I like how the author has been bringing Saul's name up in the book.......once in a while. It seems like he is setting the stage for this chapter.
Outside of Jesus....Paul is probably the most important figure in the New Testament. I think he is responsible for righting 1/3 of it. His teaching really shaped the early church. He quickly became the leading expert in Jesus, and how God wants us to live. I tend to lose track of the significance of who Saul was. From one extreme to the other. This goes to show you that there isn't anything God won't forgive. He just wants us to realize who he is, how we need him and get on his mission.
It really is an amazing story. This is another one, that you hear in sermons so often....maybe it loses a bit of its CrAZynESs!
It really shows the power of God.
tp
21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
ReplyDeleteTo me Saul's story shows that anyone no matter their perspective today can find Jesus. Which means I should be willing to share my faith with anyone not matter how set in their ways or hard I might think they are against Jesus. If Saul can be outright against Jesus and turn into one of his greatest instruments then anyone I meet can have a change of heart much greater than I can imagine. I should not presume some limit on the potential of someone to be saved based on my judgment of what is possible given what I can observe on the cover of their life. I have no idea where their heart is at, only Jesus does.
knut