Key Verse: 6a
Introduction
Q: “Lord, what do you want me to do?”
What a question! What a novel idea! Asking the Creator what He desires of His creation.
You might say that Saul was a “religious man.” Actually he was a very religious man! He knew how to pray. He had devoted himself to the Old Testament Scriptures. He went to the synagogue religiously.
Saul was a “Pharisee of the Pharisees,” having had the privilege to have learned at the feet of Gamaliel – one who would have held a Ph.D. in the Law and Prophets.
Statement: Saul had lived the Law. He loved the Law. He had done everything according to the Law. He knew the books of History, the Law and Prophets. He knew his religion! He was in the process of serving warrants pm those who were “of the Way.”
TURN TO ACTS 8… We first meet Saul in the 7th and 8th chapters of the book of Acts at the stoning of Stephen – the first man to die as a Christian. Verse 1 of chapter 8 states that Saul was “consenting unto his death.” The word consenting means “to be gratified by, or to take pleasure in.”
See verse 3…
Saul thought he was doing everything that was required. Everything that was righteous. Everything that was religious.
But he was actually at enmity with God. He was not working for/with God. Rather, he was working against Him.
Sometimes, we are in the same condition. We believe that we are doing everything required, righteous, religious.
But, we lack the one ingredient of a God-honoring life – a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Thought: that is exactly what Jesus required of the rich young ruler.
In our passage, Saul asked two important questions:
1. “Who art thou Lord?” How did Jesus respond? See 9:5 – I am JESUS, whom thou persecutes; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks; or "to resist me", as the Arabic version renders it; and which is the sense of the phrase; it is a proverbial expression, taken from beasts that are goaded, who kick against the goads or pricks, and hurt themselves the more thereby; and Christ uses it, suggesting that should Saul go on to persecute him and his people, to oppose his Gospel, and the strong evidence of it, in doctrine and miracles, he would find himself greatly hurt by it, and could not rationally expect to succeed against so powerful a person.
2. Secondly, he asked “What wilt thou have me to do?” Can you imagine being in a face-to-face confrontation with one whom you have offended and maligned? It would be bad enough to be standing toe-to-toe with a mere human, but Saul was facing Immanuel – God in the flesh. The God-man who had raised the dead, exercised the demons, healed the blind, the dumb, the crippled. Jesus, who held all the power of heaven and earth in His hands. This same Jesus who had struck Saul blind, could have struck him dead. And Saul knew it. Notice Jesus’ response to Ananias’ question in verses 15 – 16. The Lord was calling Saul to be a missionary to the very people he had been persecuting – the Gentiles.
3. Saul (Hebrew name) – Paul (Gentile name). Saul took on the Gentile equivalent of his circumcision name, so that he would better identify with those to whom he was called to minister.
I trust that we understand the significance of Saul’s questions.
First, he discovered who he was us against. He discovered that the Lord was offended with his brand of religion.
Second, he discovered that even though he had offended an holy God, the Lord still desired to include him in His kingdom work.
(Summarize the account of Saul’s conversion; Ananias, Street called Straight, etc)
Look at 9:15-16; 19-20.
This morning, let’s ask the same question that Saul did.
“Lord, what would You have me to do?”
REPEAT IT WITH ME:
“Lord, what would You have me to do?”
PRAYER…
How do you suppose the Lord answers a question like that?
1. For some here today, His answer is simple: BE SAVED – Allow me to be your Savior.
Scripture is replete with passages that indicate His love for every man, woman, boy and girl. He died for me, but He also died for all.
JOHN 3:16 (QUOTE)
2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Saul/Paul stated that “Jesus Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”
Jesus Himself claimed, “I have come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
LYRICS – “Just As I Am”
Saul cam “just as he was.” His experience was real. Look at the change!
Php 3:7-11 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. (8) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Quote 2 Timothy 4:6-8
QUESTION: Lord, what do You want me to do?
For some, it requires REPENTANCE and SALVATION
2. For others, it requires a reorganization of priorities. And, His answer is – ALLOW ME TO BE YOUR LORD!
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Colossians 1:18, That in ALL THINGS He might have the preeminence.
LORDSHIP! Is Jesus both Savior and Lord of your life?
Not Lord of half, or Lord of most, but LORD OF ALL!?
Unless we are willing to ask the same questions as Saul, we take the risk of offending God just as Saul did. Pretending that we know what God wants accomplished; pretending that we are God’s agent, without ever consulting Him in prayer or through His Word is presumptuous. When we misrepresent God, it is an affront to Him. He is offended when we do anything in His name, when we have failed to seek His face. Have we played the part of Saul? Have we offended a holy God by merely pursuing religion? You can have your religion – I will take a relationship with Jesus anyday!
Ask Him – Lord, what do You want me to do?
He has a perfect plan for your life!
Is there something, anything that the Lord has asked of you that you have failed to be obedient in?
Saul asked the question: “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Paul answered it: Turn to Romans 12:1-2
Paul penned the words in Philippians 2, that “God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Have you confessed Him as your Savior and Lord?
Prayer and Invitation
