There was a man named Saul who was trained and educated under the law of the Jews. He was so zealous for the law and in fulfilling it to the best of his ability, that when a group came around saying that the Messiah had come and fulfilled the law, he was ready to attack them. The group that proclaimed the fulfillment of the law in Jesus of Nazareth was known as "The Way." This comes from the statement Jesus made saying "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me."
Saul was furious that anyone would claim that the law had been fulfilled by Jesus. And that He was the Way to the Father. So Saul went on the attack. One day while on the way to arrest some followers of the Way, he was blinded by a great light. He also heard a voice saying Saul, why are you persecuting me?
Our verse today was Saul's response.
Acts 22:8 NASB95 “And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’
Saul was blinded by a great light and heard a great voice, and his first thought was, is this the Lord. His question is in response to the amazing power that had blinded him and spoke to him. He wondered can anyone have this power other than the Lord. Yet he, in his mind, was not persecuting the Lord, but those who say Jesus is the Way. He didn't feel as if he was doing anything but standing strong for the Lord. Yet this amazing power proclaimed I am the Lord and asked why are you persecuting Me.
The answer to Saul's question was, "I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting."
Saul, I am the Lord. Saul, I am the Way. Saul, I am the Truth. Saul, I am the Life. Saul, you are attempting to persecute my people.
This brought about a complete change in Saul.
Acts 22:10 NASB95 “And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’
He recognized Jesus as Lord! Responding to Jesus he said, "What shall I do, Lord?" Saul would now go by his Greek name, Paul, and live the rest of his life obeying Jesus and proclaiming, "Jesus is the Way!"
A complete change from persecuting, denying, and attacking the Way to recognizing, following, and proclaiming Jesus the Lord is the Way.
After an encounter with the Lord Jesus, Saul/Paul repented in brokenness from being chief of sinners to our text where Paul is preparing for a chance to "Share the Way" with leaders and even the Caesar of Rome.
This was God's plan in the beginning as we see The Lord speaking to Ananias about Paul in Acts 9:15-16 NASB95 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
What a change happened once Saul had an encounter with Jesus.
Have you experienced such a change? If I had not encountered and followed Jesus, I can't even imagine how bad it would be. However, I have no need to imagine it because my eternity, like Paul's, is sealed in Jesus. I have found the Way, and today I am sharing Him with you. Jesus is Lord and the Way to the Father.
John 14:6 NASB95 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Acts 22:8 NASB95 “And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’
Have you encountered and followed the Way of Jesus, or are you persecuting Him?
It is one or the other. Follow the WAY or persecute the WAY.
Sharing the Way!
Love Bro. Scott