In the mercy of God, He revealed himself to Paul.  Paul was literally killing  people of thinking he was doing what was right before God.  After all, he was destroying dangerous ideology, wasn’t he?

But God revealed himself to Paul.  And not only that, he called him.  His calling was going to be completely opposite of what he was doing.  Instead of trying to kill Christians, he was going to preach the gospel.

And what was the message he was going to preach?

Forgiveness of sins through Christ.

Why?

Because forgiveness of sins is man’s greatest need.  It was the message God called the apostles to preach.

• Acts 2:38
  Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• Acts 5:31
  God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.
• Acts 10:43
  All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
• Acts 13:38
  “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
• Acts 26:18
  to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

But with that, in receiving forgiveness of sins, Paul also preaching repentance.

I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds (Acts 26:20).

It wasn’t just receive forgiveness and keep on sinning.  It was receive forgiveness, repent and turn from sins to the power of God.

When Paul is before Agrippa, he tells him that this is the message of Moses and the Prophets.

“I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:22-23).

We would know the Messiah as he would suffer, die and rise again.  And his message would bring light to all mankind, that through Christ we can find forgiveness of sins.

Forgiveness is light.  And life.  We are free.  No longer walking in darkness.  Called to repent.

And forgiven.

Paul needed forgiveness.

You need forgiveness.

I need forgiveness.

And all of this can be found in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, whom God prepared for us long ago.