It is often said that if a skeptic wished to be honest in his serious consideration of the historicity of the New Testament, he would have to explain two historical facts: the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Both events are difficult to dismiss out of hand if one takes seriously the historical record.
Today’s focus is on Saul’s conversion (recorded in Acts 9:1-22), Saul, usually remembered as Paul, is the one who gave us close to two-thirds of the New Testament. What happened to this man that changed him from a persecutor of the faith to a publisher of the faith?
Here’s how Luke recorded Paul’s encounter…
Saul was on his way to Damascus, hoping to find Christians he could arrest. He’s got warrants in his hand as he journeys along and suddenly he is blinded by a light from heaven and falls to the ground in an encounter that leaves him three days without sight.
We’ll read later that his sight is restored. God will do that. It is God who blinds him and God who restores his sight. The irony is rich: Saul believed he could see spiritually but he was really blind to the truth. So God blinds him physically in order to help him see!
Again, it is God who conducts this “operation,” this spiritual eye surgery, on Saul of Tarsus–and upon every person who comes to Him by faith in Christ. From Paul’s conversion record, then, there are no fewer than three “essentials” of true Christianity:
The Necessity of Conversion (1-9)
Jesus said, “You must be born again.” We cannot be saved from sin without the new birth. God gives us new hearts and we believe by faith in Jesus Christ. This is conversion; we were once headed in one direction, but we have changed course. We are now following Jesus Christ. Paul describes conversion as a new creation. He says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; all things have become new.”
This was true of the Apostle Paul. He was on his way to Damascus, living a life in opposition to Christ and God got hold of his heart and he was converted. He was turned around. He was saved. And he began living a new life in Christ.
One of the things I like about this passage is that it illustrates God’s taking the initiative in our conversion. He makes the first move. He seeks us before we seek Him. Remember Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one comes to Me unless the Father draws him.” And that his happening here.
I mean, Paul was not interested in Jesus. And Jesus just “knocks Paul down” and speaks to him. One of the things Jesus says (in the King James and New King James versions) is this statement to Paul in verse 5: “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” That phrase is found later in Acts 22 and 26 where Paul tells this story of his conversion, so the translators included it here to bring a fuller accounting of the story.
But this phrase, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads,” is a way of describing how hard it is to resist something that’s prodding you along.
A “goad” was a sharp stick used, for example, by a sheep herder. Sheep are not real bright animals. They may wander aimlessly towards a cliff or some other danger so the sheep herder would take a goad and prod the sheep: “Hey wrong way, Einstein!” and then the sheep would go in the right direction.
This is precisely what God does for us. We are naturally going in the wrong direction and, in His love, He comes along and goads us in the right direction. So when we feel like God is “goading” us, prodding us, moving in our lives, then we are wise to respond the correct way, not by resisting Him and kicking against Him, but by following Him.
Remember that apart from Christ, we are spiritually blind. We cannot see the truth because we don’t yet have the ability to see the truth. We are dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1) and therefore blind to spiritual things.
I raise this point as a matter of compassion, compassion for those who are spiritually blind. A person can be spiritually blind to the truth without realizing it.
It’s like when you’ve been to a movie theater. You sit inside that dark theater for a couple hours and you see quite well. You can see the person next to you, see your drink, and see the popcorn that’s fallen onto your chest. When the movie’s over, you step outside and the bright light causes you to squint and you’re like, “Man, I can’t see!”
What happened was that you had gotten used to the darkness without even realizing it. You were just used to sitting in the dark. You could see, but all you could see was the stuff in the dark.
The same is true in the spiritual realm. People can be in darkness and not realize it. This calls for compassion on our part. We don’t make fun of them or look down upon them as though they lack intelligence. We do as others did for Paul, taking them by the hand, as it were, and leading them into the light.
I love the way Jesus introduces Himself to Saul of Tarsus! He asks him in verse 4, “Saul, Saul, why are persecuting Me?” And Saul is like, “What?! Who are You, Lord?” Great question, by the way. An honest skeptic will make an honest inquiry of the nature of Christ; Who He is.
But Jesus’ question is a reminder that an attack on Christians is an attack on Jesus Himself. He asks Saul, “Why are you persecuting Me?” To attack Christians—the church—is to attack Jesus. So united are Christians with Christ that to attack the one is to attack the other.
