ACTS 9:1-9, 10-20
“LET THE SCALES FALL”
In his telling of Saul’s conversion Luke subtlely revisits an earlier theme. ‘Revisit’ is a nice way to say someone’s repeating themselves. Revisit’ is a nice way to say someone’s repeating themselves.
When our girls were little they had repetition down to an art: “Mommy,…mommy,…mommy…!”
Repetition has its points. It not only gets our attention but it helps us remember. The repeating stanza in a song,called the refrain,is the part of the song everyone remembers: 'All you need is...love...” Teachers & parents use it to help kids retain information:‘Money doesn't....’ 'Practice makes...'
Advertisers use it to sell products: “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz…”; 'It takes a licking...'; 'When you care enough....'; 'It melts in your mouth...'; 'You deserve....'; 'Choosy moms....'
So it is, knowing that repetition helps with our recall, that Luke uses it to reinforce the focus of the early church. We saw how when Phillip’s preaching and healing ministry in Samaria gave birth to a community of new believers Peter and John came out to make sure they had the basic ingredients for a dynamic relationship with God in Christ Jesus. Those ingredients, or building blocks, were: believing in Jesus, repenting of wrongdoing, being baptized, belonging to a family of believers, and receiving the Holy Spirit. When one or more of the five were missing the apostles helped them make it up.
Now in Acts 9 Luke revisits those five building blocks in his telling of Sauls’ conversion. In a flash of light Saul came to connect Jesus with the God of Israel as Jesus answers his question, “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 9:5) Saul recognized the voice he heard as that of God, as the title Lord conveys, and when that voice turned out to be that of Jesus, Saul’s faith was awakened. He believed.
Struck blind Luke tells us that “Paul did not eat or drink for three days.” (Acts 9:9) In other words he fasted, which in his day, was an expression of repentance. He apparently made a connection between his physical blindness and his spiritual blindness. He acknowledged his short-sightedness.
So now that one, Paul believes in Jesus and two, has repented of his past, Ananias baptizes him according to Jesus’ teaching – the third building block. Also note that as a new believer God connects him with other believers. Luke tells us that “Saul spent time with the disciples in Damascus.”
(Acts 9:19) He invested himself in a local body of believers. That was no small thing. Considering Saul's recent past, he entered into that community with no small degree of baggage. Learning to trust one another and be there for each other would've taken work. It always does. But Paul belonged - # 4!
And as with the Christians in Samaria, even though Saul had come to believe, he had yet to be filled with the Holy Spirit. So “Ananias placed his hands on Saul, and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road to as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ (Acts 9:17) It was the fifth building block – being filled...!
Those of you who were here two weeks ago may wonder why I'm repeating all this. Simply put, I am because Luke does. It's worth revisiting. We're inclined to omit that which is uncomfortable or hard for us. These days, it seems to me, it's usually one of these last two building blocks – belonging or staying connected to a specific family of faith or seeking to be filled or refilled with the Holy Spirit.
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We live in a consumer culture. That influences us in ways we may not be aware. Shaped by the consumer culture around us,where 'the consumer is always right', many believers come to consume, to be fed, as opposed to contribute or glorify. We're also increasingly influenced by the cancel culture that social media has given rise to. That influences us in such a way that when we experience tension or friction we cut off connection and communication with those to whom God has called us.
Others are inclined to skip the repentance bit. Sin has become a four letter word in our culture. One pastor was told at the door, “Preacher you were doing fine until you started getting personal!”
According to surveys, we want sermons that speak to us, but not so much ones that convict us.
Still others, having heard of or seen Christians doing strange things in the name of the Spirit..., become convinced that being filled with the Holy Spirit is for charismatic types or is something that was just an early church thing. It reminds me of a moment in a court room drama in which a mortician takes the stand and cracks a joke in response to the lawyer's question. Two women present gasp. One says to the other: “He should show better self control.” “I don't think morticians should even grin!”
Some of us, myself included, at least in the past, feel like if we're filled with the Spirit we'll lose our self control, but I wonder if that's part of the problem. Truth is, we're not in control and if we were to give the Holy Spirit free reign, we might see more of the kinds of things we read about in Acts!
I revisit all this here because these five building blocks are critical if we're to grow into the Body of Christ that Jesus intended us to be. If Jesus is who his followers claimed he was, the one upon whose shoulders our hopes lie, then we’d do well to invest everything we’ve got in his Kingdom cause! Those who got on board, who pursued these five building blocks, found themselves caught up in something so compelling that they became known as “Followers of The Way”. (Acts 9:2)
There’s a word that gets a lot of use in our language. If we're in affirming mood we might tell someone, ‘Way to go!’, or if not we yell, ‘Get out of my way’. We might buy a hamburger because we want one 'in a bad way', or beecause we've been told to ‘Have it your way’. For some, 'It's my way or the highway', but ‘By the way, you’ve come a long way, baby!’ You say, “no way”? Way!!
