The lamp post experience (conversion)
"Have you ever had a lamp post experience?"
What do I mean by that? Well you know your walking down the street and then out of nowhere a lamppost appears and your walk straight into it."
Saul would hit something far bigger than a lamp post, on his way to Damascus with letters to persecute people of the way, he would encounter the One who said, "I am the Way the truth and the life." His walk would come to an abrupt stop, he would hit a dead end and his whole life would take a complete U - turn.
Saul had a rich heritage and a glowing Curriculum vitae. Saul was passionate and immersed in religion so much so he would persecute and even kill for what he believed in but on that day as he went out with letters from men. He would return with a word from God. Which would set his life on a whole new adventure.
Paul’s pre-conversion credentials
Here was a rising star in pharasical circles born in Tarsus and taught under Gamaliel in Jerusalem. He was from the tribe of Benjamin, circumcised on the 8th day, regarding the law he was faultless. Here was zealot in every matter of Religion. He was advancing beyond his peers Gal.1v13-14.
Saul knew his position in life a Pharisee, his purpose was advancement and his priority in life persecution!
We witness his priority in Act: 9 v1-2 Breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord and as he sought letters to continue and carry out his threats. Acts 8:1 He also approved the execution of Stephen. Acts 22.v4. I persecuted the followers of this way to their death arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison says Paul.
What would we call him today? A religious terrorist?
Here we see the need for religous people to be ruely converted.
Conversion is more than becoming deeply religious,
Saul was deeply religious, and his God was the living God yet prior to this encounter he served God according to the pharisaical law. But what God always desired from his people was mercy and not sacrifice. He was living according to rules; Here was a young man who went through the outward form with no inward change.
We need to beware of doing Church, being religous, doing things out of habit, having the outward form but without the inner reality of God the Holy Spirit.
Saul also served with his whole heart, Saul loved God and yet the very God he thought he was serving, he was fighting against. Saul was wrapped up in the form without the heart change that God himself brings.
People say, "If your hearts in the right place." But it’s not enough.
Islamic fundamentals serve God with all their heart. But lets never forget the human heart is corrupt...
Beware of the Human heart Jer 17:9 its decitful desperately wicked in its naural state. Somebody once said, "The heart of the problem is the problem of the human heart."
Christian Barnard was a South African heart surgeon who pioneered the first heart transplant. Yet he wasnt able to save himsef from dying of heart trouble. You see we cannot save ourselves. The heart change we need is radical only the greatest physician can ever accomplish it!
Lets remember Saul was a nasty piece of work, he would call himself the chief of sinners, but we see that even for him there is opportunity for forgiveness.
No one is beyond forgiveness
One time Conservative politician Jonathan Atkin was busted for perjury, yet in Prison he himself had a lamp post experience.
Remeber no matter who you are, and what you have done our sin is wiped out.
There was once a Minister who carried the burden of a secret sin, he had repented but still had no sense of Gods forgiveness. In his Church a women who claimed to have visions meeting Christ. He was skeptical. So he tested her. "Next time you speak with Christ ask him what sin your minister committed at Bible College?" A few days later the Minister enquired, "has Christ visited you?" "Yes he did." "And did you ask him?" "Yes I did." she said. "Well what did he say?" He said, "I don’t remember" Our sins are forgiven remember that!
1) Conversion involves being confronted with the truth 4--5
Prime Minister. Winston Churchill once said, "truth is incontrovertible Panic may resent it; ignorance may deride it; malice may distort it; but there it is."
The truth the Bible sets out and we see it here is that we are in rebellion against God, this was the case for Saul v4 .
Although none of us would to say we are as extreme as what Saul was as a persecutor of Christians and maybe have never really fallen into the temptations of the world, yet every human being is born in rebellion to God.
V4 Why do you persecute me says the Lord?
Saul would be confronted with the risen Christ and brought face to face with the truth of his rebellion against God. Saul’s priority at this point in his life was to capture and kill Christians in so doing he was actually fighting against God.
Jesus here is identifying himself with his people as he said Luke 10:16. He who listens to you , listens to me, he who rejects you rejects me. Saul was in rebellion against Gods people and in so being in rebellion against God himself.
We also must be confronted with the truth of our own sin. Somebody once asked G.K.Chesterton "what’s wrong with the world?" he replied "I am."
We personally must be brought to book about our life, the particular sins which we have committed and are committing but more importantly the very core of our being must be opened up our sin nature.
Have you ever wondered how a worm gets inside an apple? Perhaps you think it burrows its way in from the outside? No, scientists have discovered that the worm comes from the inside. What happens is the insect lays an egg in the apple blossom. Sometime later, the worm hatches in the heart of the apple, then makes its way out. Sin, like the worm begins in the heart and works out through a persons thoughts words and actions.
