Friends, we are going to jump ahead in the Christian story for our scripture this week. Last week, and on Easter Sunday, we focused on Jesus’ resurrection appearances. He told his followers that even after he wasn’t with them in-person, he would make sure God’s Holy Spirit was with them….and they would never be alone.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, that is what happened – the Holy Spirit rushed into the place where Jesus’ disciples had gathered and filled them all with the breath of God. They had the extra help they needed to spread the Good News of Jesus, preach, teach, heal and start the Christian church. The Disciples were transformed from students into Apostles – messengers sent forth by God.
But, they were not without their detractors. This morning, we will focus on the u-turn taken by one of the early church’s greatest enemies – the man who would become St. Paul.
Listen now to our scripture reading as we read the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9, verses one through 19:
Scripture Acts 9:1-19a
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 as 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 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 told 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 holy people 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 proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to 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.
Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Let us pray…
Message Paul’s Conversion
I love watching home makeover shows … they are one of my favorite forms of escapism. When I was little, I remember watching “This Old House” on PBS and seeing old homes be updated with modern features. Then, we started having shows like “Trading Spaces” where people renovated rooms in their neighbor’s homes – it was fun to see how surprised people were when their renovations were revealed. Then the whole HGTV channel exploded – we could watch people transforming crumbling Detroit mansions into dream homes and out-dated suburban homes into modern farmhouse-esque abodes.
We all love a good renovation story – a dump turned into a palace.
The scripture we read today is about Saul’s transformation–his biography is also a story of a dump being turned into a palace.
We first hear about Saul in chapter seven of the Book of Acts. He was a pious Pharisee living in Jerusalem after the death of Jesus. He was part of the crowd who stoned Stephen – the first Christian martyr. Saul didn’t throw any rocks – he was on the sidelines and the rock throwers laid their cloaks at his feet.
After Saul witnessed Steven’s death, though, he was inspired to persecute Christians himself. Chapter 8 of Acts says: “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.” He was on a vendetta against all of Christ’s followers.
The chapter we read this morning said that Saul developed a new strategy to persecute Christians. He got the high priest in Jerusalem to write letters saying Saul had his permission to go to Damascus and arrest Christ-followers there. Damascus was about 120 miles from Jerusalem. After Saul arrested Christians, he could drag them back to Jerusalem to be put in prison. Saul was on the war-path against followers of Christ.
But, then he was stopped. While he was walking to Damascus, on his way to arrest more Christians, a bright light flashed out of the sky…Saul was blinded. Then, the voice of Jesus told him to stop persecuting Christians. The people with Saul on his journey could hear Jesus’ voice but they couldn’t see Jesus. After the light and Jesus’ voice dissipated, Saul stood up and continued to Damascus. There, he grappled with this sudden blindness–for three days he couldn’t see…he couldn’t eat….he couldn’t drink. He was in shock. He was horrified.
Saul had been openly, actively, violently persecuting followers of Jesus – and now Jesus appeared to him and told him to stop…Jesus was real, and everyone Saul had been persecuting was practicing a true-faith. Saul had been wrong all along.
Saul’s life changed after his encounter with Jesus. Saul not only changed, but he made a U-turn. The biggest threat to Christianity became the biggest champion of Christianity. Jesus told Ananias to go to where Saul was staying and heal his vision – Jesus was going to use Saul to bring the Gospel to Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.
When Jesus approached Ananias, and commanded him to go to Saul, Ananias was worried – he had heard about Saul’s persecution of Jesus’ followers. But, Ananias trusted Jesus, so he stifled his doubts and went and healed Saul. And, as soon as Saul could see again, he had Ananias baptise him. Saul had work to do….he spent the rest of his life preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ – he became a preacher, an evangelist, and an encourager and advocate for the growing Christian community. Saul, transformed into Paul, served the Lord until the end of his life.
Both Ananias and Saul responded to Jesus – Ananias trusted Jesus and agreed to approach Saul and offer him healing and baptism. After Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul also trusted Jesus. His life completely changed after he met Jesus on that Damascus road.
We come to church because we have experienced the life-changing God….Jesus has changed our own lives as well. We come to worship God and to show our appreciation for the ways God has changed our lives for the better.
Our lives have not been simple–many of us have had u-turns like Saul. We have all believed things that we later learned were wrong. We have done things that have hurt other people. We have all misjudged people. We have all followed false leaders, or gotten into relationships with the wrong people, or trusted people who later proved to be untrustworthy. We have all had u-turns like Saul.
Since we have been wrong in the past, it is important that we forgive ourselves….I am the queen of laying in bed in the middle of the night regretting words I have said or things I have done or choices that I have made. Just as God forgave Saul, let us forgive ourselves.
And, let us also forgive each other. We often struggle with this part – it is hard for us to let go of our grudges, and our pain, and our judgements. God forgives us, let us forgive one another.
We are here because we have experienced the life-changing God. Other people need to know that God loves them, God forgives them, and God welcomes them with all of their imperfections. The story of redemption and forgiveness that we have experienced is the story we need to tell people who are hurting, who blame themselves, who worry that God will never accept them.
Let us tell people the Good News – there is nothing we have done that is unforgivable for God. Let us free ourselves from our regret and let us do all we can to help others people know God’s welcome, love, and acceptance.
May we do so today and all days. Amen.