The Conversion of Saul

Act_9:1-30
Before conversion Saul was as intense in his zeal for
the destroying of Christianity, as he was after his
conversion in his efforts to extend the kingdom of
Christ. From place to place he went, from house to
house, seizing men and women, casting them into
prison and punishing them. This was the sort of man
Saul was, the morning of the day of his conversion.
Why was Saul so bitter against Jesus? What was the
reason for his opposition? He was a loyal Jew, and
Jesus had been crucified by the rulers of his people
as a blasphemer. In this hatred of the rulers of his
nation to Jesus, Saul sympathized. That such a man
should claim to be the Messiah foretold by the
prophets, appeared to Saul proof that He was an
impostor. According to Sauls thought, Jesus had
fulfilled none of the Jewish expectations regarding
the Messiah: He had established no kingdom; He
had wrought no deliverance for His people. Thinking
of Jesus in this way, Saul readily conceived that He
was an impostor and that belief in Him as the
Messiah was heresy, which he as a true Jew was

bound to do all he could to stamp out. Saul was

conscientious in his opinions concerning Jesus, and
in his work as a persecutor.
In his journey Saul was drawing near unto
Damascus, intent upon his errand of finding and
seizing all disciples there. We can imagine the terror
of the Christians at Damascus as they heard of the
approach of the terrible persecutor, whose name
spread dismay wherever it was heard. No doubt they
were praying God to stop his progress. We can
imagine also what passed in the mind of this
traveler as he journeyed along the way. He never
had forgotten Stephens words before the council, or
Stephens death, with the prayer that he made for his
murderers with his last breath.
In all his terrible work as a persecutor, Saul had also
seen many glimpses of Christian life in the homes he
had entered. Stephen was not the only man of those
Saul had met in his warfare on Christians who had
shown the gentle and kindly spirit of the Master. He
must have seen sweet faith and gentle trust, which
deeply affected him. Is it possible that doubts of the
rightness of his own course troubled him? The words
of the Lord to him about kicking against the goads

seem to indicate that Saul had really been fighting

against his own convictions, especially the later days
of his persecuting work. Thus he was prepared for
the sudden appearance of Jesus to him in the way.
He had almost reached the end of his journey when a
strange thing happened. Suddenly a light from
heaven flashed around him. It was more than light
it was the glory of a person, the divine person of
Christ. In the dazzling brightness of the great light
Saul fell to the earth. As he lay there he heard a
voice, calling him by name, Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me? Every word was emphatic. Why?
What had Jesus done to Saul, to deserve such
treatment? If He had been a tyrant while on the
earth, if He had gone about burning towns,
desolating homes, crushing the weak and the poor,
and causing pain, poverty and sorrowthere would
have been some excuse for Sauls bitter relentless
enmity. But Jesus had gone about only doing good.
Whey had Saul so fought against Jesus?
Why do you persecute me? The question was
personal. Saul had to stand face to face with the
glorified Jesus and answer why he, Saul was His
enemy. Every human soul stands in a personal

relation to Jesus Christ. We cannot lose ourselves in

any company. The question is always a personal one,
What do you think of the Christ?
Why do you persecute me ? Saul had not
personally persecuted Jesusprobably he had never
even seen Him. But one who lifts a hand against any
of Christs disciples, lift a hand against Christ
Himself, for Christ makes common cause with each
one of His people, even the lowliest. I was hungry,
and you gave me nothing to eat Inasmuch as you
did it not unto one of these least, you did it not unto
me. He, who wrongs a Christian, wrongs Christ!
Saul saw before him the glorified form of Jesus. He
was amazed and asked, Who are you, Lord? He
never had dreamed that the lowly man who went
about through Galilee working miracles and teaching
the peoplewas indeed the Son of God, the Messiah!
He had thought Him only a man, an impostor. But
now he saw before a glorious Person, the most
glorious he had ever seen, radiant in divine splendor.
Then, when he asked, Who are you? the answer
came, I am Jesus. This divine Being was the lowly
Jesus whom Saul was persecuting! Instantly he saw

the terrible mistake he had been making. This Jesus

was indeed the Messiah, the Son of God!
But he resisted no longer. His opposition was over
forever. In one of the accounts which Saul gave of his
conversion, we are told that the first question, Who
are you, Lord? was followed by another, as soon as
he heard the answer, What will you have me to do?
This question implies full surrender. He asked at
once for his duty, entering the service of this new
Master immediately.
To the question, What will you have me to do?
came the answer, Now get up and go into the city,
and you will be told what you must do. Act_9:6. He
was not to lie there in the dust, defeated and broken.
This was not to be the end of his Life. Jesus had not
meant to destroy himbut to save him and call him
into service. He must rise up. When God finds us in
our sins, we are not to lie down and weep
inconsolably over the ruined past. No matter if the
best part of life is gone, we may not, we dare not
spend one moment in mere idle tears and regret over
it. We should rise instantly, turn our faces resolutely
away from our wrong and wasted past, and put into

the days that remain all we can of strength and

beauty.
God guides us one step at a time. Saul did not learn
that moment what his whole mission would be; he
did learn, however, the first step of obedience. He
was to go into the city, and when he got there he
would learn more. When a young Christian begins to
follow Christ he is not likely to be shown his duty for
his whole life. He will be shown one step, however,
and if he takes that, another step will be made plain,
and another, and another, and so on, step by step,
until he has reached the end of a noble and beautiful
life.
I do not ask to see
The distant sceneone step is enough for me.
The part of Ananias in the conversion of Saul, has
interesting lesson for us. Why did not Jesus Himself
complete the work without calling in any man to
help Him? We do not know, excepting that it is
usually His way to use human helpers. Ananias was
startled to receive the command, Arise, and go to
the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the
house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of
Tarsus. It brings Jesus very close to notice how

intimately he was acquainted with all that was going

on in the city. He knew the names of the streets and
where each person lived or was even temporarily
staying. Christ in heaven today knows us by name
and is familiar with the most intimate events of our
lives. He knows the house we live in, and the street,
and knows our present desires and needs, and hears
our prayers.
No wonder Ananias hesitated when he was bidden to
go to meet the terrible scourge of the church. He had
heard a great deal about Saul and had learned to
dread him. But the Lord assures Ananias that there
will be no danger in his going to find Saul. Behold,
he is praying. This was evidence that Saul was not
now a dangerous man. Not only was he prayingbut
he was praying for just the help Ananias could bear
to him. Further, Ananias was assured that this very
Saul, who had been such a terrible persecutor, was a
chosen vessel for Christ, to bear His name before
Gentiles and kings.