1 00:00:01,389 --> 00:00:06,710 Speaker 1: Although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, an insolent, however, 2 00:00:07,170 --> 00:00:11,580 Speaker 1: I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief. 3 00:00:11,580 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: 1 Timothy 1.13 Heavenly Father, we stand in awe of 4 00:00:18,540 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 1: your grace and mercy, especially as we reflect on our 5 00:00:22,790 --> 00:00:27,010 Speaker 1: past sins and shortcomings. We thank you, Lord, that you 6 00:00:27,090 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: do not hold our past sins against us, In your eyes, 7 00:00:32,180 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: we are not defined by our mistakes or failures, but 8 00:00:35,740 --> 00:00:39,020 Speaker 1: by what Christ has accomplished for us and what he 9 00:00:39,060 --> 00:00:43,460 Speaker 1: will accomplish through us. Thank you for the transformative power 10 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,910 Speaker 1: of your love, which takes our broken pieces and crafts 11 00:00:48,970 --> 00:00:53,290 Speaker 1: them into a beautiful story of redemption. Help us to 12 00:00:53,390 --> 00:00:57,990 Speaker 1: live in the freedom of your forgiveness, embracing our identity, 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:03,740 Speaker 1: as your beloved children, called and equipped to do your will. 14 00:01:05,140 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: May our lives testify to the depth of your grace, 15 00:01:09,709 --> 00:01:13,650 Speaker 1: encouraging others that no past is too marred for your 16 00:01:13,709 --> 00:01:21,210 Speaker 1: healing touch. In Jesus' mighty name we pray. Amen. Thank 17 00:01:21,230 --> 00:01:24,250 Speaker 1: you for praying with me today. You're listening to The 18 00:01:24,290 --> 00:01:29,970 Speaker 1: Jesus Podcast. Gospel stories retold to capture your imagination and 19 00:01:30,030 --> 00:01:34,590 Speaker 1: invigorate your faith. Today we dive into the story of 20 00:01:34,730 --> 00:01:39,660 Speaker 1: Paul the Apostle. Before his encounter with Christ, he was 21 00:01:39,690 --> 00:01:43,459 Speaker 1: the grim reaper and harbinger of persecution for the church. 22 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:49,220 Speaker 1: Listen now for part one of his dramatic conversion story. 23 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:54,250 Speaker 1: Follow this podcast on whatever platform you're listening to. Doing 24 00:01:54,310 --> 00:01:57,590 Speaker 1: so will keep you updated, but also help us get 25 00:01:57,650 --> 00:02:01,590 Speaker 1: discovered by more people. We want the story of Jesus 26 00:02:01,890 --> 00:02:06,090 Speaker 1: to be known throughout the world. Thanks for making that possible. 27 00:02:08,090 --> 00:02:08,820 Speaker 2: Open up! 28 00:02:09,470 --> 00:02:13,519 Speaker 1: Paul shouted, pounding the door again and yelled, Come out! 29 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: We know you're in there! 30 00:02:15,650 --> 00:02:18,410 Speaker 1: Paul gestured for the temple guards to break open the door. 31 00:02:19,669 --> 00:02:21,810 Speaker 1: A man stood at a distance with his wife and 32 00:02:21,850 --> 00:02:27,090 Speaker 1: children behind him, cowering in the corner. Saul ignored the 33 00:02:27,150 --> 00:02:29,190 Speaker 1: tears and snarled at the man. 34 00:02:29,870 --> 00:02:33,700 Speaker 3: You have been seen professing the blasphemy of the Nazarenes. 35 00:02:34,540 --> 00:02:36,540 Speaker 3: I'm here to escort you to the Hall of Polished 36 00:02:36,580 --> 00:02:37,959 Speaker 3: Stones for questioning. 37 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: The man knelt down to his family and reassured them 38 00:02:41,820 --> 00:02:45,780 Speaker 1: that it would be all right. Saul and the guards 39 00:02:45,940 --> 00:02:49,580 Speaker 1: dragged him out of his home to the hall. There, 40 00:02:49,980 --> 00:02:53,350 Speaker 1: Saul bombarded him with questions, as he had with the others. 