Conversion Stories - Acts 9

This week is all about Saul (who will later be known as the apostle Paul). There are many unique details about his conversion but also many consistencies between his conversion and the others that we have discussed this month. The events take place in Acts 9 but Paul will then recount his conversion on two other occasions in Acts...Acts 22 and 26. Enjoy the conversation this week! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:08

Thank you for listening to Cultivating Growth. We have this month been spending some time in the book of Acts, kind of working our way through a few of the conversion stories here in the book. And we've kind of been going in order. We've been working through the narrative and the story given to us there in Acts, and we've made our way to Acts chapter 9, and we're going to spend some time today talking about the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who ultimately will become the Apostle Paul. It fits the narrative of the story for us here in Acts chapter 9. Paul will allude to this event a little bit later on a couple of times, a little deeper into the book, and we'll talk about those as well. I'm really looking forward to this conversation, so let's get to it.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

Jeremy, we're in the midst of studying through different conversion stories through Acts, as you mentioned in your intro. And we are in Acts chapter 9 today talking about the conversion of Saul. And as you alluded to, this becomes Paul. His name is changed to Paul, and he becomes one of the central figures for the rest of the New Testament. And as such, there are a lot of things that we could talk about about Paul and about all that he does and his journeys and teaching the gospel and all that he influences and those sorts of things. But to stay true to our theme for the month, we're going to focus primarily just on his conversion, which, as you mentioned, takes place in Acts chapter 9. He's also going to reflect back on these events in Acts chapter 22 and 26. And so we will certainly uh reference those chapters as well. But it's important, I think, when we start this discussion to make mention of the fact that Saul was someone who is actively opposing the gospel. Acts chapter 9 begins by painting a picture that Saul is someone who has gone to the chief priests of the Jews to receive permission to imprison uh people who he finds to be worshiping and proclaiming the name of Jesus. That's where he is. And yet, in that state, what we see is that God has a plan for him, and God wants Saul. And I think that takes us back to the discussions we've had in previous weeks with with the Ethiopian eunuch, for instance. God wanted the soul and the heart of the Ethiopian eunuch, and he wanted each individual on the day of Pentecost. God has always been concerned with the individual, and that was true for Saul as well. Saul didn't understand God's plan at this point, but God had a plan for him. God was interested in Saul, God was interested in his soul, regardless of what he had been doing, regardless of how he had been treating Jesus' followers up to this point, God wanted him. And that's where all conversion stories start, is with the recognition that God wants each of us as individuals.

SPEAKER_01 3:11

Yeah, I mean, there's no question about that. I mean, it it's interesting, and you're right, you really just start kind of at this idea of uh you it's important to have an understanding about who Saul is and where he's coming from. There's no question, as the Apostle Paul continues throughout the book of Acts and in all of the epistles that he writes, he makes mention uh of where he it was that he came from, and the darkness and and the wickedness that uh that he had come from, calling himself even the the chiefest of sinners. And so it's certainly Paul, he he will make reference to it. So it's important for us to really have an understanding about where Saul really comes from. Even though his conversion is given to us here in Acts 9, he kind of pops up on the scene first in Acts chapter 7 at the very end of that, in a pretty ominous way in the the story of Stephen and the incredible sermon that he gives and the courage that he showcases in the midst of you know that crowd ultimately being stoned and losing his life. And we're just again by way of narrative, we're kind of just not tossed in. I don't want to, you know, kind of uh make light of the mention, but it is almost seemingly like it's in passing at the very end of the chapter, is the the men were removing their coats uh to stone Stephen, they lay it at the feet of a young man named Saul. And so it seems that you know he is kind of continuing on in that vein, and and he is causing big problems for Christians, and he he in every way thinks that he's doing what God would have him to do, and I think that makes it really important that it is God who is the one who comes and speaks to us.

SPEAKER_00 4:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:55

And that ultimately is unique. Certainly from where we were last week when Philip was sent by God to speak to the eunuch, God just takes this one himself.

