All right, now, let's take our
Bibles and turn with me to the book of Acts, chapter nine. Acts, chapter nine. Passage of scripture that providentially
brought back, very familiar passage of scripture, but a passage that
all this past week was made to be very dear and needful for
me. It's a passage that deals with
the conversion of a man named Saul of Tarsus. But it's a conversion
that rings true with every regenerated vessel of God's mercy. Everyone
powerfully called out of the darkness of sin and unbelief.
It's a passage of scripture that declares these four things, the
absolute depravity of all men. Secondly, the absolute sovereignty
of God, providence, salvation, and the absolute assurance of
submission to every sinner called by God in mercy and power. and
then the absolute consistency of the reaction. Everyone called of the Lord. And the first thing I want us
to notice in this passage of scripture is the absolute total
depravity of all men born in Adam. Now when I say the absolute
and total depravity, what do I mean? I mean that state of
corruption, spiritual corruption because of sin, because of the
presence of sin whereby every part, every being of man's nature
is completely infected therefore making man totally unable in
himself to hear, to love, to obey, to come, to seek the Lord. He's not able. He's not able.
No man can come to me, the Lord said in John 6. No man can. No man can. No man can. Except
it were given unto him of my Father. The first place that
I think of right now, probably not the first, I'm sure it's
not, but that part of scripture, Genesis chapter six, whenever
the scripture says that God looked upon all men, here's what it
said. Genesis six, verse five, and God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth and that Every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Someone can say, well, I don't
think I think. Every thought of my being is
evil continually. In Adam, every thought of a man's
heart, every thought is evil continually. You know our problem? We don't
realize the depth to which we've fallen. Sinners, I mean it just kind
of rolls off our back like water off of a duck's back. All men
born in Adam are spiritually dead. They're all self-righteous. God despising haters, God and
God's people. Romans 8, 7 declares this truth,
because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject
to the law of God, it's not in subjection to the law of God,
neither indeed can be. Now let me ask you, Is that too
hard a statement of truth? No. It's the truth. It's the truth about man. I want you to notice in Acts
chapter 9, look at the first two verses and listen to exactly
what the Spirit of God has moved upon the writer to Acts to pen. And Saul, now look at this next
word, yet. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high
priest and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues,
that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or
women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. Saul had not just started with
this spirit of animosity, against the people of God, against God.
He just, he was still continuing, that's what it meant, and so
yet he was still continuing with that violent spirit of agitation,
living to do nothing less than let it be known that the murder,
the imprisonment of those who were of the way, These believers,
these followers after Christ, his heated passion, the scripture
says, saw yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples
of the Lord. And the amazing thing about this
passion of his hatred was that it was a passion that had a a
basis of religion to it. Religious depravity. Most hateful, hateful of all
exhibitions, religious, self-righteous depravity. Paul turned with me
to Philippians 3. Paul had this reputation of himself. This was
his reputation. Philippians chapter 3. This was
Paul's description of himself. Philippians 3 verses 4 to 6.
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man
thinketh that he hath whereof, he might boast in the flesh.
I more circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, the
tribe of Bentram, Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law
of Pharisee, Concerning zeal, Elisha Paul said, you talk about
zealous, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which
is of the law, blameless. I was blameless. And it came
to touching those things of the law. That's what he thought.
Man without Christ, It's evil. All of his thoughts. Carnal man is not without religion. He's not without self-righteousness.
He's not without self-morality. He is without Christ. Ephesians, turn to Ephesians
2. Spirit of God moved upon the apostle Paul. Ephesians chapter
2, verse 11 and 12. Ephesians 2, 11 and 12. Wherefore, remember that ye being
in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision
by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that
at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and without God in the world. So here's the truth
about us. Being born in Adam before conversion,
we're all born lost. We're lost. Evil. Haters of God. Without Christ. But the second thing that I noticed
in our passage of scripture back in Acts chapter 9 is that in
Saul's conversion, the absolute sovereignty of God in God's timing,
in God's rescue of His people. Now remember what Saul is doing. He's yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against all who are of the ways. He's not seeking
God. He's not seeking God. He's religious. He's religious. And he's serving
the God of his imagination, which is truly himself. This is it.
