When God changes your name...

It has been said that the Apostle Paul would have been one of the greatest men you would have learned and read about in your history books at school had he not become a Christian. This same Paul, formerly known as Saul, who was raised and trained to become a Pharisee, studied under the likes of wise Pharisees such as Gamaliel. He became one of the more well-known Pharisees as he began a quest to eradicate Christianity from the face of the earth. He traveled from city to city, threatening, persecuting and even killing Christians. Saul became one of the most feared men in the realm of Christianity because an encounter with him would surely mean pain and/or death. All this changed one day when Saul encountered a man named Stephen. Stephen is known as one of the first Christian martyrs. His "defense" found in Acts Chapter 7 is one of the great "Apologetic" discourses we find in the Bible. Stephen was known as a "just man and full of grace and power," and was performing "great wonders and signs among the people." (Acts 6:8 NASB) Many of the Cyrenians and Alexandrians and Cilicians and Asians began to argue with Stephen. But this is where the Bible states that they were "unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking." (Acts 6:10) In his defense as he was being falsely accused by those who disagreed with him, he gave a brilliant overview of the history of the people of Israel, beginning with "Father" Abraham, moving onto the story of Isaac and Jacob and then Joseph.....spoke with passion as he remembered Moses, the deliverer....the passing of the torch to Joshua.....the stories of King David and King Solomon....what great history and what great intellect Stephen had! He crossed the bridge from the Law of Moses to the Love of Christ that had been so freely given! He reminded them how their own people had persecuted and even killed the Prophets throughout the years, and now had crucified the very Son of God, Jesus Christ! As he spoke these words, those listening were cut to the heart and filled with anger! In acts 7:55 we see that even though he was surrounded by an angry mob, Stephen was "full of the Holy Spirit, gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, saying "I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." Even this statement incited the crowd as they "covered their ears and rushed at him..." They drove him out of the city and then began stoning him....all the while Stephen calling on the Lord and saying "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" and "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" and as he spoke these last words the Bible says he "fell asleep." Some would say, "What a waste." A man such as Stephen, with a brilliant mind and a heart that wanted nothing but to share what God can do/has done for humankind. Now he is dead! Ah, but we forget...those who stoned Stephen "laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul." You see, Saul was there....he heard Stephen's words. He knew the same history that Stephen had so eloquently delivered to the crowd that day. This was the beginning of the dark coming just before the dawn. Acts 8 tells us that Saul was in "hearty agreement with putting Stephen to death." Soon after this, Saul began "ravaging the church." The persecution of the church was great, but the same Spirit that emboldened Stephen gave power to the church to continue on despite persecution. As we read on into Chapter 9 of Acts...we see this same Saul traveling the road to Damascus. As he traveled, he was knocked to the ground by the glory of God in a "great light flashing around him." His encounter with the Lord that day, changed him. He met the Savior that Stephen had so lovingly shared with the masses. Saul became the Apostle Paul that day.....as God changed his heart and changed his name. This was the beginning of a whole new life for Paul. The same holds true for us today! When we have that life-changing encounter with the living God....it is a new beginning! Thank the Lord for Stephen's testimony....and the effect it must have had on a young Saul. May we love, live and share as Stephen did...being faithful to the message, no matter the cost, so that we, too, can see the "Sauls" of our day changed forever by the glory of God!