Acts chapter 9, as we continue our study of the book of Acts chapter 9, we are in the very beginnings of Saul of Tarsus' life with Christ. Now Christ's life for him had been a long, long time. Christ had an interest in him before the foundation of the world. Christ wrote his name down in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world. But we are now entering into that time when Saul of Tarsus begins to understand that, the revelation.

And we notice here in Acts chapter nine, and I'd like to read, begin with verse 17. There's just a thought here I want to spend a little time on. And that is when Ananias entered the house, it says there, and putting his hands on him said, brother Saul, The Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Now would you turn with me at this point over to the book of John chapter 15. John chapter 15, we have the Lord Jesus mentioning when the Holy Spirit comes in this capacity.

Now the Holy Spirit was here in creation. The Holy Spirit was here in the garden. The Holy Spirit has always been here. He's always been present when people have been saved. We are born again by the power of the Spirit. Now there is a way that the Holy Spirit came just as Christ came.

The Son of God, God the Son, the Messiah has always been, but he came because there was a problem. And he came to this earth and laid down his life, a ransom for many to pay their problem price. Well, we find that the Holy Spirit came too because there's a problem. The problem is people crucified Christ and thought that they were doing a good thing and he came to convince them otherwise.

So here we read in the book of John chapter 15 verse 26. John chapter 15 and verse 26, the Lord said, when the comforter is come, now he has always comforted his people, but there's a special capacity that he did when the spirit came there on the day of Pentecost and is still with us. Now, Jesus said, with regard to the comforter coming at this time and in this manner, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. He shall testify of me.

Now, inside your bulletin, there is an article written by Octavius Winslow. Now, he didn't give a lot of verses there, but many verses could be added to this passage that Octavius Winslow presented here. It says, how precious. Oh, there is more real value in one ray of the Spirit's light beaming upon a man's soul than in all the teachings which books can ever impart. One ray of the Holy Spirit can teach more than all the books can ever impart to us.

Now, what did, what was the result of Saul of Tarsus receiving the Holy Spirit? Now, there's a lot of discussion about this, but there's very little said in the Bible about what the discussion is about today. There's all kinds of stuff that people do saying it is because they have the Holy Spirit. What was it that Saul of Tarsus did right after receiving the Holy Spirit?

He preached Christ. And that's what he did till the very day he died. We read that in the book of Philippians this morning. He's preaching Christ over there in chains, and he'll preach Christ to the last day he lives. That's what the Holy Spirit did for Saul of Tarsus. It gave him insight with regard to the gospel. He gave him insight with regard to the salvation that we have in Christ Jesus. It was this that the Holy Spirit imparts to us and gives to us and teaches us.

It's not how to dance around in church. It's not how to speak some language that nobody can understand. It is glorifying the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. What tongue is sufficiently gifted to describe how precious is the gift of the Holy Spirit? How precious is His indwelling and ever-ascending, heaven-panting, God-thirsting, Christ-desiring Spirit?

Now Octavius Winslow summed it up, there is a Christ desiring spirit that is given to us when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. It's not ourself, it's not what we do, what we accomplish, but it is a Christ honoring Christ glorifying revelation that God gives to us when he gives us his spirit.

We realize that salvation is of the Lord and not of ourself. And we realize that Jesus Christ actually and forever paid for all the sins of all of his people and we rejoice in that. We will never come into condemnation. He's taken care of it. The revelation of Jesus Christ by the spirit of God gives us the great blessings that are told in the scripture about the recipients of grace. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, not because Noah was a special person in the sense that he was doing a better job than everybody else. Noah, if he came to visit us today, say, I was just like my cousins in their sin. And God was merciful to me. All right.

Now, let's go back to the book of Acts, if you would, in chapter nine, and continue this account, Acts chapter nine, and continue this account as we find out what happened. What did Saul of Tarsus do after Ananias came down, come in, called him brother Saul, first time in his life he's ever been called that, and he is in such a state because God has saved him, the spirit is indwelling him, and here we find in Acts chapter nine, Verse 18, I believe it is, we want to start.

