Acts 9:1-22

Conversion of St. Paul

January 25, 2015

If we were to take a poll on what one of the biggest fears that we face, somewhere near the top would be terrorism. We hear about it all over the news: the Charlie Hebdo sadness, bombings, kidnappings. Terrorism, by definition, creates terror, fear, and the like.  This is a fact of life for us, through wars, heightened security measures, and it has been in the forefront for the past 15 years.

There once was a religious radical, an extremist, a zealot about his religion, who lived the Middle East.  He felt so strongly about his religion that he persecuting those who disagreed with his religious beliefs. He would not allow any form of mockery or challenges to his God or to his beliefs.  So he took the fight to any and all who twist what he thought to be the truth or who would reject his religion.  He was totally convinced that he was doing the right thing, the good thing.  His mission in life was, in fact, to specifically terrorize Christians. This man was trained by the best, smart, ruthless, uncompromising. He oversaw capture, torture, and murder of God knows how many Christians. 

We often ask ourselves how this can really be.  While we hear of this happening .  The problem is that many people don’t really believe in evil, even we don’t always believe in evil.  But evil, I mean real evil, is a real thing.  Ignore, or misunderstand, and it will kill you.  Slow or fast, it’s like a cancer.  Remove some but not all and it will still be deadly.  Evil forces make evil men do evil things.  Evil can’t be negotiated with.

One day, this terrorist still breathing threats and murder against Christians got official go ahead from his government to arrest any Christian who he came across.  And as he was going to Damascus, he heard a voice.  This voice did not negotiate.  It didn’t ask Him to stop, It didn’t compromise or bargain; it simply condemned.

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me.” Jesus’ own words condemn Saul’s hardened heart: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”  Saul was well intentioned, justified in his own mind by his own opinion on what is good and evil.  But misguided by his own sinfulness and hatred, a perfect example that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.  Saul didn’t realize his own evil because of his own sinfulness. He didn’t realize that persecuting Christians is the same as persecuting Christ Himself, as we are the body of Christ.  He misunderstood evil, and good, and was blindsided by how wrong a person could actually be.  It takes a miracle for Saul, and for us, to learn that true righteousness comes only through Jesus, who is the Christ.

While Saul terrorized Christians, what he didn’t realize was that he was the one being terrorized. Being terrorized by the constant need and desire to be perfect, to do everything just right, to follow all the traditions of men without exception. The true terror which is felt is declared so by the Law of God. It is a terror brought on by the stark realization that no matter how good you, it’s not good enough.  No matter how zealous you are, you aren’t zealous enough. But Jesus is, and He is for you.

When Jesus came to Saul, he wasn’t given more rules to follow. Jesus didn’t tell him what he had to do in order to be a better person.  He called him to repentance and to faith, to be a chosen instrument to carry the name of Jesus before the Gentiles and kinds and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15).

St. Paul’s conversion shows once again that no one is beyond the reach of God’s amazing grace! When Jesus comes, He changes people. This is part of Paul’s point to the Galatians, to the people of God in every place and every time.  We don’t change the Gospel, but the Gospel changes us.  What we need is not good advice for moral improvement.  The gospel is not good advice from man; it is good news from God – Christ has perfectly fulfilled the Law.  He has perfectly lived the life that you cannot. He has perfectly freed you from the bondage to the Law, so that you may serve Him with joy and gladness, proclaiming His name to the world.  He had perfectly died, so that death no longer terrorizes. He has perfectly risen from the dead, so that you may live.

Though maybe not as dramatic or earth shattering, that same miracle of conversion that happen to Saul happens to every baptized member of Christ’s body. This happened to Dahlyla Whitney today in her baptism.  In St. Paul’s letter to Titus, he writes of this very thing, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior…”  Just as Saul was converted from death to life, so too each of us has been changed by God in the waters of our Baptism and as the Word comes to us during the roads of our lives. 

Let no one question your salvation whether it came so quietly or dramatically. For that depends on Christ, and not on you. Yes, Saul had a dramatic experience.  But it wasn’t the scales over his eyes, it wasn’t his resolution to follow God, that made Him the great apostle Paul.  It was the gift of faith in Christ that Christ Himself gives. That is what truly what made Saul a Christian.  It was God Himself coming to a man filled with evil through His Word to change him into one who would proclaim Christ and Him crucified to the world.

With this calling that Jesus has given you, though you may suffer much for the sake of His name, there is no terror that Jesus has not overcome.  Not the terror of evil men, not the terror of a guilty conscience, not the terror of sin, death, or the devil himself.  For Christ has taken terror itself to the cross and crucified with His flesh.  

“Though hordes of devils fill the land all threatening to devour us, we tremble not, unmoved we stand; they cannot overpower us. Let this world’s tyrant rage; in battle we’ll engage, His might is doomed to fail; God’s judgment must prevail, one little word subdues him.  God’s Word forever shall abide, No thanks to foes, who fear it; For God Himself fights by our side With weapons of the Spirit. Were they to take our house, goods, honor, child or spouse, though life be wretched away, they cannot win the day, the Kingdom’s ours forever” (LSB 657:3-4). In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.