Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-03-29
gnternatiunal gessaa.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON I, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, APRIL 6.

Memory NerSeS. S-o-uoioeH AeAS
Acts iii, documentary Prepared
by Rev. d. nj. Stenrns.
copyright, 1902, by American Press Asso-
ciation.]
/. 2. Saul yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples OF the
Lord.
What an evil breath he had! The
word translated breathing OUT Is
used only this once and means to
breathe in or out, to breathe. to live.
His very life was to hate Christ and
Christians, and yet the time came
when he could truly say, "For me 10
live is Christ phil. /, 2D. Our trst
Introduction to him is in chapters VII,
5S: viii, l, 8, in connection with the
death of Stephen and the persecution
following, which at this time was still
going on. Sauls own account or MS
life in those days is found In chapters
xii, 3, 4; XVI, OIL; Gal. !, 13, IA, but
in Eph. ii, 1-3. he speaks of 1t oil as
being under the prince Of the power or
the air.
81 Saul. Saul. why persecutest thou
me?
Thus spake Jesus Of Nazareth to him
In the Hebrew language (xxvi, 14) and
arrested him in his mad career, for
God had determined concerning him,
"Hitherto shalt thou come, but no fur
ther" Job xxxviii, III. Whoever
touches a Christian touches Christ
Himself, but not even the devil can
20 one step beyond Gods permission
Job 1, 10; Dan. ", 35; Zech. II, -.
Though it was midday, this light from
heaven was above the brightness OF
the sun, and Saul could not see for the
glory Of that light (xxvi. IL; xii, l1).
s. G. The Lord said. I am Jesus. whom
thou persecutest.
He recognizes q superior and asks,
"Who art Thou. Lord" The answer
fills him with trembling and astonish-
ment, for Jesus Of Nazareth Is actually
speaking to him. Seeing Him to be In
deed the Christ. the Messiah. whom
the prophets had foretold, he at once
acknowledges Him as Lord and meek
" asks what he Is now to do. Thus sud-
deuly shall Israel as q nation be sur
prised some day. and, looking upon
Him whom they pierced, they shall be
filed with true penitence and. accept
ing Him as their long expected Mes
siah, shall say: "Lo, this is our God.
We have waited for Him, and He will
save us" Czech. xii, 10; lisa. XIV. %.
Saups conversion was q pattern or
type of the conversion Of the nation
q Tim. 1, 16).
7-s. He was three days without sight
and neither did eat nor drink
The men who were with him fell to
the earth, seeing the light and being
afraid. They also heard the voice OF
some one speaking. but did not hear
the words, for those were for Saul
only. Compare xii. 8: XVI. IA. 1t
was somewhat like the experience Of
Daniel and Of our Lord as recorded In
Dan. K, 7; John xii, %. 20. That Saul
really saw Jesus is evident from verse
II and I Cor. XIV, 8. What Jesus said
to Saul as He commanded him to rise
and stand upon his feet Is fully stated
in Paul's testimony before Agrippa in
XVI, 1918. Consider him three days
blind and fasting, the world shut out,
the body mortified. dying to self. God
dealing with his SOUL 1t is the period
Of death preceding resurrection (Gen
xii. 4; xiii, II; Jonah II, II; Hos. vi. 2;
John ii, 10; Rev. xi, III.
l0-l2.' Inquire In the house Of Judas for
one called Saul of Tarsus. for. behold, he
prayeth.
Thus said the Lord to Ananias, de-
vout disciple and one who had good
report Of all the Jews at Damascus
(1xii, 12). He. like Philip in q previous
lesson. is prompt and obedient. one on
whom the Lord could rely to do His
bidding. His reply reminds us Of Sam
uel and Isaiah u Sam. lii, 4, 6. 8, TO-;
lisa. vi, 81. These three days find Saul
and his Lord in intimate communion.
Saul talks with the Lord. and the
Lord in vision reveals Himself more
fully to Saul. From Jesus Christ by
revelation he received the gospel and
from Him also all his future instruc-
ton (Gal. /, II, IL. Is. 16).
13-16 He Is a chosen vessel unto me to
bear my name.
Ananias hesitates just q little as
he thinks of Saul's reputation and
authority and his madness against
Christians. The Lord graciously bears
with Ananias in his objections. but re-
peats His command to 60 and assures
him that Saul is to be His special mes.
senger to the gentiles. One would
think that the Lords first assurance to
Ananias that the prosecutor was pray
ing would have been sufficient encour-
agement, but we are 80 slow to expect
wonders from Him whose name is
Wonderful. Saul is not only chosen to
bear the name of Christ, but also to
suffer, for faithfulness to Christ and
suffering for His sake are inseparably
connected in this present evil age,
while the whole world lieth in the
wicked one (Gal. /. 4; John v, 10, R.
w.. See also John XIV, IS, 10; xvi, 33;
Phil. 1, 20; II Tim. ii. -; Iii, II, but be
encouraged by Rom. viii. 1S; Cor. <,
13.
1920. Receive thy sight and be filled
with the Holy Ghost.
Thus said Ananias to Saul as, having
found him just where the Lord said
he would, he put his hands upon him
and told Of the Lords commission. He
received sight, both natural and spir-
itual, confessed Christ in baptism, took