When Saul The Persecutor Became Paul The Preacher .

Paul before his conversion he was known as Saul, after he was converted he became Paul.

Illus: Conversion is generally a religious word. However, through life we have many conversions, such as:

• Some are converted in politics from one partical to another

• Some are converted in the sports world from one team to another

• Some are converted in the music world from one style of music to another

• Some are converted in the food world from liking one food to another

• Some are converted in the car industry from one brand of car to another

• Some are converted from one form of religion to another

But one thing you can say about Baptists is that they will tell you up front, “I was born Baptist and I will die Baptist!” And they mean it!

They do not plan to convert.

Illus: They are set in their ways, and like the old cigarette commercial, they had rather fight than switch!

When it comes to being set in their ways, someone said this about Baptists:

• They think God’s presence is strongest in the back 3 pews

• They think fellowship and food go together

• They think Amazing Grace should be the National Anthem

• They dream of fried chicken and have the urge to get up and preach

• They judge the quality of the sermon by the amount of sweat on the preacher’s face

• They know all the words to, "Just As I Am”

It is good to be set in our ways about some things, but there are some things in this life that we do have to change, “FROM THIS TO THAT!”

Spiritually, when we are converted we are no longer the same old sinful creature we have always been, we become a NEW CREATURE.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Please look at the word “Therefore”.

Illus:Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Tells us the “Therefore”—is connected with the words in 2Co 5:16, "We know Christ no more after the flesh." As Christ has entered on His new heavenly life by His resurrection and ascension, so all who are "in Christ" are new creatures.

Saul who became Paul truly made the change “FROM THIS TO THAT!”

At one time he literally hated Christianity, yet we see him switch from JUDAISM to CHRISTIANITY!

How did this happen?

Before we see how he switched from a CHRISTIAN KILLER to a CHRISTIAN LOVER, let’s look at…

I. HIS LIFE BEFORE

We who are raised up in a good Bible-preaching church have heard about this wonderful Savior we have heard from childhood.

But this is not the case with the apostle Paul. The Lord personally confronted the apostle Paul.

In Acts 9:5 Paul asked, “Who are you, Lord?”

Do not be confuse by Paul using the word “Lord” here.

He had no knowledge who it was that addressed him, and he only use the term Lord , as any Roman or Greek would, merely as a term of civil respect.

The Lord told him Who He was? “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting!”

Paul knew exactly what Jesus was talking about. Notice, the Lord told Him who He was but He also told him who he was, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting!”

• Saul may never have actually killed anyone; however, we do know that he was standing by approving or consenting to Stephen’s death in Acts 7:57-58.

• Since he was most likely included in the Sanhedrin, he would have voted, “yes or no,” to sentence any Christians to death or prison.

• In Paul’s testimony before Agrippa, he said in, Acts 26:9-10 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

The Lord confronted him personally and told him who he was… he was the one persecuting his church.

• CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS SHOCKING CONFRONTATION PAUL HAD WITH JESUS.

• Also, can you imagine when the UNBELIEVER will be confronted by the Lord Jesus with all the evil they have committed personally.

• Saul understood that he indeed was guilty of the death of Jesus and that he had cast his votes against many believers who were consequently put to death.

• And on the judgment day every sinner when they are confronted with the Lord Jesus they are going to stand before him realize they are the reason He died on that cross. IT WAS THERE SINS THAT PUT HIM THERE!