Blinded by the Light (NLT)
(The Story of Paul from Acts 9)
Background of Paul
Name means-“one asked for”
He was born in Tarsus which is modern day Turkey.
Jewish parents who were also Roman citizens.
Paul was a determined, stubborn man. Exactly what God needed to carry his message to the Gentiles.
Romans 1:1-6
1 This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ’s slave, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. 2 This Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 3 It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus, who came as a man, born into King David’s royal family line. 4 And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit. 5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. 6 You are among those who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 dear friends in Rome. God loves you dearly, and he has called you to be his very own people. May grace and peace be yours from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Key Verses for Life of Paul
1 Thess. 1:1-2:12
Paul always prayed for, and was concerned with the churches he started. He brought the Word of God to Thessalonia. He always guided people. 1st and 2nd Thessalonians were written to answer their questions. He lived what he preached to people and that increased the power of his message. His aim and purpose what to please God not people and he made no apologies for that.
Galatians 1:11-2:16
Not everybody liked Paul’s message. He made it clear the message was coming from God and not him. Paul was the best of the best when it came to Jewish Law, but that changed after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.
Paul considered himself Christ’s ambassador. What is an ambassador? He is an authorized representative of a sovereign. He speaks not in his own name but on behalf of the ruler whose deputy he is, and his whole duty and responsibility is to interpret that ruler’s mind faithfully to those to whom he is sent.
Paul used this "ambassador" image twice -- both in connection with his evangelistic work. Pray for me, he wrote from prison, "that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak" (Eph. 6:18-20). He wrote also that God "gave us the ministry of reconciliation...So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
Paul called himself an ambassador because he knew that when he proclaimed the gospel facts and promises and urged sinners to receive the reconciliation effected at Calvary, he was declaring Christ’s message to the world. The figure of ambassadorship highlights the authority Paul had, as representing his Lord, as long as he remained faithful to the terms of his commission and said neither less nor more than he had been given to say.
James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986.
Paul was not always a brave messenger for Jesus Christ
Paul was a Pharisee-strictly adheres to Mosaic Law and Jewish customs. If there was no Law for something they would make one up.
Galatians 1:14
14 I was one of the most religious Jews of my own age, and I tried as hard as possible to follow all the old traditions of my religion.
Paul’s entire world, mindset, and theology were forever changed on the road to Damascus.
Acts 9
The trip from Jerusalem to Damascus would have been a week long trip covering some 150 miles.
Acts 9:1-2
9 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath. He was eager to destroy the Lord’s followers, so he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
Paul had the full blessing of the Pharisees to capture and persecute Christians. Thought it was his duty as a “good Jew” to put and end to this foolish idea. He considered Christians to be rule breakers.
“The Way”-first name given to Christians, not called Christians until Acts 11:26 by the church at Antioch.
Acts 9:3-4
3 As he was nearing Damascus on this mission, a brilliant light from heaven suddenly beamed down upon him! 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
Fell to the ground-Why? Respect for God?, Overwhelmed? Overwhelmed by the presence of light from Heaven.
God’s ways of getting his attention. Time for him to be tapped.
Audible Voice-Big announcement (Adam &Eve, Abraham, Moses)
Jesus talking to Saul “What you do to my brothers/children you do to me.
Acts 9:5
5 “Who are you, sir?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!
Other translations use word “Lord”. Saul knew then exactly who he was talking to. There is no evidence that Paul knew Jesus or ever heard him speak even though they were in Jerusalem at the same time.
Acts 9:6
6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
You will get your message later. Paul probably wouldn’t have been as effected if he was told about him being chosen right then. “Not me, no way”. God needed a way to get his attention.
Acts 9:7-8
7 The men with Saul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice, but they saw no one! 8 As Saul picked himself up off the ground, he found that he was blind.
Saul was blinded by Jesus’ glory. May be attention getter or avenue to show Gods power the same way as with Zechariah in announcing the birth of John the Baptist. Blind-biggest helpless feeling.
