I think this is one my favorite quotes to come out of the Bible, but the reality is that it speaks to the heart of the matter in these sections of scripture. While en route to receive permission from Jewish officials to round up and imprison Christians, Paul (then a Jewish Zealot named Saul) had an incredibly dramatic and relatively immediate conversion experience, complete with literally blinding light and an encounter with a post-ascension Jesus. This was effectively the beginning of Paul’s ministry and massive expansion of Christianity.
It is rather mind-boggling to imagine how Christianity might be different today had this event never occurred. After his conversion, Paul began to preach the good news about Jesus in many countries, and he was subsequently arrested and put on trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin for being a “troublemaker”, amongst other accusations, and was then passed on to Roman authorities who can’t find Paul guilty of doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment (sound familiar?).
It is rather mind-boggling to imagine how Christianity might be different today had this event never occurred. After his conversion, Paul began to preach the good news about Jesus in many countries, and he was subsequently arrested and put on trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin for being a “troublemaker”, amongst other accusations, and was then passed on to Roman authorities who can’t find Paul guilty of doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment (sound familiar?).
The entire experience is somewhat overwhelming to think about, and I can imagine listening to Paul’s explanation of everything that had happened and thinking, “This guy’s out of his mind!”, much like Festus (great name, by the way). I must say that I’m extremely jealous of Saul/Paul’s conversion experience, not so much in the losing my eyesight and appetite sort of way, but more in terms of having a clear and present “Ah-ha!” moment where the way, the truth, and the light are so apparent and obvious that one has no choice but to submit and follow with full conviction and belief.
I recently read C.S. Lewis’ book Surprised by Joy, wherein he details an autobiographical account of his life, and the full array of steps leading up to his experience as “the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England”. He describes his conversion as more of a long term chess battle, and I think this is probably closer to what most converts, (and lets face it, most lifelong Christians, too) experience in terms of faith and encounters with God. As a very wise man (my father) once put it, “we have little conversions every day”.
I recently read C.S. Lewis’ book Surprised by Joy, wherein he details an autobiographical account of his life, and the full array of steps leading up to his experience as “the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England”. He describes his conversion as more of a long term chess battle, and I think this is probably closer to what most converts, (and lets face it, most lifelong Christians, too) experience in terms of faith and encounters with God. As a very wise man (my father) once put it, “we have little conversions every day”.
I believe our lives are an interactive preparation for God‘s master design, and this is most certainly true of Saul’s life pre-Paul. In pretty much every step of his ministry, Paul constantly makes references to his past life and status achievements as a way of connecting with others and sharing the good news. I don’t think it was just coincidence that God chose a man who somehow managed to be a member of seemingly every single social and political organization that existed at the time, because there was a need for a man with a varied past who could “become everything to everyone” in order to successfully deliver the message of Jesus to so many different people.
Paul’s conversion wasn’t just in that one blinding moment, and having this “Ah-ha!” moment didn’t make his life all cheese and crackers after, either. Sometimes it might feel like God is showing us “how much [we] must suffer for [his] name", and as active Christians living the gospel, we might often feel a little “insane”…but hey, if God did this much with a Christ hating Zealot, imagine what’s in store for us.
Paul’s conversion wasn’t just in that one blinding moment, and having this “Ah-ha!” moment didn’t make his life all cheese and crackers after, either. Sometimes it might feel like God is showing us “how much [we] must suffer for [his] name", and as active Christians living the gospel, we might often feel a little “insane”…but hey, if God did this much with a Christ hating Zealot, imagine what’s in store for us.
Acts 26
Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began to defend himself:2I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg of you to listen to me patiently.
4All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee. 6And now I stand here on trial on account of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, 7a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, your Excellency, that I am accused by Jews! 8Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is what I did in Jerusalem; with authority received from the chief priests, I not only locked up many of the saints in prison, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being condemned to death. 11By punishing them often in all the synagogues I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was so furiously enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.
12With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13when at midday along the road, your Excellency, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. 14When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.' 15I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' The Lord answered, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16But get up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you. 17I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles — to whom I am sending you 18to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance. 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would take place: 23that the Messiah must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles."
24While he was making this defense, Festus exclaimed, "You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you insane!" 25But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. 26Indeed the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." 28Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?" 29Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am — except for these chains."
30Then the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those who had been seated with them; 31and as they were leaving, they said to one another, "This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment." 32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to the emperor."
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