SOME OF PAUL’S EXPERIENCES OF CHRIST
Acts 8:1
Morning Meditation 5/16/17
Verse 1 says, “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.”
I want to consider some of Paul’s experiences of Christ. Let’s notice his experience,
WHEN HE FIRST HEARD OF CHRIST
Paul was a devout Jew and had the religious persuasion of a Pharisee before his conversion. There are two verses where Paul tells us about his attitude toward the Church before conversion:
1 Corinthians 15:9 says, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” He persecuted the Church because he believed that the Church was a cult and their doctrine of Christ was false.
Galatians 1:13 says, “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:” The word “persecute” in both these verses translates “dioko” and means, “to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away, to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run after, to pursue (in a hostile manner).” After Paul conversion, he grieved over the way he treated the church.
But it was not just against the Church itself, he was against Christ, the invisible Head of the Church. Acts 26:9 says, “I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” Berry in his literal translation of the Textus Receptus from which our KJV is translated translates, “I indeed therefore thought.” What I want you to see is that Paul was straight according to the strictest religious group of the Jew’s religion.. He was as sincere (Some believe as long as you are sincere you’re ok) as one could be, and yet he was unsaved, and on his road to a devil’s hell (Matt. 25:41).
Let us be encouraged to faithfully witness and pray for those who seem to be beyond the scope of salvation by grace. Let me encourage you by the example of Paul that God can save AND USE a man who today hates him and persecutes His people. Read Paul’s testimony concerning this: 1 Tim. 1:15-16 say, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, FOR A PATTERN to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” (Caps mine for emphasis).
There is some christian woman who will read these lines whose husband seems to be beyond the possibility of conversion. Just remember that Paul said, “I am chief.” So God has already saved the “chief.” And He did it for a “pattern.” The word “pattern” translates “hupotuposis” and means, “an outline, sketch, brief and summary exposition.” Paul is an EXPOSITORY SERMON ON GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY TO SAVE THE SO-CALLED UNSAVABLE. Someone hold my mules!!! Hallelujah!!!
Next let’s notice his experience of Christ,
WHEN PERSONALLY CONFRONTED BY CHRIST
This is recorded in Acts 9:1-9. He was on his way to Damascus with authority from the high priest to legally bind and bring them (Jews) to Jerusalem for imprisonment. Paul headed this hostile force. Armed with letters of authority from the high priest, traveling with a group of zealots who were with him to help, Jesus met him in an episode he would never forget, and would never be the same. It is described in Acts 9:3-4: “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?” Saul was dumbfounded. He had to find out who this was. Verse 5 says, “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.”
This voice that came out of the heavenly light said, “I am Jesus.” This translates the same “I am” that identifies Himself to Moses in the burning bush. It is “ego eimi.” These are the exact words Jesus used in John 8:58 where, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” What did the Jews understand Jesus to say when He said this? John 8:59 tells us: “Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” They were going to kill him for what they considered blasphemy in that He claimed that He was/is JEHOVAH. When Paul asked, “Who art thou Lord,” this VOICE that came to him out of the heavenly light answered, “I am Jesus.” This time Jesus adds His saving name to the “I am.” Jesus is the mysterious and unpronounced name of the Old Testament JEHOVAH. The Jew believes there is power in the UNPRONOUNCED NAME OF GOD. They believe that the success of Jesus was that He learned the correct pronunciation of the name of JEHOVAH. Of course, they believe anyone who could learn to pronounce that name correctly would have the secret of power to do the same as Jesus did. What they do not believe is that Jesus is the NAME. Jesus said, “I AM HE.”
When Jesus made that statement to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, what effect did it have on him? Saul said in verse 6, “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Later in testifying before king Agrippa in Acts 26:19 he said, “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.”
