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Saul have? Did he later boast o f these (Phil. 3 :7-14) ? Cite some later instances in his life, that would prove that knowledge gained in unregenerate days was not lost, but was, after his conversion, used by the Holy Spirit to bring blessing and convic tion. What should be the Christian’s atti tude toward education? A School Boy A cts 22:3; 26:4-7 Memory Verse: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Lk. 2:52). Approach: We have been learning about some o f the famous men who lived long before Jesus Christ came to this earth— Joshua and Caleb and Samuel and Saul a n d D a v i d a n d BHHI others. Now we are
this, he probably went to the rabbi’s school. Here he learned more Bible verses. That is why Paul grew up and became a great preacher, he could téli the people so much about the Bible. He had studied it so well when he was a child. Many Jewish children had no more schooling than this. But Paul was to be a rabbi, so he,was sent away down to Jeru salem to study with the most famous of Jewish teachers, Gamaliel. W e know that Paul studied hard while he was in Jerusa lem, because afterward he remembered so many things that Gamaliel had told him. Studying hard was Paul’s way o f thank ing his parents for sending his to school, and it was his way o f getting well prepared for the work he was to do. I wonder if you study hard at school 1 Golden Text Illustration To one who asked the secret of his ser vice, George Muller replied, “ There was a day when I died, utterly died.” As he spoke, he bent lower, until he almost touched the floor. Continuing, he added, “Died to George Muller, his opin ions, preferences, tastes, and will, died to the world, its approval or censure, died to the approval or blame even o f my brethren or friends; and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.” “ I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear;’ but now mine eye seeth thee: Wherefore, I abhor [dissolve] myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5, 6). “ Study to shew thyself approved unto God” (2 Tim. 2:15).—S elected . sees a scene o f verdant beauty spread be fore him. It is Damascus, the “ Pearl of the East,” set in its emerald setting. It is no wonder that Mohammed, according to tra dition, when he first looked upon this beau tiful oasis in the desert, refused to enter, saying, “Man has but one paradise, and that is above.” The Abana and Pharpars rivers o f Damascus, bring down a copious supply of crystal-clear water from the mountains. The vegetation along their banks is rank and luscious. The water has been used to irrigate extensive orchards o f walnuts in the vicinity. In the center of beautiful green fields, and sheltered by the shade of thousands of delightful trees, lies Damascus, the capital o f Syria, the oldest city in the world. Outline and Exposition I. S aul ’ s P urpose in D amascus (1, 2). Saul was not satisfied that the disciples should be driven out o f Jerusalem only; he would drive them out o f the world (Acts 8:1; cf. Acts 9:1 ). “ Breathing out threatening and slaughter against the dis ciples,” and armed with authority from the high priest in Jerusalem, he was on his way to Damascus to continue his bitter persecution. They were “scourged often,” “given to death” (Acts 26:10), and even women were three times said to have suf fered from him (Acts 8:3; 9 :2 ; 22:4). He thought he was serving the God of his fathers, but later he confessed that at this very time he was a blasphemer (1 Tim. 1:15). II. S aul ’ s C onversion on the W ay to D amascus (3-8).
In spite of all the learning he possessed, Saul was in deep darkness. To him, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead was a lie, the claim; that Jesus was truly God was blasphemy, and he had no adequate con ception of the holiness of God or the sin fulness o f man. His conversion is one of the most impor tant events in the history o f God’s deal ings with mankind. That it is peculiarly important in the history o f the church may be gathered from the three extended no tices of it given by the Holy Spirit (Acts 9, 22, 26). There has never been another conver sion exactly like Saul’s (vs. 3-5). He was converted by a sight of the crucified, raised, and glorified Jesus of Nazareth. It was a personal manifestation of the person of Christ. The Scriptures teach that Saul ac tually saw the risen and glorified Lord (1 Cor. 9 :1; 15:8; Acts 9 :27; 22:14). He was converted, not by the preaching of the gospel, but by this sight of Jesus who had been crucified and was now alive and in heaven, and therefore accepted by God. In his conversion, Saul became a type of the coming conversion o f Israel as a na tion which will be accomplished by a sight of this same Jesus returning in power and glory (Isa. 66:5-9; Zech. 12:10; 1 Tim. 1:15; 1 Cor. 15:8; Acts 9, 22, 26). While Saul was the only one converted in this manner, there are certain things in his conversion which are found in all conver sions. First, the source of it was the grace of God to a sinner. Saul had no sense o f his need, but grace acted to save him. It was an arrest, unexpected, received when he was unprepared, but “when it pleased God” (Gal. 1 :15). It came not because of Paul’s goodness, but because of God’s grace. Like every sinner, Saul could do nothing but say, “Nothing in my hand I bring,” and rely wholly upon what God would do. Second, the medium of it was faith. He heard a message, and he believed that mes sage, and immediately he was turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God. The proof of his conversion is found in his words, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (vs. 6-8). This shows his submis sion to Christ as to an absolute Master. It was a personal transaction between one soul and one L ord: “ Thou . . . me.” It was the acknowledgment of his new owner and the expression of his new purpose. It was an immediate recognition that from henceforth he was not his own. His effort now would be to please this new master and do His bidding, whatsoever that might be. To the end o f his life, Saul’s proud boast was that he was “the servant of Jesus Christ.” III. S aul ’ s E xperience in D amascus (9-12, 17-19). What passed between Saul and the Lord during the three days he was without sight or food (v. 9), we cannot tell. But at the end of those three days, the Lord sent Saul a message by Ananias (vs. 10-12). This disciple was a good man, but little heard of. The fame o f evil (Acts 5) goes farther in this world than the fame of goodness. The Lord gave Ananias specific direc tions where Saul would be found, what to say to him, and what to do. The proof that Saul was truly converted was contained in the Lord’s declaration, “Behold, he pray- eth.” Saul had said many prayers before this, but he had never prayed. “ Saying prayers” is useless until Jesus Christ has been accepted as personal Saviour.
going to learn about a man who lived while Jesus was on e a r t h , a n d w h o preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people a f t e r Jesus had gone back to h e a v e n . This man’s n a m e w a s
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Paul, who became a great missionary. Lesson Story: When Paul was a child, he lived in Tarsus, a city on the seacoast and far to the north o f Jerusalem. This city belonged to the Romans, but Paul’s family was Jewish. OCTOBER 8, 1933 SAUL IN DAMASCUS A cts 9:1-31 Lesson T ext: Acts 9:1-12, 17-19. Golden T ext: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are be come new” (2 Cor. 5 :17). Damascus e do not know whether the Lord used the ordinary forces of nature, or prepared some unusual light to blind Saul as he journeyed toward Damas cus. We know it was “a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun.” Apart from this, as we travel through that bleak and desolate region between Palestine and Dama s c u s today, we can well imagine that just the intense heat o f the noonday sun would be enough to over come him, and that the blinding reflec- t i o n f r o m t h e bleaching sands and blistered vegetation would be sufficient to blind him. Through out this flat region, hardly a tree can be seen. The few streams which trickle from the fastnesses o f the Lebanon mountains shrivel up and disappear before they have traversed any considerable distance. The traveler who crosses these gently rolling treeless plains looks in vain for some sign o f vegetation and water as he reaches each eminence, but as often sighs in disappoint ment as he beholds the same monotonous vista before him. Finally, however, perseverance is re warded, for upon reaching the highest point of one of the undulating swells, he
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