A DAMASCUS MOMENT (PART 1)

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 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.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

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

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.

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. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

Acts 9:1-9

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Have you ever had a “Damascus moment”?

Maybe it’s a term you haven’t heard before so let me explain through this message today.

In the eighth chapter of Acts, we follow the exploits of Philip, one of the seven men elected to assist the twelve apostles in meeting the social needs of the people in Jerusalem. After Stephen’s death and the ensuing breakout of Christian persecution, Philip fled the city with many other Christ disciples and he ended up in a Samaritan city where he spread the gospel, healed the lame, and drove out demons from the possessed. We also saw where he was connected by an angel of the Lord to an Ethiopian official traveling in his chariot from Jerusalem to Gaza. The divine connection led to divine understanding as Philip explained the words the official was reading from Isaiah, tying them to Jesus. The end result was the official asking to be baptized and worshiping the Lord afterwards as Philip was whisked away to the Holy Spirit to continue his ministry work up the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea.

Well, while Philip was doing many positive things in the name of Jesus, we see where Saul was doing the opposite. For after overseeing Stephen’s execution by stoning, Acts 9 opens with the fervent Jew still persecuting Christians and “breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples”. Not just satisfied with his work in Jerusalem, we read where Saul “went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus” because he wanted to root out any Christians there, those who “belonged to the Way”, and bring them back to Israel’s capital city as prisoners.

It’s obvious the high priest granted Saul’s request because we find him on the road to Damascus and near the city when he has his “Damascus moment”. In his case, the scriptures tell us that a light suddenly came down from heaven and flashed all around Saul who immediately “fell to the ground as he heard a voice ask:

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”

I find Saul’s reply unsurprising and interesting at the same time.

This is because Saul had never opened his heart and mind to Jesus before this. He would have never known the still small voice of his Savior and so of course we would read him asking:

“Who are you, Lord?”

At least, Saul recognized that he was dealing with a heavenly Lord but it’s interesting that he doesn’t think it’s the God he worshiped and served, or at least he thought he was by doing the things he had done.

Well, we see where it doesn’t take long for Saul to find out who was talking with him. For the voice from the heavens identified Himself saying:

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

In Acts, chapter 1, we find Jesus ascending through the clouds into the heavens where He would sit at the right hand of God in authority over everything in heaven and on earth. Here we find Jesus performing His first official engagement with someone from that position of power. That’s what makes this “Damascus moment” so special on many levels. Jesus specifically pinpoints Saul with the intent of making him a Christ believer and servant.

Well, the men Saul had with him stood by astonished and speechless over what was going on. They saw their leader falling to the ground and talking with someone even though they could see no one there. This amazement must have turned to fear as Saul rose to his feet and opened his eyes only to realize he was now blind. He had to be led by the hand into Damascus where he spent three days without sight, unable to eat or drink anything.

Saul had done the first of what Jesus had told him to do. He had gone into Damascus. Now he awaited the instruction that Jesus had promised with plenty of time to think about all he had done in sin against Jesus and how he would need to change if he ever wanted to see again.

Maybe you have been blinded by your own sin in life. Maybe you have had a moment when Jesus has come to you and brought you to Himself in the midst of your circumstances. Maybe you have had what I call a “Damascus moment”.

I know I have and tomorrow we will continue to see how Jesus brings Saul to Himself and commissions him to make, not persecute, disciples.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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