41 00:02:53,930 --> 00:02:57,350 Speaker 3: You are aware that professing another god besides the Lord 42 00:02:57,790 --> 00:03:00,870 Speaker 3: and gathering followers against him is a crime against our 43 00:03:00,910 --> 00:03:04,130 Speaker 3: people and punishable by imprisonment and torture? 44 00:03:04,530 --> 00:03:09,669 Speaker 1: Paul spat. The disciple did not seem worried. Like many 45 00:03:09,730 --> 00:03:13,250 Speaker 1: people who stood in court before him, He seemed excited 46 00:03:13,430 --> 00:03:17,130 Speaker 1: about the opportunity to talk about Jesus. I have something 47 00:03:17,169 --> 00:03:21,070 Speaker 1: to argue in favor of my innocence, he said boldly. 48 00:03:21,690 --> 00:03:25,170 Speaker 1: I'm not blaspheming against God, for I've witnessed and testified 49 00:03:25,190 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: that Jesus is in fact the Messiah we've been waiting for. 50 00:03:29,540 --> 00:03:34,380 Speaker 1: The Sanhedrin stirred in their seats. Paul stepped closer to 51 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,260 Speaker 1: him and yelled, Liar! 52 00:03:37,300 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 3: You have been corrupted by the same foul doctrine as 53 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:44,230 Speaker 3: the others. Renounce his name or face the consequences. 54 00:03:44,950 --> 00:03:48,290 Speaker 1: I met him myself, the man said proudly. 55 00:03:49,050 --> 00:03:50,860 Speaker 4: I was one of the 70 that followed him to 56 00:03:50,900 --> 00:03:54,460 Speaker 4: Galilee and then back to Jerusalem. I traveled with him. 57 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,340 Speaker 4: I heard him teach from the law and the prophets, 58 00:03:57,780 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 4: and I witnessed him heal the sick and open the 59 00:04:00,260 --> 00:04:01,180 Speaker 4: eyes of the blind. 60 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:03,370 Speaker 1: He even cast out demons. 61 00:04:04,010 --> 00:04:06,350 Speaker 3: He could only cast out demons because he was one. 62 00:04:06,290 --> 00:04:10,870 Speaker 1: Himself, Paul said aggressively. Why would Satan cast out Satans? 63 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: The man asked calmly. A house divided against itself cannot stand? 64 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:19,060 Speaker 1: Like many of the Nazarenes, this man was very familiar 65 00:04:19,100 --> 00:04:22,940 Speaker 1: with the teachings of Jesus. Many of them spoke with 66 00:04:23,020 --> 00:04:27,369 Speaker 1: such firm convictions, it was as if Jesus himself was speaking. 67 00:04:27,830 --> 00:04:28,830 Speaker 3: We have heard enough! 68 00:04:29,430 --> 00:04:33,710 Speaker 1: Saul said. He turned to the high priest and council, saying, You've. 69 00:04:33,570 --> 00:04:34,230 Speaker 2: Heard it yourself. 70 00:04:35,010 --> 00:04:37,130 Speaker 3: Forty stripes are the only way to keep this man 71 00:04:37,170 --> 00:04:38,570 Speaker 3: from spreading more lies. 72 00:04:39,010 --> 00:04:42,419 Speaker 1: The council agreed. The temple guards beat him to the 73 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,340 Speaker 1: ground and then dragged him away. Paul spat at him 74 00:04:46,580 --> 00:04:51,179 Speaker 1: as he left. Find followers of Jesus, drag them to court, 75 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:56,460 Speaker 1: give them 40 lashes, repeat. This had been Saul's ritual 76 00:04:56,700 --> 00:05:00,050 Speaker 1: for months. He had spent the greater part of a 77 00:05:00,110 --> 00:05:04,890 Speaker 1: year breathing threats against the Nazarenes. He had leveraged his 78 00:05:05,010 --> 00:05:10,809 Speaker 1: Roman citizenship to condemn them to corporal punishment. Day after day, 79 00:05:11,230 --> 00:05:15,409 Speaker 1: he led prisoners to the flogging beam. Crowds surrounded them 80 00:05:15,710 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: as Saul ordered men to be lashed to pieces. 81 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 2: Forty stripes! 