By: Henry Knapp
I was stunned. I had just sat through one of the most meaningful presentations of the Gospel in musical form I had ever heard. The power of the music was overwhelming, and the lyrics were straight from the Scriptures, every line. I was totally captivated, and couldn’t imagine anyone not feeling as awed as I was. So, I was stunned when my friend confessed that it really didn’t move him. WHAT???
Reading between the lines, that seems to be the Apostle Paul’s reaction to folks when he shares his testimony—“How can you not be excited about this?” Reading the book of Acts, it is impossible to miss the power of Paul’s conversion first described in Acts 9. Riding on his way to persecute Christians in a nearby city, Paul is struck down by the Lord and meets the Risen Lord Jesus. As Paul tells this story to the gathered people (Acts 22), to Felix (24), and to Agrippa (26), he wants them to feel the same awe, the same power that he felt and understood on the Damascus Road.
Clearly Paul was overwhelmed by his meeting with Jesus… but, why? I mean, why was he so very taken by this interaction?
I am intrigued by the possibility that Paul actually knew Jesus during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Although there is no biblical evidence to the fact, numerous scholars have suggested this as a possibility given the geographic boundaries, population, and Jesus’ popularity. But, if Paul personally knew Jesus or not, he certainly knew of the teachings of Jesus, His claim to divinity, and about His crucifixion. And, in Paul's thinking, it was right for Jesus to die! It was proper for One who equated Himself with God to die, and to die as He did. Remember, “cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Deuteronomy 21:23). Jesus was cursed. He was hung on a tree (crucified). He got what He deserved for blaspheming God. But then, Paul is thrown off his horse… “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting!” (Acts 9:5).
So why was the appearance of Jesus on the Damascus Road to Paul so powerful? Because of the resurrection, pure and simple. Dead people can’t raise themselves from the dead! And, especially, cursed, dead people! How can it be that this One, who was justly killed, and killed in a way that stressed His “cursedness,” could actually be alive and talking with Paul? There is but one way for such a thing to happen: God the Father. God the Father did it. God the Father Himself actually took this cursed, dead Jesus… and raised Him from the dead! Why would He have done so?
This is the vindication of the Father, the true and righteous judgment of God. While man might insist that Jesus be killed, while Paul might think it proper for Him to be cursed, God Himself has passed a different judgment. God the Father has vindicated Jesus—His teaching, His divinity, and His sacrifice. There was no other way to make sense of it for Paul. God the Father has placed His stamp of approval on Jesus; and if Jesus is good enough for God the Father, He is good enough for Paul.
Confronted by the Resurrected Lord, Paul’s entire life changed. Everything Paul lived for, everything he stood for, all that he was willing to die for, shifted in an instant, in a moment of recognition—the resurrection of Jesus meant God the Father’s approval, and if God’s approval, then Paul’s life. And, for us the same recognition is before us—is Jesus Christ your life? Not a part of your life, but your very life? God the Father has vindicated Jesus by raising Him from the dead: All He taught, all He did, all He promises for us is true! How, now, will we respond?
I trust and pray we will respond full heartedly… to the praise of His glory!
