AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS THAT OPENED THE APOSTLE PAUL'S EYES CAN ALSO OPEN YOURS

One of the most influential men in the Christian community from my perspective is the Apostle Paul. Paul is best known for his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was a Pharisee and was an extremely religious and studied student of the Torah. Paul studied under Rabbi Gamaliel who is recognized as a Pharisee doctor of Jewish Law. As a student, Paul, also known as Saul Of Tarsus had a tremendous hatred of Jesus and all that recognized Him and followed Him. He was extreme in his persecution of the early Christian faithful and was feared and reviled by the many followers of Jesus. It is at this point of the story that Saul finds himself on the road to Damascus when he is suddenly surrounded by a blinding light from Heaven. Falling to the ground, he hears a voice saying to him, “ Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me ?” “ Who are you Lord, asked Saul.” “ I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting.” As the story unfolds, Saul is at this point completely blind. His men lead him to Damascus where he has no vision and no ability to eat. Amazingly, The Lord appears in a vision to a disciple named Ananias who is in Damascus and tells him to go and place his hands on Saul to heal his vision. Jesus tells Ananias that “Saul” will be His chosen instrument to take His Name to the Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.. Ananias was obedient, healing Saul’s vision, and baptizing him. From this time on, Saul ( renamed Paul) went forth as a Disciple Of Christ, sharing the Gospel far and wide as well as writing some of the most important Epistles ( Letters) in the New Testament. How amazing is it that Jesus could totally change a man who was perhaps “The Chief Persecutor” of the Faith, and turn him into one of the most influential and powerful Disciples to ever share the Gospel !

NOW SAUL WAS STILL BREATHING THREATS AND MURDER AGAINST THE DISCIPLES OF THE LORD. HE WENT TO THE HIGH PRIEST AND REQUESTED LETTERS FROM HIM TO THE SYNAGOGUES IN DAMASCUS, SO THAT IF HE FOUND ANY MEN OR WOMEN WHO BELONGED TO THE WAY, HE MIGHT BRING THEM AS PRISONERS TO JERUSALEM. AS HE TRAVELED AND WAS NEARING DAMASCUS, A LIGHT FROM HEAVEN SUDDENLY FLASHED AROUND HIM. FALLING TO THE GROUND, HE HEARD A VOICE SAYING TO HIM, “SAUL, SAUL, WHY ARE YOU PERSECUTING ME ?” “ WHO ARE YOU LORD?’ SAUL SAID. “I AM JESUS, THE ONE YOU ARE PERSECUTING”, HE REPLIED. BUT GET UP AND GO INTO THE CITY, AND YOU WILL BE TOLD WHAT YOU MUST DO. SAUL GOT UP FROM THE GROUND, AND THOUGH HIS EYES WERE OPEN, HE COULD SEE NOTHING. Acts 9:1-8

ANANIAS WENT AND ENTERED THE HOUSE. HE PLACED HIS HANDS UPON HIM AND SAID, “BROTHER SAUL, THE LORD JESUS, WHO APPEARED TO YOU ON THE ROAD YOU WERE TRAVELING , HAS SENT ME SO THAT YOU MAY REGAIN YOUR SIGHT AND BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.” AT ONCE SOMETHING LIKE SCALES FELL FROM HIS EYES, AND HE REGAINED HIS SIGHT. THEN HE GOT UP AND WAS BAPTIZED. AFTER TAKING SOME FOOD HE REGAINED HIS STRENGTH. SAUL WAS WITH THE DISCIPLES IN DAMASCUS FOR SOME TIME. IMMEDIATELY HE BEGAN PROCLAIMING JESUS IN THE SYNAGOGUES: “HE IS THE SON OF GOD”. Acts 9: 17-20

The story of Paul’s conversion is a very powerful thing to me. How amazing that God could and would use one of His most ruthless persecutors to turn around, infuse His Holy Spirit Into, and send him out into the world to be “The Main Instrument” for bringing the Gentiles to become sons and daughters in the Kingdom Of God ! Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that Jesus captured Paul’s heart after he was resurrected, and gave Paul an amazing Faith and Truth while not even spending time with him as he did with Peter and the other Disciples. Paul had gained the deepest of Faith and Trust. Also amazing is that Paul was able to “SEE” what Jesus had fundamentally changed in mankind’s relationship with God. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT ! Jesus had torn the veil….He had forever changed the relationship between man and God. No more need for a High Priest to intervene for the forgiveness of sin. No more need for continual sacrifice, and legalism to be in relationship with God The Father. Jesus had fulfilled the Commandments, and in His death and resurrection has set us all FREE. Our walk with God still very much embraces God’s Word and Character, but in the Abiding of Jesus in our Hearts and Spirits, we are perfect. Not on our own, but through our relationship with Him. His Love. His Grace ! The completeness of Life Everlasting that only comes from Jesus:)

JESUS TOLD HIM, “ I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. John 14:6

AND MY GOD WILL SUPPLY EVERY NEED OF YOURS ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY IN JESUS CHRIST. Phillipians 4:19

TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN FROM ME, FOR I AM GENTLE AND LOWLY IN HEART, AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. FOR MY YOKE IS EASY, AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT. Matthew 11:29-30

Do you think that before his encounter on that road to Damascus with Jesus that Paul would have ever in his wildest dreams have believed that He would be so consumed by the Love, Power, and Authority of Jesus that he would spend his life telling people about Him ? Making sharing the Gospel his only focus and desire ? Where does that leave us as Christians ? Are our eyes open to the Love Jesus has for us ? Are we focusing our lives on Him, or are we caught up in the world ? Are we angry at something or someone ? Are we persecuting others if only in our minds that we disagree with ? Do we need to be knocked down from our idols, our sins, our pleasures, or our material possessions and made blind to finally SEE WHAT REALLY MATTERS ? I think that finding a true and consistent Faith and Trust in God takes a lot of effort until that moment when your EYES ARE OPENED to just how much GOD LOVES YOU. It is that moment when Jesus comes into focus as the Lord Of Your Life. YOU DESIRE FOR HIM TO LEAD YOU IN EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE. His WORD becomes important as YOUR GUIDING LIGHT. His PRESENCE and RELATIONSHIP moves your PRAYERS and ACTIONS. Are you suddenly perfect ? No:) But, you are changed, and you keep changing. I open my eyes every day and know I am one day closer to being with Him in His Kingdom….and I truly can’t wait….but only He knows my time:). May we use each day to grow closer and closer to Him, that WE may be ready when He Returns or calls us to Him. FIX YOUR EYES ON HIM/JAA

BUT ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE WE ARE WAITING FOR NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH IN WHICH RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS. 2 Peter 3:13