Who Are You, Lord?

<p>Meeting people who leave important footprints in our lives affect us and others as well. I have met a lot of well-known people in this world, but they were not the ones who impacted me the most. Some impacted me with a sentence, or a particular teaching, or their lifestyle.  Over the course of my life, there have been many mentors who have profoundly influenced me. Some don’t know me or how their connection to me affected my life. Still, I am exceedingly grateful. As is the fellow in the text today:</p><p>Read Text</p><p>Committed to God and defending his honor, following his understanding of the scriptures Saul is going to stamp out this new movement of Messiah followers.  He is going to keep the traditions handed down through his forefathers.  He is waiting for a real deliverer who will establish the Kingdom of David again and return all to the glory days of old. His zeal has blinded him. This Jesus they are talking about is dead and cannot fulfill the goals expected by the real Messiah.  These rebels are deceived.  Jesus was cursed by dying on a tree.  Saul’s zeal for God drives him to rid the world of this menace.  Notice that the church is already expanding beyond what was already noted!</p><p>Saul was not prepared for the Damascus Road encounter:  </p><ol><li>He knew he was not up to the task of combating this powerful one, and calls him Lord, acknowledging his superiority</li><li>He questions him, as to who he is, wondering what he wants, and why this has happened to him.</li><li>He is shocked to discover that it is the very one against whom he has been railing. The proof of the resurrection had just encountered him in a real and powerful way.</li><li>He then tells him the next step to take without revealing why, what, where or when. The only thing he has answered is the question: Who?</li></ol><p>Life Changing Encounters</p><p>            Sins, transgressions, iniquity: gross injustice or wickedness </p><p>3 Dark Days – and a radical transformation </p><p>            What goes on in his head during thi