An Encounter that changed everything

Acts 9:5-8 - And he said, “Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 

Saul’s journey to Damascus was intended as a mission of persecution, yet it became the very road where divine grace broke into his life. Suddenly enveloped by a heavenly light, Saul was struck down, not merely to the ground, but to the very end of his self-reliance and pride. In that moment, the risen Christ confronted him with a piercing question: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Here, Jesus identified Himself so intimately with His people that to wound the Church was to wound Christ Himself.

 

Blinded and undone, Saul could only utter the cry of a soul awakened: “Who are you, Lord?” To this, Jesus gave the revelation that changed history: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” In that instant, Saul’s world was turned upside down. The persecutor of Christ became the humbled seeker of Christ. His second question—“What do you want me to do?”—signalled the surrender of a life once ruled by zeal and violence, now yielded to obedience and mission.

 

These two questions mark the essence of every true encounter with God: the revelation of who Jesus is, and the surrender of one’s life to His will. Saul’s conversion reminds us that no heart is beyond the reach of grace, and that Christ calls us not only to recognize Him, but to follow Him wherever He leads.

 

These two questions mark the essence of every true encounter with God

 

When Saul fell on the Damascus road, his two questions—“Who are you, Lord?” and “What do you want me to do?”—distilled the heart of Christian discipleship.

 

1. “Who are you, Lord?” – The Revelation of Christ

 

This is the cry of a soul suddenly confronted with the majesty and holiness of God. Like Isaiah who, beholding the Lord high and lifted up, exclaimed, “Woe is me, for I am undone” (Isaiah 6:5), Saul was struck blind to the world so he might see the truth of Christ.

 

The question acknowledges the Lordship of Jesus—not as a distant figure, but as the risen Son of God who identifies with His people: “Why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). Here we see a profound theology of the Church as the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27): to touch the Church is to touch Christ Himself.

 

Theologically, this question echoes the long tradition of divine encounter: Abraham hearing the call (Gen. 12:1), Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3:14), Job silenced before God’s greatness (Job 42:5–6). Each encounter begins with revelation—God unveiling Himself as holy, sovereign, and near.

 

2. “What do you want me to do?” – The Surrender to Mission

 

Having recognized Christ’s Lordship, Saul’s next instinct was obedience. True revelation leads to commission. As Karl Barth wrote, “Revelation always demands decision.”

 

This is not passive acknowledgment, but active surrender: the persecutor of Christ becomes the apostle to the nations (Acts 9:15). The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18–20) is not optional—it is the natural outflow of encountering the risen Christ.

 

Theologically, this question captures the essence of vocation: our lives are not our own but are directed by the will of God (Rom. 12:1–2). Augustine would later say, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You”—and rest is found not in idleness, but in being sent.

 

The Pattern of every true encounter

 

These two questions form a pattern of conversion: first adoration and awe before Christ’s Lordship, then obedience and mission under His command.

 

Every saint of old follows this rhythm: Isaiah says “Here am I, send me” after his vision of God’s glory; Peter leaves his nets after the miraculous catch, declaring himself unworthy (Luke 5:8–11); and Saul, blinded yet enlightened, becomes Paul, apostle to the Gentiles.

 

Thus, a true encounter with Christ is never merely an experience—it is a commission. The revelation of who Jesus is compels the surrender of what we are, so that our lives may be caught up in the mission of God.

 

Reflective Questions

• When was the last time I truly asked, “Who are you, Lord?” — not out of curiosity, but out of reverence and surrender to Christ’s Lordship?
• Do I approach God with awe, as Isaiah did, acknowledging His holiness and my need for His grace?
• In what ways might I be resisting the second question, “What do you want me to do?” — by clinging to my own plans, comfort, or ambitions?
• How is God calling me right now to participate in His mission — in my family, workplace, community, or beyond?
• If encountering Christ always leads to transformation, what specific step of obedience is He asking of me today?

 Prayer

 

Lord Jesus,

 

Like Saul on the Damascus road, I am confronted by Your holiness and Your glory. Open my eyes to see who You truly are — the risen Lord, the One who gave His life for me, the Head of the Church. Forgive me for the times I have resisted Your presence or lived as if You were distant.

 

Teach me to ask with a sincere heart, “Who are You, Lord?” — that I may know You more deeply. And give me the courage to pray, “What do You want me to do?” — that I may walk in obedience to Your call.

 

Send me where You will, use me as You desire, and make my life an instrument of Your mission in this world. May every encounter with You lead me to greater surrender, greater faith, and greater love.

 

In Your holy Name I pray,

 

Amen.