The conversion of Paul

Today's readings: Acts 9:1-22, Psalm 67, Galatians 1:11-24 (sermon text), and Matthew 19:27-30.

Listen to your older siblings in Christ. They can pass their knowledge on to you, and you to your younger siblings. Occasionally, siblings give bad advice (in which case: ask your parents!). But not with Paul - he's divinely inspired. He was responsible for the Galatians' safety. So he wrote the letter to them. They were falling from the one pure and true Gospel, so Paul exhorted them to return.

He'd experienced the wrong way (before Damascus) for years. He was zealous in this wrong road. Now he was instead zealous for the Gospel and protective of all his younger siblings. First he had heeded Jesus, his and our oldest Brother. Not only was Paul a convert, but he was also a preacher of the Gospel by grace.

We may not have persecuted the Church, yet we're still sinners. But we're also saved, found, and rescued by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Therefore, as His brothers and sisters, let us rejoice and exult and tell others! Listen to your older brothers and sisters in Christ, for they are there to give you the very Word of Life.

I go back to the unnamed institution of higher learning today. God bless all in college.