82 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: He shouted, following the sound of screams. 83 00:05:23,820 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 2: Forty stripes! 84 00:05:25,540 --> 00:05:30,170 Speaker 1: He yelled as children watched their fathers flogged. But these 85 00:05:30,250 --> 00:05:36,340 Speaker 1: Nazarenes were like cockroaches, refusing to die. No matter how 86 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 1: aggressively Saul hunted them, the movement continued to gain momentum. 87 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,140 Speaker 1: Thousands were added to them daily, and the ones they 88 00:05:46,180 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: called apostles continued escaping imprisonment. Saul's religious zeal was mutating 89 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:58,460 Speaker 1: into something far more sinister. He was taking pleasure in 90 00:05:58,500 --> 00:06:04,210 Speaker 1: their pain. With every flogging, beating, and stoning, Saul sought 91 00:06:04,250 --> 00:06:08,609 Speaker 1: to kill his conviction. He wasn't aware of the war 92 00:06:08,670 --> 00:06:13,750 Speaker 1: that was being raged within his heart, like Cain murdering 93 00:06:13,770 --> 00:06:18,870 Speaker 1: his brother Abel. Saul's violence was aimed at people, but 94 00:06:18,910 --> 00:06:23,940 Speaker 1: his actual target was the Creator. He wasn't raging against 95 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:28,179 Speaker 1: the men and women. He was raging against God. 96 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,070 Speaker 5: Where does your sense of righteousness come from? Is it 97 00:06:33,110 --> 00:06:36,330 Speaker 5: your work, your personal life, your health, the things we 98 00:06:36,370 --> 00:06:39,470 Speaker 5: do well or make us feel good about ourselves? When 99 00:06:39,529 --> 00:06:42,510 Speaker 5: it comes to our spiritual life, there's only one way 100 00:06:42,589 --> 00:06:45,710 Speaker 5: that leads to righteousness. Jesus is the only way that 101 00:06:45,750 --> 00:06:49,690 Speaker 5: leads to righteousness. Welcome to The Jesus Podcast, a year 102 00:06:49,710 --> 00:06:52,420 Speaker 5: of stories showcasing the depth of Christ's love through storytelling 103 00:06:52,750 --> 00:06:56,260 Speaker 5: and the glory of God's truth through honest reflection. I'm Zach, 104 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 5: your host from Pray.com. Today's episode is part one of 105 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,730 Speaker 5: two that takes us through the life of Saul before 106 00:07:01,910 --> 00:07:05,270 Speaker 5: he encounters Jesus. Follow the podcast so you don't miss 107 00:07:05,330 --> 00:07:06,060 Speaker 5: out on any of it. 108 00:07:09,029 --> 00:07:10,650 Speaker 2: Imprisonment is not enough! 109 00:07:11,150 --> 00:07:15,330 Speaker 1: Saul shouted to his fellow Sanhedrin. His hands were shaking 110 00:07:15,510 --> 00:07:16,570 Speaker 1: from pent-up wrath. 111 00:07:17,030 --> 00:07:20,210 Speaker 3: As the high priest said before, they must be killed 112 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 3: like their leader. 113 00:07:21,940 --> 00:07:24,989 Speaker 1: The Sanhedrin had learned to follow Saul's lead in the 114 00:07:25,020 --> 00:07:29,910 Speaker 1: persecution of the Nazarenes. But they were trepidatious about taking 115 00:07:30,010 --> 00:07:35,430 Speaker 1: such extreme measures. Since killing Stephen, nothing seemed to change. 116 00:07:36,030 --> 00:07:37,770 Speaker 2: Have you all lost heart so quickly? 117 00:07:38,290 --> 00:07:39,050 Speaker 1: Saul scolded. 118 00:07:39,590 --> 00:07:40,730 Speaker 2: It is as David wrote. 119 00:07:41,390 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 3: Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, 120 00:07:44,060 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 3: and hate those who are in rebellion against you? These 121 00:07:48,060 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 3: filthy Nazarenes deserve to die for their crimes against God. 122 00:07:52,980 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: One of the council members raised his voice in objection, saying. 