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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
of Jesus. He insisted that' this resurrec- , tion was the fulfillment of the Jew ish hope, and the interpretation of all their sacrifices and worship. There was nothing incredible in th è resurrection from the Jew ish standpoint . (1 K ings 17:17-23; 2 K ings 4:18-37; 13:21). .In simple, bu t graphic manner, Paul tells th e story of C h rist’s appearance to him on the Damascus road, and of his capitulation to the Heavenly visitant. (2) Prom pt Obedience, vs. 19-21, “ I was not disobedient.” The key to the life of Paul is to be found in his full surrender to the Lord. He yielded his will and gave himself up to the tru th and love of the new life in Jesus Christ. He abandoned his old life and avowed allegiance—body and soul—to the new. He had been wrong. He was con vinced, convicted and now converted to Christ. He believed the Lord Jesus was the Messiah of the Scriptures and loyally bound himself to Him as Lord and Master. He asked .“ W hat w ilt thou have me to do ?” an d 'th en commenced immediately to do it,^ firs t a t Damascus (Acts 9:20-22), then a t Jerusalem . (9:23-29), throughout all the coasts of Judea and to the regions beyond (Acts 13:46; 14:1) in ever w iden ing circles. Many a mgn has had the vision, but has not been w illing to follow the command th a t accompanied the vision. Paul did not wa,it to retu rn to Jerusalem and de liver up his commission to the Jews, but launched out a t once (Eccl. 9:10). The vision remained w ith him, urging "him on and on. W hatever he accomplished in the subsequent tw enty-four years of his life can be traeed to the m anifestation which he had of Jesus Christ and his obedience to it. ' There are two phases of obedience,—the active and the passive. F a ith is as truly obedience as works (John 6:28,29).' Both are characteristic of the true believer. (3) P ersisten t Preaching, vs. 22,23, “ I eontinue unto this day.” . P au l was a persevering preacher. In spite of obstacles and difficulties, though
the Jew s sought to kill him, and the Gen tiles mocked him, he held on to the mes sage God had given him,-—the message of the Scriptures concerning the suffering of Christ (Isa. 53); H is resurrection as the first fru its (1 Cor. 15:23); and the Gospel to the Gentiles as light in the d ark ness (Isa. 42:6). Tliere was no respect of persons w ith Paul. He gave th e message to rich and poor, small ahd great. All had sinned (Rom. 3:23); all were lost. Christ had died for all (Rom. .5:8). so th a t all could be saved. There is but one Gospel for all men,— poor and ignorant, rich and cultured,—all must bow a t the cross and be sheltered under the crimson blood. In giving the Gospel we need the help of God. This was the source of P a u l’s power (2 Cor. 1:8-10; 2 Tim. 4:17; John 10:2.8,29), and it may he ours if we will but lay hold of it by faith . , (4) Persuading Agrippa, vs. 24-32, “ A l most thou persuadest m e.” Restus was a Roman. He was unac quainted w ith the Scriptures. He was moved by the passionate message of Paul, but pronounced him an insane man. Some one was always interrupting P a u l’s discourses. I t is so easy to de nounce w hat we cannot understand. But Festus was the mad man,—mad because lie had no h eart for the tru th ; mad be cause he treated lightly th e most solemn thing in all the world. The sinner is a mad man. W hat a lack of reason it is to refuse to reason! (Isa. 1:18) the T.n^rf- Iet us- reaaon together, saith IS SS® your sm s be as scarlet, they shall be as w hite as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Paul was the sanest man in all the gathering th a t day. He spoke earnestly, bu t soberly and tru th fu lly (T itus 1:9; 2-7 8 , 11 , 12 ). P a u l’s appeal to Agrippa must have startled him: “ Believest thou the proph e ts ? ” The supreme argument is the a r gument from propheey. Who can gainsay it? (Luke 24:25-44). Agrippa knew the prophecies and he knew .th a t. th eir fu l fillment demanded a Messiah who should
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