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2 Corinthians 1:1
Transformers—robots in disguise. Transformers—more than meets the eye. Such is the advertising jingle of a popular children's toy which can me morphed from one manifestation to another by a certain reassembling of it’s parts. The response of the young child is to be, "Cool, look how I can change it from a car into a robot!" Apparently, based upon this toy’s popularity, this transformational ability is highly admired—the ability to transform something delights the youngest of children—and others.
Please take your Bibles with me and turn to 2 Corinthians 1:1-2. We are going to begin a new study this morning which I believe will speak to us in very special ways in the upcoming weeks and months. I trust that our hearts will be open to God's message from this unique letter.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thus far we have examined the New Testament books of James, written by the brother of Christ and leader within the early Jerusalem church, 1 Peter, written by the prominent disciple of Jesus. Before our study of their letters, we took the time to examine the men—the servants of God—who wrote these letters through the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
This morning we come to 2 Corinthians, and our author, as he introduces himself in the first verse is Paul. But who is this Paul? Is it Paul MacArtney? Paul of the singing group Peter, Paul and Mary? Paul Cole? Paul Westfal, former coach of the Phoenix Suns? Paul Bunyon? Paul Newman? Cajun Chef Paul Prudohmme? Paul Michael Glaser—aka Starsky? Pope Paul? Pauly Shore? Who is this Paul?
I. The Before—Saul
The author does identify himself further. He is, Paul the apostle. Of course. We know who that is, don’t we? But he wasn’t always "Paul the Apostle" was he? Turn with me to Acts chapter 7:57. Here we visit the public stoning of Stephen.
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.
A man named Saul held the coats of those who stoned Stephen and he is said to have given approval, perhaps quite literally, "applauded" this act of killing a follower of Christ. This was just the beginning of Saul’s zeal. Read on in chapter 8.
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
This man Saul began a campaign to destroy this Christian religion. He eagerly sought out to cause great harm to this sect and it’s followers. He would spy on people and see if they were associating with known Christians. Then with storm-trooper viciousness he would barge into homes and drag the Christians off to prison. What a horrible, evil person. One would think that God would do all he could to kill this Saul so as to protect His people. Ah, but that isn’t quite how God works, is it? He has a better plan. Skip ahead to Acts 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.
With Nazi-esque like terms, Saul is described as having sought out even more authority to persecute and arrest Christians—those who belong to the Way. Saul was also an equal opportunity terrorist, he took both men and women. At this point in the narrative of Acts, we feel nothing but complete disdain and hatred towards this tyrant. He hated Christians. He was killing them and throwing them in jail. With a singleness of purpose he wantonly wreaked havoc and mayhem on all who would take the name of Christ. At this very moment in the story he is on his way to do even more harm. A more evil and vile and contemptible person I cannot imagine.
But then…read on. Verse 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.
Jesus stopped Saul in his tracks and asked Saul why he was persecuting Jesus. Instead of an answer, Saul simply trembled out the question, "Who are you, Lord?" Saul did not know Jesus. He did not know God. He hated those who followed this Jesus. He wanted them dead or at least in prison. But, he was completely unaware of who Jesus was. This is Saul’s one and only vocalized response ever recorded for us. Jesus tells Saul to get up and go into the city and there he will be told what he must do. God has decreed by His own counsel what Saul must do. There isn’t any discussion or debate or choice in the matter for Saul—God is calling the shots. Blinded Saul must simply stumble along as commanded.
At this point, we might think that Jesus has "put the fear of God" into Saul and that will be enough to keep him from persecuting Christians. Perhaps he will have learned his lesson and just go about his way and not bother them any more. But read on. Verse 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 saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
Notice the different response Ananias gives to the Lord’s voice. "Yes, Lord." Ananias knows whose voice it is, and he is ready to listen. Ananias is a Christian. As such, the Lord’s instructions are profoundly perplexing. Thankfully, Ananias informs God of Saul’s biographical information and is able to convince God that going to this man would not be of any benefit for Ananias or God's church. In fact, such a visit might do great harm. God responds by saying, "Really, wow, I didn’t know that about him. Boy, this is embarrassing. This could have really backfired. Whew." Nope. Read on. Verse 15.
