Life Ministries

“Who Are You, Lord?”
Acts 13:1-12 and  Acts 9:17-30

    We were looking at the close encounter that Saul had with the living, risen Christ, and, how it dramatically changed Saul (the persecutor of Christians) into Paul (a very committed follower of Christ) whom God used to transform the church. We first looked at the encounter of a man named Ananias who resisted going to see Saul, for obvious reasons, but the Lord says “Go, this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles” This will become an important statement a little later in the story…

    Verse 20 tells us that Saul began “at once to preach in the synagogues”…However, either he was a terrible preacher, or they didn’t like his message, because verse 23 says that “After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him!” Then it says that he went to Jerusalem, where Barnabas took Saul under his wing…and in verse 29 we are told that he “talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him!” Finally, it says that they took him down to Caesarea and sent him home to Tarsus”… and, if you read verse 31 with a sense of humor it says “Then the church enjoyed a time of peace!”  Do you know what Saul was at this time? He was an “on fire” baby Christian.
    The next time we hear of Saul comes in chapter 11 of Acts…and I’ll give you the gist of the story - Those who had been scattered by the persecution (led by a zealot named Saul) traveled far and wide “telling the message only to the Jews” it says. But, some from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and began to speak to the Greek Gentiles…And, wouldn’t you just know it, a great many got saved and the church began to grow. When news about this reached Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to access the situation. And, when Barnabas saw what was happening, he went to Tarsus to look for Saul…Why?  Because God had said; “He is my chosen instrument to carry my message to the Gentiles”…and Barnabas knew it. They stayed in Antioch for a year, meeting with the church. In chapter 13 of Acts, the Holy Spirit says “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them”…which was taking the message to the Gentiles.
    Now, from this point on, the focus is on Paul…Paul not Saul. Saul was his Hebrew or Jewish name - Paul was his Roman or Gentile name. From this point on in God’s Word we know him as Paul…From Acts 13 through the Book of Hebrews we have what we call the “Epistle letters” which are really a condensed version of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles.
    I mentioned last time that Saul’s problem was that he had a religion but not a relationship. His religion was an inherited religion. His father was a Pharisee - he grew up in a religious home. He was taught the life of a Pharisee. As he got older, he sat under the teaching of the most influential teachers of his day. It wasn’t long before Saul knew all the laws, all the ordinances, all the songs, all the rites and rituals; but, he did not know God.  That’s the downfall of an inherited religion. I think that has been true in many churches - in every denomination - for the last century. It’s important that we teach the doctrines; it’s important that we understand the morals and the ethics; it’s important that we express our faith with hymns and songs; It’s important that we learn to pray; But, children have grown up believing that Christianity means going to church on Sundays; learning all the right songs and prayers; and standing for all the right things. I don’t want people - and especially children - to inherit our religion, I want them to meet and know our Savior!  This is why so many people - churched and unchurched are like Saul, who thinks he has it right, yet looks up at this encounter with Jesus and says “Who are you, Lord?”
    It would seem highly unlikely that God would use someone like Saul to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles…. But, with all of his background we soon realize that Saul was the perfect candidate! God has a way of taking our background and using it for His glory. We may have some things in our background we are proud of…and some we are not so proud of, but God will use both to give us a witness and a compassion when we can say “been there, done that!”  
    When Saul is knocked off his horse, he suddenly realizes that this is not the God he thought he knew… This was not the God he thought he had been serving all this time. All his years of training and religious upbringing, and in one brilliant second, he realizes he doesn’t know God at all! On this road to Damascus, Saul has an encounter with Jesus that would change his name, and his life, and his relationships, forever! No longer would he ask the question “Who are you?”
    Paul says in Galations 2:19 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And, the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”… Let me say it again; “God is in the life transforming business.”
    The story of Nicodemus was our first revelation of a person who had a religion but not a relationship. He was the example of those who have head knowledge but no “heart” wisdom. Take this thought with you today; “God’s Word was not given just to INFORM us…it was given to TRANSFORM us!  God desires for us is to become beautiful butterflies that are a result of a transformation process…Let’s not live our lives content to be caterpillars!