Dunbar United Church of Christ - April 18, 2010

I. I’m so glad I do the worship service at the Davenport-Dunbar residence. That experience has given me so much to enjoy and think about. Last Tuesday I read the reading from Acts that we just heard where Paul was knocked to the ground, blinded, by a flashing light from heaven. As I discussed this passage I talked about what a violent and mean person Saul was, before he became Paul. When I said that, one of the women in attendance interrupted me and said, “Pastor, I don’t think that’s right. Paul was a good man. He was always a good man.”

II. This woman is in her 80’s and has been going to church all her life. She reads the same Bible that you and I read. And I was amazed that she said this -- that she believed this, even though I’d just read a passage that says Saul was “breathing threats and murder against the” Christians, and that he was taking men and women, tying them up, and bringing them to the authorities in Jerusalem who would then beat them and throw them in jail.

In Romans, Paul says, “What a wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this body of death?” When God told Ananias to put his hands on Saul and heal him -- Ananias said, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done....”

Words used in reference of Paul were murder, persecute and evil -- where do you get good from that?

III. Well -- it’s not an easy book to understand -- but it’s worth our effort because it shows us a way of life where Jesus Christ becomes our new center. Our society encourages us to put ourselves first. That’s why the health care issue caused such a storm. Many think, “I’ll take care of my insurance, you take care of yours. And if you can’t get any tough. I’ve got mine and I’m not paying for yours.”

IV. Jesus wants us to put that selfish person who rules in each of us to death. He said unless we die, he can’t be reborn in us.

Well -- it’s a nice thought -- but I don’t think any of us can kill our egos without divine help. But there’s hope. God comes to us uninvited, and for our own good he kicks us in the teeth, and tears out our eyes -- like he did to Saul that day on the road to Damascus. God comes to us and knocks us senseless.

When we come to -- we see with new eyes. Through hardship and agony, we are reborn. God removes our ego from the center of our universe, and installs Christ. And Christ says, “Now you will live to serve others, friends and enemies alike. “Feed my sheep,... pick up your cross,... follow me,” he says.