123 00:07:56,540 --> 00:07:59,930 Speaker 3: The Romans were not pleased when we took action against Stephen. 124 00:08:00,610 --> 00:08:04,590 Speaker 3: They would not want us taking such measures outside their authority. 125 00:08:05,170 --> 00:08:07,630 Speaker 1: Have some faith, brother, Saul encouraged. 126 00:08:08,090 --> 00:08:10,490 Speaker 3: I am a Roman citizen and can find the right 127 00:08:10,530 --> 00:08:11,630 Speaker 3: papers to persecute them. 128 00:08:12,030 --> 00:08:13,170 Speaker 2: To what aim, Saul? 129 00:08:13,630 --> 00:08:14,550 Speaker 1: Another member asked. 130 00:08:14,810 --> 00:08:16,730 Speaker 2: They do not seem afraid to die. 131 00:08:17,330 --> 00:08:21,210 Speaker 1: Saul paused. He felt a brief moment of shame in 132 00:08:21,530 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: what he was about to say. but quickly pushed against it. 133 00:08:25,910 --> 00:08:29,930 Speaker 1: Like an ox kicking against the farmer's goad, he pushed 134 00:08:29,990 --> 00:08:34,209 Speaker 1: against the conviction deep within his heart. He doubled down 135 00:08:34,290 --> 00:08:36,530 Speaker 1: on his hatred and declared, Once. 136 00:08:36,429 --> 00:08:39,730 Speaker 3: They start dying, they will wake up to the severity 137 00:08:39,770 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 3: of their sins. I can procure the right papers from 138 00:08:43,380 --> 00:08:45,500 Speaker 3: the Romans to send the Nazarenes running. 139 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: Torture and imprisonment had not worked, so death was the 140 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:54,890 Speaker 1: last option. The Sanhedrin were content to let Saul loose 141 00:08:55,270 --> 00:08:58,849 Speaker 1: like a rabid dog. He stormed out and began the 142 00:08:58,910 --> 00:09:05,290 Speaker 1: preparations for public executions. He entered house after house and 143 00:09:05,340 --> 00:09:09,439 Speaker 1: dragged men and women into the streets. For most of them, 144 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: it was flogging. For many, it was imprisonment. Paul threatened death, 145 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:20,079 Speaker 1: but he had not yet have to license it. Paul 146 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:24,110 Speaker 1: threatened death. but he did not yet have the license 147 00:09:24,350 --> 00:09:30,990 Speaker 1: to kill. Eventually, some of the Nazarenes began to succumb 148 00:09:31,030 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: to Paul's relentless barrage of threats. After hours of torture, 149 00:09:36,660 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: they bent their knees to Saul and begged for mercy. 150 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: Renounce Jesus and you will be spared, he said with 151 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:49,590 Speaker 1: gritted teeth. Some of them renounced the name of Jesus. 152 00:09:50,550 --> 00:09:57,140 Speaker 1: and cowered away like wounded animals. But some, despite being tortured, 153 00:09:57,980 --> 00:10:03,990 Speaker 1: would not relent. No amount of flogging, imprisonment, or torture 154 00:10:04,809 --> 00:10:10,290 Speaker 1: would quiet the anthem of Jesus. For those few who 155 00:10:10,330 --> 00:10:17,460 Speaker 1: refused to waver, the punishment was death. Saul was the 156 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:23,620 Speaker 1: grim reaper, Weekly, the stone of execution was repainted with 157 00:10:23,660 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 1: the blood of Jesus' disciples. Saul's conscience remained unmoved. Even 158 00:10:31,380 --> 00:10:35,940 Speaker 1: as women wept over their husbands' bodies, or children screamed 159 00:10:36,059 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: as their mother was drugged to prison, Saul's wrath was 160 00:10:41,100 --> 00:10:46,209 Speaker 1: not halted. As the winter months approached and the cold 161 00:10:46,300 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: wind howled from the hills, the persecution of the Nazarenes heated. 