part 4 of “RATTLE”
For the final post of this series, I wanted to look at a different kind of rattle. This is will have some similarities with the previous stories in this series, but I believe that there is something else to learn from this story. In this post, I want to look at the story of Paul. We pick his story up in the book of Acts. Paul is first mentioned as Saul in Acts 7. He is present at the stoning of Stephen and approves of the stoning...
“Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.” - Acts 7:57-58, 8:1 NLT
This was just the start of Saul’s mission to eradicate the followers of Jesus. Jesus had caused a lot of commotion and upset a lot of their ways. They were trying to stop the Jesus movement. They were trying to destroy the church and Saul was going house to house dragging people out of their houses to put them in prison [1]. We see this again in Acts 9 and this is where we will spend the rest of the time. Acts 9 begins like this...
“Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.” - Acts 9:1-2 NLT
However, while Saul is heading to Damascus, he was met with a bright light [2]. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him:
“Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” - Acts 9:4-6 NLT
The men that were with Saul were speechless because they heard a voice and did not see anyone. When Saul got to his feet and opened his eyes, he was blind and was led to Damascus by the men that were with him. While he arrived in Damascus, he did not eat or drink and remained blind for three days [3].
Now talk about being rattled! Everyone that was there for this event was rattled to the core. The men that were with Saul were rattled by what they had seen and heard. Saul was rattled by the event that occurred as well and being blind when he opened his eyes.
In Damascus, there was a follower of Jesus named Ananias. Jesus told Ananias where Saul was and that He had “shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again” [4]. Ananias had heard of Saul and was fearful of going to see him. But Jesus told him that Saul is “my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel” [5]. So, Ananias goes, finds Saul, and restores his sight [6].
Saul ate some food and regained his strength. He stayed in Damascus for a few days with some fellow believers and started to immediately preach about Jesus. The people of Damascus had a hard time believing that Saul had changed. As time went on they began to plot out how they could kill him. This led the believers of Damascus to save Saul by letting him down in a basket over the wall of the city. When he returned to Jerusalem they also didn’t believe that he was a believer in Jesus. They didn’t believe that he had changed. Saul was taken by Barnabas to the apostles and Barnabas told them of the life-changing encounter he had with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Saul stayed with them and went with them to preach boldly in Jerusalem [7]. Saul’s name is later changed to Paul [8].
This story shows me a few things as I look at it. I am very familiar with Paul’s story. But I always come to the same thought when I read it or teach it. The thought that comes to mind is that God can use anyone to further His Kingdom. Sometimes I feel like I am not able to help in the Kingdom of God because of the mistakes that I have made. Maybe you have this feeling as well. I am sure that Paul had this feeling. I am sure Paul thought to himself “after all I have done you still want me?” I know I have thought that too.
But I can’t get over this verse in Paul’s story:
“Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.” - Acts 9:15 NLT
Jesus has a special purpose for Paul and it was something that only he could do. Jesus was going to use Paul to take the message of the Gospel to the people that needed to hear it.
Jesus wants to use all of us to take His message to people. Jesus wants to use the events in our lives and the things that we feel disqualify us from doing any kind of work for Him. Your story might just be one that someone needs to hear so they can find life in Jesus. Jesus can use anyone and their story. No one is disqualified. And that right there should rattle us.
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[1] Acts 8:3, NLT
[2] Acts 9:3, NLT
[3] Acts 9:7-9, NLT
[4] Acts 9:12, NLT
[5] Acts 9:15, NLT
[6] Acts 9:17-18, NLT
[7] Acts 9:19-31, NLT
[8] Acts 13:9, NLT
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