Conversion Stories

Our church is doing a sermon series on the book of Acts, The Acts of the Apostles, to be precise. Written by Luke, who also wrote the eyewitness account of Jesus in the Gospel according to Luke, Acts talks about how the Good News of salvation spreads to "all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth" by the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit. The early followers of Jesus, mostly Jews, were persecuted and martyred for their faith by their brethren Jews and the Romans, but their faith stood firm.

This morning's sermon was on Act 9 about the conversion of Saul, a Jewish persecutor and murderer of Christians. This was recorded for us:

"Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”. “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9: 1-6 NIV).

The encounter transformed Saul from a hater of Christ into Paul, the most prolific missionary in church history. He was eventually imprisoned and beheaded by the Romans, but not before he wrote a few more books of the New Testaments which are commonly referred to as the Prison Letters. Paul's life and his death is recorded to for all the skeptics who come after him.

Listening to today's sermon reminded me of the movie, The Case for Christ, which I watched about a week back. The movie is based on a true story of a Chicago Tribune award-winning journalist turned pastor, Lee Strobel. Lee was a born skeptic and was distraught when his wife became a Christian, so distraught that he set out to disprove the claims of Christ. Much like Paul of Tarsus, Lee wanted to settle the score with the Christians. He put his investigative skills to use and spoke to a number of experts in their fields of specialisation. On his journey to disprove the death, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, he ended up face to face with the truth of Christ. 

In the face of truth, both men comes to the realisation of God's love. God took a chance on us - "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). Today, we live in a world that is very hostile toward God and what God stands for. Yet when we push Him out of our lives, He remains quietly at the door of our hearts waiting expectantly for us to open it again. He gives us grace even when we choose to take a different path. He continues to pursue us even when we've made it clear to Him that He is not welcomed to our part of the neighbourhood. 

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. 

 ~ John 3:16-17 The Message

Dream

I can't remember exactly when I had this dream, only that it was during the period when I was recuperating at home after my hospitalisation. Unlike my wife, I almost always forget my dreams when I wake up from sleep. But I remembered this one and I have been thinking about it ever since. It was a simple dream - it was cold and dark except for a tiny spark of warm orange light in the distance. Although I could not see my immediate surroundings, it felt as if I was in a forest heading slowly toward the light. It felt as if I was sitting in something that was rolling smoothly on a winding track towards this light. All this was happening without any sound and in slow motion. 

After awhile it seemed like I had stopped moving and the light was moving towards me instead. Still a distance from the light, I realised that the light was Jesus seated on a throne with His nail pierced hands resting on his knees.  Behind the throne were two winged-creatures. At that point it occurred to me that I was perhaps leaving this present life and headed towards the next life. But it wasn't fearful at all. Instead it felt like I was reaching my destination. I recall making sense of it in my dream - that after all the twist and turns in life, this is all that really matters. And then I woke up. 

I do believe God speaks through dreams and it has certainly happened to me once before many years ago. In that case, I received a confirmation of what the dream meant from an independent source right after I woke up.  Even as I write this paragraph, I just thought about a message I received out of the blue from an ex-colleague about 2 weeks back. This was some time after I had my dream, so it hadn't occurred to me that they may be related until now. It reads:

"The Lord prompted me to pray for you. Know that He is near and always there to lean on. His grace is sufficient. Amen... I was reading Philippians and God is wonderful. He reminds me that salvation wrought by self has nothing to glory about. But only his grace freely given to mankind is priceless and gives all glory to Him. Verses in chapter 4 urge us to remember to be joyful because the evil one comes to steal, kill and destroy our joy in Jesus. Let our mindfulness be evident to all. Victory belongs to the Lord. Be encouraged Brother." It is followed by the verses from Philippians 4:4-7.

Is it related? Not sure. There are some parallels. Am I going to be up against something beyond my human abilities yet again? I don't really want to. Too much of that over the last couple of years. But even so, I wish to encourage anyone out there who is dealing with something that seems difficult or unbearable  - that Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:11). Whatever it is that you feel that you cannot handle, I hope and pray that you will receive "the peace of God that surpasses all understanding".  Whether you are dealing with an illness or with bullies; anxiety or emptiness about the future; losing someone you love or losing the love from someone; being victimised or marginalised; feeling alone or feeling overwhelmed. Cast away your fears and do not let yourself be heavy laden. Like David who removed the heavy armour that got in his way, draw on God's strength as you face your Goliath. 

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
~ Philippians 4: 4-7