Saul of Tarsus Meets the Risen Jesus (Acts 9:1-9)
This sermon was preached on 5/2/2012
Every four years a power struggle takes place between the Democrat and Republican candidates for presidency of the United States. Yet when we think about it, the process reveals that neither of them has any inherent power because the choice does not depend on their individual abilities but on the opinions of the populace. Further, whoever wins the election cannot guarantee that he will be able to control the other government departments and he certainly will not be able to control events in other countries. Yet the one who wins the election is regarded as the most powerful man on earth. But is he?
Acts 9 is the climax of a power struggle, the conclusion to a campaign waged in Jerusalem. On the one hand, there is the campaign of Saul of Tarsus to get rid of the growing movement of Christians. His tactics are described in verses one and two. We note that he had great determination, that he had friends in high places in the land, and he was ready to extend his crusade to faraway places. So far, his pursuit of victory seemed to have been successful because a leader of the Christians, Stephen, had been put to death and most of the other Christians had been forced out of Jerusalem. There seemed to be nothing that could stop him in his pursuit of victory. Yet he discovered that his campaign was overthrown in a moment by Jesus, the one whom he regarded as an enemy to destroy.
We must remind ourselves that Jesus also has been engaged in promoting his cause. Despite initial impressions, the expulsion of his followers from Jerusalem has not been a disaster. Instead, through this ejection the gospel has been blessed in Samaria and also a most powerful man from Ethiopia, the treasurer of that country, had become a follower of Jesus. Further the message of Jesus was declared in various cities on the Mediterranean coast. These successes had been brought about through the ministry of Philip, and no doubt Jesus was using other servants to bring his message to other places. Indeed the campaign of Jesus was making inroads into some of the territory that Saul of Tarsus may have regarded as his heartlands.
The conversion of Saul of Tarsus is one of the important events of world history. We know that the influence of certain people causes an observable change in the direction of nations. What would the history of Scotland have been like if John Knox had never become a Protestant? What would the development of England been like if Oliver Cromwell had never been its leader? What would have happened in Russia and China if communism had not taken hold? These different places and periods of history were profoundly affected by individual leaders. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus, under the hand of Jesus Christ, changed the development of the Christian church. It was the writings of Saul of Tarsus that enlightened Luther and resulted in the Reformation, that challenged Wilberforce and others to do something about slavery, and that are still causing great changes today wherever his letters are read. Today millions of people read the words of Saul of Tarsus and give thanks to God for him.
Often the conversion of Saul is regarded as dramatic in a similar way to how conversions of other openly sinful people are perceived. The conversion of the Philippian jailor, a role often filled by a cruel and indifferent person, is rightly regarded as dramatic and, no doubt, it was a talking-point in Philippi for a while. Obviously the conversion of Saul would have been the topic of discussion in the streets of Damascus after he was converted, and the details of how it happened would have been repeated. Yet his conversion was more than a dramatic one which stimulated local interest; it was also a strategic one as far as the growth of the Christian church was concerned. What happened to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus qualified him to become an apostle of the Christian church, an individual possessing God-given authority among his people. It was strategic because Jesus Christ did not merely wish to defeat his opponent; he also intended to use him to spread the faith.
When did Saul know that he had become a Christian? Often it is assumed that because he was confronted by Jesus on the Damascus Road, Saul realised immediately that he had been converted. Perhaps he did, although a case can be made for him realising in Damascus what had taken place outside the city. His understanding of his conversion came in stages rather than a one-off event. Before Saul could believe in Jesus, he had to be made aware of who Jesus was. It seems to be that this was what happened on the Damascus Road, which was followed by a period of a few days in which Saul reflected on what had happened to him, and which climaxed with the message for Saul from Jesus delivered by Ananias.
While it is not possible that any will have the experience of Saul (i.e., meet the risen, exalted Christ), it is the case that many Christians cannot tell when they were born again. All they know is that during a certain period, be it a matter of days, weeks or months, they became followers of Jesus. It is not really possible for an individual to tell the exact moment when he was regenerated. Regeneration is the moment when God gives spiritual life into a dead soul. This new life will show itself in a variety of ways and does not follow the same order in every Christian. The various responses of the new life are covered by the term ‘conversion’. Regeneration and conversion do not mean the same experience. Regeneration is an instantaneous and secret act of God whereas conversion is a gradual turning from sin and embracing of Christ. When I say it is gradual, the process can take a few seconds, or a few minutes, or a few days, or a few weeks, or even a few months before the person realises that God has changed him.
