Tuesday, January 6th

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Tuesday, January 6

Acts 9:1-9

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 flashed 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.

A number of years ago I got a strange voice mail at my East Campus office. The caller identified himself as being an agent with the “United States State Department.” He went on to say that I was listed as a reference by someone applying for a State Department job and he needed to ask me a few questions. It was late morning on a Tuesday, as I recall, so I thought I would just return the call the next day.

Later that same night I was in an FBCG Board meeting in a small room behind the East Campus chapel. The meeting ran until about 9:45 pm and when I came out of the meeting to head home I was met by a man in trench coat standing in the darkened chapel. He stepped out and said, “Mr. Brian Coffey?” Scared me half to death! What’s a guy in a trench coat doing in the East Campus at almost 10 at night? He opened his coat enough to show me some kind of official looking badge and said, “Can I ask you a few questions?” Something about his tone told me he meant now!

It was the same guy who had called me earlier in the day. He had pursued me, tracked me down, to Geneva; to FBCG; to the East Campus; and to the very room where we were meeting; and had waited in the dark until I left the meeting. It was like something out of a spy movie.

The interview went just fine, but I’ll never forget the sense of being pursued!

This story begins with God in pursuit of Saul.

Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed 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.

I think we notice two things here:

First, Jesus pursues Saul even as Saul is breathing threats and murder against the early church!

So often we hear people talk about “finding God” or “seeking for God.” But here we see that God is the pursuer and Saul is the one being pursued.

While it is true that human beings can and do pursue knowledge and understanding of God, the Bible teaches that God is always the first pursuer!

John says it this way:

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

Did you know that God pursued you before you pursued him? God pursued you in love before you knew anything about him. God pursued you when you were not interested  in him; and even when you ran from him. It is God’s nature to pursue and he pursued Saul of Tarsus.

Second, we should notice that Saul does not recognize the one who pursues him.

After being blinded by the light from heaven and hearing a voice speak his name, Saul says, “Who are you, Lord?”

Scholars say Saul uses the word “Lord” here as a term of politeness; indicating only that he perceives that the one who speaks to him is greater than he.

So we see that Saul has given his whole life to the study of religious law, but is a stranger to the very God he claims to defend!

In this way I think Saul is a very contemporary figure. The world is full of people quite willing to use the name of God; to speak on behalf of God; or to act in the name of God but who do so without knowing the God they claim to represent.

This is the grace of God; that he pursues in love those who are far from him; that he pursues in truth those who do not know him; that he forgives those who have persecuted him; and that he makes the spiritually dead to live again.

Much later in his life Saul, now Paul, would write:

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 
 1 Timothy 1:12-14


Lord Jesus,
 
Thank you for pursuing us when we did not know you and even when we did not want to know you. Thank you for loving me when I did not deserve your love. Thank you for the abundance of your grace; and by your Spirit working in me make me a vessel of your grace to others.
 
Amen


Pastor Brian Coffey