EPIPHANY III
January 19, 2025
“From Persecutor to Apostle”
As we’ve moved into January, the big, celebratory occasions we observe in the church seem to be fading into the past or are quite distant into the future. It is meaningful, however, to take note that during this month we honor and remember individuals from both modern and ancient times. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is commemorated on January 15 (his birthday) as a renewer of society and a martyr, who lost his life because of his outspoken and outstanding leadership in the struggle for civil rights for all people. January 25 is designated by the church as the day to commemorate the Conversion of Paul. The account of a man who viciously persecuted Christians and then completely turned around to become a dedicated missionary, teacher and writer sounds like absolute fantasy. And yet, it’s a compelling story, so let’s fill it out and give ourselves some context for this event.
The Book of Acts, which provides us with an excellent history of the spread of the early church, describes the work of the apostles as they went about preaching, teaching and establishing congregations of new believers. We learn of their courage in the face of persecution by those who feared and opposed their teachings. Government officials felt threatened by the concept that, first and foremost, people were accountable to God. The established church felt threatened by the promise of salvation and freedom from the strict requirements of Jewish law.
Into the midst of this conflict, Saul appears, a devout and educated Jew who was unrelenting in his efforts to eradicate those he considered heretics. At the beginning of Acts, Chapter 9, Saul is in Jerusalem, where he asks the high priest for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, authorizing him to arrest Christians. He sets off with a few companions, and suddenly a blinding light glares down on him, and a voice asks, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” then saying, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Struck blind, and probably in shock, Saul is assisted the rest of the way to Damascus, where he is visited by Ananias, a leader among the Christians. His sight is restored, and within a few days he is baptized, and soon is in the synagogues, where he witnesses and proclaims Jesus. A good number of people were skeptical at such an about-face, assuming this was a ruse to get inside the Christian communities so as to identify and arrest the members. But Saul, soon called Paul, never wavered in his dedication to spreading the Gospel of Christ, and even as he endured persecution and imprisonment, he wrote and encouraged others. His letters, which are included in our New Testament, have enlightened and inspired Christians from ancient times to the present.
So how does this story resonate with us today? It’s challenging to comprehend how someone can be so profoundly affected that he completely changes his whole belief system. But this is how we learn that the power of God’s Holy Spirit can turn his fiercest opponent into his greatest advocate. Saul was determined to eliminate this threat to established religion, and yet God turned all that energy and ability toward spreading the Gospel. God will lead (or push!) us in the direction he wants us to take, and with open hearts and minds, trusting in him, we will fulfill his purpose. This may be an old story, but it’s most certainly not out of date!
Praying that we all will hear and follow God’s call,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers