CONVERSION OF PAUL 25 01 2025
FIRST READING: Jeremiah 1.4-10
Second Reading: Acts 9.1-22
GOSPEL Matthew 19.27-end
Today is a very special commemoration, we are remembering the conversion of Paul. You may be aware that Paul’s writings had a great influence on the Christian faith and understanding. His writings were so profound that in the New Testament, of the 21 letters that were included as scripture, 13 letters of Paul were included. All that we have as Christian Doctrine were all mostly derived from Paul’s letters to churches. All this was possible because of his conversion. His conversion was a spectacular event. Conversion is when he met Jesus. His conversion was an encounter with Jesus. Jesus met him in a phenomenal way.
Lets learn a bit more about him as a person. Before his encounter with Jesus he was known as Saul.
He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, by birth he belonged to Jewish faith and from the tribe of Benjamin. Paul was highly educated. He says he was a student of Gamaliel who was a great scholar in the New Testament times and he was a leader in the Jewish faith. He was a Pharisee. Pharisees are highly learned people who oversaw how people teach and practice Jewish religion.
Now let me change the scene a bit and rewind a little. After the ascension of Jesus into the heavens, the apostles stayed in Jerusalem and were praying as what Jesus asked them to. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon them with the sound of a mighty wind and flames of fire rested on them. It was a unique time of prayer as the apostles began to speak in different world languages drawing people to come to them and see this wonder. The apostles then began to proclaim Jesus Christ as the saviour of the world.
In the guidance of the Holy spirit, thousands of people began to respond to the preaching of the apostles and became Christians. The Bible tells us that about three thousand people became Christians. As the apostles began to preach more and more people were becoming followers of Jesus and most of them were Jewish people.
The Jewish authorities became nervous about this new teaching about Jesus. They begin to persecute the Christian people. We should remember that at this time there were no church buildings or facilities. Christians met any common place, sometimes in Jewish places of worship, sometimes worship and prayer was held I in people’s homes.
There was a Deacon or helper called Stephen who preached about Jesus with conviction and courage, The Jewish authorities became so angry and they stoned Stephen to death. Stephen was the first martyr of the church. That is the first time we hear about Paul. He was there when Stephen was killed. Paul and other pharisees wanted to stop the spread of Christian faith. After the killing of Stephen persecution became severe. The book of Acts tells us ‘But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.’
Paul who was known as Saul was terrorising the Christians ‘Meanwhile 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 who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.’
On the way to Damascus as Paul was going to terrorise Christians, he was stopped by a flash of lightning. He heard a voice saying, Saul Saul why are you persecuting me. Jesus tells him what he is doing to Christians, he was doing to Jesus. Paul was blinded and could not see. Jesus in a vision talks to Ananias and ask him to go and meet Paul and pray for his healing. After the meeting Paul regained his sight. He becomes a Christian and begins to proclaim Jesus to every nation and establish the churches everywhere.
He became an apostle to non Jewish people. He was not part of the original 12 disciples, but Jesus used him as an extraordinary apostle. The one who was persecuting the church had to face severe persecution for the sake of the Gospel.