Converting the Chief of Sinners

Acts 9:1-9

There is a religious police in everyone. This is especially the case in organized religion. In Iran, morality police prosecute women for wearing hijabs improperly or walking alone with a male friend. In Japanese monasticism, monks are punished for 30 days for crimes like drinking sake, eating meat, or using any of the 5 forbidden spices. Same thing in some Christian universities. Rulers are used to measure length of skirts and distance between dating couples. Students’ music is also scrutinized; all popular music is banned. This exists not only in institutions but in individuals. Some religious people may see themselves as righteous and zealously despise those they think are less spiritual. Or they may zealously try to convert them to their legalism. Jesus opposed those who thought, taught, and acted like this.

This was the case with the Pharisees - institutionally and individually. They opposed the gospel of salvation - that sinners can be saved from their sins. To them, sinners must obey to be holy. Today, we see how a Pharisee named Saul was saved. Before his conversion, he saw himself as righteous and saintly - maybe even the chief of saints. But when he was converted, he saw himself for what he truly was - the chief of sinners needing salvation. If there’s hope for him, there’s hope for deeply religious people. There are 3 truths we can learn from this passage. Firstly, “religious” people hate the gospel. Secondly, the Lord saves such irreligious people. Thirdly, truly religious people are those that surrender to the Lord.

Firstly, “religious” people hate the gospel. There are those who are devoted to religion, but are not truly inwardly spiritual, like Saul. Verse 1 - “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.” Saul was the Sanhedrin member who led the charge that killed Stephen. Stephen preached at Saul’s home synagogue. And when Saul couldn’t out argue Stephen, he got false witnesses to accuse and try him. But why? It’s because Stephen preached the gospel. He told people they were insufficient and sinful. God was angry with them. They needed Christ’s salvation because they and their good works weren’t good enough to save themselves. By this time, the gospel was preached even in Samaria and Caesarea. The Samaritans were saved, the Ethiopian eunuch was saved. Philip breathed out words of life. But here, Saul breathed out words of death against the disciples. He hated the gospel message and was zealous for the religion of the Pharisees.

In Matthew 23:15, Jesus said,“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” This describes their zeal. They’d travel great distances to make a convert. They were evangelistic. But they converted people not to a religion of grace and mercy, but to a religion of rules and regulations. Yes, God gave 613 laws for the Israelites to obey. 248 positive and 365 negative laws. Now, God gave these laws to show how holy and precise he was; to teach that no one can keep them perfectly. So that when people did sin, they’d run to him for forgiveness. But the Pharisees didn’t see that purpose of the law. So to ensure that laws weren’t broken, they made up extra laws to protect God’s laws. That made their religion burdensome. Jesus accused the Pharisee in Luke 11 of laying burdens on men that were too grievous to be borne. As if the laws of God weren’t hard enough, they laid down more laws! And Saul was zealous - that was the only way to please God - to have many rules and follow them. When Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, the Pharisees got angry when the man carried his bed. They accused him of transporting on the Sabbath. We know God’s law commands us not to work on the Sabbath. So to help people from working in the fields, they instituted laws against carrying things, in case they were carrying equipment to the fields. Or when the disciples plucked wheat and rubbed out the grain to eat on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accused them of harvesting. They were zealous to maintain their standard holiness. They had zeal to keep everyone in order. But it was sad - to make a convert to that kind of mindset and make him twice as bad.

Dearly beloved, this can also happen today. Many young Christians are tender in conscience and eager to obey God. This we must commend. That good zeal, however, can be channeled wrongly in their weakness and immaturity but desire to honor God. Invariably and frequently, they develop their own laws to help them keep God’s laws. And they impose this on others. Dearly beloved, stay far far away from this kind of mentality. It is not spiritual even though it has an appearance of spirituality. Because it really does not. True piety is to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. But such a version of piety wouldn’t last. It fosters hypocrisy. The Pharisees’ laws were too hard to keep. They taught you couldn’t walk more than 2000 cubits from your property. But to get around that, they would enlarge the boundaries of their property with string so they could walk further and still keep their manmade laws. So Jesus spoke against not only their mindset but hypocrisy. They created hyper-religious people. Not truly spiritual people but people zealous for laws that gives an appearance of saintliness.

