Context is everything when reading the bible. I have come to Acts 9 and the story of Saul's conversion. Now I know a lot about Saul but putting that altogether is important as I start to read.
In chapter 7 we first read about him watching Stephen's death and the people stoning Stephen were laying down their clothes at his feet. So he is obviously on the side of those who were killing Stephen. Then in chapter 8 verse 1 we are told he was consenting or agreeing to Stephen's death. In verse 3 we read he made havoc amongst the believers. He charged into homes and arrested people, taking them as prisoners. He had one mindset - to squash this movement. What was he against - righteousness through faith in the risen Christ.
So who is Saul? He came from Tarsus, a Greek city devoted to learning. His family were actually Jewish. At his circumcision on the eighth day he was given 2 names, one after the first king of Israel and a Greek name, Paul. By 5 years of age he was learning to read the scrolls of the Old Testament. At 6 he would have begun to be schooled by a rabbi to become immersed in the law. Between the ages of 13 and 16 he was sent to Jerusalem to study under a respected teacher of the law, Gamaliel. He started to encounter followers off "the Way". These were Jews who believed Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah and had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. Saul thought this was blasphemy and he was determined to do all he could to stop these people. The Jewish leaders recognised him as someone who could act on their behalf in this pursuit. He hated Jesus and was very determined to do all he could to stop the spread of this faith. So he set his sights on the nearest city outside the borders of Palestine. He went to the high priest and made sure he had letters with his authority to carry out his plan. What was that plan? To attend the synagogue in Damascus and compel everyone to name those who dared to speak of Jesus.
When we think of people who come to faith in Christ there is none with such a great a testimony as this man. God chose him to bring light to the Gentiles. And he could choose you too ...
There is so much to learn in these first 31 verses of Acts 9.
Notice firstly the place Saul chose for his attack - Damascus. This was a place to which the believers had scattered to and there obviously were a large number of them because Saul had heard of them back in Jerusalem. It was 130 miles away, a 6 day journey on foot. But it was only as they came near Damascus that God stopped Saul. All that time to plan his attack. First there was a light from heaven. This was not any old light, nor the sun shinning a bit brighter. This was the radiant glory of the face of the risen Jesus shining down so brightly on Saul that he was blinded by it. The human features of Jesus were looking down on Saul through the open doorway of heaven. It brought an immediate response from Saul - he fell to the ground.
Then a voice was heard. It called his name, twice. Jesus was not angry but had such compassion. It was the same way he responded to Martha when she was so busy and harassed in the home. It was the same way when Jesus looked over Jerusalem and wept. He called Saul by name. He knew all about him. Who is to say that God couldn't do the same to us today - and he does when he starts convicting us. Some call it inner conscience because they don't recognise it as God himself speaking directly.
Notice the personal nature of this conversation - me and I from Jesus. Saul in response to Jesus' question to him asked 2 important questions. Not maybe the questions we ask or want answered such as why is there so much pain and death in this world or how can I be a better person. No he asked "who are you" and "what do you want me to do?" The reference to kicking against the pricks is actually referring to Saul's own conscience. He was being asked to consider why he was planning to do what he wanted.
By this stage Saul was so awestruck, realising God knew him personally and what he planned to do that he was prepared to do whatever. But God didn't reveal his plan to him just yet. God only gives us enough light for just that next step. He was told to get up and go into the city. In other words continue to travel to the place where you planned to do so much harm.
While Saul was having a personal encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road another man was having a personal revelation in Damascus itself.
We know nothing of Ananias - he appears and disappears as quickly. But he was a believer and he heard directly from God in a vision during a time of prayer. How would we respond if God told us he had a special job only we could do? He immediately responded to God's calling "here I am." It reminds me of other great people in our bibles who similarly heard God speaking to them and showing them visions. Think for instance of Isaiah in the temple when God told him to go and speak to Israel.
God had some very specifics for Ananias:
A specific street = Straight
A specific house = house of Judas
A specific man = one called Saul of Tarsus
A specific thing he was doing = praying
A specific vision the man had = he had seen a man named Ananias
The instruction was the same as given to Saul - "arise and go". God told Ananias about Saul's vision. When he said that Saul was praying it was by way of confirming there had been a definite change in his heart.
Ananias had a very clear knowledge of Saul and his purpose for coming to Damascus. He was not afraid to tell Jesus that - when we have questions do we bring them to God? Jesus countered that by telling Ananias of Saul's future. Saul is called a "chosen vessel" to God himself. Saul would later write about this in Philippians and Galatians. A clear reminder that God is sovereign over every day of his life up to this point. God had been watching over his life - surely we can say the same as we look back on our lives too.
Notice his specific purpose for Saul - to bear God's name before Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. Notice it was to Gentiles first, then kings and finally Jews. But he would also suffer for his name too. God would reveal that to him personally. Surely this is a reminder too that God knows the future before we do. Our lives are mapped out before they are lived.
Ananias went his way and did exactly as he had been told. Notice how he addressed Saul when he first met him - he called him his brother in the Lord.
The reaction of the people of Damascus to Saul's conversion is amazing. How do we react when we meet people who have put their faith in Christ who have long been persecuting us for doing the same?
Saul's conversion reminds us of several things:
We must be confronted with our sin and rebellion against God.
As we put our faith in God we have to wait for God to do his work in us following such confrontation.
Salvation is something God does in us.
What we do is a response to God working in and through us.
God sometimes finds people who are not actually looking for him at all.
God can reach people in our lives that we think are far from him.
God looks for believers to help in other people's conversions.
God needs us to be broken first but he also uses that as a prelude to filling.
Notice that Saul acted immediately - he went into the synagogue and preached Christ. As a Jew he was thoroughly grounded in the scriptures so knew how to prove who Jesus was. He was telling them of salvation in Christ alone.
People were amazed that this could be the same person who had originally intended to crush them. This speaks of the difference that needs to be evidenced in our lives for a genuine recognition of faith in Christ. As Saul preached he grew in his faith and became stronger - surely this speaks to us of how as believers we need to grow in our knowledge of God daily through his word.
But certain Jews didn't like what had happened. They plotted to kill Saul. He soon heard of it and had to escape out of Damascus.
In Jerusalem all the believers were afraid of Saul and didn't really believe he had come to faith in Christ. It took Barnabas to act as his advocate to prove that he was genuine. Eventually after another couple of attempts on his life the believers sent him to Tarsus. Another 8 or 9 years would pass before Saul would become prominent in his ministry. He had so many changes in his short life:
A young successful energetic rabbit
A persecutor
A blind man
An convert
A preacher
An apostle
But also an unknown for 8/9 years.
These unknown years were not wasted - God was preparing him!
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