January 6, 2019
Grandpa
Hymn 68 - Christ is the Saviour of sinners
Prayer
For awhile we’ve been looking in detail into Saul’s conversion. What we have noticed in this story and taken note of not only the bright light but also the voice that came from it. By the end of the conversation Saul as gone from wanting to get rid of the Lord to serving Him. We discussed last time about Saul’s question of what to do; today we are going to find out the answer.
Acts 9:6-20
Saul is told to go to Damascus and since he’s blind the people that were with him have to lead him. When he gets to Damascus he stays in a house. For three days he sits in this house and doesn’t eat or drink anything. A lot must have been going through his head.
Suddenly we change scenes. We go to the house of Ananias. This is the first time we hear of this disciple and it’s the last time; but he has a very important job. I imagine he was having his Bible reading when all of a sudden God appears to him in a vision. He tells him to go to a certain house and ask for Saul because he’s praying.
For three day Saul’s been praying. This is the second piece of evidence that Saul has become a Christian. First Obedience and second Prayer.
Ananias knew all about Saul and his quest to kill Christians in Damascus. Maybe he was thinking of a place to hide from him. When God told to go to Saul he must have been really scared, but God lets him in on a secret. He tells him it’s okay. He’s a chosen vessel. I’ve chosen him to give My gospel and bear My name. Instead of Saul give his energy and devotion to stopping the Lord, God decided to use it for Him. God also tells Ananias that Saul will have to suffer for His sake.
So Ananias goes to the place Saul was staying at. He puts his hands on Saul. He tells him why he is there and he heals him. Saul then receives the Holy Ghost and was baptized. What a glorious conversion and a beautiful restoration.
John 8:30-59
Truth is mentioned a lot in these verses, but the people weren’t accepting Jesus’ words as truth. Verse thirty says some people believed on Him, and in verse thirty-one Jesus tells them how they can know if they are truly His disciples. It’s if they continue in His word.
The Jews claimed they were never in bondage and therefore didn’t need to be made free. Darby translates verse thirty-four as ” Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that practices sin is a bondman of sin”. A bondman is a slave. Jesus told them they were in bondage to sin and that He could deal with that. When you know the Lord as your Saviour, you are no longer in bondage to sin.
Romans 6:6,9-14
Theses truths should change our behaviour, but where we are at in John this hadn’t happened yet. God’s Word is the truth that can set us free. The Lord brought a wonderful message of grace so we can know salvation.
Abraham believed God and wasn’t ready to kill over it. These people were a little mixed up. Jesus said, “My word hath no place in you”. They weren’t accepting of the truth. They claimed that they were Abraham seed, but Jesus said that Abraham wouldn’t be willing to kill Him. They weren’t reflections of Abraham.
Joseph wasn’t Jesus’ biological father, so their comment in verse forty-one was slanderous.They then told Him that God was their Father. They were of a wrong spirit that wasn’t able to accept Jesus’ word. They could believe a lie, but they wouldn’t believe God’s truth. Jesus’ words should have convicted them.
Hymn 264 - The perfect righteousness of God
Prayer