162 00:10:52,420 --> 00:10:56,370 Speaker 1: The intense violence scattered the disciples abroad in the escape 163 00:10:56,390 --> 00:11:00,250 Speaker 1: of Saul and his minions. They left the region of 164 00:11:00,309 --> 00:11:05,550 Speaker 1: Judea into Samaria and Asia Minor. Some even went overseas 165 00:11:05,630 --> 00:11:10,550 Speaker 1: back to their homeland. At first, Saul was pleased that 166 00:11:10,590 --> 00:11:14,780 Speaker 1: they had left Jerusalem until he received reports from abroad. 167 00:11:16,179 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: The gospel of Jesus said, was like a contagion. Wherever 168 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:25,830 Speaker 1: the Nazarenes fled, the news of Jesus' life, death, and 169 00:11:25,910 --> 00:11:31,970 Speaker 1: resurrection spread. Word came from the north that followers of 170 00:11:32,030 --> 00:11:36,329 Speaker 1: the way were multiplying abroad even faster than in Jerusalem. 171 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:42,620 Speaker 1: Persecution was like the wind to a wildfire for Jesus' message. 172 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:48,450 Speaker 1: The more violent the persecutions, the stronger the Nazarenes became. 173 00:11:49,870 --> 00:11:55,370 Speaker 1: Despite this, Saul persisted like a mighty wind, raging against 174 00:11:55,410 --> 00:11:55,809 Speaker 1: the fire. 175 00:11:56,410 --> 00:11:57,740 Speaker 2: We must expand our. 176 00:11:57,650 --> 00:12:00,700 Speaker 1: Reach, Saul declared to the rest of the Sanhedrin. 177 00:12:01,179 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 3: The synagogues of the north are being corrupted by this 178 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 3: message of Jesus. And if we don't stop it soon, 179 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,500 Speaker 3: we'll lose all influence in the more influential trade cities. 180 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:15,809 Speaker 1: Jerusalem was a golden city of religious thought and power. 181 00:12:17,250 --> 00:12:20,590 Speaker 1: But he knew all the money and influence resided in 182 00:12:20,610 --> 00:12:25,470 Speaker 1: the Roman port cities. He needed to extinguish the Nazarenes 183 00:12:26,070 --> 00:12:31,470 Speaker 1: before everything unraveled. The high priest leaned over his seat 184 00:12:31,790 --> 00:12:32,790 Speaker 1: and stroked his beard. 185 00:12:33,950 --> 00:12:38,890 Speaker 6: Our influence does not go far, Saul. We must tread 186 00:12:39,010 --> 00:12:42,490 Speaker 6: lightly so we do not perturb the Romans. 187 00:12:43,370 --> 00:12:43,710 Speaker 4: I agree. 188 00:12:44,890 --> 00:12:47,290 Speaker 2: The Romans would not want us to be a disturbance. 189 00:12:47,809 --> 00:12:48,810 Speaker 1: Paul said with a nod. 190 00:12:49,530 --> 00:12:54,250 Speaker 3: However, we still have a good amount of self-government in Damascus, Phoenicia, 191 00:12:54,380 --> 00:12:58,550 Speaker 3: and Antioch. The local governors are lax and allow us 192 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:02,059 Speaker 3: to punish our own people, especially with the right bribes. 193 00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:05,700 Speaker 1: Saul rolled out a map and placed a finger on 194 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:06,740 Speaker 1: his intended target. 195 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:10,459 Speaker 3: I say we begin with Damascus and drag every Nazarene 196 00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 3: we can find back to Jerusalem on a row. 197 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 2: If they refuse. 