“While doing this very thing, as I was going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the chief priests, about noon along the road, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around me and those traveling with me. When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ʻSaul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by kicking against the goads.ʼ So I said, ʻWho are you, Lord?ʼ And the Lord replied, ʻI am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.ʼ

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds consistent with repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were trying to kill me. I have experienced help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said was going to happen: that the Christ was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” As Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” But Paul replied, “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking true and rational words.” Acts 26:12-25

Oh, if we had the courage to proclaim and witness like Paul…the story that he recounts of his conversion differs from the earlier account (Acts 9:7). But, Paul’s purpose is not to give a detailed accounting but to let all know that it is Jesus who sends him to the Gentiles. Although he is deemed to be innocent by Agrippa and Festus, Paul remains in prison and now will be sent on to Rome.

Today, pundits would make a lot of hay about the differences in Paul’s original conversion story, and the one he recounts in this text. They would say Paul is adding and changing his story — and that fact alone would be reason to dismiss his account. But we hear nothing that is contradictory— in fact each account simply adds to the richness of the entire conversion event. What does remain throughout the story is Paul’s steadfastness in his zeal for his faith as he continues to proclaim to all who will hear the story of Jesus as light for all people.

Pastor Dave