He had seen the "Just One," and "heard His voice"; and you might as well have tried to reason him out of a belief in his own existence as to reason him out of his belief in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. II. Therefore assuredly (Ἀσφαλως οὐν [Asphalōs oun]). Fifty days earlier the Jews had murdered Peter's leader by slow torture and had gotten away with it. F. By age fourteen he had read through the Bible fourteen times, "once for each year." He tells over again the story of his conversion, and nothing more. “So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. It is a new start for Simon Peter, full of boldness and courage. Come with me from house to house, and in nearly everyone I will find you someone sick. With clear consciousness of his life's call (vers. Stand up and tell your tale. And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.”. (1-2) By Addressing Them With The Hebrew Language. The message of Jesus – that both Paul and the New Testament preached – is this: You may come to God just as you are – Jew, Gentile, foreigner, high, low, rich, or poor – but you must come to Him through Jesus Christ. The God of the fathers, Jehovah, the theocratic King, had, by a gracious manifestation of himself and of his will, called the apostle to his service. We ought to consider in the best light even the acts of enemies (ver. ON WHAT THE PREACHER MAY DEPEND in his ministry — on the grace of God which has appointed him to the office and will strengthen him in it. He waited in vain! They know I used to persecute Christians, so my story will be powerful and persuasive to them.”. 17-21). It lasted but a moment, and the Pharisee was conquered once and for all. The tree is known by its fruit. Describes his persecuting zeal against the Christians (vers. PAST LIFE AN ELEMENT OF INSPIRATION. 12-16). How Peter or Luke came to use the old Greek word ὠδινας [ōdinas] (birth pangs) we do not know. THE DIFFICULTIES WILL INCREASE. by "being his witness unto all men." It lasted but a moment, and the Pharisee was conquered once and for all. CHRIST IS HONOURED.1. Shall dwell (κατασκηνωσει [kataskēnōsei]). Herein is the secret of ardent preaching.6. Suddenly there was a great light around me, and a hand took hold of mine, and ever since I have felt that I am not an orphan, but under fatherly superintendence." THE SHORTNESS AND UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE. The promise mentioned in 1:4 and now come true, consisting in the Holy Spirit “from the Father” (παρα του πατρος [para tou patros]), sent by the Father and by the Son (John 15:26; 16:7). Their emptiness made way for their fullness as 3,000 believed in Christ and were saved. Humanly speaking, the history of the world was more changed by that incident than by any of the "decisive battles of the world." - C. 2. Nothing short of Stephen's death would satisfy his bloodthirsty soul. Prayers are often answered in ways we least expect. Christianity is not to be defended by mere argument, by the able use of elegant terms and subtle phrases; it does not challenge the world to a battle of opinions. Peter draws a powerfully pungent conclusion by the use of the adverb ἀσφαλως [asphalōs] and the inferential conjunction οὐν [oun]. If you know no emptiness, you will not know the fullness of Christ in your life. C.(8-10) His Encounter Was Personally Transformational, (8) So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ (9) “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. We want more personal experience in the Church. PAUL PERSECUTING JESUS. And now why are you waiting? )Paul and the bigoted JewsA. So it is in all genuine cases of conversion.(D. God "reasons with" us. He told his straightforward story, and left it to make its own impression. 2. i. This old conjunction (κατα, ὁτι [kata, hoti]) occurs in the N.T. Men are not always the best judges as to how, when, and where they shall do the most good (vers. It may be shown that they are granted: 1. 4)? Prayers are often answered in ways we least expect. Do it now (aorist tense). Late word in LXX. Peter got their attention and spoke to the point, saying in effect, "We are not drunk. Go into the slums of any great city; go to the farthest heathen shore; go into the fashionable church — with all we have something in common. IN HIMSELF — he exhibits the power of a Divinely consecrated personality, which does not fail to impress even brutal crowds. “This one,” resumptive and emphatic object of “did crucify and slay.” Being delivered up (ἐκδοτον [ekdoton]). I was left in difficulty and trouble and sorrow; I knew not where to turn: I sat down and felt the pain of utter helplessness, when suddenly I heard a voice saying unto me, 'Pray to thy Father in heaven.' 1. Each can say, who has known Christ's ministry in the soul, "Once I was blind; now I see."(J. He is the Friend of sinners. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. This led to his fleshly presumption: "Lord, though all the rest of these men leave you, I never will. But there is greater danger of grieving Christ by our indifference than of offending men by our imprudence. Let me not hear your opinions and views and speculations — keep them to yourself; but when we call for your defence read out of the pages of your heart. Not only are our greatest joys, but our keenest disappointments, experienced in Divine communion. Gerok.or how a servant of God looks back upon his life course.1. That is a shocking story — one of the leaders in the church becoming converted to Christ! When this hated sect was broken up in Jerusalem after the martyrdom of Stephen, he saw in a moment that the scattered fragments must be annihilated before victory was complete. But we know what course Paul will take, and he took it. Narrates his miraculous conversion (vers. They are mighty, urgent, convincing, one would say - but for sad facts which argue to the contrary - overwhelming. Normally, only right or reward granted it. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. D.(21) While He Received His Ministry Call Upon His Life, (19) So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. THE POSITION IS SINFUL. PAUL PRAYING TO JESUS. Paul wished first to be an apostle to Jews. (3) in furtherance of our personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our soul. How the ecclesiastics in Jerusalem must have loved him! (5) .... and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. A MAN WHO, having made an absolute self-surrender, LET THE LORD CHOOSE HIS LIFE WORK FOR HIM. Having gone down into the city and into the wilderness, and over the sea; having been beaten, stoned, imprisoned, the apostle ends just where he began: by telling the simple experience of his own soul. Sweet old mother! He gave himself to this work; not his means or his thoughts only, but himself. In Acts 22:16, Paul had already called upon the name of the Lord, at which point God washed away his sins. Even though he had been a Christian for a few years, yet he still came to Jerusalem to pray in the temple. Schauffler. The tomb was said to have fallen into ruins in the time of the Emperor Hadrian. Will you fire a few less guns tomorrow, and only an occasional gun the day after?