Saul’s divine encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ led to a transformational journey that caused the former enemy of the church to become an advocate, a defender, a supporter and an apostle of the church. Saul’s transformation was so quick that those who encountered him afterwards were astonished. This whole change in trajectory began on the way to Damascus when the Lord Jesus Himself called out to Saul. Then through the direction of Jesus, Saul went to Damascus and Ananias were sent to lead Saul to faith. In that meeting, the scales that had clouded Saul’s eyes fell off. Saul who before was blind to the Lordship of Jesus had his eyes opened to the truth: Jesus is Lord and Messiah of the world. Saul understood that, in his ignorance, he had been fighting against God. Even the disciples of Jesus’ initially found it hard to accept Saul. Jesus had to speak to Ananias in a vision about His plans for Saul. After Saul’s baptism, he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus (Acts 9:19). What was Saul’s next move after his encounter with Jesus?
At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. (Acts 9:20)
According to Acts 9:20, Saul did not delay in letting the people know that he had met Jesus: “At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.” I can imagine the shock on the faces of those who heard Saul preach that Jesus is the Son of God. The same Saul who had become infamous for his role in crushing the church was the one preaching the same Jesus he once persecuted. How could that be? In Acts 9:21, all those who heard Saul 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?” Saul wasn’t ashamed of the gospel of Jesus. He went all out to proclaim that “Jesus is the Son of God”. As the people pondered over Saul’s drastic change, Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah (Acts 9:22).
When we genuinely encounter Jesus, it would be an error for our lives to remain the same. The people around us should see the change in us. No one should require a telescope, a scan or an x-ray to identify the changes in us when we encounter Jesus. The change is visible; our way of life changes, our perception changes, our conversations should change and even the people we hang around should change. The bad things we used to do, we do them no more. The sins we committed in the past will remain in the past. Our newness should transmit a sweet aura around us. Like Saul, the people around us should marvel at how we have been transformed. No one encounters Jesus and leaves untransformed. If you have genuinely had an encounter with Jesus, we should see that reflects in your way of life. Your light will shine in the darkness, you will become the salt of your world. Men will see you and glorify your Father in heaven.
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