And if this was the zeal of the normal Pharisee, Saul was even more zealous. Acts 23 says he was a Pharisee, and a son of a Pharisee. In other words, he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees. There were normal Pharisees, and then there was Saul. Like ultra-orthodox Jews versus just Orthodox Jews. Just like today, you have Reformed, and then you have the Truly Reformed. But hear Paul’s own confession of his former zeal as a Pharisee. Galatians 1:13-14 - “For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: and profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.” He wanted to advance the religion of the Pharisees - he wanted people to be perfect. That’s why he hated the gospel - people shouldn’t have to be forgiven if they lead a moral life and are righteous and respectable. In the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, the Pharisee prayed and thanked God that he was not like the publicans, extortioners, unjust, and adulterers, because he fasted twice a week and gave tithes of what he possessed. Yes, they had to be saved from those sins, but he had to be saved from his religiosity - from his offensive righteousness. Jesus told this parable because of those in his audience. Luke 18:9 says, “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.” The Pharisees thought they were saints, but they were the worst kind of sinners.

This zeal led to anger against Christians. In Acts 8, he entered homes to arrest men and women, throwing them in jail. So angry was he that 10,000 people fled. But he didn’t stop. And Saul, or then Saul breathed out threatenings and slaughter. His anger intensified from throwing people into jail to threatening to kill them. These weren’t empty threats. Stephen was killed. He also went to the high priest. Verse 2 - “And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.” His anger caused him to initiate Stephen’s execution, and his anger caused him to petition the High Priest. it wasn’t the High Priest’s idea, but Saul’s. He also did the leg work. He knew he needed arrest warrants to go into Damascus - another jurisdiction - to arrest Christians. He also knew they hid out in synagogues. He wanted to bring them back in chains - in shame - because he had been shamed. He wanted them to stand trial to kill them. The gospel had damaged his self-righteousness. So he would damage Christians. And it wasn’t for money. He wanted satisfaction from destroying the gospel. So what would Christ do to this self-righteous, gospel hating, Christian killing Pharisee? What would the coming judge do to this irreligious person?

We learn that the Lord saves such irreligious persons. That’s the second truth. Verses 3-5 - “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

While Saul breathed out threatenings, Jesus tenderly sought him out. Saul had no intention of seeking Christ to saved; he didn’t think he needed saving. But Jesus sought him tenderly. When Saul was almost at Damascus to carry out the arrests - a bright heavenly light suddenly shone round about him, and he fell down. In Paul’s testimony years later in Acts 26:13, this happened at noon - but the light was brighter than the noon sun. It surrounded Saul and his entourage. And this is why he fell down - not out of dismay but fearful realization. As a Pharisee, he knew the Scriptures. Such light could only be divine light. This light was seen by Abraham, Moses, and Isaiah - it was the glory of God. So Saul understood - that’s why he prostrated himself on the ground in worship. Then he heard a tender voice - Saul, Saul. Jesus said the name twice to show tenderness. He called Abraham, Abraham - to provide a sacrificial substitute for Isaac. He called Jacob, Jacob - to call him to go to Egypt where he will be a great nation. He called Moses, Moses - to provide a Savior for his people. He called Samuel, Samuel - to call him as a prophet from a young age. He called Martha, Martha - to encourage her patiently to choose what was better. He called Simon, Simon - to warn him of Satan’s trials. And he called Jerusalem, Jerusalem - in sorrow when they didn’t repent. Here, he tenderly called this man who viciously attacked him and his people. He asked - “Why persecutest thou me?” And this would’ve shocked Saul. He thought he did this for God. But God’s question implied his attacks were against God. That’s why in his confusion, he asked - who are you Lord? This was God speaking. The light and glory, and the voice, proved that. And this voice was heard by everyone, Acts 22:9. It was audible. That’s why Saul understood the implication. God accused Saul of attacking God. So he had to ask - who are you Lord?

And the voice answered - “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” Which Jesus was this? Acts 22:8 makes it clearer - “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.” Saul would’ve realized several things. He would’ve realized the Jesus he killed as a Sanhedrinist was not dead, but alive. He also would’ve realized that Jesus was God. Furthermore, he realized that by persecuting Christians, he was also persecuting Christ. It was as good as attacking Christ. And lastly, he would’ve realized that by so doing, he was an enemy of Christ. And yet, Christ said, Saul Saul.

