WWUTT 1062 Jesus Appears to Saul of Tarsus?

There once was a man who hated the church of Jesus Christ, so much that he was putting Christians to death.

But this man who once was a persecutor of the church would eventually become one of its greatest missionaries, when we understand the text.

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.com. Here's our host, Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. When we started our study of the book of Acts, I mentioned that it's an adventure story.

Have you enjoyed the adventure thus far? If you're familiar with Acts, you know exactly where we're going next.

Acts chapter 9, and I will read verses 1 through 19. But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the

Lord, went to the high priest 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.

Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

And he said, who are you, Lord? And the Lord replied, I am

Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.

The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one.

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.

And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision,

Ananias. And he said, Here I am, Lord. And the Lord said to him, Rise, and go to the street called

Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named

Saul, for behold, he is praying. And he has seen in a vision a man named

Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight. But Ananias answered,

Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.

And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.

But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine, to carry my name before the

Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel, for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.

So Ananias departed and entered the house, and laying hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the

Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the

Holy Spirit. And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight.

Then he rose and was baptized, and taking food, he was strengthened.

So of course, this is the story of Saul, the man of Tarsus, who will eventually become

Paul, the apostle of Christ. Now why does he have two names? Why Saul and Paul?

Well, we'll talk about that when we get to the point where Saul starts getting called

Paul. It would be better to talk about it there. But in the meantime, this is Saul, a

Pharisee of Pharisees. That's the way that Paul described himself when he wrote to the Philippians and he shared his testimony with them.

He was a man full of such zeal that his passion for what he believed to be the law of God, the law of Moses, God's law spoken at Mount Sinai.

He had such a passion for this that he was willing to put to death anybody who was talking about the grace of Jesus Christ.

He thought the worship of Christ was basically antinomianism, grace, forgiveness of sins just by faith.

Well, that sounds great, but it undoes the law of God. At least that was his perspective on the whole thing.

So he had such a zeal for the law that he was willing to put Christians to death.

Saul was an incredible Pharisee and likely Phariseeism ran in his family in the sense that his father was a

Pharisee. His grandfather was a Pharisee and may have even gone back more generations than that.

So Saul is aspiring to be a great Pharisee. This guy who is an understudy of Gamaliel.

And of course, we've seen Saul mentioned in our study in Acts thus far. It was at the stoning of Stephen where it was said in Acts 8 1,

Saul approved of the execution and Saul is continuing to breathe threats and murder against the disciples of the

Lord. So he goes to the high priest. That's what we have here in Acts 9 1. Now it's interesting that Luke, the writer of Acts, put it that Saul was breathing threats and murder against the church.

We've had other places where threats have been made against the apostles, and it doesn't say that they were breathing these threats like the high priests or the chief priests in the temple, for example.

So why put it that Saul was still breathing threats? Well, I think one of the things this demonstrates to us is just how much

Paul hated the church and how determined he was. This had so consumed him. It was all that was on his mind and his heart that everything he even breathed was a hatred for the church.

So he's breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He goes to the high priest, verse 2, and he asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus so that if he found any belonging to the

Way, capital W, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Now, so far, it just says that Saul was meaning to round these folks up and throw them in prison, but understand that he also intends to put them to death.

That's what's said here in breathing threats and murder. He wants them to die.

He approved of the execution of Stephen. He's kind of standing there watching this going, you know, that's a great idea.

We should do this to more of these people. So now he's going out to round up Christians for the purpose of executing them.

Now, notice that it says if he found any belonging to the

Way, men or women, he would bring them bound to Jerusalem. Why doesn't it just say if he found any

Christians? Well, that word Christians doesn't get used until we get to Acts chapter 11, and it is at Antioch that the disciples are first called

Christians, and that word was even meant to be kind of derogatory. The word Christian literally meant in the

Greek, it meant literal or it meant little Christ. So the the pagans there were calling these

Christians, these who were proclaiming Jesus Christ, they were calling them little Christ's.

And we have that translated in English as Christians. The word Christian itself only appears seven times in the entire

New Testament. It's used very seldomly. It wasn't really the word that the disciples use.

The disciples of Jesus, that they used to describe this religion of theirs, this faith that they had, they called it the faith or the way or they referred to each other as disciples or brothers, you know, things of that nature.

But they didn't really use the word Christian. It was the the pagans that use that word

Christian to describe the Christians, though Christians themselves didn't use it. And so Luke is referring to the faith as the way here.

And if Saul finds anybody who is a follower of Jesus, he's going to round him up, bring them back to Jerusalem for sentencing.

Verse three. Now, as he went on his way, he approached Damascus and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him and falling to the ground.

He heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me now?

Notice something that we don't see in these two verses. We do not see

Saul riding on a horse. Somehow it's kind of come into the story that we believe

Saul was riding on a horse and Jesus appeared to him and spoke to him and knocked him off his horse.

That's often said, as in fact, I was listening to an old sermon from R .C. Sproul not long ago, and even

Sproul describing Saul's conversion had said that Saul had been knocked off his horse.

We just kind of assume that he was riding a horse. Everybody was riding horses at this particular time.

That's how they got to and fro. Surely as Saul is going from Jerusalem to Damascus, he's not just doing this on foot.

He's going to be riding a horse. He's got a team of others with him. They've got horses because they're going to be dragging some prisoners back from Damascus to Jerusalem, which they would all likely be walking and they would be on a rope.

But to have dominance over them, they would be riding a horse. Saul and his men would be riding horses.

So it only makes sense. But it doesn't say that. So we just assume that the text doesn't say that Saul was on a horse.

