Sermon - the true light
Today was Youth Sunday and I delivered the sermon!
29th April 2017 Youth Sunday service. Sermon by Manuel Sieunarine. Theme: The True Light.
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1st scripture reading: Acts 9:1-20 (Saul’s Conversion)
9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 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. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
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2nd scripture reading: Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
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Good morning everyone. Let us pray. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you, O Christ, our Strength and our Redeemer, amen. Saul was a highly educated scholar of Jewish Law and tradition. He was a zealous Pharisee. Psalm 19:7-8 reads,
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
No doubt, Saul knew this Psalm. After all, most of Jewish law came from the covenant God made with Moses and the nation of Israel, known as the Mosaic Covenant. However, Saul followed the letter of the Law instead of the spirit of the Law. Saul interpreted the Law in such a way that he sought to destroy followers of this new religion, Christianity. These new Christians believed that Jesus was the Son of God, that He died to take away their sins, and that He was resurrected so that all who believed in Him would inherit eternal life. Saul believed that, according to the Law of Moses, these Christian ideas were heretical and had to be stamped out. He did not yet understand that Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses.
Saul believed that knowledge of the Law alone made him holy; made him close to God. In the same way, we believe that worldly knowledge is the highest good; that the light of knowledge is the only light we need. The light of knowledge gives us some understanding of this world. Lawyers understand some of the world through the Law, doctors understand some of the world through medicine, and I as a teacher understand some of the world through literature. This partial understanding is very limited, but can still lead to arrogant pride (hubris).
On the road to Damascus, Saul confronted the true light, and this fateful encounter changed everything. The true light struck Saul down and called him by name. Saul somehow knew that this was the light of God, and asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The light identified Himself as Jesus, who Saul was persecuting. Those words must have shaken Saul to his core: by persecuting Christians, Saul had been fighting against God Himself! Jesus then gave Saul instructions to go to the city to receive further instructions.
Saul knew the Law of Moses very well but he interpreted it wrongly. Today, we know the Bible well but we also interpret it wrongly. Being able to recite the Bible by heart does not make us Christian - it is the personal encounter with Christ that makes us Christian. The Bible is useful, but is not enough for salvation - we need the indwelling Christ. Saul had this encounter.
The encounter left Saul physically blind. He opened his eyes and saw darkness. His companions had to lead him to Damascus by hand. This great scholar had been reduced to a blind man being pulled along the road like a helpless child. In the city, Saul fasted for three days. He must have been terribly confused but he was being slowly transformed. Saul was praying - asking for direction and meaning. He needed God’s help because Saul knew that he could no longer rely on the light of knowledge alone to understand the world. He still had the light of knowledge, of course. His mind was not destroyed; only his perception of the world was destroyed. Saul would never understand the world the same way again. He needed guidance, so he kept on praying.
In that same city, Jesus spoke to one of His followers, Ananias. He told Ananias three things: to heal Saul’s eyes, that Jesus chose Saul to proclaim Jesus’ name to everyone, and that Jesus will show Saul how much he’d suffer in Jesus’ name. That last part is strange. Saul once lived a life of power, position and prestige, but to follow the true light, he’d have to suffer. You’d think that following God would solve your problems, not increase them! But the truth is that Jesus called Saul to suffer in His name in order to bring many people to Christ. Jesus was crucified, therefore Saul would also pick up his cross and follow. Jesus was resurrected, therefore Saul knew that he, too, would live again. Like Christ we will suffer and die, and like Christ we will live again.
Saul understood that he had to live in fellowship with others. After Ananias healed him, Saul spent a few days among the other believers. He had not been converted to make new enemies - Saul did not go from persecuting Christians to persecuting Jews! - he had been converted to witness to others that Jesus is the Son of God. Saul moved forward from Psalm 19 - the light of the Law being perfect - to the true light, Jesus, who is God’s perfect sacrifice for our sins. We read Psalm 23 earlier, and we know what David did not - that Jesus is Lord. Saul knew this Psalm as well, and now he, like us, finally had context for its true meaning. Saul did not receive a new Law, formula, or plan; he received the presence of God through the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus did not say, “My Law is the way”; He said “I AM the Way”!
After spending a few days among the disciples, he went to the synagogue and immediately began proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God. Saul’s identity as a Jew had not been taken away from him. He was still a Jew, he still had the knowledge of the Law, but now he had context. He now understood that Jesus was the Messiah that God promised to the Jews. He now understood the Law in the context of God’s grace. The true light, Jesus Himself is the New Covenant who fulfills all the other covenants that came before. Saul knew all these things because the Holy Spirit chose to dwell in him. Today, when we become Christians, our former identities and our former knowledge are not taken away from us - we now have context for our knowledge and fulfillment of our identities in Christ.
In Mark 12:17, Jesus said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." We do not stop being Trinidadians because we are Christian. We do not stop being family, friends, or neighbours because we are Christian. In fact, when we receive the Holy Spirit, God expects us to look after others. God wants us to live and work with others. That’s why Saul not only lived with the disciples, but also preached the name of Jesus in the synagogue. He lived in the world, and we too must live for others in this world, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. Amen. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, you were crucified and laid behind the stone. You lived to die rejected and alone. Like a rose trampled on the ground, You took the fall and thought of me above all. Give us Your grace so that we can pick up our cross and follow You, to live for others as You continue to live for us. Amen.
