The Bible CourseSample

Paul’s conversion and calling – Damascus road experience

Reflect:

Have you ever ‘done a 180’ and completely changed a long-standing opinion or made a significant lifestyle change?

The original Damascus road experience was Paul’s 180-degree turn – from persecutor of the Church to follower of Jesus. Paul’s life changed completely – and, in turn, he played a part in changing the entire Roman Empire. God chose the most unlikely figure to change the nations.

What happened to Paul on the road to Damascus?

Paul was en route to imprison Christians in Damascus. From his perspective, it was not only blasphemous but ridiculous to worship Jesus of Nazareth – the man who’d been crucified by Israel’s enemies, the Romans. How could he possibly have been God’s chosen king, the Messiah?

But all it took was one encounter with the risen Jesus for everything to change for Paul. In his blindness, he saw the truth: Jesus is indeed the risen and victorious Messiah – he’s the Lord of all!

Jesus’ question in verse 4: ‘Why are you persecuting me?’ (ESV) teaches us so much about his close identification with the Church. When Paul hurt Christians, he was hurting Jesus himself. Perhaps this was the origin of Paul’s favourite analogy of the Church as the body of Christ, with Jesus himself as the head. Christ and the Church are one – we can’t truly love Jesus and ignore his Church.

What was Jesus’ call to Paul and how does it relate to us today?

The Damascus road experience was a game-changer. Until that moment, the gospel had only really spread from Jerusalem to Jewish regions – including Judea and Samaria. But after a period of preparation, in AD 46, Paul set off on the first of several mission trips to non-Jewish regions. The rest of the book of Acts is like a travel journal, recording what happened.

The former persecutor was now God’s chosen instrument to proclaim his name! Paul went from cheering on the stoning of Christians, to being cheered on by God in the work of spreading the gospel.

An encounter with Jesus changes everything. God saves people on purpose and for a purpose. Your life as a Christian isn’t one of just waiting to get to heaven. There’s more for you: God has given you good news to proclaim and people to serve!

Respond

Do you feel as though you’re stuck in a rut? Has your faith gone flat? It only takes one encounter with Jesus for everything to turn around. Ask him to meet you today in the quiet and fill you with faith for what is to come.