Galatians 1.13-24

For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 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.

...And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.

I love the story of Paul's conversion because God just grabs him and doesn't let go. This man who is hunting down Christians "violently" is on the way to Damascus to continue his hunt and Jesus stops him, blinds him, and takes his heart. The message that this text undeniably proclaims is that GOD SAVES SINNERS. That is the business that God is in. If you are a follower of Jesus, then Paul's story is YOUR STORY! Sure you may have never hunted Christians down for their faith, but the work that Christ did in Paul's heart is the same work that he has done in mine and yours and in the hearts of all Believers.

Paul says that God set him apart before he was even born. God called him by his grace. God was pleased to reveal his son to him. This was the work of God, not the work of Paul. The word used for to in that last sentence can also be translated as "in." God wasn't merely trying to show Jesus to Paul to see how he might respond. God determined that he would display Christ in Paul, for the world to see. Paul has nothing to boast about in his own conversion and neither do we. God, in Christ, took Paul's heart and made it his own. He has taken your heart and made it his own. All we can do about this is respond in a life of praise and worshipful obedience to the one who has taken our hearts and keeps them in His Kingdom! All of our devotion or our "witness" stems from this act of God, to save us, unworthy sinners marked by the disobedience of Adam, and clothe us with the righteousness of Christ that we have but can never earn. Our obedience to God then is free of obligation. We do not serve God in obedience out of duty but out of response to the mighty saving act He has accomplished in us, FOR HIS GLORY!! The last two verses of this text say that the faithful heard of his conversion and glorified God. That is the point of God's work, that He might be glorified as he deserves. God doesn't save people just to lock them up in a prison of legalism. He saves us from religion, from obligation, from duty, from drugery. He saves us for a relationship with him, the TRUE Father. He saves us for freedom. Our praise and obedience to him is not inspired by debt but by gratitude.

Let us read these words of Paul's and realize fully that they are our words. This story is our story. God is at work, saving for himself a people that might live out the love that He puts inside them, that the World might glorify Him as children in gratitude rather than glorify him as rejects, out of fear and despair. He WILL be glorified by all, one way or another.

Let this passage and all of scripture wash over you and convince you that you are saved by nothing other than the grace of God!! You have not earned it and you never will. God loves you at your worst, not your best. Our best separates us from Him when we imagine that we earn ourselves some standing in His eyes. Relax, and rest in Grace! Go in Faithfulness, in Peace, and in the abundant love of the Creator!

Praise Him Alone! Amen.

-tjl