New Series: Christmas - A Celebration of Light (Acts 9:1-31)
Today’s Message – God’s Light calls us to Salvation (9:1-9)
1 December 2002
Introduction:
Christmas is a time for lights. It seems this weekend most of my neighbors were out hanging their annual Christmas lights. Lights are a wonderful way to illumine something. They captivate audiences at the 4th of July during fireworks. They illumine a field so our favorite baseball team can play or it allows our favorite receiver catch that game winning touchdown. Lights illumine our life. And in the spiritual realm, light does the very same thing – it illumines our lives. John 1:4 states, “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”
Christmas is a celebration of lights, and more specifically of life. Because Jesus came into the world, his light revealed our need for spiritual life and when his light illumines our hearts, it reveals our need for his life.
We are embarking on a journey. A journey through the advent season in a dark world. But we’re not alone. In fact, we have a light that will take us through the darkest of life’s moments and it is this light we will turn to each week. This week, our path will be illumined so we may understand God’s light calls us to salvation.
We are going to learn three key component of this light today. They are: God’s light allows us to see His truth; God’s light allows us to hear his voice, and God’s light allows us to follow his call.
1A. GOD’S LIGHT ALLOWS US TO HEAR HIS VOICE (1-4)
In this chapter, Luke makes not only a transition to Judea and Samaria, but also a transition in his focus of characters in the saga called the Acts of the Apostles. Whereas the focus was on Peter with a small interlude of Stephen and Philip, the focus now turns on Saul. Let’s look at how Luke describes this man at this point (read vs. 1-2).
“Saul was still breathing threats…” not being content with the death of Stephen, Paul seeks to root out and destroy any remembrance of this movement called “the way.” His actions shows two things: 1. he had parted company from his mentor, Gamaliel, who warned the Sandhedrin not to find themselves fighting against God (Acts 5:39), and 2. Paul was fulfilling the very words of our Lord Jesus (John 16:2).
In order to make his mission official, Saul went to receive legal papers from the High Priest. This would bring authority with him, seeing he was going to Damascus. Damascus was a strategic city with a large population of Jews. For in the Annuals of Jewish History, it is recorded that during the war between the Romans and Jews in AD 66, no fewer than 10,000 Jews were killed.
In addition, Damascus is one of the two oldest cities from ancient history that remains today. In fact, Damascus is recorded in the Genesis records with Abraham (Gen 14:15; 15:2). Damascus was a five to six day journey from Jerusalem that covered nearly 175 miles. Now the reason why this is important to mention is: 1. it shows how far the church had expanded at this point. 2. it shows just how far Saul would go to stop this movement called “The Way.” Why? Because Damascus was a major trade city from different areas of the known world, it served as a hub. Thus, Saul’s attempt to go to Damascus was to prevent “The Way” from extending beyond those borders to other Jewish synagogues.
Let’s now pick it up in verses three and four to find out how God’s light calls us to salvation, and more specifically, how God’s light allows us to hear his voice…(read vs. 3-4).
This light was no ordinary light. In 26:13, Paul said it was “brighter than the sun…”
The light from God stopped Saul in his tracks. The text said, Saul “…fell to the ground…”
Sometimes, it takes something extraordinary for us to hear God’s voice – a death of a loved one; a life change; a disease; a 40th birthday; an anniversary; or maybe Christmas season. For some, it’s the only time they hear the gospel message.
For me, the extraordinary event was college. I remember when I was going through college, seeking my own way through life, that I was on the verge of joining a fraternity. It was here God allowed me to see his truth in a way I never saw it before. The Word of God became alive to me. Yes, I was already saved, but at this time, I was on the throne of my life. But God allowed my life to become so unraveled, that I was ready to hit rock bottom. It was then, the Lord’s light illumined his word. I began to realize, Jesus is not only my savior, but he is my Lord.
