WEBVTT

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 Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.

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 Heavenly Father, we who are here this evening to worship You

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 are a testament to Your grace.

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 Lord, not a single one of us deserved this salvation

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 to be brought into fellowship with the living God.

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 And yet You have saved us

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 because You are rich in mercy

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 because of the great love with which You have loved us.

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 And so we ask, Father,

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 now that as we open up Your Word

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 that You would speak to us from Acts chapter 9.

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 Remind us of the grace we have received.

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 Renew our joy of salvation

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 and increase our faith to evangelize the lost.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Acts chapter 9, verses 1 to 31.

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 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder

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 against the disciples of the Lord,

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 went to the high priest

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 and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus

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 so that if he found any belonging to the way,

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 men or women,

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 he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

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 Now, as he went on his way,

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 he approached Damascus

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 and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

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 And falling to the ground,

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 he heard a voice saying to him,

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 Saul, Saul,

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 why are you persecuting me?

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 And he said,

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 who are you, Lord?

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 And he said,

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 I am Jesus,

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 whom you are persecuting.

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 But rise and enter the city

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 and you will be told what you are to do.

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 The men who were traveling with him

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 stood speechless,

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 hearing the voice but seeing no one.

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 Saul rose from the ground

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 and although his eyes were opened,

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 he saw nothing.

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 So they led him by the hand

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 and brought him into Damascus.

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 And for three days he was without sight

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 and neither ate nor drank.

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 Now there was a disciple at Damascus

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 named Ananias.

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 The Lord said to him in a vision,

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 Ananias.

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 And he said,

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 Here I am, Lord.

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 And the Lord said to him,

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 Rise and go to the street called Straight

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 and at the house of Judas

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 look for a man of Tarsus named Saul.

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 For behold, he is praying

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 and he has seen in a vision

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 a man named Ananias

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 come in and lay his hands on him

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 so that he might regain his sight.

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 But Ananias answered,

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 Lord, I have heard from many about this man

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 how much evil he has done

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 to your saints at Jerusalem.

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 And here he has authority

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 from the chief priests

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 to bind all who call on your name.

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 But the Lord said to him,

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 Go,

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 for he is a chosen instrument of mine

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 to carry my name

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 before the Gentiles and kings

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 and the children of Israel.

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 For I will show him

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 how much he must suffer

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 for the sake of my name.

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 So Ananias departed

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 and then entered the house.

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 And laying his hands on him,

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 he said,

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 Brother Saul,

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 the Lord Jesus

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 who appeared to you on the road

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 by which you came

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 has sent me

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 so that you may regain your sight

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 and be filled

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 with the Holy Spirit.

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 And immediately

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 something like scales

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 fell from his eyes

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 and he regained his sight.

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 Then he rose

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 and was baptized

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 and taking food,

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 he was strengthened.

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 For some days

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 he was with the disciples

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 at Damascus.

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 And immediately

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 he proclaimed Jesus

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 in the synagogue

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 saying,

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 He is the Son of God.

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 And all who heard him

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 were amazed

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 and said,

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 Is not this

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 the man

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 who made havoc

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 in Jerusalem

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 of those who called

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 upon this name?

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 And has he not come here

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 for this purpose

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 to bring them bound

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 before the chief priests?

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 But Saul increased

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 all the more

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 in strength

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 and confounded

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 the Jews

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 who lived in Damascus

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 by proving

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 that Jesus was the Christ.

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 While many days had passed,

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 the Jews plotted

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 to kill him.

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 But their plot

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 became known to Saul.

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 They were watching

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 the gates

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 day and night

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 in order to kill him.

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 But his disciples

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 took him by night

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 and led him down

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 through an opening

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 in the wall

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 lowering him

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 in a basket.

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 And when he had

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 come to Jerusalem,

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 he attempted

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 to join the disciples.

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 And they were all

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 afraid of him

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 for they did not believe

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 that he was a disciple.

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 But Barnabas took him

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 and brought him

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 to the apostles

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 and declared to them

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 how on the road

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 he had seen the Lord

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 who spoke to him

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 and how at Damascus

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 he had preached

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 boldly in the name

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 of Jesus.

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 So he went in

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 and out among them

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 at Jerusalem

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 preaching boldly

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 in the name

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 of the Lord.

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 And he spoke

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 and disputed

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 against the Hellenists

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 but they were

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 seeking to kill him.

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 And when the brothers

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 learned this,

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 they brought him down

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 to Caesarea

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 and sent him

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 off to Tarsus.

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 So the church

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 throughout all Judea

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 and Galilee

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 and Samaria

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 had peace

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 and was being built up

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 and walking

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 in the fear

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 of the Lord

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 and in the comfort

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 of the Holy Spirit

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 it multiplied.

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 Take a moment

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 now to think

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 of the most

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 unlikely convert

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 to Christianity

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 whose testimony

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 you have heard.

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 Maybe you count

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 yourself among them.

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 maybe you think

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 of someone

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 like Rosaria

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 Butterfield.

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 She is now

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 a pastor's wife,

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 a homeschooling

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 mother,

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 author,

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 and speaker.

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 But prior

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 to her conversion

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 she was a professor

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 of English

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 and women's studies

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 at Syracuse University

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 living with

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 a lesbian partner

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 and teaching

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 critical theory

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 specializing

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 in queer theory.

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 While researching

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 the religious right

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 and in her own words

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 quote,

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 their politics

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 of hatred

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 against people

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 like me

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 end quote.

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 She met

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 a winsome

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 Christian witness

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 who became

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 her friend

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 and confidant.

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 And after

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 repeatedly reading

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 the Bible

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 in large chunks

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 for her research

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 Rosaria Butterfield

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 converted to Christianity

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 and she details

00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:47.699
 her conversion

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 story in her book

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 The Secret Thoughts

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 of an Unlikely Convert.

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 And she says

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 that after

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 she converted

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 it led to

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 a cataclysmic

00:06:57.740 --> 00:06:58.300
 fallout

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 where she lost

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 quote,

00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:01.180
 everything but

00:07:01.180 --> 00:07:01.639
 the dog.

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 Yet she gained

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 eternal life

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 in Jesus Christ.

00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:09.139
 Or maybe you think

00:07:09.139 --> 00:07:09.740
 of someone like

00:07:09.740 --> 00:07:10.439
 Christopher Yuan

00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:12.459
 who is an author

00:07:12.459 --> 00:07:12.980
 and professor

00:07:12.980 --> 00:07:14.159
 at Moody Bible Institute

00:07:14.159 --> 00:07:15.379
 but prior

00:07:15.379 --> 00:07:16.079
 to his conversion

00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:17.199
 he was promiscuous

00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:18.000
 drug dealer

00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:19.919
 having multiple

00:07:19.919 --> 00:07:20.899
 anonymous sexual

00:07:20.899 --> 00:07:21.379
 encounters

00:07:21.379 --> 00:07:22.480
 every single day

00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:23.639
 and selling drugs

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 in 11 states

00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:26.420
 until he got busted

00:07:26.420 --> 00:07:27.800
 and was floundering

00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:28.300
 in jail

00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:29.219
 with the diagnosis

00:07:29.219 --> 00:07:29.819
 of AIDS.

00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:33.620
 That's when

00:07:33.620 --> 00:07:34.279
 he encountered

00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:34.719
 Christ

00:07:34.719 --> 00:07:35.519
 through his word.

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 Or maybe you think

00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:38.759
 of someone like

00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:39.360
 John Newton

00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:41.459
 who was a licentious

00:07:41.459 --> 00:07:42.319
 Navy man

00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:44.040
 working as a

00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:45.279
 slave trader

00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:46.899
 before

00:07:46.899 --> 00:07:48.279
 he was converted.

00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:50.540
 And after his conversion

00:07:50.540 --> 00:07:51.319
 he wrote the famous

00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:52.680
 words of the hymn

00:07:52.680 --> 00:07:53.819
 Amazing Grace

00:07:53.819 --> 00:07:55.659
 how sweet the sound

00:07:55.659 --> 00:07:57.060
 that saved a wretch

00:07:57.060 --> 00:07:57.779
 like me.

00:07:58.540 --> 00:08:00.079
 I once was lost

00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:00.920
 but now

00:08:00.920 --> 00:08:02.139
 am found.

00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:03.939
 Was blind

00:08:03.939 --> 00:08:05.620
 but now I see.

00:08:08.219 --> 00:08:09.259
 This passage

00:08:09.259 --> 00:08:10.019
 is one of these

00:08:10.019 --> 00:08:10.819
 stories.

00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:12.039
 It teaches us

00:08:12.039 --> 00:08:13.019
 that the Lord Jesus

00:08:13.019 --> 00:08:14.039
 sovereignly

00:08:14.039 --> 00:08:14.819
 and graciously

00:08:14.819 --> 00:08:15.680
 gives sight

00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:16.519
 to the blind

00:08:16.519 --> 00:08:18.519
 so that they might

00:08:18.519 --> 00:08:19.500
 speak of his name.

00:08:19.500 --> 00:08:21.139
 that Jesus

00:08:21.139 --> 00:08:21.879
 gives sight

00:08:21.879 --> 00:08:22.420
 to blind

00:08:22.420 --> 00:08:22.839
 sinners

00:08:22.839 --> 00:08:23.420
 so that they

00:08:23.420 --> 00:08:24.000
 might speak

00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:24.480
 of his name.

00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:24.899
 So we're going to

00:08:24.899 --> 00:08:25.660
 first talk about

00:08:25.660 --> 00:08:26.480
 Paul as an

00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:27.600
 unlikely convert

00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:28.759
 about seeing

00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:29.620
 Jesus in verses

00:08:29.620 --> 00:08:30.360
 1 to 19

00:08:30.360 --> 00:08:31.500
 and then we'll

00:08:31.500 --> 00:08:31.839
 talk about

00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:32.360
 an unlikely

00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:32.919
 servant

00:08:32.919 --> 00:08:33.980
 speaking of

00:08:33.980 --> 00:08:34.259
 Jesus

00:08:34.259 --> 00:08:34.960
 verses 19

00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:35.519
 to 31.

00:08:36.580 --> 00:08:37.500
 In the last

00:08:37.500 --> 00:08:38.179
 verse of chapter

00:08:38.179 --> 00:08:39.039
 8 we saw

00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:39.480
 that Philip

00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:40.120
 was engaged

00:08:40.120 --> 00:08:40.600
 in preaching

00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:41.120
 the gospel

00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:41.879
 to all the

00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:42.139
 towns

00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:43.159
 from Azotus

00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:43.840
 to Caesarea.

00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:45.060
 That's the

00:08:45.060 --> 00:08:45.879
 verse immediately

00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:46.560
 preceding this

00:08:46.560 --> 00:08:46.879
 chapter.

00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:48.100
 And the

00:08:48.100 --> 00:08:48.840
 first verse

00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:49.259
 of chapter

00:08:49.259 --> 00:08:50.100
 9 offers

00:08:50.100 --> 00:08:50.639
 a sharp

00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:51.300
 contrast

00:08:51.300 --> 00:08:52.700
 but Saul

00:08:52.700 --> 00:08:53.180
 so that's

00:08:53.180 --> 00:08:53.700
 contrasting

00:08:53.700 --> 00:08:54.120
 Saul from

00:08:54.120 --> 00:08:54.420
 Philip

00:08:54.420 --> 00:08:55.320
 but Saul

00:08:55.320 --> 00:08:56.379
 still breathing

00:08:56.379 --> 00:08:56.980
 threats and

00:08:56.980 --> 00:08:57.480
 murder against

00:08:57.480 --> 00:08:57.960
 the disciples

00:08:57.960 --> 00:08:58.560
 of the Lord

00:08:58.560 --> 00:08:59.480
 went to the

00:08:59.480 --> 00:09:00.019
 high priest

00:09:00.019 --> 00:09:00.460
 and asked

00:09:00.460 --> 00:09:00.759
 him for

00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:01.160
 letters to

00:09:01.160 --> 00:09:01.700
 the synagogues

00:09:01.700 --> 00:09:02.360
 of Damascus

00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:03.320
 so that if

00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:03.740
 he found

00:09:03.740 --> 00:09:04.300
 any belonging

00:09:04.300 --> 00:09:05.000
 to the way

00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:05.680
 men or women

00:09:05.680 --> 00:09:06.240
 he might bring

00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:06.720
 them bound

00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:07.259
 to Jerusalem.

