_And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples._ SAUL, A PERSECUTOR Saul was an educated young man, and that he should engage in the work of persecution strikes us as anomalous and unnatural. In young men we naturally expect a frank concession of freedom to think and... [ Continue Reading ]
_And suddenly there shined round about him a light from heave._ THE HEAVENLY LIGHT As the supernatural reflects the moral in all the miracles of the Bible, so in the conversion of St. Paul. We have here-- I. An emblem of the gospel. “a light from heaven.” All knowledge is light. But as the light... [ Continue Reading ]
_He fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?_ THE LORD’S WORD I. Consolation. This word is a two-edged sword; it carries comfort to those who are within, and reproof to those who are without. It is spoken to an adversary; but it is spoken for a frie... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he said, Who art Thou, Lord?_ PRESSING QUESTIONS OF AN AWAKENED MIND The manifestation of Jesus subdued the great man into a little child. He inquires, with sacred curiosity, “Who art Thou, Lord?” and then surrenders at discretion, crying, “What wilt Thou have me to do?” I. The earnest inqui... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what will Thou have me to do?_ SAUL OF TARSUS CONVERTED These words-- I. Are illustrative of a singular transformation of mind. We would not forget the attendant miracles. There is the light, the voice; but we now would speak of the secret place of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the men who Journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man (text, and _Acts 22:9_): _ THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF LIFE Here is a record of the supernatural in the life of Paul and his companions. The fact that these phenomena were at midday, and that the apostle’s fellow... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Saul arose, and … they led him by the hand._ HAND LED A wonderful change in the soul of which this was the symbol. I. The hand yielded. 1. Confession of futile character of past opposition. Sense of helplessness. 2. Trust in a newly discovered guide. II. The hand grasped. Soldiers accompa... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there was a certain disciple at Damascus called Ananias._ ANANIAS OF DAMASCUS 1. Most people have watched a little steam tug busily towing some great ship down stream or out into the sea. The tug is almost extinguished by the giant hull that floats behind, and returns unnoticed into port, whi... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight._ STRAIGHT STREET Is distinguished-- I. As the temporary abode of a remarkable stranger. “One Saul of Tarsus.” 1. Remarkable for intellectual ability. 2. For prodigious force of character. 3. For undivided conc... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man._ AN ENCOURAGING LESSON FROM PAUL’S CONVERSION The conversion of Saul was one of the most remarkable facts in Christian history. It was important as a testimony to the power and truth of the gospel; as securing for the Church its ablest... [ Continue Reading ]
_He is a chosen vessel unto Me._ A CHOSEN VESSEL I. Its material. All the vessels in your house--the strong bowls, the fine vases, and the china tea cups--are made of earth, though some soils suit the potter better than others. And so the whole world is the Great Potter’s field, and Christ’s “chos... [ Continue Reading ]
_For I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake._ THE SERVICE OF SUFFERING I. Suffering is one of the ways in which we may serve God. 1. The remarkable feature here is, that though it is a part of St. Paul’s call to his mission, God does not say, “I will show him how great... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Ananias,…putting his hands on him said, brother Saul._ SAUL CONVERTED I. The ministry which helps to complete the great change. If the appearance of the Lord to the persecutor was miraculous, the work was not completed without ordinary instrumentalities. “There was a certain disciple named An... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then was Saul certain days with the disciples … And straightway he preached Christ._ THE SOCIETY OF THE GOOD I. The tendency to Christian intercourse is generated by the love of Christ. The love of Jesus in the heart is the magnet. Dr. Doddridge asked his little daughter how it was that everybody... [ Continue Reading ]
_And after many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him … Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket._ PAUL’S DELIVERANCE BY THE BASKET I. God wages war with pride in every form. 1. There is, perhaps, no greater wonder than that man should be pro... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when Saul was come to Jerusalem he essayed to Join himself to the disciples._ SAUL’S EMOTIONS ON RETURNING TO JERUSALEM He was returning to it from a spiritual as Ezra had from a bodily captivity, and to his renewed mind all things appeared new. What an emotion smote his heart at the first dis... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then had the Churches rest._ QUIET TIMES The right use of quiet times is a great secret of Christian living. Human life is made up of alternations of storm and calm, of trouble and rest. It is so with the life of an individual, a nation, or a Church. The earlier part of this chapter indicated a t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda._ LYDDA The Lud of the Old Testament (1 Chronicles 8:12; Ezra 2:33; Nehemiah 7:37; Nehemiah 11:35), was a town in the rich plain of Sharon, one day’s journey from Jerusalem, founded o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now there was at Joppa._ JOPPA OR YAFA MEANS BEAUTY The modern name is Jaffa or Yafa. It is a seaport town of Palestine, about forty miles northwest of Jerusalem, of which city it was the port in the days of Solomon, and has so remained down to the present day. At Joppa was landed the timber from... [ Continue Reading ]