The Sunday School

I, 2. Wo last heard of Saul making havoc of thechurch at Jerusalem af tor the martyrdom of Stephen. Wo still flnd hini in rhe sanie spirit, of eninlty against Christ and His followers, but novv he ia reacliing out toother cities, evento Damascus, witli authority from tbe high priest I to arrest and bring to Jerusalem all euch disciples of tho Lord as he might iind. They are spoken of as men and women of the way (see margin), reminding us of Christ's own words, "I ain tho way" (John xiv, 6). God thus far suffers Saul to be satan 's agent in purifying His shurch. Not even satan can touch a child of God without God's permlssion (Job i, 10; Zech. ii, 5), and when tlie adversary is allowed to try the peoplo of God, either directly or by human Instrumentality, we are to seo only tho hand of God and reroemher Rom. viii, 28, 29. See Ps. xvii, 14; lxxvi, 10; Dan. xi, 35; xii, 10; Rev. ii, 10, as very hclpful. 3, 4. "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" Thus far and no farther is beaven's decrea for Saul, and now Ho who loved him in all his sin and who had snffered him thus far in his devilish work arresta Him as he is about to enter DamascUB. The light from heaven smites him totho earth, and the voico from heaven enters his souL The light was brir'hter than the sun at noonday, and tho voice spake in tho Hebrew language (chapter xxvi, 13, 14). AM the party saw the light and feil to the earth in fear, but Saul alone heard the words whieh wero spoken, for they wers only for him. 5 "Who art thou. Lord? I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest." In one of Saul's accounts of this he givesthoLord'sanswer as "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest" (chapter xxii, 8). In all Saul's life he had never heard anything so startling or upsetting as this. Ho verily believed that ho was doing rightin the sight of Godin persecut ing these followers of one whom the highest authorities liad put to death as a blasphemer. See hls own testimony inchapters xxii andxxvi. 6. "Lord, what wilt Thou have me ta do?" Ho is fullof trembling and astonishment, but in a moment he seos that he has been all wrong and tho persecuted ones havo been right Ho seems sinceroly hambied and by the spirit confesses that Jesus is Lord (I Cor. xii, 3). Ho is told to go on to Damascus and await orders. The "What wilt Thou?" of this verso and the "Whoro wilt Thou?" of Luke xxii, 9, when sineercly addressed to the Lord, will not fail to obtain sure guidance. 7. It is evident that those with Saul heard a sound of words, but it is also evident, from chapter xxii, 9, that they heard not tho words spoken. Something of the same kind is written in Dan. x, 7-9. It is sometimes asked if tliose who aro loft when tho church is taken shall hear the Lord's voice or soe tho ovent. Perhaps the records concerning Daniel and Saul may givo somo light. 8. 9. Three days in Damascus, blind and fasting and awaiting a f urther message from the Lord ! What remembrances, what persistence, what searchings of heart, what humbiing before God, what light from heaven must have shono in his soul during thoso days of ontward darkness! How he would think of what Stephen saw and said and of the patienoe and faith of others who had suffered for Christ through him! The Lord was dealing wondrously with him, but, oh, so lovingly, by His Spirit and His word. 10. " The Lord knoweth them that ar6 His, and He knoweth them by name" (II Tim. ii, 19; Isa. xliii, 1). Ho could send au angel to do His bidding, as Ho often has done, for they excel iu strength and ; do His commandments, hearkening unto tho voico of His word. They are His ministers who do His pleasure (Ps. ciii, 20, 21), but Ho Bees flt to use human instrnmentality and calis a Philip in Samaría or an Ananias in Damascus to do His bidding. If we hold ourselves ready for any manner of service wholly at His comïnandrcent (I Chron. xxviii, 21), He will surcly show us His way for us and guide us into the good works prepared beforohand (Eph. ii, 10). II, 12. Ananias is sent to the street and the house, and tho person is named ta whom ho is to go, and his occupation at tho time is also mentioned. Ananias is also told what Saul soes as he prays. Let us not forget nor fail to believe that God is thus intimately acquainted with each of us. üur ways and words and thoughts, both in the darkness and the light, are all known to Him (Ps. cxxxix, 1-12; Ezek, xi, 5); thereScre let our honest prayer ba, "Searoh rnc, O God, and know my heart; ti-y me and know my thoughts. " 1". It must have been another new esporienco for Saul to havo a disciple of Jesus put hi:i hands upon him and address him as "ürothcr Saul," but I am sure he did not feul liko knocking him down for tlms uldressing him, tliougli I once heard a minister of the gospel, in good standing among men, say that he would like to treat a man that way who would cali him "brother. " True humility is never vexeel nor irritsted, but is at rest when nobody praises, or even when blamed or despiaed. IS. He received sight, lic was filled with the Spirit, and confessed Jesus as Lord in baptism. He is a new man, a new creation, old things are passed away and all things are become new (II Cor. v, 17). He is crucified with Christ and rlsen with Christ to a new lifc. Although he still lives, it is no longer Saul of Tarsus, but Christ Jesus who now lives in him as Lord (Gal. ii, Ü0). He has become blind to all but Jesus Christ. He knows no other master. Ho has a heart only for Him and a body that is henceforth wholly at His disposal. 19. He partook of fopd and was strengthened and continued some days with the disciples at Damascus. Every disciple would soon hear of it; it would spread far and wide that tha great persecutor had becomo a disciplo of Christ. Many would want to see for thomselves before they could believe such a thing, and even tho disciples at Jerusalem would not at ürsfc believe that he was a disciple (verse 26). Many of us are apt to believe that some things are too hard for the Lord, but we should remember Jcr. xxxii, 17; xxxiii, 3. 20. "And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that Ho is the Son of God." He increased the more in streugth and spake boldly in the name of tho Lord Jesus, proving that He is indeed Israel's Mossiah (verses 22, 29). Both at Damascus and at Jerusalem the eneinies of Christ sought to kill him, but God took care of His chosen vessel and for i time sent him to his home in Tarsus. As witnesses for Christ we must shine for Him umong those who know us best.