Paul Meets Jesus

Paul Meets Jesus

Q: After Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was

• a. speechless.
• b. blind.
• c. crippled.

Paul was one of the most courageous and well-traveled missionaries of all time. His preaching and teaching resulted in thousands of people hearing about Jesus. He started new churches and trained people to pastor them. Although Paul was stoned, beaten, jailed, and run out of cities, he never stopped sharing the gospel. But before Paul met Jesus, he was an enemy of Christians.

Paul was very religious. He had been trained under one of the finest teachers and was a Pharisee. Paul thought the Christians were wrong in believing Jesus was the Messiah. He was determined to stop them from spreading what he thought were lies.

Paul was traveling to Damascus to bring believers back to Jerusalem as prisoners. But God had other plans. Near Damascus, a bright light shone from heaven. Paul fell to the ground. A voice said, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” (Paul was known as Saul then.)

Jesus told Paul to go to a house on Straight Street. When Paul stood, he was blind and stayed that way for three days. God sent a man named Ananias to talk to Paul and restore his sight. Ananias was reluctant because he’d heard how Paul had persecuted Christians, but God told Ananias that Paul was chosen to carry the gospel to the Gentiles.

Paul stayed for a few days with other believers and then began preaching the gospel. The people were surprised to hear the man who had previously persecuted Christians was now proclaiming Jesus as Savior.

For You

Ananias didn’t want to talk to Paul, but he did it because God asked him to. Later he was glad he’d obeyed. God may ask you to do something hard, too, but he will be with you as you do it. He will give you the wisdom and strength for the task.

Answer: b

Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus.   Acts 9:8

(The Whole Story: Acts 9:1-21)