And that is exactly what Paul was beginning to understand…and what we are going to understand. But it’s one thing to hear his voice, it’s another thing to understand the truth in his words. That’s why we need to know…
2A. GOD’S LIGHT ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND HIS TRUTH (5)
Right away, Saul, inquires the identity behind the voice. Jesus responds by saying, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”
The truth Saul needed to learn was the true identity of Jesus. Up to this time, Jesus was just a cult leader whose followers were now causing a ruckus amongst the Jewish synagogues. What Saul thought about Jesus was he was dead and his body was probably stolen by his disciples. What Saul thought about Jesus was Jesus was a false teacher saying he came to abolish the law of Moses. What Saul thought about Jesus was he was going to destroy the temple and raise it up in three days. What Saul thought about Jesus was all wrong, yet what he thought about Jesus was truth to him.
And you know what, there are many Sauls in our world today. You may be one of them. Some still think, Jesus is only a religious leader who did nothing more than cause a ruckus amongst the other religions. Some still believe Jesus is nothing more than a good teacher or a good moral standard to guide one’s life. Other’s claim Jesus was a false teacher or a cult leader, and blames him for the many atrocities done in his name throughout history.
No amount of debating will change the minds of people who believe this about Jesus. It takes light, but not just any light. It takes the Light of God. This was true for Saul, and it is true for any of you who have never placed your faith in Jesus Christ.
Next, notice how Jesus identifies himself to Saul (v. 4b). He is the one Saul was persecuting. Can you imagine the conviction at this point in Saul’s conscience. How could one, who is so fervent in his passion for God be guilty of persecuting him? The very death of Stephen and Stephen’s final words must have come back to Saul’s mind like a train wreck. “Lord do not hold this sin against them.”
It took God’s light for Saul to realize the truth about Jesus Christ – that He in fact was Lord! That he was in fact who all those disciples said he was! And that Saul, found himself fighting against the God he claimed to serve! The irony is so thick here!
How could someone like Saul – a man educated in the finest schools of religion be so close yet so far away from the truth?
The same way some are so close to the truth, yet remain so far away, because they remain in darkness instead of coming to the light. Friend, if you are in the darkness today, Jesus Christ invites you to meet him in the light. The Light, where every false thing is removed; every presupposition evaporates with his person. Every false thought is replaced with Jesus’ true identity.
And it is yours for the asking today! You ask, how do we get there? That’s easy to answer. Look at verse 6-9 and see how…
3A. GOD’S LIGHT ALLOWS US TO FOLLOW HIS CALL (6-9)
While recovering from the shock that Saul had been persecuting Jesus and that Jesus was God himself, he gets directives from this same Lord (read vs. 6-9).
God’s call in our lives begins with a directive. Saul was told to go into the city and wait for further instruction. God, from what I reading Scripture and from my own experience, gives his directives in small bite sizes. I have never known him to reveal everything about my life’s call at once. And so it will be in your life. God will reveal things in small sizes that we can digest.
Now in verse 7 we see verification by Luke to this record. Now why do you think, we would need verification? Because as you know, it would be too simple for someone to say, Saul, you were only hallucinating. That really didn’t happen to you.
Luke not only verifies it with the other men with Saul, but also he verifies this account by recording two other times in chapters 22 and 26.
These men were speechless. They heard the voice, but saw no one. The word for voice (phone) supports the idea that while Paul heard an audible voice, the men only heard a sound, seeing this word means both sound and specific articulated speech.
Look at how Saul follows the call. He gets up and has the men lead him to Damascus. Why did he need to be led? Because he was now blind from the occurrence. The one who was confident of his vision but all the while blind to the truth was now able to see God for who he truly is although he was physically blind. Isn’t that like faith, though?
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
2 Cor. 5:7
for we walk by faith, not by sight—
God’s light allows us to follow his call. Now before we begin to think the only people God calls are those in FT Ministry. Nothing could be further from the truth. God has called each of you to be used for his service.
Here is a myth that needs to be blown right out of the water today. Ministry is not for the professionals. Paul tells the church in Ephesus, that pastors, teachers, and evangelists are given to the church to equip the saints for the work of ministry.
