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I don’t know about you, but I really don’t mind high-school reunions. I know that they can get a bad rap from time to time, but I don’t mind them.
A few years ago, I went to my 10-year reunion. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. Turns out, a lot of us had changed since high school (mostly for the better). Some had gotten a little wiser, a little smarter. Others had gotten a little bigger, a little scruffier, a little less shine. There were some people who hadn’t really changed at all! Then, there were others who were almost unrecognisable. You wondered whether they were at the right reunion! They’d changed so much that it was hard to believe! You just sat there, staring, thinking: what happened to that guy?
But at the reunion, it was just so good to sit and share stories. To hear about people’s ups and downs-what changed them, what didn’t change them; what’s gone well and what hasn’t. One friend spoke about their newfound interest in the armed forces, their good relationship with their chaplain. Another friend spoke about his pursuit of wealth, all the pain it brought. Another friend shared how he was getting high during work just to survive the daily grind. And of course we just retold the stories of life together at school.
It was good, sharing stories. Stories of change and transformation: for better or for worse.
This morning/evening, as we continue our series in the book of Acts, that’s kinda what Luke does. Luke retells a very significant story: a story of transformation.
a. A birds-eye view
It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? Just by looking at ‘the beginning’ and ‘the end’ of the story, we hear about a remarkable transformation of a person named ‘Saul’. It’s remarkable on a number of levels!
I mean could you imagine Saul, rocking up to your high-school reunion? Just like in this story, no one would believe him! Everyone’d be like: “Isn’t he… ?” “Wasn’t he… ?” “You know… that guy” “who raised havoc in Jerusalem… and took people as prisoners to the high priests… “.
Just by looking at ‘the beginning’ and ‘the end’ of the story, we hear about a remarkable transformation.
b. The centre?
But, what stands at the centre of this? What’s at the centre of Saul’s story of transformation? What happened to him? Well, Luke shows us that Saul experiences Jesus. He experiences Jesus!
In our culture, the idea of ‘experiencing Jesus’ isn’t probably something we tend to think about much. If we do, well we probably think that Jesus is just a myth, a mythical creature. For others of us, we might think that Jesus is just a concept; an idea; a construct; to believe in. For others of us, an experience with him would just seem boring. Then for others, he’s just a historical figure. He did live, but he’s not someone you can experience today.
Well, here Acts 9:1-31, Luke retells a story of transformation. At the center of this story is Saul’s experience of Jesus. Whilst we might not experience Jesus in the exact same way as Saul, there are some similarities! As we’ll discover, Saul’s story will speak into our story: it’ll remind us about what we could experience; or have experienced already in Jesus. We’ll be reminded what experiencing Jesus is all about.
So, if you’ve got a Bible, keep it open as we take a look together.
1a. Saul’s backstory
If you didn’t realise, Luke subtly introduced us to the character of ‘Saul’ just a few chapters ago.
Saul is the ultimate bad guy!
In Acts 7-8, Luke tells us that Saul was the authority figure who approved of Stephen’s unjust trial and murder. Those who stoned Stephen, “laid their coats at the feet… of Saul” and “Saul approved of their killing him” (cf. Acts 7:58; 8:1). Following Stephen’s death, Luke also tells us that Saul aggressively opposed the church in Jerusalem. Saul “began to destroy the church” and was “going from house to house, dragging off both men and women and putting them in prison” (cf. Acts 8:3). As a result, the church scatters from Jerusalem into the neighbouring regions of Judea and Samaria.
1b. Saul’s on the hunt (v1-2)
But as the church scatters, Saul goes on the hunt.
In verses 1-2, Luke tells us that Saul is going on an anti-Jesus campaign. Saul’s travelling North from Jerusalem to Damascus (the northern edge of Judea and Samaria) to detain anyone who belongs to “the way”, a.k.a “the church”.1 With the authority of Jerusalem’s high priest, Saul is conspiring with local synagogues (Jewish places of worship) to capture “men and women” who belong to Jesus and take them as prisoners “back to Jerusalem”. You see, the church is growing, scattering and spreading out from Jerusalem, as the Lord Jesus intended (cf. Acts 1:6). But, Saul is successfully restraining, restricting, and containing it. Saul is on the hunt.
He is like a predator who hunts, who tracks, and who captures his prey. Once he captures it, he drags it back to his den, and then devours it.
Saul is on the hunt, breathing out threats and murder against the Lord Jesus’ followers.
So, what will the ascended Lord Jesus do with this kind of person? This kind of problem?
I know what I’d be doing: I’d be taking Saul out! Killing him off! Taking him out the series! There would be no ‘Season 2’ for Saul. One and done.
Well, the ascended Lord Jesus has plans, doesn’t he?
2a. The heavenly light (v3)
As Saul continues to make his way to Damascus, something very unexpected occurs. Before he reaches the city, Saul encounters a heavenly light. Suddenly, a light from heaven flashes around Saul. A supernatural light “outshines the sun”.2 Saul is “engulfed” by heavenly rays.3
2b. The heavenly voice (v4-6)
As he encounters this heavenly light, Saul also hears a heavenly voice. He falls to the ground and hears a voice say to him: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Why are you treating me like this?” “Why do you do this to me?”. The voice knows Saul, all too well. But Saul, does not know the voice.
