The One About Saul's Transformation

Saul was not a very nice person. He was meandering around making threats and arresting the people who followed Jesus and the Way. (Acts 9:1-2) Everything in him truly desired to kill people who believed in Jesus. He was really not a nice human at all. Even though he was full of sin, evil, and had a murderous spirit - God had greater plans for his life. God intervened and changed him. God chose this man who was least likely to believe in God to not only become a believer but to spread the news of Jesus and eventually write many of the New Testament books we read from to this day.

To get Saul's attention, Jesus popped down from Heaven in a bright blinding light and a loud voice that I am sure sounded quite thunderous. He gave Saul some directions telling him exactly where to go. The men with Saul were at a loss for words because they too could hear this voice but saw no one talking. When Saul got up from the ground he had fallen to, he could no longer see. He went exactly where Jesus told him to go and stayed put. He didn't eat or drink anything for three whole days. (Acts 9:3-9) I'm pretty sure he was suffering some sort of shock after everything he just experienced. I know I would be!

God sent another believer in the area over to see Saul. This guy was like - dude! Saul? I've heard all the horrendous things he's done to fellow believers! Anyone but him, please! God responded with mercy and grace and said - go ahead and go to him anyway. Regardless of all these things you've heard about him, I've chosen him to do a bunch of stuff and tell a bunch of people all over the place about Me. He obeyed and went to Saul because he trusted God. He laid his hands on Saul and healed his blindness and the Holy Spirit also came and filled Saul up. He was baptized and feeling all good and whole so he was able to eat and regain that bodily strength he was going to need to do what God was commissioning him to do. (Acts 9:10-19)

Saul started telling everyone all about Jesus right away. He told everyone he could that Jesus truly is the Son of God! Obviously people were quite shocked. This was the same guy that not so long ago was trying to throw believers in jail and really wanted to kill them all. People thought Saul had come to arrest everyone so when he actually started proclaiming that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, I'm sure a few mouths dropped pretty wide open in disbelief and shock. It didn't stop Saul, he kept preaching and was getting more and more powerful the more he preached. His excitement and confidence in the truth was hard to disprove. (Acts 9:20-22)

After a good bit, some of the other Jews were getting sick of him hanging around proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah. They got their brains together and formed a plan to kill him. Saul learned of this plot from some fellow believers so they all worked together and sneakily got him out of there by lowering him through an opening in the city wall in a rather large basket. (Acts 9:23-25)

Saul made it to Jerusalem. While there, he tried to meet with fellow believers but they were all afraid of him. Rightfully so. Not so very long ago, he was out to get them in a pretty bad way. Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them all the story of Saul's transformation. The apostles believed him so Saul got to hang out with them and preach to others. He was boldly trying to debate with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they didn't accept his words and tried to kill him. When the others in Saul's group heard this, they sent him off to his hometown. (Acts 9:26-30)

Barnabas went and got Saul and brought him to Antioch where they hung out for about a year teaching a bunch of people about Jesus. (Acts 11:25-26) Then Barnabas and Saul were sent out on a missionary journey. It's interesting that on this journey is when Saul starts to refer to himself as his Roman name, Paul. (Acts 13:9) Paul means little, small, and humble. Paul was very humble and as he continued his mission in his ministry, he continuously made himself smaller to represent Jesus bigger. Barnabas and Paul continually relied on the grace of God in everything God lead them to do. (Acts 13:43)

Paul didn't just sit at home playing marbles or dress handsomely and sit in a pew, he went and found the lost. He talked to the people God lead him to. Just like Jesus, he hung out with sinners and told them about the love of Jesus. He gave people encouragement and hope. He brought the light of God's word to the darkness. He wasn't a country club Christian, he was on a mission and didn't stop until everything God lead him to do was complete.