Acts 9.1-9 Now I know that this evening will be different from the last 3.

Because, you see, the superb Foyles War detective programmes have come to an end. And although there is seems to be a new series based on the early years of the Inspector Morse called Endeavour starting, it still wont be the same. Nevertheless, it has to be said that these and most other crime dramas follow a familiar pattern. And it is this! The character who starts off being most the objectionable turns out to have a heart of gold. While the hail fellow well met regular guy in the street is revealed to having a cupboard of chainsaws next to his wardrobe full of axes and shot guns. Of course, none of this is comes to light until the very last moment. And as a result in the few short minutes of the show that are left we have our viewpoint turned upside down, we have to grapple with the full picture and we must revise all that we have taken for granted. The author of Acts does something of this trick in his account of Sauls conversion. Since Saul starts out as a rather nasty piece of work. In fact, he was little short of a serial killer. Although from the south of Asia minor, modern day Turkey, he studied extensively with Jerusalems religious elite. Indeed he seemed to have a such zeal for legal observance that he was a utter obsessive. With the result he summoned up the local police force and formed a posse to reek havoc on those Christians who had fled to Damascus. Now this was no jolly he was on. For Damascus is 140 miles from Jerusalem and it had to be undertaken on foot. Moreover, as Saul was devout Pharisee he would have nothing to do with his companions, therefore he would have walked each step of that 7 day marathon without communication.

Now if you seek a scientific root of his conversion experience, then we can note that he had to pass through a region famous for its electrical storms. And it is possible we was struck by lightening or was close to a strike in the final analysis we dont know. Suffice to say, something truly traumatic happened to him and he was literally a changed man. Because certainly it was in that event alone did Saul the villain become Paul the saint. Yet, Paul had another deeper explanation than just megavolts. Since for the rest of his life, he recounted that he had encountered the risen Christ and it was that which revolutionised his whole psyche. Indeed, after that, Saul started to escape the bounds his self-righteous, narrow and legalistic mindset. Moreover he was transformed into a fulfilled human being open to new, spacious and radiant spiritual wonders. In other words, he became a jewel in the family of Gods children. And how can we doubt all of this from our own probably less dramatic experiences. Since so often we come to Christ in prayer fired up with moral indignation and certainty of our viewpoint only to be gently teased out of this bunker mentality. We are in fact led from an enslaving darkness to the brightness of freedom, tolerance and openness. We are in some ways turned from intolerant and God fearing Saul of Tarsus to the accepting and God-loved Paul of creation. Come to think of it there is another theory as to the circumstances surrounding Sauls damascene conversion. And it is less about an external lightening bolt than an eternal one. Since as I have said he would have had to walk alone on his week long journey and therefore he acres of time to think. Did he for example start to take stock of his life? During that time did he brood on his role in the martyrdom of Steven? Did he ask himself why did this good man have to die? Did he

in fact realise that his dead beliefs were seriously out of order with the living God? His conversion then may well have been an internal crisis leading to a mental breakdown. And this makes sense from the light shed by this story.. Carlyle Marney was one of the great preachers in the Southern states of America during the time after the Second World War. He was a mentor and role model to many ministers. One of the stories attributed to the rich legacy he left behind took place on a seminary campus where he was invited to be the speaker for a distinguished lectureship. One of the students asked, "Dr. Marney let us hear you say a word or two about the meaning of the resurrection." It was a fair question and an appropriate one from a future preacher to one who was already a great practitioner of the art of preaching. However the young students were taken aback by Marney's response. Dr. Marney replied, "I will not discuss that with people like you." "Why not?" the students asked. Marney said, "I do not discuss such matters with anyone under thirty years of age." He continued, "Look at you! Just look at you. You are in the prime of your life. Full of talent and energy. Very few if any of you have experienced poverty, failure, defeat, heartbreak or a brick wall that stops you dead in your tracks. So tell me, what in God's name can any of you know of a dark harsh world which only makes sense if Christ is raised from the dead?" Well often our own prejudgements and cultural programming and experience patterning imprisons us in darkness just like Saul. We too easily lock ourselves away in an enslaving place and then fight tooth and claw to remain there. And it is there above anywhere else the risen Christ is likely to break in with

not just drama but trauma. It is there we are in danger of being liberated by the most violent of jolts. It is there we are in the greatest probability zone of hearing - why are you presecuting me? Let then this cold season gradually changes to spring by allow our hearts to warm. Let us hold all our rules and regulations and viewpoints up to heaven and then accept the violent transformation we may suffer. Let be shocked into being rebadged from Saul to Paul. Let us indeed give ourselves a break out by hearing the words I found on my Facebook wall this week: Sometimes it is best not to think, not to wonder, not to obsess. Just breathe and have faith in Christ that everything will work out for the best. Now there is a mystery drama for you! Amen