Saul/Paul Pt. 2 – “The Voice of Truth on the Damascus Road”

Acts 9:1-4 (NLT); Meanwhile, Saul was uttering with every breath and was eager to the Lord’s followers. So, he went to the high priest. He requested addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them-both men and women-back to Jerusalem in . As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from suddenly shone down around him. He to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! are you persecuting Me?”

“Why are you persecuting Me?” Why?.. and why did Jesus make His question about Himself not His followers?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT); Don’t you realize that body is the of the Holy Spirit, who in you and was to you by God? You do not belong to , for God you with a high price. So, you must God with your body.

Followers of Christ are “ of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 9:5-6 (NLT); “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the One you are Now get and into the city, and you be told what you must do.”

Saul answered the why question with a who question. Jesus answered the who with !

Jesus said …Saul and so should !

Acts 9:7,8 (NLT); The men with Saul stood , for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was . So, his companions led him by the hand to Damascus.

Why was Saul made blind? Perhaps, God humbled Saul for the mission Saul/Paul would later fulfill.

Acts 26:16-18 (NLT); Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to you as my and . You are to tell the what you have and what I show you in the future. And I will you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to their , so they may turn from to and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive for their and be given a place God’s people, who are set apart by in Me.’

Acts 9:9-20 (NLT); He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. Now there was a believer in Damascus named . The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “ over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is to Me right now. I have shown him a of a man named Ananias coming in and laying on him so he can see again.” “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the things this man has to the in Jerusalem! And he is by the leading priests to arrest who calls upon Your name.” But the Lord said, “, for Saul is My chosen to take my to the and to , as well as to the people of . And I will show him how much he must for My name’s sake.” So, Ananias and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “ Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be with the Holy Spirit.” something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was . Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. And immediately he began about in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God!”

So that’s how Saul became Paul right? No, Saul is his Hebrew name and Paul Italian (Roman)

Acts 13:9 (NLT); , also known as , was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye.

When Saul/Paul – or You and I believe in The Truth/Jesus changes!

Acts 9:21-23 (NLT); All who heard him were . “Isn’t this the same man who caused such among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in to the leading priests?” Saul’s preaching became more and more , and the Jews in Damascus refute his proofs that Jesus was the . After a while some of the Jews plotted together to him.

Saul/Paul went from to and eventually because he met and in Jesus – The Truth!

“The Truth/Jesus is ; in the sense, that He requires us to make the to believe; in order to His grace and forgiveness provided for in His redemptive work.” Rev. G.A. Clark

Hebrews 11:6 (NLT); And it is to please God without . Anyone who wants to come to Him must that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely Him.

John 3:16,17 (NLT); “For God loved the world so much that He gave His One and Only Son, so that who in Him will perish but have life. God sent His Son into the world to judge the world, but to the world Him.

in as The is a ; a decision we make or we reject.

Acts 4:12 (NLT); There is salvation in one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we be saved.”

Salvation is found in in Jesus.

“Grace, forgiveness, redemption, salvation and much more; are through , when believes in who Jesus and what He made through His sinless life, death, burial and resurrection.”

Ephesians 2:8 (NLT); God saved you by His when you . And you can’t take credit for this; it is a from God.

Others translation only use “by faith” other translations do not use the word believed. Many use “by faith,” only. This is not an issue in that; faith is the and of .

1 John 3:23 (NLT); And this is His : We believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He us.

Who do you believe is the truth? Jesus is, The above all!