00:09:08.220 --> 00:09:08.700
 This is the

00:09:08.700 --> 00:09:09.540
 Saul who is

00:09:09.540 --> 00:09:10.160
 better known

00:09:10.160 --> 00:09:11.139
 by his Roman

00:09:11.139 --> 00:09:11.879
 name Paul

00:09:11.879 --> 00:09:12.900
 the apostle

00:09:12.899 --> 00:09:13.259
 Paul

00:09:13.259 --> 00:09:13.799
 soon to be

00:09:13.799 --> 00:09:14.500
 apostle Paul

00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:16.240
 recall that

00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:17.779
 in chapter

00:09:17.779 --> 00:09:18.559
 8 verse 3

00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:19.100
 we were told

00:09:19.100 --> 00:09:19.519
 that Saul

00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:20.019
 was already

00:09:20.019 --> 00:09:20.779
 ravaging the

00:09:20.779 --> 00:09:21.819
 church in

00:09:21.819 --> 00:09:22.199
 Jerusalem

00:09:22.199 --> 00:09:23.059
 he was entering

00:09:23.059 --> 00:09:23.919
 house after

00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:24.959
 house and

00:09:24.959 --> 00:09:25.699
 dragging off

00:09:25.699 --> 00:09:26.159
 men and

00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:27.059
 women and

00:09:27.059 --> 00:09:27.939
 committing them

00:09:27.939 --> 00:09:28.379
 to prison.

00:09:29.319 --> 00:09:29.699
 He wasn't

00:09:29.699 --> 00:09:30.299
 content to

00:09:30.299 --> 00:09:30.980
 just raise

00:09:30.980 --> 00:09:31.799
 the large

00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:32.480
 public gatherings

00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:32.899
 of the

00:09:32.899 --> 00:09:33.720
 Christians

00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:35.000
 of the church

00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:35.959
 he actually

00:09:35.959 --> 00:09:36.600
 interrogated

00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:36.960
 people to

00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:37.419
 find out

00:09:37.419 --> 00:09:37.759
 where these

00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:38.379
 Christians lived

00:09:38.379 --> 00:09:38.720
 and went

00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:39.279
 in house to

00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:40.000
 house to

00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:40.480
 drag them

00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:41.220
 against their

00:09:41.220 --> 00:09:41.879
 will out of

00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:42.240
 their own

00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:42.600
 homes

00:09:42.600 --> 00:09:43.360
 to take

00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:43.759
 them to

00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:44.120
 prison.

00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:46.399
 And Saul's

00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:48.000
 rampage here

00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:49.420
 expands even

00:09:49.420 --> 00:09:50.360
 further in

00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:51.019
 chapter 9

00:09:51.019 --> 00:09:52.180
 not content

00:09:52.180 --> 00:09:53.080
 with getting

00:09:53.080 --> 00:09:53.700
 the Christians

00:09:53.700 --> 00:09:54.440
 and committing

00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:55.019
 them to prison

00:09:55.019 --> 00:09:55.700
 in Jerusalem

00:09:55.700 --> 00:09:56.820
 he now gets

00:09:56.820 --> 00:09:57.680
 permission from

00:09:57.680 --> 00:09:58.279
 the high priest

00:09:58.279 --> 00:09:58.960
 to go beyond

00:09:58.960 --> 00:09:59.920
 Jerusalem to

00:09:59.920 --> 00:10:00.700
 Damascus which

00:10:00.700 --> 00:10:02.879
 was 135 miles

00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:03.680
 northeast of

00:10:03.680 --> 00:10:04.019
 Jerusalem.

00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:05.820
 A six days

00:10:05.820 --> 00:10:06.460
 journey by

00:10:06.460 --> 00:10:06.820
 foot.

00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:09.340
 That's quite a

00:10:09.340 --> 00:10:10.259
 breath that he's

00:10:10.259 --> 00:10:10.840
 trying to cover

00:10:10.840 --> 00:10:12.280
 to find all

00:10:12.280 --> 00:10:13.019
 those belonging

00:10:13.019 --> 00:10:13.560
 to the way

00:10:13.560 --> 00:10:14.060
 in order to

00:10:14.060 --> 00:10:14.879
 tie them up

00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:15.980
 and to drag

00:10:15.980 --> 00:10:16.340
 them to

00:10:16.340 --> 00:10:16.960
 Jerusalem for

00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:17.920
 trial and

00:10:17.920 --> 00:10:18.519
 imprisonment.

00:10:19.660 --> 00:10:20.320
 This is the

00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:21.420
 first time in

00:10:21.420 --> 00:10:21.860
 the book of

00:10:21.860 --> 00:10:22.240
 Acts that

00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:22.800
 Christians are

00:10:22.800 --> 00:10:23.480
 described as

00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:24.240
 followers of

00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:24.540
 the way

00:10:24.540 --> 00:10:25.220
 those belonging

00:10:25.220 --> 00:10:26.060
 to the way.

00:10:26.800 --> 00:10:27.280
 This is an

00:10:27.280 --> 00:10:28.180
 insightful metaphor

00:10:28.180 --> 00:10:28.840
 for what it

00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:29.420
 means to be a

00:10:29.420 --> 00:10:29.759
 Christian.

00:10:30.540 --> 00:10:31.320
 First it means

00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:31.860
 that Christians

00:10:31.860 --> 00:10:32.879
 have discovered

00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:34.139
 the way of

00:10:34.139 --> 00:10:34.720
 salvation.

00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:36.060
 Acts 16

00:10:36.060 --> 00:10:36.879
 17 puts it

00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:37.240
 that way.

00:10:37.780 --> 00:10:38.300
 Jesus had

00:10:38.299 --> 00:10:38.699
 said in

00:10:38.699 --> 00:10:39.459
 John 14

00:10:39.459 --> 00:10:39.939
 verse 6

00:10:39.939 --> 00:10:40.699
 I am

00:10:40.699 --> 00:10:41.379
 the way

00:10:41.379 --> 00:10:42.339
 the truth

00:10:42.339 --> 00:10:42.659
 and the

00:10:42.659 --> 00:10:42.899
 life.

00:10:43.459 --> 00:10:43.799
 No one

00:10:43.799 --> 00:10:44.240
 comes to

00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:44.599
 the Father

00:10:44.599 --> 00:10:45.279
 except through

00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:45.579
 me.

00:10:46.259 --> 00:10:46.719
 So Jesus

00:10:46.719 --> 00:10:47.299
 say is the

00:10:47.299 --> 00:10:47.699
 way of

00:10:47.699 --> 00:10:48.439
 salvation and

00:10:48.439 --> 00:10:49.159
 to belong to

00:10:49.159 --> 00:10:49.479
 the way

00:10:49.479 --> 00:10:50.399
 means we

00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:51.139
 are on the

00:10:51.139 --> 00:10:51.799
 way there.

00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:52.559
 We are

00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:53.019
 a follower

00:10:53.019 --> 00:10:53.579
 of Jesus.

00:10:55.179 --> 00:10:55.859
 We've not

00:10:55.859 --> 00:10:57.000
 arrived but

00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:57.479
 we're on the

00:10:57.479 --> 00:10:57.679
 way.

00:10:58.779 --> 00:10:59.319
 Second to

00:10:59.319 --> 00:10:59.839
 belong to

00:10:59.839 --> 00:11:00.539
 the way is

00:11:00.539 --> 00:11:01.459
 to adopt a

00:11:01.459 --> 00:11:02.299
 new way of

00:11:02.299 --> 00:11:02.740
 life.

00:11:03.839 --> 00:11:04.439
 Second Peter

00:11:04.439 --> 00:11:05.159
 chapter 2

00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:05.719
 verse 21

00:11:05.719 --> 00:11:06.740
 speaks of the

00:11:06.740 --> 00:11:07.359
 way of

00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:07.860
 righteousness.

00:11:08.700 --> 00:11:09.240
 Acts chapter

00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:10.080
 18 25

00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:10.620
 to 26

00:11:10.620 --> 00:11:11.159
 speaks of

00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:11.960
 being instructed

00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:12.560
 in the

00:11:12.560 --> 00:11:13.139
 way of

00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:13.580
 the Lord.

00:11:14.820 --> 00:11:15.220
 And finally

00:11:15.220 --> 00:11:15.899
 Jesus had

00:11:15.899 --> 00:11:16.360
 warned in

00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:16.899
 Matthew 7

00:11:16.899 --> 00:11:17.860
 14 against

00:11:17.860 --> 00:11:18.700
 following the

00:11:18.700 --> 00:11:19.899
 easy way and

00:11:19.899 --> 00:11:21.940
 told us to

00:11:21.940 --> 00:11:22.300
 go to the

00:11:22.300 --> 00:11:22.980
 hard way that

00:11:22.980 --> 00:11:23.340
 leads to

00:11:23.340 --> 00:11:23.600
 life.

00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:24.980
 So to

00:11:24.980 --> 00:11:25.560
 belong to

00:11:25.560 --> 00:11:26.480
 the way is

00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:27.139
 to walk in

00:11:27.139 --> 00:11:27.759
 accordance with

00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:28.279
 the teachings

00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:28.879
 of Jesus

00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:29.259
 Christ.

00:11:30.539 --> 00:11:31.200
 And Saul

00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:31.879
 as you can

00:11:31.879 --> 00:11:32.500
 see here was

00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:33.620
 decidedly not

00:11:33.620 --> 00:11:34.759
 following the

00:11:34.759 --> 00:11:34.940
 way.

00:11:36.220 --> 00:11:37.139
 In fact he

00:11:37.139 --> 00:11:37.840
 wasn't even

00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:39.179
 slowing, slowly

00:11:39.179 --> 00:11:40.120
 turning toward

00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:41.100
 Jesus.

00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:42.000
 He was

00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:43.139
 running headlong

00:11:43.139 --> 00:11:44.220
 in the opposite

00:11:44.220 --> 00:11:45.279
 direction.

00:11:46.319 --> 00:11:47.019
 100 miles

00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:47.360
 per hour.

00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:50.639
 The word

00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:51.559
 way occurs

00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:52.279
 several times

00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:53.000
 in this passage.

00:11:53.539 --> 00:11:54.039
 Both verses

00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:55.100
 17 and 27

00:11:55.100 --> 00:11:55.980
 tell us that

00:11:55.980 --> 00:11:56.679
 Saul encountered

00:11:56.679 --> 00:11:57.840
 Jesus on the

00:11:57.840 --> 00:11:58.240
 road.

00:11:58.580 --> 00:11:59.159
 Same word,

00:11:59.259 --> 00:12:00.159
 on the way.

00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:02.259
 And what

00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:03.120
 way was

00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:04.019
 Saul on?

00:12:04.439 --> 00:12:05.220
 He was not

00:12:05.220 --> 00:12:05.800
 on the way

00:12:05.800 --> 00:12:06.379
 to Christ.

00:12:06.820 --> 00:12:07.360
 He was on

00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:07.960
 his way to

00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:08.820
 Damascus so

00:12:08.820 --> 00:12:09.519
 he could round

00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:10.060
 up more

00:12:10.060 --> 00:12:10.920
 Christians and

00:12:10.920 --> 00:12:11.620
 put them to

00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:12.220
 prison and

00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:12.700
 hoping that

00:12:12.700 --> 00:12:13.040
 some of them

00:12:13.040 --> 00:12:13.279
 will be

00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:13.720
 killed.

00:12:15.139 --> 00:12:15.580
 But it

00:12:15.580 --> 00:12:15.920
 says in

00:12:15.920 --> 00:12:16.460
 verse 3,

00:12:16.580 --> 00:12:17.100
 now as

00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:17.720
 he went

00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:18.480
 on his

00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:19.120
 way he

00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:19.580
 approached

00:12:19.580 --> 00:12:20.300
 Damascus and

00:12:20.300 --> 00:12:21.080
 suddenly a

00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:21.580
 light from

00:12:21.580 --> 00:12:22.620
 heaven shone

00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:23.320
 around him.

00:12:24.139 --> 00:12:24.680
 The light

00:12:24.680 --> 00:12:25.240
 of Christ

00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:26.480
 intercepts

00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:27.100
 Saul while

00:12:27.100 --> 00:12:27.600
 he is on

00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:27.920
 the wrong

00:12:27.920 --> 00:12:28.200
 way.

