Encountering Jesus - Blinded to see - 7/27/25

This Sunday, we be closed out our series Encountering Jesus with one of the most improbable encounters that people would expect Jesus to have: 

Saul.

• Saul was a Jew born in Tarsus. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and raised with deep roots in the Jewish heritage. He was a Pharisee, which was part of the strictest sect of Judaism know for their rigorous observance of the Law. He studied under Gamaliel, a hghly respected teacher of Jewish law, which implies Saul had elite theological education (Acts 22:3, 23:6). 

• With all of this background and strong desire to closely observe and follow the Law, Saul found himself doing something that he believed to be righteous. In the early days of the Christian Church, Saul had become one of its biggest opponents and peresecuted against Jesus and His followers. He saw Jesus and His followerers as a threat to the Jewish faith and he actively worked to eliminate them. He was present at the death of the disciple Stephen and approved the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58). He entered house after house and ravaged the early church. He dragged off men and women and committed them to prison (Acts 8:3). 

• Saul was evil.

And then...Jesus...

How could a man with this extensive background of persecution against the early Church possibly be redeemed? The answer? Jesus.