My First Encounter With Superman

Introduction:

When we think of the term Superman, our first thought is that man named Clark Kent who was a reporter for the Daily Journal. He was arkward, clumsy, appeared weak, defenseless, and was always in someone’s way. He was highly in love with Lois Lane and was too shy to let her know. Clark Kent always portrayed a weakling that was a disgrace to the average man.

But my brothers and my sisters, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Whenever there was a serious problem, Clark Kent would go running into a closet or a telephone booth and change into his Superman outfit and away he would fly to save the day. In his own way he was transforming lives of the people in his community by giving them security, justice, and hope against crime.

I’m not here this morning to talk about a fictitious man that’s flying around with a blue cape jumping off of tall building and that can out run a locomotive and is faster than a speeding bullet. I’m talking about a Superman that can change your life forever and give you eternal life. I’m talking about a Superman that will take an ordinary situation and make extraordinary things happen. He can take an ordinary man and transform him into an extraordinary person. With that thought, that brings me to my first of two points.

Development:

Point #1: Having A Theofonic Experience

Theologians call the Theofonic Experience an experience when God shows up personally to deal with us. If Paul could speak with us now, he would not have a problem revisiting his Theofonic Experience or his Damascus Road experience. Before Paul’s conversion his name was Saul. Saul was a persecutor of the Christians. Saul actually hunted down and slaughtered believers. Many of them were women along with men (Acts 8:3).

Saul, the arch-persecutor of the church had a burning fury against Jesus the Christ and His disciples. Saul wa consumed with this fierce anger and wrath against Christ and all who followed Him. Saul had a fierce objective, and that was to destroy all the followers of the way. The believers of the early church were known as followers of the Way. The teachings of the Lord were not pictured as a religion or a set of principles, or as rules and regulations, but as a way of life, a course of life, a means of life, a condition of life, a kind of life, and an experience of life.

The followers were called this simply because they followed Jesus the Christ. Jesus is The Way of Salvation Acts 16:17, The Way of the Lord Acts 18:25, The Way of Peace Luke 1:79; Romans 3:17, The Way of Truth 2 Peter 2:2, and The Way of Righteousness 2 Peter 2:21.

Saul had made it up in his mind that he was going to destroy all of those that believed in Jesus the Christ. He actually volunteered for job, went to the High Priest and the Sanhedrin requesting authority to storm after the fleeing believers. His plans were to arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem to stand trial.

As Saul was on his way to slaughter more of the believers on the Damascus Road around noon day when the sun was at its peak, there was a bright light from heaven which shone down on him.

This light appeared suddenly out of nowhere unexpectedly. The light was from heaven. It was supernatural and miraculous, from God Himself. God is the source and giver of light. It is found in 1 Corinthians 9:1 and 1 Corinthians 15:8. The light radiated from the Lord Himself.

This light was greater, brighter, than any noonday sun (Acts 22:6; Acts 26:13). Just imagine in your minds a light that is greater and outshines the sun. Saul was stricken down to his feet. Saul was confronted by the Lord. Saul saw the Lord standing in the midst of the light.

1 Corinthians 15:8 says, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. Saul saw the Lord for himself. Jesus called Saul by his name two times, Saul, Saul, and asked, Why are you persecuting Me?

Saul knew that this was a special appearance from heaven. Jesus made it perfectly clear to Saul as to who He was so it was no misunderstanding. Jesus called Saul’s name twice for two reasons. One, Jesus was showing love and concern for Saul. Two, Jesus was warning Saul because he was treading on dangerous ground by opposing Him. He was to close to the brink of no recovery.

Saul knew of the Lord by he did not have a relationship with Jesus the Christ. That is why we must have a Theofonic experience in our lives so that we can begin a relationship with Jesus the Christ.