A funny thing happened on the way to Damascus
Application
- Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are ambassadors for heaven wherever they may happen to be, and that always will mean having a tension between two sets of laws.
- Each believer can use his “BC” account to allow non-believers to see some common ground—your “BC” account is your “street-credit.” Yah ain’t no betta’—yah be a recovering sinner.
- Some believers remain in their birth-cities, and some receive new posts of duty, but, whether “here or there,” all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ now have citizenship in heaven with earthly mailing addresses where they serve as ambassadors for the King.
- Conclusion: Our salvation account isn’t called “A funny thing happened on the way to Damascus,” but God the Holy Spirit confronted each of us on our way somewhere. We should consider how God the Holy Spirit can use our 2-3 minute “BC” account in other people’s lives for His honor and glory.
Bible Text
(21:37) As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? (38) Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” (39) But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” (40) When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying, (22:1) “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”
-Acts 21:37-22:21
(2) And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said, (3) “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. (4) I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, (5) as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.”
(6) “But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, (7) and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ (8) And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ (9) And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. (10) And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’ (11) But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.”
(12) “A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, (13) came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him. (14) And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. (15) For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. (16) Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’”
(17) “It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, (18) and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ (19) And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. (20) And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’ (21) And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”