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Rev. Jeremy J. Schultz
Conversion of St. Paul
January 25, 2009
Among the best known and most loved hymns in all the world is: "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me." A man named John Newton wrote it more than 200 years ago based upon his own personal experience. You see, Newton was converted to Christianity and was brought into the light of the Gospel after having spent several years in the darkness of sin in the slave trade. That's why he writes, "I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see." The words describe his conversion as a movement from darkness to light; from blindness to sight. It's an experience that any converted Christian could quite possibly relate to. But none more than the Apostle Paul.
When we meet him in Acts 9, Paul is still Saul and he's no apostle, not yet. He's a persecutor of Christians - and he's good at it. There's no way of knowing how many Christians he personally terrorized and imprisoned. We know that he gave his approval over the death of at least one - a man named Stephen in Acts 8. Perhaps it should be mentioned that in all of this Saul thought that he was right. He was so sure that Jesus was only an imposter and he was so zealous for the laws of God that he furiously tried to wipe out Christianity. But all of that changed on the rode to Damascus when Jesus appeared to him. Suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed all around. Saul fell to the ground; he could no longer see. And a voice said to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" It was the beginning of a massive change, perhaps described as one going from darkness to light; from blindness to sight. Saul was rendered blind there on the road to Damascus so that he might see the truth of the Gospel and be converted into a follower of Jesus Christ. And he was!
But what a tough nut to crack! Something extraordinary had to happen to get through to him. And it's the same with us. The Bible says in Romans 5 that apart from Christ…left in our sins and left to ourselves, we are God's enemies. That's how bad it is! Sin makes us enemies of God - just like Saul, the persecutor, before he was changed. Here he thought that he was doing God a favor by rounding up those Christians, but what actually happened was that God had to come to the rescue of His church and He had to come to the rescue of this man and save them both.
For Paul, it is well documented. God got his attention. Then the Lord sent Ananias to lay his hands on him. Paul received back his sight. The Holy Spirit came upon him and caused him to believe in the name of this Jesus. He was baptized and he became a follower of Jesus.
In the same way, God has come to you. Like Paul, you were still in your sins. So it wasn't because you were His friend but it was because you were His enemy. And that is why it's called mercy. God had mercy on you and mercy on me. It is because we were enemies, but God wanted us to be His friends. So Romans 5 says, "At just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." And again, "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Because of His great love for you, God has turned your very life around. He has bridged the gap that your rebellion produced by bringing you near through the reconciliation that Jesus brought when He died on the cross for all of your sins. And that this great gift might be applied to each one of us personally, He has given the gift of Holy Baptism that you might receive the Holy Spirit and faith to believe and strength through the forgiveness of sins. God came to the rescue of His church. He came to the rescue of Paul. And in the same way, He has come to your rescue and mine.
But all of this was not without effect, was it? God had a purpose in mind for the Apostle Paul. He says as much to Ananias when He says, "This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel." So the purpose of God rescuing Paul was that he might be the instrument or vessel to carry the Name of the Lord forward! To found all the churches that he did! To write the 13 letters to those churches in the New Testament that bear his name! To never give up - to work harder than any body else. To have the singular message of Christ and Him Crucified upon his lips and to never, ever be ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of salvation for everyone who believes.
It's the same with us. This Gospel that we've been given is not without effect. But people, we are St. Paul Lutheran Church. We are the chosen vessel of God…a congregation of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod that has been established as a result of Christ's own work.
God has placed us here for the purpose of carrying his name before the people of Royal Oak and the surrounding communities. He has given us the incredible tools of the Gospel - His precious Word and the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion to use so that others might be rescued from their sins and be at peace with God. Take a look again, as I had you do a few months ago, at the cover of our bulletin. Look at the cross and look at the people that are being drawn to it. Those people represent you and so many more like you. Single dads raising children, traditional households comprising of a mom and dad and their children, single adults - all are being drawn to the cross - all a part of this family of followers. This is what God is building. And He's using us. He's using you.
One elder noticed that a member hadn't been to church in quite a while. He called him up and encouraged him to start practicing his faith again. That man and his fiancée now come to church regularly. A great grandma brings her great grandchildren. Friends met other friends at a party - now they come to church too. Many people simply who visited once simply liked the fact that you were friendly and so they've come back often. Another one came because he needed a Bible and on and on and on it goes. You, people of St. Paul, are the baptized. You are the forgiven. You are the rescued. You are the ones chosen by God to be His instruments, His vessels to carry His name forth!
I believe that His commitment to you is not without effect. I believe that He will use the ministry of our church's school to minister to many families and that it will be the first step for many, many to come to know Christ. I believe that right now, He is leading the leaders of this church to think good thoughts and provide good ministry through the Financial Support Group and the Parenting class both on Wednesday nights. I believe that in these and in many more ways we are His instruments to carry His name before all the people of Royal Oak and the surrounding communities. And I believe that His grace given to us is not without effect.
And it may not be without personal cost. To Ananias, the Lord says of Paul, "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." We know that Jesus took the cross. He was the chosen instrument of God to win our salvation. As His followers, we dare not expect anything less. Who knows what we may have to suffer for His name? But for Christ there was also an empty tomb. And so there is also for you! Friends, there’s no better way to live than as His chosen instruments. We have been given it all! We have been rescued from our sins. We have been reconciled to the Father. We have been baptized and anointed as His chosen instruments to carry His Name forward. To that end, God grant us His faithfulness. Amen.
© St. Paul Lutheran Church 2009