Blinded But Enlightened ... and Transformed!

…Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the
ground and heard a voice say to him “Saul, Saul, why do
you persecute me?” “Who are you Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting….”
Acts 9:4-5

The account of Saul’s conversion is dramatic and intense. It’s not a story that too many of us can entirely relate to since it’s doubtful that any of us have been knocked to the ground by a flash of light and a voice from heaven. But how many of us began as a vicious persecutor of Christians? Even so, Saul’s experience on the Damascus Road can teach us some very important lessons about the nature of transformation.

I’ve often heard people say about their conversion something like this: “I found Christ under such and such circumstances,” or “I came to faith in such and such circumstances.” That’s backwards! Sure we have free will to accept Christ, but it’s not too often that the needy, angry, self-destructive person is seeking to find Jesus. In the same way that Jesus found Saul in his circumstances, Jesus finds us in our circumstances. Jesus seeks us and gives himself to us. He did it when He died on the cross. … Let’s look at what happened next:

Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand… (Acts 9:8) The flash of light from heaven was so bright that it physically blinded Saul. Luke tells us that the men traveling with Saul stood speechless. They heard sound, but did not see anyone. Remember, it was Saul who was being sought by Jesus here -- not his traveling companions! -- and (here’s the tender part): That light was so bright that it penetrated the darkness of Saul's heart and filled him with the revelation that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Paul wrote about this light from heaven years later:

For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,” made
His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (II Corinthians 4:6)

Saul's story really is the story of every one of us before we come to Christ. We are born as enemies of God, blinded by unbelief. We are born as grandchildren of Adam, depraved and lost. Some of us have pasts we are ashamed of (like Saul?)…. We were born into the world needing to be transformed!

Think about the words of John 3:16. Now think about Saul; and think about your own life. If you’ve already come to Christ and been transformed, your heart is filled with joy and thanksgiving. If you’re still resisting Jesus and looking for transformation through psychology or education or positive thinking, know this: Just like Saul – true transformation comes from a personal encounter with Jesus! Saul did not see a vision. He saw the Risen Christ Himself !

- Pastor Mark