Verse 18 says, immediately there fell from his eyes, as it were, scales, and he received sight forthwith, and he arose and was baptized. And we went over that and said how this is so similar to what the salvation does for us, taking away all of that nonsense that we believed for years in religion and replaced it with the truth. And then he was baptized. Wasn't baptized to be saved, wasn't baptized to keep his salvation. He was baptized to follow the Lord in his command. As we find the scripture say, it's an answer of a good conscience towards God. Then it tells us in verse 19, and when he had received meat, he'd been fasting for three days. And when he got something to eat, he was strengthened.

Then was Paul's certain days with the disciples, which were at Damascus. Now, who were those guys? He was certain days, Saul was then certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. Who are these guys? They're the people that's on his list when he left Jerusalem. They're the people that he was given authority to come down to Damascus and arrest.

Now, it's interesting that this was no small journey. It might be for us. 140 miles today is not much for us. A couple hours of driving and two cups of coffee. But Damascus, or Jerusalem to Damascus, was about 140 miles. And it took about a week if you were walking it. And that would be walking faster than I do.

So we have a distance to travel, and on that route, God met Saul of Tarsus in the exact place that he had purposed to meet him from eternity. So here we have him. Saul is a symbol and fellowshiped with the very ones he had papers to bring to Jerusalem for a religious trial. These are the people he fellowshiped with. Why?

Because they knew the gospel. They knew what it was to have the Spirit of God. They knew what it was to hear Christ preached, Christ glorified, to hear and understand why He came to this earth and His success in coming to this earth and dying on the cross and paying the price for all the sin debt of all of His people. They knew that.

Well, turn with me, if you would, over to the book of Colossians for just a moment. In Colossians chapter 2, we read this. It's a wonderful verse of scripture here about the comfort that we have from believers, believers like God saves. Here it says in Colossians chapter 2, And I have to be reminded as I studied the life of Saul of Tarsus, that this is the writing that the Holy Spirit gave Saul of Tarsus. My goodness, Ephesians, excuse me, first and second Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Galatians, on and on it goes. These are the words that the Holy Spirit gave this man that was such a scoundrel, such a sinner. and he saved him by his grace and he gave him as a secretary to the privilege of writing down all of these things and here we enjoy it. So Colossians chapter 2 and verse 1 it says, for I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh that their hearts that their hearts might be comforted.

Now notice this, be a knit together in love. Now that's how Saul of Tarsus could go with these folks in Damascus. Their hearts were knit together in love, the love of God. And upon all riches, the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom all are hid, or hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, so their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love." What a statement that is, that those folks there in Colossae, they met together because their hearts were knit together in love. They love because God first loved them. We love him because he first loved us. And we can love one another because he first loved us. And he's the one that creates that love in our heart for believers.

We also find over there in the Psalm, Psalm 133, how wonderful it is for folks to dwell together in unity. Here in the book of Psalm 133, would you join me there? In Psalm 133, we find this just a very short Psalm. It tells us these great truths, verse one, two, and three. It's a Psalm of David. He was the secretary. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

We may not all have been born on a farm, but in Christ, we can dwell together in unity. We may not have all been born in a city, but in Christ we can dwell together in unity. We may not have all the same backgrounds. the same inheritance, the same skeletons in the closet.

But when God saves his people, we have the privilege of dwelling together in unity. That's a privilege God extends to us. He says it's like precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garments. from the top of his head down through his beard all across his chest down to the very bottom of his garments. That's what this love God gives us. Blessings of dwelling together in unity does. It binds the entire body together. The glory of God binding the body together.

It doesn't take long to figure out why the folks are in the city of refuge. You know, I was reading about that over there in the Book of Numbers. It talks about six cities of refuge and people. I looked at it. You can find anything you want on the internet.

