What's Your Title?

If they made a movie about your life today, what would the title be?

I think about the apostle Paul and wonder what the marquee would say. Here are a few suggestions: “To Live Is Christ,” “God’s Ambassador to the World,” “Rejoicing in the Lord Always.” Or maybe, “007: Special Agent on Special Assignment.” Here’s one: “Crucified With Christ: Dead Man on a Mission.” “The Chief of Sinners Saved.” “Showcase of Grace.” “God’s Chosen Instrument.” “Radically Saved!”

No matter how you look at it, Paul’s life after his conversion to Christ was focused on taking the Good News to the ends of the earth. Some might call him a radical, or a Jesus freak, or even a fool. The Roman Governor Festus called him insane.

Whatever you say about Paul, one thing is clear: When Jesus changed his life, He really changed him!

You may remember that Paul’s given name was Saul. He grew up in the Jewish tradition, a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” he says. He was very zealous for the law, a member of the religious party called the Pharisees, a true up and coming young leader. And he hated the church of Christ.

In Acts 7 the Bible tells about the murder of a man named Stephen. Stephen was “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit…full of grace and power” (Acts 6:5, 8). But when he preached the message of God’s redemption through Jesus, the religious imposters of the day rose up against him and stoned him, and the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a man named Saul (Acts 7:58).

Saul despised the message and the work of the early Christians. In fact, the Bible also says that “Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison” (Acts 8:3). Paul describes his former life in his own words saying, “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man” (1 Timothy 1:13). He says a few verses later that he was the “worst of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:16).

But Saul got saved! While he was traveling on the road to Damascus, breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord and carrying orders from the high priest to imprison any who belonged to the Way, his life took a sudden U-turn. All at once a blinding light from heaven stopped Saul dead in his tracks, and as he fell to the ground a voiced boomed, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4).

When Saul managed to inquire who this was, the Lord responded, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5). The Bible says the men traveling with Saul were speechless. It doesn’t say whether or not they soiled their robes, but one would be inclined to think so. They heard the voice but didn’t see a soul. In fact, Saul was blinded, so they led him into the city and for three days he didn’t eat or drink.

Well, to make a long story short, the Lord sent a faithful, somewhat hesitant man named Ananias to come and lay hands on Saul that he might receive his sight, but more importantly, that he might receive the Holy Spirit and be baptized. From there it didn’t take long before Saul was proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God, amazing the people by the radical transformation that the Lord had worked in his life.

Saul, soon after called Paul, never looked back. And he became the greatest missionary, evangelist, preacher of the gospel since Jesus Himself. His life reflected the change that only the mercy and grace of God could bring. Paul says it this way, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

Friend, maybe you think because of your life, things you’ve said, things you’ve done, that God could never forgive you. Perhaps you think that you’ve messed up so badly that He couldn’t possibly love you or make anything good out of your life.

Let me urge you to take a closer look at Saul. If God can change a violent, angry murderer like that, don’t you think He can change you, too? Of course He can! Are you willing to let Him? Why not confess your sins in repentance and receive His mercy and grace in Christ Jesus right now? It’s not too late to change the title of your movie.