Acts 9:1-9
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Main Idea
No one is beyond God’s saving hand.
In 1956, there was a missionary effort to evangelize the Waodani Indian tribe in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, even though they were known to be a savage people. Many attempts to make contact by flying over their settlements and dropping gifts were seemingly successful. So, one day, five missionaries: Jim Elliott, Nate Saint, Pete Fleming, Roger Youderian, and Ed McCully, went to Palm Beach and encountered some of the tribesmen on a river bank. Mincaye (whose name means the Wasp) was one of the tribesmen who proceeded to spear these five men to death, leaving behind widows and fatherless children.
The deaths of these five missionaries soon made national news in the US and throughout Europe. Radio broadcasts and newspapers described the tragic fate of these men and their families. Even in their loss, Elizabeth Elliott (Jim’s wife) and Nate Saint’s sister, Rachel, continued the missionary effort. After two years of living and witnessing to the people who killed their loved ones, the gospel was received by the tribe and won to Christ.
Mincaye was one of the converts. Feeling responsible for Nate’s son – Steve – he took him under his wing and raised him as his own son. He became the village preacher and Elder, and God would continue using Mincaye in powerful ways, telling of his radical conversion to millions worldwide. He even partnered with Operation Christmas Child to deliver shoeboxes to the tribe. As part of his testimony, he would say, “When I killed Steve’s father, I didn’t know better. No one told us that he had come to show us God’s trail. My heart was black and sick in sin, but I heard that God sent his own Son, his blood dripping and dripping. He washed my heart clean.”
His story was made into a book and movie called The End of the Spear, and upon his death in 2020, many articles and news outlets wrote about his life being a modern-day example of Genesis 50:20: that what man means for evil, God intends for good.
Passage
Acts 9:1–9 ESV
1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Outline
I – Saul continues his rampage (vv. 1-2)
II – Saul’s encounter with Jesus (vv. 3-6)
III – The companion’s encounter with Jesus (v. 7)
IV – The Midnight of the Soul (vv.8-9)
I – Saul continues his rampage
When we last heard of Saul, he ravaged the new believers in Jerusalem. If you remember our study of the word ‘ravage,’ you recall that its verb form – lymainō means to utterly ruin, to lay waste to, to destroy.
Saul is the destroyer of the new Christian movement, the rabid dog who was let off his leash to track, hunt down, and capture any Christ-follower he could find.
New Hunting Grounds
That was taking place in Jerusalem. Saul wasn’t satisfied with purging this new movement from the Holy City. He wanted to squash it wherever it was taking root. Now, he has set his sight to the north, focusing his gaze on Damascus – the capital of Syria (at least in OT times).
The city of Damascus is 133 miles northeast of Jerusalem. It is positioned between Mt. Hermon and the Syrian-Arab desert, with the Barada River flowing through it, which makes it an oasis in the desert region. According to the Jewish Historian Josephus, it was speculated to have been established by Noah’s great-grandson (through the line of his son Shem). Its mention is peppered throughout the Old Testament, beginning with Abraham’s defeat of invading kings and subsequent rescue of his nephew Lot in Gen. 14. King David defeated Damascus soldiers and won the city. However, there would be ongoing strife between Damascus and the split Kingdom after Solomon’s death. When Assyria decimated the Northern Kingdom, they also took control of Damascus, and subsequent nations helped them in their domain, such as the Persians, the Greeks under the rule of Alexander the Great, and then eventually became a Roman city under Pompey and later integrated into a group of 10 cities known as the Decapolis, which we see in scripture.
Persecutor of The Way
According to Acts 9, there was a Jewish population there, of whom many were converting to a movement called The Way.
This term describes the new Christian community before believers were eventually given that label in Antioch in Acts 11. It is found in a handful of places in Acts (19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22) and is likely called that because of Jesus’ self-designation of being The Way, The Truth, and The Life (John 14:6). It is simply a term used for Christians before they were called Christians.
For Saul, it was the way of a false prophet and teacher, but for us, it is The Way to eternal life and reconciliation with God.
Persecution through legal channels
In Acts 8, we witnessed Saul approve of and engage in an illegal execution. Even though the law of Moses allowed for the stoning of blasphemers, they could not carry out that sentence under Roman rulership without their involvement and approval. We saw how the Pharisees went through legal channels to have Jesus killed, but Stephen was not afforded the same trial. He was illegally murdered.
Now, Saul is utilizing legal means of persecution and murder. Saul lived and operated in Jerusalem, so that he would have been relatively unknown in Damascus. He still wanted to destroy this new movement and carry off men and women alike, but now he was venturing outside of his jurisdiction and had to have official authority to carry out his destructive intentions. So, to obtain such power, he wanted the blessing and authority from Annas and Caiaphas – the official and unofficial High Priests. He wanted them to write letters to the synagogue leaders in Damascus that granted him the authority to drag off and imprison converted members of their congregation who had apostatized from the Jewish faith and followed this false Messiah (or so he thought). These letters were basically authorized warrants granting Saul the power to enforce judicial punishment.
