THE DAMASCUS ROAD
Acts 9

Paul perhaps wrote 12 of the NT books, a dozen letters. To grasp the depth of those letters, we must remember this man who writes has been radically changed. That change, that conversion, underlies every word, every sentence he ever wrote. The Damascus Road experience has become a common phrase for a dramatic conversion, though few are that dramatic. Luke thought it important enough to repeat it three times in Acts, first with his telling it, then twice more from Paul's own mouth. The story is familiar to most of you, but don't let it's familiarity blind you to new truth.

We first met Saul as a witness to the stoning of Stephen, a coatkeeper for the executioners. Apparently, he ran with that crowd and shared their hostility to this new Way. He had been raised Jewish with an excellent education, finishing off with studies under Gamaliel, whom we already met. In Galatians we find he kept the law better than most and was climbing the ladder of Jewish religious success. Luke tells us Saul went to the high priest, the same one who executed Jesus and had arrested and beaten some of his disciples, and got authorization to go to Damascus and arrest any Jews in the synagogues who were following the Way, one of the names for what we now call Christianity. The letter made no difference whether they were men or women, he could bring them to Jerusalem under the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin.

God had other plans for him. (In Galatians he says God set him apart from the time he was born to preach!) The French mathematician Blaise Pascal entered in his journal, “FIRE! FIRE  all day from morning til night!” In like manner Saul was hit by light, bright, blinding light flashing all around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say clearly to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
Saul replied, “Who is this? Who are you, Lord.” Note his use of the word “Lord.” He could have meant only “sir,” but he may even then have divined divinity! The answer must have jarred him to his core! “I'm Jesus, the one you are persecuting.”
Later Paul would insist that this was an experience of the risen Christ every bit as much as when the disciples saw him in the upper room or by the seashore. He referred back to this again and again as constituting his authority as an apostle.

Now note carefully. Jesus did not ask him whether he accepted this or not. The same risen Christ gave him a direct command, assuming – knowing – he would obey. He told him to go on into Damascus to the home of one of those Christians he had intended to arrest. When the light went away, he stood and opened his eyes. He could not see. He was blind. His friends had heard the voice but saw no one. Still they led him into the city and to a place to stay.

We now meet the first visitation program we know anything about. And Ananias was about to receive his visitation assignment! In a dream or a vision Jesus called him. The Lord instructed him to go find Judas's house on Straight Street and inquire for a man named Saul. The man has been praying and has dreamed of your coming to place your hands on him so he can see again. But Ananias had heard of this guy and didn't like what he had heard one bit. “He's been tearing  up your church in Jerusalem and is planning to do the same thing here. And he has the authority to do it!” Who have you avoided visiting or witnessing to because they were too something or other. Too rich, too poor, too educated, too mean?

The Lord did not argue. He was Nike before Nike. “Just do it! He's going to be a great proclaimer of my name to Jews and Gentiles alike. He will even suffer FOR me!”

So Ananias went and did as he was told. He relayed his experience to Saul, and anyone else who was around I suppose, then laid hands on him. The Bible says something like scales fell off Saul's eyes, and he could see again. Since he had been fasting for three days, he broke that fast to regain his strength. Then he was baptized. Did Ananias baptize him? The scripture doesn't tell us. I'd guess Ananias, but it could have been someone else. Next time you hesitate to accept a visitation request, remember Ananias. Then just do it!

Saul immediately started preaching, sharing his testimony and showing how the scriptures pointed to Jesus as the Messiah. Even more he insisted He was the Son of God, divine! He was so effective the Jewish party he used to represent plotted to kill him. To escape he sneaked out of town in the dead of night, being lifted down from the wall in a basket.

He proceeded back to Jerusalem, a very different man than when he left. But the disciples were still wary. Could they trust him or was he undercover to arrest and convict them. Finally, Barnabas took Saul in tow and vouched for him to the apostles. This is the same Barnabas who had sold property to donate to the young church. He would later accompany Paul on his first missionary journey, then stand up for John Mark after his dismal failure. Possible his taking Mark on another mission saved him for service and gospel writing!
Once again his preaching stirred up opposition and schemes to murder him. So the disciples carried him to the coast and sent him back to his home in Tarsus. If  you are an experienced and mature Bible student, now would be a good time to compare Paul's story in Galatians 1:11 through chapter 2. He tells basically the same story, but inserts some gaps. Take a look.