Acts 22
Psalm 44
6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’
Acts 22:6-16
Is Paul’s life not a revelation of divine grace and mercy in the Lord Jesus Christ?
The one who persecuted Jesus is chosen by Jesus to be a witness for Jesus!
Jesus reveals what a merciful and sovereign king He is by choosing an enemy of His to serve Christ, preach Christ and suffer for Christ.
Here are a few of the personal words that Paul spoke in response to Jesus:
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
and
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35)
and
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24)
Saul, also known as Paul, is called and commissioned personally by Jesus. The proud Pharisee, Paul, finds out that Jesus is truly the Son of God and the promised Messiah. How wrong a man can sometimes be, thinking that he is right. Paul is spiritually and physically humbled by his sight of Jesus and His life would never be the same. Paul later said while he was in prison in Philippi: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)
Is the apostle Paul a model for your life, regardless of your gender or ethnicity? Paul said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Are you willing to ask God to give you a similar passion for Christ as Paul had? This immersion in Christ is the only path of true freedom and joy.