But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
God wasn’t messing around. He demanded that Ananias, Go! And, God explains why? Saul, the evil and vile persecutor of Christians is God's chosen instrument. What!? Obviously this was a mistake. God must mean that he has chosen Saul for His divine wrath. But no, God said, "chosen instrument," in Greek, ekloge skeuos—elect vessel—to bear or wear my name. God is chastising Ananias’ doubt of God's plan by telling him that God had chosen Saul to bear the name of Christ. "Look, Ananias, this plan is not dependant on you or your opinion any more than it is dependent on Saul or his opinion. I have chosen him. He is the vessel I choose to use. Just as you are the vessel I choose to use to make it happen."
The terminology God uses is significant because it applies to all Christians. We are, as Peter told us in 1 Peter 1:1, God's eklektos—His elect. And, we are also described in Romans and elsewhere as vessels, clay pots, which God fashions as he so desires. He is the potter. We are the clay. God's purpose for Saul included suffering for the name of Christ. Talk about a transformation. The persecutor will become the persecuted. God had chosen to make Saul a vessel for His purposes. Ananias argued no further. Look at verse 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 was God's elect vessel, but something had to happen first. First God had to stop Saul in his tracks and then he had to open his eyes—figuratively and literally. Both were miracles of God's power. Saul’s physical eyes were opened and so were his spiritual eyes. Saul was now a Christian. He was immediately baptized.
II. The After—Paul
What a remarkable transformation. God had chosen Saul to bear His name. He had chosen Ananias to be part of the means. It was all of God.
In fact Saul, who became known as Paul—probably because of the stigma that had become attached to his old name, tell us in 2 Corinthians 1:1 that his apostleship is according to or "by the will of God." Paul’s conversion and calling and mission and apostleship have nothing to do with his own will, rather it is according to God's will. He did not seek or earn or desire any of it. God made him what he was and told him what to do. The is in no way Paul bragging about his status. In fact, in a way it is the opposite. He is just a vessel. But God has given him authority. Apparently there were those in the Corinthian church that questioned his authority and his apostolic calling. Paul asserts, humbly, that what he is about to write is a message from God, and as God's chosen vessel, he has the authority to write it.
With him at the time of the writing of this letter is Timothy. Look at 1 Timothy 1:12-14 to see how Paul himself described his conversion and calling to his brother in Christ.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Mercy and grace can only be shown to those who don’t deserve it. Paul is saying that he most certainly did not deserve it. He didn’t even want it. He was ignorant and unbelieving. But God poured out his mercy and grace upon Paul, regenerating him. And not only did God do that, He also provided Paul with his faith in and his new found love for Christ Jesus. It was all of God. So far from being a statement of Paul’s pride in his position, his opening statement here in 2 Corinthians 1:1 reflects back upon what God had done for Paul and the authority that he has only because of Christ Jesus’ power and grace and mercy on such a wicked sinner.
Paul recounts his testimony to the church in Galatia as well. He says in Galatians 1:11-24,
I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. 21 Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they praised God because of me.
Did you see what Paul now understood. God had set Paul apart from birth. His transformation and regeneration was not some change in God's plan. God had planned Paul’s life since before he was born. Because of this Paul is able to have great confidence and yet great humility. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. Paul will explain this further as we go through this book.
Paul’s testimony and preaching became extremely powerful. God used him to spread the Gospel. Paul’s preaching was the means by which many of God's people were saved, especially among the Gentiles. Paul declared his divine mission in Acts 13:47, quoting God's instructions to him.
‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’" 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
Saul, now known as Paul was now a vessel of God's grace. What a transformation. First killing Christians, and now being used by God as a means to add to the church many new Christians. It is a wonderful story. If God can work this in Paul, imagine what he can do in others. Never loose faith in God's ability to change a person’s heart.
This is the Paul we will learn more about. This is the man, the apostle, who wrote this book. His life and his conversion and his church planting and his preaching and his writings are one powerful testimony about the nature of God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.