The Power of the Gospel

Before the Damascus Road encounter with Christ, Paul was known as Saul of Tarsus.  His purpose in life at that time kept him busy trying to eradicate the Jesus movement from the face of the earth.  His purpose on the Road to Damascus is best set forth by those words from the book of Acts which read, "Meanwhile Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord..."  (Acts 9:1)  As quick as lightning from the heavens, everything changed.  A powerful man became powerless and a man bent on destruction became a builder of what he sought to destroy.      

In the first chapter of Romans "the gospel"  becomes his new focus.  Verse 1 speaks of him being "set apart for the gospel of God" and verse 3 goes on to speak of "the gospel concerning His Son."  And then, finally there is that powerful word which is often memorized which says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, the Jew and also to the Greek."  (Romans 1:16)  Paul the Apostle would become so captured by the gospel of God and Christ that he would walk from place to place until his journey from Jerusalem finally carried him to Rome.     

Whenever we embrace and accept this gospel of Christ, our life unfolds before us in a way we would never have imagined.  Our purpose changes.  We begin to move into a life which centers around understanding the will of God and going after it as our purpose instead of seeking after something which speaks more of the will of our own ego.  Our physical journey may not be as large as it was for the Apostle, but it is certain that a life centered on allowing the gospel to take root and expression in us will bring us into a larger purpose than one as small as our ego might create.