Paul meets Jesus

The apostle Paul wrote more books in the New Testament than any other man. He was a Pharisee - a religious leader and scholar of Judaism. From man’s perspective he had all the right credentials. He was “circumcised the eighth day of the nation 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 the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless” (Philippians 3:5-6).

Yet, after he encountered the risen Jesus he reassessed his accomplishments, “but whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7).

We are familiar with Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus which lead to his salvation. We are not as familiar with Paul’s other encounter with Jesus which prepared and qualified him to be an apostle.

An apostle is someone sent to proclaim a special message. To be an apostle of the church is to proclaim the message given by church leaders. To be an apostle of Jesus is to proclaim a message given directly by Jesus.

Paul was “called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:1). He was humble and stated, “I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:9).

After Paul was blinded on the Damascus Road he was sent to meet Ananias. This disciple would restore Paul’s sight and announce Paul’s commission. “The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One [Jesus] and to hear an utterance from His mouth. For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:14-15)

Ananias affirmed what Jesus told Paul on the Damascus Road when Jesus appointed Paul as, “a minister

and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you” (Acts 26:16).

Paul did not learn about Jesus from the other apostles. Paul learned the life and teachings of Jesus directly from Jesus. “the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12).

Each of us has a similar opportunity as Paul. We can either learn about God from others by church attendance and media sources or we can encounter the risen Jesus in the pages of Scripture. Jesus has given believers the Holy Spirit to help them understand His words, “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things” (John 14:26)

Encountering Jesus transformed Paul from a persecutor of the church to its greatest evangelist. What will Jesus do with your life?