The Spectacular Call to Faith: Conversion of St. Paul

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saul was a zealot for the Jewish religion, so much so He was the ring leader of those trying to snuff out the preaching of Christ by overseeing the death of His saints (St. Stephen) and the imprisonment of others. He appeared to be the least likely person to ever convert to the Way. But that is exactly how God works. He turns everything on its head. And He used Paul in a very special way. You might call Paul’s conversion the most important event for Christendom outside of Christ’s birth, death, resurrection and ascension. Saul was the Lord’s chosen instrument to proclaim the mystery that the Gentiles were part of the family of God and would be saved in the same manner that Abraham was saved: by grace through faith.

Our Sunday morning bible study has been reading Acts and if you join us you could say Acts is a bit of a page turner because of all the events that Luke packs in successive order. The Lord’s Word is going forth via the preaching and teaching of the Apostles and the church is growing rapidly. And You might say it’s a spectacular thing right after another. And Saul, whose name is changed to Paul later, He is one of those spectacular guys, who seems to always be in the thick of the action in the Church. Always part of the spectacular accounts. I mean in a spectacular fashion, Saul was converted. Jesus, after He rose and ascended to the right hand of the Father, revealed Himself to Saul while Saul was off to persecute, imprison, and possibly kill more members of the Church of Christ. Spectacular stuff. And we desire that. We want the spectacular to occur. We want to participate in the spectacular, especially when it comes to God acting in the world. If God would do that, more people would believe. But are made believers by seeing? Or by hearing the preached word?

And we are certainly not the first ones to have those kinds of thoughts come into our minds. When Jesus walked the earth during his ministry prior to his crucifixion, the crowds wanted a spectacular sign. Herod the king wanted Jesus to perform for him. The only sign they got was the sign of Jonah. The Son of Man was swallowed up by earth in death and remained there for a time before rising from the dead. The Cross was His sign. The Cross does not seem all that spectacular to human eyes. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. It is grotesque. Cicero the Roman Orator describes crucifixion as a most cruel and disgusting punishment. It was indeed a humiliating way to die.

But you know it really was great, not because of the cross itself, but because of Him who ascended upon the cross to pay for the sins of the world by pouring out His blood. Christ dying there to us hope and life. Christ dying there so that when we are dying, we know that we are not alone and that we have a God who is greater than death for He rose from the dead. And because He rose from the dead we too shall arise. This was preached by the apostles of Christ, who gave them the command to be His witnesses. And their proclamation went forth in order the world to believe and be saved.

This is all spectacular to our ears! But it doesn’t look all that spectacular now. Oh, in the end it will be, but now we see death knocking on the doors of our loved ones and even our own. We see turmoil and strife. We feel our bodies breaking down and our hearts wearing out. We see suffering of both body and soul all around us. It’s as if death has won and we have lost. If we are only waiting for the spectacular to come along. Have we lost sight to the blessings our God gives to us in the ordinary things of this world?

Do we see what promises and blessings God give us in Holy Baptism? What is Baptism? Baptism is not just plain water but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s Word. Water and Word, ordinary things. But for us who believe we have these benefits by Baptism: Forgiveness of sins, rescues from death, and the devil and Baptism gives eternal salvation. For we have the promise from Christ: Whoever Believes and is baptized will be saved. Ordinary stuff, Water and Word. And what else is ordinary? The elements which Christ says are his body and blood. Bread and wine. But it is not just any ordinary bread and wine, but when Christ’s words are spoken “This is my Body, this is blood” shed for you for the forgiveness of sins, they give exactly what they say to those who believe in those words: The forgiveness of sins. Ordinary things made to be spectacular by God’s Word.

We might look around and see things that look bleak and pretty hopeless in this world. But when we live the life which in Christ Jesus, we cannot help but have hope. We have a spectacular life in Christ! For Christ is risen! And He has promised life everlasting with Him. And as we learn from the account of Saul’s conversion, Christ also knows the sufferings His church experiences. For he is the one being persecuted when the church is under duress. We are not alone. But spectacularly we are gathered into His body. And then He gives his body and blood to us to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening our faith.

It looks pretty ordinary to the naked eye, but for you it is a spectacular thing indeed. For by Baptism, you are made God’s Child, a new creation, granted new life. And this life is nourished by the hearing of Christ’s word and receiving into your very mouth his life blood.

Paul’s story is spectacular. The manner in which he is converted is one for the ages, but what took place next? He was baptized just like you were. And Luke’s account is interesting because of how he adds the final bit, taking food, he was strengthened. Why does Luke add this immediately after acknowledging Saul being baptized? It could be to lead us to consider Saul not only was baptized but then also give the Supper of our Lord. Baptism leads one to the Supper of our Lord. Baptism initiates you into the body of Christ, and the His Supper sustains you and strengthens you in that faith which you have been baptized.

He lived the new life of Christ just like you. He received forgiveness by the preaching of Christ’s death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins just like you. Was Paul’s life spectacular, was He a so-called super Christian, without any problems? Absolutely not. He was chased along by those who opposed him. Because of his conversion the Jews wanted to kill him because He switched sides. He was perhaps the church’s greatest missionary but it is difficult for me to believe that people who met Paul would have picked up on that. Paul was thrown in prison multiple times, stones, thrown out of cities. Paul suffered. He suffered for the name of His Lord.

Suffering is the name of this life. At least at this time. It is the way of the Cross. For Christ, his apostle Paul and now you.

The Holy Gospel has words for you: And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Those are some tall orders if we desire to receive the inheritance. Give up your parents? How hard a saying. In other words, it is like when Jesus says that “if you love father and mother more than Me you are not worthy of Me.” What is your heart clinging to? To earthly things or to the heavenly promises of Christ? It is hard isn’t to truly let go of sins and the things of this world.

But what you cannot do in your own strength, Jesus has done for you. He is the one who did leave everything for you and has given you everything. You have it in your baptism. You have the most spectacular gift of everlasting life delivered to you in ordinary means. But when you know what you have in your Baptism, you are able to let go of yourself, and cling to Christ and Him crucified for your life. And in Christ, even the very ordinary things, like doing the laundry for the family, bathing your children, making the Sunday evening meal, balancing the family check book – All these things are called spectacular in your Father’s sight. For you are serving and loving your neighbor fulfilling your vocations. And you also have the opportunity to forgive those who have hurt you and sinned against you, because Christ has forgiven you for your own sins.

This day we heard the spectacular call of Saul into the faith and service of Christ. Just as spectacular was the call of the Holy Spirit to you bringing you into faith in Jesus Christ who has saved you from sin and grants you everlasting life. What appears to be a quite ordinary thing is pretty spectacular because of the Words and Promises of God attached to them.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
La Grange, MO