What have you seen? What have you heard? Are you a witness?

You Will Be a Witness for Him

(Acts 22:1-22, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, June 9, 2013)

[22:1] “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” [2] And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet.

How did Paul get in this situation? As he stood at the top of the stairs, rather than rush in away from a violent crowd, he begged to address the crowd that had just been beating him up. He knew his calling from God. Paul's passion was to fulfill his mission from Christ.

And he said: [3] “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. [4] I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, [5] as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.What was Paul's passion prior to his “Damascus Road” experience? He was once passionate about Pharisaic Judaism. That was his heritage. Paul's status regarding locale was complex. He was a citizen of Rome and a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, but he was raised in Jerusalem. He became a follower of a Pharisaic teacher named Gamaliel who was quoted earlier in Acts.

Paul was passionate about the law and the customs of Judaism, and he wanted to see all Jews follow those teachings. He believed that Christianity, “this Way,” was more than flawed. It had to be stopped. In his zeal against Jesus and the church he had the support of the high priest and whole council of elders who also wanted to see Jews who believed in Jesus punished. But something happened to Paul when he was on the road to Damascus that changed his passion.

[6] “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. [7] And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ [8] And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ [9] Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. [10] And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ [11] And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.What happened to Paul on the road? There was a great light from heaven shining around him. That light was from a Being who questioned Paul. He identified Himself as Jesus of Nazareth. Paul had been persecuting Jewish followers of Jesus, but Jesus told Paul that such harassment of His people was direct persecution of Him.

Those who were with Paul had a change in their immediate duties. The man they were serving was now blind. His companions led him by the hand. In the twinkling of an eye, this proud Pharisee was brought so low that he could not have walked into the city without someone helping him along. Paul had met God, and now he would meet one of the Jewish believers in Jesus, Ananias, whom he would have previously arrested. This Ananias would serve him as a brother.

[12] “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, [13] came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. [14] And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; [15] for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. [16] And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’What happened to Paul in Damascus through the ministry of Ananias? Ananias was a devout and good man according to the Jews in Damascus. He served Paul by speaking words of healing to him from God. Through this ministry, Paul was able to see again. Ananias also spoke a word of clarity for Paul's soul. Paul would be a witness for Jesus. In the beginning of Acts the remaining eleven disciples wondered who the replacement for Judas would be. They did their best to follow the Lord's directives and set apart a man to join them in their apostolic ministry. Now God led Ananias to the apostle who we have followed for many chapters through this book of Acts.

Paul would know the will of God. He had seen the glorious Jesus. He had heard a voice from the mouth of the Son of God. This would not be only for his private reflection. He was being sent as a witness for Jesus of what he had seen and heard. Other apostles had heard and seen Jesus in prior years. Paul saw Him as a glorious heavenly King who calls and redirects people.

[17] “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance [18] and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ [19] And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. [20] And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ [21] And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”What was the message that Paul received upon returning to the temple? When Paul returned to Jerusalem, he saw Jesus saying to him that the Jews there would not accept his testimony about the Lord. He had been one of their own. He had shared their passion to rid the earth of men like Stephen. But Jesus told him what He had earlier revealed to Ananias. “He is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” (Acts 9:15) Now Paul heard of His own calling with his own ears, “I will send you far away to the Gentiles.”

[22] Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”

What was the reaction of the crowd to Paul's account of Jesus sending him far away to the Gentiles? This claim was more than the zealous crowd could stand. They could not accept that the God of the Jews would send one of their own off to the Gentiles. They did not merely oppose Paul's testimony. They believed that he should not be allowed to live.

What does this passage teach us regarding religious contention? Though Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth and though he can change a man like Paul and send him forth as His ambassador, this does not mean that the mission will be without contention. In the remaining passages in this book we will learn many lessons on that topic. For now we can be content with this one point: Clarity of calling makes a big difference in the face of violent religious contention. Are you clear about your calling? Your life is not an accident. God had a purpose in making you who you are and in calling you to Himself. What have you seen and heard? Are you willing to live as a witness of what you have seen and heard?

Old Testament Passage: Deuteronomy 30:1-6 – Return to the Lord your God

Gospel Passage: Mark 7:5-8 – This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me

Sermon Point: Paul's appointed calling was to take the good news of a Jewish Messiah to the non-Jewish world. What is our appointed calling?