Conversion Leads to Conversation

Acts 9:1-22

The Damascus Road: Saul Converted

1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?"  Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?"  Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias."

And he said, "Here I am, Lord."

11 So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight."

13 Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."

15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."

17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Saul Preaches Christ

20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?"

22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Saul’s amazing conversion on the road to destruction of God’s people led him to conversation with others whom he had been persecuting.  As an agent of the dragon (Revelation 12:9, 17), he was out to destroy those who had the testimony of Jesus Christ with threats and murderous intent.  Jesus met him on this road to destruction of Saul’s own soul and was blinded by the light of God’s glory as He spoke to call him to life-giving conversation with the lost as he once was instead.  Jesus made it clear that those who persecute His people, the church, are persecuting Him because they are in Him and of Him and have their lives intertwined with His as the true children of God in Christ.  Faced with the living God who is the light of the world (John 1:4-5, 8:12), Saul of Tarsus asked what he needed to do in light of this meeting with the Almighty.  He was not told the answer yet but was instructed to go into the city and wait to be told what he must do.  He was given time to think about his conversation and conversion for three days until he was given a meeting with the disciple of Jesus Christ, Ananias who was told to have a conversation with the persecutor and murderer of Christ followers.  This faithful Ananias trusted God to go and have this conversation with this dreaded and dangerous man because God told him that Saul was praying for guidance from the light which had illuminated him on the road to Damascus and left him without clear sight.  The Lord answered the objections with the pronouncement that He had chosen this blasphemous enemy to bring the conversation of the gospel for the conversion of many others besides himself.  Saul the slayer would become Paul the preacher of the reconciling message of the cross and resurrection to the nations, to rulers in high places, and to the children of Israel.  His conversion here would be the beginning of the ongoing conversation which would bring life to many in place of death which he had previously been pursuing.  Saul was also shown just how much he would suffer for the Lord’s sake in this calling in contrast to the suffering which he had been afflicting on others who had been following Christ before his conversion.  Ananias faithfully obeyed the Lord and Saul was given sight and God’s Spirit to seal him (Ephesians 1:13-14) and enable his ministry (1 Corinthians 2:4, 13) to the nations from which He was calling all His children to reconciliation by the grace and work of Jesus Christ.  Immediately Saul went to the Jewish synagogue and began preaching and teaching that Jesus is the Christ-Messiah, the Son of God.  This is the gospel of saving grace which he would later say drove him to live for Christ and count death as gain (Romans 1:16, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 1:21) to be with Him forever again.  Saul who had persecuted those of the way now confounded the Jews who paid him to destroy the church as he proved from their scriptures (Luke 24:26-27, Acts 3:18, 26:22-23) that Jesus is the Christ, anointed of God, the Savior to deliver from their bondage of sin as in Egypt but in a spiritual sense inherited from Adam!  Saul’s conversion by Christ led to conversation of the good news with all he met as a pattern for us to follow in our own conversion of salvation to go and tell the world that Jesus is the Lord and Christ, the light and Savior of the world.