From Persecutor to Preacher
Pressing Toward the Mark…
Last week, we started a series on the Apostle Paul. If you will recall, prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul was one of the most feared person within the Christian church. He, being a Pharisee, sought to persecute this new faith thriving amongst the people, particularly the poor, and threatening those occupying positions of power and prestige—the religious rulers. We know from Stephen’s stoning in Acts 7 and the summons served in Acts 9 that Paul was ruthless and relentless in his pursuit to squash out anyone who professed Christ as Savior.
So hostile and hateful was Paul towards Christians that in chapter 9:1 of the book of Acts we read:
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
Let me just pause for a moment and draw your attention to the meaning of breathing out threats and murder…it means that every time Paul spoke of the church or of Christians, he did so maliciously. In other words, just the mere thought of Christ and His followers was enough to make Paul’s blood boil—so much so that he made it his life’s mission to murder as many Christians as the chief priest permitted him.
However, despite Paul’s best efforts to pursue and persecute the people of faith, Christ had other plans for him. Paul having been struck down by heaven’s light stands before the Lord bewildered and blind. Though he knew he was standing in the presence of the Lord, he was completely unaware as to the Person to whom he speaking too—it was none other than the person to whom Paul was persecuting—Jesus! It is interesting to note that upon seeing the risen Lord, Paul immediately relinquishes his life as a persecutor only to replace it for a life as a preacher.
There are some things worth noting. First, notice the means, measures, and methods used to stop Paul in his expedition to eliminate the Christians faith in Christ, thereby extinguishing their flame within the culture. A bolt of heaven’s light suddenly strikes him. So brilliant and bright was the light that Paul was blinded. Isn’t that amazing? Paul had to literally lose his sight in order for him to see. So wrapped up was he living his life to the letter of the Law that he lost the true significance of the Law—that was to lead people to learn about the love of God.
For our graduates—as you journey through life, please learn this lesson—do not become so legalistic that your love for God and for others lessens. Accept people for who they are: not where they have been or what they have done—recognize they are not any more perfect than you. Acknowledge they share the same common desire as you—to love and be loved.
Similarly, remember that regardless of your past, you can still play a vital part in Christ’s plan. Ananias, when summoned to restore Paul’s sight, was quite reserved and reluctant. He, like so many others, was fully aware of the reported rumors concerning Paul’s crusade against Christians. In Acts 9:13-14, we read of Ananias’ response to Christ’s request:
Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.
To reassure Ananias of his reservations and to reaffirm him of Paul’s recruitment, Christ says to Ananias:
Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
Despite Paul’s painful past as a persecutor, Christ had plans for Paul. Of all the people Christ could have picked to proclaim the gospel before the Gentiles, the kings, and the children of Israel, it was Paul—this persecutor. Talking about grace—that’s it! If ever there is a time and place where the power of God’s grace is demonstrated, it is here. How God can transform a persecutor’s hatred into a preacher’s heart is beyond comprehension.
Let me just say to those soon to set sail on life’s sea—there is no mistaken it, somewhere along the way you will find yourselves failing, faltering, and falling. You should expect it, but never should you encourage it. Maturity is often gained by our mistakes, mishaps, and misfortunes.
And if you should happen to fail, falter, and fall, permit me to offer you some words of advice. Get back up on your feet, brush the dust and dirt off from your knees, and learn from the mistakes behind you. Character is not so much so defined by the conditions surrounding you in as much as it is dictated by the choices you make to change them.
Consider, if you will, all life experiences as learning experiences. Ask yourselves: What did I learn from this? What could I have done differently? But by all means, do not let those things of the past serve as stumbling blocks to push out and press on—especially when it comes to your service to the Savior.
If anyone should have had regret and remorse for his rebelliousness to God, it was Paul. But listen what he prescribes to the church of Philippi. In Philippians 3:13
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead…
Paul knew that if he were to preach the message of Christ, then he had to place his past as a Pharisee and a persecutor behind him. He could not return to it or remove it from his resume.
Notice, if you will, what differentiates Paul from most people. Upon recognizing the Lord for who He was, Paul immediately surrenders his ways to the Lord’s will by making himself available and accessible. In verse 6, we read:
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
So passionate was Paul to please the Lord he abandons his position as a Pharisee and accepts his call as a preacher. Once God’s grace grabbed a hold of Paul’s heart, Christ meant everything to Paul. In Philippians 1:21-23 Paul pens these words:
For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor.
This is the fruit of my labor:
Yet what I shall not choose I want not.
For I am torn between the two,
Having a desire to depart,
And to be with Christ, which is far better.
What makes these passages so persuasive is that when Paul penned these words, he was in prison. Here is Paul. He surrendered everything—power, position, and prestige—to pursue and proclaim the gospel of Christ only to serve time in prison pending his persecution. Throughout his entire letter, he never once complains about the situation surrounding him nor criticizes those who seized and sentenced him. Rather, Paul snatches the opportunity to push his faith forward, while at the same time, persuading Christ’s followers to remain faithful despite his predicament and their pain.
In Philippians 1:12-14, Paul writes:
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
Talking about a testimony—that’s it! Let me just say, that as you move forward to the future, your faith in Christ will be tested and your fortitude will tried. There will be times in which you are taunted, teased, and tormented for your faith. You, like Paul, will bear the burden of upholding your testimony during those times. Permit me encourage you to stand firm and stay faithful. Seize the situation surrounding you to be a servant to and a spokesperson for the Savior. No time is more suited to show God grace than during those times of trouble, turmoil, and trepidation. It is during such times that your testimony becomes authentic to the audience watching you.
It is important to note that anytime you feel persecuted, you are not the one who is being persecuted but rather it is the Person to whom you profess as Lord and proclaim as Savior. It is Christ. On his way to Damascus, Paul asked whom he was speaking to, Jesus replied:
I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Furthermore, please bear in mind that it is through our times of persecution, of pain, and peril that the power of God is most evident. Christ, not only summoned Paul to a life of service but also sentenced him to a life of suffering. Returning to Acts 9:16—Jesus answers Ananias’ anxiety concerning Paul’s appointment by stating:
For I must show him great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Did Paul suffer for Jesus’ name’s sake? You bet he did. Listen to everything Paul endured subsequent to his call to be an Apostle of Christ. In II Corinthians 11:24-27 he writes:
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep.
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren.
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
What astounds me more than anything, is Paul’s attitude of contentment. In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul lists the valuable lessons he learned about living this life and living for the Lord. Simply stated, Paul learned to be content. Here is what he had to say:
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
The word content when defined means: contented with one’s lot, with one’s means, though the slenderest. In other words, Paul was contented with his lot in this life regardless of past circumstances and present conditions. His claim for such contentment is supported, substantiated and stated in the following verse:
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
And what was the source for Paul’s contentment? It was his faith in and fellowship with Christ. So firmly founded was Paul’s faith in Christ, that there was nothing this world had to offer comparable too or cherished more. He regarded everything outside his relationship with the living Lord as rubbish. In chapter 3:8, Paul declares:
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Reflecting upon Paul’s words, we should remember that true contentment is not dictated by what we have or do not have in this life, but rather is defined by who we are in Christ.
If there is anything I ask for you take from this message, it is simply this: Let Christ be the center of your life—place Him above all any and all other relationships you may acquire throughout the adventure you are about ready to embark upon.
