Our final ‘Resurrection Encounter’ looks at the Apostle Paul, who encountered the risen Jesus whilst engaged in persecution of the early Church. Paul’s account is unique in this series because it takes place long after the ascension of Christ into heaven.
Accounts of the dramatic conversion of Paul (formerly known as Saul) appear in Acts 9, 22 and 26. Paul also refers to the encounter in Galatians 1. We’re looking at the account as given in Acts 22. It’s a full account, delivered by Paul himself, when confronted by an angry crowd whilst under arrest in Jerusalem.
Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’
Horsham: 30th July 2026
Introduction
This story summarises one of the most extraordinary and important moments of Christian history. It tells of the utter transformation of Saul, from a dangerous and deadly threat to every member of the embryo Church, into Paul, the greatest advocate and missionary for Christ.
The Story
There was a young man called Saul. He was a Jew. He was a Pharisee. He was trained at the feet of one of the most famous Jewish teachers of Christ’s generation – Gamaliel. Born in the coastal city of Tarsus, Saul was also a Roman citizen.
Such was the integrity and passion of this young Pharisee, that Saul devoted himself to the utter destruction of the early Church. Saul, we read, was there, encouraging the hostile Jewish crowd, when Stephen, a young follower of Jesus, was martyred (Acts 7:54-60).
We next find Saul on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, armed with letters of authority from the High Priest, breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. (Acts 9:1) His intention is to track down followers of Jesus, arrest them, and transport them back to Jerusalem for punishment. He was not travelling alone.
What follows is one of the most extraordinary encounter with the risen Jesus. The temple guards, travelling with Saul, see the light but do not understand the sounds which he hears as a voice. Saul is rendered blind and helpless. He suffers the utter humiliation that he, a Pharisee, is led by the hand into the city by the unclean guards.
After arriving in the city, we see Ananaias, one of the greatest unsung heroes of Scripture, going to meet him, lay hands on him, and encourage him to take the first steps in his walk with Jesus.
As part of his transformation, the Pharisee Saul, takes the Roman name Paul.
End Piece
“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’
Paul’s account is important for several reasons. Firstly, it involves a dramatic and powerful first hand account of an appearance of the risen Jesus.
Secondly, the post-ascension timing of this encounter creates a bridge from the resurrection period to later generations, including, potentially, our own. Throughout the generations, individuals have experienced life changing experiences with the risen Christ. Whilst few of us experience the drama of Paul’s conversion, every encounter with Jesus has been and will always be powerful. It will be life changing. Paul, faced by a hostile crowd, doesn’t hesitate to share his own experiences and neither should we.
Thirdly, this encounter demonstrates the total change in the life of a thinking, educated and experienced man of faith through an encounter with Jesus. Few hearts have ever been more hardened against the Gospel that Saul’s. Yet in an instant, His heart and his mind are utterly transformed.
‘ Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’
I am so grateful that we have absolutely no idea whatHe looked like. Of course that minor point hasn’t stopped generations of artists producing pictures and sculptures of him, but the one thing we can say with confidence is that they’re all flawed. He did not look like any of them. Forget the idealised Victorian images with which many of us grew up. And He certainly did not look like the enigmatic face which stares out from the Turin shroud. Preachers sometimes invite us to wonder about our reaction if Jesus knocked on the door of our home or walked in to our Church. I imagine that part of our reaction might be that he didn’t look anything like we expected.
Now, on the beach near Capernaum, after his resurrection, Jesus catches up with Peter. Peter has returned to his old ways. He is with his friends. He is fishing.