Even later when he shares his testimony here in the book of Acts, he doesn't mention being on a horse.

So we just assume Saul was knocked off of his horse and falling to the ground.

He heard Jesus say to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

Jesus has such a love and an affection for his own that whatever is done to us, it is as if it has been done to Christ himself.

This is the union, the association that Jesus has with his followers.

Consider what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 25, when the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

Before him will be gathered all the nations and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, come you who are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink.

I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me.

I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.

Then the righteous will answer him saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink?

And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you or naked and clothed you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?

And the king will answer them. Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.

So Jesus is referring to those who are hungry, who are thirsty, who are strangers, who are naked and needing clothing, who are sick and alone, who are in prison and probably in prison because they were preaching the gospel and that's why they've been thrown there.

And Jesus refers to them saying, what you have done to these, the least of these brothers of mine, you've done it also to me.

Now, how is that verse often read? Whenever we read that from Jesus there in Matthew 25, how is it often interpreted to those who are poor, right?

Those who are the least in society, those that we might consider lower than others, they would be the least of these.

And so whatever you do to the least of them, it's as if you do it also unto Christ. But that's not what Jesus is talking about.

Now, he certainly calls us to love everyone. And the apostle Paul even says in Galatians chapter six, that as we have opportunity, we need to do charity to everyone, especially those who are of the household of faith.

So we should certainly show love and kindness to all. But where Jesus refers to the least of these, he's not talking about like the outcasts of society or those that society considers to be lesser than others.

He's talking about those in the body of Christ, brothers of mine, those who are his followers.

And it's likely that they've been put in these positions that he describes being without food or water or a stranger or being naked or sick or in prison.

They've come into these circumstances because they have given up these things to go out and preach the gospel.

And so in the mission work of taking the gospel to the world, when you see somebody who's devoted themselves to ministry and you are taking care of them, they are the least of these.

And how you care for them is the same as if you were caring for Christ himself. That's what

Jesus is talking about here in Matthew 25. But then he goes on to talk to those on his left in verse 41.

Then he will say to those on his left, depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was hungry and you gave me no food. I was thirsty and you gave me no drink.

I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.

Then they also will answer saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?

Then he will answer them saying, truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

The persecution of Christians that is going on in the world today is being done at the hands of people who are going to be cast into that outer darkness.

Those who are going to be cast into eternal punishment because they are persecuting the church of Christ.

It is the same as if they are persecuting Christ himself. Jesus will have vengeance on his enemies.

He will have the final say. He has all judgment in his hands, which has been given to him by the father.

This will come against those who persecute the house of God. But everything in its own time.

We must continue to do what we do, knowing that there are people who are going to hate us for this.

But judgment belongs to the Lord. As Peter instructs in first Peter, chapter two, when we are reviled, we cannot revile back.

But we must continue entrusting ourselves to him who judges justly.

The apostle Paul told Timothy second, Timothy one, eight. Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our

Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.

Later on, he says, share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. And as Peter also says, first Peter four, 13, rejoice insofar as you share

Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

We will suffer. We will be ridiculed. We will be persecuted. We may even have our lives threatened and be put to death for the gospel.

But we must take heart and take courage. The Lord is on our side.

What we must also take from this is understanding that we must care for each other. We are one body in Christ Jesus.

We are children of God, adopted into his family through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

So again, being shown here, we must minister to one another because it would be the same as if we are ministering to Christ himself.

In the previous chapter, in Matthew, chapter 24, Jesus told this story, who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master is set over his household to give them their food at the proper time?

Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

But if that wicked servant says to himself, my master is delayed and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him.

And at an hour, he does not know and he will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites in that place.

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Would we show ourselves to be those unworthy and wicked servants if we are carousing around with worldly people and at the same time putting down our fellow or who should be our fellow brothers and sisters in the

Lord? Then that judgment that is going to come upon those who were being who were persecuting the people of God or who were not helping the people of God in a time of need, the one who was beating his fellow servants will likewise be bound and thrown into eternal punishment.

So we must understand the warning that is here, as well as the exhortation that we are to serve one another with gladness, showing charity and kindness to the household of faith.

For we are all one in Christ Jesus. Jesus appeared to Saul and he said,

Saul, why are you persecuting me? And Saul replied, who are you, Lord?

As if to say, you know, this voice that comes from heaven, this is God. How can I be persecuting you?

And Jesus replies, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but rise and enter the city and you will be told what you are to do.

And we'll stop there for now and pick up the rest of this story in Acts chapter nine tomorrow.

Let us conclude with prayer. Our heavenly father, we thank you for calling us unto you.

We have likewise been knocked down and seen a great light. And it is the light of Jesus Christ that has shined into our darkness, exposing our sin that we may repent and be made new walking now, not as children in darkness, but as children in light, in the way of light that has been illuminated for us by the light who is

Jesus Christ. So help us to consider one another, each other's needs, helping to build one another up as we walk in this way, not tearing each other down because the world is going to do that for us plenty.

They are going to try to put us down. They are going to try to take away our rights, make it even illegal for us to have the faith that we have.

So we must stick together and be an encouragement to one another that we build one another up in the midst of of those persecutions that we might endure in the world.

Help us to remain steadfast and sure, setting our eyes on Jesus and not being discouraged or falling into despair, but knowing that there is a crown, an imperishable crown that waits for those who endure in Christ to the end.

And we pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Pastor Gabe keeps a regular blog, sharing personal thoughts, alerting readers to false teachers and offering commentary on the church and social issues.

You can find a link to the blog through our website, www .utt .com. Thank you for listening and join us again tomorrow as we continue our study in God's word when we understand the text.