There are three major characters whose names are used more than any others by far in the New Testament. Do you know who they are?
First, of course, is Jesus. His name occurs 1275 times, and the name Christ, 530 times.
The word “God” which is not a name, occurs 1253 times, Spirit, 338 occurrences which include every use of that word and can refer to any spirit, good or bad. Holy Spirit occurs 91 times.
There are two human characters besides Jesus, whose names dominate all others in the New Testament by over a hundred occurrences: One is Peter, who we studied last week (176 times, as Cephas – 4, as Simon – 33+), and the other is Paul (202 times, and as Saul – 32).
Saul of Tarsus in Silicia was born probably not long after Jesus was born. He was a young man when Stephen was stoned to death in Acts 7:58. He was a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee, Acts 23:6. He was of the tribe of Benjamin. Saul also had the benefit of being a Roman citizen by birth. This was an ace in the hole that God blessed him with so that he was uniquely equipped for Mission work later in life. We don’t know much of anything about his parents, but he may have been from an affluent Jewish family and we know that he was extremely bright, because he trained at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the greatest Jewish teachers of the day. The Rabbis would not take many students, maybe a dozen, as we see in Jesus. Because they did much more than simply have classes and give assignments and handouts. Their students were called disciples, and the goal of the disciple was not merely to learn information from their teacher, they wanted to become like their teacher or master. Jesus once said, Luke 6:40 "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Saul had the teacher that everyone thought was the very best. To say one had trained in the Law under Gamaliel would be sort of like claiming to be trained in mathematics under Einstein. Think about it. Perhaps Saul was in Jerusalem training under Gamaliel when Jesus came into the temple at age 12. It appears that Saul grew up in Jerusalem, even though he was born in Tarsus, about 500 miles from there.
Paul (Saul’s later name) is the only person in all the Bible to say these words: (are you ready?) “Imitate me.” Others may have said this too, we don’t know, but Paul wrote it to the Corinthians twice in the same letter.
1 Cor. 4: 16 I exhort you therefore, be imitators of me.
11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
Like Jesus’ call to his disciples, “Follow me!” This is the call of a Rabbi for his students. "I exhort you therefore, be imitators of me." It is not stated in pride or arrogance at all, but actually in great humility. Paul wants everyone to be like him because he knows his own heart well. Paul gives himself to one thing, and this one thing could be called the central doctrine of Paul. It is the imitation of Jesus Christ. He says such things as this: “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” “When Christ, who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” “And this is the mystery, Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Because he knew his commitment to be like Jesus Christ, he wanted to impart this same commitment to others. So he said it: "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." For Paul nothing was more important than the formation of Christ in us. Nothing even came close. All else he considered rubbish. And he didn’t mince words about it either. To the Galatians he wrote: 4:19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…
He was sold out for Jesus Christ, 100% running full blast, 24/7/365, and he wanted everyone else to be that way too. But it wasn’t always that way. When we first meet this man, he is not called Paul but Saul, Saul of Tarsus. He’s probably 30 something then, and zealous as anything for the Law of Moses and Judaism. Saul appears in Acts at the end of chapter 7 in verse 58. What’s he doing here? Well, he’s holding some clothes. Why? So that those who own them can throw rocks better as they stone another young man to death. This young man is being killed because of his testimony about Jesus Christ. Saul undoubtedly heard Stephen say, “I see heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” As they stoned Stephen to death, Saul must have also heard him cry, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit!” and “Lord, do not hold this sin to their charge.” I wonder if those words ever haunted him? Late in his life Paul would say, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” He told the Corinthians, 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Saul of Tarsus was always a man on a mission. When we meet him in Acts he’s on a mission to stamp out the followers of Jesus. Saul hated Jesus. He saw him as a blasphemer and false prophet. With his type A personality, he took up the cause of wiping this new movement out! In fact, it appears to have become almost an obsession. Listen to what the scriptures say in Acts:
8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.
