Pride can kill.

Acts 22

“I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.”Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

Acts 22

“Who are you, Lord?”“What shall I do, Lord?”6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

Acts 22

Humiliation Is the Best Antidote to Pride“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

Acts 9

Unaware, Causing Pain & DeathPainfully Aware, Hope Is Born17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Galatians 1

From Persecutor to PreacherFrom Enemy to Apostle22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I (Paul) am the worst.” 1 Timothy 1:15

A Really Rude AwakeningDidn’t know GodHurting, not helpingDevastated & humiliated

Concentration Camp, Poston, AZ

Good News? Jesus? Faith? Hope? Love?

“Only as the People of God receive the stranger, the sinner, and the immigrant, those who don’t play our game our way, do we discover not only the hidden, feared, and hated parts of our

own souls, but the fullness of Jesus himself. We need them for our own conversion…

“The Church is always converted when the outcasts are re-invited back into the temple. You see this in Jesus’ commonly sending marginalized

people that he has healed back into the village, back to their family, or back to the temple to ‘show themselves to the priests.’ It is not just for their re-inclusion and acceptance, but actually for the group itself to be renewed.”

Richard Rohr

Acts 9:17-19

“Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus, whom do you love that my pride compels me to oppress or ignore?