SPEAKER_00 5:04

Yeah. And and the way that he chooses to do it is really interesting because unlike the eunuch that we talked about last week, the the eunuch was reading through the prophet Isaiah, didn't really understand what he was reading, needed someone to help him with that. Saul is a very educated man. He's been raised understanding reading the Jewish laws and and the prophets and all those things. He was he was a man who clearly understood who Jesus had claimed to be. He simply didn't believe it and went as far as to persecute those who did. And so when Jesus comes to Paul, or comes to Saul at this point, and says, I am Jesus who you are persecuting, th this was a moment for Saul here where he was confronted now with a truth that he had previously refused to believe. But now he is seeing and hearing the resurrected Jesus and Jesus is now putting in front of him a decision. Now that you see and hear me, what are you gonna do about that, Saul? And this is that moment with Saul where he has to then make a decision about what he's going to do. And so while the circumstances around his conversion are unique, the similarity is that just like the Ethiopian eunuch, just like all the people on the day of Pentecost, and just like all of us today, when we are confronted with the reality of the resurrected Jesus, we have to make a decision. Are we going to submit ourselves to him and believe in him, or are we going to reject that? Everyone who has come to the point of conversion has to make that decision when we are confronted with the truth about Jesus. And so, in that sense, even though the circumstances around Saul's conversion are very unique, the point of decision is actually very similar to the one that all of us have faced.

SPEAKER_01 7:09

Yeah, there's no question. And it it's really we've made mention of this in the first couple of weeks, and we'll make mention of it again here. In each of these stories of conversion, there they're at different times, they're at different circumstances. Uh there have been thousands of people involved, there has been one person involved, and we we've seen him almost run the gambit already, you know, just here in Acts chapter 9. But uh, the main similarity is all of them the centralized figure is Jesus. So in Acts chapter 2, Peter is preaching about Jesus. Uh in Acts chapter 8, the Ethiopian eunuch, he's reading from Isaiah, Philip preaches unto him Jesus. And here in Acts chapter 9, Jesus is actually on the scene. And so it it really hammers the point as you work your way through the book of Acts and you work your way through these conversions, there are differences in the way that there are different people and different circumstances and at different times, but there are main similarities, and one of those main similarities is the centralized piece is Jesus. And even here with Saul and the interaction that it has, and even in the role that Ananias ultimately will play, all direction is coming from Jesus, and everything is pointing to him.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

It's pointing to Jesus, and and really another similarity that we see through all of these examples, and this is a similarity that we see not just through the three that we're talking about this month so far, but throughout the pages of Acts, the similarity is that those who come to the realization that Jesus is the Son of God and that they have a decision to make, it leads them directly to the waters of baptism in order for conversion and salvation to take place. We saw that on the day of Pentecost. We saw that with the Ethiopian eunuch last week in chapter 8, and then here with Saul and his conversion, we see that very thing happening. Saul had a direct interaction with the resurrected Jesus in Acts chapter 9, but it wasn't until Ananias told him, Saul, you need to arise and be baptized or his sins washed away. If that isn't a case for baptism at the point of conversion, I don't know what else to say. Saul literally had this moment with Jesus, but that wasn't the moment in which Saul's sins were washed away. That wasn't the moment when he became forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ. It was in the waters of baptism. And again, we saw that on the day of Pentecost. What do we need to do to be saved? Repent and be baptized. The Ethiopian eunuch, Jesus was preached to him. Here's water. What's hindering me from being baptized? We need to do this right now. There's a sense of urgency in that action because that's the moment in which our sins are washed away. And the Holy Spirit makes it so clear to us throughout each of these stories of conversion that this is a central part, a necessary part of becoming a child of God and being cleansed from our sins. And so that's another one of those similarities that we see in each of these stories. And if you're to continue to study through the book of Acts, you'll see it over and over again as being that moment in which one's sins are washed away.

