Alright, so I had to write a paper for my Bible course today. It was about Saul's Conversion. You know, God can take the worst of sinners, and turn them into the most monumental preachers. Here it is:
When Saul, a man from Tarsus and a persecutor of Christians, was on his way from Jerusalem to Damascus, his whole life was changed. A bright light shone around him, and the voice of the Lord spoke to him. He asked why he persecuted Him. Saul responded in a puzzled manner, asking if it was He, Lord. The Lord answered, saying (Acts 9:5), “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting…” Jesus knew who Saul was, of course since he was God, and had a plan for him.
Jesus told him (Acts 9:6) to, “…get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” The men who were with him were speechless, but they slowly complied to take Saul up, because he had become blind, and take him to the city. There, he stayed in a house and did not drink nor eat for three days. He saw a vision of a man named Ananias, who would give him his sight back.
Ananias, a servant and follower of the Lord, had a vision, where the Lord told him to go see Saul. Ananias replied (Acts 9:13), “…Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem…” Ananias did not want to comply, because he was bound by the flesh, to care about his own safety. But the Lord said to him (Acts 9:15), “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel…” Jesus had a plan for Saul, even though he had sinned against the Lord; he forgave him and had a plan for him.
When Ananias reached the house at which Saul was staying, he (Acts 9:17) “…laid his hand on him…” Immediately, there fell from Saul’s eyes something like scales, and he could see. He ate, and regained his strength, and was baptized. And he immediately (Acts 9:20) “…began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’” Those who heard him were puzzled, because was this was the same man who persecuted the Christians, of whom he was now, just a few days ago?
Once the religious leaders learned about this, they plotted to kill Saul. But Saul heard of their plan, and he was lowered down the wall of the city by the believers there, and fled to Jerusalem. When he reached the church, the Apostles would not speak to him because they were afraid of him. But Barnabas took him, and told the Apostles of everything that had happened. Once they heard of that, they accepted Saul, and let him move about freely among them.
But he started to argue with the Hellenists (Greek believers), and they plotted to kill him. But the Apostles learned of this, and sent Saul to Tarsus in Caesarea, his home town. There he stayed, and preached boldly of Jesus Christ. And the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, and the Holy Spirit was with them.
Saul had an amazing conversion experience, the most monumental. He was turned from a sinner to a believer. Later he was renamed Paul. He was turned from Saul, the sinner, to Paul, the preacher. The Holy Spirit was among them, and sent them Paul as an instrument for the spread of the church.
God Bless,
Brandon
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