Introduction:
When we think of the term Superman, our first thought is that man named Clark Kent who was a reporter for the Daily Journal. He was arkward, clumsy, appeared weak, defenseless, and was always in someone’s way. He was highly in love with Lois Lane and was too shy to let her know. Clark Kent always portrayed a weakling that was a disgrace to the average man.
But my brothers and my sisters, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Whenever there was a serious problem, Clark Kent would go running into a closet or a telephone booth and change into his Superman outfit and away he would fly to save the day. In his own way he was transforming lives of the people in his community by giving them security, justice, and hope against crime.
I’m not here this morning to talk about a fictitious man that’s flying around with a blue cape jumping off of tall building and that can out run a locomotive and is faster than a speeding bullet. I’m talking about a Superman that can change your life forever and give you eternal life. I’m talking about a Superman that will take an ordinary situation and make extraordinary things happen. He can take an ordinary man and transform him into an extraordinary person. With that thought, that brings me to my first of two points.
Development:
Point #1: Having A Theofonic Experience
Theologians call the Theofonic Experience an experience when God shows up personally to deal with us. If Paul could speak with us now, he would not have a problem revisiting his Theofonic Experience or his Damascus Road experience. Before Paul’s conversion his name was Saul. Saul was a persecutor of the Christians. Saul actually hunted down and slaughtered believers. Many of them were women along with men (Acts 8:3).
Saul, the arch-persecutor of the church had a burning fury against Jesus the Christ and His disciples. Saul wa consumed with this fierce anger and wrath against Christ and all who followed Him. Saul had a fierce objective, and that was to destroy all the followers of the way. The believers of the early church were known as followers of the Way. The teachings of the Lord were not pictured as a religion or a set of principles, or as rules and regulations, but as a way of life, a course of life, a means of life, a condition of life, a kind of life, and an experience of life.
The followers were called this simply because they followed Jesus the Christ. Jesus is The Way of Salvation Acts 16:17, The Way of the Lord Acts 18:25, The Way of Peace Luke 1:79; Romans 3:17, The Way of Truth 2 Peter 2:2, and The Way of Righteousness 2 Peter 2:21.
Saul had made it up in his mind that he was going to destroy all of those that believed in Jesus the Christ. He actually volunteered for job, went to the High Priest and the Sanhedrin requesting authority to storm after the fleeing believers. His plans were to arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem to stand trial.
As Saul was on his way to slaughter more of the believers on the Damascus Road around noon day when the sun was at its peak, there was a bright light from heaven which shone down on him.
This light appeared suddenly out of nowhere unexpectedly. The light was from heaven. It was supernatural and miraculous, from God Himself. God is the source and giver of light. It is found in 1 Corinthians 9:1 and 1 Corinthians 15:8. The light radiated from the Lord Himself.
This light was greater, brighter, than any noonday sun (Acts 22:6; Acts 26:13). Just imagine in your minds a light that is greater and outshines the sun. Saul was stricken down to his feet. Saul was confronted by the Lord. Saul saw the Lord standing in the midst of the light.
1 Corinthians 15:8 says, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. Saul saw the Lord for himself. Jesus called Saul by his name two times, Saul, Saul, and asked, Why are you persecuting Me?
Saul knew that this was a special appearance from heaven. Jesus made it perfectly clear to Saul as to who He was so it was no misunderstanding. Jesus called Saul’s name twice for two reasons. One, Jesus was showing love and concern for Saul. Two, Jesus was warning Saul because he was treading on dangerous ground by opposing Him. He was to close to the brink of no recovery.
Saul knew of the Lord by he did not have a relationship with Jesus the Christ. That is why we must have a Theofonic experience in our lives so that we can begin a relationship with Jesus the Christ.
Point #2: The Benefits of Obedience
Jesus told Saul to go into the city of Damascus and stay in the house of Judas and wait for further instructions. Saul had the opportunity not to go into Damascus as he was told.
He could have taken another path. While Saul was in the home of Judas for three days, he prayed to God and repented. It’s something special about that number three. By being obedient, God sent Ananias Saul’s way to lay hands on him to prepare him for the Lord’s work. Saul was not converted to Paul. He was set aside to do the will of the Lord.
CONCLUSION:
Just before I take my seat, I want to revisit something I said earlier. I said that we all have our Damascus Roads. God had a Theofonic experience with us all. He had us in a place that all we could say was Father forgive me for my sins. I’m sorry for all the hell that I created for myself and others. Father, I stretch my hands to thee, no other help I know. If you mean this from your heart, you are saved. How do you know all of this preacher?
There was a man. This man had no sin. This man helped every body He could. This man taught every body He could. This ma’s name is Jesus. He took that walk down the road of Golgotha to place called the Hill of the Skull, better known as Cavalry. He carried that old rugged cross. As the blood flowed from His body while carrying that old rugged cross, Jesus did not let that distract Him. He was steadfast and unmovable to the cause.
When He arrived at the top of that old hill called “Cavalry,” they made Him lay down on that old rugged cross and began to drive the nails in His hands and His feet. The crucifixion itself was the most horrible of deaths.
As the first nail went in His left hand, He knew that nail was representing the Father which was in heaven, as the second nail went in His right hand, He knew that that nail was representing Himself, the sacrificial Lamb of God, and as the third nail went into His feet, He knew that it was representing the Holy Spirit which was soon to come.
As they raised Him up high, he was stretched wide. There were two thieves hanging there with Him. One was on the left and one was on the right. I see three nails in the body of Jesus the Christ, I see three persons hanging on the Hill of the Skull, I see three nails in each of the thieves. The number three represents the Trinity, the Triune God, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
There was the pain of the driven spikes forced through the flesh of Jesus’ hands and feet. There was the weight of His body jolting and pulling against the spikes as the cross was lifted and rocked into place. There was the scorching sun and the unquenchable thirst gnawing away at His dry mouth and throat. There was the blood oozing from His scourged back, His thorn crowned brow, His stick beaten head. In addition, just imagine the aggravation of flies, gnats, and other insects.
As Jesus hung on that old rugged cross, through it all, He was still steadfast and still unmovable. Jesus was conscience and fully aware of everything that was going on around the cross. He heard the remarks that were being about Him, He heard the lies that were being said about Him, but He still stayed steadfast and unmovable.
I just would like to use my spiritual imagination if I may. Just as death was about to enter the body of Jesus the Christ, the thief on the right made a confession to Jesus. Jesus hearing the man on His right, told death, “Hold up death, I’m no running from you I came to you willingly. I’m just putting you on pause for a minute.
Just like when we are watching a DVD movie or a video tape and we may have to leave the movies for a few minutes and don’t want to miss anything, we hit the pause button so that the movie will stop and upon our return we press the play button for the movies to resume were we left off.
This is what the thief on the right said in Luke 23:41-43, And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Shortly after this Jesus gave up the ghost. There were many people that just knew that it was all over for the Jesus the Christ. Saturday morning they just knew that Jesus was done. Saturday night those same people just knew that Jesus was done. But early Sunday morning, something supernatural took place. Early Sunday morning Jesus got up. Jesus got up with all power in His hands. Say yes. Say yes.
