Acts 9:3-19 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:… Look at the conversion of Saul — I. AS ILLUSTRATING THE GREAT MORAL CHANGE WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SALVATION OF EVERY SINNER. Note — 1. The feelings developed in connection with it. (1) A vivid consciousness of Christ. (2) Anxious inquiry. (3) Profound contrition. (4) Earnest prayer. 2. The display of human and Divine in effecting it. (1) There is the human in Saul. The Divine is not sufficient to account for Saul's conversion; for it was as strikingly displayed in the cases of Pharaoh, Salaam, and the witnesses of the crucifixion. God created us without our consent, but cannot save us without it. There was something in Saul that made him susceptible to the Divine influence. He was conscientious, and reverenced the Divine will as far as he knew it. (2) There is the human in Ananias. God usually converts man by man. 3. The thoroughness of the change. How vast the difference between the man of ver. 1 and the man of ver. 20. II. AS SUPPLYING A COGENT ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR OF THE DIVINITY OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. Lord Lyttleton has ably demonstrated this. The argument may be thus shaped: 1. If the testimony of Paul concerning Christ be true, Christianity is Divine. Jesus was the grand theme of his ministry — Jesus the promised Messiah, the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world. If you believe Paul, you must believe in Christ. 2. If the conversion of Saul is a reality, his testimony must be true. This conversion shows that he had all the qualifications necessary to bear a credible testimony. (1) The necessary intelligence. He was no blind fanatic, but saw, heard, and felt Christ. (2) The necessary candour. If a witness is prejudiced, his testimony is vitiated; but Paul's prejudices were all against Christ. (3) The necessary disinterestedness. He had everything to lose, and nothing to gain. III. AS AFFORDING HOPE OF MERCY TO THE GREATEST SINNER (1 Timothy 1:16). (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: |
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