It is hard to imagine how the course of Christianity would have been different if Jesus had not appeared to a man named Saul as he was traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus to find and persecute Christians. After Jesus appeared to Saul, who was later renamed Paul, Saul changed from being a persecutor of Christians to being the greatest missionary the Christian church had ever known.

Martin Luther points out that it is important to note what Jesus tells Saul after he appears to him:

[Jesus said] “But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” (Acts 9:6)

So Saul did enter the city of Damascus and he was told what to do, not through another revelation from Jesus but through a believer. God sent a man named Annanias to speak to Saul and baptize him:

“So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 9:17)

Saul had just had a revelation from heaven. It profoundly changed his life. Yet, as Luther points out, going forward he was not to sit and wait for more revelations, Instead, going forward God would use other believers to reveal his will to Saul.

Since the end of the age of the apostles (roughly 60 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection), God’s preferred way of revealing himself to us is through our fellow believers. Most commonly this happens through pastors who are called to serve as shepherds of the flock. Pastors reveal God’s will to us by preaching his Word to us and urging us constantly to believe and trust in Jesus.

Some believers think that we should be guided solely by direct revelations from heaven such as Saul was given. While it is true that God can still speak to us directly, the story of Saul reminds us that we are not to look for ongoing revelations of God’s will apart from the community of our fellow believers.

And several other Scripture passages confirm this:

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” (I Thessalonians 2:13)

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” (I Timothy 5:17)

“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.” (I Thessalonians 5:12-13)

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17)

Three of Saul’s greatest Biblical letters were written to pastors; his two letters to a pastor by the name of Timothy and his letter to another pastor by the name of Titus. With great care and diligence Saul instructs these fellow servants of the Lord how to care for the people entrusted to their care through the Word of God.

Speaking to us through his called pastors is just another way that Jesus shows his love for the church that bears his name.