So how does one live as a follower of The Way? What does that even mean? The word itself conveys movement – and purpose. It suggests a narrow path leading to a specific, well defined destin-ation. “Narrow and difficult is the way, or the path, that leads to life”, Jesus once said, “and few find it.” (Matthew 7:14) Those on the Way don’t get stuck in a rut. Their life has meaning and direction.
Those on the Way differ from those who aren’t in that they increasingly seek from Jesus the strength, vision and motivation to imitate his otherworldliness, his radical, unconditional love and grace for those around him. Those on the Way are rebels with a cause, rebelling against their culture’s pressures to conform to the self-absorbed world around them. Those on the Way have awakened to a new world, like a man with scales falling from his eyes. That’s what it means to “follow the Way”! (Acts 9:2)
One of my favorite films is the classic Jimmy Stewart comedy, “Harvey”. Throughout the story Jimmy is seen every where in town talking to a large invisible white rabbit named, Harvey. Those in town, familiar with his gentle, kind demeanor take it all in stride and even play along. As the film progresses, some of Jimmy's family and friends begin to wonder whether or not Harvey is actually real. As the film ends, the audience is left wondering – was Harvey real or not?
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Like Harvey, Jesus is a friend we can't see, but unlike Harvey, we have not been left to wonder whether Jesus is real or not. He has sent His Spirit to help us experience his presence and his love for us. And as he fills His people with His Spirit and brings them together as one family they experience His presence, just as he promised, “Wherever two or more are gathered there I am!” (Matthew 18:20)
It strikes me as profound that when Saul connected...with the believers in Damascus he began “telling others about Jesus, saying, 'He truly is the Son of God!'” (Acts 9:20) We all need something that's true to believe in, somewhere healthy to belong, something significant to become!
John Burke tells of Laura, a young woman who was invited by a colleague to his church. “In spite of myself, I went. I knew intellectually all about Christ, but I'd never experienced real community, real love, so I rejected Christianity. But every time I went to this church, I was deeply moved. Something kept bringing me back, something that was missing among my circle of friends.
I felt drawn to them yet torn by associating with a group my friends hated. I’d sneak in the back after service started and slip our right after it ended. I didn’t want to be held accountable.
Then my life hit a telephone pole and I crashed. I returned from a trip out east to find that my husband had left me and had taken all my things to Goodwill leaving me broke, and broken. My friends told me to “get over it”, to “move on”, but friends from church told me, 'You’re feelings are so understandable, but don’t give up. There’s still hope.' I felt their love in a tangible way.
Thinking that things couldn’t get worse, the porch on my house collapsed and every job lead proved futile. One day Joey, a ‘Habitat’ guy I’d met at church showed up with his small group and several pickup trucks full of materials. In my time of trouble, all my friends I’d invested so much in were nowhere to be found. Yet here these men, who didn’t really know me, were generously giving time and money to help me. Later when my car broke down others at the church got it fixed. The love I experienced when I had nothing to give over-whelmed me. I started to see what Jesus must truly be like through these people. For the first time since my husband left, I wasn’t consumed with loneliness and hopelessness. Slowly I began to open myself to the truth about Jesus.
Through seeing people loving on me I began to see the truth of what God/Jesus is like. I wanted to be like that and give other people that same experience. Community is like salve on the wound of humanity. I’m a part of such a community, and we’re changing the world, one life at a time.”
(from John Burke’s No Perfect People Allowed)
We are to be a voice of hope – swimming upstream in a counter cultural Way, not because we’ve somehow got it all together, but simply because we know and follow Jesus. People are looking for something worth believing in, somewhere healthy to belong, and something significant to become.
Some years ago Seattle hosted the Special Olympics. Among other events was the 880 meter race. As friends and family and other fans cheered them on eight special Olympiads raced around the track. Two runners had pulled out in front by the second lap when tragedy occurred. The lead runner fell and went down hard, face first, in the cinders. The boy in second placed raced past him, slowed and then came to a stop. Turning around he went back to help the other boy to his feet. When the other runners caught up they joined in the collective effort of helping the fallen runner finish the race.
As the Oympiads embraced their fallen colleague, and the crowd erupted in applause and cheer-ing, someone was overheard saying, “I think we just glimpsed the kingdom of God in our midst!”
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When love for others supersedes our drive to be first, our quest for prestige and popularity, the kingdom of God breaks through. When that happens, the calloused scales of this world fall from our eyes and the compelling, compassionate Way of Jesus comes into play and becomes visible!
That's when the Way forward is clear: “Jesus really is the Son of God!” (Acts 9:20)
Let the scales fall!