A Sudden Encounter

Scripture: Acts 9:3-5

As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

Insights: To understand today’s verses we need to understand the background a little.  The early church had some up and down moments after Pentecost.  Deacon’s, for example, were established because of some widows not being ministered to effectively.  Shortly, after these deacons were commissioned they began preaching as well.  Stephen began to preach so powerfully that the religious rulers decided they needed to put an end to his spreading of the gospel.  Saul, a religious leader, was present the day Stephan was stoned to death.  In fact, he held the robes of those who did the stoning, and in so performing this act, he gave his blessing to Stephan’s death.  Saul became emboldened to put the rest of these Christians to death; and therefore, procured papers granting him the authority to take Christians from Damascus back to Jerusalem for trial.  The verses we read to day explain what happened to Saul on this journey.  He had a sudden encounter with Jesus.  Every single person who has ever come to faith in the Lord has had a sudden encounter of this kind as well.  Ours may not have been exactly like Saul’s, but we had an encounter still the same.  We were living life as usual.  We were doing our own thing, when suddenly, Jesus came on the scene and began His work of drawing us into a relationship with Him.  It is because Jesus loved us so much that He revealed Himself to us and drew on our hearts to enter into this relationship with Him.  I am so grateful Jesus did this work for me.  Beloved, I pray you are just as excited and satisfied in Jesus because of His sudden revelation in your life.  I pray you are compelled by His great love to go and share with others about the good news of the gospel, which is found in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.  May your words be filled with power by the Holy Spirit and may it be used as the catalyst by which Jesus makes Himself known to others in sudden and miraculous ways.  To His great name be praise!

Questions:

1.  Have you experienced an sudden encounter from the Lord?

2.  Do you recall the specifics of your moment with Him?

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your sudden encounter in my life.  You brought me to Your Son in miraculous ways as You revealed to me my need for a Savior.  Thank You for loving me enough to reveal Yourself to me.  Amen.