Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-09-29
SAUL'S CONVERSION.
LESSON I, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL GERlEs, oct. 2.

Text OF the Lesson, A cts tx, i-G0-Mem-
DRY Verses, 1J-18--CoIden Text, John
iii, S-Commentary by the Rev. u. VI.
Stcarns.
The text OF this lessor. is 50 long, ard
the space allotted me is so short that ]
cannot quote the verses, and must there
fore urge the reader to read the notes with
the Bible open at the place.
!. This verse takes us to chapters vii. =;
viii, !, 3, and also for Paul's own testimony
as to his former life to chapters xxi, 3, 4;
XVI, Oil; and Gal. i, 10, Ii. lie thought
that Jesus of Nazareth was ar impostor
and deceiver, and that he in this perse-
cution was doing right in the sight of the
God Of Israel.
2. With lettera of authority frorn the
high priest he started for Damascus that
he might arrest and bring as prisoners to
Jerusalem any whom he might find wor-
Shipping Jesus. Observe in the margin
and in the Revised N,N on of this verse
that the religion OF Jesus is spoken of rs
'The Way" see also chapters XXiv, a.,
and xix, Q, %, r. V. 1t is the same express
sion that Jesus used in John XIV, 6, 81 am
the way"
3. The Lord who c';es in heaven Grd
on earth allowed him to come near, but
not into, Damascus with his murderous
| intentions: Not even the devil can 90 one
step beyond Gods permission DAN. ", 30;
job xXxvii, Il; i, 10). 1t was at midday
that this light from heaven, brighter than
| the sun. shoue upon him (Xxvi, 49,.
4. He fell to the earth, as did those
Roman soldiers in Gethsemane (Iohn xviii,
! @. Compare lisa. vi 5; Dan. X, Z, s, Q; Rev.
| har hat bpl
men, but Saul WAS an unsaved man; and
consider what you will do before such
! light. This voice was in the Hebrew
tongue (xxvi, ~. When Saul touched a be
| lever in Jesus he touched Jesus Him
self for all believers are members of His
body
| 3. What a revelation to Saul to hear
from heaven the voice Of the man whom
he thought to have been decever, to
have been lawfully executed and to have
gone to the place of the lost So shall Is
rael be surprised some day when they
shall see this same Jesus coming.
g. Jesus being alive and in heaven, Saul
sees in moment, by the enlightenment of
the Holy Spirit, Mat he has been all wrong
in his thoughts of Jesus; lie at once ac
knowledges Him as Lord q Cor. xii, y,
and ineekly asks what he is to do. In Il
moment he has changed masters and has
become the obedent servant of Jesus
Christ.
:. The men who were with him saw the
light and heard the sound of the voice, but
heard not the words, neither did they see
Jesus. Compare chapter xxi, 9; John xii,
IS, %; Dan. X, :. That Saul saw Jesus is
evident from verse /, and Cor. Ky, S.
S. What Jesus said to Saul as He com
manded him to rise and stand upon his
feet is fully stated in Pauls testimony be-
fore Agrippa in chapter XVI, 1918. The
glory of the light from heaven so blinded
Saul that he had to be led by the hand into
the city. What contrast between the
humble, and for the present helpless, dis
ciple and the recent proud blasphemer!
O. Three days blind and fasting, the
world shut out, the body mortified, dying
to self, God dealing with his soul. Some
day he may tell us about those three days.
1t is the period of death preceding resur-
rection Gen. xxi, A. Xiii, l.; Jonah ii, l.,
Hos vi, .; John H. 10; Rev. xi, IL.
10. One of Gods chosen ones at Damas-
Gus, a willing and obedient one, for see his
prompt reply, is selected to be the LORD :
messenger to Saul. Paul testities that this
Ananas was IA devout man and had a good
report of all the Jews chapter xii, 49, Hi
reply 10 lIe I.OltI = tdll lcIlllui9 NtS VI 'ui
boy Samuel and also Of the prophet Isaiah
Il Sam. iii, /, ., s, 10; lsa. vi -.
II. We have here some light upon the
manner in which Saul passed his three
days of blindness He gave himself tc
prayer; it was IA season of true pentencC
and communion with God, more of il
would be good for every Christian, for I'M
less we are much alone with God we shal
never be much used by God. AS to Paul '.
after conduct in this respect, see Gal. !
1919.
II. The Lord regarded Sauls prayer.
and graciously gave him a vision OF thi
same Ananias coming to him and layin-
his hand upon lin. As to other vision
which God gave this His servant, see xxi
Il, IS; xvi, 9. We may not expect vision
from God. fer we have the completc'
word ard faith is more blessed at prc.cu
than sight CJohn Xxx, ~.
l3 II. saul and his doiugs seem TO hay,
been well known even at Damascus, ai'
also his present mission and authority !
is probable also that the saints at Dama7
Gus had given themselves to prayer tina
God would save them from the power o
Saul, and possibly they bad prayed for hi
conversion, but like the saints ut Jcrusa
lem in chapter xii, IA, II, the answer wa
lack of confidence in God.
Il II. The Lord graciously bears wit
Anauias in his objections, and repeats Iii
command to go, adding that Saul is ve'
sci Of His choice to bear bis name brlor
(, Jews and Geutiles, great and small
Gal i, -, Is, Paul tells Us that God hs
set him apart from his birth to reveal Iii
Son in him. Ia lph. i, 1 we read that IT,
elect were chosen before the foundation G.
q the world.
y IL. Saul is not only chosen to bear til
name oil Jesus, hut also TO suffer for tn
sake of that name. The two are INSOFAR.
bly, connected in this present age, for
is an evil age, aud the whole world het
in the wicked one (Gal. i, j; | John, y
10. Il. W. See also john XIV, u, 10; xvi, 81
II Tim ii, l.; ill., -; but be encouraged b
Rom. viii, Is,
II Ananius is obedient, searches OF
Saul, calls him brother and in the nam
Of Jesus lays hands upon him that hc ma
receive his sight and be filed with al
,f.,