The Conversion Of Paul

THE REPETITION OF NAMES WAS A COMMON SALUTAION BY JESUS, WHICH HE USED WHEN HE WAS GOING TO POINT OUT SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT. IT IS MUCH THE SAME AS WHEN HE SAYS TRULY TRULY I SAY TO YOU.

WE WOULD UNDERSTAND IT BEST IF WE REMEMBER BACK TO THE DAYS OF OUR YOUTH. WHEN OUR PARENTS CALLED US BY OUR FULL NAME, THEN WE KNEW RIGHT AWAY WE BETTER LISTEN.

IT IS ALSO PROBABLE THAT AT THIS POINT HE IS BLINDED BY THE LIGHT. HE CANNOT SEE WHOM IT IS THAT HE IS TALKING TO, SO THE REQUEST FOR IDENTIFICATION IS UNDERSTANDABLE. THE WORD “KYRIE” IS THE WORD FOR “LORD”, AND OFTEN CAN HAVE THE SAME MEANING SIMPLY AS “SIR”.

VERSE 5 REMOVES ALL DOUBT AS THE IDENTIFICATION IS CLEAR. “I AM JESUS, WHOM YOU ARE PERSECUTING” FORCES SAUL TO GRAPPLE WITH THE REALITY THAT WE ALL WILL FACE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.

THE GREAT REALITY THAT SAUL HAD TO FACE WAS THAT EVERYTHING HE HAD BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT GOD AND JESUS WAS WRONG.

IN SAUL’S VIEW, ONE OF THE WORST ASPECTS OF CHRISTIAN BLASPHEMY HAD BEEN THEIR CLAIM THAT JESUS WAS ALIVE. I CAN JUST HEAR HIS RANTS NOW:

“JESUS OF NAZARETH IS DEAD. DO YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT A CRUCIFIED NOBODY IS THE PROMISED MESSIAH? WOULD GOD TAKE A CURSED PROPHET AND MAKE HIM THE MESSIAH?NO! HIS FOLLOWERS ARE PREACHING THAT JESUS IS ALIVE AND DOING MIRACLES THROUGH THEM. THEIR POWER COMES FROM SATAN, NOT GOD, AND THEY MUST BE STOPPED AND DESTROYED FOR ALL TIME.”

NOW HE HAS SEEN A VISION, HE HEARS THE VOICE, HE KNOWS THAT ALL OF HIS STRUGGLE WITH THE CHURCH WAS WRONG. THE CHIEF PERSECUTOR WAS NOW TO BECOME ONE OF THE CHIEF-PERSECUTED. WHAT STEPHEN WITNESSED IN HIS VISION WAS TRUE.

BUT ALSO THAT IN PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS, HE WAS IN EFFECT PERSECUTING CHRIST. CHRIST IS IDENTIFIED WITH HIS DISCIPLES. WHEN THEY SUFFER HE SUFFERS.

LUKE 10:16: 16 “WHOEVER LISTENS TO YOU LISTENS TO ME, AND WHOEVER REFUSES TO ACCEPT YOU REFUSES TO ACCEPT ME. AND WHOEVER REFUSES TO ACCEPT ME REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE ONE WHO SENT ME.”

DOESN’T A PARENT HURT WHEN THEIR CHILD IS GOING THROUGH DIFFICULTY, OR CHOOSING A WRONG PATH.

IT IS ALMOST UNBEARABLE TO PICTURE SAUL IN HIS BROKEN AND HELPLESS STATE. HE IS BLIND, AND NEEDS SOMEONE TO LEAD HIM TO DAMASCUS AND THE REALITY THAT JESUS IS ALIVE HIT HIM LIKE A TON OF BRICKS. HIS ENTIRE LIFE HAS BEEN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, AND NOW HE CAN DO NOTHING FOR HIMSELF. NOT ONLY IS HE FACE-TO FACE WITH JESUS, HE IS NOW FACE-TO-FACE WITH HIS OWN SINFUL CONDITION.

PERHAPS THIS IS WHERE SOME OF YOU WHO ARE PRESENT HERE, OR WHO ARE LISTENING BY RADIO ARE AT TODAY. JUST LIKE SAUL, PERHAPS YOU BELIEVED A LOT OF LIES OR MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT GOD AND JESUS? DOES GOD EXIST? WHO IS JESUS? WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY ALL ABOUT? PERHAPS YOU HAVE YOUR OWN IDEAS ABOUT ALL OF THIS, BUT AS WITH SAUL ARE COMING TO THE REALITY, THAT ALL THOSE IDEAS ARE NOTHING WHEN FACED WITH THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTED LORD.

JUST LIKE SAUL WE FIND OURSELVES IN A STATE OF SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS, LOST IN OUR OWN SIN, NOT ABLE TO SEE ANY SPIRITUAL LIGHT AT ALL.