And he also realized his quest would be futile. Jesus compelled him to stop and to follow him. He said, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” What you’re doing is futile. You couldn’t out argue Stephen. He was right. You’re wrong. But you still resist. You’re trying to destroy the church. But I’m the Lord of the church. Know this - your resistance and your attempt to destroy will come to nothing. And in one sense it was true. The church was growing rapidly, with 10,000 believers in a matter of a few months, and out of Jerusalem into Samaria. And now the disciples were preaching wherever they went. Saul couldn’t stop it. And if he was zealous against the gospel, he was zealous against God. If he was zealous for man made righteousness, he’d be against true righteousness by the gospel. He’d be against God. An enemy not a friend. Jesus used this phrase not only to show he couldn’t go against Christ, but had to follow Christ. The prick or goad was used to guide the ox wherever the farmer wanted it to go. If Saul was stubborn like an ox, it would hurt. If he complied, he’d be useful. Yes, when Saul was focusing on his man-made laws and self-righteousness, he was useless; but if he’d follow Jesus, he’d be useful. Jesus was asking him to follow him. He was willing to save such an irreligious person.

How did Saul respond to the tender compulsion of Christ? He surrendered. That’s the third point. Truly religious people surrender to the Lord. He called on Christ. Verse 6 - “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” After coming face to face as it were, with the tender but compelling God, Saul who was once fearsome, now fearful, yielded himself as a servant. What would you have me do? This question showed his reverential submission. He was now Christ’s servant. The question was personal. What do you want me to do? “Religious” people are always telling others what God would have them do. But truly religious people ask God what he would have me do. Christ’s tenderness led this self-sufficient person to this point. And in verse 6, Christ told him what to do - “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” And in verse 8, he went. He asked, and he obeyed. Whereas in the past, he went to the High Priest for warrants, he led the men to Damascus; now he was no longer master, but servant. We learn in verse 8 says, “And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.” He continued to be led, to yield. When he arose, his eyes were blinded. We’re not sure what this was. It could be physiological after the light brighter than sunlight. Or Christ was doing this to teach him. In the past, he led. Now he had to be led. When he had sight, he couldn’t see his unrighteousness. But now without sight, he was forced to recognize and admit his own blindness.

Whenever we go through controversies, we’re very quick to point out what others must do. We don’t ask God what we must do, but we tell others what God tells them to do. During COVID we saw this from those from either extremes. Strong zealous words, but blind to our own sinful attitudes. In church fights and fights between couples, it’s always how the other person must change. We don’t regularly ask what God would have us do because we don’t want to know. We think our path is the right one - just like Saul - until he had to be blinded to see.

And when he saw what did he do? When he was in Damascus, that once fearsome sinner now grieved. Verse 9 - “And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.” What was the reason for his fasting? There was grief for sin. He had just been confronted with his sins. He killed Christ. He persecuted the church. He stirred up people against Stephen because he was angry. Even his vengeful anger and zeal against Stephen. He thought he was righteous. But now, all he saw was sin. The grief and pain he would’ve felt, these caused him to be silent without food or drink in the darkness of his guilt. Far too often, people don’t experience guilt as we should. We compare - others did more wrong than I did; but when we realize we’re the chief of sinners, that there’s no good thing in us, then can we be restored. That guilt is good.

Dearly beloved, we often don’t want to feel that guilt. And that’s impossible as we come before Christ at the supper. When we behold him, his light reveals all of our weaknesses and shortcomings. To partake of this meal without acknowledging our self-righteousness and our despising of others, to partake of this meal with self-satisfaction, to ignore how we have burdened others with our own laws and standards would be to ignore the sufferings of Christ to rescue us from that kind of monstrosity. Our Lord sinned not, he kept the law perfectly - he fulfilled it - and he demonstrated mercy, grace, and love - but that was not good enough for the self-righteous. And therefore, if we come today without feeling that remorse we eat and drink damnation to ourselves. Perhaps the Lord is doubly calling you tenderly today. Or perhaps you have come, wanting to trust in the finished work of Christ, but you’ve been made to feel lousy because you’re not as good, or strict, or zealous as others may be - know that Christ has counted you perfect and is maturing you. Take comfort in that and never doubt he cleansed you. And perhaps he gives you that double call to assure you this day of his pleasure on you - not because of your life, but because of Christ’s alone.

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