Acts 9:9
9 So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days. And all that time he went without food and water.
3 days-spiritually dead. Same time Jesus was in the grave. At the mercy of others. Processing his encounter? Afterwards he as ready to be reborn. What if he would have just gotten his sight back at the end of 3 days? Would have thought it was no big deal. God had a way of showing he was in control.
Acts 9:10-12
10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you arrive, ask for Saul of Tarsus. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he can see again.”
Ananias told exactly where to go, who to go to, and what to do there!
So how did Ananias react to this?
Acts 9:13-14
13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And we hear that he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest every believer in Damascus.”
What? I’ve heard about this guy. He doesn’t deserve to be healed. He’s one of them!
(Healing Enemy/Medic Illus.)
Neither do we deserve God’s mercy, grace, or healing.
Acts 9:15-16
15 But the Lord said, “Go and do what I say. For Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for me.”
This is why I’m sending you. God doesn’t have to let us in on or explain his plans to us. He just needs us to obey. God can do the most with the least of people when they obey him.
Acts 9:17-19
17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you may get your sight back and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and was strengthened.
Ananias obeys, goes to Saul, does exactly what god told him to do. Tells Saul that he was sent by God. Instant healing brings Paul’s conversion. What happens if Ananias doesn’t obey?
(Christianity may have never spread beyond a few thousand people. May have died out entirely).
Acts 9:20-21
…..immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!” 21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who persecuted Jesus’ followers with such devastation in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And we understand that he came here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests.”
Immediately he began preaching. Change of heart, change of ways, baffles Jews.
Same thing happens with new converts today. “What’s got into him?”
Acts 9:23-25
23 After a while the Jewish leaders decided to kill him. 24 But Saul was told about their plot, and that they were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers let him down in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.
Only a Christian a short while, now feeling the threat of persecution.
Acts 9:26
26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They thought he was only pretending to be a believer!
We do the same thing to new believers today.
Acts 9:27
27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus. Barnabas also told them what the Lord had said to Saul and how he boldly preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
Barnabas- “Son of Encouragement”
Takes a risk and stands up for Paul. Why? Maybe he saw something in Paul. Maybe he thought what did God see in me to choose me.
Who knows how Paul would have turned out if rejected by the disciples?
Never turn away anew believer. You never know who or what you are turning away.
(Gandhi testimony)
Paul was crucial to the spreading of the Gospel
1st to fully explain the death and resurrection of Christ as the focus of God’s plan of Salvation
1st to understand the new nature of God’s people whether Jew or Gentile as 1 body.
1st to effectively spread the Gospel to the Gentile world.
Acts 9:28-31
28 Then the apostles accepted Saul, and after that he was constantly with them in Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they plotted to murder him. 30 When the believers heard about it, however, they took him to Caesarea and sent him on to his hometown of Tarsus. 31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it grew in strength and numbers. The believers were walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Paul begins making enemies. You will make enemies when you speak/preach the Word of God. A change in the direction of life often means a change in your traveling companions.
What was the key to all this great change we’ve seen? The Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit all the disciples and Paul’s efforts would have been misguided. Without the Holy Spirit all our efforts are lost and misguided.
What just transpired in Paul’s life may have changed the course of history.
If you are hearing this message today then hopefully it will change yours.
What occurred in Paul’s life after this?
He endured 3 shipwrecks. 5 beatings of 39 lashes, 3 beatings with a rod, a public stoning that almost killed him, and no less than 5 imprisonments probably more.
Ending facts/closing
Pressed on in ministry for some 30 years. Started and encouraged new churches and ministries. Wrote over ½ the New Testament. Spread the Gospel some 10,000 miles across the Roman Empire.
Romans 1:10-12
10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.
It’s amazing that Paul did what he did in an age where transportation was primarily on foot or by animal. I encourage you today to have a Damascus Rd. encounter with Jesus. Then after that to walk in the footsteps of Paul in spreading the Gospel. We live in a great day. Can you image what Paul could’ve done if he had the internet, e-mail, faxes, or a cell phone?