198 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 3: and we discreetly execute them there. They need to know 199 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:24,490 Speaker 3: our reach extends beyond these borders. The Nazarenes can't escape God. 200 00:13:25,510 --> 00:13:28,490 Speaker 1: The high priest looked to the other council members, and 201 00:13:28,510 --> 00:13:29,329 Speaker 1: then back to Saul. 202 00:13:29,710 --> 00:13:34,970 Speaker 7: You are our man, he said. We shall write letters 203 00:13:35,050 --> 00:13:40,500 Speaker 7: to the local synagogue, demanding they cooperate. They will be 204 00:13:40,540 --> 00:13:45,580 Speaker 7: your license to capture the Nazarenes. or kill them if necessary. 205 00:13:46,420 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: Saul smiled and bowed his head. The high priest raised 206 00:13:50,700 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: his hands to God and struck a pious pose. 207 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:59,590 Speaker 6: This will mark the end of Jesus and the people 208 00:13:59,660 --> 00:14:00,610 Speaker 6: of the way. 209 00:14:01,450 --> 00:14:06,390 Speaker 1: They were painfully wrong. Saul thought he was pursuing Jesus, 210 00:14:07,610 --> 00:14:10,510 Speaker 1: but Jesus was pursuing him. 211 00:14:15,780 --> 00:14:17,540 Speaker 5: If you want to get anywhere specific in life, you 212 00:14:17,570 --> 00:14:19,170 Speaker 5: have to know the path it takes to get there. 213 00:14:19,750 --> 00:14:22,990 Speaker 5: Paul had spent his entire life striving down the path 214 00:14:23,110 --> 00:14:25,970 Speaker 5: he thought would lead him to righteousness. Little did he 215 00:14:26,030 --> 00:14:29,370 Speaker 5: know he was headed in the opposite direction. His zeal 216 00:14:29,430 --> 00:14:32,830 Speaker 5: and religiosity had formed a life of pride and selfishness 217 00:14:33,130 --> 00:14:38,190 Speaker 5: that only brought him further from God, not closer. After Jesus' death, 218 00:14:38,430 --> 00:14:41,430 Speaker 5: his gospel message took off and thousands were being saved 219 00:14:41,550 --> 00:14:43,750 Speaker 5: by the day. What the Jews thought would be the 220 00:14:43,810 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 5: end of Christ and his mission was only the beginning. 221 00:14:46,650 --> 00:14:48,620 Speaker 5: The way to eternal life had been opened up and 222 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 5: there were so many people choosing to take this path, 223 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:55,500 Speaker 5: but Saul was wholeheartedly opposed to it. He was determined 224 00:14:55,540 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 5: to stand victorious against this perceived attack against the law 225 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 5: of Moses. But what Paul thought was a mission to 226 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 5: eradicate the sinful Nazarenes was actually part of Jesus' plan 227 00:15:06,450 --> 00:15:10,970 Speaker 5: to eradicate the sin and pride in Saul's heart. Saul 228 00:15:11,050 --> 00:15:14,140 Speaker 5: sometimes referred Saul, who we later on know to be 229 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,180 Speaker 5: Paul the Apostle, is one of the most influential figures 230 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 5: in Christendom. In the course of 13 years of ministry, 231 00:15:19,980 --> 00:15:23,180 Speaker 5: he traveled over 7,000 miles and planted at least 14 232 00:15:23,180 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 5: churches along the way. He single-handedly authored more books than 233 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 5: any biblical author and is considered a key figure in 234 00:15:30,070 --> 00:15:33,510 Speaker 5: the early church. But this wasn't always the case for Saul. 235 00:15:33,630 --> 00:15:37,190 Speaker 5: He wasn't always the faithful apostle and church planter. Before 236 00:15:37,250 --> 00:15:40,290 Speaker 5: his conversion, Paul was an enemy of the church. and 237 00:15:40,330 --> 00:15:43,190 Speaker 5: someone to be feared by those who follow Jesus. He 238 00:15:43,290 --> 00:15:46,290 Speaker 5: threatened the well-being and lives of many on his road 239 00:15:46,340 