00:12:30.019 --> 00:12:30.700
 I've seen

00:12:30.700 --> 00:12:32.240
 some media

00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:32.940
 depictions of

00:12:32.940 --> 00:12:33.279
 Saul's

00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:34.779
 conversion where

00:12:34.779 --> 00:12:35.120
 he is

00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:36.759
 portrayed as

00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:38.199
 reflective and

00:12:38.199 --> 00:12:39.299
 remorseful after

00:12:39.299 --> 00:12:40.519
 witnessing Stephen's

00:12:40.519 --> 00:12:41.620
 courageous martyrdom

00:12:41.620 --> 00:12:43.100
 and gradually

00:12:43.100 --> 00:12:44.279
 realizes the

00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:45.240
 error of his

00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:45.600
 ways.

00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:47.279
 But that's not

00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:47.839
 the picture that

00:12:47.839 --> 00:12:48.319
 we see in the

00:12:48.319 --> 00:12:48.539
 Bible.

00:12:50.319 --> 00:12:51.500
 Saul is still

00:12:51.500 --> 00:12:53.379
 breathing threats

00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:54.339
 and murder against

00:12:54.339 --> 00:12:55.039
 the disciples of

00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:55.379
 the Lord.

00:12:56.500 --> 00:12:57.360
 Saul is living

00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:58.319
 and breathing

00:12:58.319 --> 00:12:59.539
 persecution and

00:12:59.539 --> 00:13:00.039
 murder of

00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:00.419
 Christians.

00:13:01.319 --> 00:13:02.240
 His life is

00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:03.779
 consumed by

00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:04.659
 this zeal to

00:13:04.659 --> 00:13:05.959
 exterminate the

00:13:05.959 --> 00:13:06.720
 Jesus movement.

00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:10.600
 In Acts 26

00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:11.579
 verse 14 when

00:13:11.579 --> 00:13:12.339
 Saul is recounting

00:13:12.339 --> 00:13:12.839
 his testimony

00:13:12.839 --> 00:13:14.100
 again he says

00:13:14.100 --> 00:13:14.480
 that Jesus

00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:15.199
 appeared to him

00:13:15.199 --> 00:13:15.519
 and said,

00:13:15.819 --> 00:13:16.240
 Saul, Saul,

00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:16.919
 why are you

00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:17.679
 persecuting me?

00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:18.539
 It is hard for

00:13:18.539 --> 00:13:19.579
 you to kick

00:13:19.579 --> 00:13:20.299
 against the

00:13:20.299 --> 00:13:20.639
 goats.

00:13:21.579 --> 00:13:22.000
 This is a

00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:22.659
 proverb that

00:13:22.659 --> 00:13:23.559
 expresses the

00:13:23.559 --> 00:13:24.679
 ultimate futility

00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:25.620
 of resisting

00:13:25.620 --> 00:13:26.360
 God's will.

00:13:27.579 --> 00:13:27.980
 Goads were

00:13:27.980 --> 00:13:28.879
 sharp sticks that

00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:29.779
 farmers used to

00:13:29.779 --> 00:13:31.799
 prod oxen and

00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:32.500
 if the oxen

00:13:32.500 --> 00:13:33.159
 were resistant

00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:33.500
 they would

00:13:33.500 --> 00:13:34.179
 kick back

00:13:34.179 --> 00:13:35.539
 but ultimately

00:13:35.539 --> 00:13:37.039
 it would make

00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:37.659
 the farmers to

00:13:37.659 --> 00:13:38.259
 prod them only

00:13:38.259 --> 00:13:38.720
 harder.

00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:39.539
 It would be

00:13:39.539 --> 00:13:40.059
 futile.

00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:43.179
 Jesus is telling

00:13:43.179 --> 00:13:44.279
 Saul that his

00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:45.600
 efforts to stamp

00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:46.259
 out the gospel

00:13:46.259 --> 00:13:47.440
 and resist God's

00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:48.379
 will is ultimately

00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:49.299
 futile.

00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:51.679
 Saul was not

00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:52.740
 gradually coming

00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:53.659
 to his senses.

00:13:54.179 --> 00:13:54.919
 He was kicking

00:13:54.919 --> 00:13:55.960
 and screaming

00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:57.539
 against the will

00:13:57.539 --> 00:13:58.039
 of the Lord

00:13:58.039 --> 00:13:59.440
 and it's precisely

00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:00.800
 at that moment

00:14:00.800 --> 00:14:02.840
 that the Lord

00:14:02.840 --> 00:14:04.080
 Jesus intervenes

00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:06.100
 and turns

00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:06.700
 Saul's life

00:14:06.700 --> 00:14:07.480
 around 180

00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:07.960
 degrees.

00:14:11.040 --> 00:14:11.880
 Isn't that how

00:14:11.880 --> 00:14:12.600
 God saves

00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:13.340
 every single

00:14:13.340 --> 00:14:13.920
 one of us?

00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:17.560
 Romans 5,

00:14:17.640 --> 00:14:18.260
 6 to 11

00:14:18.260 --> 00:14:19.040
 tells us that

00:14:19.040 --> 00:14:20.260
 while we were

00:14:20.260 --> 00:14:21.280
 still weak,

00:14:22.380 --> 00:14:23.580
 while we were

00:14:23.580 --> 00:14:24.580
 still sinners,

00:14:25.280 --> 00:14:26.320
 while we were

00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:27.820
 enemies of God,

00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:29.160
 that Christ

00:14:29.160 --> 00:14:30.400
 died for us

00:14:30.400 --> 00:14:31.100
 to reconcile

00:14:31.100 --> 00:14:31.720
 us to God

00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:32.440
 by his death.

00:14:34.540 --> 00:14:35.440
 Ephesians 2,

00:14:35.560 --> 00:14:36.140
 1 to 10

00:14:36.140 --> 00:14:36.820
 tell us that

00:14:36.820 --> 00:14:38.440
 even when we

00:14:38.440 --> 00:14:39.240
 were dead

00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.460
 in our trespasses,

00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:41.480
 following the

00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:42.120
 course of this

00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:42.360
 world,

00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:42.900
 following the

00:14:42.900 --> 00:14:43.560
 prince of the

00:14:43.560 --> 00:14:44.140
 power of the

00:14:44.140 --> 00:14:44.480
 air,

00:14:45.780 --> 00:14:46.760
 living according

00:14:46.760 --> 00:14:47.460
 to the desires

00:14:47.460 --> 00:14:48.280
 of the flesh,

00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:49.560
 God,

00:14:49.700 --> 00:14:50.500
 not because

00:14:50.500 --> 00:14:51.560
 he saw some

00:14:51.560 --> 00:14:53.240
 hidden redeeming

00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:54.300
 qualities in us,

00:14:55.740 --> 00:14:56.640
 not because

00:14:56.640 --> 00:14:57.320
 he detected

00:14:57.320 --> 00:14:58.320
 some faint

00:14:58.320 --> 00:14:59.520
 moral merit,

00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:01.700
 but because

00:15:01.700 --> 00:15:03.100
 he is rich

00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:03.760
 in mercy,

00:15:04.920 --> 00:15:05.879
 and because

00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:07.180
 he loved us

00:15:07.180 --> 00:15:07.940
 with a great

00:15:07.940 --> 00:15:08.320
 love,

00:15:08.680 --> 00:15:09.220
 he made us

00:15:09.220 --> 00:15:10.480
 alive together

00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:11.360
 with Jesus.

00:15:13.580 --> 00:15:14.840
 We were all

00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:15.379
 going in the

00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:15.920
 wrong direction

00:15:15.920 --> 00:15:18.240
 when God

00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:19.379
 intercepted us

00:15:19.379 --> 00:15:21.480
 on the way

00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:22.760
 and turned us

00:15:22.760 --> 00:15:23.820
 around to the

00:15:23.820 --> 00:15:24.460
 way of Christ.

00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:24.519
 Christ.

00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:26.480
 This is the

00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:27.040
 way God

00:15:27.040 --> 00:15:27.639
 intercepts

00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:28.120
 Saul on

00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:28.440
 his way

00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:29.180
 to Damascus,

00:15:29.300 --> 00:15:29.519
 and the

00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:30.000
 light from

00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:30.379
 heaven that

00:15:30.379 --> 00:15:31.220
 shone around

00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:31.860
 him indicates

00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:32.460
 the presence

00:15:32.460 --> 00:15:32.960
 of God,

00:15:33.060 --> 00:15:33.639
 the appearance

00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:34.160
 of God.

00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:35.840
 God,

00:15:35.920 --> 00:15:36.280
 according to

00:15:36.280 --> 00:15:37.700
 1 Timothy 6,

00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:38.280
 16 says,

00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:39.120
 dwells in

00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:40.080
 unapproachable

00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:40.440
 light.

00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:41.580
 And later

00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:42.460
 in chapter 26,

00:15:42.820 --> 00:15:43.740
 Paul describes

00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:44.620
 this light as

00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:45.420
 brighter than

00:15:45.420 --> 00:15:45.920
 the sun.

00:15:47.660 --> 00:15:48.400
 So after

00:15:48.400 --> 00:15:49.100
 this report

00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:49.680
 of seeing

00:15:49.680 --> 00:15:50.800
 this blazing

00:15:50.800 --> 00:15:51.240
 light,

00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:52.159
 you would

00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:52.740
 expect the

00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:54.620
 description of

00:15:54.620 --> 00:15:55.700
 Saul seeing

00:15:55.700 --> 00:15:56.560
 the form of

00:15:56.560 --> 00:15:56.860
 Jesus.

00:15:58.259 --> 00:15:59.060
 But there's

00:15:59.060 --> 00:15:59.519
 no such

00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:00.419
 report after

00:16:00.419 --> 00:16:00.940
 the light.

00:16:02.220 --> 00:16:02.519
 Instead,

00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:03.240
 what we find

00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:04.000
 in verses 49

00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:05.360
 is a report

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:06.360
 of what Saul

00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:06.919
 and the man

00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:07.460
 with him

00:16:07.460 --> 00:16:08.100
 heard.

00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:10.879
 Please pay

00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:11.440
 attention to

00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:11.940
 words that

00:16:11.940 --> 00:16:12.340
 point to

00:16:12.340 --> 00:16:13.120
 seeing and

00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:13.720
 hearing in

00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:14.519
 verses 47.

00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:15.879
 And falling

00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:16.440
 to the ground,

00:16:16.539 --> 00:16:17.980
 he heard a

00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:18.720
 voice saying

00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:19.180
 to him,

00:16:19.899 --> 00:16:20.240
 Saul,

00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:20.759
 Saul,

00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:21.419
 why are you

00:16:21.419 --> 00:16:22.019
 persecuting

00:16:22.019 --> 00:16:22.240
 me?

00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:22.860
 And he said,

00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:23.500
 who are you,

00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:23.759
 Lord?

00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:24.580
 And he said,

00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:25.159
 I am Jesus

00:16:25.159 --> 00:16:25.740
 whom you are

00:16:25.740 --> 00:16:26.379
 persecuting.

00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:27.980
 But rise and

00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:28.500
 enter the city

00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:28.840
 and you will

00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:30.180
 be told what

00:16:30.180 --> 00:16:30.820
 you are to do.

00:16:31.820 --> 00:16:32.500
 The men who

00:16:32.500 --> 00:16:32.940
 were traveling

00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:33.560
 with him stood

00:16:33.560 --> 00:16:34.240
 speechless,

00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:35.879
 hearing the

00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:36.720
 voice but

00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:37.919
 seeing no one.

00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:39.680
 Saul rose

00:16:39.680 --> 00:16:40.379
 from the ground

00:16:40.379 --> 00:16:41.299
 and although

00:16:41.299 --> 00:16:42.180
 his eyes were

00:16:42.180 --> 00:16:42.620
 opened,

00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:43.799
 he saw

00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:44.600
 nothing.

00:16:45.580 --> 00:16:46.220
 So they led

00:16:46.220 --> 00:16:47.039
 him by the

00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:47.580
 hand and

00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:47.980
 brought him

00:16:47.980 --> 00:16:48.740
 into Damascus

00:16:48.740 --> 00:16:49.399
 and for three

00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:49.919
 days,

00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:50.560
 he was

00:16:50.560 --> 00:16:51.600
 without sight

00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:53.060
 and neither

00:16:53.060 --> 00:16:53.539
 ate nor

00:16:53.539 --> 00:16:53.860
 drank.

00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:55.659
 It says

00:16:55.659 --> 00:16:56.180
 here that

00:16:56.180 --> 00:16:56.539
 Saul's

00:16:56.539 --> 00:16:57.019
 companions

00:16:57.019 --> 00:16:57.639
 heard a

00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:58.200
 voice but

00:16:58.200 --> 00:16:59.039
 saw no

00:16:59.039 --> 00:16:59.399
 one.

00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:00.720
 Later in

00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:01.180
 Acts chapter

00:17:01.180 --> 00:17:01.759
 22 verse

00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:02.200
 9 when

00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:02.500
 Saul is

00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:03.000
 recounting

00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:03.680
 this story

00:17:03.680 --> 00:17:04.039
 again,

00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:04.720
 he says

00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.099
 those who

00:17:05.099 --> 00:17:05.500
 were with

00:17:05.500 --> 00:17:06.420
 him saw

00:17:06.420 --> 00:17:07.160
 the light

00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:08.099
 but did

00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:09.000
 not understand

00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:09.900
 the voice

00:17:09.900 --> 00:17:10.620
 of the one

00:17:10.620 --> 00:17:10.839
 who was

00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:11.299
 speaking to

00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:11.519
 him,

00:17:11.819 --> 00:17:12.180
 which is

00:17:12.180 --> 00:17:12.519
 flipped.

00:17:13.620 --> 00:17:14.279
 This seems

00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:14.759
 like a

00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:15.220
 contradiction

00:17:15.220 --> 00:17:15.640
 on the

00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:16.240
 surface but

00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:16.980
 both accounts

00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:17.519
 are actually

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.480
 highlighting that

00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:19.240
 the revelation

00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:20.000
 of Jesus

00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:21.180
 Christ was

00:17:21.180 --> 00:17:21.960
 reserved for

00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:23.180
 Saul alone.

00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:25.299
 Saul's

00:17:25.299 --> 00:17:26.539
 companions saw

00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:27.140
 the heavenly

00:17:27.140 --> 00:17:28.240
 light but

00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:28.740
 did not

00:17:28.740 --> 00:17:29.660
 perceive that

00:17:29.660 --> 00:17:30.259
 the light was

00:17:30.259 --> 00:17:31.400
 the glory of

00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:31.759
 the risen

00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:32.259
 Christ.

00:17:33.860 --> 00:17:35.120
 They heard

00:17:35.120 --> 00:17:36.460
 the voice but

00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:37.000
 they did not

00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:38.680
 understand what

00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:39.700
 Jesus was saying

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:40.480
 as Saul did.

00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:43.500
 so while this

00:17:43.500 --> 00:17:44.180
 encounter with

00:17:44.180 --> 00:17:45.259
 Jesus occurs

00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:46.160
 in public and

00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:46.579
 there are

00:17:46.579 --> 00:17:47.559
 witnesses who

00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:48.319
 can corroborate

00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:49.140
 this extraordinary

00:17:49.140 --> 00:17:49.720
 phenomenon,

00:17:50.120 --> 00:17:51.099
 this meeting is

00:17:51.099 --> 00:17:52.480
 also private

00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:53.799
 and personal.

00:17:55.579 --> 00:17:56.799
 It's between

00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:57.680
 Jesus and

00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:57.860
 Saul.

00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:01.779
 Jesus is

00:18:01.779 --> 00:18:02.799
 revealing himself

00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:04.700
 personally and

00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:06.200
 specially to

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:06.500
 Saul.

00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:09.440
 Isn't that an

00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.259
 amazing grace?

00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:11.539
 that the

00:18:11.539 --> 00:18:11.960
 God who

00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:12.900
 created the

00:18:12.900 --> 00:18:13.740
 cosmos and

00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:14.640
 sustains it

00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:15.420
 by his

00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:16.259
 might is

00:18:16.259 --> 00:18:16.920
 not too

00:18:16.920 --> 00:18:18.059
 busy or

00:18:18.059 --> 00:18:19.220
 preoccupied to

00:18:19.220 --> 00:18:19.759
 attend

00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:21.039
 individually

00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:22.440
 to us.

00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:24.140
 This was

00:18:24.140 --> 00:18:24.720
 the case when

00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:25.360
 each of us

00:18:25.360 --> 00:18:25.980
 came to know

00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:26.740
 and believe in

00:18:26.740 --> 00:18:27.000
 the Lord

00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:27.660
 Jesus for the

00:18:27.660 --> 00:18:28.180
 first time.

00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:29.839
 You may

00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:30.759
 have heard a

00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:31.279
 sermon that

00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:31.839
 was preached

00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:32.559
 to a crowd

00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:33.039
 of people

00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:34.360
 but the

00:18:34.360 --> 00:18:35.019
 Lord Jesus

00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:35.920
 was speaking

00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:36.980
 personally

00:18:36.980 --> 00:18:38.759
 and specially

00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:40.079
 to you.

00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:45.460
 Luke employs

00:18:45.460 --> 00:18:46.420
 a motif of

00:18:46.420 --> 00:18:47.059
 blindness and

00:18:47.059 --> 00:18:47.799
 sight here as

00:18:47.799 --> 00:18:48.779
 a metaphor for

00:18:48.779 --> 00:18:49.980
 spiritual blindness

00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:50.480
 and sight.

00:18:51.059 --> 00:18:52.059
 He did this in

00:18:52.059 --> 00:18:53.180
 his gospel as

00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:53.519
 well in the

00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.180
 gospel of Luke.

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:55.519
 In Luke

00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.059
 chapter 4,

00:18:56.099 --> 00:18:56.799
 18 to 19,

00:18:56.920 --> 00:18:57.480
 he says that

00:18:57.480 --> 00:18:58.039
 the central

00:18:58.039 --> 00:18:58.660
 aspect of

00:18:58.660 --> 00:18:58.980
 Jesus'

00:18:59.180 --> 00:18:59.960
 mission is

00:18:59.960 --> 00:19:00.460
 to recover

00:19:00.460 --> 00:19:01.299
 the sight

00:19:01.299 --> 00:19:01.980
 to the

00:19:01.980 --> 00:19:02.299
 blind.

00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:04.660
 And Jesus

00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:05.160
 does this

00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:06.019
 both literally

00:19:06.019 --> 00:19:06.860
 and even

00:19:06.860 --> 00:19:07.460
 more importantly

00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:09.160
 figuratively

00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:09.620
 throughout the

00:19:09.620 --> 00:19:10.080
 gospel of

00:19:10.080 --> 00:19:10.300
 Luke.

00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:11.380
 In Luke

00:19:11.380 --> 00:19:12.000
 chapter 6,

00:19:12.080 --> 00:19:12.580
 verse 39

00:19:12.580 --> 00:19:13.060
 to 40,

00:19:13.140 --> 00:19:13.759
 he uses a

00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:14.880
 parable to

00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:15.279
 refer to

00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:15.860
 spiritual

00:19:15.860 --> 00:19:16.320
 blindness,

00:19:17.100 --> 00:19:17.440
 saying that

00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:18.140
 a blind man

00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:18.800
 cannot lead

00:19:18.800 --> 00:19:19.440
 a blind man.

00:19:20.060 --> 00:19:20.440
 And then in

00:19:20.440 --> 00:19:20.960
 Luke 8,

00:19:21.080 --> 00:19:22.960
 verse 10,

00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:23.940
 Jesus mentions

00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:24.340
 those who are

00:19:24.340 --> 00:19:25.120
 seeing yet

00:19:25.120 --> 00:19:26.019
 do not see.

00:19:26.900 --> 00:19:27.340
 And that

00:19:27.340 --> 00:19:28.000
 motif of

00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:28.640
 blindness and

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.120
 seeing comes

00:19:29.120 --> 00:19:29.940
 to a climax

00:19:29.940 --> 00:19:30.620
 in Luke

00:19:30.620 --> 00:19:31.400
 chapter 24,

00:19:31.980 --> 00:19:32.420
 where on

00:19:32.420 --> 00:19:32.840
 the road

00:19:32.840 --> 00:19:33.580
 to Emmaus,

00:19:33.700 --> 00:19:34.019
 two of

00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:34.640
 his disciples,

00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:36.320
 as Jesus

00:19:36.320 --> 00:19:37.059
 opens the

00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:37.580
 scriptures to

00:19:37.580 --> 00:19:37.779
 them,

00:19:37.860 --> 00:19:38.299
 it says that

00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:39.120
 their eyes

00:19:39.120 --> 00:19:39.880
 were opened

00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:41.080
 to recognize

00:19:41.080 --> 00:19:41.779
 Jesus as

00:19:41.779 --> 00:19:42.059
 the risen

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:42.480
 Messiah.

00:19:44.180 --> 00:19:44.640
 Saul's

00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:45.279
 blindness

00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:45.960
 after this

00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:46.440
 encounter

00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:47.400
 on Damascus

00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:48.180
 Road also

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:49.360
 functions as

00:19:49.360 --> 00:19:49.820
 a metaphor

00:19:49.820 --> 00:19:50.600
 for spiritual

00:19:50.600 --> 00:19:51.039
 blindness.

00:19:51.820 --> 00:19:52.480
 His physical

00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:53.180
 eyes are

00:19:53.180 --> 00:19:53.740
 open,

00:19:54.180 --> 00:19:54.440
 yet he

00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:55.019
 sees

00:19:55.019 --> 00:19:55.600
 nothing.

00:19:57.100 --> 00:19:57.460
 In fact,

00:19:57.539 --> 00:19:58.120
 Saul's so

00:19:58.120 --> 00:19:59.240
 blind that

00:19:59.240 --> 00:19:59.660
 he has to

00:19:59.660 --> 00:20:00.079
 be led

00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:00.539
 by the

00:20:00.539 --> 00:20:01.740
 hand and

00:20:01.740 --> 00:20:02.519
 brought into

00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:03.480
 Damascus by

00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:04.079
 his companions.

00:20:06.019 --> 00:20:06.539
 This is

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:07.759
 instructive for

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:07.980
 us.

00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:08.500
 Saul was

00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:09.140
 sincerely

00:20:09.140 --> 00:20:10.500
 convinced that

00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:11.640
 Christians were

00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:12.319
 deluded

00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:13.299
 heretics.

00:20:15.700 --> 00:20:16.539
 He was

00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:17.259
 sure that

00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:18.039
 Jesus had

00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:18.940
 not risen

00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:19.500
 from the

00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:19.740
 dead.

00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:20.880
 He was

00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:21.740
 so certain

00:20:21.740 --> 00:20:22.599
 of this

00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:22.839
 that he

00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:23.880
 was persecuting

00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:24.400
 the church,

00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:25.980
 killing

00:20:25.980 --> 00:20:26.500
 Christians.

00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:28.120
 Yet Saul

00:20:28.120 --> 00:20:28.779
 was sincerely

00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:29.220
 wrong.

00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:31.839
 Christianity

00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:32.460
 has many

00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:32.900
 critics,

00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:33.920
 some of

00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:34.160
 whom

00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:34.980
 sincerely

00:20:34.980 --> 00:20:36.240
 and passionately

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:37.480
 believe that

00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:38.259
 Christianity is

00:20:38.259 --> 00:20:38.960
 the bane of

00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:39.519
 society,

00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:40.980
 but this is

00:20:40.980 --> 00:20:41.480
 due to their

00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:41.920
 spiritual

00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:42.339
 blindness.

00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:45.160
 And this

00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:45.480
 spiritual

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:46.059
 blindness can

00:20:46.059 --> 00:20:46.680
 only be

00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:48.019
 cured by

00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:49.319
 hearing the

00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:49.720
 word of

00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:51.359
 Christ and

00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:52.039
 believing it.

00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:54.640
 Many people

00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:55.059
 in the world

00:20:55.059 --> 00:20:55.640
 say that

00:20:55.640 --> 00:20:56.500
 seeing is

00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:56.880
 believing,

00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:58.340
 that they

00:20:58.340 --> 00:20:58.640
 need to

00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.160
 see it

00:20:59.160 --> 00:20:59.760
 to believe

00:20:59.760 --> 00:21:00.060
 it.

00:21:00.060 --> 00:21:01.040
 But Christians

00:21:01.040 --> 00:21:01.560
 are people

00:21:01.560 --> 00:21:02.000
 who walk

00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:02.740
 by faith

00:21:02.740 --> 00:21:03.480
 and not

00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:04.100
 by sight.