Now this takes us to the next point: the church. We have read of the necessity of conversion. The second characteristic of true Christianity is:
The Necessity of Community (10-19)
A community of faith. A community of believers. The church.
Through the gospel, God unites people together so they may grow in family; growing in a healthier relationship with God and with one another. Note it here:
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.” (verse 10)
That’s a great response, right?! God calls your name, you say, “Here I am. Use me.” But do we mean it when we say it? Ananias said it right away. Let’s see if he means it.
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. “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.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. “And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” (verses 11-14)
Let’s appreciate Ananias’ dilemma! Ananias wants to do the Lord’s will, but he’s like, “Uh, God, are you sure about this?! I don’t know if you have thought this thing through. I mean, I know You know everything but, this Saul guy, he’s been persecuting Christians. He has authority here in Damascus to arrest people!”
Many of us are no different. We may say, “Lord, I trust You. I believe in You. I want to live Your plan.” Then God unfolds His will and we’re like Ananias here trying to make sure God has all the information He needs.
May God give us grace simply to do what He says! He’ll always honor our doing the right thing.
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. “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” 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.” (verses 15-17)
I picture Ananias gingerly approaching Saul, possibly still thinking, “I don’t know about this!” He enters the house and tiptoes near him. And then he gently places his hands on him, touching him. And note the endearing way Ananias addresses Saul. He says: “Brother Saul.” Did you catch that? Brother. He’s family.
The gospel brings people together. We can get along because we are brothers and sisters united in Christ!
Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. (verses 18-19)
Saul can now see! Something fell from his eyes like scales, maybe like a film that had been over his eyes, and now he can see.
And the first thing Paul does is to get baptized. Throughout the Book of Acts you’ll read that as soon as people receive Christ, they are baptized. Baptism is a word that means to be immersed into water. It pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And baptism pictures what has happened to a new believer. He or she has died to the old person and the old way of life, and has been raised to walk in a new way of life.
This part of the passage really stresses the need for community in the Christian life. We are relational beings and we need one another. Saul needed Ananias. And Ananias blessed him by laying hands on him, touching him, and praying for him.
Imagine as Paul walks around heaven today that Ananias is close by, maybe reminding everyone: “Hey, I had something to do with this guy being here!”
So we’ve read of the necessity of conversion and the necessity of community. The third characteristic of true Christianity is:
The Necessity of Confession (20-22)
By confession, I mean “to confess our faith in Christ;” to tell others about Jesus.
Paul is filled with the Holy Spirit so he is able now to say, “Jesus is Lord.” He would later write in 1 Corinthians 12:3, “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”
So Saul of Tarsus now has the Spirit of God within Him. He is now a new creation. He is especially remembered now by his second name, “The Apostle Paul.” And, as a new creation, he has a story to tell to all who will listen:
Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. 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?” (verses 20-21)
Everybody knows he’s different now. Something has happened. He’s changed!
If you are a Christian, do people see a change in your life? Do people notice you are different—different in a good way? Do you have a joy in the Lord that others see?
But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. (verse 22)
Every Christian confesses Christ.
Paul is changed, so he naturally confesses Christ; telling others about Jesus.
That’s what every believer does.
Every Christian confesses Christ. It’s just like ministry: every Christian is a minister. Not every Christian is a pastor–not every Christian will preach to a congregation–but every Christian is a minister and will confess Christ. Believers will speak of their faith in Christ as one of His witnesses.
I find it really easy to talk about things that I like or things that give me joy. If I go to a new restaurant and the food is good, I’ll tell all kinds of people about it—even total strangers! I’ll say, “Man, you’ve got to go to this place!”
In many ways, that’s all witnessing is. It’s just telling others about the One who gives you joy. If you have that joy, you just want to share it with others. Confessing Christ. True Christians do that.
Tell someone today how you met Jesus. Tell them how He came to you and how you came to know Him.
What About You?
- Has God corrected your vision through the gospel? What must you do to “see” spiritually?
- How was the need for community hampered by COVID-19 “shutdown” guidelines?
- How can Saul’s conversion encourage our praying for unbelieving loved ones who are far away from Christ?
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