The Resolution of Saul (vv. 1-2)
Luke gives a graphic picture of the attitude of Saul of Tarsus: he was ‘still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord’. This was his consuming passion. Whenever he thought of the Christians, he went into a rage of fury. The thought of his heart was, ‘I must destroy them! I must destroy them!’ Why was he so vehement?
One correct answer to that question is that Saul’s resolution was a religious one; it was an expression of his faith. His religion consumed him day and night, and he could not tolerate a deviation from it, no matter how small. For Saul, his faith could only be expressed in this manner. He regarded the Christians as being guilty of blasphemy, and he knew that the penalty for it was death. And he was prepared to implement it, whatever it cost him, because he believed he was serving the God of his fathers. His heroes may have been Phinehas, who slew thousands of Israelites who engaged in idolatry, and Elijah, who massacred the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel.
Today we witness the powerful effect that religion has on people. If we walk down the streets of our cities, we will see Buddhists leaping down the road in their orange robes, we will see orthodox Jews dressed in their dark clothes, and we will followers of Islam in their attire. We also know that some of the followers of those religions are prepared to do anything to further their faith. Our society cannot understand religious zeal and calls those who have it by the name ‘fundamentalists’. They attempt to find ‘moderates’ among them, apparently not realising that once a follower of any religion becomes a moderate, their religion is meaningless. The issue is not whether a person should have religious zeal; instead it all depends on whether the person follows the right religion. Saul was very zealous in a wrong religion, but he was about to discover the right religion to be zealous about.
The Realisation by Saul (vv. 3-5a)
As he made his way to Damascus, Saul had no time to look at the scenery. But Someone was looking at him and in a moment brought him to the ground. The interruption happened almost as he reached the city. The Christian Jews in Damascus were aware that Saul was coming to arrest them (v. 14). We can imagine the great fear they would have and, perhaps, they were praying for God to stop Saul from reaching the city. Whether they were or not, the method used by Jesus here is a common one – deliverance from trouble often occurs at the last moment. The believers in Damascus were rescued from Saul’s intentions when he had almost arrived at the city.
Saul went through an experience that occasionally occurred in Old Testament times. God appeared to a person in great power and majesty, such as his appearance to the prophet in Isaiah 6. Such divine visits are called theophanies and Saul realised he had received one. We can see this realisation in his response, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul understood that he was in the presence of God. This question had not risen out of curiosity; instead it was a confession by Saul that he had met God.
How did he know this was the case? There are at least two answers to the question. First, there was the brightness of the light (on another occasion when he told what happened to him [Acts 26:13], he said that the light was brighter than the noon-day sun). Often when God appears, unusual things happen to the creation. Sometimes there are earthquakes; when he appeared to Moses, it was in a burning bush that was not consumed. Saul very quickly realised that only God could produce a light brighter than the sun. In fact, the light he saw was uncreated light, similar to what the disciples of Jesus saw on the Mount of Transfiguration when his appearance was changed and his face shone brighter than the sun. Saul had no doubt that he had met with God.
Second, Saul heard this unknown voice call him by name. This must have been a surprise to Saul, to hear himself addressed personally by a Voice from within the bright light that surrounded him. Saul realised that he was face to face with one that knew all about him, not only his name, but also his struggles (kicking against the goads). Further, Saul would have known that often God, when he spoke to a person in the Old Testament, often said the name twice – he did so to Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Samuel, and it always signified a matter of great importance. Perhaps this is why Saul asked what Jesus would have him do.
In any case, one thing is evident from Saul’s experience and it is that he is now a submissive man. All his previous independency of outlook has gone. Saul had assumed that he had been serving God. He realised now that his assumption had been false, and that he had to change his way of living. This desire for change is expressed in his question, ‘Lord, what will you have me do?’ Saul realised here that submission is an essential aspect of conversion. Basically submission is the expression of an inner desire to leave sin and serve God. It is an important aspect of true repentance.
There is another feature here in Saul’s conversion which sometimes happens in the experience of others, and that is a sense of confusion. We can see Saul’s confusion in his question, ‘Lord, who are you?’ While the causes of confusion in others will not be the same, we should not be surprised when seekers for Christ experience a measure of perplexity. After all, they are now in contact with a supernatural world which they did not know existed. So much is happening to them, and it is inevitable that there will be some bewilderment at what they are experiencing.