And that is precisely what he would have done if he had been allowed to continue his journey.
II – Saul’s encounter with Jesus
Thankfully, as Saul was approaching Damascus, Jesus himself was on the prowl and would intervene on behalf of His saints in Damascus and on behalf of all believers afterward. If Saul remained unconverted, you and I wouldn’t be sitting here today as believing Christians 2,000 years later. We would not have the rest of the book of Acts, the 13 letters he wrote, and the apostle to the gentiles would not have been sent!
Though the book of Acts is relatively small compared to other historical books, Paul’s conversion story is told three times (chapters 9, 22, & 26). That should tell us just how central this story is to Acts and the unfolding narrative of God’s redemptive plan. We have arrived at a pivotal time in human history.
In fact, Paul is often hailed as one of the most effective ways to prove the validity and truthfulness of Christianity. He was a real person in history, with many written records attesting to the fact that he had the pedigree of a Pharisee and the murderous zeal we see in Acts. And it is virtually undeniable that he was a radical convert to the Christian faith. The great persecutor of the faith became the great champion of the faith. His writings are also well-attested. Even most unbelieving scholars will confirm that Paul is the actual author of at least seven letters in the New Testament, all confirming that his radical faith took root. Regarding arguing for the truth claims of Christianity, Paul’s conversion comes in second place, only to the resurrection of Jesus. That is how prominent and vital this story is to our faith.
Blinded by the light of Christ
As Saul continued his mission to eradicate the new movement of The Way, Jesus blinded him with a bright, supernatural light from heaven itself (which from a later account describes it as brighter than the noonday sun), stopping Saul in his tracks and even knocking him down on the ground. Jesus seems to have that effect on His enemies (see how an entire group of dispatched soldiers was knocked on their backsides when they arrested Jesus in the garden). This illustrates the immensity of Jesus’ ruling authority and power… even his mere presence eliminates any forward movement against Him.
The reality of his physical presence, and not just an audible one, is made evident later on in the chapter when it is said that the “Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road…” and also by Saul’s own confession in his first letter to the Corinthian church (15:8) when he says that the Lord appeared to him as one untimely born. The light that blinded Saul wasn’t just a burst of light rays; it was the very presence of Jesus… the light of the world!
Jesus speaks
I now picture Saul curled up in the fetal position in the dirt, dazed and confused. And if the event wasn’t scary enough, he hears a man speak, saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” The man in the blinding light knows who I am! I’m toast!
If you think about it, this is an odd phrase. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father. Saul couldn’t possibly persecute Jesus directly… he wasn’t even on earth! Why would Jesus say this? It’s because He is describing the bond between Himself and His people. Parents have a good sense of this bond. As a dad, I feel what is done to my kids. If a kind word is spoken or a kind gesture is made to them, I feel gratitude. What is done for them is done for me. The same is true for the opposite. When they are made fun of or scoffed at, I feel hurt, anger, and pain. Words harshly spoken to them might as well be directed at me. That is essentially what Jesus is saying to Saul. Jesus is confirming that to persecute His followers is to persecute Him directly. Could you imagine being on the receiving end of that rebuke? Jesus loves His people fiercely. He could eradicate Saul on the spot, and yet…
Repeating his name also signifies how intimately Jesus knows Saul. God did the same to Moses, calling to him from the burning bush in Ex. 3:4 to Samuel when he calls to him in the night in 1 Sam. 3:10, and to many others. In these examples, repetition implies a relationship. It says, “I know you.” Perhaps that is why Saul would have confidence in proclaiming later on that:
Romans 5:8 ESV
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
In his mind, Saul was Jesus’ enemy, but in the eyes of Christ, he was a lost sheep. What do you think you could possibly have done that would keep God’s love from you? While Saul was on a murderous rampage to wipe out His sheep, Jesus demonstrated his love for Saul by redeeming him from his sinful ways instead of mauling him like a grizzly bear defending his cubs. May this give you confidence that no matter what you have done in the past, you are never outside the reach of his mighty, saving hand!
Saul speaks
At this point, Saul still isn’t sure who just incapacitated him, so he asks, “Who are you, Lord?” At first glance, this might appear as though Saul is confessing Jesus as Lord, but we must remember that in that day, the term ‘Lord’ was not only used in the sense of authority over another person but it was also used in the same sense as we would use the term ‘sir’ today. “Who are you, sir?” we might ask if it were us.
In a polite way, Saul is just trying to confirm the identity of the person who just blinded him, yet in apparent humility. For once, the ravenous dog had been tamed and put in his place.
