Acts 22:6-21

Witness

Why do we sometimes refer to this apostle as Paul and other times as Sual?

The Hebrew name given him by his parents was Saul, but, because his father was a Roman citizen (and therefore Saul inherited Roman citizenship), Saul also had the Latin name Paul, the custom of dual names being common in those days.

Here we find Paul in Jerusalem speaking at the temple to an angry Jewish mob of that was ready to kill him because of his belief in Jesus Christ.

After being arrested or rescued by Roman troops  Paul received permission from the Roman commander Paul stood on the steps of the Temple and motioned to the crowd and when they were all silent, he spoke to them in Aramaic.

Paul now begins to tell the account of his conversion to Christianity.

Let’s read Acts 22:6-9

6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ 8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

Paul starts of by emphasizing two things, the time of day was noon and the light was bright that it outshone the sun in the middle of the day.

What kind of light is brighter than the sun at the highest time of the day?

Revelation 21:23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

I read this: Paul’s reference to the time of day emphasizes how bright the light from heaven really was. It outshone the sun at its peak. Paul has come to the important part, the encounter with Jesus Christ (the Light of the world). I am sure they were all ears by now. This great Light that shone more than the noon day sun would get anyone's attention.

The voice of the “Light,” Jesus Christ, questioned Paul about what he was doing? Which was persecuting Christians.

But notice how the Lord made it personal, “Why do you persecute me?’”.

Paul wasn’t just persecuting Christians but the Lord also.

That comes from Matthew 25:40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

The way we treat other believers is the way we treat the Lord Himself.

The Lord Jesus already knew why Paul was persecuting Christians, He didn’t ask for His sake, but for Paul’s.

It’s like when God ask Adam in Genesis 3:9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

Adam was walking in the darkness of sin and God wanted Adam to understand he was outside the will of God.

Thereby, Jesus shined a great light on Paul to teach him, although he was walking in the light of the noon day sun, he was walking in darkness, outside the will of God.

The people around Paul did not understand the Voice from heaven because the message was not meant for them.

That why the Lord calls Paul by name and it He said, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth.

This was a personal and private conversation between Jesus and Paul.

Let’s read Acts 22:10-16

10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. 12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him. 14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

Paul is receptive to hearing the Word of God, understands it is the Lord Himself and rightly ask, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’

You see, Paul had his game plan and we read about in Acts 9:1-2

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 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.

Jesus has Paul’s undivided attention, and He is changing the plan. The Lord said, ‘go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’

Paul is still going to Damascus as he planned, but the Lord doesn’t like Paul’s plan.

Since this is football season, I’ll explain it this way, the Lord is calling an audible.

“An audible occurs when the quarterback of a football team scans the formation of the defense of the opposing team and sees something he doesn't like about it -- at this point, he'll yell to his own team, and his own team will switch formations to counter the defense.”

Paul is about to change form a defensive player on a losing team to a “Recruiter” on a Super Bowl Team.

Continuing with the football reference, when Paul was blinded by the Light that shone around him he got his bell rung and needed help to the sideline of the opposing team. There he will be introduced to the offensive coordinator named Ananias.

Ananias was a serious observer of the game and highly respected by everyone on the team.

When Ananias said “Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ it was like when the coach puts one of those smelling salts under your nose triggering a breathing reflex that sends lots of oxygen to your brain.

All of a sudden Paul could see. Not only can he is visually, but more importantly he could see Spiritually.

Here’s what Paul said in Galatians 1:11-12  For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man 's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

That’s why Ananias says….. ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.’

 Paul’s new job as a “recruiter” is this…… “You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.”

In other words tell them everything the “Coach” tells you to say and tell everyone what amazing things you have seen the team do.

Then Paul is told, it’s time to get in the game…Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on his name, the Lord Jesus.

I share this: Concerning the words, "be baptized, and wash away your sins," because Paul was already cleansed spiritually at the time Christ appeared to him, these words must refer to the symbolism of baptism. Baptism is a picture of God’s inner work of washing away sin.

Let’s read Acts 22:17-21

17 “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ 21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

Paul leaves Damascus and goes back to Jerusalem. While in the Temple praying he fell into a trance.

Now, what does that mean?

I share this:  “A trance”: Paul was carried beyond his senses into the supernatural realm so that he could receive revelation from Jesus Christ. The experience was unique to the apostles, since only Peter (10:10; 11:5), and John (Rev. 1:10), had similar revelations.

Just as unique as the Damascus road experience, the Lord spoke to Paul telling him to get out of Jerusalem. Wy is that important?

Remember who Paul’s audience is. He is speaking at the temple to an angry Jewish mob that was ready to kill him because of his belief in Jesus Christ.

I read this: God had warned him that these Jews would not accept him or his new found relationship with God. These Jews in the temple were convinced that their way was the only way. They would not, at this time, accept Christianity. Had Paul not had this vision in the Temple, he would have stayed and with the boldness of a new Christian, they would have killed him.

In verses 19 & 20 Paul again has his own plan for telling about his new found Christianity. That plan is to tell the Jewish people…….Hey, I was just like you once. Believing as you do. I believed in it so much that I agreed with killing Stephen who believed what I believe in now….. Jesus of Nazareth.

Paul tells the group that’s what he wanted to do but God had a different plan.

Rather than stay in Jerusalem with the Jews, The Lord Jesus would send Paul far away to “Witness” the Gentiles.

Jesus told us something similar in Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

We Christians need to be prepared to go and “Witness” wherever God sends us.