Call

June 2^nd, 2019             “Call”        Rev. Heather Jepsen

Summer Sermon Series: The Amazing Adventures of Paul

Acts 9:1-31

         This morning we begin our summer sermon series “The Amazing Adventures of Paul” and I am so excited to be embarking on this journey with you.  Most of us here would recognize the name of Paul as a leader of our faith tradition but we probably don’t know all the amazing stories about him in the book of Acts.  Historically, Paul is one of the first authors and theologians of our faith.  A former Pharisee, Paul becomes a follower of Jesus and preaches the gospel throughout the early world.  Paul is a writer of letters, and many of his letters are preserved within the text of our scriptures.  Paul was so famous that some folks wrote letters using his name instead of their own, and we have some of those in our Bible as well. 

         Paul is also a bit of a folk hero in the early church.  Fantastical novels were written about his adventures including “The Acts of Paul”, “The Acts of Peter and Paul” and my personal favorite “The Acts of Paul and Tecla”.  All of these early fantastical writings have been relegated to the sidelines of Christian Apocrypha.  All, of course, except one, “The Acts of the Apostles”.  This historical romance, this novel of suspense and danger, this tale of amazing Biblical heroes lives on to this day, right here, in our Bible.

         This summer, we are going to dig deep into the book of Acts.  We are going to read stories we know, like today’s tale about Paul’s conversion to ministry, along with many stories we don’t know, like that time Paul raised someone from the dead, or that shipwreck he survived, or that time a snake bit him but he was OK.  This summer, we are going to read about the amazing adventures of Paul, and maybe have a few amazing adventures of our own.

         Acts is the story of the early church, and so it begins with Peter and his friends.  Paul makes a brief appearance at the end of chapter 7 which is the stoning of Stephen.  Stephen was a follower of the Way and he preached the story of Jesus Christ even when the high priest told him not to.  Well, “them’s fightin’ words” and the writer of Acts tells us that Paul was there that day “the Jews” stoned Stephen though he was so busy watching everybody’s coats that he didn’t throw a rock himself.

         When we reach chapter 9, Paul’s story takes center stage.

         (Read Acts 9:1-9)

         Side note: Saul is Paul’s Jewish name.  It was common practice when in mixed company of Jews or Gentiles to have a Gentile or Roman name and that is where he goes by Paul.  After his conversion, Saul is often in mixed company so Saul is often referred to as Paul.  We’re just going to call him Paul all summer as that is his most popular name.

         Anyway, Paul begins his story as a threat to the early Christian church.  He felt good about the killing of Stephen and wants to pursue with zeal his perceived call to wipe out this threat to the Jewish traditions.  So he begins his story getting permission from the temple elite to travel the region, sniff out believers, and bind them and bring them to Jerusalem for punishment.  But on the way Paul encounters Jesus.  Light flashes around him, he hears a voice, and he falls off his horse.  (That’s not in this version but he tells us about it later, and it’s good for dramatic effect).

         Paul is a good Jew, and he knows an encounter with the Lord when he sees one, he just didn’t realize who the Lord was.  Jesus is the one who appears to Paul, and he tells Paul to get up, go into the next town, and await further instruction.  Paul gets up but he has become blind.  The author of course, wants us to connect this to Paul’s spiritual blindness which prevented him from recognizing the truth about the gospel in the first place.

         (Read Acts 9:10-19a)

         Now we have a new character, Ananias, this guy is the hero of our story today.  He has a vision of Jesus, who asks him to reach out and touch Paul.  His immediate reply of “No thanks God” is totally understandable.  Word has spread about what a jerk Paul is and Ananias doesn’t want to put himself into danger unnecessarily.  But Jesus assures him it will be ok. 

         What faith!  Ananias follows directions, and seeks Paul out.  He enters a house where he knows an enemy is staying, and he boldly approaches Paul, reaching out to touch him and offer healing.  This is so brave!  Paul at any minute could be springing a trap.  But Ananias trusts in the message he has received from the Lord, he trusts in his call, and he goes into the space of danger.  He is such a great character!

         The scales fall from Paul’s eyes, and he who was blind can now see.  And Paul realizes the whole of who Jesus is.  He is filled with the Holy Spirit, healed, opened up, and baptized into the way.  It’s important to note that Paul doesn’t convert from Judaism to Christianity, that was not how things were understood at the time.  Rather, Paul is becoming a follower of Jesus.  When Paul witnesses Jesus resurrected from the dead he knows that the things said about Jesus are true, he must be the Messiah.  Logically, then Paul will follow this Messiah Jesus. 

         Paul is chosen for a special mission.  The Lord does not tell Paul this, but he does tell Ananias.  Paul is the one to bring God’s name “before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.”  And along that journey God will show Paul “how much he must suffer for the sake of God’s name.”  Do you think Ananias told all this to Paul?  Or do you imagine he just laid hands on him, prayed, and then got the heck out of Dodge?  The text doesn’t say.

         (Read Acts 9:19b-22)

         Paul studies for a few days and then is right away preaching in the synagogues.  Talk about being filled with the Holy Spirit!  It takes many folks years to work up the courage to preach, and now Paul has not only gone from coat-check-boy to preacher, now he’s preaching for the other team!  Everyone is amazed at Paul’s change of heart and also at his eloquence.  The author tells us that already Paul is inspiring believers and confusing “the Jews”.

         Side note: In today’s reading and all throughout the book of Acts Paul will encounter nameless enemies under the title “the Jews”.  We need to remember that this is a historical novel, half history half bluster written to educate and inspire the early church.  At the time this was written, the early church was suffering though a painful birthing process.  They were seeking to define themselves as separate from the old Jewish ways.  Especially in light of the very real persecution they received from the Jewish religious leaders. 

When we read “the Jews” we need to understand it as the language of an oppressed group towards their oppressors and we need to be certain not to confuse that with the true Jewish faith and our Jewish brothers and sisters today.  Throughout the centuries well-meaning people have used this language of “the Jews” to allow for and encourage anti-Semitism and I will not tolerate that here.  So be sure, throughout this sermon series, to understand this language in context.  OK? 

         Now, back to our story:

         (Read Acts 9:23-31)

         It doesn’t take long for Paul to begin making people angry.  This will be a re-occurring theme in our reading.  There is just something about Paul that rubs people the wrong way.  Folks are plotting to kill him right away and so he is lowered out of the city in a basket.  Paul – the basket case!

         He comes to Jerusalem and the disciples want nothing to do with him.  Big hearted Barnabas though pleads his case and Paul is welcomed into the inner circle, though never as one of the 12.  Paul preaches in Jerusalem until they try to kill him . . . again!  At this the apostles send him away home to Tarsus.  What a headache!  Send him back where he came from!  And this is a perfect place to end for today.

         Already we can see what an adventure Paul’s journey will be.  As always, we will search these texts for connection to our own lives, our own time, and our own space.  It is important to remember when we read Paul that these are “Amazing Adventures”, not everyday occurrences.  A lot that happens to Paul won’t happen to us.

         Paul’s conversion experience is one of those stories.  Not very many people see and hear God; not very many people are against Christianity and then turn around and suddenly are for it.  It does happen, but not to everyone.  More often than not, we grow up in the church.  We see God in little things, but not in lights or voices.  We might feel God nudge our hearts, but we don’t very often have God knock us off our horse and kick us in the bum.  What happens to Paul might not happen to us.

         This summer, we will look for connections in the other characters in Paul’s story, and this week our place is with Ananias.  Here is a faithful guy, minding his own business, when Jesus tells him to do something crazy.  And yes, he does have a vision, which we might not get, but his task is much more on our scale.  He is sent to do one thing, to touch one person, to minister in one place.  It seems so small, but we can imagine it felt so big.  Ananias did not want to go, he was afraid, and he went anyway. 

         This reading is often thought of as Paul’s call story, but really God doesn’t tell Paul to do anything.  Just “get up and get going”.  What this story is though, is the call of Ananias.  All the pieces are there.  The Lord calls “Ananias” and Ananias responds, “Here I am, Lord”.  The Lord says “go” and Ananias says “no” until he is prompted a little further.  So Ananias went, and he laid hands on Paul, and he prayed, and God was with him there.  That is the call story in Acts chapter nine.

         We don’t all have a conversion story like Paul, but we all have a call story like Ananias.  We all have something that God is nudging us to do in the world.  It could be huge, like the call Paul eventually hears, to bring the gospel to the world and to suffer for the faith.  Or it could be small, like the call to visit and pray with one person and one person alone.  God could be calling you to one moment, or a lifetime of service, but God is calling you.  We just have to tune our ears to hear that call.  And we have to have the courage to whisper “Here I am, Lord.”

         Paul begins his journey asking “Who are you, Lord?”  He will spend the rest of his life answering that question for himself and for the early communities of the church.  His adventures are amazing and spectacular, and while they may not compare to our own lives, they will have a lot to teach us about who God is and who God might be calling us to be.  I hope that you feel the call this week to serve the Lord in some small way, and I hope you come back next week, as we continue to read and enjoy “The Amazing Adventures of Paul.”  Amen.