Sept 21, 2008

Acts 9:1-19

Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." 11 And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight." 13 But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, " Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened.
NASU

Acts 9:1-19 Exposition

Part 1: Blinded to see

Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

Notice that it is not when we are perfect that we are then chosen by God. It is not even when we are in a state of Spiritual readiness or openness that God may choose to move on our hearts to convert us. One of the greatest errors and lies of the devil is this: when man says “I am not prepared to come to Jesus.” Of course you are not ready. We are not called to get our life together before coming to Jesus. We are not called to enter a meditative state of openness to God to invite the Holy Spirit to move. The truth is that there is nothing that we may do to be worthy of Christs Love or the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Rom 5:6-10 says this:

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us . 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. NASB

The beginning of the telling of Saul's conversion begins with Him still breathing “threats and murder” against the church. His heart is filled with all malice, certainly not prepared or open to the things of God.

2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Not only was he thinking and speaking evil, he was also in the act of planning how he might persecute the church in a greater way than he had, seeking legal permission to imprison the believers. He also was pursuing this legal right as one who believed, like those who granted him these same letters, that he was doing good. It is not our best intentions which save us, but often our works that we set out to do believing to do good, that are the very sins for which we will need to be forgiven. Good intentions and sincerity do not save us.

3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;

Many people do have testimonies of great and supernatural encounters with God which led to their conversion. Yet this is not the normal means. Ordinarily the means of coming to faith is the preaching of the Word of God, leading to faith in that Word. At times this may be accompanied by some miraculous sign or vision which grabs the attention of the person. Yet it is the faith in Christ which results and not the encounter which saves. In Paul's case the encounter with Christ in this extraordinary way served to immediately turn him from his own darkness to the light of Christ, but also served to qualify him as an Apostle, the office to which Christ was calling him. An Apostle had to be one who had personally seen the resurrected Christ. Paul describes it to the church in this way in 1 Cor 15:3-9

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. NASB

4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

Saul is directly confronted by the Lord regarding his sin. Again, we do not ordinarily see a light and hear a voice. Yet it is more often our conscience which is pricked by the Spirit, either by a thought of our own, a word from another person, or God's Word either read or proclaimed which exposes our sin. The Light exposes what darkness hid. Bright light reveals every flaw of the skin and every bit of damage disorder or dirt which may be hidden by darkness. We cannot be truly converted to Christ until we see our sin for what it is, an offense against God himself. Saul is not simply persecuting Christians, he persecuted Jesus in his hatred and opposition to the church. He was not simply bothering people or breaking someone's rule, he was in opposition to God Himself. We like wise, to be truly converted must know our sin to be truly an offense against God for which we truly need forgiveness.

5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

Yet in his ignorance, Saul did not know who he was offending, believing himself to be serving God. Jesus reveals Himself further as the one whom Saul is persecuting. When we are in our sin we are ignorant of our offense, believing our works to be good and our hearts sincere. Yet needing Christ to reveal to us our sin so that we may then seek and find forgiveness and new life in Christ.

6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do."

Not willing to leave Saul in his sin Jesus directs him to the way out, sending Him to Annanias to be ministered to, and to receive the Gospel and be baptized into Christ. God does not convict us of Sin to leave us in guilt but to direct us to its remedy. If you are convicted then cry out to God for forgiveness and believe and do what Christ would have you do when you are informed of the good news of salvatiion through faith in Jesus Christ. DO not reject the Word and go on your own way.

7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

There is a great Hymn which contains the line “Though none go with me, Still I will follow.” The others with Saul are not dealt with here. We do not know if they too believed after hearing the voice. The men did lead him on to Damascus, but this was his destination anyway. While others may not hear and see things as we do, when we sense a call to believe in and follow Christ, there is no legitimate reason to turn aside.

8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.

Saul was left blind by this encounter. We can speculate as to why; To show Him his real state, needing Christ to truly make him see; due to the bright light; to make him rely on others to teach him humility; to enable this encounter with Ananias. Whatever the reason we must see for ourselves that if we are to have our blindness to sin and our eyes opened to see God, it must be God who opens our eyes.

9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Saul spent this time fasting and as we are told in verse 11, praying. While we are without peace and full knowledge of our forgiveness of sin we remain as Saul, in darkness. Yet if we are believing we are in need of Christ, we should not simply go on about our business as usual. Saul prayed and fasted. If you are convicted of sin and unsure what to do, if you are sensing a need for Christ, If you are not sure if you are forgiven, then draw near to God and use the means at your disposal, Pray, fast if you may do so safely (recall Saul would have been accustomed to fasting as a pharisee), read the Bible as it is God's Word, and seek Godly counsel from the Church especially Pastors or elders who may minister to you and bring you to the assurance given by the gospel.