The book of Acts Chapter 26. The text of this morning's message begins in the 12th

verse of Acts Chapter 26 and continues to the 20th verse.

Paul speaking to King Agrippa says,

thus I journey to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

At midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven,

brighter than the sun, shining round me

and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying

to me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It hurts you to kick against the goads. And I said,

Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appointed to you for this purpose to appoint

you to serve and bear witness to the things in which you have seen me and

to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light

and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are

sanctified by faith in me.

Wherefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first

to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea and also to the Gentiles,

that they should repent and turn to God

and perform deeds worthy of their repentance.

I'm going to invite you to look at one other text before we get to the one that David just read. If you want to look at this one with me in Luke 21,

the reason I'm directing your attention to Luke 21

is because the first question I have is,

how did Paul get where he is?

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