Saul of Tarsus was furious with Jesus’ followers. He couldn’t understand how they could call a man who had been crucified the Messiah. Indeed, he was outraged!. To him, Jesus’ death on a Roman cross proved he was not sent by God. Saul believed these people were wrong and dangerous, and their message needed to be destroyed—or God would be angry. That belief fueled Saul’s own anger.

But while Saul was carrying out his mission with great passion, something unexpected happened: the risen Jesus appeared to him. In that moment, God revealed to Saul—who would become Paul—who Jesus really was. He came to understand that Jesus, though crucified, had been sent by God as the true Messiah and had now been exalted as Lord.

From that point on, Paul saw Jesus in a new way—not as someone cursed and rejected, but as God’s chosen one who suffered and was raised in glory. Paul no longer viewed Jesus as just a man or a failed leader. Instead, he saw Jesus as both the suffering servant and the risen Lord. He was God’s Son, empowered by the Spirit and honoured by the Father. And as Paul continued following Jesus, the Holy Spirit helped him see Jesus this way more clearly each day.

Let’s keep asking the Holy Spirit to help us see Jesus the way Paul did. And may the Spirit transform us to become more like Jesus as we follow his cross-shaped path and share in his new, risen life.