From Persecutor To Preacher

Acts 9:1-19

Have you ever felt that there was someone who could just never get saved, that they were either just too bad, or else they opposed the Faith too strongly? Maybe there is some vocal and outspoken atheist, or an active member of another religion that has fought and opposed Christianity, and you believe they could never be saved.  Today we read perhaps one of the greatest salvation stories ever, certainly one of the most pivotal in Church history.

Just prior to the beginning of our Scripture passage, Stephen, a early church leader in Jerusalem, had been stoned to death by the Jewish religious leaders, setting off a strong persecution of believers and followers of Jesus there.  A young man named Saul, (later known as Paul) who was a devout Jew and Pharisee, had approved of the execution of Stephen, and fervently joined in with the persecution of the Church. Saul would burst into homes, searching for Christians, and haul them off to prison, casting his vote for them to be executed (Acts 8:1-3; 26:9-11).  This terrible persecution caused many believers in Jesus to flee Jerusalem and Judea and move far away. However Saul wasn’t content to just let them go. No, he wanted to track them down, even hundreds of miles away, and wipe them off the face of the earth. It was while journeying to Damascus with the intent of finding and destroying all Christians there, that Saul met the One who would turn his life around.

While journeying to Damascus, Saul was literally knocked to the ground by a bright light and he heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him (vs. 3-5).  Jesus asked him why he was persecuting Him. Jesus appeared to Saul (Paul) and brought him face to face with the truth of the Gospel. Saul acknowledged Jesus as Lord, confessed his sins, and surrendered his life to Him, resolving to forever follow and obey Him.  Even though Saul was persecuting Christians, Jesus said he was persecuting Him. There is an inseparable union between Christ and His followers. If someone hurts His children, they hurt Him.

Saul was temporarily blinded by the bright light, and was brought into the city of Damascus.  Meanwhile, we meet another very important person, although one only briefly mentioned in Scripture, the believer Ananias.  The Lord spoke to Ananias, telling him to go to a certain house, and there he would meet Saul of Tarsus. He was to pray with him and restore his sight (vs. 10-12).  Ananias was naturally quite afraid. Saul was a very well-known persecutor of the Faith. Ananias was a leader of the church in Damascus, and would have been one of his targets.  He knew why Saul was in town. However, the Lord alluded to what had happened, and Ananias obeyed. Even in his fear, he trusted the Lord and fully obeyed. Ananias didn’t doubt that such a man like Saul had been could become a believer, since when he came to Saul he called him “Brother” (vs. 17). He knew that God can, and does, reach even the vilest of sinners.

We never hear about Ananias again.  He was available and obedient to God’s command.  Of course, we hear much about Saul (Paul), and how he was instrumental in bringing the message of Christ throughout the Roman Empire. However first it was Ananias who ministered to Saul, prayed with him, restored his eyesight, baptized him, and brought him to other believers. Christians should not only be saved, but also totally surrendered and obedient to Christ. Ananias was, and Saul would also be. God chose and would use Paul to convey His grace to all men - Jews, Gentiles, royalty, common folk, and slaves.  One should never ask the Lord to save them, and then act as if they want Him to stay out of their lives.

As our Scripture today shows, there is no one who is “too bad” to get saved. Saul was probably the greatest enemy and persecutor of the Church at that time, yet the Lord turned him around and made him one the greatest Christians.  No one is beyond God’s saving grace and mercy.