1. Only an encounter with the risen Christ could account for such the stark change that occurred in Paul’s life.  Once a persecutor of the church, he was now one of its chief spokesmen. 

2.  When Christ comes into a person’s life, by faith, their direction in life is changed for time and eternity.  They have gone from spiritual death to eternal life, from hopelessness to real purpose.

3.  There are three crucial decisions that every young person must make (credit to Howard Hendricks) in this order:

-Master (who will be master of their lives)

-Mission (what will be their life’s purpose, what will they give themselves to)

-Mate (who will share their life)