From Persecutor to Preacher
Saul - the name that sent shivers down the spine of the Christians in Judea. He was a zealous Pharisee who was truly convinced that Christians should be exterminated. He upset the church in Jerusalem and all Judea by finding out where they met and taking the believers, beating them and putting them in jail. He even killed some of them. It was not enough just to kill the men but to attack helpless women and destroying whole households. He was not content just to destroy the church in Judea but now with the blessing of the High Priest he was going as far as Damascus.
Some of the Christians had fled from Jerusalem and had gone to live in Damascus but with his surprise visit there he could find them and take them back to prison in Jerusalem. He would destroy every one who dared believe that blasphemer Jesus. Jesus had said he was God. Saul could not allow that kind of teaching.
Christians found out that if their faith was important they would have to sacrifice everything and even die for Jesus. How different it is for Christians today who sit back and enjoy worship services and would never dream of going to jail for being a Christian. But it is not so easy in every country today.
Keiko Hamano works in Pakistan. In October two pastors visited with her and reported the following story. They visited with Dr. Herb Friesen, an eye doctor in Peshwar. Many Muslim Afghanis have crossed the border and live in Peshwar and fight the communists from Pakistan. The Friesens have helped many people and some of these have become Christians. However there is an Islamic law that says if someone who was a Muslim becomes a Christian they are to be killed. The night the two pastors visited with the Friesens a couple who had become Christians were staying with them in a secret room. During the night they drove this couple to another town several hours away to stay with some other Christians. They returned home at night and had a full schedule the next day. The Friesens are in constant danger for helping people become Christians. People who are seeking the truth are turning from Islam in spite of the danger and threats on their lives.
The Christians in Saul's day were penetrating the world and had begun to win converts in the city of Damascus about 200 km's north of Jerusalem. Damascus was on the main trade route to the Babylon and India. There were about 10-20 thousand Jews living here and Saul wanted to protect them from the spreading disease of Christianity. Saul went directly to the High Priest to get the proper documents to give him authority to destroy Christians there in Damascus. The thought is revolting that the highest religious leader in the land would authorize and even give his blessing to slaughter dedicated, harmless men and women.
This same intolerance has been seen throughout history by various religious leaders. People who are suppose to be teaching people about loving are hating, killing and destroying others made in the image of God. Instead of helping people they are hurting people. We are to be ambassadors of love and peace not hate and murder. Even today many thousands of Christians are being persecuted in Communist and Islamic countries. We who are free need to be upholding those who are being oppressed.
We can imagine Saul going to Damascus with this long flowing robes and spiritual pride hanging out all over. He was very proud to be a Pharisee, the strictest of the religious orders of the Jews. But he would be lonely traveling with the group of temple guards who carried out his orders but with whom he would have nothing to do in a spiritual sense. He would have to travel through Galilee the homeland of this Jesus whom he hated with a passion. He had a one week journey to plot his massacre in Damascus when he arrived.
As they neared Damascus suddenly there was a flash of light like a bolt of lightning which blinded Saul and he fell to the ground. A voice from heaven spoke to Saul and the guards stood dumbfounded as they heard but saw no one.
They heard Saul being accused of persecuting Jesus. Why did Jesus say that Saul was persecuting him? Saul had not even met Jesus. He was only persecuting his followers. However, Jesus so identified with the believers that when they were being hurt he was being hurt. That is truely a wonderful idea. Jesus so identifies with us in our sturggles that we can be sure that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us no matter what the difficulty or trial.
Saul was commanded to go to Damascus and wait further instructions. Saul had planned to enter Damascus to persecute the Christians but went into the city blinded and led by the temple guards. The temple guards were unclean and now this devote Pharisee was also unclean but this no longer mattered to the religious zealot who was being transformed by the God of the Bible.
Saul waited several days and refused to eat but prayed and fasted. How few people actually are concerned about their spiritual condition to take time to pray and seek God seriously. We should be taking time for God when we have time from our work to refresh our souls. During this time God appeared to Saul again. This time He told Saul that a man named Anaias would come and visit him.
At the same time the Lord appeared to Anaias and told him to go to Saul and lay his hands on him and heal him. Ananias protested to God because Saul had already done much harm to the Christians at Jerusalem. Many times we protest God's direction because it is not convienient or might be a little difficult.
How many times do we follow obediently without question? We can always find some excuse or some reason not to do God's will but God is looking for faithful servants to lead people like Saul to faith in Jesus Christ. Saul was a chosen instrument to tell God's message to kings and people in different places.
Every person is important in God's sight but some become more faithful and work more diligently for the Kingdom. We do not know who will become such a great servant but in God's sovereign will some are chosen to be missionaries, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Perhaps in the room this morning there are those God has chosen as a special vessel to communicate God's wonderful message to people in other places. God's message to each Christian is to faithfully communicate God's love to people around him/her for perhaps one of these will become a great leader for God's people. Perhaps one of you will become another Honda, Furuyama, Oyama or Billy Graham.
When Ananias laid his hands on Saul the scales that were on his eyes fell off and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. When he gained his physical sight, he also gained spiritual sight. Saul got up and was baptized. Some of you might be spiritually blind like Saul was. You do not know where you are going; to heaven or hell. You are in darkness and would like to receive the light this morning. By believing in Jesus Christ this morning to forgive your sins you can have your soul illumined with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Decide to believe and be baptized this morning. That would certainly be a wonderful way to begin this new year.
Others here this morning have believed but need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us pray that God will fill your soul with the power of the Holy Spirit and he will once again be your leader and Lord. When we try to go our own way as Christians we grieve the Holy Spirit and he cannot fill us and empower us. We need to confess our sin and be obedient to God if we want to enjoy God's peace and love.
When we are filled with the spirit we can go out and witness and tell others boldly about Jesus. As Saul witnessed to his fellow Jews it says he grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. God gives us spiritual strength as we witness and work for him. If we want to become spiritually strong we must be bold in our witness and testimony of Jesus. Perhaps we are a little like Ananias this morning and are afraid to speak to those who have spoken out against Christ. The New Testament tells us that the Holy Spirit will guide us and help us when we testify before others. Let us trust Jesus with our whole life and boldly testify for him.
CFC 9/19/82 WHC 1/8/89