Acts 9:1-5 AMPC
Meanwhile Saul, still drawing his breath hard from threatening and murderous desire against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest [2] And requested of him letters to the synagogues at Damascus [authorising him], so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them bound with chains to Jerusalem. [3] Now as he traveled on, he came near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him, [4] And he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me [harassing, troubling, and molesting Me]? [5] And Saul said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain and perilous resistance].
There is a one way system around our town.
It doesn't happen too often, but sometimes, someone unfamiliar with it, attempts to drive down the wrong way.
Obviously, it's dangerous, but, there are plenty of locals who will beep their horn and gesticulate that they're going in the wrong direction and put them right.
Saul (Paul) was intent on destroying the followers of The Way (the first name of believers in Jesus).
He was travelling in the wrong direction.
He was dramatically stopped in his tracks by the Instigator of The WAY Himself: Jesus!
I love it when Jesus said: "Why are you persecuting Me?"
Jesus takes actions against His followers personally. Paul was killing believers, but Jesus says it's ME you are hurting.
Moreover, He says (now left out of most translations):
It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain and perilous resistance].
Read on to see how Paul's eyes were opened after he was miraculously blinded and then healed.
Jesus abruptly brought him to his knees, taking away his physical eyesight so he could see spiritually.
He warned him against his actions, saying there would be hard consequences if he continued on his murderous mission.
How this same message is needed today!
We are driving our hybrid inter-faith "cars" in the wrong direction on the motorway of life.
We are heading for a massive "pile up" of destruction.
Jesus said I AM THE WAY, not a way!
No one, not any one, can come to the Father but by Me...
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
In order to accommodate this new multi faith ethos, gathering momentum in the world, parts of the Bible have to be omitted.
It will be akin to removing the one way signs from our roads.
The result will be a car crash of lost humanity on a gargantuan scale.
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