SPEAKER_01 10:21

Yeah, I mean, the timeline r really helps us here. Not just a little bit later on when Paul is uh kind of recounting this story in Acts chapter 22, which he does again in Acts chapter 26, and and he makes mention of Ananias' role in kind of at the end when he confronts Saul then at that time and he says that, you know, what what why are you waiting? You know, arise and be baptized, washing away your sins. And so it it it is an incredibly powerful verse that showcases that, but it also fits the timeline. When you if you come back to Acts chapter 9, you know, it it Paul he has this interaction with the resurrected Jesus, and um he has uh a belief of who Jesus is and an understanding uh of what just took place. Jesus then has a conversation with Ananias and says, Listen, you need to go find uh you need to go find Saul and tells him exactly what street he's gonna be in, what what house he's gonna be in, and he's been there for three days, and he's been three days fasting, and he's been three days praying. So he's been fasting, he's been praying. He believes that he's had an interaction with Jesus, but even after all of that, washing your sins away is the is baptism, and and you see that you know play out for us here in Acts 22, certainly when you put it, you know, right next to Acts chapter 9 as well.

SPEAKER_00 11:49

Yeah, and uh the the whole story, and you mentioned the timeline, and I think it is helpful if you're gonna study through the conversion of Paul, it is helpful to look at not just Acts chapter 9, but then as he recounts it in chapter 22 and 26 to kind of get the full picture of everything that transpires during that moment or during that time period, and that the timeline is really helpful. And when Saul has uh been baptized and his sins have been washed away, we see a total change in him from that point forward. And I think that's another important aspect of what conversion really is. Saul's sins have been washed away in the waters of baptism after he now believes in Jesus. He is now ready to take on this new life that he has found in Christ. There's a change that takes place in him, such a profound change, that as you read through Paul's story, a lot of the Christians were like, I don't want anything to do with this guy. Last I heard, he was persecuting Christians, and now you're telling me he's gonna come teach the gospel. That that's how radical the change was in Saul, and how quick the change was in Saul. And I think that's another important aspect of conversion, that it really represents a change in who we are, a change in direction, a change in passion, a change in purpose. And Saul sets a good example for us of what that really looks like. When we come to the point that we give our lives to Jesus Christ and we are baptized for the forgiveness of our sins, our entire lives change. Our outlook on life changes, the way that we talk and interact with people changes. Everything is different about us from that point forward. And this story of Saul really highlights that for us.

SPEAKER_01 13:35

Yeah, and I think one other thing, and I think certainly Paul will use this in his writing, he does as he recounts in Acts 22 and 26, and listen, he's been arrested, and he's interested in retelling the story in Acts chapter 22. He's standing before Agrippa in Acts chapter 26, and he recounts the story again. And I think he's doing it each and every one of those times, not to lift himself up in any way, but to show the the grace, the mercy, the love, the compassion, the care that Jesus has and the power that the gospel has. And I think when he alludes to his past, when you go through the epistles specifically, he's he's making the point that there's no too far away. There's no too far gone that the power of the gospel can't grab a hold of you. And he will use himself as an example over and over and over again. That there is not too far away, there is not too bad, there is not too far gone that the power of the gospel can't grab a hold of you. And we've seen that now in Acts chapter 2, we've seen that in Acts Chapter 8, and we see it again here in Acts Chapter 9.

SPEAKER_00 14:40

Yeah, and I think it points to the fact that our conversion stories have power to them. You know, to be able to tell someone else about here's where I was and now here's where I am because of Jesus, and here's what that transition looked like for me. Those are powerful testimonies to share with others, and and Saul used his own story, as you said, as a way of proclaiming the gospel message, and I think it leaves us a good example in which we can follow. And so let's wrap things up today in Acts chapter 22. We alluded to this multiple times today, but this is one of those instances in which Paul is recounting his conversion, and he is going to share some of the words that Ananias shared with him as he led him to Jesus. And so let's just read a couple of verses. Acts chapter 22, beginning in verse number 14. Then he said, God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know his will and see the just one and hear the voice of his mouth, for you will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now, why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

SPEAKER_01 16:06

Thank you for listening this week. If you haven't already done so, we'd appreciate it if you would take just a second to subscribe to the podcast, whatever platform you're listening to, rate and review the show so we can continue to spread the good news of Jesus as widely and effectively as possible. Thanks again for joining us this week, and we'll talk again next week.