Having a Clear Vision: Saul of Tarsus's Conversion

The Clear Vision
Lesson 34

“The Conversion Experience of Saul of Tarsus”

Acts 22:1-15 Ephesians 4:17-19
Philippians 3:5-6 John 3:1-6
1 Timothy 1:12-14

“And one Anani'as, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And in that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard’” (Acts 22:12-15).

In this lesson we want to consider St. Paul, and in particular the passage in the book of Acts wherein the apostle speaks concerning his conversion. In the twenty-second chapter we read the following: “[St. Paul addresses the crowd], ‘Brethren and fathers, hear the defense which I now make before you.’ And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet. And he said: ‘I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cili'cia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gama'li el, educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as you all are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brethren, and I journeyed to Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ And when I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. ‘And one Anani'as, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And in that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard’” (Acts 22:1-15).

In this passage St. Paul speaks of his conversion. However, what do we know about the apostle before his conversion experience on the road to Damascus? Before changing his name to Paul, his name was Saul, which literally means ‘asked for’. Saul was born in the city of Tarsus, located in Asia Minor which today is part of present day Turkey. At that time it was a Roman colony. Saul of Tarsus was born to a prominent and wealthy family. He received a formal education at a relatively early age. He was educated in Jerusalem; taught by Gamaliel, who was one of the foremost teachers of that day.

In adulthood Saul joined the Pharisees, a group who lived in strict accordance with the Law of Moses. They considered themselves the ‘saints’ of their day. This is expanded upon in the apostle’s letter to the Philippians. We read: “Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If any other man thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law a Pharisee, as to zeal a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law blameless” (Philippians 3:5-6). From a human point of view, this is indeed the confession of a very impressive man. Unlike most of that day, St. Paul could trace his linage all the way back to the days of the sons of Jacob. He could trace his ancestry back to the tribe of Benjamin. He could also boast of living a blameless life where the adherence to the Law of Moses was concerned.

However, despite these impressive credentials, St. Paul was a persecutor of the church. He was an enemy of Jesus of Nazareth and all those who professed to follow him. He considered Jesus to be an imposter Messiah. After all, how could the long-awaited Messiah come from a poor and despised city like Nazareth and be born to such humble parents? For many Jesus was considered an imposter and those who followed Him, the Christians, were considered heretics. Saul of Tarsus was behind the plot to kill Stephen, he who would become the first Christian martyr. And yet, what the future apostle did, he did in ignorance. This is confirmed years later in his first letter to Timothy. We read: “I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his service, though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him; but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:12-14).

God overlooks that which is done in ignorance. What Saul of Tarsus did was done in ignorance, an ‘innocent ignorance’. He will not, however, overlook malicious ignorance. Consider what we are told in the apostles’ letter to the Ephesians. We read: “Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart; they have become callous and have given themselves up to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness” (Ephesians 4:17-19). The ignorance spoken of here is the ignorance born of a hardness of heart.

Saul of Tarsus was enlightened when it came to the Law of Moses and the scriptures, but ignorant when it came to the things of the finer things of the Spirit of God. He had studied the Law and knew the scriptures ‘inside and out’. Why then was he ignorant when it came to spiritual truths, especially where it relates to Jesus of Nazareth? It was because such spiritual truths are not the result of any sort of formal education, but rather comes by revelation.

This fundamental truth is confirmed to us in the encounter of Jesus with Nicodemus. Before Gamaliel, it was Nicodemus who was considered the foremost teacher in Israel. By the time Nicodemus met Jesus he was an old man. He went out of his way to meet Jesus at night. Nicodemus did this out of a sense of discretion. We read of their encounter in the gospel according to St. John. We read: “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicode'mus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicode'mus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit’” (John 3:1-6).

Nicodemus understood where his own education came from. He was educated by man. However, there was something different about Jesus. Nicodemus knew that Jesus had never been affiliated with any of their rabbinical schools. He understood that Jesus was indeed a teacher, but a different kind of teacher, a ‘teacher come from God’.

Jesus understood the need in Nicodemus’ life and sought to address that need. Nicodemus listened to Jesus and longed to understand His message. However, in doing so Nicodemus was relying on his human intellect, and the logic of own soul. Consequently, he was at a complete loss.

Returning to St. Paul’s conversion experience, the bright light he encountered knocked him from his horse and he heard a voice. He knew the voice belonged to God, but he wanted to know more. Who was this God who was speaking to him? The answer came -- ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting’. Imagine the impact these words must have had on Saul of Tarsus! Jesus of Nazareth?! The same Jesus whose followers I have been persecuting these many years?! Saul must have been devastated. This must have been a profoundly sad time for him.

Consider Saul’s response – ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ It was not a matter of what he, Saul, wanted to do for the Lord. Instead, he sought to know what it was the Lord was requiring of him in that moment. The Lord answered by saying ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’

Why didn’t the Lord tell St. Paul more of His will? Why didn’t God lay out more of what we, with the benefit of time, know to be a rather vast plan? God’s plan would ultimately take Saul of Tarsus to a number of different countries. He would be the first to bring the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles. And yet, at this moment all the Lord tells him is to go into Damascus. Why? Because the first step in understanding the will of God is in obedience. In order to know God’s will Saul of Tarsus would need a clear vision of Jesus.

What about us? Are we willing to take the Lord’s will step-by-step? Are we willing to obey the Lord in what may seem to be a small thing?

Who was sent to meet Saul in Damascus? A prophet, a missionary, a preacher? Was it some important civil servant? No, but rather a simple and humble man by the name of Ananias who is described as ‘a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there’.
Upon meeting the future apostle Ananias greets him with warmth and grace, and shares the high level ‘blueprint’ of God’s plan for him – “Brother Saul, receive your sight …The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard” (italics added).

In Ananias we also see one who was willing to be obedient. After all, Saul of Tarsus’ reputation was well known. Saul of Tarsus was anything but a friend to those who longed to remain obedient to the upward call of Christ Jesus.

The conversion experience of Saul of Tarsus included the need for a clear vision of the Lord. A vision which comes by seeing, knowing and hearing. To know God’s will we need a clear vision of Christ, and to have a clear vision we must be focused on the Person of Jesus Christ.

Amen.


the above sermon was given by bro. frank of the House of Prayer, Manlius, NY -- recorded by one of his parishoners and posted here for your spiritual benefit.
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