A series on
meeting God – Saul
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Acts 9:1-18
[We all have a
story about how we met God. Some are more miraculous than others, but none more
amazing than the mere fact that the Living God, our Creator, reached out to bring
us into relationship with him. In this series, we will be looking at how people
in the Bible met God, and what that means to you today.]
Growing up, my dad overcame many hurdles. Born in
1902, he grew up poor on a farm in Iowa. When he was eight his dad died
suddenly. Since he was the oldest of four kids, he ran the farm. Because all
four kids took turns attending college and working on the farm, he didn’t graduate
until he was twenty-four
After getting his bachelor’s degree, he returned to
grad school and went on to get his master’s and then his doctorate in
chemistry. At his first job, he rose through the ranks and became the head of
research and development. Dad was an overachiever.
So was Saul. Shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven,
the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples. It was at this time that the church
began to grow by leaps and bounds. They met publicly in the temple to pray, and
people came from all over to be healed by the apostles. The religious leaders were
extremely jealous.
As a result, the apostles were persecuted, including
thrown into jail. Then one day, Stephen was dragged in front of the Sanhedrin
where they brought false witnesses against him. As mob rule took over, they
stoned him to death with Saul’s approved.
But Saul wasn’t satisfied. His hatred for the followers
of Jesus resulted in further persecution.
3 But
Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he
dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. NIV Acts
8
He was like a shark that could smell blood in the
water. After his conversion, he described his hatred like this.
10b On the authority
of the chief priests, I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and
when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many
a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I
tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that
I even hunted them down in foreign cities. NIV Acts 26
But on the way to Damascus, Saul was confronted by Jesus when a light from heaven flashed around him and Jesus said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Following this, Saul was blind for three
days until Ananias, led by the Lord, opened his eyes. Jesus had greater plans
for Saul… the overachiever.
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. NIV
The spirit led Paul on three missionary trips covering
thousands of miles across the Roman Empire. Jews and Gentiles alike were
converted to follow Jesus. Paul was an overachiever both before his conversion
and after.
10 God has given each
of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve
one another. NLT 1 Peter 4
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