In the family of God there is a strand of DNA running through this vast family that produces people like Moses and Esther and Gideon and Joshua and Ruth and Abraham. And this strand of DNA is also in us In our family, encounters with Jesus Christ change everything and makes new people out of old people, makes sober people out of drunk people, make good people out of bad people, makes Bible lovers out of Bible bashers, makes believers out of unbelievers, makes saved people out of sour people, makes holy people out of hellish people, and make straight people out of crooked people. Let’s take a look at uncle Paul. The first time Paul’s name pops up in Scripture is in Acts 7; the Jewish leaders have arrested a Jesus follower named Stephen and they are so angry at him that they, out of sheer anger, spontaneously begin to stone him – violently hurling stones at his body until he is unconscious and dead. And who standing there nodding in approval? Uncle Paul. Acts 9:1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. The very breath of his life was threats and terror. Acts 9:3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Jesus was often followed by big crowds. They loved to see the miracles. They loved the teaching. They loved the hope that he exuded. But Jesus wasn’t looking for crowds, he was looking for followers, for disciples. He would turn to the crowds and say this; Luke 14:25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. … 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Jesus is asking you to commit to self disobedience. Stop being obsessed with yourself, with your personal development and choose Jesus believing that he is the better way. It’s not that Jesus wants us to lose these things, it’s that Jesus is better than all of these things. “Is Jesus really the treasure that I am willing to sell out for?” Will uncle Paul renounce everything that he’d ever done, ever believed, ever preached to follow Jesus? Paul weighed the choices and said “yes.” Acts 9:10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Paul would later write about that moment like this; Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Phil 3:7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ…