Open Doors: Conversations with Heart of the Father

From Enemy to Instrument: The Conversion of Saul With Lisa Livezey, Emily Wilson, and Jacqueline Harper

Heart of the Father Season 4 Episode 29

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend us your ears…”


Or should we say, lend us your eyes as we imagine ourselves with Roman citizen Saul in the dramatic moments described in Acts 9. Saul, chief persecutor and killer of early church Christians, encounters the voice of Jesus amidst a blinding light.

Lisa, Emily, and Jacqueline examine this conversion story in three parts. First, Lisa discusses the moment on the road to Damascus when Saul is blinded by light and falls to the ground. What was it like for his companions and the owner of the home where Saul then stays? Parallels are drawn to the three days Saul spent in darkness and the time between Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Emily looks at the early Christian Ananias and his response to the vision where Jesus tells him to go help Saul, someone greatly feared by Christians. His bravery in the face of real danger is recognized and applauded. She notes how Saul went from being an enemy of Christ to an instrument in the hands of God to encourage the early church.

Jacqueline speaks of Saul’s first days of ministry, the surprise of his conversion, and the plots against Saul’s life. We hear about Barnabas who vouches for Saul’s credibility and the church experiences dramatic growth. She is struck by the villain-turned-hero drama and how Saul risks his own life to preach the gospel alongside those whom he previously had been seeking to kill.

The question in closing is: How are we called to be like Saul and do a 180 to obey God in the moment?

Join us as we immerse ourselves in this dazzling story.

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Release: April 2025
Music by Christian Harper
Production by Christian Harper

People on this episode