00:21:05.040 --> 00:21:05.260
 And as

00:21:05.260 --> 00:21:05.860
 Romans 10,

00:21:05.960 --> 00:21:06.760
 17 says,

00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:07.940
 faith comes

00:21:07.940 --> 00:21:08.420
 from

00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:09.560
 hearing,

00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:11.420
 and hearing

00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:11.800
 through the

00:21:11.800 --> 00:21:12.080
 word of

00:21:12.080 --> 00:21:12.440
 Christ.

00:21:14.080 --> 00:21:15.020
 And so in

00:21:15.020 --> 00:21:15.540
 this narrative,

00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:16.300
 Saul does not

00:21:16.300 --> 00:21:17.120
 believe because

00:21:17.120 --> 00:21:18.100
 he sees.

00:21:18.700 --> 00:21:19.800
 He sees

00:21:19.800 --> 00:21:21.220
 because he

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:21.660
 believes.

00:21:21.660 --> 00:21:22.860
 and he

00:21:22.860 --> 00:21:23.700
 believes because

00:21:23.700 --> 00:21:24.400
 he hears

00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:25.320
 the voice

00:21:25.320 --> 00:21:25.759
 of the

00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:26.019
 Lord.

00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:28.620
 This is a

00:21:28.620 --> 00:21:29.000
 tremendous

00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:29.640
 encouragement

00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:30.500
 for us in

00:21:30.500 --> 00:21:31.360
 our evangelistic

00:21:31.360 --> 00:21:31.840
 efforts.

00:21:32.580 --> 00:21:33.040
 Successful

00:21:33.040 --> 00:21:33.920
 evangelism does

00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:34.940
 not depend on

00:21:34.940 --> 00:21:35.660
 our logical

00:21:35.660 --> 00:21:36.920
 or rhetorical

00:21:36.920 --> 00:21:37.560
 prowess.

00:21:38.220 --> 00:21:38.759
 We do not

00:21:38.759 --> 00:21:39.400
 have the

00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:39.940
 power to

00:21:39.940 --> 00:21:41.120
 cure people's

00:21:41.120 --> 00:21:41.540
 spiritual

00:21:41.540 --> 00:21:41.960
 blindness.

00:21:42.779 --> 00:21:43.259
 However,

00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:44.259
 we can

00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:45.279
 open up

00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:45.860
 God's word

00:21:45.860 --> 00:21:46.240
 to them.

00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:48.400
 We can

00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:49.540
 speak the

00:21:49.540 --> 00:21:50.200
 gospel to

00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:50.380
 them.

00:21:50.380 --> 00:21:51.360
 And when

00:21:51.360 --> 00:21:51.900
 we do,

00:21:52.060 --> 00:21:52.900
 God shines

00:21:52.900 --> 00:21:53.720
 his light

00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:54.880
 in their

00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:55.320
 hearts.

00:21:56.280 --> 00:21:57.420
 It says in

00:21:57.420 --> 00:21:58.020
 2 Corinthians

00:21:58.020 --> 00:21:59.140
 4, 3-6,

00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:00.480
 And even

00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.360
 if our

00:22:01.360 --> 00:22:02.060
 gospel is

00:22:02.060 --> 00:22:02.460
 veiled,

00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:03.420
 it is

00:22:03.420 --> 00:22:03.920
 veiled to

00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:04.420
 those who

00:22:04.420 --> 00:22:05.100
 are perishing.

00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:06.700
 In their

00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:07.360
 case, the

00:22:07.360 --> 00:22:08.000
 God of this

00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:08.440
 world has

00:22:08.440 --> 00:22:09.060
 blinded the

00:22:09.060 --> 00:22:09.500
 minds of

00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:10.180
 the unbelievers

00:22:10.180 --> 00:22:10.640
 to keep

00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:11.100
 them from

00:22:11.100 --> 00:22:11.640
 seeing the

00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:12.060
 light of

00:22:12.060 --> 00:22:12.500
 the gospel

00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:12.800
 of the

00:22:12.800 --> 00:22:13.180
 glory of

00:22:13.180 --> 00:22:13.540
 Christ,

00:22:13.840 --> 00:22:14.100
 who is

00:22:14.100 --> 00:22:14.440
 the image

00:22:14.440 --> 00:22:14.920
 of God.

00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:16.040
 For what

00:22:16.040 --> 00:22:16.720
 we proclaim

00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:17.300
 is not

00:22:17.300 --> 00:22:17.760
 ourselves,

00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:18.300
 but Jesus

00:22:18.300 --> 00:22:19.140
 Christ as

00:22:19.140 --> 00:22:19.520
 Lord,

00:22:19.580 --> 00:22:19.760
 with

00:22:19.760 --> 00:22:20.240
 ourselves

00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:20.720
 as your

00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:21.380
 servants for

00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:21.680
 Jesus'

00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:22.160
 sake.

00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:23.900
 For God

00:22:23.900 --> 00:22:24.420
 who said,

00:22:25.140 --> 00:22:25.500
 let light

00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:26.059
 shine out

00:22:26.059 --> 00:22:26.539
 of darkness,

00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:28.279
 has shone

00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:28.559
 in our

00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:28.980
 hearts to

00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:29.359
 give the

00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:29.839
 light of

00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:30.299
 the knowledge

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:30.579
 of the

00:22:30.579 --> 00:22:30.980
 glory of

00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:31.299
 God in

00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:31.700
 the face

00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:32.059
 of Jesus

00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:32.519
 Christ.

00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:34.940
 Satan

00:22:34.940 --> 00:22:35.839
 blinds the

00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:36.819
 minds of

00:22:36.819 --> 00:22:37.559
 unbelievers

00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:37.940
 so that they

00:22:37.940 --> 00:22:38.880
 cannot see

00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:39.380
 the light

00:22:39.380 --> 00:22:39.680
 of the

00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:40.200
 glory of

00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:40.759
 the gospel

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:41.220
 of Jesus

00:22:41.220 --> 00:22:41.660
 Christ.

00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:42.740
 But for

00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:43.140
 those who

00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:43.539
 are being

00:22:43.539 --> 00:22:44.039
 saved,

00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:44.920
 God,

00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:46.400
 who at

00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:46.900
 the time of

00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:47.620
 creation said,

00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:48.180
 let there be

00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:48.620
 light, let

00:22:48.620 --> 00:22:49.220
 light shine out

00:22:49.220 --> 00:22:49.799
 of darkness,

00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:51.000
 likewise brings

00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:52.200
 forth a new

00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.059
 creation when

00:22:53.059 --> 00:22:54.079
 he shines into

00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:54.660
 our hearts to

00:22:54.660 --> 00:22:55.259
 give the light

00:22:55.259 --> 00:22:56.420
 of the knowledge

00:22:56.420 --> 00:22:56.900
 of the glory

00:22:56.900 --> 00:22:57.339
 of God.

00:22:58.380 --> 00:22:59.059
 And it's that

00:22:59.059 --> 00:22:59.920
 reality that gives

00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:00.839
 us the confidence

00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:01.980
 to proclaim the

00:23:01.980 --> 00:23:02.319
 gospel.

00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:05.380
 As Paul says in

00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:06.299
 2 Corinthians 4

00:23:06.299 --> 00:23:06.839
 verse 2,

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:07.880
 we do not need to

00:23:07.880 --> 00:23:08.480
 resort to

00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:09.740
 disgraceful or

00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:10.819
 underhanded ways.

00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:11.740
 We don't have to

00:23:11.740 --> 00:23:12.799
 utilize cunning.

00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:13.839
 We don't have to

00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:14.579
 tamper with

00:23:14.579 --> 00:23:15.200
 God's word.

00:23:15.299 --> 00:23:15.900
 We don't need to

00:23:15.900 --> 00:23:16.740
 make it,

00:23:16.860 --> 00:23:17.700
 manipulate people

00:23:17.700 --> 00:23:18.019
 or to

00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:18.800
 intimidate people

00:23:18.800 --> 00:23:19.160
 or to

00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:21.320
 change the

00:23:21.320 --> 00:23:21.720
 word to

00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:22.100
 make it more

00:23:22.100 --> 00:23:22.840
 appealing or

00:23:22.840 --> 00:23:23.519
 reasonable to

00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:24.680
 fallen humanity.

00:23:25.400 --> 00:23:26.140
 But instead,

00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:27.120
 we share the

00:23:27.120 --> 00:23:28.300
 gospel with the

00:23:28.300 --> 00:23:29.380
 simple, open

00:23:29.380 --> 00:23:30.220
 statement of the

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:30.960
 truth, he says.

00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:33.340
 Why?

00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:34.440
 Because it's

00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:35.259
 God who shines

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:35.759
 his light.

00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:38.400
 He saves and

00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:39.380
 opens the eyes

00:23:39.380 --> 00:23:40.400
 of the blind.

00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:44.600
 Jesus himself,

00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:45.640
 the incarnate

00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:46.160
 word, the

00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:47.420
 word made

00:23:47.420 --> 00:23:48.519
 human flesh,

00:23:49.380 --> 00:23:50.600
 shines the

00:23:50.600 --> 00:23:51.120
 light of the

00:23:51.120 --> 00:23:52.400
 gospel in his

00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:53.540
 inscripturated

00:23:53.540 --> 00:23:54.580
 word, the

00:23:54.580 --> 00:23:55.940
 word written

00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:56.560
 in human

00:23:56.560 --> 00:23:57.000
 language.

00:23:59.019 --> 00:23:59.960
 And from the

00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:00.519
 midst of this

00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:01.240
 blazing light,

00:24:01.400 --> 00:24:02.440
 Saul hears a

00:24:02.440 --> 00:24:02.860
 voice.

00:24:06.019 --> 00:24:06.880
 And what he

00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:07.360
 heard would

00:24:07.360 --> 00:24:07.840
 have made him

00:24:07.840 --> 00:24:08.340
 tremble with

00:24:08.340 --> 00:24:08.660
 fear.

00:24:08.660 --> 00:24:11.000
 Saul, Saul,

00:24:11.140 --> 00:24:12.100
 why are you

00:24:12.100 --> 00:24:13.240
 persecuting me?

00:24:14.660 --> 00:24:15.320
 Saul gets

00:24:15.320 --> 00:24:15.980
 confused and

00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:16.560
 responds in

00:24:16.560 --> 00:24:17.080
 verse 5,

00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:17.860
 Who are you,

00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:18.120
 Lord?

00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:19.320
 To which Jesus

00:24:19.320 --> 00:24:20.259
 replies, I am

00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:21.500
 Jesus, whom

00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:22.040
 you are

00:24:22.040 --> 00:24:22.720
 persecuting.

00:24:24.100 --> 00:24:25.060
 Imagine Saul's

00:24:25.060 --> 00:24:25.440
 shock.

00:24:25.700 --> 00:24:26.519
 He knows well

00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:27.320
 that the light

00:24:27.320 --> 00:24:28.620
 from heaven is

00:24:28.620 --> 00:24:29.360
 a manifestation

00:24:29.360 --> 00:24:30.840
 of a divine

00:24:30.840 --> 00:24:31.340
 figure.

00:24:32.320 --> 00:24:32.860
 When the

00:24:32.860 --> 00:24:33.519
 light of God's

00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:34.320
 glory appears,

00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:35.420
 people fall to

00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:36.100
 their face on

00:24:36.100 --> 00:24:36.420
 the ground.

00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:36.820
 This is a

00:24:36.820 --> 00:24:37.380
 pattern you see

00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:37.880
 over and over

00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:38.360
 again throughout

00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:38.979
 scriptures, and

00:24:38.979 --> 00:24:39.939
 that's exactly

00:24:39.939 --> 00:24:40.919
 what happens to

00:24:40.919 --> 00:24:41.240
 Saul.

00:24:42.019 --> 00:24:42.719
 He falls to

00:24:42.719 --> 00:24:43.039
 the ground.

00:24:43.139 --> 00:24:43.799
 He knows that

00:24:43.799 --> 00:24:44.240
 he's in the

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.879
 presence of a

00:24:44.879 --> 00:24:46.719
 powerful, divine,

00:24:47.019 --> 00:24:48.000
 awe-inspiring

00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:48.459
 being.

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:49.799
 That's why he

00:24:49.799 --> 00:24:50.519
 addresses him as

00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:50.879
 Lord.

00:24:51.479 --> 00:24:52.299
 But this figure

00:24:52.299 --> 00:24:53.179
 says to him,

00:24:53.299 --> 00:24:54.059
 the first thing

00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:55.279
 he says after

00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:56.059
 addressing him

00:24:56.059 --> 00:24:57.699
 is, why are

00:24:57.699 --> 00:24:58.879
 you persecuting

00:24:58.879 --> 00:24:59.119
 me?

