“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.” — 1 Corinthians 15:10 (KJV)
Introduction: The Power of Mercy to Transform a Life
Every great calling begins with mercy. Mercy is the bridge between who we were and who we are destined to become. It is the divine hand that reaches into our darkness and lifts us into light. One of the greatest examples of this truth is found in the life of Saul of Tarsus—later known as Paul—whose transformation stands as a timeless testimony of the power of mercy to rewrite a man’s destiny.
Paul was not seeking the Savior when mercy found him. He was not praying for change; he was pursuing destruction. Yet, in the middle of his rebellion, mercy called his name. His story is a reminder that no one is beyond redemption and that divine mercy is not given to the worthy but to the willing.
1. Paul’s Past: Zealous but Blind
Before his encounter on the Damascus road, Saul was a man driven by zeal without understanding.
He described himself this way:
“I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” — Acts 26:9
He was educated, influential, and deeply religious. Saul was a Pharisee trained under Gamaliel, strict in observing the law, and zealous in defending the traditions of his fathers. Yet, his zeal was not guided by truth. In his attempt to serve God, he became an enemy of the very One sent to save him.
He approved the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58), persecuted believers from city to city, and sought to destroy the growing movement of those who called upon the Name above all names. His heart burned with passion—but not with love. It was filled with judgment, self-righteousness, and blindness to mercy.
“For I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” — 1 Timothy 1:13
Paul’s confession reveals a truth about the human heart: zeal without revelation leads to destruction. Many people, like Saul, think they are doing God a service, yet they fight against His purpose unknowingly. It takes divine mercy to open blind eyes.
2. The Encounter: When Mercy Spoke
Everything changed on the road to Damascus.
Saul had letters of authority in his hand, but Heaven had a higher authority waiting for him. As he journeyed to arrest followers of the Way, a light from heaven suddenly surrounded him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying:
“Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” — Acts 9:4
This was not a voice of condemnation but of confrontation. Mercy spoke his name twice—not in anger, but in compassion. The double calling—“Saul, Saul”—signified divine urgency and personal affection. God was not finished with him. Mercy was not coming to destroy him but to redirect him.
“And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” — Acts 9:5
In that moment, Saul realized that the One he was fighting against was the very One he thought he was serving. The brilliance of that light exposed not just his sin, but his ignorance. It shattered his pride and revealed his need for mercy. He arose blind—but for the first time, he truly began to see.
3. The Silence and the Waiting
After the encounter, Saul was led into Damascus, blind and helpless. For three days, he neither ate nor drank. Those days of silence were days of brokenness, reflection, and awakening. Sometimes, mercy brings us to stillness so we can hear what pride once silenced.
While Saul waited, God was already preparing Ananias—a humble servant—to come and lay hands on him. Ananias was hesitant, for he knew Saul’s reputation. Yet, God said:
“Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.” — Acts 9:15
In that single sentence, God revealed what mercy does: it chooses the unworthy and transforms the unfit. The persecutor became a vessel of purpose. The destroyer became a builder. The hunter became the herald of truth. Mercy rewrote Saul’s identity.
When Ananias obeyed and entered the house, he greeted him not as an enemy, but as a brother:
“Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way… hath sent me.” — Acts 9:17
Scales fell from Saul’s eyes, symbolizing the removal of spiritual blindness. He arose, was baptized, and began a new journey—no longer led by ambition, but by purpose.
4. The Transformation: From Persecutor to Preacher
Saul’s transformation was immediate and undeniable.
The same mouth that once breathed threats now proclaimed truth.
The same hands that once dragged believers to prison now healed the sick and lifted the weak.
“And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.” — Acts 9:20
This transformation confounded his former companions and amazed those who once feared him. People whispered, “Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem?” (Acts 9:21). Yes, it was the same man—but mercy had changed his direction.
Paul’s testimony became a living sermon. Every city he entered, every letter he wrote, every trial he faced was a continuation of that Damascus encounter. Mercy was his message. Grace became his anthem. Love became his mission.
He never forgot where mercy found him.
He never denied what mercy did for him.
He never stopped telling the story of that divine interruption.
