Sep 14, 2014
Acts 9:20-30
Download Audio:
Outline:
I want to let you know right from the beginning that I really struggled with how I wanted to approach this mornings text. As a matter of fact, I finished my final draft late Tuesday night feeling really good about things only to have God blow it up come Wednesday morning.
Here was my fundamental struggle… On one hand, I sense a grave responsibility to remain true to our exposition of the Book of Acts; but on the other hand, I just couldn’t escape the presence of an overarching topic that demanded more than just a flyby examination.
With this in mind, I finally (and honestly reluctantly) made the decision to shred my final draft, separate the exposition from the topic, and tackle fewer verses so I could faithfully teach the text while at the same time properly address something God said demanded our attention.
“After spending some days with the disciples at Damascus.” Acts 9:20-22, “Immediately Saul preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
Because Saul was a renowned Pharisee, the elders of these synagogues scattered throughout Damascus were honored to have him as their guest. Can you imagine their reaction and confusion when they heard him “preach the Christ… that Jesus is the Son of God?”
It’s important to understand two important things about Saul. First, as a Pharisee he was an expert concerning the Old Testament. Secondly, because he personally encountered Jesus he now possessed the cipher that made these Scriptures come alive.
Saul was a preaching force to be reckoned with! He was not only equipped with a more expansive understanding of God’s Word than anyone else, but he was able to preach from the depths of a personal experience. A very powerful combination.
Now it should come as no surprise that the reaction of Saul’s peers was one of disbelief. The disconnect between who Saul was and the reputation that proceeded him was at a minimum confusing; and yet, Saul was not discouraged in the slightest.
Instead, he “increased all the more in strength…” This Greek word “strength” or “endynamô” literally means to “endure with strength.” Luke’s choice of words indicate Saul made a decision not to be deterred and in the process grew in his resolve. Their opposition simply produced a more determined man who possessed and even deeper conviction.
While Saul knew Jesus was “the Christ” and “the Son of God” because he had encountered Him on the road to Damascus, it was from Scripture that he was then able to “prove” that Jesus was not only the promised Savior, but was able to fulfill this role because He was God. (Only an infinite being can make an infinite payment for sins.)
Acts 9:23-30, “After many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket. And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.”
While the narrative provided by Luke seems to imply a quick succession of events in the life of Saul, Galatians 1:15-18 gives us a more complete picture. Saul would later write that “I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.”
Timeline & Movement of Saul’s Early Christian Life:
At some point during the time Saul tarried with the disciples (could have been before or after he began preaching) he decides to leave Damascus and spends almost 3 years in Arabia where many scholars believe Jesus again appeared to him (Galatians 1:11-12).
While we do not know the particulars, after his time in Arabia, Saul would return to Damascus where he continues to preach the Gospel. (Once again we do not know if this was the first or second time he had preached in Damascus).
Either way, in reaction to his message, this particular plot to kill him is hatched and he’s only able to escape by being let down in a large basket under the cover of darkness. Always remember there is a great difference between being bold and being stupid.
From Damascus both Acts and Galatians tell us Saul would head back to Jerusalem hoping to “join the disciples.” The Greek word “kollaô” means “to glue together, to fasten firmly together, or to cement.” Though Saul understood the importance of community, the believers “were all still afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.”
Enter our dear friend Barnabas (Acts 4) who does something radical. Even though Saul was toxic Barnabas takes a chance by reaching out to him, ends up vouching for him, and ultimately brings him before the apostles (Galatians indicates this was Peter and James).
After recounting his conversion on the road to Damascus, Luke then tell us Saul “was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out… boldly preaching in the name of Jesus” before the “Hellenists attempted to kill him.” Galatians indicates it only took Saul 15 days before the scene in Jerusalem grew to hot for him to remain.
Though Saul remained valorous in the face of these growing threats, fearing for his life and the effects stoking these religious flames might bring upon the church, the Apostles decide it would be best to bring “Saul down to Caesarea and send him out to Tarsus.” Note: Saul would remain in Tarsus for approximately 8-12 years.
May I ask a question… Have you ever been hurt by someone you loved (spouse, sibling, parent, even a child)… Hurt by a person you trusted (friend or co-worker)… Or hurt indiscriminately by a total stranger? Here’s another question… Have you ever caused a person you loved pain and heartache… Hurt a person who’s trust you willingly took advantage of… Or had your actions produce misery in the life of a complete stranger?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you have then grappled with the implications of what it means to forgive or to be forgiven. I bring this up because, while our text never once mentions the word “forgiveness” there is no doubt its fragrance permeates every word!
