Former Pharisee

Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and 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, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” Acts 9:1-6

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 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.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;” Acts 9:10-15

Flashing forward to Acts Chapter 9 we see the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. His one objective in life at that time was the annihilation of the Church. He got all the legalities in order (of course), and set out to arrest all the believers he could find at Damascus and bring them back to Jerusalem. An interesting thing happened on the way there, though. He was overwhelmed, knocked off his horse and blinded by a great light. Out of the light, he heard a voice calling his name and accusing him of “persecuting Me.” Stunned and frightened, he asked who this was. Apparently he knew Who it was, but had not ever known Him by the Name of Jesus.

Ananias was a faithful, dependable disciple living in Damascus, and the Lord had him prepared to deal with this amazing development. From Ananias’ response to Jesus’ command, it is clear that the Damascus believers were expecting Saul and knew exactly what his mission was. They were afraid of him, and even Ananias didn’t want to have anything to do with him. Jesus made it clear, however, that this was Ananias’ assignment. Saul was blinded and frightened. He knew he had been confronted by the Sovereign Lord of the Universe, Whose name is Jesus. He had been told someone would contact him and help him regain his sight, then lead him in understanding the Truth.

“He is a chosen instrument of Mine.” Saul was an ambitious Pharisee, no doubt with a grand career plan in the hierarchy of Israel. This unexpected redirection was to change his life forever, and would be a major factor in the growth of the Church.

“to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings” up to now, only Jews had been targeted for evangelism. “To the Jew first…” (Romans 1:16) “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel..”(Matthew 10:6, 15:24). That was Jesus’ primary mission, and His disciples’, while He was with them in the flesh. Now, to have recruited this fire-breathing Pharisee as an evangelist to the Gentiles is remarkable in its irony. What a delicious demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit. When we think about and talk about repentance, brethren, Saul of Tarsus is the poster child.

“and the sons of Israel.” Being the Pharisee that he was, Saul knew the Old Testament scriptures. He knew the whole history of Israel; all the symbolism, all the ancient teachings in the feasts and rituals. The original twelve apostles were not formally educated men, but had Holy Spirit empowerment to preach and teach and nurture the Church. Saul, however, was highly educated and had made the law his lifework. He had faithfully served the God of Israel as best he understood Him until now. Now, he had actually met the God of Israel. He instantly grasped the meaning of this event. He would spend some time alone with Jesus, being further familiarized with the doctrines he would spend the rest of his life teaching. He therefore became the expert in showing how this Jesus was the fulfillment of the Plan of God for Israel and for the whole human race. He became the primary expositor of the New Species: no longer Jew, no longer Gentile: CHURCH.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 6:15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.