The Most Unlikely Conversion in History (Acts 9: 1-31)

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Welcome:

Have you ever felt discouraged after sharing the Gospel with someone for years, only to see their heart remain hard and unresponsive? Many of us have experienced this frustration, especially when trying to reach those who are not only indifferent but also actively opposed to Christianity.

In today’s episode, we’ll explore one of the most famous and unlikely conversions in the history of the church. Saul, who later became known as Paul, was once a fierce persecutor of Christians. His dramatic transformation, detailed in Acts 9:1-31, offers powerful lessons for us today. Join us as we dive into this remarkable story and uncover the spiritual truths it holds for us.

Study Notes: "The Most Unlikely Conversion in History" (Acts 9:1-31)

Introduction

• Reflecting on the difficulty of reaching those staunchly opposed to Christianity.
• Saul’s story as a dramatic example of God’s power to transform even the hardest hearts.

Key Points

• Saul's Pre-Conversion State:
  • Saul’s relentless persecution of Christians (Acts 9:1).
  • His self-righteousness and zeal as a Pharisee.
  • His journey to Damascus to arrest followers of "the Way" (Acts 9:2).
• The Conversion Encounter:
  • The heavenly light and Jesus’ voice (Acts 9:3-6).
  • Saul’s blindness and helplessness (Acts 9:8-9).
  • Ananias' vision and obedience (Acts 9:10-19).
• Immediate Transformation:
  • Saul’s bold preaching in Damascus (Acts 9:20-22).
  • The astonishment and opposition he faced (Acts 9:23-25).
• Challenges and Support:
  • The scepticism from Jerusalem disciples (Acts 9:26).
  • Barnabas' crucial role in vouching for Saul (Acts 9:27-28).
  • Further opposition and Paul’s relocation to Tarsus (Acts 9:29-30).
• Lessons and Applications:
  • The importance of human involvement in nurturing new believers.
  • Ananias and

Transcript

The Most Unlikely Conversion in History.  (Acts 9:1-31)

Transcript: 

Have you ever talked to a relative or friend about the Lord for years, only to find their heart remains so hard that it seems like they'll never come to faith? 

Many of us might think of such people as difficult, if not impossible, to reach. Some of these might be adherents to other doctrines or religions groups that prevent them from seeing the truth about Christ and Bible. Perhaps we think the most challenging type are those who are not only part of another religion or faith group but are also vocal in their opposition to Christianity. 

It’s one thing to not be a Christian, and be indifferent but to be adamantly against it, doing everything possible to defeat it, that seems more problematic for us. These are often the people we find most difficult to reach, and we might tend to avoid them, seeking more fruitful soil instead.

However, I'd like to tell you a story this morning about perhaps the most famous conversion in the history of the church, and the man involved was one of the most vociferous opponents of Christianity the world had ever see up until that point . Furthermore, I believe embedded in this story are several spiritual lessons that we all need to learn and be reminded of in today’s episode….

So, if you have a Bible, please turn with me to Acts 9. We will be reading from verse 1.

1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing. So, they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

(Acts 9: 1-31)

Like I said, this is perhaps the most well-known conversion stories in all of Christianity. In it we’re told what Paul was like before he was converted, and referred to himself as Saul, we are told about the conversion itself, and then there’s a long passage detailing what happened after his conversion. 

This, I believe, is very fruitful soil for us to glean helpful spiritual lessons from. So, let’s begin by looking at Saul as he was before his conversion.

Verse 1 says, " Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples …" The critical word here is "still," because earlier in Acts, this is exactly what we saw he was doing. 

If we turn back to just the previous chapter, we see that he, was causing  havoc in the early church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women and throwing them to prison.

So, Saul was relentless, he was actively pursuing Christians, breathing threats and murder against them. He was a man on a mission, dedicated to destroying the followers of Jesus. This is the backdrop against which we see the dramatic and miraculous conversion of Saul, a man who on the face of it seemed utterly unreachable and impossible to convert. 

Saul was about 35 years old at this point, he was also highly educated and a zealous Pharisee, and he is using his religious intellect to enthusiastically persecute the church. Later, Saul himself will recount that he voted for the death penalty against Christians, confirming his role in their persecution.

Saul was also determined to extend his persecution beyond Jerusalem, and he obtained letters from the high priest there to present to the synagogues in Damascus, allowing him to arrest followers of what is described as "the Way" and bring them to Jerusalem for punishment. This term, "the Way," is used several times in Acts to describe these early Christians and is likely a term that sprang up to emphasize their distinct lifestyle and practices.

Saul's mission to Damascus was not a casual undertaking. Damascus was about 150 miles away, a journey of about a week by the travel means available at the time. Saul's willingness to undertake such a journey underscores his intense dedication to persecuting Christians.