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 5: to personal glory. Looking at Saul's life gives us a 240 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:53,060 Speaker 5: radical idea of the transformative power of the gospel and 241 00:15:53,100 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 5: reminds us that no one is too far gone to 242 00:15:55,600 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 5: be saved by Jesus. Before salvation, Saul is self-consumed, conceited, 243 00:16:01,700 --> 00:16:04,780 Speaker 5: and concerned only with work that gives him a sense 244 00:16:04,820 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 5: of self-righteousness. As a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, 245 00:16:08,870 --> 00:16:11,970 Speaker 5: He had much to boast about. And as the early 246 00:16:12,010 --> 00:16:15,070 Speaker 5: church began to flourish, it made him vulnerable to lose 247 00:16:15,210 --> 00:16:17,530 Speaker 5: everything that he had built up. He had built this 248 00:16:17,590 --> 00:16:20,630 Speaker 5: name for himself. Taking a closer look at the actual 249 00:16:20,710 --> 00:16:25,190 Speaker 5: persecution caused by Saul is terrifying. Civility had been thrown 250 00:16:25,230 --> 00:16:27,410 Speaker 5: out the window as he stood by to watch men 251 00:16:27,430 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 5: and women dragged from their homes to be put on 252 00:16:30,050 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 5: trial and punished. There was no tone of remorse as 253 00:16:33,300 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 5: children wept in fear. All that remained in Paul's heart 254 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,980 Speaker 5: was a devotion to his plans to maintain power. Saul 255 00:16:40,020 --> 00:16:42,620 Speaker 5: wasn't only willing to hurt others to accomplish his goals, 256 00:16:43,060 --> 00:16:47,180 Speaker 5: he was happy to do so. He's content leaving tragedy 257 00:16:47,220 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 5: in his wake on his mission of self-righteousness. In order 258 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:54,450 Speaker 5: to maintain self-righteousness, we must all focus on ourselves. Pride 259 00:16:54,490 --> 00:16:57,550 Speaker 5: needs to be stoked and fanned like a well-tended-to fire. 260 00:16:58,050 --> 00:17:00,110 Speaker 5: If we want to feel like we're number one, we 261 00:17:00,130 --> 00:17:03,430 Speaker 5: have to make ourselves number one and each day choose 262 00:17:03,590 --> 00:17:07,030 Speaker 5: selfish decisions. While this was Saul at one point in life, 263 00:17:07,310 --> 00:17:11,450 Speaker 5: we see a drastically different picture after he's saved. Once 264 00:17:11,530 --> 00:17:14,790 Speaker 5: a man ruled by selfishness, the new man Saul would 265 00:17:14,830 --> 00:17:19,190 Speaker 5: become Paul the apostle. He would preach humility, selflessness, and 266 00:17:19,650 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 5: devotion to Christ. Saul would write this to the church 267 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,980 Speaker 5: in Philippians. Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being 268 00:17:26,060 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 5: unified with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if 269 00:17:28,580 --> 00:17:31,260 Speaker 5: any calm and sharing in his spirit, if any tenderness 270 00:17:31,300 --> 00:17:34,629 Speaker 5: and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded. 271 00:17:35,010 --> 00:17:37,389 Speaker 5: having the same love, being of one spirit and one mind. 272 00:17:37,850 --> 00:17:40,530 Speaker 5: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, 273 00:17:40,609 --> 00:17:44,210 Speaker 5: in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your 274 00:17:44,270 --> 00:17:46,930 Speaker 5: own interests, but each of you to the interests of others. 