So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. 

Acts 9:19-20 

Saul of Tarsus was a changed man. His encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus was the turning point in his life. From being the staunch enemy of Christ, he became His foremost emissary. Our text says he spent some time with the disciples in Damascus. These were the people he was supposed to be arresting. He also began to preach Christ. This quickly became controversial as a later verse indicates. ‘But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.’  The result was ‘the Jews plotted to kill him.’ The disciples, hearing of the plot, let Saul down over the walls of Damascus at night because the Jews were watching the gates. This was Saul’s introduction to what it was like to be on the other side. He had witnessed the stoning of Stephen as a persecutor. He now became one of the persecuted. All of this came as the result of his preaching Christ. His encounter with Christ was the definitive moment that changed the course of his life and brought him to become the ardent preacher he was. We heartily, endorse the Christ Saul preached. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is worthy of our proclamation all our days.  

Our Glorious God and our Savior, 
we rejoice that our encounter with You has changed our life. 
We praise You that You have given us the privilege 
to make You known. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?  And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads. 

Acts 9: 3-5 

What changed Saul of Tarsus into the man who would become the Apostle Paul? It was the encounter with Jesus our text describes. Saul was on his way to Damascus with letters from the high priest authorizing him to arrest anyone who was a follower of Christ and to bring them bound to Jerusalem to face judgment. Our text describes what happened. ‘A light shone around him from heaven.’ A voice spoke to him and said, ‘Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?’ When Saul responded, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ the answer came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’ Paul had come, person to Person with the risen Christ. Thus, when he remarks later that ‘last of all He was seem by me also,’ he refers at the very least, to this event. This was the Damascus Road experience that changed his life. Nothing else changes us as much as a personal encounter with Christ. Ours may not be as spectacular as was Saul’s but they are life-transforming none-the less. We understand that Christ has made the difference in who we are as opposed to who we were. Christ transforms lives by bringing us to a personal encounter with Him. 

Our Glorious, Living God, 
we rejoice that you meet us in a personal way. 
We praise You that it is our encounter with You, 
that changes us forever. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. 

Acts 9:19-20 

Saul of Tarsus was a changed man. His encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus was the turning point in his life. From being the staunch enemy of Christ, he became His foremost emissary. Our text says he spent some time with the disciples in Damascus. These were the people he was supposed to be arresting. He also began to preach Christ. This quickly became controversial as a later verse indicates. ‘But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.’  The result was ‘the Jews plotted to kill him.’ The disciples, hearing of the plot, let Saul down over the walls of Damascus at night because the Jews were watching the gates. This was Saul’s introduction to what it was like to be on the other side. He had witnessed the stoning of Stephen as a persecutor. He now became one of the persecuted. All of this came as the result of his preaching Christ. His encounter with Christ was the definitive moment that changed the course of his life and brought him to become the ardent preacher he was. We heartily, endorse the Christ Saul preached. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is worthy of our proclamation all our days.  

Our Glorious God and our Savior, 
we rejoice that our encounter with You has changed our life. 
We praise You that You have given us the privilege 
to make You known. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?  And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads. 

Acts 9: 3-5 

What changed Saul of Tarsus into the man who would become the Apostle Paul? It was the encounter with Jesus our text describes. Saul was on his way to Damascus with letters from the high priest authorizing him to arrest anyone who was a follower of Christ and to bring them bound to Jerusalem to face judgment. Our text describes what happened. ‘A light shone around him from heaven.’ A voice spoke to him and said, ‘Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?’ When Saul responded, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ the answer came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’ Paul had come, person to Person with the risen Christ. Thus, when he remarks later that ‘last of all He was seem by me also,’ he refers at the very least, to this event. This was the Damascus Road experience that changed his life. Nothing else changes us as much as a personal encounter with Christ. Ours may not be as spectacular as was Saul’s but they are life-transforming none-the less. We understand that Christ has made the difference in who we are as opposed to who we were. Christ transforms lives by bringing us to a personal encounter with Him. 

Our Glorious, Living God, 
we rejoice that you meet us in a personal way. 
We praise You that it is our encounter with You, 
that changes us forever. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning