A Crucial Turning Point

    One bystander, perhaps even a participant, to Stephen’s martyrdom is a man named Saul. Acts 7:58 even records that “the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul,” implying some sort of instigation on his part.
         The next chapter sets the stage for Saul’s story. At the very least, Saul consented to Stephen’s death. It was part of the great persecution that arose against the Jerusalem church, causing many believers to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria. The apostles, however, stayed put, determined to carry out their assignment.
         As for Saul, “he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison” (Acts 8:3). It is not clear whether Saul was part of the Sanhedrin, the functional equivalent of a supreme court in Jewish leadership. We do know that he was a Pharisee, one of the two dominant religious sects of the Jewish faith.
         Unlike the Sadducees who rejected the doctrines of resurrection, angels, and spirits, the Pharisees focused intently on observing the traditions of the elders, including the oral law in addition to the written law. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time were known for being legalistic and cold. They were definitely sincere, albeit misguided as to the purpose of the Law and God’s chronos times, including the New Covenant, despite the Old Testament prophecies.
          Before long, “Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way [the popular name for Christianity then], whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2).
       Damascus, Syria was a popular destination for the scattered believers since it was just north of Galilee in northern Israel. So it makes sense that Saul set his sights on Damascus. On the way, he and the men with him see a very bright light and then a voice from Heaven, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Saul falls to the ground. I should say so!
         We have to give Saul credit for at least recognizing that the voice is that of the Lord’s.  “Lord, what do You want me to do?” The voice then instructs him to arise, go into Damascus, and await further instructions. As Saul stands to obey, he realizes he is sightless. His companions lead him by the hand to the city. He is sightless for three days, and does not eat or drink anything.
        In the meantime, God is dealing with a couple of men by the names of Ananias and Judas. Saul is staying with Judas (not Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus). Both men get specific directions from the Lord. To make a long story short, despite his understandable hesitance given Saul’s reputation, Ananias goes to Saul as directed, prays for his healing, and leads Saul to Christ and into the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
        Being a devout man of the Scriptures, Saul throws this same enthusiasm into studying the Word by the inspiration of the Spirit. He begins preaching the Gospel under the watchful eye of his fellow disciples. Acts 9:22 simply records, “But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”
          In hindsight we know this to be a huge understatement in that Saul-who-became-Paul wrote at least thirteen of the New Testament books. In 2 Corinthians 12:2, Paul reports that he was caught up to the third heaven (God’s throne room) where he heard “inexpressible words.” It is widely believed that Jesus taught Paul the essential truths that we find in his books written to the Church.
          The Chronos Lesson: At its most basic level, Saul’s story reminds us never to judge anyone before the appointed time. On a more practical level, Paul’s unusual calling marks a key element of the New Covenant—the Gospel being preached to the Gentiles. 
         Paul reminds us that “He Who motivated and fitted Peter and worked effectively through him for the mission to the circumcised, motivated and fitted me and worked through me also for [the mission to] the Gentiles” (Gal. 3:8, Amplified Version).
          Jesus came to fulfill the Law. It was sufficient for its time (the Old Covenant) and its purpose: showing the futility of mankind’s ability to earn salvation. “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). And because of it, those who come to Jesus as their Savior receive His fullness, and grace for grace (John 1:16).
        “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4-6).
        Psalm 16:11 says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy.” It is this joy and the power of His presence that our world needs to see right now through us. The book of Acts records over and over and over that wherever the Gospel message went, it brought joy to those who believed. Like the peace that the world cannot understand, this joy is beyond putting into words. It’s transformational.
       This is the power that understanding the times brings. “Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).