The second of many! Paul never tired of telling how the Lord Jesus Christ saved his lost soul!
Acts 22 (today’s Text) relates in detail that great testimony the just-arrested Paul gave to the people of Israel seems to look three directions, but here’s how it begins: “Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.” The chapter’s first verse, King James Version.
Three directions?
Past and present and future.
The “Past” is discussed in verse 3, for example. “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.”
Then the “Present” tells of his conversion. Specifically so. (It was Luke who recorded this miracle back in Acts 9. Here’s one of Paul’s personal recollections of that epochal day.) “And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord?” Verses 6-9, which precise events apparently still “live” with Paul each day he travels and preaches! (One never gets over his or her salvation experience!)
(By the way, there is a Bible sense in which we who have been Blood-washed have been saved … past tense … then also we are being saved … present tense … and yet some day will be saved … future sense! Already saved from the penalty of sin! Yet now being saved from the power of sin! And some day will be saved from the very presence of sin!)
The “Future” in Paul’s Sermon is found in these words: “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and saw him (the Lord) saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And he said unto me, Depart: for I WILL SEND THEE FAR HENCE UNTO THE GENTILES.” Verses 17-18 and 21, his future ministry was to concern the Gentiles! And largely “to the Gentiles” he has preached! (Remember that desire of his to go all the way to Spain, Gentiles for sure, and tell them about Jesus!) Future goals!
There are some minor differences between Luke’s Acts 9 Record and Paul’s Acts 22 Story. But each of these is due to the eye-witness variation present in the hearts and minds of these two godly men. “Minor differences” but no real unsurmountable contradictions!
God’s Word, divine inspired and literally inerrant!
Today take a few minutes and reflect on your PAST and PRERSENT and FUTURE as a Christian! Then tell someone your experience with the saving Grace of God! That real witnessing, folks!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
.