Acts 9
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. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.” Acts 9:10-22 NIV
The story of Saul’s dramatic conversion is the ultimate example of the fact that no one is beyond the saving grace of the Lord. Saul started out life as a Pharisee, and then gradually became more and more zealous until he actually turned into a religious terrorist. He persecuted Christians relentlessly, hunted them down, dragged them to prison, and even had many innocent people killed. The frightening thing about Saul at this point in his life is that he had the blessing of the religious leaders to carry out these heinous acts because he believed that he was doing it all in the name of God. The turning point in Saul’s life came when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, was blinded by His light, and then was asked: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” (Acts 9:4). After being miraculously healed in the name of Jesus by a disciple named Ananias, Saul began a new journey as a fervent leader and teacher of the Gospel. His immediate and complete conversion took everyone by surprise, leading to mistrust, skepticism and even hatred. His new life as a follower of Jesus was challenging from the very start, but it did not discourage or deter him in the least. What can we learn from the fascinating life of Saul?
- God can save anyone. Sinful, broken people are saved every day as the message of Jesus makes it’s way around the globe. It may not seem fair that someone who killed innocent people will be allowed into heaven, but that is how God’s grace and mercy work. Remember that ALL people have worth and are loved by God, whether they are regarded as “good” or “evil” in the eyes of the world. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
- Anyone can be a humble, powerful witness for Christ. Saul’s complete transformation took an enormous amount of humility. He had to admit that he had been wrong his entire life, and that the people that he had previously been persecuting were now his friends and even his mentors. In 1 Timothy 1:13-15, he humbly confesses, “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” New believers today, who may have shunned, mocked or even cursed God in the past, will also need to embrace humility as they begin their journey in Christ. These types of conversions are often the strongest and most convincing examples of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit! If this has happened to you, don’t be embarrassed or shy about sharing your testimony. You never know when your particular story will speak to the heart of someone who needs to hear it!
- Anyone can surrender completely to God. If a religious terrorist like Saul could be transformed into one of the most influential and significant leaders of the Christian faith, then there is hope for absolutely anyone in your life! Who is it in your life that you have been praying for, that they would open their hearts and minds to the life-saving message of Jesus? Be persistent in your prayers, and know that God is the one “who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. Acts 9:26-28 NIV
The Christian church needs more people like Barnabas, who will support and encourage new believers, especially when they are unpopular, weak in the faith, or struggling. Fittingly, Barnabas was just a nickname for him, which means “Son of Encouragement.” His real name was “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus” (Acts 4:36). Without the encouragement and backing of Barnabas, Saul’s journey as a new disciple of Christ would have been even more difficult. The church is a place where everyone should feel welcomed, loved, accepted, and supported. In today’s society, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Instead of focusing on this problem, however, we can just do our part to be encouraging and inclusive with everyone we meet. Life is not easy, which makes the love and support of good, strong, faithful friends very important. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” A good place to start is to catch someone doing a great job or a good deed, and then take the time to point it out. Even words of praise for small things can make a huge difference for someone and can absolutely brighten their day. You can tell them how thankful you are for them, how much you appreciate their effort, or what a great job you think they are doing. “…Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:29, NLT). One can only think that because of the encouragement Saul received from fellow believers like Barnabas, that he was able to offer this wise advice to others later in his life: “And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).