00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:02.219
 What?

00:25:03.219 --> 00:25:03.740
 Me?

00:25:04.919 --> 00:25:05.599
 I'm not

00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:06.379
 persecuting you.

00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:10.579
 I don't even

00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:11.000
 know who you

00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:11.359
 are.

00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:14.979
 But Jesus

00:25:14.979 --> 00:25:15.899
 replies, I am

00:25:15.899 --> 00:25:17.879
 Jesus, whom

00:25:17.879 --> 00:25:18.259
 you are

00:25:18.259 --> 00:25:18.819
 persecuting.

00:25:20.579 --> 00:25:21.740
 The man that

00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:22.500
 Saul had

00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:23.799
 rejected as

00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:24.299
 the Messiah,

00:25:24.979 --> 00:25:26.379
 the man that

00:25:26.379 --> 00:25:27.259
 Saul was sure

00:25:27.259 --> 00:25:28.759
 was dead,

00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:30.879
 now appears to

00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:31.479
 him in his

00:25:31.479 --> 00:25:32.359
 divine glory,

00:25:32.939 --> 00:25:33.779
 and is asking

00:25:33.779 --> 00:25:35.079
 him why he's

00:25:35.079 --> 00:25:35.879
 persecuting you.

00:25:35.880 --> 00:25:37.320
 Saul must

00:25:37.320 --> 00:25:37.800
 have wanted to

00:25:37.800 --> 00:25:38.440
 crawl into a

00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:40.060
 hole in that

00:25:40.060 --> 00:25:40.460
 moment.

00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:42.800
 This is a

00:25:42.800 --> 00:25:43.660
 wonderful assurance

00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:44.140
 for us.

00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:45.500
 The Lord Jesus

00:25:45.500 --> 00:25:46.680
 so closely

00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:48.220
 identifies with

00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:48.860
 his people

00:25:48.860 --> 00:25:49.840
 that to

00:25:49.840 --> 00:25:50.640
 persecute the

00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:51.160
 church of

00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:52.200
 Christ is to

00:25:52.200 --> 00:25:53.060
 persecute Christ

00:25:53.060 --> 00:25:53.540
 himself.

00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:56.860
 That's because

00:25:56.860 --> 00:25:57.600
 Jesus said to

00:25:57.600 --> 00:25:58.280
 his disciples in

00:25:58.280 --> 00:25:58.940
 Matthew 10,

00:25:59.020 --> 00:25:59.480
 verse 40,

00:25:59.600 --> 00:26:00.400
 whoever receives

00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:01.680
 you, receives

00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:02.840
 me, and

00:26:02.840 --> 00:26:03.500
 whoever receives

00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:04.280
 me, receives

00:26:04.280 --> 00:26:05.380
 him who sent

00:26:05.380 --> 00:26:05.620
 me.

00:26:05.880 --> 00:26:08.120
 the church

00:26:08.120 --> 00:26:08.840
 is the body

00:26:08.840 --> 00:26:09.420
 of Christ,

00:26:09.700 --> 00:26:10.540
 and as such

00:26:10.540 --> 00:26:11.760
 represents Christ

00:26:11.760 --> 00:26:12.420
 who is the

00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:12.920
 head of the

00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:13.280
 church.

00:26:13.740 --> 00:26:14.940
 To persecute the

00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:15.520
 church is to

00:26:15.520 --> 00:26:16.440
 persecute Jesus,

00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:17.560
 which is to

00:26:17.560 --> 00:26:19.520
 persecute God

00:26:19.520 --> 00:26:20.220
 himself, the

00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:20.760
 triune God.

00:26:21.480 --> 00:26:22.300
 This is such an

00:26:22.300 --> 00:26:23.260
 empowering reality,

00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:23.640
 but that means

00:26:23.640 --> 00:26:24.420
 when we go to

00:26:24.420 --> 00:26:25.120
 evangelize, we

00:26:25.120 --> 00:26:25.980
 have nothing to

00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:26.400
 fear.

00:26:30.280 --> 00:26:31.100
 People may

00:26:31.100 --> 00:26:31.960
 reject us,

00:26:32.280 --> 00:26:32.760
 people may

00:26:32.760 --> 00:26:33.460
 ignore us,

00:26:33.600 --> 00:26:34.320
 slander us,

00:26:34.540 --> 00:26:35.280
 falsely accuse

00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:37.379
 us, persecute

00:26:37.379 --> 00:26:39.119
 us, but when

00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:40.119
 they do, they

00:26:40.119 --> 00:26:40.660
 will have to

00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:41.399
 deal with the

00:26:41.399 --> 00:26:42.720
 risen Lord

00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:43.579
 Jesus Christ,

00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:46.299
 who will

00:26:46.299 --> 00:26:47.319
 return to

00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:47.799
 judge the

00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:48.160
 living and

00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:48.519
 the dead.

00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:50.899
 We may not

00:26:50.899 --> 00:26:51.480
 have the power

00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:52.019
 to defend

00:26:52.019 --> 00:26:52.700
 ourselves, but

00:26:52.700 --> 00:26:53.480
 our Lord is

00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:54.500
 able to defend

00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:55.779
 us, and even

00:26:55.779 --> 00:26:56.579
 if he lets us

00:26:56.579 --> 00:26:57.339
 suffer for a

00:26:57.339 --> 00:26:57.859
 little while,

00:26:58.299 --> 00:26:59.160
 he will surely

00:26:59.160 --> 00:27:00.660
 avenge us in

00:27:00.660 --> 00:27:00.920
 the end.

00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:04.400
 Saul had

00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:04.840
 come to

00:27:04.840 --> 00:27:05.480
 Damascus with

00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:06.100
 the authority of

00:27:06.100 --> 00:27:06.620
 the high priest

00:27:06.620 --> 00:27:07.240
 to persecute

00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:07.820
 Christians, but

00:27:07.820 --> 00:27:08.300
 now that he

00:27:08.300 --> 00:27:08.560
 has been

00:27:08.560 --> 00:27:09.779
 confronted by a

00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:10.560
 higher authority

00:27:10.560 --> 00:27:11.140
 than the high

00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:11.980
 priest, he

00:27:11.980 --> 00:27:12.820
 changes course.

00:27:13.940 --> 00:27:14.600
 Jesus says to

00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:15.300
 him, rise and

00:27:15.300 --> 00:27:15.960
 enter the city,

00:27:16.080 --> 00:27:16.560
 and you will be

00:27:16.560 --> 00:27:17.160
 told what you

00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:17.660
 are to do.

00:27:17.900 --> 00:27:18.540
 That's exactly

00:27:18.540 --> 00:27:19.100
 what Saul does.

00:27:19.100 --> 00:27:19.800
 He rises from

00:27:19.800 --> 00:27:20.300
 the ground and

00:27:20.300 --> 00:27:20.960
 goes into the

00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:21.759
 city of Damascus,

00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.880
 and he waits

00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:23.860
 further instructions

00:27:23.860 --> 00:27:24.860
 while praying and

00:27:24.860 --> 00:27:25.240
 fasting.

00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:27.920
 And as he is

00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:28.920
 waiting, Jesus

00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:30.279
 gives parallel

00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:31.200
 instructions to

00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:32.940
 Ananias, verses

00:27:32.940 --> 00:27:33.680
 10 to 12.

00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:33.980
 He says,

00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:34.640
 Now there was a

00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:35.259
 disciple at

00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:35.980
 Damascus named

00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:36.640
 Ananias.

00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:38.000
 The Lord said to

00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:38.759
 him in a vision,

00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:39.839
 Ananias.

00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:40.920
 And he said,

00:27:40.920 --> 00:27:41.779
 Here I am, Lord.

00:27:42.700 --> 00:27:43.640
 And the Lord said

00:27:43.640 --> 00:27:44.900
 to him, rise and

00:27:44.900 --> 00:27:45.680
 go to the street

00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:46.680
 called Straight, and

00:27:46.680 --> 00:27:47.319
 at the house of

00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:48.160
 Judas, look for a

00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:49.059
 man of Tarsus named

00:27:49.059 --> 00:27:49.460
 Saul.

00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:50.900
 For behold, he is

00:27:50.900 --> 00:27:52.240
 praying, and he

00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:52.900
 has seen in a

00:27:52.900 --> 00:27:53.660
 vision a man named

00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:54.920
 Ananias come in and

00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:55.800
 lay his hands on

00:27:55.800 --> 00:27:56.620
 him so that he

00:27:56.620 --> 00:27:57.400
 might regain his

00:27:57.400 --> 00:27:57.720
 sight.

00:27:58.980 --> 00:27:59.800
 Ananias is a

00:27:59.800 --> 00:28:00.680
 disciple, so he

00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:02.100
 is someone who

00:28:02.100 --> 00:28:02.860
 belongs to the

00:28:02.860 --> 00:28:03.500
 way of Christ.

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:05.240
 And in a later

00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:05.900
 account, in Acts

00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:07.240
 22, Saul describes

00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:08.680
 Ananias as a devout

00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:09.519
 man according to

00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:10.160
 the law, well

00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:11.100
 spoken of by all

00:28:11.100 --> 00:28:11.640
 the Jews who

00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:12.539
 lived in Damascus.

00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:14.300
 So not surprisingly

00:28:14.300 --> 00:28:15.259
 then, Damascus,

00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:15.880
 when the Lord

00:28:15.880 --> 00:28:16.620
 addresses him,

00:28:17.080 --> 00:28:18.140
 responds humbly

00:28:18.140 --> 00:28:18.980
 and obediently,

00:28:19.080 --> 00:28:19.800
 Here I am,

00:28:19.880 --> 00:28:20.039
 Lord.

00:28:21.700 --> 00:28:23.100
 But even Ananias

00:28:23.100 --> 00:28:24.720
 is not prepared

00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:25.559
 for what Jesus

00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.519
 tells him to do.

00:28:28.600 --> 00:28:29.460
 What street

00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:30.339
 should I go to?

00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.440
 Straight street.

00:28:32.600 --> 00:28:33.380
 Okay, got that.

00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:35.059
 What's the house

00:28:35.059 --> 00:28:35.360
 number?

00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:36.420
 The house of

00:28:36.420 --> 00:28:36.819
 Judas.

00:28:37.319 --> 00:28:37.839
 Got that.

00:28:38.600 --> 00:28:39.000
 Who am I

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.579
 looking for?

00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:41.079
 A man of Tarsus.

00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:41.420
 Okay.

00:28:42.140 --> 00:28:42.539
 Name.

00:28:43.420 --> 00:28:43.700
 Saul.

00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:44.960
 Saul?

00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:47.079
 Saul?

00:28:47.079 --> 00:28:47.120
 Saul?

00:28:49.360 --> 00:28:50.460
 You mean Saul of

00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:50.940
 Tarsus?

00:28:55.079 --> 00:28:55.980
 You mean the one

00:28:55.980 --> 00:28:56.980
 that's here to kill

00:28:56.980 --> 00:28:57.240
 me?

00:29:01.799 --> 00:29:02.840
 Ananias boxed and

00:29:02.840 --> 00:29:03.700
 says in verses 13

00:29:03.700 --> 00:29:04.180
 to 14,

00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:05.559
 Lord, I have heard

00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:07.819
 from many about

00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:08.720
 this man,

00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:11.799
 how much evil he

00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:12.720
 has done to your

00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:13.720
 saints at Jerusalem.

00:29:14.380 --> 00:29:15.559
 And here he has

00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:16.620
 authority from the

00:29:16.620 --> 00:29:17.880
 chief priests to

00:29:17.880 --> 00:29:19.160
 bind all who call

00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:19.720
 out near me.

00:29:22.320 --> 00:29:23.019
 This is an

00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:23.580
 understandable

00:29:23.580 --> 00:29:24.120
 objection.

00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:27.060
 But Jesus

00:29:27.060 --> 00:29:28.080
 overrules it

00:29:28.080 --> 00:29:29.400
 anyway and he

00:29:29.400 --> 00:29:30.560
 assures him that

00:29:30.560 --> 00:29:31.860
 Saul is praying

00:29:31.860 --> 00:29:33.700
 and that he has

00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:34.640
 already seen in a

00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:35.360
 vision a man named

00:29:35.360 --> 00:29:36.779
 Ananias come in and

00:29:36.779 --> 00:29:37.700
 lay his hands on it.