This is it. He's serving himself. But it was the Lord's good pleasure
to cross paths with this one of his own sheep, doing exactly
what he wanted to do in rebellion. And God was pleased to interrupt,
cross his path, cross his path with himself. Scripture says
back in Acts 9, verse 3 and 4, And as he journeyed, he came
near Damascus, and suddenly there shined round about him a light
from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and
he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me? Now, 2 Corinthians 6, verse 16, declares a beautiful state of
God's people found in the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 6,
16. Listen, this is too high for
me, but this is the truth. 2 Corinthians 6, 16, and what
agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye, Paul's
talking to believers here, ye are the temple of the living
God. As God has said, I will dwell
in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they
shall be my people. Now, for a moment, just muse
on this. A believer. One regenerated by
the grace of God. You are the temple of the living
God. Christ in you. The hope of glory. Here is one
of the Lord's own. One that the Lord's always loved. And He's watching. He's beholding. He sees Saul
of Tarsus, this one he's everlastingly loved, and now he stopped him. He saw him, the eyes of the Lord.
Behold, sons of men. He knows. Believe me, men may
think God doesn't see me, God doesn't know. God knows. He knows.
He stops him and he speaks. He shines a light from heaven
and God calls him personally. I know my sheep, I call them
by name. I think about that, I think that
God would call this rebel right here. I told you before, I know
just enough about myself. I know something from where I've
come. I know growing up in South Louisiana, it's just, oh, you
don't want to know. I know you say the same thing
about you, I know, I know that. But I think to myself that almighty
God in his infinite grace and mercy would call Marvin. Marvin. Marvin. Saul. Saul. God deals one-on-one with
his people. This is a personal call. I know
my sheep. I call them by name. They follow
me. Why persecutest thou me? God Almighty is sovereign in
salvation. He's not waiting. He's not waiting
on anybody, you know, softly and tenderly. We've said softly
and tenderly. Jesus is calling, waiting, pleading. Oh, come home, come home. Oh, please come. You know what
scripture says? When God's pleased to call one
of his own, what does he do, Neil? Saul! Saul! Why persecutest thou me? I'm
talking about arresting grace, sovereign grace, fetching grace. Aren't you glad? Leave it to
me. I wasn't coming. I wasn't coming. No, I was doing just fine. Oh,
but thirdly, having powerfully been stopped and spiritually
arrested, made willing in the day of God's power, Saul submitted. He submitted unto the Lord because
he taught something. He taught something right now.
He taught something about who he is. He's being shown, you're
not what you think you are. God knows what we think we are.
But by grace and mercy, he teaches us something of who we are. Scripture
says, verse five, and he said, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord
said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against
the pricks. Now, there's something in that
passage of scripture that I, up till I was preparing this
message here a few days ago, that I'd never seen. Oh, I'd
read it. I'd read the passage. But there's
something in there that I'd never seen in my heart. Who art thou,
Lord? Now here, surely that, it was
the overwhelming, all power of almighty God that moved Saul
to ask that question. Lord's gonna tell him something
in just a minute, but he moved on Saul, I want you to ask. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me? And then the Lord moved on him
and said, now you ask me who I am. I want you, you ask me. And Saul, made willing in the
day of God's power, says, Who art thou, Lord? Who are you? Oh, in condescending grace, Almighty
God was pleased to allow a worm of the dust to speak to him. What mercy that he was allowed
to ask. Nobody else said anything. But
Saul did. Who art thou, Lord? I want you
to listen to exactly what the Lord said. Now, here's what I'd
never seen before. Here it is right here. The Lord
answered, and he revealed unto Saul, and he said, Who art thou,
Lord? He said, I am Jesus. I'm Jesus, whom thou persecutest. Immediately, Saul of Tarsus heard
the voice of Him that was pleased to show mercy, compassion to
this undeserving sinner. I noticed that the Lord didn't
say, He could have said, when He said, who art thou? I am that
I am. He didn't say that. Could have.
He is the I am. I am Jehovah. He didn't say that. He didn't say I am God Almighty
who will in no wise clear the guilty. He could have said that. But he didn't. Who art thou Lord? And here's the answer. Jesus. The angel told Mary, you're going
to have a son. You call his name Jesus, Savior. That's what Jesus means, Savior. He shall save his people from
their sins. Who art thou, Lord? I am the
Savior of needy, helpless, self-righteous sinners, just like you, Saul. Just like me, just like you. I'm the lamb of God's choosing
for the redemption, salvation of my elect. Oh, what mercy! The one that was surely filled
with the emotion of fear and wonder. That's what verse 6 says.