Jesus replies
In Saul’s state of humility and shock, Jesus obliges to answer the question.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”
Notice that Jesus reiterates what Saul is doing. First, he asks why He is being persecuted; then he identifies Himself again as the one being persecuted. There is no getting around Saul being held accountable for his actions. Saul, though you are physically blind, I want you to see with spiritual eyes how you are sinning.
But there is more to what Jesus said than just identification and a call to accountability. He didn’t say, “this is Jesus,” He said, “I AM JESUS.” What did Jesus say in the garden when asked who he was? “I AM.” What did God call Himself when talking to Moses from the burning bush? “I AM.”
You aren’t just persecuting a Rabbi and Prophet. You are persecuting the very God you claim to defend! “I AM JESUS. In light of me being the I AM… rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
What do you think Saul must have been thinking at that moment? Do you think he realized then that his life’s mission was a fool’s errand… that in his zeal for God, he was actually persecuting God? Did he comprehend that his core reason for living was a complete mistake… that instead of being the story’s hero, he was actually the villain? What would the loss of purpose do to a person?
Don’t make that same mistake. If you are fighting against God and the thought of putting yourself under His rulership, see Saul as he is right now and know that it doesn’t have to take a crisis like this to see the truth. Repent, and turn to Jesus for forgiveness and life!
III – The companion’s encounter with Jesus
Saul’s traveling companions also experienced this encounter. They heard the voice but saw no one, which perplexed them. This might seem random at first glance, but it helps the validity of the event when you think about it. Saul’s account of this divine encounter could be more easily dismissed if he was the only one who experienced it. If those around him didn’t hear or see anything, we could wave this off as a delirious dream from a dehydrated traveler or a byproduct of eating bad mushrooms on the way to Damascus.
But thankfully, he wasn’t the only one who experienced it. Even though Saul’s traveling companions did not see the risen Christ, they saw the light (according to Saul’s recount of the event in 22:9) and certainly heard Him. And, because they were probably like-minded like Saul and wanted to destroy The Way Movement and later professed to hear the risen Jesus speak, this makes them practical and trustworthy eyewitnesses. They are further evidence that Saul saw Jesus, which means Jesus is alive and everything he said about Himself was true.
IV – The Midnight of the Soul
Once Jesus finished speaking, Saul stood to his feet and opened his eyes, only to realize that he was still in darkness. Some call this Saul’s midnight hour of the soul. Here is a man who knew his station in life. He was brought up in the wisdom of the Pharisees and trained by their premier Rabbi. He was religiously and culturally Jewish, Roman by citizenship, and Greek in his education and thought. He had the support of the Sanhedrin and found great joy in eliminating this emerging threat to orthodox Judaism.
Yet, in the span of nine verses, his world gets turned completely upside down. The God he claims to serve and defend has appeared to him with news of his betrayal. In his mission to serve God, he was persecuting Him. The immediate penalty from this encounter is blindness. He was later healed from it, but he didn’t know that at the time. He now remained in total darkness, left to his realization that he was the wicked one who had killed the real faithful followers of Yahweh, and even worse, he was hurting the one he claimed to love the most.
What do you think the weight of such a realization can do to a person? Have you experienced similar realizations in your own life? Isn’t that what happens when we accept Christ – we think our sinful living brings us pleasure and enjoyment, only to find it only leads to heartache, sorrow, and death?
God opposes the proud
The great and mighty Saul, who bared his fangs at the followers of The Way, was now a whimpering puppy, lost and trembling. This reinforces the truth that God opposes the proud. Now, like a small child, his traveling companions had to take Saul by the hand and lead him the rest of the way into the city. The fierce warrior of the Jews is now completely helpless.
As you might imagine, this midnight hour of the soul had a lasting effect. In his pitiful state, Saul refrained from food and drink for three days. Maybe he was fasting and praying for his sight to return, or perhaps he was depressed over the loss of his sight and life’s purpose. Both are possible and understandable.
God gives grace to the humble
Thankfully, the story doesn’t end here. While it is true that God opposes the proud, it is equally as true that he gives grace to the humble.
Before this encounter, he claimed to see the truth, though he was in spiritual darkness. Now, in the darkness of physical blindness, he is being forced to regain his spiritual sight through the Messiah’s light. Saul would later employ the same imagery as he describes his mission as being a light to the Gentiles (13:47), opening their eyes to turn from darkness to light (26:17-18).
In hindsight, Saul could see how this event fit into God’s eternal plan.
Galatians 1:15 ESV
15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,
Conclusion
In conclusion, I want you to see yourself in light of Saul’s conversion experience. We were all once in darkness, enjoying the desires of our sinful nature. Do you still condemn yourself for past actions? Mincaye and Saul were murderers, yet God displayed great grace in their lives. Both men would eventually become great evangelists for the Christian faith.
That can be your story too. When Jesus forgives, he does so completely and perfectly. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. If He doesn’t condemn you, why do you do it to yourself? Repent, believe the gospel, and live in the freedom to pursue real life in His light. That is what He came to do!