Over time I have found that many people find forgiveness to be a convoluted topic when it comes to Scripture and an even harder concept when you try to carry a definition into the real world of pain and suffering. Let’s start with what we know…
1. If you’ve wrongly hurt someone you need to seek their forgiveness.
While it’s so easy to detach yourself from the brut reality of our text, don’t overlook the magnitude of these words… “When Saul had come to Jerusalem.” If you had been Saul and you were directly responsible for hurting so many people concentrated in one particular location, I think it’s safe to say that’s the last place you’d be showing your face.
Isn’t it easy to create rationalized excuses for why we shouldn’t seek forgiveness? “It was over three years ago… Wouldn’t it be selfish for me to conjure up all their hurt feelings just so I can apologize?” “It appears they’ve moved on… What good would it be for me to create a scenario where they have to relive all that pain?” “I wasn’t a believer and Jesus has already forgiven me of my sin… I think I should let the past be the past and instead enjoy the new beginning Jesus has provided me.”
While Saul could have used any of these excuses it’s clear he resisted these urges because he rightly understood one key reality… Refusing to face the people he’d hurt and apologize for his actions would only limit what God could do through his life! James 5:16, “Confess your trespasses to one another… that you may be healed.”
Many pastors claim “forgiveness” is the mechanism by which a victim gains healing, while “repentance” is the mechanism for the wrongdoer. I don’t agree. Though repentance, is an essential first step, it’s not the mechanism for healing. Instead, by design, repentance simply paves the way by which the healing qualities of forgiveness might occur.
Understand… What Saul did was not easy. Facing those we’ve hurt never is. It will take guts. It will require a tremendous amount of selflessness. It demands humility. But, in the end, seeking the forgiveness of the people you’ve wronged is essential if you ever want to gain healing or see the full potential of what God can do through your life.
2. If you’ve been wronged you need to forgive.
As misguided as it may be it’s still very true that many victims believe refusing forgiveness provides them a way to inflict some type of retaliatory harm on the person who’s harmed them. Sadly, the only person this choice holds captive is the person making it!
I’ve heard it said, “It is perfectly normal to want to hurt back when you have been hurt. But hurting back rarely satisfies. We think it will, but it doesn't. If I slap you after you slap me, it does not lessen the sting I feel on my own face, nor does it diminish my sadness over the fact that you have struck me. Retaliation gives, at best, only momentary respite from our pain. The only way to experience healing and peace is to forgive. Until we can forgive, we remain locked in our pain and locked out of the possibility of experiencing healing and freedom, locked out of the possibility of being at peace.”
I must say I’ve never met a person who found forgiveness easy or even natural, but that doesn’t make it any less essential. In many ways forgiveness was designed by God to be a decision the will can make independent of our hurt feelings or fickle emotions.
Understand… By enabling a person the ability to begin letting go of resentment and thoughts of revenge towards their transgressor, making the choice to forgive is the only way a victim can begin traveling the road of recovery and ultimate healing.
It’s really amazing to me these believers in Jerusalem forgave Saul for the incredible pain he had caused them, and in many ways it was completely supernatural! Always remember that forgiveness is a responsive act birthed from the forgiveness I’ve already received from God. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
Here’s the reality… Refusal to forgive is an act that denies God the opportunity to work deep within your soul. Is it any wonder the effects are so devastating. You see suffering and hurt create a void deep within the heart that will either fill itself with forgiveness or the poison of acrimony and revenge. Spurning forgiveness does nothing but enable the virulent venom of bitterness to spread and wreak havoc on every part of the body.
It’s a truth that this world is ugly and the people who live here even uglier. As a part of the human experience you’re going to get hurt and people are bound to disappoint. And though your natural inclination will be to harbor your hurt feelings, you must resist this urge and make the decision to embark on the difficult path of forgiveness.
That said… If you’ve been hurt by someone and that person is now seeking a forgiveness you’re unwilling to bestow… While you think you’re withholding from that person the freedom to move forward, in actuality you’re only limiting the work God can do in your life!
Never forget Jesus’ words from the cross (words that had you in mind when they were uttered)… “Father forgive them for they know not what they do!”
One thing is obvious from our passage… What allowed forgiveness to yield its full effect and bring about restoration in this particular story centered around the simple reality that Saul was willing to own his villainy and these saints were willing to show forgiveness. And yet, admittedly things become complicated and are even further convoluted when one of the two parties refuse to participate. When this happens two questions emerge…
1. Is it really possible to forgive a person who isn’t seeking forgiveness?
2. Is it really possible to experience forgiveness even if a person refuses to forgive?
Ironically, the Bible answers with a resounding yes and a tragic no!
Because forgiveness is essential in allowing the person who’s been wronged to gain healing and experience freedom, the Bible commands that we forgive unconditionally.
In Matthew 18:21-22 “Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.”
In Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus would again stress the importance of forgiveness… “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Paul would exhorts the Colossians 3:13 to “bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
However, the Bible also explains that forgiveness as a complete work of God is in many ways conditional upon the offending party petitioning the person they wronged. (We even see evidence of this reality even in the divine realm).