00:29:39.040 --> 00:29:39.900
 There's a remarkable

00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:41.060
 chain of prayers that

00:29:41.060 --> 00:29:42.400
 connect these, this

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:43.640
 improbable sequence of

00:29:43.640 --> 00:29:44.040
 events.

00:29:44.560 --> 00:29:45.480
 Remember when Stephen

00:29:45.480 --> 00:29:46.759
 was being stoned to

00:29:46.759 --> 00:29:49.839
 death, Saul, it

00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:50.539
 said in chapter 8

00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:51.460
 verse 1, looked

00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.380
 approvingly.

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.599
 He approved of it.

00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:54.880
 He was glad that

00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:56.180
 Stephen was killed,

00:29:56.940 --> 00:29:57.400
 executed.

00:29:58.980 --> 00:30:00.599
 In chapter 7, when

00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:02.539
 Stephen was being

00:30:02.539 --> 00:30:03.700
 stoned, Saul

00:30:03.700 --> 00:30:04.599
 provided the coat

00:30:04.599 --> 00:30:05.380
 check service.

00:30:06.759 --> 00:30:07.579
 I'll hold your

00:30:07.579 --> 00:30:08.079
 coats for you.

00:30:08.140 --> 00:30:08.799
 Go throw those

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:09.440
 stones at him.

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:14.720
 And as Stephen was

00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:16.420
 dying, he prayed to

00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:18.019
 the Lord, Lord do

00:30:18.019 --> 00:30:20.160
 not hold this against

00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:20.559
 them.

00:30:24.019 --> 00:30:25.580
 And Jesus doesn't

00:30:25.580 --> 00:30:26.840
 hold this against

00:30:26.840 --> 00:30:27.519
 Saul.

00:30:31.559 --> 00:30:33.440
 And then now Saul is

00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:33.840
 praying.

00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:37.360
 He doesn't know what

00:30:37.360 --> 00:30:39.019
 to make of what is

00:30:39.019 --> 00:30:39.359
 happened.

00:30:39.480 --> 00:30:40.400
 He's examining his

00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:40.740
 life.

00:30:41.139 --> 00:30:42.639
 His entire life up to

00:30:42.639 --> 00:30:43.379
 this point, it seems,

00:30:43.440 --> 00:30:44.599
 has been a mistake.

00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:50.420
 And he answers, God

00:30:50.420 --> 00:30:52.279
 answers that prayer and

00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:53.079
 sends Ananias.

00:30:57.339 --> 00:30:58.420
 Everything significant

00:30:58.420 --> 00:30:59.660
 in the book of Acts

00:30:59.660 --> 00:31:01.359
 happens as an answer to

00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:02.740
 prayer and this is no

00:31:02.740 --> 00:31:03.200
 exception.

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:07.059
 Saul, the apostle to the

00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:08.079
 Gentiles, is converted.

00:31:09.019 --> 00:31:09.720
 He's baptized,

00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:12.059
 presumably by Ananias,

00:31:12.940 --> 00:31:13.700
 filled with the Holy

00:31:13.700 --> 00:31:14.079
 Spirit.

00:31:16.299 --> 00:31:17.579
 And this is the reason

00:31:17.579 --> 00:31:19.059
 that Jesus gives to

00:31:19.059 --> 00:31:20.940
 Ananias, verses 15 to

00:31:20.940 --> 00:31:21.339
 16.

00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:23.440
 Go for he is a chosen

00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:25.379
 instrument of mine to

00:31:25.379 --> 00:31:26.940
 carry my name before the

00:31:26.940 --> 00:31:28.500
 Gentiles and kings and the

00:31:28.500 --> 00:31:30.039
 children of Israel, for I

00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:31.279
 will show him how much he

00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.460
 must suffer for the sake of

00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:32.960
 my name.

00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:35.059
 Saul, Jesus says, is his

00:31:35.059 --> 00:31:36.180
 chosen instrument.

00:31:36.180 --> 00:31:39.320
 Saul is the unlikeliest of

00:31:39.320 --> 00:31:39.820
 converts.

00:31:41.620 --> 00:31:42.779
 His conversion was so

00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:44.160
 inconceivable that even

00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:45.940
 after his conversion and

00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:47.779
 after several years of

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:48.960
 ministering the gospel, he

00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:50.600
 says in verses 26 to 27

00:31:50.600 --> 00:31:52.360
 that the twelve apostles in

00:31:52.360 --> 00:31:53.980
 Jerusalem still did not

00:31:53.980 --> 00:31:55.480
 believe that he was a

00:31:55.480 --> 00:31:55.880
 disciple.

00:31:55.880 --> 00:32:00.640
 There's no way he's a

00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:00.940
 Christian.

00:32:01.360 --> 00:32:02.840
 He's probably posing as one

00:32:02.840 --> 00:32:04.520
 so he could trick us and

00:32:04.520 --> 00:32:06.160
 imprison us.

00:32:08.100 --> 00:32:09.860
 That's how unlikely his

00:32:09.860 --> 00:32:10.620
 conversion was.

00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:13.720
 Yet Jesus had chosen him to

00:32:13.720 --> 00:32:15.220
 carry his name to the

00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:15.720
 Gentiles.

00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:16.720
 Jesus.

00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:17.720
 Jesus.

00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:19.779
 This account should build our

00:32:19.779 --> 00:32:20.860
 faith for our unbelieving

00:32:20.860 --> 00:32:23.559
 family members, friends, and

00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:23.900
 neighbors.

00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:27.360
 Are there people in your life

00:32:27.360 --> 00:32:29.920
 that you deem too far gone?

00:32:33.019 --> 00:32:34.559
 People you have written off

00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:36.180
 thinking to yourself, well, he

00:32:36.180 --> 00:32:38.200
 or she will never come to

00:32:38.200 --> 00:32:39.000
 faith in Jesus.

00:32:41.519 --> 00:32:43.120
 Are there people in your life

00:32:43.120 --> 00:32:44.200
 that you don't bother to share

00:32:44.200 --> 00:32:45.480
 the gospel with because you

00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:46.640
 think it's pointless?

00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:49.319
 Well, then let Saul's

00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:51.200
 conversion inspire you.

00:32:54.180 --> 00:32:56.319
 Saul describes himself as the

00:32:56.319 --> 00:32:58.740
 very least of all the saints

00:32:58.740 --> 00:33:02.080
 because he persecuted the

00:33:02.080 --> 00:33:02.380
 church.

00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:03.880
 And he says even though he

00:33:03.880 --> 00:33:05.720
 was the foremost of sinners, he

00:33:05.720 --> 00:33:07.740
 says in 1 Timothy 1.16, that

00:33:07.740 --> 00:33:09.960
 God showed him mercy so that in

00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:11.880
 him as the foremost of sinners,

00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:14.059
 Jesus Christ might display his

00:33:14.059 --> 00:33:16.279
 perfect patience as an example

00:33:16.279 --> 00:33:17.559
 to those who were to believe in

00:33:17.559 --> 00:33:18.619
 him for eternal life.

00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:22.220
 In other words, God saved Saul so

00:33:22.220 --> 00:33:23.720
 that people might look at him and

00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:25.700
 say, well, if God can be so

00:33:25.700 --> 00:33:28.819
 patient with Saul, if God can be so

00:33:28.819 --> 00:33:32.659
 merciful to Saul, then surely he can

00:33:32.659 --> 00:33:33.319
 save me.

00:33:33.319 --> 00:33:37.359
 That friend of yours who is a

00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:40.439
 militant atheist, a promiscuous

00:33:40.439 --> 00:33:44.659
 womanizer, a violent gangbanger, may

00:33:44.659 --> 00:33:46.559
 yet come to faith in Jesus Christ.

00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:52.539
 And he or she may become a prolific

00:33:52.539 --> 00:33:56.700
 evangelist and a gifted teacher that

00:33:56.700 --> 00:33:57.939
 you never would have imagined.

00:33:57.940 --> 00:34:02.779
 God radically transforms Saul's life and

00:34:02.779 --> 00:34:04.440
 he can do the same for you and for

00:34:04.440 --> 00:34:05.779
 others in your life as well.

00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:07.860
 Maybe some of you are in despair

00:34:07.860 --> 00:34:10.400
 thinking that your wayward child will

00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:11.659
 never come to faith in the Lord.

00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:15.320
 Or maybe you've resigned yourself to

00:34:15.320 --> 00:34:18.059
 hopelessness of thinking that you or

00:34:18.059 --> 00:34:20.179
 your spouse can never overcome these

00:34:20.179 --> 00:34:24.000
 sinful habits that you're stuck in.

00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:28.860
 It is impossible for you to bring

00:34:28.860 --> 00:34:30.820
 about that change, but it is not

00:34:30.820 --> 00:34:31.940
 impossible for God.

00:34:34.820 --> 00:34:36.619
 If you are not a follower of Jesus,

00:34:36.739 --> 00:34:38.380
 don't ever write yourself off either.

00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:41.940
 Don't ever think that you're irredeemable.

00:34:43.460 --> 00:34:45.300
 Don't ever think that you're too

00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:48.380
 broken to be healed or too sinful to

00:34:48.380 --> 00:34:48.840
 be forgiven.

00:34:51.079 --> 00:34:53.000
 Don't ever think that you're too messed

00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:54.380
 up to be loved by God.

00:34:56.280 --> 00:34:57.860
 Or that you're damaged good.

00:34:58.760 --> 00:35:00.400
 That God doesn't want anything to do.

00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:04.380
 It says in John 6, 37,

00:35:04.619 --> 00:35:07.579
 All that the Father gives me will

00:35:07.579 --> 00:35:11.179
 come to me, and whoever comes to me,

00:35:11.380 --> 00:35:14.599
 I, Jesus says, will never cast out.

00:35:16.280 --> 00:35:19.599
 Jesus' arms are open wide, and if you

00:35:19.599 --> 00:35:21.820
 repent of your sins and believe in

00:35:21.820 --> 00:35:23.640
 Jesus Christ, His death and

00:35:23.640 --> 00:35:26.559
 resurrection for sinners like you,

00:35:27.640 --> 00:35:31.559
 He will save you.

00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:34.460
 He will never turn you away.

00:35:36.059 --> 00:35:37.600
 Maybe some of you who are listening

00:35:37.600 --> 00:35:39.180
 think that you're too good for Jesus.

00:35:40.539 --> 00:35:42.160
 You think you're too strong and

00:35:42.160 --> 00:35:43.480
 independent to ever become a

00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:43.760
 Christian.

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:46.220
 Maybe you think you're too

00:35:46.220 --> 00:35:47.820
 intelligent or learned to be able to

00:35:47.820 --> 00:35:49.240
 become a Christian.

00:35:50.440 --> 00:35:52.180
 That's what Saul thought to him.

00:35:53.200 --> 00:35:54.260
 But he was wrong.

00:35:58.840 --> 00:36:01.000
 This passage teaches us the Lord Jesus

00:36:01.000 --> 00:36:03.360
 sovereignly and graciously gives sight to

00:36:03.360 --> 00:36:05.980
 blind sinners, and He does this so that

00:36:05.980 --> 00:36:07.360
 they might speak of His name.

00:36:08.120 --> 00:36:09.559
 That brings us to my second,

00:36:10.559 --> 00:36:11.440
 shorter point.

00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:13.420
 God calls Saul,

00:36:15.420 --> 00:36:17.900
 an unlikely convert, to be an unlikely

00:36:17.900 --> 00:36:18.380
 servant.

00:36:19.159 --> 00:36:20.900
 It says in verse 20 that immediately Saul

00:36:20.900 --> 00:36:22.880
 proclaimed Jesus in the synagogue, saying,

00:36:22.980 --> 00:36:24.179
 He is the Son of God.

00:36:24.940 --> 00:36:27.139
 Again, Saul, like Philip, obeys the Lord

00:36:27.139 --> 00:36:27.700
 promptly.

00:36:29.579 --> 00:36:32.179
 And this transformation of Saul was so

00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:34.280
 radical that all who heard him were amazed.

00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:39.680
 This word amazed is the same word that was

00:36:39.680 --> 00:36:42.600
 used at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 and in

00:36:42.600 --> 00:36:44.860
 Acts chapter 8 to describe the reactions of

00:36:44.860 --> 00:36:46.740
 people who witnessed the signs and great

00:36:46.740 --> 00:36:48.640
 miracles that God performed through Philip.

