So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting

Acts 26:15
So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

Paul, when he was Saul, was seriously persecuting the followers of Yshua. We may not know fully what the persecution involved but it was very likely to include a lot of violence towards the persecuted. One example was that Saul was presiding, probably instigating the stoning of Stephen - the first to die for our Lord.

Obviously Saul had not physically harmed Yshua, as far as we know. But his actions are regarded as being done on our Lord, when he persecuted His children. Putting aside modern day persecution of Christians by other groups, Christians too may be persecuting each other knowingly or otherwise. If we are not careful of what we say or how we "wear our Christianity" we could be offending the younger Christians, and by doing so we may be persecuting our Lord too.

Luke 17:2
It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Matthew 18:6
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?

Acts 26:14
And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

When Saul (Paul) heard this from the Lord, He was confused about how he actually persecuted the glorious Being that appeared before him. Although he did not at first recognized it was the Risen Jesus of Nazareth, he knew this being to be a heavenly being.

Today, we may be persecuting Yshua without realising it. The things we do which goes against His will, the things we do in His name but not actually His will, the things we do to built up religion around Yshua instead of actually pointing people to Yshua and a whole lot more, may actually be persecuting our Lord. So then how do we not persecute the Lord? The answer is to surrender and do not our will but His will. This is of course easier said than done but the only way to know His will is to be in close communion and walk with Him all the time.

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