Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2009
<-Previous | Sermons | All Sermons | Next->

THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL

27 January Anno + Domini 2009 (Observed)

"Conversion is the Lord's Work”

Acts 9:1-22

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

It is the way of our sinful flesh to try to self-reference salvation.  We want to be able to say that, at least in some important way, we've played a role in getting right with God and gaining eternal life, that there's something about us or what we've done that has helped to seal the deal.  That's why the false doctrine of "decision theology” runs rampant.  People want to take credit, at least in part, for accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.   

But, consider the miraculous conversion of St. Paul.  He was in a very real sense put to death on the road to Damascus, stopped dead in his tracks, that he might be saved by the crucified and risen Lord.  He made no decision for Christ.  Christ made a decision for him and chose him to be the apostle to the Gentiles.  Paul was put into the depths for three days, blinded, in token of the blindness of his unbelief, for which Jesus died.  But then on the third day Paul was raised up to life and light again.  Pastor Ananias came to him on that straight way and spoke to him the healing words of Christ, which restored his sight.  Paul was baptized, enlightened and filled with the Holy Spirit.  Paul would later write, "Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." 

Crucified with Christ, you were also reborn in Him by water and the Word, dear friends.  You were converted by Him, chosen by Him, brought into the kingdom by Him, and none of this - none of it - was your doing.  Therein is the first lesson we learn from the conversion of St. Paul.  Conversion is the Lord's work, not ours.

But, there is another lesson.  The Lord tells Ananias that He will show St. Paul how much he must suffer for the sake of His Name.  St. Paul was definitely shown.  Besides the "thorn in the flesh” he carried with him throughout his life, he was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned all for the sake of the Gospel.  Most of that could have been avoided if he had just given in a bit to the Judaizers and other false teachers of his day; if he had just been a little more willing to compromise.  But, he wouldn't.  This Gospel he preached was not given to him by man, but by the Lord Himself.  He gladly endured all the pain and suffering inflicted upon him and would not stray from the truth of the Gospel in the least. 

Let it be so with us, dear friends.  Our conversion story is no less miraculous than St. Paul's.  We, too, were dead in sin and enemies of God, blinded to the Light of the Truth.  But, our Lord appeared to us and called us by name at the Baptismal font.  Therefore, let us count ourselves blessed when we are reviled and persecuted and all kinds of evil is spoken against us falsely for Christ's sake.  Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is our reward in heaven.  For Christ's death is our life, and He is with us in our suffering to carry us through to the resurrection, to give us the inheritance of everlasting life. 

St. Peter says in the Gospel lesson, "See, we have left everything and followed You.  What then will we have?”  Soon, dear friends, we shall have the glory of heaven as the Lord makes clear, in response to St. Peter.  But, for now, we shall have the cross, dear friends, and the salvation it brings.  We shall have the Fruits of the cross right here in this place at this time, for we shall have the very Body and Blood of Christ, given and shed for us on that cross for the forgiveness of our sins.  This is enough for us, for with St. Paul, we desire to know nothing else but Christ and Him Crucified.  The Lord grant that desire among us, now and always.  In Jesus' Holy and Precious Name.  Amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, unto life everlasting.  Amen.