From the Darkness into the Light - Acts 9:1-19

Title: The Conversion of Saul - From the Darkness into the Light
Verse: Acts 9:1-19
Date: August 11, 2024

BIBLE READING:

Acts 9:1-19
"Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 

3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. [a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” 17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. 19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

INTRODUCTION

It was probably a cool day in Jerusalem. Stephen had been witnessing about Jesus, performing miracles among the people. Some of the Hellenistic Jews (Greek-speaking converts to Judaism), became upset, and accused Stephen before the religious council, the Sanhedrin. They set up false witnesses to support their case. Stephen gave his defense by preaching a sermon to the Sanhedrin, in the context of their national history, starting with Abraham, all the way to the recent past when they had crucified Jesus. He was trying to get through to the Sanhedrin, the religious rulers, and give them the opportunity to repent of killing Jesus. But they would not listen.

Acts 7:51-60
“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” 54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 
60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

It says they laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. The Greek tells us this was an outer garment worn over a tunic. It may indicate that this happened in the spring or the winter. Presumably they did not want to have their clothes dirtied with Stephen’s blood, as they murdered him. While Saul appears not to have participated, yet he did consent to the stoning.

Acts 8:1-3
"Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison."

This event must have had a big impact on the young man, Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul.

Today, we’re going to look at the story of Saul's conversion. 

We’ll see how Jesus can take someone who seems hopelessly lost and turn their life around. No matter where we are in life, Jesus can change us for the better.

SAUL’S DARK STORY

Saul was a hunter. He hunted Christians. He was determined to catch Christians and put them in jail. He thought he was doing the right thing by stopping people from talking about Jesus. Saul’s heart was filled with anger and hatred toward Christians. He believed that he was serving God by persecuting them, but he was actually fighting against God’s plan.

Acts 9:1-2 

“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.”

Acts 22:4 

“I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison.”

Acts 26:11 “Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.”

SAUL ENCOUNTERS JESUS

Saul was traveling to Damascus to apprehend Christians and bring them to trial in Jerusalem. He was actively pursuing and persecuting Christians, even in foreign cities. On the road to Damascus, Saul suddenly saw a bright light from heaven. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul was terrified and asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The voice replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

Jesus appeared to Saul in a powerful way, showing him that he was not just hurting people—he was fighting against Jesus Himself. This encounter opened Saul’s eyes to the truth.

Acts 9:3-4 

“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’” ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’”

Acts 26:14 

“We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’”

SAUL RECEIVES A NEW MISSION

Saul was blind for three days after seeing the bright light. During that time, he didn’t eat or drink anything. God sent a man named Ananias to heal Saul and tell him that God had chosen him to spread the good news about Jesus. When Ananias placed his hands on Saul, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. Right away, Saul was baptized, and he started telling everyone about Jesus.
Saul’s life was completely changed. 

The man who once hunted Christians became a powerful preacher for Jesus. His new mission was to tell people about God’s love and grace.

Acts 9:10-11 

“In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered. The Lord told him, ‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.’” 

Acts 9:17-18 

“Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.”

Acts 9:20 

“At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.”

SUMMARY

Saul’s conversion teaches us that no one is too far gone for Jesus to reach. Saul was on a dark path, but Jesus met him, changed him, and gave him a new purpose. When we encounter Jesus, our lives can be transformed, and we can be given a new mission to share His love with others.

CONCLUSION

No matter where we are, what we have done, Jesus can change our lives. That’s what happened to Saul. Jesus can take our darkest moments and turn them into something amazing. Just like Saul, we are never too far away for Jesus to find us and use us for His good purpose. Let’s open our hearts to Jesus today and allow Him to change us, just as He changed Saul.

PRAYER

"Dear Lord, thank you for the example of Saul, and how you were able to turn his life around. Help us to know that no matter where we are, or what we have done, you can change us and give us a new direction and purpose in life. Please help us to live for you, and share your love with others.
In Jesus name. Amen."