Acts 9:1-9

Well, good morning. Good morning. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions. This is where every day you and I, we get together. We get into God's word and we grow in our love for the Lord together. And this year, 2022, we'll make it all the way from Acts to Philemon. Today, we have a great passage from Acts chapter 9, verses 1 through 9.
Why don't we pray and we'll get into God's word. Father, we thank you so much for this day and we thank you for your word. We thank you for the power that we know that you manifest yourself to people. Lord, we pray that we would hear these words this morning and know that your power is still alive. In Jesus' name, amen. All right, here we go, Acts chapter 9, verses 1 through 9. Let's read God's word together.
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed, he came to Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
Then he fell to the ground, and he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, Who are you, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads. So he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what do you want me to do? Then he said to him, Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.
And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight and neither ate nor drank."
Well, we need to ask ourselves, A, what is this about? B, what's the best verse to summarize this? And C, what are we called to do in response to these words? So first, A, what is this about? Well, Paul or Saul at this time is breathing murderous threats. He's breathing out threats and he's breathing out murder.
He's gone to the high priest and he's asked him for the authority to go on this inquisition, to go into the synagogues all the way up to Damascus. And as he's up there, he's going to find out in all these synagogues, are there any followers of the way? And if they are followers of the way, he's going to arrest them, they're going to bind their hands, they're going to march them down to the Sanhedrin, they're going to stand religious trial, and Saul is going to try to crush this thing. He's persecuting the church. And as he's on his way on the road to Damascus, He has a divine intervention. The heavens open up and a great light shines around him. He falls on his face and hears a voice from heaven. Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Saul knows that this is the Lord. Saul knows that this is someone in authority above him. He says, who are you, Lord? And notice he says, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting me, whom you are persecuting.
Jesus wasn't there He was there spiritually, but it was his people who were being persecuted. Notice how intimately Jesus identifies himself with his people. We learn in places like 1 Corinthians that the church is the body of Christ. And if we are in Christ, We are in His body.
And so when Saul is persecuting Jesus' people, he is persecuting Jesus. When Saul is breathing out threats against Jesus' people, he is breathing out threats against Jesus. When Paul is breathing out murder against Jesus' people, he is breathing out murder against Jesus.
People want to drive a wedge somehow between the church and Jesus. And yes, the church messes things up. And that is true. But make no doubt about it. Where two or three are gathered together in Jesus' name, He is there in the midst of them. God's people have always been called to assemble together. And when we are assembled together, it is the visible body of Christ. And here the Lord pushes him.
Why are you kicking against the goads? This long pole that the farmers used to use to poke at the cattle so they would continue to walk. God has been pricking Saul's conscience. He knew. He knew it in his heart when he saw Stephen murdered in front of him. as he dragged women and men out of their houses, out of the assembly. And he saw their tears and heard their pleas and heard their prayers, trusting in Jesus Christ. His conscience was pricked and he was fighting against it. He was trying to resolve his heart to fight against what the Lord was doing. But he knew that this was the Lord's work.
And he's dumbfounded. What am I to do? Jesus says, go into the city to stay there. And you're going to hear what to do. It's interesting here that his companions hear a sound. This could be translated a sound or a voice. I think a sound is the best understanding here that it's similar to what happened with Jesus' baptism. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.
Many people in the crowds just heard thunder, but they didn't understand that this was the voice of the Lord. I think that's similar to what's going on here. They're dumbfounded too. They don't know what's going on. And we're going to see in the book of Acts that this story is actually told three different times. And here it's the first time. And so, what is this? This is about Saul being confronted by the risen Lord Jesus Christ. And he's put into the city, and for three days he can't see. He's blind. There's scales on his eyes. He doesn't eat anything or drink anything for three days. We'll pick up more tomorrow what happens with the rest of that story.
What's the best verse to summarize this? What's the best verse to summarize this? Well, in my Bible I have underlined, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And then, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. That gives me a great deal of comfort. A great deal of comfort to know that when Christians are persecuted, we suffer for Christ's sake. If we're suffering for righteousness' sake, indeed, that's one of the Beatitudes, is it not? Blessed are those who suffer for righteousness' sake.
C. Calling, what are we called to do?
Take heart. I would say my application today is take heart in the midst of suffering. Live a principled life. Live a godly life. And when and if persecution comes, don't give in to it. Suffer under it. Count it a blessing to suffer for the sake of Christ.
Let's pray. Oh Father, I pray that you would give us strength. That we would follow after you. That we would walk in your ways with resolve in our hearts, trusting in you and in your word. And Father, I pray that we would stand up in the many trials and tribulations of this life. And I pray that when persecution comes, that we would endure it for your glory.
Father, please care for us this day. Give us your strength in Jesus's name. Amen. Well, may the Lord bless you today. May you have strength and resolve knowing that Jesus is with his people and whom the Father has given into Jesus's hand. No one can snatch them out. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye.