The Omaha guide., 1946-10-12

LESSON TEXT-Acts 26:9-1S: l Cor
i~nt7ians 15:8-lO.
MEMORY SELECTION - This is Z
faithful saying. and worthy of all &C
ceptation. that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners.-I Timothy lis
All that a man has by nature is
not enough. We saw last week the
preparation by heredity, education
and environment which Paul had
for a place of leadership. But il
was not enough. The capable, we'll
born, well-trained young Jewish
a%ristocrat had to be born again
spiritually before he could do Gods
work.
Careful Bible students regard the
conversion u Paul and the resur-
r%ection of Christ as the two out
standing events of the New Tesla.
ment. Without the resurrection of
Jesus. the conversion of Saul of
Tarsus (whom we know as Paul the
apostle) would not have been o
sible, and at the anne time his
conversion is one of the strongest
proofs of the resurrection.
We find him in three relation
ships.
L. BY Nature-Contrary to Christ
(Acts 26:9-12).
1t is not enough, as some of US
suppose, that a mar be sincere.
Paul was entirely sincere in his
conviction that he ought to perse-
cute the Christians. He did it with
a good conscience (Acts 23:1), for
a mans conscience commends him
for doing what he believes to be
right, even though he may be wrong
In his thinking.
He was sincere, but he was anti.
Christian. By nature man is at en-
nifty with God. No good thing
dwells in the flesh apart from the
redeeming grace Of God (Rom. ST.;
James "A; Rom. IT'D.
Stirred, probably by the faithful
testimony Of Stephen, to even great
er zeal against the followers Of
Christ. Paul had to find new worlds
to conquer. so he set out breath
Ing out threatenings and slaughter
to destroy the church in Damascus"
as he had sought to do in Jerusalem.
He was a bold prosecutor, doing
all he could contrary to the name
Of Jesus" ". 81. until he met thu
Lord himself on the Damascus road
All, that meeting made him a differ
ent man and he became
ii. BY Faith-Converted to Christ
tActs 26: 1913.
Stricken down by a brilliant heav-
emily light, he found himself talking
to the Lord Jesus. He heard from
his holy lips the solemn Indictment
Of those who prosecute Gods people
Why persecutest thou me?" He
who lays unkind hands upon, or
brings untrue accusation against,
Gods children had better beware.
for so closely is our Lord identi-
fed with his people that when they
suffer, it is he who bears the hurt.
In a single sentence the Lord dis
posed of the prosecuting zeal and
the sinful skepticism of this proud
young pharisee, and Saul entered
into Damascus no as the naughty
prosecutor, but as a man trembling
and astonished. He spent three
days shut in with his own soul and
God; not seeing, not caring to eat,
but entering into communion with
God. By Gods grace the old life
was pulled up by the roots as it
was displaced by the new life in
Christ Jesus.
God had a great commission
awaiting Paul as soon as he was
ready for it wv. 1919. He was to
be the apostle to the Gentiles, and
that includes SO many Of US. The
gosFel which had come first to the
Jews, was now to 60 out into all the
world and to all people.
The change in Paul was a drastic
one. He was as one who was alive
from the dead. 1t was not a case Of
adjusting or refurbishing the old
prosecutor Saul-here vas a new
creature in Christ, ordained to good
works (Eph. 2:8-10).
iii. By Grace-Confessing Christ
q Cor. 15:8-10).
Twenty years had passed since
PauFs conversion. He had been Out
serving Christ, in season and out Of
season. He had known persecution,
suffering and opposition. Now he
was writing, by inspiration Of the
Holy Spirit. about the resurrection,
telling Of those who had seen the
risen Christ. He included himself
as n born out Of his time.
1t is a personal vision of the Iiv.
ing Saviour which vitalizes the spir.
1t OF a witness and makes his ties.
tlmony ring true. Paul saw Christ
We too may see Him with the y Of
faith, and by His grace become wit.
nesses.
Effort and labor are involved
This matter Of witnessing is moi
something which automatically doe:
itself. Il labored more abundant.
IT," said Paul, and yet he knew
that it vas the grace of God in him
which accomplished the result (see
". 10 and Phil. 2:13).
That is it! The grace of God
working on and in and through a
man. And at the same time, that
mar laboring diligently that the
grace bestowed upon him should moi
be found vain. 1t is in this manner
Gods work gets done on earth!