T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
689
3. THE CAPITULATION OF SAUL, vs. 5-9. “Lord, what wilt thou?" While these words are not found in the best manuscripts, they are found in chapter 22, and so were spoken here. Saul surrendered to the risen Lord. No man can say that Jesus is Lord, and mean it, save by the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:3) “Wherefore, I give you to understand, th at no man speaking by the Spirit o f God calleth Jesus accursed; and th at no man can say th at Jesus Is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” This is the key to the greatest of lives! “What wilt thou?” This was the theme of Christ’s life! “I delight to do thy will.” No one can ever know the real joy of living until he has made an absolute surrender of all to the will of God. Saul manifests four things which character ize his whole life as a believer: (1.) Faith. He heard, he believed. It was the voice of God and he recognized it. (Rom. 10:17) “ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” ' (2.) Obedience. He was not disobedi ent to the heavenly vision. (26:19) “Whereupon, O king Agrlppa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” He started out to do his own will. Now he submits humbly to the will of a new Master. He intended to chain Christians and bring them to Jerusalem, and lo, he himself was chained to Christ’s chariot wheels. An obedient slave. He did not stop to question what effect his confes sion of Christ would have on his former masters. His career of sel{ is ended. (3) Patience. Struck blind and con tinuing for three days,—days of great trial and perhaps of revelation to him, of the testing and trials which awaited him. (9:16) “ For I w ill shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (4) Prayer. He gave himself to pray er. vs. 11. He was certified to Ananias as one praying. He no longer says the prayer of the Pharisee, but becomes the apostle of prayer. We are impressed with the
two-edged sword; and his countenance was as the sun shlneth In his strength. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; 1 am the first and the last.” and (Matt. 17:5). “W hile he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them ; and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This Is my beloved Son In whom I am well pleased; hear ye him;” A voice accompanied the light in each case. It was the risen Lord whose glory is too dazzling for man to look upon. Men are prostrated in His presence. How recklessly men talk about not fearing God. Men cannot look into the face of the sun shining in the heavens, which is but one of His creatures.. How then shall they look into His face who created the sun? The Vision and Voice: It was a per sonal appearance of Christ in His glory "(1 Cor. 15:8) “ And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due tim e.” ' The men with him saw the light but did not hear the voice, which was in tended for Saul only. (26:14.) “ And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying In the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It Is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” “Why persecutest thou me?” The Lord indentifies Himself with every dis ciple. He feels the slightest wrong done unto them; when they are persecuted, He suffers. Saul has been laying hands upon the Christ Himself. What a com fort! In all our witnessing He is with us; in all our work, our suffering, He works and suffers with us. He takes the place with the obscurest and fully associates Himself with us. “Jesus” is His earthly title, the name which for ever binds Him with humanity. Saul never answered that question— there is no answer to it. There is no reason for any one denying or rejecting Jesus Christ. The proof is in every heart that Jesus is deserving of a full, hearty, open confession. (John 10:32) “ Jesus answered them , Many good works have 1 shewed you from my Father; for which of these works do ye stone me?”
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs