While Philip goes on preaching the risen Christ with grace and power, Saul is doing everything in his power to torch the seedlings of belief in Jesus through persecution:
“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Ac 9:1-2).
How many souls is Saul responsible for by this time? How many has he dragged off to prison, torture, and even burning in the streets of Jerusalem? His evil is hard to comprehend, although there are persecuted believers around the world today who know exactly what this feels like.
Yet they persevere in the name of Jesus, in perfect unity.
Armed with his letters from the high priest, Saul departs for Damascus:
“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heavens shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul. Why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one” (Ac 9:3-7).
Here is a critical point for all who are traveling a path of disunity toward the bad fork in the road, which from time to time includes each one of us. When we are actively involved with temptation and disobedience, which lead to disunity, we are sinning directly in the face of Jesus, not hiding in a corner where we cannot be seen. And all that separates us from the dead end of disunity is warnings from the Holy Spirit. Ignoring those warnings leads to judgment, perhaps death and worse.
Saul receives his warning and repents by listening to Jesus and deferring to his authority:
“Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus” (Ac 9:8).
Now this is true warning and judgment! Think of the light that shone from heaven. It is the middle of the day in the desert. What could shine so brightly as to overpower the sun? And why does the light blind only Saul and not those traveling with him? And how could Saul understand the voice of Jesus, while his companions could not?
This judgment is for Saul alone. It is harsh. He is blind for life, or so he believes as he stumbles his way to Damascus.
Believers of all stripes have warnings and judgments from God, because not one of us comes close to being perfect. But when we find ourselves at this fork in the road, do we know what to look for – the signs pointing to “Dead End” or to “Forgiveness and Restoration?”
As this story unfolds, we see Saul standing at the fork in the road, having encountered not the God of his fathers whom he has served literally to a fault, but the Risen Christ Jesus who has plans for him that no one could ever imagine.
But at this moment, Saul is crushed, blind, and impotent for the first time in his life. The walk on to Damascus is truly unique, being led by the hand and unable to see.
There is a hush here as Saul slowly moves forward.
Next time you encounter temptation, disobedience, warnings, and potential judgment, stop at warnings! You are at the fork in the road.
Let there be a hush in your life at that moment as you shake yourself out of the devil’s clutch and then stride confidently toward repentance, forgiveness and restoration in the name of Jesus!.