Arizona republican., 1916-03-29
International Sunday School Lesson
 for March 26
CONVERSION OF SAUL

that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" Tim. l.. 15.
 Lesson Text.-Ac. g: 1-3f (cf also Gal. 1: 11-17; 1 Tim. 1: 12-1D. Com init vs. 17, IS.
 CD And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, @ And desired of him letters to Damascus to the syna- gogues. that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or wo- men, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. (3) And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and sudden 1 ly there shined round about him a light from heaven: (4) And he fell to the earth, and heard voice saying ! unto him. Saul. Saul, why persecutest l thou me? (5) And he said, Who art thou, Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is | hard for thee to kick against the bricks. (6) And he trembling, and l astonished said, Lord. what wilt thou 1 have me to do? And the Lord said 1 unto him. Arise. and go into the city. and it shall be told thee what thou 1 shalt do. CD And the men which 1 journeyed with him stood speeches., hearing a voice, but seeing no man. ! fS)> And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened. he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Da- 1 mascus. (9) And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 1O) And there was a certain disciple at Damascus. named Ananias: and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias And he said Behold. I am here, Lord. CID And the Lord. said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and 1 inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul. of Tarsus: for, behold. he praycth, Q7) And Ananias went his way. and entered into the house: and putting his hands on him said, Broth CT Saul the Lord, even Jesus. that ap- peareG unto thee in the way as thou earnest hath sent me. that thou miehtes receive thy sight, and be l filled with the Holy Ghost. GS) And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he re- ceived his sight forthwith, and arose and was baptized. 19) And when he had received meat. he was strength encd. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Da- mascus.
 Time.-A. D. g @ PIace.-Jeru- salem.
 Exposition-I. Saul the murderou: enemy of Jesus. 1. ,. Sauls intense Ianger against Jesus and His disciple:
 was not matter of a single hour, "ht breathed an atmosphere of threaten ing and murder The word translat- cd breathing out in the 4. V. is lit feIaily breathing in;' every breath he
 drew was breath of threatening ant slaughter The extent to which hs loarried out his hatred in action W. lsea in oh. 22: 19; 26: 10, II. In al
 his violence against the disciples 0
 Jesus. and so against Jesus Himself Saul had persuaded himself that h.
 was doing right tch 26: 9. It is { striking illustration of how 8 mal who intends to be conscientious cal
 ill reality be thoroughly and awful. wrong. His hatred knew no pity, h' spared no one. neither man nor wom
 an. All that he needed to hate { person and to desire their death wa. to know that they believed on Jesus.
 II. Saul the bumbled penitent. 39 1 The Lord allowed Saul to go a Ions lways in his mad career. but at tn, proper moment He put forth His han, and saved the little flock in Damas
 GUS. He acted suddenly" He oftel
 does. The light out of heaven tha shene around Saul was the light o
 Christ's resurrection glory (v. :: < Col. 15: S1. It was about noon (ch
 22: @ and the glare of the Easterl noon is exceedingly bright. but tn
 glory of the light that surrounded ou
 risen Lord was above ''the brightness of the sum (eh 26: 13): our Jesus i
 exceedingly glorious. The stout heart ! ed persecutor was thoroughly humblet (v 4). There are many today wh speak great swelling words agains Tour Lord, who, if they could get on look at Him as He is now. would 'fal
 upen the earth" before Him tPhil. 2
 10, ID. Evidently, for all his zeal il
 prosecuting the church. Saul hal
 many goading thought that h
 might be wrong and Jesus indeed tn
 Lord (ch. 26: IA. R. VI. It was
 startling question that the Lord pu
 to Saul (v. 4). He puts it to ever,
 one today who is prosecuting Hi | people Note how tenderIy tJesu
 identifies Himself with His disciple
 (v. ,, Of. Mat. 25: 35-4O 42-45; Eph I5 30). what a moment of awful an,
 over- whelming shame it must hav
 been in SauTs life, when it full
 broke upon him that the glorious On who stood before Him was indee,
 JeSus. whom he had so bitterly hate,
 and so relentlessly persecuted It wil
 be equally appalling for many nov
 living when they see Jesus in tn glory and realize that it is He whom
 they have spurned and persecuted
 That the light Saul saw was no mer
 subjective vision or effect of sun
 stroke is clear from the fact tha tothers saw 1t too and heard the Voice
 The apparent contradiction between , t7 and oh. .2: 9 entirely disappear
 when we look at the Greek; in V.
 'the voice. is in the genitive cas
 which with the verb translated "hear
 Mg' indicates the person Cor thing
 heard speaking the message Her i've have another illustration of abso
 lute exactness down to a word an part of A. word of the Scrint,,raS n