Lightning in the Sky
The Damascus Road
You will be aware of the story of Paul’s conversion as he journeyed to Damascus. He was travelling there with some servants in order to lay hands on anyone who was professing to be a follower of Jesus. He had the permission of the synagogue authorities in Damascus to arrest and bring before them any followers of the new way. He was an ardent Pharisee, who was outraged at the blatant way these Jesus followers were behaving. It was now his avowed mission to bring them before the synagogue leaders to answer for their actions.
It was while the travellers were on the road that they encountered a huge thunderstorm. Lightning flashed and Saul of Tarsus, as he was then known, fell to the ground in terror. Out of the storm came a voice, saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Saul’s reaction is interesting. He responded by saying, "Tell me, Lord, who are you?" Whoever was the owner of this voice from the storm he knew was far greater than he. So he automatically called him, "Lord." To have the power to speak out of a thunderstorm was to wield great power. So he accepted the lesser position without demur.
Then came the answer that I think he was have been expecting. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do." In other words he was sent into Damascus to await further orders. He rose to his feet and found the storm had blinded him. His servants had to lead him into the city where he remained three days. He was so in shock that he wanted nothing to eat or drink. He had really been slapped down by this amazing experience.
God then spoke to Ananias, a disciple of Jesus. He told him to go and give Saul his sight back. Ananias knew of Saul by repute and could not understand why God was asking him to go to him. God then explained to him that Saul was the man he had chosen to preach the Gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles, the non Jewish people. Ananias went to Saul and restored his sight, saying, "Brother Saul, Jesus has sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Suddenly, Saul could see again. Now he could eat and get his strength back. He was immediately baptised and stayed with the disciples in Damascus for a while.
Saul got straight to work and began preaching to the people in Damascus in their synagogues. He told the Jews there that Jesus was the Son of God and they were amazed. News got back to Saul’s former accomplices and his life was suddenly in danger. So he was smuggled out of the city at night. He was brought to meet the apostles in Jerusalem and convinced them of his conversion. Next he went among the Jews of Jerusalem to tell them about Jesus.
If this story tells us one thing it is that absolutely anyone can be called to speak out for Jesus. God has called me to do this and for over forty years I have preached in the Free Churches of Great Britain. Today, thanks to the Internet, I can make contact with people all over the world. This is a larger congregation than I have been accustomed to. Yet I believe God is using me to make disciples of all sorts of people. Is it you? Only you can answer that question. Have you been affected by this message or any other blogs I have posted?
If you feel you would like to learn more about Jesus then make contact with a church near you. You will find many different churches and among them is one where you will feel comfortable and close to Jesus. You will know if it is the right one. You will feel that it is there you should "await further orders". Just remember that when God calls you it is because he wants to use you to tell the world about His Son, Jesus Christ and what he can do for all who believe in him. There are millions of ways in which you can serve Jesus. You are a vital part of the world’s great mission and cause. Welcome home!
You will be aware of the story of Paul’s conversion as he journeyed to Damascus. He was travelling there with some servants in order to lay hands on anyone who was professing to be a follower of Jesus. He had the permission of the synagogue authorities in Damascus to arrest and bring before them any followers of the new way. He was an ardent Pharisee, who was outraged at the blatant way these Jesus followers were behaving. It was now his avowed mission to bring them before the synagogue leaders to answer for their actions.
It was while the travellers were on the road that they encountered a huge thunderstorm. Lightning flashed and Saul of Tarsus, as he was then known, fell to the ground in terror. Out of the storm came a voice, saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Saul’s reaction is interesting. He responded by saying, "Tell me, Lord, who are you?" Whoever was the owner of this voice from the storm he knew was far greater than he. So he automatically called him, "Lord." To have the power to speak out of a thunderstorm was to wield great power. So he accepted the lesser position without demur.
Then came the answer that I think he was have been expecting. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do." In other words he was sent into Damascus to await further orders. He rose to his feet and found the storm had blinded him. His servants had to lead him into the city where he remained three days. He was so in shock that he wanted nothing to eat or drink. He had really been slapped down by this amazing experience.
God then spoke to Ananias, a disciple of Jesus. He told him to go and give Saul his sight back. Ananias knew of Saul by repute and could not understand why God was asking him to go to him. God then explained to him that Saul was the man he had chosen to preach the Gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles, the non Jewish people. Ananias went to Saul and restored his sight, saying, "Brother Saul, Jesus has sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Suddenly, Saul could see again. Now he could eat and get his strength back. He was immediately baptised and stayed with the disciples in Damascus for a while.
Saul got straight to work and began preaching to the people in Damascus in their synagogues. He told the Jews there that Jesus was the Son of God and they were amazed. News got back to Saul’s former accomplices and his life was suddenly in danger. So he was smuggled out of the city at night. He was brought to meet the apostles in Jerusalem and convinced them of his conversion. Next he went among the Jews of Jerusalem to tell them about Jesus.
If this story tells us one thing it is that absolutely anyone can be called to speak out for Jesus. God has called me to do this and for over forty years I have preached in the Free Churches of Great Britain. Today, thanks to the Internet, I can make contact with people all over the world. This is a larger congregation than I have been accustomed to. Yet I believe God is using me to make disciples of all sorts of people. Is it you? Only you can answer that question. Have you been affected by this message or any other blogs I have posted?
If you feel you would like to learn more about Jesus then make contact with a church near you. You will find many different churches and among them is one where you will feel comfortable and close to Jesus. You will know if it is the right one. You will feel that it is there you should "await further orders". Just remember that when God calls you it is because he wants to use you to tell the world about His Son, Jesus Christ and what he can do for all who believe in him. There are millions of ways in which you can serve Jesus. You are a vital part of the world’s great mission and cause. Welcome home!
posted by Keith Alexander at Monday, January 09, 2006
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