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- Oct 26, 2007
- Messages
- 12,543
"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, "but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. Acts 26:19-20
The Damascus Road conversion of Saul ranks among the most momentous proofs for the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the reality of the Christian faith. Over the past generation, a number of academic attempts to "explain" what happened to Saul--medically, neurologically, psychologically, and even astronomically--have all failed.
In the book of Acts, Luke records the even in chapter 9 as well as in two of Paul's recounting of the event in chapters 22 and 26. He wanted no reader to miss the immense significance of Saul's conversion.
Beyond its importance to contemporary apologetics, why else is Saul's conversion so important? Because it changed the expected trajectory of the early Church. Its most fierce persecutor became its most dedicated evangelist, church planter, and apologist to the Jewish nation and to the Roman Empire.
In other words, it wasn't Saul's conversion day, but the very conversion of his life. What Jesus said, Saul did--without fail--for the whole next generation.
Prayer: Lord, You know that I have repented, turned to You, followed You, and served You in many different situations. May I always bear fruit for Your glory.
The Damascus Road conversion of Saul ranks among the most momentous proofs for the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the reality of the Christian faith. Over the past generation, a number of academic attempts to "explain" what happened to Saul--medically, neurologically, psychologically, and even astronomically--have all failed.
In the book of Acts, Luke records the even in chapter 9 as well as in two of Paul's recounting of the event in chapters 22 and 26. He wanted no reader to miss the immense significance of Saul's conversion.
Beyond its importance to contemporary apologetics, why else is Saul's conversion so important? Because it changed the expected trajectory of the early Church. Its most fierce persecutor became its most dedicated evangelist, church planter, and apologist to the Jewish nation and to the Roman Empire.
In other words, it wasn't Saul's conversion day, but the very conversion of his life. What Jesus said, Saul did--without fail--for the whole next generation.
Prayer: Lord, You know that I have repented, turned to You, followed You, and served You in many different situations. May I always bear fruit for Your glory.