Beloved, all of us are called and it takes God’s light to follow that call. Let me illustrate this point…
Two hundred years ago, Christian statesman William Wilberforce led the drive to end the British slave trade. But ironically, his conversion to Christianity nearly led him to abandon politics. His story illustrates how crucial it is for every believer to have a biblical understanding of calling.
As Kevin Belmonte writes in his new book, ’Hero for Humanity’, Wilberforce resisted efforts by friends to convert him. A wealthy and popular young man, Wilberforce was enjoying life to the fullest: dinners, balls, and high jinks with friends. His chief goal in life was advancing his own political career. As he told a friend, "My own distinction was my darling object."
But then came his fateful encounter with the man who would bring him to Christ: Isaac Milner, his former tutor. Through Milner’s influence, "Wilberforce began to wrestle with the implications of what it might mean to embrace the Christian life." And once Wilberforce came to Christ, Belmonte writes, he condemned himself for having wasted precious time, opportunities, and talents.
But the big question after his conversion was how should he spend the remainder of his time and talents? One friend, a member of Parliament, advised Wilberforce to retire from public life. But other friends, including John Newtonthe former slave-ship captain, now a ministerurged him to stay in politics.
As Belmonte writes, "His quandary has been described as the ’Eusebian temptation’, the belief that one could best serve God in sacred rather than secular activities." Wilberforce "contemplated leaving politics to pursue holy orders or some other sphere of Christian service."
In seeking direction, Wilberforce searched the Scriptures. He was struck by the command of Christ to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. "Who is my neighbor?" he asked. Taking his cue from the story of the Good Samaritan, Wilberforce concluded, "It is evident that we are to consider our peculiar situations, and in these to do all the good we can." As he explained to his mother, "Some are thrown into public, some have their lot in private life."
Given his particular gifts, Wilberforce concluded that it was God’s will that he stay in public life. "It would merit no better name than desertion," he wrote, "if I were thus to fly from the post where Providence has placed me."
But there was a change. Instead of working for his own distinction, he now desired to discover God’s plan for his career. That plan included playing a central role in abolishing the British slave trade and reforming the morals of British society.
Had Wilberforce abandoned public life, the consequences would have been enormous. His friend, the Rev. Thomas Scott, wrote, "The slave trade might have continued into future generations." Thank God Wilberforce embraced a proper view of biblical calling.
What about you? Have you embraced God’s calling on your life? Whether you’re an employee of a business that makes wigets or a CEO – God has called you to be His ambassador in that location. Whether you’re a mom working to support your family or you’re a mom who is supporting your family by making the home – both are positions called by God to serve him right where you are! Whether you’re a Senior in High School or a Freshman, God has called you to His light to be a light for Him.
We’ve covered a great promise today and that is God’s light brings us to salvation! But we need to apply it.
For those here who, like Saul, have encountered the real Jesus Christ for the first time, I want to provide you an opportunity to receive him into your life.
Share the gospel…
For those here who are believers…
In regards to God’s voice, as your pastor, I want to encourage each of us to spend some extra time to hear his voice. Chart it in your schedule. Make an additional appointment. Whatever you need to do. And I’ll suggest in a moment what to read.
In regards to his truth, again as your pastor, I want to encourage you to ask God to reveal truth about Him to you that he would like you to know, experience. Why? Because this is how we grow. It’s how we grow deeper in our relationship with the Lord. So, this Christmas season, begin journaling the many truths God is going to be showing you.
In regards to his call, I pray you will walk away here today, realizing how God desires to use you right where you are: whether that is in your home as a parent to children; whether that’s being a stay at home mom; whether that’s being a CEO or an assembler of wigets. God has called you to that location; to those people, and his desire is to use you as his light to bring life, eternal life to men and women.
Now, I promised a vehicle to apply these three things even more. On the back table today, you will see an Advent Devotional with a candle. Take one of these for you and your family.
What we do during this time of year is we light the candle for the time of the devotional on the card right up to Christmas. By that time the card is worn and the candle is burned down.
The point is we spend time, allowing God’s light to penetrate our hearts as a family during this special time in our calendar, and it is our way of keeping Christ in Christmas.
