Good Monday June first as we come to study from God’s word to attain God’s truths.
Paul testifies of his conversion-
Paul is testifying before King Agrippa who has a history of the customs traditions and laws of the Jewish religion. Paul knows he has this history and testifies he himself has this same knowledge and Paul testifies that he is a Pharisee, meaning that he not only knew the law but serviced the law being one who went and had followers of the Way arrested even put to death for blasphemy. Now Paul has testified of what he was once and now will testify why he is the way he is this day so let’s read together from Acts 26:12-18 “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’” This now is the third time Luke places into this letter Paul’s testimony of his conversion suggesting that Paul’s testimony was essential and needed to be repeated as Paul testified before the different audiences he was in front of. What Luke has done is document that no matter who Paul was before, that his testimony never changed, he did not add anything nor did he choose to leave things out because of whom he was testifying too, he gave the testimony of the truth of what happened to him and whom was speaking to him. “O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language.” O King listen, it was a midsummer’s days, a light brighter than the sun shined around us, then a voice spoke from it, speaking in the Hebrew language, we all fell to the ground from this presence. Philippians 2:10 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.” The voice said I was kicking goads, which are those sticks used to move along an animal. In other wards the voice said I am directing your ways and you are resisting my direction. John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” O King this voice was Jesus the Son of God the Messiah Himself and He has given me new life a new covenant and I follow Him this day and want you to hear it. Have you heard the Gospel? Remnant
