The Miracle of Conversion
Acts 9:1-19a
Introduction
The story of John Newton’s conversion – from slaver trading sea captain to committed Christian pastor.
Acts 9:1-19a
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 flashed 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.
[10] 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.” [11] 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, [12] 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.” [13] But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. [14] And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” [15] 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. [16] For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” [17] So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his 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.” [18] And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; [19] and taking food, he was strengthened.
1. Transgression of God’s Glory (9:1-2)
Luke tells us that “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.”
The last time we saw Saul it was in chapter 7, there approving of the execution of Stephen – the first Christian martyr. Saul then participated in a great persecution against the Christians that drive them out of Jerusalem into the surrounding regions.
Now, Luke tells us that Saul has acquired from the high priest letters that he could take to the synagogues that would give him authority to seek out the Christian Jews who had scattered and bring them back to Jerusalem for trial, and most likely execution.
And all of this was, in Saul’s mind, a good and godly thing. Later he will write in a letter to the Philippians how he took pride in everything from his pedigree to his murderous zeal as evidence of his devotion to God. He says,
“If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless.” (Phil 3:4-6)
And yet, his life was in fact not one filled with righteousness. Certainly on some level he was keeping the law, but in his heart, Saul was still a sinner.
More than that, he had heard Stephen’s message of Jesus – how he fulfilled the word of God, the true temple, and was the long-promised Messiah. And yet, he had rejected him. Left to the sinfulness of his heart, he willfully chose not to see Jesus as the Christ.
And it was this sinfulness – both the sinfulness of his nature, his heart, and thus the sinfulness of his actions. As well as his sinful rejection of Christ – the refusal to give him glory as God – that merited God’s wrath. It was his sinful transgression against the glory that displayed his need for salvation.
This wasn’t just true for Saul. Because of Adam’s first sin, all of humanity is sinful by nature and fails to give God the glory he deserves as our all-sufficient Creator. This is why Saul will later write “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Rom 3:23).
This is the reason it wasn’t just Saul that needed salvation, we all need salvation. All of us need to be forgiven of our sins, and have our sinful hearts transformed so that we can be brought into right relationship with God.
But more than that, this should give us encouragement. Look at who Saul was – a killer of Christians. In our minds, a man guilty of a horrible sin. And yet, a man not beyond redemption. Salvation is possible even for the worst of sinners, so we should take hope – for our family and friends who do not yet know Christ.
2. Initiative of God’s Calling (9:3-4)
It’s important that we notice in our passage that Saul was not seeking God.
In fact, he thought that as a Jew – as part of the covenant people – he was already in with God, that he was already accepted by him. Saul will even tell us later in one of his epistles, he thought that by killing Christians he was doing the Lord’s work.
Although Saul wasn’t seeking God, God was seeking Saul. Luke says, Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. [4] 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 he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul says that for those who are Christians, God “has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” This is exactly what God does here in Saul.
Derek Thomas explains that, “what’s taking place here was something not just external, not just the blinding light, not just a voice that he hears, but something internal; something that challenges his heart, something that affects his soul, something that affects his spirit. Christ is being revealed to him. He’s becoming aware of who Jesus is, the identity of Jesus Christ, the glory of Jesus Christ, the deity of Jesus Christ, the messiah-ship of Jesus Christ. He’s come to appreciate that and see that, and that affects him internally, in the inner recesses of his heart and soul.”
The Bible teaches that we act according to our greatest desires. As sinners, our greatest desire will always be for sin. Thus, left to ourselves, we will never chose to believe the gospel, we will never choose Christ.
But God does a spiritual work in our hearts whereby he brings life where there was before only spiritual darkness. He overcomes the sinfulness of our hearts, regenerating us by the power of his Spirit so that we may behold the glory of Christ. Because when we behold that glory without the blindness of sin, we will believe.
Saul will later write to the Roman Christians and quoting the Old Testament remind that “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Rom 3:10-11). And yet, God seeks sinners. God seeks us because we have neither the desire nor the capability of seeking him.
And when he opens our eyes to the glories of Christ, what we see there is so captivating, so beautiful, we cannot help believe. And so, we can sing the great hymn,
My Lord, I did not choose you, for that could never be;
This heart would still refuse you had you not chosen me:
You took the sin that stained me, you cleansed and made me new;
For you of old ordained me that I should live to you.
Unless your grace had called me, and taught my opening mind,
The world would have enthralled me, to heavenly glories blind:
My heart knows none above you; for your rich grace I thirst.
And know that if I love you, Lord, you have loved me first.
3. Submission to God’s Lordship (9:5-9)
When I was in college, a debate within evangelicalism was reaching its zenith. On the one side were men like John MacArthur and on the other, men like Zane Hodges. The debate was over the issue of lordship in salvation.
One side said that the gospel was a message of grace only. There should be no call to live a life of lordship under Christ. It was simply about having sins forgiven. Making Jesus Lord of your life was secondary and usually came later than accepting him as Savior. In fact, you could have Christians who never made Jesus their Lord, only their Savior.
The side said, ‘No, it Christ is not made Lord, then the gospel has not been preached and it’s possible that men have not been saved.’ Jesus is Lord.
While it is certainly true that no Christians will ever be perfect, nor perfectly submit to Christ’s lordship this side of heaven, it is wrong to not see Lordship as part of the gospel. Central to the gospel message is a turning away from sin towards God. Of acknowledging that he is the Creator as well as the Savior, and as Creator is owed our worship and our service.
