Acts 9:1-19
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and he did not eat or drink anything.
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
The Lord said to him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Last Thanksgiving I got a surprise email from an old college classmate named Charlie. When I knew him, back in the late 70's, Charlie was not a follower of Christ that I could tell. In fact, he was pretty much a party animal.
But about 10 years after we graduated, I learned through our alumni magazine that Charlie had become a Wycliffe Bible translator; a missionary. I was stunned.
But I also remembered he was an English major.
Somewhere along the way he also found out I had become a pastor, which is how he knew to look me up. His daughter was in school at Wheaton College and needed a place to stay over Thanksgiving break. It turned out that she found another place to stay but Charlie and I had a fun email exchange in the process.
As we communicated back and forth I asked him what happened to him and he shared his faith-story with me. Then at the end of his email he said, "Who would have ever thought a couple of scruffs like us could be used in God's kingdom!?"
I laughed out loud because the kid I thought was useless to God, saw me pretty much the same way!
But the point is the power of the Gospel to transform.
Who was Saul of Tarsus and what was he like?
Here's what he says in his own words (Philippians 3):
If anyone thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
In other words, a good man in the worst sense of the word.
Saul of Tarsus had a brilliant mind; he was highly educated; he was zealous for what he believed; he was driven and intense by personality.
But he was also arrogant and breathing murderous threats; an angry, rage filled man.
After his encounter with Jesus, who was Paul the Apostle?
He was a man with a brilliant mind; highly educated; zealous for what he believed; driven and intense by personality.
After all, Paul wrote most of the New Testament and almost single handedly brought Christianity to the Gentile world.
But, in place of murderous rage is grace, peace, love and a willingness to suffer all manner of persecution for the name of Jesus Christ.
Why? How did this happen?
When the gospel explodes in our hearts we are transformed.
Jesus said it is like being “born again".
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17:
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.
We are re-created through the grace of Christ; through the gospel of death and resurrection.
But notice!
God quite often takes our personalities, our gifts and talents, and bends them toward his purposes!
He took Charlie, an English major, and aimed him in a new direction.
He took me, a guy who loved sports and wanted to coach someday, and made me a different kind of coach.
He took Saul of Tarsus, a brilliant and driven man, and called him to take the gospel to the Gentile world.
What’s your gospel story? In what ways has Jesus made you a brand spanking new person? In what ways has he captured your personality and talents for his own great purposes?
Pastor Brian Coffey
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