The bible is full of wild, crazy stories. And the gospel - the message that Christ, who's been with God from eternity past, came to earth, became man, was born of a virgin, lived a perfectly sinless life, died on a cross, then 3 days later rose, spent several more days with his followers, then was lifted on a cloud, ascending to heaven where he sits at God's right hand today, and forevermore - that's a crazy story. And to further explain that he did that out of love, that it was God's plan of redemption all along, that God directed it, that prophecy told of it centuries earlier, that through his death he took our sin to the cross, and through his resurrection we can receive his righteousness. That's the story. That's the promise.
This morning I was reading Acts 26, the story of Paul offering his defense to King Agrippa and Festus, the Governor. He told of how he used to persecute Christians:
I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
And he told of how this all changed. He told the story of his conversion:
“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Most Excellent Festus' response: Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.