5. The Message of Mercy: God’s Power to Call the Unlikely
Paul’s life demonstrates that no one is beyond the reach of mercy. The same God who called him still calls people today—not because of merit, but because of mercy.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” — Titus 3:5
Mercy finds us when we least deserve it. It interrupts our pride, confronts our rebellion, and offers a new beginning. Mercy is not earned; it is received. Paul understood this better than anyone:
“And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” — 1 Timothy 1:14
He carried this message everywhere he went. Whether before kings or prisoners, he proclaimed the same truth: that God delights in showing mercy. His letters overflow with gratitude, humility, and awe at the goodness of the One who turned his shame into strength.
6. The Ministry: A Life Poured Out for Mercy’s Sake
Paul’s calling was not a title—it was a mission. He saw himself as a servant, a vessel, and a witness of mercy. He traveled across nations, endured shipwrecks, imprisonment, beatings, and rejection. Yet through it all, he declared:
“None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” — Acts 20:24
The one who once destroyed others for their faith was now willing to die for it. His passion was purified. His zeal was redirected. His heart was consumed by one burning desire—to make mercy known.
He wrote, he preached, he prayed, and he suffered for the sake of the One who showed him compassion. Every scar became a testimony. Every tear became a seed. Every sermon was born from the same revelation: “I obtained mercy.”
7. The Legacy: Grace That Still Speaks
Centuries later, Paul’s testimony still speaks. His words continue to comfort the broken, challenge the proud, and strengthen the weary. He stands as a symbol of hope for all who feel disqualified by their past.
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” — 1 Timothy 1:15
In this confession, Paul did not glorify his past but magnified the mercy that changed him. He became a living example that grace is greater than guilt, and mercy stronger than sin.
His letters remind us that calling does not begin with perfection but with surrender. God does not choose the flawless; He perfects the chosen through mercy. That is why Paul could boldly say:
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life… nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God.” — Romans 8:38–39
8. Lessons from Paul’s Testimony
1. Mercy sees potential where man sees failure.
Saul was known as a persecutor, but God saw an apostle.
2. Divine encounters are not accidents—they are assignments.
The Damascus encounter was not random; it was a divine appointment designed to birth a messenger of mercy.
3. Brokenness is the doorway to revelation.
Saul’s blindness was not punishment—it was preparation. In losing his sight, he gained vision.
4. Grace does not erase the past; it redeems it.
Paul’s past became part of his message. What once disqualified him became proof of God’s power.
5. The call of mercy demands a response of obedience.
Paul did not delay after his encounter. He rose, obeyed, and never looked back.
9. Living by Mercy Today
Paul’s testimony is not merely history—it is an invitation. The same mercy that called him still calls us today. Mercy still speaks to the angry, the proud, the confused, and the lost. It whispers, “There is still hope. There is still purpose.”
No matter how far you have wandered, mercy is closer than your next breath. It does not condemn—it transforms. It does not remind you of what you were—it reveals who you can become.
When you answer the call of mercy, everything changes. Your direction shifts. Your heart softens. Your purpose awakens. You begin to see that every failure was preparing you for a greater revelation of grace.
Conclusion: Called by Mercy to Show Mercy
Paul’s story reminds us that the measure of mercy we receive should become the measure of mercy we show. He wrote:
“Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not.” — 2 Corinthians 4:1
To be called by mercy is to live with compassion, humility, and gratitude. It means to forgive as we have been forgiven, to love as we have been loved, and to serve as we have been served.
Paul ended his journey not as a proud scholar but as a humble servant. From the prison cell to the palace, he bore the same testimony: “By the grace of God, I am what I am.”
His life shouts through the ages—mercy can still call the unworthy, mercy can still heal the broken, mercy can still turn persecutors into preachers and doubters into believers.
Mercy is not just an event on the road to Damascus; it is a journey that begins when we say, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6)
Final Reflection
If mercy could call Saul, it can call you.
If grace could change him, it can change anyone.
If love could use him, it can use you.
Let Paul’s testimony remind you: you are called by mercy—chosen not because of who you are, but because of who He is.