Focal Passage: Acts 9:3-16
There are times in our life when we may have done things that we thought were right but later we discovered were wrong. At first, we may feel zealous about our actions but something in the back of our minds begins to prick our conscience. Even though we think what we are doing is right, it just doesn’t feel comfortable for some reason.
In this week’s passage we see such a scenario in the life of a man named Saul. We would later come to know him by his Greek name Paul. Paul was a devout Jew. He was also a fervent Pharisee who had received his spiritual instruction under Gamaliel. This was the same Gamaliel we see in Acts 5, warning the Sanhedrin to be careful how they dealt with the preaching of the Gospel because they may find themselves fighting against God. Obvious, that was what Saul discovered about himself. But God had other plans for Saul.
As Saul was approaching Damascus, a bright light flashed around him. I can remember the days as a child when cameras used what was called a flash bulb. Its sole purpose was to create light in dimly lit environments to expose the film in the camera. After a couple of photographs, you could barely see anything.
Nimmo
That is kind of like what happened to Saul and his companions. It so startled Saul that he fell to the ground. But unlike the old flash bulbs, the blindness didn’t fade, at least not for Saul. Apparently, his companions were not affected as much as Saul was. They saw the flash, they heard a sound but they were not blinded.
No doubt this was a personal message meant only for Saul. Jesus would now cause him to reflect upon his spiritual blindness through physical blindness. Along with the bright light came a voice from heaven. Jesus asks Saul why he is doing what he is doing. Saul then asks who it is speaking to him and Jesus identifies Himself.
I find it somewhat amusing that Saul had no clue. But ignorance is always the defense of the guilty. Jesus then tells him to go to Damascus and wait for further instructions. He did so but the traumatic encounter left him blind for three days and so distraught he did not eat or drink.
Meanwhile, God appears to a man named Ananias, who was a believer, in a vision and instructs him to go to the house of Judas where Saul was staying and lay hands on him where God would restore his sight. Ananias puts up a little resistance by reminding God what Saul had been doing and had come there to do. But God reminds Ananias his is not to question why, but to obey.
Ananias saw Saul as the enemy but God saw him as His chosen instrument to carry His name to the Gentiles, and to their kings, as well as the Israelites Ananias obeys and Saul is transformed. The good news Saul fought so much to destroy has now saved him and transformed him into a powerful instrument for God. The good news is that God will do the same for us. B&R
