Steven A. Bush - September 13, 2015
From Terrorist to Apostle
As Stephen's life bled away from stoning, a young Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus gave sanctimonious approval. It's doubtful that Stephen's powerful sermon ever left Saul's ears nor his gruesome death his eyes and heart. But even as the coats were piled at Saul's feet by those hurling stones, rage poisoned him sorely against Jesus' followers. He became a Jewish terrorist and did everything in his power to bring death to the living stones of Christ's Church. But then on his venomous way to Damascus to reap more havoc, he was blinded by a light more resplendent then the noonday sun and Jesus revealed Himself to Saul. His heart caved, the scales fell off, and he would see like never before. Saul's story of conversion is chronicled three times in the book of Acts. He who caused much suffering would suffer much for the sake of the Gospel. His résumé of Pharisaical achievement would be exchanged for one of shipwrecks, thorns, and fiery ordeals. Yet God would use him mightily. His travels would take him throughout the Roman empire and his imprisonments would spawn letters to churches planted near and far, spanning centuries, reaching even the likes of us. So no one is beyond God's reach--no one! Nor can anyone long resist Grace like that which inundated Saul and made him Paul, turning a terrorist into a beloved Apostle. What might that Grace do for you?