Jesus would say in Luke 17:3, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.”
1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Again in Psalm 86:5 we read, “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.”
Let me explain what this means… While it is true that the full work of forgiveness as a glorious work of restoration demands both the victim forgive and the wrongdoer seek to be forgiven, Scripture does present two other scenarios…
Since the act of forgiveness by the victim towards the wrongdoer is required by God, it can take place independent of the involvement of the wrongdoer.
Since the wrongdoer’s only responsibility is to repent and petition the victim for forgiveness, their involvement is also independent of the response of the victim.
Let me simplify what this means like this… While forgiveness is designed to be a path for two, it can be traveled alone. I don’t know about you, but I find this incredibly liberating.
You see while the divine result of forgiveness can only be achieved when the wrongdoer joins the victim in the journey, the double-edged nature of forgiveness doesn’t necessitate both parties involvement to still yield its liberating effect on each individual. In the end, each party involved (the victim and the offender) are responsible for their own actions.
If the party that has caused you so much pain and heartache has no interest in seeking your forgiveness, take heart… You can still forgive and be freed from bitterness.
And if, in response to the weight of conviction you’re willing to face the person you’ve harmed, own your failings, and seek their forgiveness as God requires… But that person is unwilling to forgive… Take heart believing that God will still honor your obedience and enable you the benefits of forgiveness!
Let me close with a powerful example of forgiveness I ran across in a RadioLab titled, “Blame.” (A copy of the audio produced by Bianca Giaever in available on C316.tv.)
Around 7:30 PM on the evening of November 21, 2000 a man named Ivan Simpson broke into an unoccupied Atlanta home owned by Hector Black’s daughter Patricia. His plan was simply to steal a few items he could pawn to feed his drug habit. According to his testimony he kicked out a back window, snagged a few things, and left to score some dope.
A few hours later, after his fix wore off, Ivan decided to run his luck again by returning to the home (which was still unoccupied) in order to grab a few more items. Sadly, his luck run out for Patricia unexpectedly came home. Undetected but unable to escape, Ivan hid in a back closet where he was soon discovered by Patricia. Moving quickly, he overpowered her and tied her up all the while concealing his face. Ivan then explained that while he had no intention to hurt her, he was going to take her car so he could load up all of the things he wanted to pawn.
While his plan had been to leave the car in the parking lot of a local Chinese restaurant, noticing that the police had still not arrived at the home Ivan decided to leave the car at the end of the driveway. Sadly, high on crack and in a crazed state, Ivan re-entered the house.
According to Ivan he told Patricia he had come back for sex. Taken back by her reply that he’d have to kill her first, Ivan proceeded to strangle and rape her before fleeing the scene. Unexplainably, he would return around 2 AM and defile her dead body one final time.
Ivan would later confess to this horrific crime and would ultimately be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. While the DA wanted death unknown to Ivan the only reason he had been spared capital punishment was because of the active involvement of Hector.
Let me play for you an audio of Hector recalling his experience at the sentencing hearing… “I was saying how much we loved Patricia, how much she meant to us, and how wounded we were by what had happened. And I said, ‘I don’t know if I’ve forgiven you, Ivan Simpson, but I don’t hate you. I hate with all my soul what you did to my daughter.’ At this point somebody turned me around so I could face him to say the last thing I had written. And I was looking at him, in his eyes, I said, ‘I wished for all of us who had been so wounded by this crime, I wish that we might find God’s peace. And I wish that also for you, Ivan Simpson.’ At this point I saw tears were streaming down his cheeks. It was the first time I looked into his eyes, and it was like a soul in hell…”
Hector would later recount his thoughts as to what would happen next… “I thought to myself, ‘He was sentenced to life without possibility of parole. He’s going to die in jail. There’s no way he’d ever get out. So he could have said, ‘To hell with all of you… My life is over. I’m going to die in a damn jail… But he didn’t. He went up to the microphone, and twice, with the tears streaming down his cheeks said, ‘I’m so sorry for the pain I’ve caused.’
As I considered this I thought, you know, he didn’t need to do that… It was as though something had happened to him, something had reached him. In that moment I knew I had to forgive because… I don’t know how many times I’ve said the Lord’s Prayer. You know? ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive.’ Well, that means forgive. I mean, that really means forgive… For me, if you forgive somebody… It is really like you care about them… I guess that’s one of the totally weird things… that I should care about the man that murdered Trish.”
The interesting twist to this story is that over the next decade Hector and Ivan would write one another and a deep, caring friendship would be ultimately kindled.
I share this story to make a simple point… If these believers in Jerusalem could forgive Saul for all the terrible things he had done to them… And if Hector was able to find it within himself to forgive the man who brutally killed his daughter… And if Jesus is today willing to forgive a person like you… Then what excuse do we really have not to forgive one another?