Saul’s life changed on that dusty road to Damascus because the Risen Christ, who is the Son of the Living God, suddenly stopped Saul from accomplishing his mission of hate and vengeance. Saul’s life changed because Christ Jesus called out his name saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Saul asked, “Who are you Lord?” and Jesus, the Son of the Living God, revealed Himself to this wretched sinner saying, “I am Jesus, who you are persecuting.” In those words, Saul heard, he saw, and he understood that it was the very Jesus whom the Jews had rejected and crucified, Christ Jesus – whom the Father had exalted to glory – who enveloped Saul in His light and glory.

Jesus had laid down the Law in His charge against Saul as Jesus swept away all the lies Saul had believed. Saul’s mind was opened as Jesus preached the Law to Saul and confronted him with the entirety of his sins and his crimes. Upon being blinded by the glory and light of Jesus Saul was taken into Damascus to the home of Judas and there Saul lay upon a bed, blind, unable to eat or drink for three days while he suffered for the sins of his past, suffering for the persecution of Jesus, suffering for the murder of innocent men, women and children, whose only crime was their love and devotion to Jesus.

Saul’s life changed again when in God’s perfect timing, Jesus our Savior of mercy and grace, sent Ananias to preach the peace of the Gospel to Saul’s heart and to pronounce the assurance of God’s forgiveness and absolution to this frightened broken sinner. From the moment Jesus restored Saul’s sight and transformed his heart, the proclaiming and professing the death and resurrection of the Risen Christ became the first and foremost priority of Saul’s life.

Each one of us will at some time face the same Risen Christ on our own type of “Road to Damascus” experience. When He comes, Jesus will preach the Law to our hearts and convict us of our sins so that the Holy Spirit can proclaim the grace of God’s love over us and raise us to new life in Christ. As we study the story of Saul’ life we all must ask ourselves the following questions: “Has the Risen Lord come to preach the Law to our heart? Has the Holy Spirit come to convict us of our sins?” If so, has God sent the preacher to proclaim to peace and hope of the good news of the Gospel to our hearts so that we can be set free, so that we can receive the forgiveness of your sins and so we can be raised to new life through Christ? My dear friends, God is calling – can you hear Him? God is calling you to go out and do great things in His name! God is calling you, today, right now, to be His Saul for this generation! What say you?