Today we continue to follow along with the acts of the Apostles following Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Our text for this morning is the conversion of Saul, to faith and to Paul and for our purposes this morning I am simply going to call him Paul, his Christian name, so even if our text gives his Roman name of Saul, I will still use his Christian name of Paul. In our text we see, as usual, the fact that it is God who calls to and gives faith, and yet, we also see that in the calling of Paul to faith, at times God acts outside His usual means, that is instead of God calling Paul to faith through His usual means of His Word and Holy Baptism, God comes to Paul directly to call him to faith. With that said, we might make note, that even though God came directly to Paul, we might remember that Paul was well educated in Judaism. Paul was a Pharisee of Pharisees, educated under Gamaliel, so he knew his Old Testament well, and we might be certain that it was this Old Testament knowledge which the Lord used in His convicting and converting of Paul. And certainly, I believe that it was this Old Testament knowledge that God used to speak through Paul in order to prove that Jesus is the Christ. But, let us get to our text.
Our text begins with Paul’s intent, beginning at verse one, “1But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2and 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” (v. 1-2). Paul was steeped in the ways of Judaism and this new sect, as he considered it, was a threat to what he knew and believed to be right and so he is doing everything he can to defeat this threat including, breathing threats and murder. In his defense we would say that he would believe these threats and murder to be justified. As we know there are many in our world today who are so convinced by what they believe that they would willingly kill those who do not believe as they do. What would it be like if we Christians had such conviction with our faith, not to kill those who disagree, but to be so convicted as to boldly speak out and profess our faith?
Because of his conviction, Paul asks for letters of authority to take to Damascus in order to arrest anyone who was a follower of this new sect, the Way, in order to imprison them and keep them from spreading their dangerous beliefs, again, in his opinion.
Yet, as we know the story, before Paul makes it to Damascus, he encounters Jesus. Picking up at verse three, “3Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 5And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8Saul 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. 9And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank” (v. 3-9).
Now, several points to notice from this encounter. Notice that at first Jesus does not name Himself, He simply asks, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” While Paul is persecuting the Christians, the heart of his persecution is indeed, Jesus.
Next, notice that Paul calls Jesus “lord,” yet, the word “lord” that he uses is the word “lord” without respect to divinity, in other words, he is not calling Jesus God, simply calling him with respectful title, “lord.” We might say he is calling him “Mr. Jesus.” And we might imagine that his words of respect flow from the fear he has of this person who has blinded him on the road.
When Jesus speaks, He first uses words of Law, “Why are you persecuting Me?” “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Jesus convicts Paul of persecuting Him, not His people. Again, the heart of Paul’s persecution is Jesus. And Paul was convicted.
We are told that for three days Paul was without sight and neither ate nor drank, perhaps an image and a reminder of Jesus’ own death and time in the tomb. We are not told what happened during these three days, yet, I would imagine that this time gave Paul an ample opportunity to look at his life and Jesus’ words to him. Perhaps it may have been a time for Paul to meditate on the Old Testament Scriptures he knew so well and Jesus’ revelation so that he might be convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, but again, we are not told exactly what happened during those three days.
Our text then moves us to the instructions to Ananias. Picking up at verse ten, “10Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ 11And 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, 12and 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.’ 13But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.’ 15But 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. 16For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ 17So 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’” (v. 10-17).
God appears to Ananias in a vision and instructs him to go to Judas’ house and heal Paul of his blindness. Ananias’ response was not a question of faith, nor a questioning of God, rather it was a matter of clarification, “are you sure, Lord?” Ananias and all the followers of the Way, the Christians, in Damascus knew why Paul had come and certainly there was concern among them.
And so God explains to Ananias the role and calling He has for Paul. God has called Paul to be an instrument to carry His message and His name to the Gentiles, to kings, and yes, even to the children of Israel. It will not be easy for Paul, but God has called him, is giving him authority, and is giving His promise to be with him. Certainly we can see in this calling of Paul, our own calling, and what is often called the great commission, which I believe is the great giving of authority and the great promise, but more on that in a little bit. So, Ananias comes to Paul and brings absolution and healing.
Paul’s response, picking up at verse eighteen, “18And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus” (v. 18-19). Immediately, we are told, Paul was baptized, and we might make note that this was probably not by immersion and I say this because there was probably nothing in the house in which to immerse him. Also make note, that as God gives faith, if that faith is not given through Holy Baptism, but through the Word of God (whether written or oral) faith’s immediate response is the desire to be baptized. Paul is baptized and then after eating we are told he immediately went out proclaiming the Gospel.
Finally, we are told of the response of the people, picking up at verse twenty, “20And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ 21And 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?’ 22But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ” (v. 20b-22).
The people were amazed. They were amazed at Paul’s turn around, from reeking havoc to proclaiming Jesus as Savior. We are told that as he preached Paul increased in strength and confounded the Jews, and the line I find the most fascinating is that he was proving Jesus was the Christ. Today we say that the Bible cannot be proven, well, Paul did it, so why can we not do it?
So, what does this mean? I believe that in this calling of Paul, we can see our own calling, not that God has called us to be “a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (v. 15b-16), but that God has called us to and given us faith, and more. But let me start from the beginning.
Just as Paul was breathing threats and murder, so we are conceived and born in sin, and we are enemies of God, that is our nature. We are conceived and born spiritual blind, spiritual dead and enemies of God. Every inclination, that is every intention of our heart is evil all the time. We simply cannot help ourselves and that is not to give us an excuse, we are still accountable for ourselves, before God. We are very much like Paul, enemies of God.
As God called Paul, so God calls us to faith, but rather than calling us directly, God calls us through means, in particular through the means of His Word. As God spoke the words of the Law to Paul, so Paul was convicted. God speaks the word of the Law to us, convicting us of our sin and our part in putting Jesus on the cross. The law, however, is not what moves us to repent. The law does not call us to faith. The law merely convicts. It is the Lord’s word of the Gospel which converts, which moves to repentance, and which gives faith.
And along with God’s Word, it is through the waters of Holy Baptism that God gives faith. For most of us it was through the waters of Holy Baptism, connected with God’s Word, namely His name that was put on us at our baptism which convicted us and gave us faith.
Getting back to this calling of Paul and God’s commissioning of Paul to preach the Gospel. God also calls us. He calls us to faith and to purpose. Yet, what is often called the great commission, I believe, is the great giving of authority and the great promise. Just as God called Paul and gave him the authority to proclaim His name, so that Paul was proving that Jesus was the Christ. I believe Jesus gives us the same authority, to proclaim that Jesus is the Christ. And just as God promised Paul that He would be with Him, so God’s promise is that He will be with us even to the end of the age.
Today, God calls us to faith and He calls us to live out our faith in our vocation, that is as we live lives of faith we are to always be ready to give an answer, an apology, a defense of our faith so that others might hear the good news of Jesus and be a part of God’s kingdom as well.
God calls us to and gives us life, at conception. God calls us to and gives us faith, through His means of grace. God calls us to and gives us our vocation. And God calls us to and gives us a response of faith, to live lives of faith, to live lives loving others as He first loved us.
What a great God we have. What a loving God we have. God loves you so much and He has so much He gives to you and so much He wants to give to you. What else can we do except be given to and rejoice and give thanks, and say to God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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