoron.

Ananias responded like many of us would have in verses 13-14:

13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.

14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

Ananias doesn’t want to even get close to Saul because he doesn’t trust him. He doubts whether his conversion is real. Maybe Ananias is thinking that since Saul is blind, he can escape before he knows he’s there! The Lord then repeats his command:

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

Saul’s future ministry is going to be marked by suffering.

Ananias does two things to communicate acceptance and support in verse 17. First, he places his hands on Saul and second, he calls him “brother.” Through touch and words of inclusion, he gives Saul the support he needs.

When Saul returned to Jerusalem in verses 26 and 27, he tried to hang out with the disciples but they were scared to death of him, doubting whether or not he was really saved. This time Barnabas came alongside him and brought him to the apostles, telling them how Saul had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

A little boy made his mom and dad very upset so they made him sit by himself at a different table during supper. The boy bowed his head and prayed before he ate, “Thank you, Lord, for preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

Brothers and sisters, in God’s family, we are not to be enemies, but rather we are to embrace one another. We need to accept and include. We all need someone who will help us feel included, don’t we? Who are you helping? Is there someone who needs you to stand alongside him or her? Be a Barnabas to someone today.

It’s interesting that there is more space in Scripture devoted to convincing Ananias to be accepting than there is to the conversion of Saul.

The principle is this:

Once you become a follower of Jesus, you become part of the family of God.

There is no room for someone to say, “I’m a Christian, I just don’t go to church.” To be saved means to be connected to a local body of believers. Paul wouldn’t have understood the common answer we hear today, “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”

In verse 18, described as only Doctor Luke could diagnose it:

18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;

He went from darkness to light, from not being able to see spiritual truth to having the eyes of his heart open. I want you to see how belief always precedes baptism. Saul is saved and then he is baptized! And he doesn’t waste any time doing it.

After struggling, getting saved, and then finding support from other believers, Saul then models the importance of serving.

His Service

Verse 19 states that he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. Notice what he does next in verse 20:

20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

People are astonished because they remember that he was the one who “made havoc” in Jerusalem. Paul grew bolder and “confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.” Using his sharp intellect, Saul was able to bring all the pieces together and demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah.

As we look at Paul’s conversion, we might be tempted to think that his experience is unique and that we can’t relate to it. While his circumstances were certainly exceptional, how he got saved is an example for all of us.

Listen to what he writes in:

1 Timothy 1:15–16 ESV

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Paul referred to himself as the “worst of sinners.” And yet, Jesus displayed his unlimited patience and saved him from his sins. He went from struggling to being saved to being supported to serving. And his conversion was an example for you and for me.

I see at least three implications for us.

You can be saved

It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or how you’ve been living. You can be, and must be converted. You may be religious, you may be rebellious, or you might just be a regular person. Either way you need to be saved. Saul’s name was changed to Paul after his conversion – his nature was changed and so was his name!

In his letters, Paul described salvation in no uncertain terms. You’re either a child of light or a child of darkness. You’re either in the kingdom of darkness or the kingdom of light. You’re saved or lost. You’re on the path to paradise or on the highway to hell. You’re in or you’re out.

It’s time for you to be saved. Respond to God now or He may do something dramatic to knock you down so that He can pick you back up.

Anyone can be saved

Have you lost hope about a family member ever coming to Christ?

I really respect those of you that are following Christ faithfully and praying for a family member, a friend or a neighbor to be saved. Just as Paul was saved as an example for us, you have been saved for someone as well. For whose sake have you been saved? Don’t stop praying, loving, serving and living authentically. Model the gentle spirit of one who is serving the Savior. And take the opportunities to speak for Christ when they come up.

If God could save Paul, He can save anyone.

Don’t tire of sharing your testimony

Paul knew that it was God’s grace that saved him; it had nothing to do with him. It’s no accident that every time he writes to a church in his letters, he begins with the same words: “Grace and peace to you…” He knew he did not get what he deserved but instead received the gift of forgiveness and eternal life.

And he couldn’t stop talking about it. Paul’s conversion is recorded in Acts 9 and he tells the story again of how he was saved in both Acts 22 and Acts 26. Read these accounts because Paul demonstrates how best to share a salvation story.

I want to give you the opportunity right now to respond to the Lord’s leading by asking two questions.

Are you ready to be saved?

Whose conversion are you praying for?

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