A Life Changed on the Road

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

Paul was a Pharisee when he was still called Saul. A high level Jewish legal prosecutor, sworn to stamp out this new cult of the Jews that were professing that Jesus was the Messiah. He had caused a great deal of trouble, persecution, death and destruction on the believers and now he was traveling to another city to root out the upstarts there. But he was highly knowledgeable in the law. The law was his security. He was emboldened in the law. It was the source of his authority.

Except for one troubling little incident on the road to Damascus, Paul probably would have decimated the ranks of believers and caused a critical setback to the cause of Christ, just when it was taking off.

The one troubling little incident was being confronted by Christ himself.

There’s something uncommonly consistent about God’s plans that the wise and lofty rabbi Gamaliel had said to the Sanhedrin when some of the disciples were brought before it. He said, be careful how you judge these men because if their acts are of men they will fail. If their acts are of God you don’t want to be against them.

Paul was a student, a disciple, of Gamaliel. The wise man’s words likely had been given in instruction to him before.

Cut to the road to Damascus. Paul is walking along with his traveling entourage when he’s abruptly met with bright light and a voice. Racing through his mind as he struggles for words must be this thought. If I can confirm that this voice is the authority that gave the law then this moment may change my basis for action.

In a moment, Paul’s slate was wiped clean. The law was obliterated. A new ruler was installed in his heart. And he had new marching orders. There were no more questions about this group of Jews that professed faith in Jesus. He recognized that their authority was the authority of God.

What a difference a day makes.