At the command of the Angel of the Lord,

Transcription

1 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. At the command of the Angel of the Lord, Philip had gone a long way to evangelise the Ethiopian eunuch [v. 26]. Now that God s work was done, we read that the Spirit of the Lord miraculously caught him away. It might have begun as a tiring journey into the desert for Philip, but the glorious conclusion of the event shows God s leading and approval. What is even more assuring is this truth that whatsoever God wills, will surely come to pass, and whomsoever He has predestined to be His own, He will surely call and justify in His time and through His means. Philip s exit also reminds us that we are simply channels through which God does His work. When it is time for us to move on to minister to others, we should, lest we indulge ourselves in the glory that belongs to God. If Philip had not departed, he might have stayed on with the grateful Ethiopian. But instead we read that it was God s will for him to preach to all the cities from Azotus to Caesarea [v. 40]. The story does not end here. We are told the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. Philip s miraculous departure had shown him a mighty work of God, and this would surely further strengthen his faith. Miracles in the Bible are meant to endorse the authority and doctrines of God s servants. Having witnessed this miracle, the eunuch, a man of great authority [v. 27] would surely spread the Gospel to his countrymen. REMEMBER Be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as we minister to people.

2 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest. Saul of Tarsus came into the picture at the end of Acts 7, where he was described as a young man present as Stephen was being stoned to death. Yet Saul was more than just an innocent bystander. Luke records that he was consenting unto his (Stephen s) death [Acts 8:1], meaning that Saul approved of the stoning. Saul was in hearty agreement with those who carried out the murder. He kept watch over their belongings. This made Saul guilty even though he did not cast a single stone. Later he would testify of his own guilt in this [Acts 22:20]. Driven by religious zeal and hatred against Christians, Saul was not content to be just an accessory in this movement to eradicate the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, he became its chief protagonist [Acts 8:3]. Because of persecution, believers had dispersed. Some headed north to Damascus, but Saul was unrelenting in his pursuit, threatening them with imprisonment and death. Luke states that Saul was breathing out threatenings and slaughter (or murder). This is an expression of deep-seated and violent emotion. Saul was so embittered by his animosity against Christians that hatred and murder became part of his nature. He was full of rage and bloodthirstiness against Christians. But we know what happened to Saul later on the road to Damascus. He was converted. How gracious God was to change Saul s heart so that the same mouth that breathed out destruction and death to the followers of Christ, should afterwards publish and proclaim the Gospel of the grace of God. What Christ did to Saul, He can do the same for you. Have you experienced that lifetransforming change? Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

3 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. The persecution against Christians had similar effects as that of a bomb. The blast waves radiate from the epicentre to impact its environs. The ground zero of Christian persecution was Jerusalem; from there, Christians were scattered throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria [Acts 8:1], and as far north as Damascus of Syria. For Saul, it was not enough that Christians were driven out of Jerusalem; he pursued them. The distance between Jerusalem and Damascus is over 200 kilometres and by no means an easy journey in those days. That Saul volunteered to pursue the followers of Jesus of Nazareth to Damascus was evidence of his fanaticism. In the early church, Christ s followers were known as people of this way. The name Christian was not used until Acts 11, and it was likely a derogative term. Believers were simply known as people of the way. In some translations, the way is capitalised. Luke, it seems, is fond of this description [Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22]. It presupposes the Way to mean the Christian faith. It is the way of salvation [Acts 16:17] and the way of the Lord [Acts 18:25]. Certainly, it is the way of the LORD with His redeemed. But it is also the way of the redeemed with the LORD. It is often said that Christianity is not a religion, but a way of life. Indeed, it is. God who has ordained the way of salvation has also ordained the way of sanctification. He appointed the way of life and commands that we walk in it [2 John 6]. It is the way that encompasses every aspect of our lives - what we believe, think and do. You are in the way of Jesus of Nazareth as your Saviour. But are you in the way of Christ as your Lord? His salvation and lordship are inseparable.

4 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: Saul of Tarsus travelled from Jerusalem to Damascus for the purpose of arresting Christians. This was a 120-mile journey, and evidence of Saul s religious fervour and animosity. Verse 3 says that Saul came near Damascus. The phrase came near is also translated at hand [Matthew 3:2; 4:17], and draw nigh [Matthew 15:8; 21:1]. Some say that Saul was just outside the city wall of Damascus. Perhaps a short distance more, and Saul would be where he could carry out his wicked intentions. One can envisage the fear and anxiety of God s people as this zealot drew near the city. But the LORD intervened at His appointed time. Saul was prevented from entering the city. The Psalmist says that the LORD shall preserve His people from all evil: He shall preserve your soul [Psalm 121:7]. Later, Paul would recount that at midday I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun [Acts 26:13a]. It was light that shone brighter than the midday sun, and a voice identifying Himself as Jesus. We can ascertain from this a manifestation of the glory of the risen Christ, appearing to convince an enemy of His ascension, and to change him from sinner to saint, from persecutor to preacher. Paul describes salvation as God commanding the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ [2 Corinthians 4:6]. That day, on the road to Damascus, God saved the Christians from persecution. But God also saved Saul from sinking deeper into sin. He saved Saul from himself. A bright light at the height of noon pierced the darkness of an evil heart. Have you experienced your Damascus moment, when the Lord transformed your life?

5 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? There are several passages in the Bible, where proper names are repeated [Genesis 22:11; 46:2; Exodus 3:4; 1 Samuel 3:10; Matthew 23:37; Luke 10:41; 22:31; Acts 9:4]. There are several reasons for this. First, it is emphatic to get the person s attention. Second, as in God s calling of Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Samuel, it preceded important messages or announcements. Other times, reiteration of names are associated with intense emotions [Luke 6:46; 10:41; 22:31], for example, at the ninth hour upon the cross, when the Lord cried out, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?... My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? [Mark 15:34]. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? The Lord uses this double salutation to awaken Saul to his own sinfulness and to God s mercy. Our Lord Jesus knew Saul as one of His sheep but one who was then behaving like a wolf against other sheep. In love, the Lord thus intervened to save His people. Christ the Lord and His people are one a union which signified that what Saul was doing to these was being done also to Christ. What great encouragement for Christians to know that our Lord is our partner; that when we labour and suffer for the Gospel, He partakes of that suffering with us. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? is the voice of the Lord calling out to a man bent on destroying His people, but this was not a voice of antagonism or displeasure; rather it was the voice of passion and affection. How often has the Lord called? How promptly have we answered? Are we listening to God s voice, so as to hear Him when He speaks? The LORD called out to Samuel, Samuel, Samuel And Samuel s reply was Speak; for Thy servant heareth [1 Samuel 3:10]. Will that also be your answer when God calls?

6 And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Saul of Tarsus, who boasted his Jewish pedigree and religious heritage, was brought to his knees by the bright light and he heard a voice calling his name. In confusion and alarm, he asks, Who art Thou, Lord? Then our Lord revealed Himself to Saul, I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks [Acts 9:5]. Then did Saul realise that the voice was Jesus of Nazareth; that this was a personal manifestation of the Saviour, the very object of Saul s contempt and scorn. Yet now the tables were turned, and Saul on his knees could see nothing but the consummate glory of the Son of God We see the glorious appearance of Christ demonstrating the conversion of Saul by both extraordinary and ordinary means. Saul s conversion was extraordinary in the sense that Jesus was directly manifested. But Saul s conversion was also ordinary because his guilt of sin was brought to his attention, and truth about the Saviour and salvation plainly offered. Jesus said, It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks [Acts 9:5]. This was a common proverb meaning those who kick against the goads or pricks would only be hurting themselves. Saul by his persistence in persecuting Christians and opposing the Gospel, would only hurt himself. The harder he opposed, the worse the outcome for him would be. The same spells true for every person. If we wish to be happy, we cannot live in defiance against God. No man can resist his own conscience or God s will and be happy. This also implies that if we submit to Christ, far from suffering the pricks of our rebellion, we will experience the soothing touch of our Saviour s hands. Blessings come from our submitting to the authority of God.

7 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. It is said that the truest confession comes from the one who stands to lose the most by his confessing. By all measures, Saul had a bright future on account of his Jewish heritage, his Roman citizenship, and his rabbinical training. But here on the road to Damascus, he was given a brighter future. From an enemy of Christ, blinded by zeal and driven by hatred, whose heart was wholly set upon destroying believers of the Gospel, Saul was transformed; he was compelled by truth, constrained by love, and his heart now renewed was wholly set for the Gospel. At that moment, Saul became a new man. It was not long ago that Saul had desired of (the high priest) letters to Damascus to the synagogues [Acts 9:2] so he could arrest believers. That was Saul s desire then. Now Saul asked, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? This is the question that a humbled soul and a contrite spirit will ask. The question reveals Saul s readiness to give himself immediately and wholly to the Lord. The sinner always does his own will. The redeemed, however, surrenders his will to God. This is not to say all Christians will have a clear view of duty, but it does mean that he/she must be willing to go where the Lord leads. It is the surrendered soul that will glorify the Lord. The surrendered heart is also evidence of a real conversion. We would do well to test ourselves and to ask if our hearts and wills are wholly given to the Lord Jesus, to be directed and moulded by Him at His pleasure. John Calvin s personal motto: Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere (Latin); in English, it reads, My heart I offer to You, O Lord, promptly and sincerely.

8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. It was a life-changing wake-up call for Saul. For all his life, he thought he had been doing the right thing, protecting the truth for God and His people. But he was sadly mistaken because God told him so he was persecuting God s people and going against God s will. What followed was three days of blindness. Saul had open eyes but could see nothing. He was blind. His companions had to lead him into Damascus. Saul would be in much fear and confusion then a state which he could not have imagined he would come to when he first embarked on his journey. For three days, Saul was unable to see, and did not eat or drink. Considering the terrible things he had done in the past, perhaps God had allowed these days of solitude so that Saul could really think about his life. Ironically, his past condition was no different from what he is now though his eyes were opened then, he was still hopelessly blinded to the Truth. What about us? Take time to examine our life, even the things that we have been doing in our ministry. It is so easy to fall into a routine and assume all is fine. We may even have allowed the applause of the world to distract and make us believe we are doing well. It is important that we pause, focus and reflect. What is the chief end of our life? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40