In modern day language we would call him a terr0rist.  His goal was simple – destroy the Christian church and all Christians.

Saul didn’t take his mission lightly.  He approved of the killing of Stephen and with the rest of the church, he breathed out murdrous threats.  He threw believers in prison and let the local authorities deal with them.

But then he had his encounter with God.  And we see something here interesting.  God takes is personally when His people are persecuted.

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?”

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

To bring hardship and suffering to the people of Jesus is to bring abuse against Jesus himself.  Jesus takes it personally.

Be careful abusing God’s people.

Saul was blinded after his encounter and so he began to pray as a helpless man.

In the meantime God spoke to a disciple named Ananias in a vision.  We don’t know that he was anyone special.  He is never mentioned as an apostle.  We know nothing about him.  But God called him.

He was hesitant to go.  To meet Saul was to practically meet death and/or imprisonment.  But God said, “go.”  So Ananias went, albeit afraid.

Nothing has changed today.  God still tells us to go to dangerous places.  And even if we are afraid, obedience is more important.

So Ananias went and prayed over Saul.  He was healed.  And what did Saul do?

He was baptized.

Because baptism is how people responded to the gospel in the Bible.

If there was anyone least likely to give their lives to Jesus, it would seem on the outside that it would be someone like Saul.  He persecution the church with such passion and violence.

But I’ve come to see that some of the most passionate against the church are those who are searching the most.  They will do anything to find God, serve Him in the way they best understand, and even give their life for what they believe.  They are often the closest to the kingdom as they are willing to lay it all down.

So when we see people who seem the farthest away, they actually may be the closest.  May we never stop believing for their salvation.

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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.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.  Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.  For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.  In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.  And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,  and after taking some food, he regained his strength.