Acts 9:1-22
January 25, 2004
Conversion of St. Paul
Acts 9:1-22
January 25, 2004
Dear Christian Friends; Grace to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen
This Sunday, as last Sunday, we celebrate a festival in the Church. Both festivals have to do with early followers of Jesus who went on to become important leaders in the Church, and eventually, were made saints. Last week it was Peter. This week, it is Paul.
Peter, of course, was one of the original disciples of Jesus. He was an eyewitness to the ministry of Jesus, and a companion of Jesus. But as we learned last week, he wasn’t particularly qualified to be the leader of the new religion about Jesus. Peter was a country boy from Galilee. He was uneducated, lacking in faith, and was a poor spokesman. Not so with Paul. Paul had many of the qualifications of a great religious leader.
Paul was born in the Greek city of Tarsus, where he was named Saul. By the way, “Paul” is just a Christianized version of the Jewish name “Saul”. Paul didn’t get a new name from Jesus like Peter did. The Church did that. Saul or Paul was a native Greek speaker, who could relate to and communicate with the Greek people. He was educated in the Jewish synagogue, was the son of a Pharisee, and became a Pharisee himself. And so he also had a deep love and appreciation for Judaism, and could speak to those of the Jewish faith. He got his formal education in Jerusalem, at the feet of the great Rabbi Gameliel, and could hold his own with other educated people. He was also a Roman citizen, which gave him many rights and privileges, including the freedom to travel anywhere in the Roman Empire.
Paul wasn’t just a “go-to-synagogue-on the Sabbath” Jew, but one who was passionate about the faith, and applied it to his daily life. He knew the Hebrew Scriptures backwards and forwards, and could preach them with ease. He would have been a perfect choice for a leader in the Jesus Movement, except for one thing.
Paul hated Jesus. He hated Christians and anything having to do with Christianity. And because of his hatred, he did everything within his power to destroy it. As we meet him in today’s First Lesson, that’s exactly what he is trying to do. Paul, or Saul as he was known then, is out hunting Christians.
"Meanwhile, Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and 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.”
Not content just to persecute the Christians in Jerusalem, Paul goes on a road trip. He asks the high priest for letters of introduction to the synagogues at Damascus, and the authority to hunt down and bring in any followers of the Way of Jesus.
Paul has already gained a reputation in Jerusalem as a persecutor of the Way. The book of Acts tells us that when the Christian deacon Stephen was being stoned to death, Paul stood by, consenting to his death, and holding the cloaks of the stone-throwers. Then, Acts tells us that, “Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” Now, he heads to Damascus, about a six-day journey from Jerusalem, to do the same there. Or so he thinks. Before he could reach Damascus, Jesus stopped him in his tracks.
We read in Acts that a light from heaven flashed around him, and he fell to the ground. It almost sounds as though he was struck by lightening. Then, he hears a voice from heaven saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul asks an obvious question, “Who are you?” Imagine his terror when he hears, “It’s me, Jesus, the one you are persecuting.” I’m guessing Saul’s expecting to die. He’s been struck down, he can’t see, and probably assumes Jesus is about to exact revenge. But instead, Jesus says, “Get up, and go to Damascus, and you’ll be told what to do.” Not having much choice, the blind, terrified Saul is led by the hand into the city.
This dramatic incident on the road to Damascus is called the Conversion of St. Paul. But it seems to me that his conversion only began in that moment. For the next three days, he stayed in Damascus, seeing nothing, eating nothing, drinking nothing. He was dependant on others for his care, and had some time to think about what he had experienced. Then, Jesus sent a disciple named Ananias to Paul, saying that Paul was his chosen instrument. Ananaias laid his hands on Paul, and Paul received the Holy Spirit. He regained his sight, and was baptized. Only then did he begin to eat, and regain his strength.
Paul stayed with the disciples at Damascus for several days, learning from them, and being cared for by them. Before leaving Damascus, he went to the synagogue there, which was where he had intended to go in the first place. But instead of preaching against Jesus, he proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God. He then went back to Jerusalem, where he met the disciples of Jesus, and was sent out to evangelize the whole Mediterranean area. Some scholars say that if it were not for Paul, there would be no Christian church. I tend to agree with them.
For two Sundays now, we have observed festivals for two of the greatest saints of the Church, St. Peter and St. Paul. But we don’t observe these festivals simply to honor the heroes of our faith, but to learn from their experience. For they are no different than we are. Both Peter and Paul had some gifts, and some deficits.
Peter had a close, personal relationship with Jesus. But he lacked the leadership qualities that he would need to nurture the infant church. Jesus made sure that he received what he needed when the Spirit descended on the disciples at Pentecost. Peter was given the skills that he needed to articulate the faith that was in him.
Paul, on the other hand, practically had a PhD. In religion, but had no relationship with Jesus. He had the skills of a preacher and teacher, but was preaching the wrong message. Jesus, on the road to Damascus and in the days that followed, gave him some better material.
Jesus took what each man had, and then gave them what they needed to get the job done.
Some days, you may find yourself feeling like Peter. I know I do. You may feel like you know who Jesus is, but just don’t feel qualified to tell the story. Other days, you may feel like Paul. You may think that you know everything, or pretty darn close to it. But somehow, you feel empty, lacking in any kind of faith that might back up and validate your knowledge.
On those days, take heart. Do not despair. Remember the story of the Conversion of St. Paul. Jesus had to knock him down on the road to Damascus, and blind him for a few days, in order to get his attention. But through it all, Jesus led him by the hand, cared for him, and then opened his eyes to a new and saving truth.
As you journey down the roads that life takes you on, rest assured that he will do the same for you. AMEN