29th April 2017 Youth Sunday service. Sermon by Manuel Sieunarine. Theme: The True Light.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1st scripture reading: Acts 9:1-20 (Saul’s Conversion)
9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 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. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd scripture reading: Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Good morning everyone. Let us pray. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you, O Christ, our Strength and our Redeemer, amen. Saul was a highly educated scholar of Jewish Law and tradition. He was a zealous Pharisee. Psalm 19:7-8 reads,
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
No doubt, Saul knew this Psalm. After all, most of Jewish law came from the covenant God made with Moses and the nation of Israel, known as the Mosaic Covenant. However, Saul followed the letter of the Law instead of the spirit of the Law. Saul interpreted the Law in such a way that he sought to destroy followers of this new religion, Christianity. These new Christians believed that Jesus was the Son of God, that He died to take away their sins, and that He was resurrected so that all who believed in Him would inherit eternal life. Saul believed that, according to the Law of Moses, these Christian ideas were heretical and had to be stamped out. He did not yet understand that Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses.
Saul believed that knowledge of the Law alone made him holy; made him close to God. In the same way, we believe that worldly knowledge is the highest good; that the light of knowledge is the only light we need. The light of knowledge gives us some understanding of this world. Lawyers understand some of the world through the Law, doctors understand some of the world through medicine, and I as a teacher understand some of the world through literature. This partial understanding is very limited, but can still lead to arrogant pride (hubris).
On the road to Damascus, Saul confronted the true light, and this fateful encounter changed everything. The true light struck Saul down and called him by name. Saul somehow knew that this was the light of God, and asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The light identified Himself as Jesus, who Saul was persecuting. Those words must have shaken Saul to his core: by persecuting Christians, Saul had been fighting against God Himself! Jesus then gave Saul instructions to go to the city to receive further instructions.
Saul knew the Law of Moses very well but he interpreted it wrongly. Today, we know the Bible well but we also interpret it wrongly. Being able to recite the Bible by heart does not make us Christian - it is the personal encounter with Christ that makes us Christian. The Bible is useful, but is not enough for salvation - we need the indwelling Christ. Saul had this encounter.
The encounter left Saul physically blind. He opened his eyes and saw darkness. His companions had to lead him to Damascus by hand. This great scholar had been reduced to a blind man being pulled along the road like a helpless child. In the city, Saul fasted for three days. He must have been terribly confused but he was being slowly transformed. Saul was praying - asking for direction and meaning. He needed God’s help because Saul knew that he could no longer rely on the light of knowledge alone to understand the world. He still had the light of knowledge, of course. His mind was not destroyed; only his perception of the world was destroyed. Saul would never understand the world the same way again. He needed guidance, so he kept on praying.
In that same city, Jesus spoke to one of His followers, Ananias. He told Ananias three things: to heal Saul’s eyes, that Jesus chose Saul to proclaim Jesus’ name to everyone, and that Jesus will show Saul how much he’d suffer in Jesus’ name. That last part is strange. Saul once lived a life of power, position and prestige, but to follow the true light, he’d have to suffer. You’d think that following God would solve your problems, not increase them! But the truth is that Jesus called Saul to suffer in His name in order to bring many people to Christ. Jesus was crucified, therefore Saul would also pick up his cross and follow. Jesus was resurrected, therefore Saul knew that he, too, would live again. Like Christ we will suffer and die, and like Christ we will live again.
Saul understood that he had to live in fellowship with others. After Ananias healed him, Saul spent a few days among the other believers. He had not been converted to make new enemies - Saul did not go from persecuting Christians to persecuting Jews! - he had been converted to witness to others that Jesus is the Son of God. Saul moved forward from Psalm 19 - the light of the Law being perfect - to the true light, Jesus, who is God’s perfect sacrifice for our sins. We read Psalm 23 earlier, and we know what David did not - that Jesus is Lord. Saul knew this Psalm as well, and now he, like us, finally had context for its true meaning. Saul did not receive a new Law, formula, or plan; he received the presence of God through the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus did not say, “My Law is the way”; He said “I AM the Way”!
After spending a few days among the disciples, he went to the synagogue and immediately began proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God. Saul’s identity as a Jew had not been taken away from him. He was still a Jew, he still had the knowledge of the Law, but now he had context. He now understood that Jesus was the Messiah that God promised to the Jews. He now understood the Law in the context of God’s grace. The true light, Jesus Himself is the New Covenant who fulfills all the other covenants that came before. Saul knew all these things because the Holy Spirit chose to dwell in him. Today, when we become Christians, our former identities and our former knowledge are not taken away from us - we now have context for our knowledge and fulfillment of our identities in Christ.
In Mark 12:17, Jesus said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." We do not stop being Trinidadians because we are Christian. We do not stop being family, friends, or neighbours because we are Christian. In fact, when we receive the Holy Spirit, God expects us to look after others. God wants us to live and work with others. That’s why Saul not only lived with the disciples, but also preached the name of Jesus in the synagogue. He lived in the world, and we too must live for others in this world, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. Amen. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, you were crucified and laid behind the stone. You lived to die rejected and alone. Like a rose trampled on the ground, You took the fall and thought of me above all. Give us Your grace so that we can pick up our cross and follow You, to live for others as You continue to live for us. Amen.