Under all the anger and persecution against the heretics of the Way, was a heart that had hoped for the Messiah. During his lifetime of education both as a child and then as a man engrossed in the Pharisaical training under the great Gamaliel, Saul had been prepared to the highest levels of his Hebrew religion.
He had considered the texts of the Old Testament regarding the Messiah. Names like “The Prophet, the Son, the Servant, the Shepherd, the One”: all these classic identifies of the messiah had been analyzed, scrutinized, and debated by Saul. The Messiah’s birth, his birthplace, and his genealogy had all been highly filtered thoroughly verse-by-verse. The apostle Paul (Saul) was far from an empty vessel at his conversion. In his mind was a sea of knowledge weighing against the door of an unconverted heart.
Now the door was unlocked and thrown open. Out came the tide of an adjusted, enlightened truth informed by the knowledge that Jesus is the “Son of God,” Jesus is “The Prophet,” Jesus is “The Servant” Jesus is “The One” – all set in a new, adjusted, life view by the revelation gained on a road toward Damascus by the three words, ”I Am Jesus!”
Paul was a man truly ready to change the world. The glaring message in this text highlighted by the life of Saul, but also evident in every Christian life: God does not begin His good work in us at conversion. He begins to complete it at conversion. He administrates all of our life from the beginning to reveal Christ (Eph.1:10).
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January 4, 2015 | Pastor John Bayles | The Witness That Amazes | Acts 9:1-31
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