Host (Zach) (14:15)
If you want to get anywhere specific in life, you have to know the path it takes to get there. Paul had spent his entire life striving down the path he thought would lead him to righteousness. Little did he know he was headed in the opposite direction. His zeal and religiosity had formed a life of pride and selfishness that only brought him further from God, not closer. After Jesus death, his gospel message took off and thousands were being saved by the day. What the Jews thought would be the end of Christ and his mission was only the beginning. The way to eternal life had been opened up and there were so many people choosing to take this path. But Saul was wholeheartedly opposed to it. He was determined to stand victorious against this perceived attack against the law of Moses. But what Paul thought was a mission to eradicate the sinful Nazarenes was actually part of Jesus's plan to eradicate the sin in pride in Saul's heart, Saul sometimes referred Saul, who we later on know to be Paul the Apostle is one of the most influential figures in Christendom. In the course of 13 years of ministry he traveled over 7,000 miles and planted at least 14 churches along the way. He single handedly authored more books than any biblical author and and is considered a key figure in the early church. But this wasn't always the case for Saul. He wasn't always the faithful apostle and church planter. Before his conversion, Paul was an enemy of the church and someone to be feared by those who followed Jesus. He threatened the well being and lives of many on his road to personal glory. Looking at Saul's life gives us a radical idea of the transformative power of the Gospel and reminds us that no one is too far gone to be saved by Jesus. Before salvation, Saul is self consumed, conceited and concerned only with work that gives him a sense of self righteousness. As a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, he had much to boast about. And as the early church began to flourish, it made him vulnerable to lose everything that he had built up. He had built this name for himself. Taking a closer look at the actual persecution caused by Saul is terrifying. Civility had been thrown out the window as he stood by to watch men and women dragged from their homes to be put on trial. And punished. There was no tone of remorse as children wept in fear. All that remained in Paul's heart was a devotion to his plans to maintain power. Saul wasn't only willing to hurt others to accomplish his goals, he was happy to do so. He's content leaving tragedy in his wake on his mission of self righteousness. In order to maintain self righteousness, we must all focus on ourselves. Pride needs to be stoked and fanned like a well tended to fire. If we want to feel like we're number one, we have to make ourselves number one and each day choose selfish decisions. While this was Saul at one point in life, we see a drastically different picture after he's saved. Once a man ruled by selfishness, the new man Saul would become Paul the Apostle Paul. He would preach humility, selflessness and devotion to Christ. Saul would write this to the church in Philippians. Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being unified with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in his spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being of one spirit and one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, rather in humility. Value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of others. This is a far different perspective on life than what we see in Saul the Pharisee. All because Jesus transformed his heart. As a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, Saul played a major part in defending Jewish law and exacting the subsequent judgment against Jewish Christians. While Paul said that he was defending God, we learned in our study of Malchus that God doesn't need us to defend him. In reality, Paul was defending himself and his power. He was defending an institution that was against the movement of Christ. He was defending everything that he had built his life upon. He was defending a false sense of righteousness. The irony is that what he was doing to supposedly defend God was having the opposite effect. But God saw the potential in a powerful man like Saul. Once he was converted, Saul would become a force of nature for the gospel. God used his incredible intellect for a greater purpose. The same mind and resolute spirit that drove Saul in persecution of the church would be the same tools God would use to actually build it up. Saul would transform to move the gospel forward. This is a beautiful example that the gifts we use to build ourselves up when submitted to the Spirit of God can be used for a greater purpose, used for the movement of God, the Gospel, and to make the world a better place. Oftentimes all the gifts, all the potential are right there in people. They just need a change in motivation. They need a change in heart. Everything Saul previously did in the name of righteousness was all a facade for a deep anger in his heart. Anger at the influence of Jesus, anger at perhaps a loss of power, anger at the people who he couldn't control. Anger over a movement that threatened to rob him of his sense of righteousness. But once his heart was turned, once hatred was converted to love after his encounter with Jesus, he would never be the same. He would be a force of nature for the gospel. God's love changes lives. There is no one too far deep in sin who cannot be pulled out and rescued by Jesus. We're going to continue to learn that in Saul's life in our next episode as we conclude this series on Jesus and the Outcasts. This is an I Heart podcast.
