Conversion of Saul
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Introduction
Introduction
What gets your attention.
Are you the type of person who is easily distracted by the many distractions around you?
Look at that wall
The popular movie called “up” had a dog character who would bring about a pop culture phrase called
Squirrel. This showed us the idea how easily, even the faithful man’s best friend can easily be distracted.
Another way of getting you attention is to follow someone with passion, charisma, or direction. It captivates you as you are looking for direction in your life.
The final, by no means, exhaustive, one is the driven person.
Once a notion is in the mind of the driven person, nothing can remove that drive. This driven trait can appear in many forms from competitions to simple tasks or even finding that special widget on the internet that no one seems to be able to locate.
Driven people can’t be stopped, or can they?
Which camp can you identify with?
This morning, as we continue our series looking into the beginning of the movement found in the book of Acts the attention moves but for a moment from the followers of Christ to a Pharisee named Saul.
Turn we me and we will read a part of the text we are going to look at this morning.
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.
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.
6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8 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.
9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 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.”
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,
12 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.”
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.”
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.”
17 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.”
18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
Let’s Pray
Saul’s Encounter With Christ
Saul’s Encounter With Christ
If you haven’t figured out yet Saul was one of those men who were driven.
I did a bit of research this week and here is a summary of what I found out about the man, Saul. Taken from a commentary
The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 28: Acts The Heavenly Vision
Saul was both a Hebrew Pharisee and a man of the world. Born and raised by Hebrew parents in Hellenistic Tarsus, he had both Hebrew tradition and Greek culture flowing in his nature. At an early age, his parents’ stature and resources, plus his own brilliance, had won him the sought-after privilege of studying under Gamaliel, the greatest Hebrew intellectual of the time. Saul had distinguished himself as a resourceful scholar and natural leader. He became a member of the strict sect of the Jewish religion called the Pharisees. They were committed to return the nation to impeccable obedience to the Law and the traditions. And yet, Saul had not lost his knowledge of and conditioning by the highly intellectual atmosphere of the Hellenistic world. Tarsus had one of the three greatest universities of the time, behind only Athens and Alexandria. Saul spoke fluent Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. He was exactly the kind of man Jesus needed to lead His movement. While Saul was tracking down His followers, the Lord was tracking him, waiting for the right moment. The Lord was setting the stage. The very one whose persecution had caused some of the Lord’s people to flee to Damascus and start strong churches there would be central in the Lord’s strategy for the future.
Now that you have a picture of the man look back at the text
Acts 9:1 (ESV)
1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, ......
Last week Pastor Josh walked us through the story of Stephen and his last days. Saul was there, He was there watching in delight
One could even say that he was fueled by this action found in Acts 7 to be driven to eradicate all those who are following the “Way of the man from Nazareth. “
You must realize that Saul was driven to serve God.
He knew God’s message to the people, He most likely could recite verses by heart and could out smart any debate on the Old Testament of his contemparies of his day.
Saul’s Purpose
Saul’s Purpose
Saul set out on a journey, with letters from the High Priest.
Saul set out what he believed was a justified mission with letters to prove it.
Stated this way
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 9: John and Acts (1. The Christ Encounter on the Damascus Road (9:1–9))
More important, however, in days when the rabbis viewed the keeping of the Mosaic law as the vitally important prerequisite for the coming of the Messianic Age
What is your purpose in life?
Is God’s Word the source of you purpose?
Is it the source of wisdom we first turn to when we are drawn to a task or course of our lives?
WHAT DRIVES YOU, WHAT MESSAGE FROM GOD DRIVES YOU?
Saul’s Encounter
Saul’s Encounter
Saul begins his journey with a group of followers to gather up all those who have fled from Jerusalem.
They begin the journey but their plan comes to a quick stop.
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?”
Have you ever been on stage with an old style spotlight.
You know the ones where there is an operator behind the light and sends a powerful beam to spotlight the person on the stage.
Luke describes it simply as a light from Heaven, but Paul later in Acts describes it as more than just a light.
13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me.
I’m sure if you are a doubter of the power of God you would simple state that the clouds were blocking the light and they opened enough to see the sun through the clouds.
But as a follower of the all powerful God, Folks, I believe that God has the ability to direct the sun’s power to a designated area.
In fact, I would say that at that moment the brightness was from the risen saviour, Jesus Christ and all his brightness shinning forth to speak to Saul.
Saul, Saul..... The voice sounds out.
A formal way of getting ones attention. Our parents call out our full name, but Jesus called out to get the attention of the driven man.
Notice it wasn’t
Saul, what are you doing?
Saul, what makes you think this is what the God of the Universe is seeking your help?
Christ calls out.
Why are you persecuting me!
Someone wrote this reflecting on this verse
No language can express the affecting character of this question, addressed from the right hand of the Majesty on high to an infuriated, persecuting mortal.
Christ calls out to speak to Saul.
Christ the risen saviour
who is at the right hand of God
Calls out
yet take a moment to look at Saul’s response
Who are you Lord.
Lord a description of that of a master, but at this point in Saul’s life, He still hasn’t come into a personal relationship with the Risen Lord.
I wonder how many of our friends and family members who we are praying for to come into a relationship with our saviour have had encounters with Christ.
Has Christ in some way reached out to them, maybe not to this extent in the text, but has called out to them.
You see, until people see and hear, and believe in the Risen saviour they are still blinded by their ignorance of the presence of the Lord.
But God is never satisfied with people’s ignorance as with the case of Saul.
He will never stop going after the lost and misguided.
No matter what is blocking or standing in the way of people, God is going after the lost.
Saul cries out
Who are you Lord.
The answer Christ gives him will shock him and change his life for ever.
