January 3 - The Road to Damascus

January 3 - The Road to Damascus - Acts 9:1-19

Luke is such a great storyteller. He has just finished the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). Philip was whisked away by the Holy Spirit and then appeared elsewhere. Luke's readers would have been spellbound by the story. His transition is classic story-telling ... "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples."

We are not supposed to like this man at the beginning of the story. Luke ensures that we grow to hate him before we see how the Lord has redeemed this man. He doesn't gloss over Saul's horrific intentions, but uses wonderful words to draw us into the story. By the time we are reading Luke 9:2, we find that it just keeps getting worse and worse - Saul doesn't care if they are men or women, he is going after anyone who follows Jesus. Who does that? Only someone who is the lowest of the low.

As I read this story, I find myself giggling at the words that Luke uses: suddenly, flashed, speechless. He holds nothing back in his effort to impress upon his reader the importance of the story.

Middle of the day. A light brighter than the sun flashes around Saul as he is walking with his companions. He falls and a voice speaks.

Jesus asked an important question of Saul, "Why are you persecuting me?" However, he doesn't wait for an answer. He just tells Saul what to do next. This is one of those things that we do quite differently when confronting sin. We not only ask why, but we pressure until guilt becomes overwhelming. It's the way we raise our children and the way we deal with people we love. Jesus didn't do that. He asked and by His asking, Saul had to deal with it himself. Jesus immediately moved from the question to the command. He called Saul to repentance and then without dwelling on the sin any longer, sent Saul to someone who would complete the transformation, thus impressing upon Saul the power that comes from God.

Acts 9:9 says that Saul didn't eat or drink anything and that he was blind for three days. After Ananias laid hands on him, the scales fell off his eyes, he could see, he was baptized and he ate to regain his strength (Acts 9:18-19).

Believe it or not, when I am under extreme duress, I quit eating. The problem comes later when the stress passes - I quickly make up for it. I can only imagine that Saul was pretty freaked out!

Umm ... let's see. The one person that you despise more than anything and whose followers you have been persecuting shows up. This person is dead, yet has the power to strike you blind, speaks to you and asks you simply 'Why?' Yes, I'm pretty sure that the stress of that encounter would be enough to make me stop eating as well.

Jesus told Ananias in Acts 9:15 that this was the man He had chosen to take his name to the Gentiles and to the Jews. Saul has met the Lord. He has been changed by the Lord. He has great things ahead of him!

Luke began this story by telling us about the murderous rage that Saul had within him against the people of Christ. If you look ahead to Acts 9:31, you will find the changes that happened to Paul brought peace to the church. I am reminded of Luke 2:14 "...and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."