As we
continue our look at the book of Acts, we read today about the Apostle Paul’s
journey from darkness to light. This describes how in his spiritual blindness
Paul encountered Jesus – the light of the world – and then of course went on to
become an ambassador of that light - particularly to the Gentiles.
So in the
first few verses we meet Paul as Saul - who despite his tremendous knowledge of
the Hebrew scriptures and despite being a devout Jew – is still spiritually speaking
in the darkness and is actually fighting against the God of Abraham and Isaac
and Jacob – the very one he believes he is serving.
Saul’s problem
is that he had religion - but he didn’t yet have a relationship with God. He
knew all about Judaism but he didn’t know the God of his forefathers.
And it is
the same for many people today. They may be very religious and morally upright
people - but they may not know God; they may know lots about the bible but they
may not have encountered its author.
I like the
analogy of radio waves which like God are all around us and which we can’t see.
You can
explain to someone how a radio works and describe all the stations you can
listen to, but until that person actually listens to a radio with a functioning
aerial – they won’t be able to hear it for themselves.
This is why Jesus
said that unless a person is born again he or she cannot see the kingdom of
God. Until we are brought spiritually alive by the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of
Jesus – God will remain unknown to us.
Until the Holy
Spirit puts our spiritual aerials in place as it were – we cannot know God and
we will remain spiritually blind.
Saul’s life
however is about to change dramatically as he encounters Jesus on the road to
Damascus. A bright light from heaven flashes around him and he falls to the
ground.
He realises
that it is God speaking to him and asks - “Who are you Lord?”
But then he
gets the shock of his life.
Instead of a
congratulatory remark on his wonderful work trying to stamp out those pesky
Christians he finds that he has been persecuting the one who is speaking to him.
“I am Jesus
who you are persecuting.”
Those very
people that he has been doing his best to stamp out and oppose have been
telling the truth all along. Jesus really is risen from the dead and is both
Lord and Messiah.
The reason
that Jesus tells Saul that it is him who he is persecuting - is because
Christians are Jesus’ physical body in the world.
Jesus is
alive in the world today in the bodies of those men, women and children in whom
his spirit – the Holy Spirit - lives.
We are his
hands and feet, and we are his voice to those around us.
This is why
Jesus says in Matthews gospel – what you do to the least of my brothers you do
also to me.
There is a
sense then in whatever we do to our brothers and sisters in Christ we do to
Jesus.
And of course
those like Saul - who attack Christians are actually attacking Jesus himself.
After this
encounter with Jesus, Paul loses his sight for 3 days.
Why is this?
Well it’s an acted parable. Saul despite his religious zeal, has been living
his life in spiritual darkness and God gives him 3 days with no distractions - to
think about and reflect on his life up to that point.
He needs
some to time to get things straight in his head and to make sense of the life changing
encounter he has just had.
We might
think it was OK for Saul – to have such a special encounter with Jesus. We
might even be a bit envious and think well I’ve been coming to church for years
but
I’ve never experienced anything like that.
However the
change that Saul needs to make in his life to follow Christ is probably
harder
than the change many of us would need to make.
Becoming a
follower of Jesus will involve a complete change in the direction of his life. His
enemies will become his new family and many of his old friends when they see
the change that has occurred in him will probably become his enemies.
And of
course it’s the same for us although probably to a lesser extent. When we
become Christians we become part of the family of the Church and sometimes we
may find that some of our friends and even family members may dislike our new
found faith.
No wonder
Paul needs 3 days to rationalise in his mind all that has happened to him
albeit as a blind man.
However God
does not intend him to remain blind for long and his new family is on hand to
help him in the shape of a Christian called Ananias.
Ananias has
a vision and God asks him to go and lay his hands on Saul and pray for him so
that he may receive his sight.
Quite
naturally Ananias is slightly bemused by this request so he shares his doubt’s
and asks God if he has heard him correctly.
God
re-assures Ananias that he has heard him correctly and so he is obedient.
And
sometimes we may believe that God is asking us to do things that from a worldly
or even rational point of view might seem a little bit unusual or even unwise -
but if we truly believe that we have heard God we should step out in faith and
be obedient to what He is asking us to do.
A few years
ago a friend of mine managed to become a partner in the Law Firm he was working
for. This was something he’d worked hard towards for several years.
Soon afterwards
however he felt that God was calling him to become a Vicar so he left his job
and he went off to study theology in Oxford.
He now runs
a very lively Church in Gloucestershire and preaches in prisons.
From a
worldly point of view it seemed unwise to leave his job but God had other plans
for him.
