A Complete Change

“And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.” Acts 9:19-22

Saul had been arresting, imprisoning, and killing Christians with an unparalleled zeal. He was on the road to Damascus where he planned to arrest every person he could find who claimed to be a believer in Jesus. Saul was convinced that Jesus had not been the Messiah and that all of His followers were wrong. But something happened on the road to Damascus that changed all of that. A great light shined down on him from heaven, and he fell to the ground and heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him. From that moment on, Saul was completely changed. He began to preach about Jesus in the city of Damascus. The people who heard Saul preaching were amazed. They knew that he was the one who came to town to arrest Christians, and now he was preaching that Jesus was the Messiah. The power of Christ became obvious in the life of a man who had dedicated his life to destroying Christianity. If God can change someone like Saul, He can change anyone.