And he trembling and astonished. I mean, he was arrested by God
Almighty. This is, when he said, I'm Jesus. That name right there, Saul had
Personally, being involved, when that name was before brought
up, you remember when Stephen was being stoned? Scripture says in Acts 22, Saul
admitted, Paul did, Paul the apostle, he said, I held the
coats. I was holding their coats when they stoned Stephen. I was
there. I was there. I was there. I saw them bash
his brains in. They stoned him. They stoned
him. I saw it. And I heard him. I heard him. I heard him. I heard
him. I heard what he said. While I held the coats of those
that murdered the servant of the Lord, Stephen cried these
words in his dying moments. He said, Lord Jesus. I went back
and looked to see exactly what he said. This is what he said.
Lord Jesus. Receive my spirit. And while he knelt down, he cried
with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this charge, lay not this
sin to their charge. And Saul heard that. He heard
that. He heard Stephen say, Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit. And now here's Saul on the road
to Damascus. Letters in his hand, letters
of authority take all of the way. And he hears the voice of
one from heaven, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Who
art thou, Lord? I'm Jesus, whom you're persecuting. The anointed Messiah, sent of the Father, To finish
the work of redemption for a chosen and everlastingly loved remnant
of sinners out of every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue, he
was speaking to God Almighty, who humbled himself, made himself
of no reputation, fulfilled the will, work of God, ascended into
glory, and from heaven speaks to him One of whom the scripture
says he shall not fail. Here's Saul. As all God's sheep
taught, taught, I am among the ones spoken of by the scriptures
as being the unjust persecutors of Christ in whom no fault was
found. Saul, Saul was a Pharisee. He
knew the scriptures. He knew the Old Testament. He
knew, he knew Psalm 35, 19. Let not them that are mine enemies
wrongfully rejoice over me, neither let them wink with the eye that
hate me without a cause. Oh, listen, that was me. You that know Him, that's you.
Persecuting Him without a cause, no cause in Him. Oh, and the
Lord called Saul with that effectual call, that distinguishing, humbling
call. but illuminating and revealing
call. Saul had been persecuting the
Lord through his people. And to continue in this way,
the scripture says that the Lord told him, he said, it's hard,
it's harsh, it's tough, it's severe. You need a kick against
the pricks. You know, it's talking about
the use of an ox goad. just like a little spear with
a sharp, kind of guide a little bit. That ox kick against that,
you kicking against something sharp. He said, it's tough on
you, it's tough. Oh, and then lastly, we behold
the absolute assurance of submission. In every vessel of God's mercy
and call, every one of them, Thy people shall be willing in the day of
thy power. All people, no. Thy people, yes,
shall be willing. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me. And him that cometh to me, I
will in no wise cast out. The Lord who graciously overwhelmed
Paul, Saul of Tarsus, gave him a heart to ask now what every
believer, called by his grace and power, here's the heart,
here's the question of every believer. Verse six, and he trembling
and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Lord, what would you have me
to do? The light of God's grace shined
in his heart. And here's one that moments before,
in absolute total rebellion, just like that thief upon the
cross, been railing on the Lord, All of a sudden, new heart imparted,
that thief says, Lord, when you enter into your kingdom, remember
me, remember me. Lord, remember this sinner. Remember
me in mercy, remember me in your grace. Verily I say unto you
today, today you'll be with me in paradise. Lord, what would
you have me to do? A former hater, despiser of God,
now a willing servant. Lord, what would you have me
to do? And Saul, who had tasted the
sweetness of God's love, long-suffering in mercy and compassion, hear
what the Lord said to him in closing. Arise, go into the city,
and it shall be told thee what thou must do. You know what the Lord had done?
He prepared a preacher. He prepared a preacher. Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. How are they going to call him
whom they've not heard? And how are they going to hear
without a preacher? He pleased God through the foolishness of
preaching. What this world calls foolishness. Not foolishness,
not foolish preaching. But what the world calls foolishness.
to please God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe. God prepared an Ananias. He told
him, he said, Ananias, there's one Saul that's coming. Oh, we've
heard of him. He says, he's a chosen vessel
unto me. Doesn't that just throw your heart? He's a chosen vessel
unto me. And he comes. Ananias comes to
him. What does he say? Brother Saul,
brother Saul. Oh, I pray God be pleased to
bless this word to our hearts today. How thankful for the mercy
that we've had to be able to be together and by the grace
of God to share this message with all that the Lord moves
to hear for his glory and our good.