On Meeting Royalty Series

Acts 9:1-22 On Meeting Royalty

1. A Recognition of Hostility - Saul was a Most -

Relentless Man - His Desires - 1 Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,

Religous Man - His Deeds - 1 went unto the high priest, 2 and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

Rebellious Man - His Defiance - Saul was fighting God.

5 it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Righteous Man - His Devotion - 1 Saul, yet breathing out threatenings & slaughter against the disciples of the Lord went unto the high priest

2. A Revelation of the Heavenly -

A Surprising Call - 3 And as he journeyed,

A Seasonable Call - he came near Damascus:

A Sudden Call - and suddenly

A Sacred Call - there shined round about him a light from heaven:

A Solemn Call - 4 and he fell to the earth,

A Sovereign Call - and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

A Saving Call - 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

3. A Resignation in Humility -

I. There was an Assessment of His Life -

He Saw - His SOVEREIGN - 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord?

He Saw - His SAVIOUR - And the Lord said, I am Jesus

He Saw - His SIN - whom thou persecutest:

He Saw - His SELF - it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

II. There was an Awareness of his Lord -

His GLORY - 6 And he trembling and astonished

His GRACE - said, Lord,

His GOVERNANCE - what wilt thou have me to do? -

It's Political - what, Purposeful - wilt, Paternal - thou,

Personal - have me, Practical - to do?

III. There was an Acceptance of his Lot - 6 the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do

God's Plan is a -

Pressing Plan - 6 And the Lord said unto him,

Precise Plan - Arise, and go into the city

Proclaimed Plan - and it shall be told thee

Personal Plan - be told thee

Practical Plan - what thou must do

Perfect Plan - Romans 12:I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

4. A Restoration to Harmony - 8 And Saul arose from the earth -

A Chastened Man - and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man:

A Chained Man - but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

A Challenged Man - 9 And he was three days without sight,

and neither did eat nor drink.

A Changed Man - 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

Saul had Discovered -

A new Lord, A new Life, A new Liberty, A new Love, & A new Labour.

A Chosen Man - 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.