Before his conversion, Saul was self-righteous (as he himself acknowledges in Philippians 3), a bigot, callous (arresting both men and women), a self-confessed murderer (Acts 26), and a vocal, passionate persecutor of Christians. 

This is the most unlikely candidate for conversion you could ever meet. However, Saul's transformation illustrates that no one is beyond God’s reach.

The account of Saul's conversion is dramatic. As he approached Damascus, a heavenly light suddenly surrounded him, causing him to fall to the ground and he hears a voice saying, “why are you persecuting Me?" 

Blinded by the light, Saul asks, "Who are You, Lord?" Here, the term "Lord" is used is a term of respect, not yet an acknowledgment of Jesus' divinity. Saul's question indicates his ignorance of the voice's identity at this point. Jesus answers, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting," revealing Himself to Saul and identifying Saul's actions against Christians as also being directed against himself.

At this point, Saul realizes two critical truths. 

First, he now knows who Jesus is. When he hears a voice saying, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," Saul understands that Jesus is alive, implying His resurrection and confirming Him as the Messiah. This realization is instantaneous for Saul. Later in Acts, we see that Saul preaches Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah, showing that this understanding began at this very moment.

Second, Saul recognizes his own error. In this moment of revelation, Saul believes in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, marking his conversion.

After this encounter, Saul, now blind, trembling asks the Lord, what He wants him to do?" This question, filled with humility shows a readiness to obey, and I would say is one every new convert should ask. Jesus instructs Saul to go into the city, where he will be told what to do next.

This narrative highlights that it is Jesus seeking Saul, not the other way around. Saul wasn’t looking for the Messiah; he was actively persecuting His followers, in fact. 

This emphasizes a fundamental truth: it is the Lord who seeks the lost. In Luke 19:10, Jesus tells us that, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." This seeking initiative is crucial, especially when we consider people who seem far from God. We don't have to wait for them to seek God; we can trust that God is already seeking them.

After his conversion, Saul is led into Damascus, blind and helpless and for three days, he neither eats nor drinks. 

Meanwhile, the focus shifts to Ananias, a Christian in Damascus. The Lord instructs Ananias in a vision to find Saul on Straight Street and lay hands on him so he can regain his sight.

Ananias is understandably hesitant, knowing Saul’s reputation for persecuting Christians. He voices his concerns to the Lord, who reassures him that Saul is now a chosen instrument to carry His name before Gentiles, kings, and the people of Israel. Ananias obeys, addresses Saul as "Brother Saul," and lays hands on him. Saul’s sight is restored, and he is filled with the Holy Spirit.

This side story of Ananias demonstrates obedience and trust in God’s plan. Despite his fear, Ananias goes to Saul and ministers to him and his act of faith leads to Saul’s complete transformation.

In reflecting on Ananias’ role in all this, we see a pattern for believers. Often, God calls us to tasks that seem impossible. Yet, like Ananias, we must trust and obey, knowing that God’s plans are greater than our fears. This story encourages us to step out in faith, even when the task seems daunting, trusting that God will work through our obedience.

In verse 16, Jesus tells Ananias, " I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” This is a stark contrast to the popular notion that becoming a Christian guarantees a life of ease, or even health, and wealth. Instead, Jesus makes it clear from the outset that Paul's onward journey will involve significant suffering. 

This is an important reminder to us all that while there are triumphs in the Christian life, there are also often trials and tribulations along the way. The Bible speaks to both, and we must acknowledge the reality of suffering as a part of our faith journey.

Paul later emphasizes this in Acts 14:22, stating that "we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." This perspective is crucial because it teaches us to find joy not in the absence of suffering, but  also in the presence of God amidst our trials.

James 1:2-4 encourages believers to "count it all joy" when facing various trials because these challenges produce perseverance, maturity, and completeness in our faith. What a challenge, but what a potential blessing also.

This perspective shift helped us see hardships as a sign of trust from the Lord, who can use them to develop and strengthen his character.

Returning to Saul, I’ll call him Paul now, after regaining his sight, he immediately begins preaching. Acts 9:19-20 notes that he spent time with the disciples in Damascus and "immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God." 

This is astonished to those who knew his previous mission to persecute Christians. Paul's bold preaching and growing strength in the Lord stunned the Jews, leading them to now begin to plot his death.

In a dramatic turn, the Jews now seek to kill Paul, the very one who had come to Damascus to persecute the Christians. Paul escapes their plot with the help of the disciples, who lower him in a basket through an opening in the city wall. 

Later, ,maybe much later if we read his account in Galatians 1, he returns to Jerusalem, and he again faces scepticism from the disciples who fear his intentions. However, Barnabas vouches for him, recounting Paul's encounter with the Lord and his bold preaching in Damascus (Acts 9:26-27). 

This new endorsement allows Paul to move freely among the disciples in Jerusalem, where he continues to speak boldly in the name of Jesus.