3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
He later said in Acts 26: 9 "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
I’m convinced that if he could, he would have strapped bombs on his body and if he thought he could take out all the followers of Jesus with him, he would detonate! Saul was the first terrorist against followers of Jesus. So what happened? How did Saul the persecutor of the church become Paul the persecuted for Jesus Christ? It all happened suddenly, as he was on the way to Damascus.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."
11 So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.
12 "And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight."
13 Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
14 "And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."
15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
16 "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake."
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.
20 Immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?"
After Saul saw Jesus, you could see Jesus in Saul.
Let’s compare Peter and Paul for a few minutes.
Peter is a Galilean fisherman, uneducated, unpolished. Before meeting Jesus his life centers more around his fish than his faith. When Peter first really sees Jesus, he has fished all night and caught nothing. He politely let Jesus sit in his boat as Jesus taught the crowds on the shore. Then Jesus tells Peter, “Put out into the deep water and let down the nets for a catch.” Peter’s politeness begins to wear thin. He tells Jesus, “We’ve fished all night and caught nothing… but if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.” You know what happens, don’t you. They get out there, drop their nets, and every fish in the lake jumps into the net!” At first Peter is just overwhelmed at the catch, but then Luke tells us this:
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"
He has just seen Jesus. He is caught like a fish in Jesus’ net. From here he will follow Jesus, but he has a long way to go before he’s ready for Pentecost in Acts 2. His discipleship was a process that took time. He developed his faith more and more as he spent time with Jesus. There were bumps and bruises along the way, and before it was all over, when it looked like Jesus needed him most, Peter would deny three times that he even knew Jesus, and one of those with an oath as he cursed. But Jesus brought Peter back. Peter may not have been the sharpest tool in the box, but he kept the faith and finally gave his life for Jesus to the glory of God.
On the other hand, look at Paul. Here’s a Jewish Roman citizen by birth, Pharisee of Pharisees, educated at the feet of Gamaliel, brilliant and widely read, he’s a cosmopolitan. Not only that, he’s a ball of fire about whatever he engages in. His powerful personality drove him to the top. Can’t you just see him as a kid: Move out of the way! Here comes Saul! Saul never did anything half way. I wonder how he was as a disciple under Gamaliel. Saul the zealot Jew! Devout in the Law of Moses and defender of the faith of Israel, that was Saul. Watch out! anyone who tries to mess with the Jewish tradition.
When the church began and Saul began to hear about this "Jesus" and to hear claims that he was the Son of God! How dare he! How dare any Jew listen to such blaspheme! Saul was livid! He would destroy the church! But, the more he persecuted them the more the message spread! I find it interesting that before Saul was ever Paul the missionary he started more mission work than anyone, and jump started Jesus’ great commission to go make disciples of all nations by scattering the church all over the place with persecution! Then when they scattered, he thought he had to round them up!
On his way to Damascus, Jesus rounded him up!
Remember this about Saul. He wasn’t interested in discussing the possibility of Jesus as true Messiah. He wasn’t going to Damascus to a gospel meeting, but to try to stamp out the gospel. He wasn’t pondering a decision to become a Christian or even slightly considering such a thing! He hated the name Jesus. He wanted nothing more than for Jesus to be wiped from the face of the earth.
Remember… It was while he was in this condition that Jesus called him. While he was most opposed to Jesus’ Lordship, that is when Jesus appeared to him. This shaped Paul’s theology! (Romans 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!)
When Saul of Tarsus asked, “Who are you, Lord?” After being blinded by that light from heaven, what he heard from heaven must have hit him with a force that shattered everything in his world. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”
Jesus!!!!!
Saul saw Jesus. Like Peter, he was on his face, Peter in fish, and Saul in the dust. Jesus let Saul steep in it for three days. I have no doubt but that if Jesus had not sent Ananias to Saul, he would never have eaten again. Sitting there in his shattered condition, I wonder if those words of Stephen rang in his memory. “I see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Jesus called Saul out of his sins and into Jesus amazing grace. Saul rose and was baptized, ate and immediately went out preaching that Jesus IS the Son of God!
From Acts 9 (actually 13) on, most of the New Testament is either about or written by this man Saul of Tarsus and his imitation of Jesus Christ, and desperate desire and attempt to bring others to do the same.
