CONVERSION OF PAUL - Sarah Cooper

The train to Amritsar, and thence to Peshawar and the border with Afghanistan rested quietly in the sidings that night before its 20-hour journey in the morning. Carefully I stepped over the tracks, guided by a railway worker, to board the train several hours before it would draw into the platform and thus get a precious seat.

For a few hours, alone, I was very nervous…was it the right train? I had put my trust completely in the hands of the railway worker…..as it drew into the correct platform I breathed many sighs of relief.

The story we have heard this morning from Acts is all about trust ..complete trust.

Saul’s conversion is one of the great stories of the early church, and it has rightfully inspired Christians from every generation. But hidden in its shadows is another inspiring story. We know nothing of Ananias beyond this story in the shadows.

Acts does not tell us that he goes on to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, found churches in urban centres across the Roman Empire, stand true to the gospel while on trial for his faith over and again, and end up under house arrest in Rome awaiting a trial before Caesar.

No, Ananias did not do any of these things so far as the author of Acts is concerned.

All Ananias did was to put his trust in God, obey Christ’s command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things.

“Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel” So Ananias went.

Without Ananias’ trust and prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been.

Ananias didn’t know what had just happened when he enters the story. He didn’t know that the risen Christ had confronted Saul on the road to Damascus just as Christ is now confronting him. Even though Ananias didn’t know about Saul’s epiphany, he did as the Lord told him anyway. He trusted that Christ had a future purpose for Saul even though Saul’s past as he knew it seemed to point toward a different future.

Ananias’ decision to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street to lay hands on Saul was a decision to risk his life to do the will of God. What mix of fear, anger, and dread must he have felt at the prospect of revealing himself to someone who could have him imprisoned or killed? What amount of sheer courage prompted him to act? And yet, had he not acted, where would Christianity be today?

To me, calling this narrative an account of Saul’s conversion misses half the story. Saul does not just turn away from a previous way of life; more importantly, he is called, commissioned to walk in a new “Way.” Saul’s monumental experience on the road to Damascus is a call, a commissioning akin to the call of Jeremiah, Isaiah or one of the twelve.

And Saul was a devout Jew, he was well educated, he was conversant in both Greek and Hebrew, he was a Pharisee, zealous in his persecution of the followers of this Jesus of Nazareth. His experience on the way to Damascus was a revelation that this was the Messiah promised throughout the Hebrew scriptures, the fulfilment of God’s promise.

Today that sense of calling, of vocation attracts much scrutiny. In the Anglican church there is a much longer road than that to Damascus for any ministry. You learn 3 key words…you must be Realistic, Informed and Obedient

If Saul were to go through this today, he would certainly meet the Informed criterion, Realistic I’d want to substitute the word Ambitious…but Obedient, oh yes

Both Saul and Ananias are completely obedient to the command of God in this story, they put themselves in His hands, they put all their trust in Him

Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers as Paul writes later to the Ephesians. Not everyone can be Paul, but we all can and should be Ananias, by trusting in God, putting ourselves in His hands, and being guided by His Holy Spirit.

Amen