Despite his initial success, Paul’s preaching in Jerusalem soon leads to another plot against his life, this time by those referred to as the, Hellenistic Jews. We then see the believers in Jerusalem, aware of the danger, send Paul to Caesarea and then to Tarsus for his own safety (Acts 9:29-30).

Interestingly, after Paul's departure, the churches throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experience a period of peace and growth. 

Acts 9:31 describes how the churches were strengthened, encouraged by the Holy Spirit, and increased in numbers. This period of peace allowed the believers to live in the fear of the Lord and enjoy the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

The story of Paul's conversion and early ministry underscores a theme of suffering intertwined with service. Paul’s immediate turn to preaching and the subsequent plots against his life illustrate the challenges often faced by those who follow Christ. Yet, it is through these trials that both Paul and the early church are strengthened and grow.

This is the story about Saul becoming Paul, but note there are two other people involved in what happened after his conversion—Ananias and Barnabas. In Damascus, on his own, Saul would not have gotten very far, humanly speaking, if it weren't for Ananias. In Jerusalem, Paul now called, would not have progressed in the Christian community if it weren't for Barnabas speaking up for him.

Here, I believe, is one of the great spiritual lessons we can learn from this: for people to come to Christ and be nurtured in the Christian faith, it takes God's work and ours. 

In Paul's case, he was converted without any human involvement, it was entirely the Lords. The Lord appeared to him personally on the road to Damascus. But notice that the Lord didn’t do everything by Himself. Instead, after he went on His way an obscure man named Ananias would help him regain his sight and facilitate him being filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Then, when Paul faced further difficulties in Jerusalem, the Lord encouraged Barnabas to help him.

The point is this. If people are to be nurtured in the Christian faith, and sometimes even to come to Christ, they need a human to help them along that path. Granted, it’s God working, and always God work at the point of conversion. But, as I've already, the whole theme of the book of Acts is that the Lord continues to work by means of the Holy Spirit through people. 

This is how the church is nurtured and edified, as it the closing verse we are looking at today.

“Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers."

(Acts 9: 31)

Paul needed help from three key figures to complete his spiritual journey: 

1.   Stephen, who provided an example:

2.   Ananias, who equipped him:

3.   Barnabas, who encouraged him. 

This highlights the importance of having godly examples, equippers, and encouragers in our faith journey.

Stephen was an example of a Christian who honoured the Lord even unto death. Paul witnessed that as an example.

Ananias then equipped Paul by laying hands on him, restoring his sight, and filling him with the Holy Spirit. 

The Barnabas introduced Paul to the Christian community in Jerusalem and vouched for his genuine conversion. 

Each of these figures played a crucial role in Paul’s early Christian walk.

I believe it’s essential to observe that if people are going to come to Christ and grow in their faith, they need us. They need a sponsor, someone to take them by the hand, much like what was done with Paul. 

Research shows that people who come to church and stay are usually brought in by someone else. Meaning: if we’re going to grow as faith communities, we’re going to have to bring others in.

Even if someone else brings them, it takes more than one person for them to stay and grow as Christians. It’s not just the person who invites them but also the others who become their equipper and their encouragers, and provide good Christian examples. 

They need people to engage with them beyond just the initial invite. If they end up sitting alone it’s less likely they will stay.

So, here’s a practical suggestion: If you see someone sitting alone, go sit with them. Engage with them and help them feel welcomed and integrated into your faith community.

Consider the story of John Newton, the infamous slave trader who became a Christian. He later pastored a church in London, and there was a sign in that church that he wrote, saying,

“The sign is to the memory of John Newton, once a libertine, a blasphemer, a trader of slaves in Africa, but by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long laboured to destroy.”

Newton’s life transformation highlights the power of God’s grace and the importance of having people who can guide and support new believers. Just as Newton had those who supported his faith journey, we are called to be that support for others.

I became a Christian in my early teens and for me it was like a light coming into a dark room It took years for me to grow in my faith, entirely of my own doing, as I pursued a career in financial services in my late teens and early twenties. But over time I came to see reality that I was locked into a world of materialism and secularism, but the grace of God drew me to the word of God and I experienced an awakening.

Through the study of Gods word, I was able to see God's plan to save mankind in contrast to Satan’s plan to deceive the world.

Today we see people steeped in hedonism and secularism and materialism and commercialism and we think they will never come to Christ. 

But the point is, God is seeking them, and therefore we can pray that the Lord intervene and the Lord open their eyes so that one day they'll say, just like Paul, “Wow I have seen the light”.

The story of Saul’s spiritual transformation to Paul ought to remind us to never write off anyone as being beyond the love of Christ. We may do so when we see them as sinners, maybe even individuals who have gone into a new level of depravity or someone who's even gone into a cult or propagating false gospel. 

The scripture is clear, God can reach anyone, so I simply submit to you that sometimes the most unlikely people are going to come to Christ because God is working and oh by the way we should be too.