The truth about ourselves hurts and often we will ignore it as long as it is possible but ultimately we will have to face up to it otherwise sin will rot our life away and we shall perish.
Turn with me to Acts.2:22-23, Here we have crowds on the day of Pentacost confronteed with the truth v 36-38. The call is to repent.
The greatest sin, is unbelief, is that you today? You are filled with unbelief you need to be confronted with the truth about yourself, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Rom 3:23.
But its not my job to make you feel guilty it’s the work of God the Holy Spirit Jhn:16.8-9 when he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness and judgement In regard to sin because men don’t believe in me.
The truth about Jesus
Saul was also confronted with the truth in all his glory the risen Christ. He is the embodiment of truth who came to testify to the truth. Here we see Sauls response to the Glory of the Risen Christ v5 Who are you Lord? Conversion involves being aware that Jesus is the Lord Almighty, who died for your sins and rose again and lives for evermore, that he is the Son of God and that He is able to save you.You need to make Him Lord of your life.
2) Conversion involves a personal encounter with Jesus v7 -8
He personally encounters Christ on the road to Damascus - Notice the other men although they are on the same road and with Saul.
Saul saw the light and heard the voice of Jesus addressing him alone ,yet the others did not, they just heard a sound. They knew something extraordinary was going on for they were speechless. But it was Saul who personally encountered Christ for himself the others did not.
Maybe you are experiencing this right now in your family, you have encountered Jesus and turned and believed and yet others in your own family have not.
The 19th cent politician William Wilberforce once took his friend William Pitt to an evangelical meeting where the gospel was preached by Richard Cecil, Wilberforces heart and mind reveled in the gospel yet Pitt went away understanding nothing of what he had heard. The Spirit of God was testifying to Wilberforce yet not to Pitt. Is He to you?
3) Conversion involves a calling upon your life v15
The calling of God
No person apart from Jesus (the father sent the son ) himself shaped the history of Christianity like the apostle Paul. Paul would be used by God to be a light to the Gentile world he would make 3 missionary journeys traveling thousands of miles, he would communicate the gospel to many different people groups from Asia to Europe travelling to the heart of Rome. He would plant and establish Churches, write many letters, which would become part of the NT. We see that Paul was obedient to the call of God upon his life God had a plan for his life.
The calling of God
When your genuinely converted a real purpose in ones life is very much a reality. You start to see that God is behind your whole life that God is leading you into new avenues of service for Him. And everyday God is at the centre of your life, calling you to be his light in this world.
God calls us to go into the workplace, school, college...into our communities and yes even the whole world. For we have the call of God upon our lives.
Saul was going down the Damascus road with letters from the high priests, now he was travelling down that road with the Word of God. he now had a greater purpose to fulfill.
G. B. Shaw said, "This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one: instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."
As Christians we have that great joy true purpose! Yet why is it for so many who claim to be converted and yet our lives bear no significance for the gospel? Are they still living for this world?
A new Pastor preached the same sermon over and over again the congregation and the eldership began to get concerned on asking him did he hope to preach any other sermons he replied "Yes I certainly hope so. I will preach a new one when you put into practice this one first."
Gods calls us to action, its not an optional extra we are commanded to follow Him. So many of us have a part for our secular life, part for our Christian lives and never the twain shall meet.
Your life may well bear significance in the secular world, but does your life bear significance for God in the secular world? So often we don’t live up to the claims we profess. When God converts an individual he also calls them into service for him.
Saul’s conversion was dramatic to say the least meeting Jesus in all his glory on the road to Damascus a really lamppost experience!
Have you had a lamp post experience? Only then are we going to lay down our lives as Rom..12:1-2 living sacrifices then we will be able to test and approve Gods will for us..
This was certainly true of Saul for instance in V20 he has’nt lost any of his old zeal but he has completely turned around and begins in the synagogues. Talk about going into the lions den.
So often there is a lack of obedience? Why because there is always a cost...
I think the answer can be found here in the passage
V16. I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name.
2 Cor 11:23-28. Paul suffered thrown in prison, flogged, beaten with rods, he was stoned nearly to death, shipwrecked three times, he had no home, he knew what it was to be without food and water and ultimately he would be be-headed for his faith.
The Christian life is tough the gospel is not come to Jesus and everything will be great.No! We too may have to suffer for his name. Before the crown we were there is a cross to bear and its not around your neck!
"Have you ever had a lamppost experience?"
Saul did, he encountered Christ and experienced forgiveness.
No matter what you’ve done as you face the truth about yourself and the truth about Jesus. You can personally encounter and experience Him for yourself tonight. Its then God will change you and bring a calling upon your life as He did with Saul who became Paul. Watch your step!
