Saul Or Paul

Saul or Paul

THERE WAS HIS FORMER LIFE

Saul was the arch-persecutor of the church

Saul was consumed with a fierce anger & wrath against Christ and His disciples

He “breathed out threatening & slaughter.

What is in the heart is what comes out,

Saul actually hunted down and slaughtered believers – many of them

Saul was given over to a fierce objective, that if destroying ALL the followers of “the Way” of the Lord

He Volunteered – actually went to the High Priest and the Sanhedrin requesting authority to storm after the fleeing believers – to arrest and bring the believers back to Jerusalem for trail

He included women as well as men

THERE WAS THE LIGHT FROM HEAVEN

It was while Saul was set on his slaughter of believers that he was stricken down by the light from the Lord.

It was in the midst if his ferocious evil that he was saved

THERE IS HOPE FOR ALL, FOR ANYONE OF US

The light appeared to Saul suddenly, out of nowhere, unexpectedly

The light was from Heaven. God is the source and the giver of light

We are not the source of the Light Jesus is We are to Reflective HIS Light

The light was Great, that is brighter than the noonday sun

Imagine a light so bright that is actually outshines the Sun!!!

The light radiated from the Lord Himself.

1. [Jesus’] face did shine as the sun and His raiment was as white as the light. Matthew 17:2

2. God is light I John 1:5

3. [God]…. Dwelling in the light which mo man can approach I Timothy 6:16

Salvation Light brings sin in to light and caused us to repent

THERE WAS THE CONFONTATION OF THE LORD

He heard a voice speak to him. He alone heard the voice. The others heard a sound but could not distinguish the words.

The message was a personal message to Saul Alone

There was the charge if terrible sin, of opposing and persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ Himself

A- Jesus called Saul by name, “Saul, Saul”

Calling the name twice shows 2 things

1. It shows tenderness, love, & concern, an appeal to listen and heed.

2. It shows rebuke and warning

- Saul was treading on dangerous ground. He was close to the brink, about to fall over the edge of no recovery.

- Opposing Christ is serious, so serious it dooms a person to hell unless there is repentance.

You are either with the Lord or you’re against Him WHERE ARE YOU!

Christ Identified with the believer,

The person who opposed the believer is opposing Christ Himself (Matt 25:40, 45)

B- There was the request to know the Lord. Saul knew that the light had come from Heaven

Saul was stricken down, humbled, convicted, frightened and he cried out in desperation “Who are thou, Lord” ………..He Knew

……….. It was the Lord

………… It was the Lord he was suppose to know (HE WAS CONVICTED OF HIS SINS)

This he confessed. But he did not know Him He Cried OUT “WHO ART THOU, LORD

Tell Me …. Identify yourself………… let me know you

C- The shattering truth is a real eye opener to every person who opposes Jesus

Jesus is the Lord the One whom the sinner is opposing

It is hard to kick against conscience. The phrase “to kick against the pricks” is the picture of an ox being pricked with a long stick to make him respond to the driver’s will. Saul was questioning, fighting, and struggling within himself over the truth. He was deliberately shutting his ears and closing his mind………

· To the truth of the gospel which he was hearing from the disciples of the Lord.

· To the truth of his own mistaken way and the awful shame of his sin

Saul had chosen and was choosing a hard way of life. Every man who rebels against God has chosen a hard life, a difficult life, a life that is doomed to uncertainty and always wondering about the future………….

Never possessing the assurance and confidence of being acceptable to God

Never being sure if he is really right

Never having the permanent peace and security of God

THERE WAS THE SURRENDER

Saul was trembling and in utter shock

He was divested, hardly able to bear up under the weight of the sin for which he was now being charged.

He knew beyond question he was the most terrible sinner.

His and your only hope is to TURN and OBEY the Lord Jesus Christ

And Praise God this is what Saul did……..

You think you sin life is so bad that God cant forgive you Saul was so bad God forgave him just like his word said he does and then God had to Change Saul’s name he had to be put it the Christian witness program his name was change to Paul