Because Ananias
has heard God correctly and does what God asks, he is successful.
He lays his
hands on Saul and Saul receives his sight and is filled with the Holy Spirit.
And when we
do what God asks us to do – we too will be successful. It will work out.
He may ask
us to do something specific like he did with Ananias or he may call us to a
particular role or task. Whatever it is – if God asks you to do something he
will equip and enable you to do it.
So if God
prompts you to pray for someone or to tell someone about Jesus – it will be
effective.
If God asks
you to perform a particular role in the church or to do some work for Him – He
will be with you in it and He will always enable you to do what he has asked
you to do.
For
instance, quite often when I preach I look at a passage and think oh my
goodness, what on earth am I going to say about this?
But by the
grace of God - I always seem to manage to find something to say.
I am very
conscious though, that without God's help, I’d really have very little to
offer.
So Ananias’ obedience
completes Saul’s journey from spiritual darkness into the light of Christ.
His physical
eyes are opened but more importantly the eyes of his heart have been opened and
he recognises Jesus as both Lord and God.
I think
Paul’s conversion is very encouraging for us because as he says in his first
letter to Timothy he was one of the worst of sinners – someone who actively
attacked Christians – but God still loved him and saved Him.
Sometimes people
today may think they are beyond God’s love and forgiveness because they’ve done
terrible things – but God will forgive everyone who truly repents - whatever it
is they’ve done.
There is no
sin that is beyond God’s forgiveness except the unforgiveable sin – blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit - which is rejecting or ignoring Jesus sacrifice of
himself on the cross.
The reason
it’s called blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is because the Holy Spirit is the
one who convicts us of our sin and our need to repent - and if we steadfastly ignore
the promptings of the Holy Spirit and refuse to repent and believe in Jesus –
we put ourselves beyond forgiveness by rejecting the only one who can save us.
Every other
sin of mankind can be forgiven.
I heard the
story of a Christian lady who’d had an abortion, and who became convinced that
God could never forgive her for what she’d done, even though she was sorry.
This lady
spent several unhappy years fearing she was beyond God’s love but then one day
she visited a pastor and shared her fear.
The pastor explained
to her that God had forgiven her the moment she’d said confessed her sin and
said sorry to Him - and for all these years she’d been carrying an unnecessary
burden of guilt and fear.
He explained
to her no doubt - that that was why Jesus had died for her. He himself had born
her sin in his body on the cross and he had been punished in her place.
He loved her
so much that he was pleased to give his life for her.
Sometimes as
parents when our children are sick or ill we’d like to carry their sickness
ourselves. We’d like to be ill in their place. Well that is how God feels about
us.
We all do
wrong things but God wants to carry these for us and this is why he died on the
cross for us.
His heart is
not to punish us but to save us. But if we reject his offer of salvation there
is no more He can do for us and we will have to pay the penalty for our sin
ourselves.
So whatever
you’ve done – however bad you may think it is - if you turn to God in
repentance and confess your sin – He will forgive you. He longs to forgive you.
As we look
at this passage we need to recognise that like Saul – many of us are also on a
similar journey of faith – hopefully from darkness towards light.
Some of us
may not yet have encountered Jesus – the light of the world – but the important
thing is that we continue our journey and continue to seek him.
As God says
in the book of Jeremiah – “you will seek me and find me when you seek me with
all your heart.”
So if that’s
you – continue coming to church, keep praying, keep asking questions and read
the gospels.
God wants
you to find him but He will only come into your life and reveal himself to you
when you really want Him to.
He will
always respect your free will.
He may well
not reveal Himself to you dramatically like he did with Paul. Sometimes
He
does, sometimes He doesn’t
Christians
are a bit like snowflakes; each person’s conversion experience is different according
to what is appropriate for them.
It may well
be a gradual process and you may struggle to put your finger on the actual time
you came to believe.
It doesn’t
matter. The important thing is that you come to believe.
Some of us
may have already encountered Jesus - but then we must continue our journey and
share the good news of the forgiveness we have found with others – as
Paul did.
Let’s close with a time of prayer.
Jesus is
present with us now by his spirit.
Perhaps there
is a desire in your heart to know Jesus for yourself or perhaps you have a
burden of guilt and you’d like to know God’s forgiveness.
In a few
moments of quiet share your need for forgiveness with God and if there is
anything that you’ve done that you particularly regret – tell him you’re sorry.
And now in
your own words thank Jesus for dying on the cross for you and taking all your
sins upon himself.
And finally
in your own words invite Jesus into your heart and life and ask him to make
himself known to you.
Amen
