Saul - Acts 9

³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” - Acts 9:3-6

After the stoning of Stephen, the church went underground and spread to surrounding areas.  Saul is intent on rooting them out and crushing them.  Saul is very diligent and intense about his persecution of the church and the high priest are eager to support him in his efforts.  

There was just one problem that Saul didn’t know, Jesus is real and He is Lord.

Jesus confronts Saul with Himself.  And it is all the confrontation Saul needs to become a new believer.  Everyone will eventually kneel before Jesus and proclaim Him as Lord, it's just a matter of when.  The best time to do that is now.  I urge anyone and everyone not to wait until they have no choice but to realize it and they have chosen a forever without Him.  

Saul has been a man in high regards with the highest council in Jerusalem.  Now, he is a humble man, face in the dirt, kneeling before Jesus.  We all either have been or will be in the same position one day.  When it is your turn, do it gladly, loving the Lord, eager to serve and proclaim His Kingship.

The NIV Bible version leaves out a phrase that the KJV and others have in this conversation.  In verse 5, other versions add, “it is hard for you to kick against the pricks” or “it is hard for you to kick against the goads.”  Jesus took control of Saul and let him know his rebellion against God was a losing battle. Saul’s actions were as senseless as an ox kicking “against the goads.” Saul had passion and sincerity in his fight against Christianity, but he was not heading in the direction God wanted him to go. Jesus was going to goad (“direct” or “steer”) Saul in the right direction.

Many theologians believe Saul had already figured out that Jesus was the Messiah because he was so learned in the law.  He knew the ancient texts.  He had heard the gospel from Peter, John, and Stephen.  He just wasn’t willing to accept it, but he might have been under some conviction already that it was likely true and he was angry about it.  He, like all the Pharisees, had an expectation of how and what the Messiah was to be and Jesus wasn’t that expectation.  So, he kicked against it until he was confronted with Jesus directly.

There is a powerful lesson in the ancient Greek proverb. We, too, find it hard to kick against the goads.  Solomon wrote, “Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path” (Proverbs 15:10).  When we choose to disobey God, we become like the rebellious ox—driving the goad deeper and deeper.  “The way of the unfaithful is hard” (Proverbs 13:15).  How much better to heed God’s voice, to listen to the urgings of His Word!  By resisting God’s authority, we are only punishing ourselves.

Saul lost his religion that day and gained salvation.  In Philippians 3 Paul writes that he counts all of the religion that he had as worthless.  He was working hard for his salvation within the theocracy he had been born into prior to this moment.  It is when he is confronted by Jesus that all that gets put into its proper place.

Saul was a sinner from the crown of his head to the heels of his feet.  Just like all of us are.  All of his religion and previous actions were of no value.  His new life would start at this moment.  He is a great example of becoming a new creature.  This wasn’t just an emotion high moment and Saul remained Saul.  He was forever changed in this instant.