Saul’s Conversion

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

February 12, 2021

Saul’s Conversion

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.

Acts 9:5

Read: Acts 9:1-9   

Saul was on his way to 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.” (v.2) As I read this verse, I immediately thought of Jesus’ parable of The Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25,

‘whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Note that in Jesus’ reply to Saul, he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

Philippians 2:5 calls us to let our relationships with one another arise out of our life in Christ. We have already read of severe persecution for the New Community of Believers. Here, Jesus is making it clear that the persecution they received was persecution Jesus received also. The Apostle Paul will elaborate on this truth. (E.g. Romans 8 and Philippians 3)

My Takeaway: I’ve shared before that I prefer to avoid conflict. In our present cancel-culture, conflict is inevitable for those who seek to make the life in Christ their way of life. Today’s reading gives me pause to consider and appreciate the comfort of Christ sharing with me when I encounter conflict for the cause of the Gospel.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.