275 00:17:47,550 --> 00:17:50,189 Speaker 5: This is a far different perspective on life than what 276 00:17:50,230 --> 00:17:54,609 Speaker 5: we see in Saul the Pharisee, all because Jesus transformed 277 00:17:54,650 --> 00:17:57,470 Speaker 5: his heart. As a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish 278 00:17:57,550 --> 00:18:00,970 Speaker 5: ruling council, Saul played a major part in defending Jewish 279 00:18:01,030 --> 00:18:05,220 Speaker 5: law and exacting the subsequent judgment against Jewish Christians. While 280 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:07,820 Speaker 5: Paul said that he was defending God, we learned in 281 00:18:07,859 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 5: our study of Malchus that God doesn't need us to 282 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 5: defend him. In reality, Paul was defending himself and his power. 283 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 5: He was defending an institution that was against the movement 284 00:18:18,380 --> 00:18:21,620 Speaker 5: of Christ. He was defending everything that he had built 285 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,750 Speaker 5: his life upon. He was defending a false sense of righteousness. 286 00:18:25,230 --> 00:18:27,730 Speaker 5: The irony is that what he was doing to supposedly 287 00:18:27,790 --> 00:18:31,090 Speaker 5: defend God was having the opposite effect. But God saw 288 00:18:31,109 --> 00:18:33,859 Speaker 5: the potential in a powerful man like Saul. Once he 289 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,120 Speaker 5: was converted, Saul would become a force of nature for 290 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 5: the gospel. God used his incredible intellect for a greater purpose. 291 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,139 Speaker 5: The same mind and resolute spirit that drove Saul in 292 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 5: persecution of the church would be the same tools God 293 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,190 Speaker 5: would use to actually build it up. Saul would transform 294 00:18:50,270 --> 00:18:53,130 Speaker 5: to move the gospel forward. This is a beautiful example 295 00:18:53,170 --> 00:18:55,710 Speaker 5: that the gifts we use to build ourselves up when 296 00:18:55,750 --> 00:18:58,149 Speaker 5: submitted to the spirit of God can be used for 297 00:18:58,190 --> 00:19:01,650 Speaker 5: a greater purpose, used for the movement of God, the gospel, 298 00:19:02,180 --> 00:19:05,950 Speaker 5: and to make the world a better place. Oftentimes, all 299 00:19:05,990 --> 00:19:08,649 Speaker 5: the gifts, all the potential are right there in people. 300 00:19:09,030 --> 00:19:11,369 Speaker 5: They just need a change in motivation. They need a 301 00:19:11,430 --> 00:19:14,300 Speaker 5: change in heart. Everything Saul previously did in the name 302 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:16,580 Speaker 5: of righteousness was all a facade for a deep anger 303 00:19:16,609 --> 00:19:18,980 Speaker 5: in his heart. Anger at the influence of Jesus. Anger 304 00:19:19,109 --> 00:19:21,090 Speaker 5: at perhaps a loss of power. Anger at the people 305 00:19:21,350 --> 00:19:23,830 Speaker 5: who he couldn't control. Anger over a movement that threatened 306 00:19:23,850 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 5: to rob him of his sense of righteousness. But once 307 00:19:26,330 --> 00:19:28,900 Speaker 5: his heart was turned, Once hatred was converted to love 308 00:19:29,090 --> 00:19:31,260 Speaker 5: after his encounter with Jesus, he would never be the same. 309 00:19:31,530 --> 00:19:33,340 Speaker 5: He would be a force of nature for the gospel. 310 00:19:34,010 --> 00:19:36,380 Speaker 5: God's love changes lives. There is no one too far 311 00:19:36,430 --> 00:19:38,389 Speaker 5: deep in sin who cannot be pulled out and rescued 312 00:19:38,650 --> 00:19:41,330 Speaker 5: by Jesus. We're going to continue to learn that in 313 00:19:41,330 --> 00:19:43,649 Speaker 5: Saul's life in our next episode. as we conclude this 314 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:44,670 Speaker 5: series on Jesus and the outcasts.