The voice knows Saul, but Saul doesn’t know the voice. “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asks. In the midst of this heavenly light, Saul cannot see who is speaking to him. But the voice, finally reveals himself. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” “Get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do”.
2c. The heavenly and humbling wound (v7-9)
As Saul gets up from the ground and opens his eyes, he realises that he has a heavenly wound.
It’s as if the predator has been wounded by something further up the food-chain.
The glorious light of Jesus Christ has made him blind, he cannot see. Saul has encountered Jesus and he has come off second best. He is humbled, existing in a state of darkness and helplessness. In fact, Saul has become so crippled by this experience of Jesus that he must be “led by the hand” into Damascus, where for “three days” he is blind, and does “not eat or drink anything”. In one sense, we could say that Saul has ‘died’.
While we know that blindness isn’t the end for people, there is some truth that it is a kind of death. One person, who I read this week, said this about being blind:
“Loss of sight is a dying. When blindness comes upon a person, it is the end, the death, of that sighted life. It is a blow to his or her being, a kind of death”.4
Saul has encountered the ascended Lord Jesus, and he has entered into a kind of death. For three days, Saul is hungry, thirsty, and blind-in utter darkness.
So, what will the ascended Lord Jesus do with Saul?
Will Jesus leave him like this? What will Jesus get Saul to do? What’s Saul’s future?
Well, the ascended Lord Jesus has plans, doesn’t he?
3a. A vision for Ananias (v10-12)
Three days after Saul’s encounter with Jesus, the Lord (Jesus) appears to a disciple named ‘Ananias’ in a vision. In a similar way to Christopher Nolan’s film Inception, Ananias receives a vision of Saul having a vision.5 It’s like dreams within dreams, visions within visions!
The Lord calls to Ananias. “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, he is praying.” That’s the first vision. The Lord Jesus gives Ananias instructions about where to find Saul.
Then, the Lord tells Ananias about Saul’s vision. “In a vision, Saul has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight”. That’s the second vision. The Lord Jesus assures Ananias that Saul’s expecting him. As you can tell, the Lord Jesus is setting everything up!
3b. Ananias’ resistance (v13-14)
But, quite naturally, there’s resistance! Ananias isn’t so sure about this! You can just sense the reluctance and fear coming from his voice.6 He knows about Saul… “Lord,” Ananias answered. “I have heard many reports about this man”. He knows Saul’s track record… “and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem”. And he knows why Saul is coming to Damascus… “He has come here… to arrest all who call on your name”. Ananias is no fool, he knows what Saul is capable of. Ananias knows!
3c. The Lord’s plan for Saul (v15-16)
But, what Ananias doesn’t know… … is that the ascended Lord Jesus has plans… for this “persecutor”, this “killer”, this “predator”.
The Lord reassures Ananias: Saul will be my “chosen instrument”, literally “my chosen vessel”.7 Saul will be the Lord’s chosen vessel, who will “proclaim”, literally “bear” or “carry”, “my name” to “the gentiles”-a.k.a “the ends of the earth”.8 The Lord has plans for Saul, plans to carry the name, the gospel, the message of the risen and ascended Christ.9 And it’s no small thing! No easy thing! no minor thing! For the Lord tells Ananias, that Saul himself will have to “suffer” for the sake of that name. The predator will become the prey-for the sake of the gospel.
3d. Saul’s heavenly healing (v17-19)
So, after this reassurance, Ananias goes.
Ananias goes to the house, enters it, finds Saul and lays his hands on him-a sign of welcome, acceptance, and inclusion.10 And Ananias utters those sweet, warm, gospel-shaped words: “Brother”. “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus… has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit”. That’s why I’m here! So that you can see and receive the divine Spirit.
As soon as Ananias utters these words, Saul regains his sight. Luke tells us that “Immediately” “something like scales” “fell from Saul’s eyes”. You see, it’s as if the Spirit has come… … and the Spirit has opened Saul’s eyes. It’s as if the Spirit has given Saul sight, light, and arguably life!11 After three days, Saul’s sight is restored; he is baptised (the ultimate sign of death and resurrection); and he now eats and drinks.
Saul has encountered Jesus. The one who entered into a kind of death has now experienced a kind of resurrection. It’s like he has walked out of a tomb: darkness, but now light; death, but now resurrection; starvation, but now well-fed.
iii. Synthesis: A story of grace
Here in Acts 9, Luke retells a story of transformation. At the centre of this story is Saul’s experience of Jesus.
What kind of experience is this? What kind of story is this? Well, we could describe it in many ways, couldn’t we? It is an experience of blindness then sight; darkness then light; weakening then strengthening; humility then exaltation; spiritual emptiness then spiritual fullness; a kind of death then a kind of resurrection.
