The Road To Damascus
I want to tell you the story of two men. One knew his course in life.. He had charted his course and he knew where he was going. The other was lost and bewildered and had no idea where he was going. But both men equally needed the gospel of salvation.
1. We find the first man in a graveyard.
Mark 5
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
This man was disturbed. He had completely lost control of his life. He was in a terrible state. He was heading nowhere; just living in the graveyard - running naked and scaring people. He had no purpose whatsoever.
When Jesus showed up, he became agitated. Here was someone who threatened his existence as he knew it. The unclean, irreverent spirit inside of him reacted to the presence of holiness. Indeed, people who have no purpose in life are always disturbed by those who have purpose; people who are evil are always bothered by those who are righteous.
But Jesus saw in this man a great human need. He saw a man in torment - torn by the conflicting forces within him. Jesus, with a word, spoke peace into this mans life.
Suddenly he was calm and in his right mind. Suddenly life made sense to him. Suddenly he wanted to do something useful with his life. He asked to follow Jesus.
Is that you? Do you know where your life is heading? Do you have a purpose? Jesus can bring peace into your turmoil. He can arrange your life so that it means something.
2. The second man we find on the road to Damascus.
Acts 9
1. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Saul's story
Saul knew exactly where he was going. He had his plan laid out; he knew what he believed; he knew what his goal was; he was a man on a mission. He had purposed in his heart what he was doing and nothing would stop him.
Paul appears in the narrative at the stoning of Stephen.
Acts 7
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 8
1. And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Before this time, he had been educated in the Jewish laws and trained in the school of the Pharisees. He had distinguished himself as a Pharisee of Pharisees - he was a fanatic - a down to the bone Pharisee.
Ac 26:5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Php 3:4-6 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Saul was the epitome of self-confidence. But then, suddenly, his life was changed radically. Jesus appeared to him - the one he didn't believe in - the one he persecuted. Now he stands before him revealing that he is indeed the Messiah the Jews waited for. Saul's eyes are opened, and now he sees the truth.
Suddenly Saul realizes that, though he was sure of what he believed, what he believed had been wrong.
Isn't it interesting that these two men who were worlds apart found that the answer to their lives was the same - what they both needed was the same. They needed Jesus.
Whether you have it all together or you are wandering aimlessly - searching, you will find your answer in Jesus. He is ultimately what all men need.