“I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”
Here are some of the most revolutionary words ever spoken. Jesus, whom Paul opposed as an imposter and blasphemy, answers him as the Lord in heaven!
When Paul re lives this moment in time he tells the story this way,
14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
Kick against the Goads?
If you read through the book of Acts, there are three accounts of this story of Paul’s road to Damascus experience, (Chapter 9, 22, and 26)
This account is the only one where this expression is used.
For the Greek world of the time in which the audience begin address in this chapter, this expression is a well known expression.
It was a common idiom used to describe ones opposition to a deity.
Paul used this expression in his presentation to the audience that was mainly Greek background to show the importance of defining Christ as God. Speaking in the Hebrew language, and using a Greek idiom would show to the listeners that this God is the God for all Jews and Greeks.
But why does Christ use the word persecute?
The greek work in the original language of the New Testament was Dioko (Dee O Ko)
To Cause to suffer whether physically or emotionally.
Jesus so identifies with His followers
and they with Him that persecution against a believer is actually and also against Christ as well.
When we come to Christ and are united with Him we are one with Christ and one another.
The key to Jesus is words lies in the self-identification.
First, he identifies himself as the God of the theophany, implying he himself is God.
Second, Jesus identifies himself with the infant church.
At first this does not make sense, for Jesus ascended and no longer walks among his disciples. Astoundingly, Paul's persecution of the Christians is persecution of Christ, because Jesus strongly connects himself with his followers. He so unites himself to his people that to persecute them as to persecute him. Jesus his words to Paul under the Damascus road showed the reality of Jesus is self identification with his people that forms the basis of Paul's teaching on union with Christ.
Are you being persecuted for your faith. Christ identifies with you and suffers along with you.
The good news is that God’s Grace helps us deal with the persecution we will face here on earth.
Saul, who is now known as Paul life was about to change. The power he once held before this encounter with God was now all gone.
He rose, blinded, and once being a leader of people was being led by the hand under the direction of Chris.
6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
Conversion is different for each one of us as we come face to face with the truth of the Gospel.
That Christ died in our place for our sins and by accepting the truth of God’s Grace in our lives we identify with the risen Lord.
Notice at this point in the narrative, Christ for the first time in Paul’s life
Christ became real to him.
For many of us, there is that moment in time, while others there is a journey or process.
There is no particular descriptive way to become a follower of Christ other than coming into a realization of the gospel.
Paul had a message from Christ, go and you will be told what to do.
Three days of waiting in physical darkness, but with the eye opening truth of what he has been rejecting.
let’s continue in the text
10 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.”
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,
12 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.”
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.”
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.”
17 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.”
18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
Saul’s Encounter with Followers
Saul’s Encounter with Followers
Saul now begins his first encounter with the followers of the way in a far different manner than what he set out to do in this journey.
The greatest event you can watch is the eye opening experience of a new believer who has just come to experience the truth found in scripture.
It’s a world of discovery.
To be honest, that discovery should be a part of our entire lives until the Lord comes or we are delivered to our heavenly home.
Ananias, A disciple of Christ, A faithful follower of the Risen Lord
God speaks to him.
Go....Now.
You need to be the physical hands of Jesus in the life of my new disciple. A guy named Saul.
Go…Now and lay hands on him and pray, so that the spiritual eyes that have opened will now have his physical eyes opened as well.
Ananias questioned God.
Are you sure? I’ve heard stories about this guy… All that is within me is crying to run as far away from him. Did you hear about he papers he has with him?
God simple said Go.....
Why....
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.
God working in our midst is not done in a vacuum.
We have been defining a disciple is one who is seeking to know God (Knowing) while being transformed into the likeness of Christ (Growing) Empowered by the Spirit in the context of Community (Serving)
Ananias needed to be faithful in his context to come to Saul soon to be called Paul to open his physical eyes as they fellowshipped together for the first time as fellow believers. What a sight that would have been.
Ananias witness the transformed by Christ’s power
Paul,
the one who once was against Christ now was being transformed to be in the likeness of Christ.
What a wonderful baptismal service that would have been. In fact, all baptismal services I have seen over my lifetime have been a wonderful time as we celebrate together the life change decision in the life of a believer.
Where are you in your life? Has Christ taken control of your life?
Have you given your all?
Have you answered the call of your life? Are you a disciple who is KNOWING GROWING and SERVING in our community of believers?
If not, take a moment to ponder what is holding you back.
If you have never thought about this before let me point out something for you.
Christ came to this world, died on the cross and rose again so that by accepting this work on the cross we can have forgiveness of sin and be restored with our broken relationship with God.
It is up to us to ask God come into our lives and to help us Know Grow and Give of His strength.
If you have not done this, please do it today we would love to talk with you about this relationship we would love for you to have in your life.
Saul’s Changed Life
Saul’s Changed Life
That moment in Saul’s life began to change, Let’s look at the text
19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
21 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?”
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
I wonder how many of us when we look upon this story of God speaking to Saul do we focus on the call or the fruit of the call.
Christ spoke to Saul in a spectacular form, but it is the marvel of transformational life that catches my attention.
All were amazed ...... Are people amazed at the transformational life that you live?
When you look back on your own conversion, are you continuing in giving God the Glory and continuing in living out your calling. If not, take today’s text as a reminder of what God has called you to do with your life.
In Summary
In Summary
As the worship team comes forward to prepare us in a response to worship, let me summarize.
Saul, soon to be called Paul had a life changing experience when he came in contact with the risen saviour.
This change is what we call conversion. A turning away from our past and living a life modeled by God’s Grace in our lives as we give testimony to God working in our life.
Turn to Christ, live for him today.
Response to Worship
Response to Worship
Benediction
Benediction
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.