00:36:50.320 --> 00:36:55.120
 Our conversion, too, is such a miracle that

00:36:55.120 --> 00:36:56.260
 can amaze people.

00:36:57.580 --> 00:36:59.640
 Though most of our conversion stories are not

00:36:59.640 --> 00:37:02.980
 quite as dramatic as Saul's, every conversion

00:37:02.980 --> 00:37:05.500
 is a miracle wrought by the Spirit of God.

00:37:06.159 --> 00:37:09.699
 No one can go from spiritual death to

00:37:09.699 --> 00:37:12.579
 spiritual life, from spiritual blindness to

00:37:12.579 --> 00:37:16.300
 spiritual sight, from being an enemy of

00:37:16.300 --> 00:37:18.500
 Jesus Christ to being a follower of Jesus

00:37:18.500 --> 00:37:20.900
 Christ without the Holy Spirit.

00:37:24.099 --> 00:37:26.380
 Despite his former opposition to Christ and

00:37:26.380 --> 00:37:27.840
 his church, verse 22 tells us that Saul

00:37:27.840 --> 00:37:30.460
 increased all the more his strength, confounded

00:37:30.460 --> 00:37:32.699
 the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that

00:37:32.699 --> 00:37:34.579
 Jesus was the Christ.

00:37:36.719 --> 00:37:39.579
 Saul was so effective in his ministry that the

00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:42.460
 Jews, who were likely jealous and disgruntled after

00:37:42.460 --> 00:37:46.079
 having been frustrated in their attempts to stop

00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:49.379
 Saul, they start to plan an assassination.

00:37:51.879 --> 00:37:53.679
 He says in verses 23-25,

00:37:53.679 --> 00:38:12.179
 There's a pattern here, and we see this pattern repeated exactly in verses 26-30 as well.

00:38:12.179 --> 00:38:19.119
 First, Saul encounters a group of believers who are still skeptical of the genuineness of his conversion.

00:38:20.019 --> 00:38:26.319
 And then second, he is accepted by them, received by them, finally after some hesitation or amazement,

00:38:26.699 --> 00:38:30.339
 and then Saul starts to proclaim the name of Jesus boldly.

00:38:30.340 --> 00:38:33.320
 And then third, he is opposed by the Jews.

00:38:33.320 --> 00:38:38.900
 Here, and then later, by the Hellenist Jews, the same Jews who killed Stephen earlier.

00:38:40.200 --> 00:38:43.320
 And then finally, with the help from fellow believers, he escapes.

00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:47.420
 So this pattern repeats itself in this passage twice.

00:38:47.420 --> 00:39:00.220
 This is a compressed account.

00:39:00.900 --> 00:39:02.220
 So when it says in verse 23,

00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:03.680
 Many days had passed.

00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:09.340
 In Galatians 1, 16-18, we learn that that period of Saul ministering in Damascus,

00:39:09.860 --> 00:39:16.200
 he also goes to Arabia, the desert of Arabia, to the south of Syria, east of Damascus.

00:39:16.199 --> 00:39:22.279
 And he ministered there for about three years before he goes up to see the apostles.

00:39:22.419 --> 00:39:26.539
 So what we see here in a few verses is a span of three years or more.

00:39:29.819 --> 00:39:32.799
 But the important thing to grasp from this here is the pattern.

00:39:35.359 --> 00:39:37.199
 Proclamation and persecution.

00:39:39.019 --> 00:39:41.859
 Of course, there are times of peace and security for the church.

00:39:41.860 --> 00:39:46.960
 Verse 31 tells us that for a time, the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace

00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:48.440
 and was being built up.

00:39:49.000 --> 00:39:52.320
 But in looking at the book of Acts and looking at church history,

00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:57.640
 we see that persecution, not peace, is the norm.

00:39:57.639 --> 00:40:01.980
 That's why Jesus says in verse 16,

00:40:02.099 --> 00:40:08.519
 I will show you how much, I'll show him, Saul, how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.

00:40:09.799 --> 00:40:13.319
 Proclaiming the name of Jesus entails suffering for his name,

00:40:13.699 --> 00:40:17.859
 but that doesn't deter Saul again and again.

00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:21.079
 What is that toy?

00:40:21.079 --> 00:40:23.759
 I think Josh told me the name of this before.

00:40:24.099 --> 00:40:27.380
 That boppy toy that keeps coming back.

00:40:27.639 --> 00:40:29.179
 You hit it and then it goes to the ground.

00:40:29.259 --> 00:40:30.219
 It keeps coming back up.

00:40:30.719 --> 00:40:32.159
 Saul's like that toy.

00:40:32.659 --> 00:40:35.059
 He's getting persecuted everywhere he goes.

00:40:35.579 --> 00:40:37.119
 He's nearly killed many times,

00:40:37.259 --> 00:40:39.420
 but he repeats the same pattern again.

00:40:39.500 --> 00:40:41.759
 And he goes somewhere else, preaches the gospel.

00:40:42.840 --> 00:40:44.559
 Gets persecuted and driven out from there.

00:40:44.599 --> 00:40:46.739
 He goes somewhere else to preach the gospel.

00:40:46.860 --> 00:40:48.239
 Again and again.

00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:50.859
 Look at how many times that phrase is repeated.

00:40:51.019 --> 00:40:54.979
 Verse 20, verse 22, verse 27, verse 28.

00:40:55.239 --> 00:40:57.539
 He's proclaiming the name of Jesus,

00:40:58.199 --> 00:41:00.059
 who he was formerly persecuting,

00:41:00.439 --> 00:41:01.679
 wherever he goes.

00:41:04.779 --> 00:41:08.079
 Because he knows what a privilege it is to be a servant of Jesus.

00:41:10.919 --> 00:41:15.819
 Have you ever wondered why God chooses to use any human being in the first place?

00:41:15.820 --> 00:41:18.480
 Why does God use Ananias?

00:41:19.559 --> 00:41:23.420
 I mean, Jesus already appeared to Saul in the blazing light.

00:41:24.340 --> 00:41:26.480
 Why can't he just tell him what to do?

00:41:27.220 --> 00:41:29.820
 Why can't he just restore his sight?

00:41:30.039 --> 00:41:32.519
 Why does he have to wait three days

00:41:32.519 --> 00:41:36.380
 or wait for the days until Ananias has his own vision

00:41:36.380 --> 00:41:37.980
 so that he can come to him and lay his hands on him?

00:41:38.019 --> 00:41:39.000
 Why does God do that?

00:41:39.000 --> 00:41:45.679
 Why does God use Saul?

00:41:47.880 --> 00:41:50.119
 Surely, somewhere in the world,

00:41:50.539 --> 00:41:52.219
 probably not that far off,

00:41:52.579 --> 00:41:55.559
 he could have found someone more willing than Saul to serve him.

00:41:55.559 --> 00:42:02.259
 Recalling this, Saul writes in 1 Corinthians 15, 9-10,

00:42:02.360 --> 00:42:04.500
 I am the least of the apostles,

00:42:05.279 --> 00:42:07.299
 unworthy to be called an apostle

00:42:07.299 --> 00:42:09.539
 because I persecuted the church of God.

00:42:10.159 --> 00:42:13.579
 But by the grace of God,

00:42:13.880 --> 00:42:15.699
 I am what I am.

00:42:17.799 --> 00:42:19.340
 It's all a grace.

00:42:20.619 --> 00:42:23.779
 Though Saul did suffer much for the sake of Jesus' name,

00:42:23.780 --> 00:42:27.040
 he always counted a privilege

00:42:27.040 --> 00:42:30.180
 to serve Christ and to suffer for Christ.

00:42:34.100 --> 00:42:37.280
 Saul knew well that he was the unlikeliest of servants.

00:42:38.900 --> 00:42:41.600
 Yet God, out of the hundreds of millions of people

00:42:41.600 --> 00:42:43.220
 who were alive in the world at that time,

00:42:44.220 --> 00:42:47.840
 God singled out Saul as his chosen instrument.

00:42:47.840 --> 00:42:56.079
 I often ask my kids to help me with cooking,

00:42:57.200 --> 00:43:00.800
 not because I need help.

00:43:02.480 --> 00:43:06.160
 In fact, involving the kids is harder

00:43:06.160 --> 00:43:12.320
 because they need instruction and constant supervision.

00:43:12.320 --> 00:43:16.400
 It takes longer to do everything.

00:43:17.200 --> 00:43:18.620
 They make more of a mess.

00:43:19.019 --> 00:43:22.340
 So you need to clean up after them even more.

00:43:24.539 --> 00:43:25.880
 But why do I ask them?

00:43:25.920 --> 00:43:28.660
 I ask them to help me because I delight in them.

00:43:31.140 --> 00:43:34.180
 Because they delight to help me.

00:43:34.179 --> 00:43:40.519
 It brings me joy to see them engrossed in the work,

00:43:41.199 --> 00:43:42.259
 giddy with excitement,

00:43:42.500 --> 00:43:44.619
 so eager to please their father,

00:43:46.699 --> 00:43:49.879
 basking in the glory of the reality

00:43:49.879 --> 00:43:52.239
 that they can be useful to me,

00:43:52.759 --> 00:43:55.759
 that they could do something to help their dad.

00:43:55.760 --> 00:44:01.940
 And as they do so, they grow.

00:44:04.880 --> 00:44:07.020
 They grow in their abilities.

00:44:07.160 --> 00:44:08.220
 They become more like adults.

00:44:12.760 --> 00:44:18.000
 The privilege of serving God is a gift to us.

00:44:21.040 --> 00:44:22.920
 God, in his grace,

00:44:23.340 --> 00:44:24.880
 has sovereignly ordained

00:44:24.880 --> 00:44:28.519
 that the great task of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ

00:44:28.519 --> 00:44:29.680
 among all the nations

00:44:29.680 --> 00:44:34.140
 will not be completed without our involvement.

00:44:37.460 --> 00:44:41.059
 He has given us the most sacred entrustment,

00:44:41.860 --> 00:44:44.559
 the saving use of Jesus Christ,

00:44:45.599 --> 00:44:46.900
 the name of Jesus Christ

00:44:46.900 --> 00:44:50.019
 without which no one in the world can be saved.

00:44:50.660 --> 00:44:51.820
 He has given us

00:44:51.820 --> 00:44:54.840
 the privilege and the responsibility

00:44:54.840 --> 00:44:57.260
 to carry that name.

00:45:02.559 --> 00:45:04.640
 We have been made to see Jesus

00:45:04.640 --> 00:45:08.480
 so that we might speak his name.

00:45:08.480 --> 00:45:25.719
 Let's pray that God would do that

00:45:25.719 --> 00:45:27.199
 more and more through us.

00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:34.239
 Heavenly Father,

00:45:36.159 --> 00:45:38.399
 that testimony of John Newton,

00:45:39.460 --> 00:45:42.859
 the testimony of Saul,

00:45:43.879 --> 00:45:44.919
 the testimony

00:45:44.919 --> 00:45:47.899
 of thousands upon thousands

00:45:47.899 --> 00:45:50.359
 of your saints throughout the ages

00:45:50.359 --> 00:45:51.939
 is ours also.

00:45:51.940 --> 00:45:55.619
 I once was blind,

00:45:55.619 --> 00:45:57.539
 but now I see.

00:45:59.539 --> 00:46:02.139
 Oh God, thank you for giving us sight.

00:46:04.079 --> 00:46:06.760
 There is nothing more precious to us

00:46:06.760 --> 00:46:10.000
 than the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ,

00:46:10.000 --> 00:46:13.420
 in his Holy Spirit.

00:46:18.159 --> 00:46:21.219
 Oh Lord, you have opened our eyes.

00:46:23.139 --> 00:46:25.159
 Lord, now open our mouths

00:46:25.159 --> 00:46:27.480
 to speak the name of Jesus

00:46:27.480 --> 00:46:28.760
 boldly

00:46:28.760 --> 00:46:30.780
 wherever we go.

00:46:30.780 --> 00:46:41.260
 that the praise of your name

00:46:41.260 --> 00:46:42.120
 might be on

00:46:42.120 --> 00:46:44.660
 all the lips

00:46:44.660 --> 00:46:48.460
 of the nation.

00:46:55.260 --> 00:46:56.700
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:46:57.640 --> 00:46:57.920
 Amen.

00:47:00.780 --> 00:47:01.780
 Amen.