Every person who is saved is personally confronted by Christ. True salvation is not a response to the church but a response to the conviction of the Holy Spirit as He draws one to Christ. Jesus through the Person of the Holy Spirit personally confronts every person who is saved. Salvation is a PERSONAL RELATION TO JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOUR. This is the reason it is common for believers to ask the question, “Do you know Christ?” This was an experience that Paul had with Christ. Have we had that experience? Next, let’s look at Paul’s experience of Christ,
WHEN HE WAS COMMISSIONED BY CHRIST TO PREACH
Saul, after his conversion on the road outside Damascus, arose from that experience, blinded by the heavenly light, and was led by the hand into Damascus. After three days without sight, in a state of fasting and prayer, the Lord spoke to Ananias, a disciple of the Lord, and said, “. . . Ananias, . . . Arise and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.”
Ananias had a problem with this. He explained to the Lord how he had heard of Saul and the authority he had to officially persecute the Church in Damascus. I don’t think we should be too hard on Ananias at this point, but he did need to renew his belief in the Omniscience of God. He talks to the Lord like He does not have all His information right on Saul. But God suggests that Ananias is the one who has not heard the latest. In the Lord’s explanation to Ananias verses 15-16 say, “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.”
Later when Paul is writing to the Churches of Galatia he said in Gal. 1:13-16, “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. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.” Paul commission to preach was not from the Church, it was from the Lord.
I am afraid today our pulpits across this country are being filled with professionals instead of men who can give testimony to a personal experience of Christ in the call to the ministry. The ministry is not for volunteers. It is for men chosen of God, gifted by God, and commissioned by God. God still calls His ministers. Every God-called preacher has a testimony of a personal relation to Christ with regard to the ministry. Next let’s look at Paul’s experience of Christ,
WHEN HE SUFFERED FOR CHRIST
Paul catalogs his suffering for Christ in 2 Corinthians chapter 11. Few have ever come close to suffering for Christ more than Paul. As he finishes his list of things suffered in the line of duty, he enters chapter 12 with a testimony of being caught up into “paradise.” Jesus never allows one to suffer without personally identifying with him in his sufferings. The modern Christian wants a PARADISE EXPERIENCE without a CATALOG OF SUFFERINGS. And some are so brain-dead theologically that they think their arthritis is SUFFERING FOR JESUS. Now don’t get me wrong. I sympathize with any kind of physical suffering and so does Jesus. But there is wide gulf that separates one’s sufferings for Christ and the mumps and measles. Next let’s look imaginarily at Paul’s experience of Christ,
WHEN HE WENT HOME TO BE WITH CHRIST
2 Corinthians 5:8 Paul says, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” For Paul, death was the door from this life into the presence of the Lord. You say, “That is just what Paul believed. How do we know it is true?” We know it is true because what Paul said was inspired by the Holy Spirit and stands as eternal truth that one can count on. What this verse means is that when ANY CHRISTIAN DIES, he is “absent from the body” (A Christian’s body does not go to heaven when he dies. This will happen in the resurrection) and IS “present with the Lord.” Amen!!!
Can you imagine the welcome Paul got when he departed this life as his head rolled off the chopping block? Paul’s testimony about his own physical death in found in 1 Tim. 4:6 where he said, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.” The words “ready to be offered” translate one word “spendo” and means, “to pour out as a drink offering, make a libation.” It is a present passive indicative verb. The present tense means continually ready. The passive voice means that his readiness does not spring out of himself but from an outside source. This could mean that the Lord came to him in a vision or dream and told him the time was near, He could have sent and angel with the message, or it could have been that the Word of God itself prepared him for this event.
Paul said, “The time of my departure is at hand.” The word “departure” translates “analusis” and means, “an unloosing (as of things woven), a metaphor drawn from the loosing from the moorings of a ship preparatory to setting sail.” Well, when the grizzly sight of Paul’s head lay on the cold pavement of the earthly seen, he SUDDENLY appears in the presence of the Lord. Faith gives way to sight as Jesus says, “Hello, Paul!” I think Paul said, “Lord, I told them what you told me to tell them, that death for a Christian is far better (Phil. 1:23), but I had no idea that it would be this good! Helloooo Jesus!”
Our desire should be to so live that when we “depart” this life, that we will not be embarrassed (1 John 2:28) over a life of worldliness after salvation. May the Lord help us to be committed without reserve to Him and His service here that we might have a “well done” there.