But, if we were to put just one word on it, Saul’s experience (his story) is really just one of ‘grace’. At least, that’s how Saul himself describes it. Some years later, Saul wrote letters to his churches and to his co-workers, reminding them of what he experienced on that Damascus Road. He wrote things like this:
Saul experienced Jesus-an experience of abundant grace. A story of utter transformation.
Hearing someone else’s story can have a profound impact on us, can’t it?
Just this week, I got to sit on my back deck; and listen to someone retell their story over nice warm coffee. It was great! The story! and the coffee! It was story of God’s grace! A story of a person coming to rely on Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the solution to their corruption; to the sin that ran deep.
Then, at Unify on Friday night with a couple hundred youth, I got to hear another person’s story. It was a story of God’s grace! A story of a person who was lost, who faced excruciating grief and disappointment, longing for answers to the reality of death. But, the story of a person who found life, truth, and resurrection in Christ.
Hearing someone else’s story can have a profound impact on us, can’t it? Stories can shape the way we think. They can challenge our beliefs or reinforce them. The sharing of stories can bring us closer together, can’t they? They can create warmth, connection, and forge a bond that wasn’t there before. Stories can shape the way we act. They can motivate, inspire, lead us into wisdom. Stories can shape the way we feel. They can bring us sadness, anger, or joy.
So, what could Saul’s story have to do with us? With our story?
Well, in some sense, Saul’s story ‘is’ our story! Or at least ‘could be’ our story. Whilst we aren’t Saul and probably won’t experience Jesus in the exact same way as him… … There is a sense that Saul’s experience of Jesus is our experience, or at least could be.
a. His story ‘could’ be our story
For those of us who aren’t yet followers of Jesus, this could be your experience of Jesus. Saul’s story could be your story. Saul’s story is a reminder that experiencing Jesus isn’t something we should be afraid of. Even if we’re someone who curses Jesus, or persecutes Jesus, or is heartless, callous, and vicious toward Jesus-he offers surprising, unexpected, underserved grace. This grace will mean a kind of death, then a kind of resurrection. The death of your old life, but a resurrection into something new, far more glorious.
This is what our God-Father, Son, and Spirit-does. Our God pours out his grace on those who oppose Jesus, reject Jesus, hate Jesus. He puts us to death, then raises us to new life. Saul’s story is a reminder of what God can do with the hard-hearted, what he could do for you… because as one person said, “there is no one too lost for Jesus to find”.12 For those of us who aren’t yet followers of Jesus, this could be your story, if you let it. If you come to Jesus, put your trust in him.
b. His story ‘is’ our story
For those of us who are followers of Jesus, well this kinda is our story, isn’t it? Saul’s experience of Jesus is our experience in some sense. Like Saul, we experience surprising, unexpected, and underserved grace. Like Saul, we are people who have been “called by grace” (cf. Galatians 1:6); “justified by grace” (Titus 3:7); “forgiven our sins… according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7); “adopted… according to his glorious grace” (cf. Ephesians 1:5); been “saved by grace” (cf. Ephesians 2:5); become “partakers of grace” (cf. Philippians 1:7; are “under grace” (cf. Romans 6:14); “stood in grace” (cf. 5:2); “strengthened in grace” (cf. 2 Timothy 2:1); and are possessors of grace (cf. 2 Timothy 4:22). In being united with Christ by faith, baptised into him, we have died and risen-we have been given grace upon grace.
This reality, this kind of experience with Jesus-should give us a greater faith and assurance in our own lives. And this kind of experience with Jesus-should give us a greater hope and a deeper passion for the hard-hearted; for the lost; for the apathetic; for blasphemous; for the violent; for the enemies of Christ; and the enemies of his church.
What could Saul’s story have to do with us? With our story?
Well, in some sense, Saul’s story ‘is’ our story! Or at least ‘could be’ our story. A story of transformation. An experience of Jesus. An experience of abundant overflowing grace.
As one person wrote, it is an experience of “… grace that is greater than the depth of the sin that causes us to so desperately need it”.13
v. Conclusion
This morning/evening, Luke has shown us a very significant story: a story of transformation. You might be left wondering: “Well, what now?”
Well, as you’d know, just like most times when we hear a profound story, there’s actually nothing to really do. There’s nothing to really do, except receive it, bask at it, enjoy it, delight in it, and be thankful for it.14
Let’s just bask! Just like Saul once did… … in his letter to the Romans:
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36)
Endnotes
1 Peterson, Acts of the Apostles, 303.
2 Peterson, Acts of the Apostles, 303.
3 Pervo, Acts: A Commentary, 241.
4 Carroll, Blindness: A dying or living?, https://nfb.org/blindness-dying-or-living
5 ‘Inception’ is a pop-culture reference to a movie about a person who has dreams within dreams. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inception
6 Peterson, Acts of the Apostles, 307.
7 BDAG, 927.
8 BDAG, 171.
9 Peterson, Acts of the Apostles, 308.
10 Peterson, Acts of the Apostles, 309-310.
11 Peterson, Acts of the Apostles, 310.
14 Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly, 215.
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