The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1944-03-31

The lives Of great men inspire US
with an eagerness to make our own
lives count for God and for country.
Particularly is that true of the life
Of the apostle Paul, for he combined
personal greatness with an absolute
surrender and devotion to Christ,
which made his life doubly effective.
We recall, however, that this peer
less leader for Christ was at first
the bitter enemy of everything
Christian and we ask, what
changed this mani" The answer is
the redeeming grace of God-but
that is the story of our lesson. He
became changed man as he went
I. From Threatening to Trembling
(vv. 1-D.
The enemies of God and Of our
Christ are often 1oudmouthed and
terror-spreading individuals, who,
for time, strike fear into the hearts
of men. Such was Saul of Tarsus,
and such are the antichristian lead
ers of our day. They seem to be
so powerful and able to sweep all
before them.
But waitl Luther said of Gods
archenemy, Zone little word shall
fell him." and it is true. See what
happened to Saul. Off on his jour-
neys of persecution and destruction,
bold and determined, he met Jesus
on the Damascus road, and the
great threatener is found to be
trembling and astonished" ". 81.
The Lord is still on His throne,
and one day every mouth shall be
stopped (Rom. 3:19), and all His
enemies shall tremble before Him.
Would that they would do it while
there is time to repent.
II. From Prosecuting to Praying
(vv. 2, 8, 9; see also ". 1D.
Paul utterly devoted to the root
ing out of this hated sect Of Chris
tians was on his way with letters
autholi zing their imprisonment. It
was all very official, jealous and
marvellous in mems sight, until he
met Jesus, and it all blew away.
Ananias, that faithful layman
(may his tribe increaseD, was
called of God to go and speak to the
stricken Saul. When he feared to
60, God encouraged him ". 15), for
the powerful prosecutor had now be-
come a penitent prayer ". III.
That's what a face to face meeting
with Jesus did for Paul-yes, and
will do for any man or woman.
iii. From Soothing to Suffering
(vv. I, 1870.
Saul doubtless gloried in the
breathing out of threatenings and
slaughter of which we read in verse
/. He was riding high in the seat Of
authority and of official approval. It
was satisfying to his fieshly pride to
make known his dreadful purposes
of destruction and Imprisonment for
these helpless Christians.
Did we say helpless? Oh, no, they
had on their side all the power Of
the Eternal One. He who touches
the people of God touches the Lord
Himself. Paul thought he was fight
ing a little sect of Christians, but
found that he was fighting the Lord
Himself ". 81.
But now that he had met Jesus
and was ready to turn in devotion to
His sacred cause, he was to learn
what it meant to suffer. Let us note
well that suffering for the sake Of
ones faith may be entirely within
the will Of God, yes, and for His
glory.
Nv. From Spiritual Death to Spir-
itual Life wv. 1910.
Men have tried to explain the ex-
perience Of conversion on the ground
Of psychology, as cataclysmic
change in the life of an individual
who has gone through some great
sorrow or trial, but it simply will
not 60 down. There is in real con-
version regeneration which means
a completely changed life.
Saul did have a sudden and NOV
ing experience on the Damascus
road, but it was not just because
of binding light and a mighty
voice. It was light from heaven"
". A., and the voice of the Lord.
Saul was "filled with the Holy
Ghost" and received his sight. He
was ready now to be used Of the
Lord as the greatest missionary
evangelist and theologian that the
world has ever known.
This change was one which
reached down into his inmost being
and transformed his beliefs. The
Jesus he had hated, now became his
all consuming passion and love. He
no longer looked to his works to
save him, for now he knew the per-
sonal Saviour.
What happened within showed it.
self in his attitude toward those
without. 1t always does. He now
came to love the very people he
had hated and prosecuted, and
turned every bit of his strength and
ability. into the task of working with
them in the spreading Of the gospel
throughout the world.