Pastor Roy Clements says, he doesn’t “use the phrases ‘decided for Christ’ or ‘committed to Christ,’ though decision and commitment are certainly involved. . . . [he goes on to say] Conversion is at root not a decision, nor a commitment, but a surrender to the supreme authority of Jesus.”
This was certainly true for Saul. Look at what Luke tells us –
And [Saul] 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.
Look at how Saul is presented by Luke – a broken man. Everything he has believed about Jesus, everything he has tried to destroy because of Jesus, all of his efforts at zeal religion were gone.
More than that, physically, he’s rendered helpless. Can you imagine? This once unstoppable Pharisee has been knocked to the ground by the glory of Christ, blinded, and forced to be led around by his associates. “In the twinkling of an eye, God brings him down from all his lofty arrogance and haughtiness and defiance, and hatred of the things that God really is concerned about.”
While it is certainly true that no Christians will ever be perfect, nor perfectly submit to Christ’s lordship this side of heaven, Lordship is part of the gospel. Central to the gospel message is a turning away from sin towards God. Of acknowledging that he is the Creator as well as the Savior, and as Creator is owed our worship and our service.
The truth, when you go to Jesus for salvation, you cannot come with provisos. You cannot come with your pride intact. You cannot come haughty with your head held high. No, you must come humbly, realizing your weakness. Realizing that salvation of the Lord. You didn’t earn or deserve it.
And now that you have been brought to God through the death of his son, Jesus Christ, the only fitting response is to surrender your life in loving, worshipful service. That is what you were created for – that is your true purpose in life.
And the reality is, the best life you will ever have is one lived under the Lordship of Christ. Surrendering to his will and his wisdom will mean that even in the midst of pain and suffering, you will know joy and peace.
4. Communion with God’s People (9:10-19)
Something we sometimes fail to think about is that when God calls people to faith in Christ, he is also calling them into the community of faith. He is calling them to be a part of his people. From our text here in Acts 9, this means two things –
4.1. God’s people will love the rest of God’s people
Take yourselves out of the Acts 9 for a second, and think about our current situation. Think about this guy the police whom have just caught – he’s abused something like seventy children. It’s horrible. Now suppose God saves this man; converts him. And he desires fellowship at this church. How would you receive him?
Or perhaps, one of the men who were part of the 9/11 attacks is saved by God in prison. He is genuinely converted to Christianity and shows up one Sunday looking to worship with us and join our fellowship. How would you respond?
Now, let’s go back to Acts 9. God has miraculously saved Saul and now he tells Ananias of Damascus, the guy you were hiding from has been saved, and waiting for you at Judas’ house. Lay hands on him so he will regain his sight.
Your response would probably be similar to Ananias’ response – ‘Lord, this is the guy we’ve been hearing about. This is the guy who’s been persecuting us in Jerusalem and is hunting the rest of us down. Are you sure you want me to go see this guy?’
But then here is where our paths might differ from Ananias. God assures him that he is a Christian now. And Luke says, “Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his 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.’”
Ananias welcomes Saul – even calls him ‘Brother Saul.’ Can you imagine the love in Ananias that allowed for this? It could only be the very love of God welling up from within him.
And what about Saul? Can you imagine how he must have felt? All the many ways he imagined being received by the Christians he once tried to kill? And what does he hear – ‘brother.’ It’s amazing. But it’s also true Christianity.
The apostle John writes, “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling . . . . If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen” 1 John 2:9-10; 4:20).
God’s people will always love the rest of God’s people. Because God loves his own people and his love is supposed to dwell in us. So, if there is no love for God’s people in your heart, then you may not be one of God’s people.
4.2. God’s people will serve the rest of God’s people
More than just a Christian, God called Paul for a very special purpose. In verse 15, the Lord says,
“[Saul] is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. [16] For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
Not many of us will be called to be apostles. In fact, none of us will be called to be Apostles in the same way that Saul was an Apostle.
Nevertheless, each of us is called to serve the body. Whether it is those who are already in the people of God, or those who will one day be among God’s people, all of us are called to serve. All of us have been given gifts for the building up of the body of Christ.
When God brings about our conversion; when he changes our hearts so that we behold the glory of Christ and grant us faith to believe, he always sends his Spirit to dwell within us. The Spirit of Christ not only guides and strengthens us for godly living, he also grants us spiritual gifts by which we are called to serve other Christians.
Thus, as those miraculously brought to faith in Christ, we must understand we are not saved to an individual Christian. We are saved to be part of God’s chosen people. Thus, we are to love them and visibly demonstrate that love by serving them with our lives and the gifts God has given us.
Conclusion
This is the miracle of conversion. That God can take a murderer and change his heart so that not only be a man of God, but an apostle for his Church.
Isn’t that amazing? Isn’t that encouraging? How many people do you love and care for but believe that they are beyond hope? That they are too far gone to be saved?
Here, God gives us hope that no one is beyond the grace of God. No one is too sinful to be saved. For in the end, Jonah 2:9 still rings true – salvation is of the Lord. From beginning to end, He is the one who saves.
He is the one who from eternity chose to set his affection, and plan to save and call out a people for himself.
Christian brothers and sisters marvel at God’s work of conversion, be encouraged by knowing that your salvation does not depend on you.
Rejoice and proclaim the gospel of God’s grace to those that do not yet know him.
