Very Goal Oriented

Galatians 1:13-24

Saul came from a family with wealth and his parents were very goal oriented?  His family lived in Tarsus, and they were devout Jews, and also Roman citizens.  As a young man, Saul was sent to Jerusalem to study under the great Gamaliel, and by his own confession was advancing in Judaism beyond many of his fellow students.  Paul tells us in verse 14 that he was extremely zealous for the tradition of his fathers. 

If you want to send a message to a group of people, one of the best ways to do that is find a young person who is passionate about your common cause, and you have a weapon that can be of great use to those pulling the strings, in Paul’s case it was the high priest.  We do not know if Saul was the instigator of the stoning of Stephen, but Acts 7:58-8:1, gives clear evidence that Saul approved of his execution and from that day forward a great persecution was on the church in Jerusalem.

Saul was enthusiastic about removing this break-a-way group, who believed in and were making disciples to Jesus Christ, because they believed He was the Messiah. Young Saul is a very religious dude, and in his great zeal to persecute the followers of Christ, he is off to Damascus.  Before reaching Damascus he was struck blind by none other than Jesus and has to be led into the city.  He is blind for three days, when Jesus tells a disciple named Ananias to visit and heal Saul of his blindness.  It is amazing how often God uses an Ananias to be his hands and feet in the life of someone.  It is also true that Ananias’ emotions were off the charts, but he obeys God.

We have the account in Acts 9:4-18, of Saul’s baptism and receiving God’s Holy Spirit.  In that same chapter, we see Saul confronting the Jews in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ and not many days passed before the Jews plotted to kill him.  It is at this point he escapes to Arabia, and is taught by Jesus, the things of God. Saul was there for about three years and in verse 18,19, “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.  But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother

But God had plans for Saul, in fact we must read this account in Galatians 1:15-17, “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.”  God has also told you and I that He has plans for us, and they are not to harm us but to give us a hope and a future in Jeremiah 29:11.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice