The Great Interruption; Encountering Jesus Christ

As he (Saul) neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord,” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Acts 9:3-6

Saul’s (soon to be Paul) blinding encounter with Jesus Christ may be the most prominent encounter story recorded in the Bible. Saul is en route to Damascus, comrades and letter bag in tow. He is intent on deterring the radical Jesus followers from, well, from following Jesus.

Life interrupted.

Jesus stops Saul in his steps, speaks to him directly, blinds him and sends him on to Damascus to wait further instruction.

Isn’t that just like Jesus? Interrupting us along our misguided path, changing everything. Sending us handicapped to wait further instruction. Creating in us a total dependency upon Him.

Jesus gets in the way and then becomes The Way.

Before Saul met Jesus, Saul thought he knew God. He was confident in his prestigious position among the religious leaders of the day. He was devout, zealous, and well established in the teachings and rigorous practices of a people waiting on a Messiah. Read how Saul (now Paul) describes himself in Philippians 3.

If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regards to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. (Philippians 3:4-5)

Perfect, blinded and misguided by his agenda and the agenda of those he kept company with. His travel itinerary was propelled by his desire to purge history of those who proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God, the resurrected Christ.

His travel itinerary was interrupted by Jesus Christ Himself, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4).

You Saul, are blinded by pride.
Now Saul, I will blind you with My Glory.
You Saul, enforced your way.
Now Saul, you will sit in the dark and wait for Me to show you My way.
You Saul, persecuted my church.
Now Saul, you will be persecuted for my church.
You Saul, bound my followers with chains.
Now Saul, you will chain yourself to the gospel. 
You Saul, knew the words of the ancient law.
Now Saul, you will pen the words of the gospel to share with all generations.
You Saul, a Hebrew among Hebrews.
Now Saul, you will be rejected among your own people. 
You Saul, with a zealous heart for the Law.
Now Saul, My heart is zealous for you.
You Saul, now Paul, I Myself will give you a new name. 

Jesus gets in the way and then becomes The Way.

Saul knew God. He knew the law. A Hebrew among Hebrews. Exemplary. Saul did not know Jesus Christ and therefore all of his zeal and effort were in vain. He was driven in blindness and hardness of heart, wrapped in the law and an inability to see past the letters drawn on the ancient scrolls. Saul could not become Paul until he had an encounter with Jesus Christ.

One encounter with Jesus Christ changed everything.

We can believe in God. We can know the scriptures, the rules. We can adhere to our weekly religious itinerary. We can even advocate for this establishment in the culture and to others. If we do not know Jesus Christ, then we know nothing. It is not until we know Jesus Christ that our eyes are opened to the reality that we know nothing, that we deserve nothing.

This is my story. Not the part about zealous persecution of others, but certainly the misguided perception of who God is and what He is after from me. Certainly the part about being prideful, self-sufficient and well, lost. Perhaps this is also you? Perhaps you can give a ten minute run-down on the differences between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Perhaps you know the songs in the hymnal, even the second and third verses. Perhaps you have yet to encounter Jesus Christ in a manner that is more than you could ask or ever imagine? Perhaps you have yet to permit Him to lift your head after it has bowed low, acknowledging Him as LORD.

If Jesus Christ is not more than you could ever have imagined, if He has not knocked your socks off with the presence of His glory, oh, would you ask Him to? Ask Him to show up. Ask Him to make Himself known to you in a way that takes away your breath and leaves you desiring more. Ask Him to let your ears discern His voice, your hands to receive His gifts, your feet to know His way. Let Jesus be Jesus, our Messiah, Savior, Redeemer, Friend, the only one able to present us as righteous before a faultless God.

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6)

If you are bold and brave to ask these questions of Jesus, don’t be surprised when it all flips right side up, when everything changes, when your way is interrupted by the One who is The Way.

Though most spiritual seekers start their search afraid of disappointment, Jesus says that He will always be infinitely more than anyone is looking for. He will always exceed our expectations; He will be more than we can ask for or imagine.

Timothy Keller, “Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life’s Biggest Questions”