Who Are You, Lord? Series Intro

Possibly one of the most miraculous things about God is that He works through people. While He is more than capable of handling everything, He delights in our participation and allows imperfect people to do the work that needs to be done. Even the Bible, the revelation of His character and purpose to us is a gift inspired by the Holy Spirit but written, preserved, and translated by humans! I call it miraculous because people are so very messy. We have no shortage of faults and failings. It’s humbling and awesome to read the stories in Scripture, to see His hand guiding, and to know He is still working through us today.

Saul, Saul…

One such example is found in the book of Acts when God chose a certain man to take the gospel to the Gentiles. The man he chose was Saul, or in Greek, Paul. This man’s identity was thoroughly grounded in being Jewish, so much so that he took part in persecuting the early church. He purposefully sought out people who believed and followed Jesus of Nazareth so he could violently punish and imprison them for blasphemy (Acts 8:3).  In his letter to the Philippians, he describes himself as being, “…circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (3:5-6). In other words, though raised in an important Roman city, among Hellenized (Greek-speaking) Jews, Paul was an observant Jew who spoke Aramaic and studied the Law under the best teachers in Jerusalem.

Yet despite this impressive and comfortable identity, Paul goes on in his letter to say, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8).

How did Saul, zealous persecutor of Christians, come to know Christ Jesus as Lord?

Why Are You Persecuting Me?

In Acts 9:1-9 we read the story of Saul’s encounter with the risen Jesus.

“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

I can’t help but imagine what those three days without sight may have been like. Did he recall the prophet Jonah, swallowed and saved in the belly of a fish so he could take God’s message of redemption to the Ninevites? Maybe. Paul was a very good student who loved the Law. I imagine him going over every word he’d memorized from the Torah, but in his blindness seeing it with the fresh eyes of the Spirit.

The Lord sent Ananias, a disciple, to heal him, sharing that Saul of Tarsus would bring the gospel to the Gentiles (v. 15). The story continues with Paul regaining his sight, being baptized, “and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God’” (v. 19-20).

Who Are You, Lord?

Paul had a strong foundational understanding of God thanks to his upbringing in Hebrew culture. He knew who God was. Once he understood that Jesus is the Messiah, the pieces of God’s redemptive plan, his character of mercy and the gift of grace clicked into place. From that point on Paul’s identity was not in anything he achieved but in knowing Jesus Christ.

All this month on the blog we’ll be studying the greetings in Paul’s letters to get an idea of what he thought and who he understood Jesus to be.

“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things” (Ephesians 3:7-9)

I hope you’ll join us!