The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-10
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH IA.
Lesson Text: saul. the Prosecutor
Converted" Acts tx, 1-2; 1920
Golden Text: Tim., j.,
documentary.

1,2. We last heard of Saul making havoc
of the church at Jerusalem after the martyr
dom Of Stephen. We still find him in the
came spirit Of enmity against Christ and His
followers, but now he is reaching out to
other cities, even to Damascus, with author
ity from the high priest to arrest and bring
to Jerusalem all such disciples OF the Lord as
he might find. They ore spoken OF AS men
and women of the way (see margin, remind
ing US OF Chrst's own words, ~ am the
way" (John xiv. g.. God thus far suffers
Saul 10 be satan's agent in purifying His
church. Not even satan can touch child OF
God without Gods permission (Job l., 10;
Zech H., 81, and when the adversary is al.
lowed to try the people Of God, either direct
ly or by human instrumentality, We are TO
see only the hand Of God and remember
Rom. viii, %. 20. See Ps. xviii, IA; lxxvi =,
helpful.
g. 4. "Saul. Saul, why persecutest thou
Me?' Thus far and no farther Is heavens
decree for Saul, and now He who loved him
in all his sin, and who had suffered him thus
far in his devilish work, arrests him as he is
is about to enter Damascus. The light from
heaven smites him to the earth, and the
voica from heaven enters his soul. The light
was brighter than the sun at MONDAY, snd
(chap,er XVI, 13. 14). All the party saw
the light and fell to the earth In fear, but
Saul alone heard the words which were
spoken. for they were only for him.
5. "Who art thou, Lord? I am Jesus,
whom thou persecutest." In one Of Saul's
accounts ofthis he gives the Lords answer
as ~ am Jesus Of Nazareth, whom thou per-
secutest" Chapter xii, 81. In all Saurs
life he had never heard anything so startling
or upsetting as this. He verify believed
that he was doing right In the sight Of God
the highest authorities had put to death as q
blaspheme-. See his own testimony In
chapters xii. and XVI.
Lord, what will Thou have me to do?"
He is full or trembling and astonishment,
but in a moment he sees that he has been
all wrong and the prosecuted ones have been
right. He seems humDled and by the spirit
confesses that Jesus is Lord q Cor xii, 81.
He is told to go on to Damascus and await
orders. The "What wilt Thou2" Of this
verse and the "Where wilt Thou?" Of Luke
xii, 9, when sincerely addressed to the
Lord, will not fail to obtain sure guidance.
7. It Is evident that those with Saul heard
a sound OF words, but it is also evident, from
chapter xii, 9, that they heard not the
words spoken. Something Of the same kind
Is written in Dan. x, 7.9. It is sometimes
asked If those who are left when the church
Is taken shall hear the Lords voice or see
the event. Perhaps the records concerning
Daniel and Saulmay give some light.
g. 9. Three days in Damascus, blind and
fasting and awaiting 4 further message from
the Lord! What remembrances, what per-
sistence, what searchings OF heart, what
humbling before God, what light from
heaven must have shone In his soul during
those days Of outward darkness! How he
would think Of what Stephen saw and said,
and of the patience and faith Of others who
had suffered for Christ through him. The
Lord was dealing wondrously with him, but,
oh. 70 lovingly, by His Spirit and His word.
10. "The Lord knoweth them that are His,
and He knoweth them by name" CII Tim. H.,
49, Isa. xll,i., y. He could send an angel to
do His bidding, as he often has done, for
they excel in strength and do His command
ments, hardening unto the voice Of His
word: They are His ministers who do His
pleasure (Ps ciii., 20, 21), but He sees fit to
use human instrumentality and calls Philip
in Samaria or an Ananias in Damascus to do
His bidding. II we hold ourselves ready for
any manner of service wholly at His COM
mandment q Chron. xviii, 21), He will
surely show US His way for US and guide us
into the good works prepared beforehand
(Eph H., 10).
II, IL. Ananias is sent to the street and
the house, and the person is named to whom
he Is 10 60; and his occupation at the time is
also mentioned. Ananias is also told what
Saul sees as he prays. Let us not forget nor
fail to believe that God is thus intimately
acquainted with each Of US. Our ways and
words and thoughts, both In the darkness
and the light. are all known to Him (Ps.
cxxxix. LIZ; Eek, XII, 81; therefore let our
honest prayer be, "search me, o God, and
know my heart; try me and know my
thoughts"
IT, 1t must have been another new ex-
'perience for Saul to have disciple OF Jesus
put his hands upon him and address him as
"Brother SAUL" but I am sure he did not
feel like knocking him down for thus ad-
dressing him, though once heard a minister
Of the gospel, in good standing among men,
say that he would like to treat a man thar
way who would call him brother" True
humility is never vexed nor irritated, but is
at rest when nobody praises, or even when
blamed or despised.
IS. He received sight, he was filled with
the Spirit, and confessed Jesus as Lord In
baptism. He is new man, new creation,
old things are passed away and all things
are become new (II Cor. v, ~. He Is
crucfled with Christ and risen with Christ
to q new life. Although he still lives, 1t isno
longer Saul OF Tarsus, but Christ Jesus who
now lives IN MIN Us Lord (Gal. H.. I.D. no
has become blind to all but Jesus Christ. He
knows no other master. He has heart only
for Him and body that is henceforth wholly
at His disposal.
10. He partook Of food and was strength
ened and continued some days with the dis
ciples at Damascus. Every disciple would
soon hear of it; lit would spread far and wide
that the great prosecutor had become dis
clple of Christ. Many would want to see for
themselves, before they could believe such
thing, and even the disciples at Jerusalem
would not at first believe that he was dis
ciple (verse 26). Many Of US are apt to be-
lieve that some things are too hard for the
Lord, but we should remember Jer. x1xii.,
II, Xxxiii., 8.
20. "And straightway he preached Christ
in the synagogues, that He is the Son OF
God. He increased the more in strength
and spake boldly in the name OF the Lord
Jesus, proving that He is indeed lsraels
Messiah oversees 22 29). Both at Damascus
and at Jerusalem the enemies OF Chr1st
sought to kill him, but God took care OF HIS
chosen yessel and for time sent him to his
home in Tarsus. AS witnesses for Christ we
must shine for Him among those who know
=, b,ot T accom- HelDer