Lessons: Acts 9:1-22 Psalm 67 Galatians 1:11-24 Matthew 19:27-30
Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, You turned the heart of him who persecuted the Church and by his preaching caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world. Grant us ever to rejoice in the saving light of Your Gospel and, following the example of the apostle Paul, to spread it to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
About the Day: St. Paul’s life-changing experience on the road to Damascus is related three times in the Book of Acts (9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18). As an archenemy of Christians, Saul of Tarsus set out for Damascus to arrest and bring believers to Jerusalem for trial. While on the way, he saw a blinding light and heard the words: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul asked, “Who are You, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” In Damascus, where Saul was brought after being blinded, a disciple named Ananias was directed by the Lord in a vision to go to Saul to restore his sight: “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). After receiving his sight, Saul was baptized and went on to become known as Paul, the great apostle.
(Source for the above: The Treasury of Daily Prayer)
In the introduction above, Saul became Paul and became known, as “the great apostle”. The ‘great’ Apostle disagreed!
“Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1 Corinthians 15:8
8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ… Ephesians 3:8 (emphasis added)
Not the great, but the least! He and the Church knew the reason: “…because I persecuted the church of God.” He went out of his way to imprison and kill followers of the Way and the Lord went out of His way and gave Paul eternal life in the Way. It is manifest that God had His purpose realized in His call to Saul of Tarsus to teach and preach to others:
1 Timothy 1: The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
Paul became an excellent paradigm of the Lord’s transforming forgiveness: Paul did become “the foremost” of the Lord’s “perfect patience” (from the Greek, literally, long-suffering!) for himself to show to others, “…who were to believe in (Jesus Christ) for eternal life.”
Paul knew his limitations as an apostle and a follower of Jesus:
10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” 2 Corinthians 10
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 2 Corinthians 12:7
The Lord prevented Paul from getting too big for this britches. He knew humility in Christ his loving Lord so Paul could teach others the same:
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:3
Again, Romans 13: : Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.”
As learned and intelligent as Paul was , he knew the pitfalls of price, such as the importance of knowledge can lead to overweening pride: “Knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1) when pastoring the Corinthian church who prided themselves on their superior gifts and knowledge as if they had achieved those gifts. They were given by God, not earned by man, in the greatest gift ever given to the sinful world : the very Son of God for Paul’s and everyone’s repentance and forgiveness. Through all of the Lord’s call to Paul he was being taught the way of Christ in the Bible.
We can learn that where we are weakest, the Lord will teach us the most in His grace, mercy and peace, so we can serve and love others in Christ’s transforming forgiveness (Romans 12: 1 and following).
Concordia and Koinonia 
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