And I looked up city of refuge and this one guy painted a really interesting painting in the 1800s about a man fleeing to the city of refuge. You can just see he is absolutely wore out. You can see him turning his head as he came through the gates and saw the man-slayer right behind him with a sword, just almost to catch him. And he gets through the gate of the city, and there's a man in there, goes hands like this, says, stop, you cannot come in here.

Well, Jesus Christ is our city of refuge. He is where our refuge is. And every believer is in this refuge. And he is there saying, you cannot take any of them. You have no power over any of them. I will guard them with my life. I will guard them eternally.

So to be in the city of refuge, there is a flight to get there. Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Hebrews. There in the book of Hebrews, it explains this so clearly. Book of Hebrews chapter six, about being in the city of refuge. That's where Saul of Tarsus went. He was in the city of refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ. And as a result of that, he was with a bunch of other people that were in the city of refuge.

I've mentioned a number of times, we don't have to go around asking people, why did you come to Christ? I know what I did, sinner, sinner, sinner. Only sinners come to Christ. Only sinners. I heard an article just the other day, it's something, you can find something that's really a good article, you can click on the button and somebody will read it to you. I ain't that lazy. I don't make any mistakes with the names though. This guy wrote an article on hell. And I listened to that, and it was probably one of the clearest statements I've ever heard. And then it closes by saying, God's people will never know about it. Never. They won't even step up to the gate. They will not even overhear the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. They will not. God is so gracious to his people.

And now I found this out in just taking a short survey. It doesn't take very long to visit with people and find out whether they actually deserved hell or not. I've never met a true believer in Christ Jesus that would not say, that's what I deserved. That's what I deserved. I don't want what I deserved. I want grace. You know, and most people, I know when I was in religion, you know, I've sinned, but I really am not deserving that.

Well, anyway, here in the book of Hebrews chapter six, here is we read a little more about why the Apostle Paul was so keen on getting involved with those believers in Damascus. That's the first thing he wanted to do. He wanted to be with believers. He wanted to be with those. He had authority to arrest. He found out that they had the truth. He found out that now he had the truth that he too was of this way that they had.

All right, here in the book of Hebrews chapter six, Hebrews chapter six, and there in verse 18, the scriptures say this, But that by two immutable things, that's unchangeable. Isn't it wonderful when we read about God, he's unchangeable? He is, I change not. There's neither shadow of turning with him.

Oh my goodness, how many people have a God that is going to be moved by their whims and their prayers? Let's get a prayer chain going over here and see if we cannot convince God to do it our way. And here's a chain gang going on over here saying let's get God to do it our way. And you know what? They just hope they have one more person than the other side.

That's not how God does his business. I've shared with you being in a church and watching a preacher show me how God answers prayer. He pulled out a quarter, flipped it in the air, and went like that. That's how he said, God answers prayer. My friend, a person like that knows nothing about God. Nothing. God does not change his mind, never has, never will.

All right. that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, notice this, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. What's in the veil? The mercy seat. You know, this hope reaches right clear back to Christ, the mercy seed. Oh, the shed blood of our Savior, the Lord Jesus.

Why do saints want to assemble together just as we watched the Apostle Paul or Saul of Tarsus there? Want to assemble with those saints at Damascus, those who one day was his enemy, those who at one day they said, oh my goodness, as Ananias confessed, we're going to hide ourselves from this guy. Why is it that when God saved him and Ananias went and called him brother and baptized him, he was given the Holy Spirit, he understood what the gospel was all about? Why was it instantly he wanted to join fellowship with believers? Because that's where he found people who knew what the gospel was about. They understood they had been in the same boat as he had.

They had been sinners. They had been sinners by practice and sinners by nature and sinners by choice. And God in his great mercy stopped them on their road to Damascus. May not been the road to Damascus, but it was the road to central point or the road to New York or someplace. God stops us on our way.

And why, why do saints want to assemble together? As we find Saul of Tarsus wanted to do that with the saints there in Damascus. And it's just a very short few verses. He's wanting to join fellowship with the saints in Jerusalem. Now there's a little more problem with the saints at Jerusalem. They weren't quite as open-armed to begin with.

We'll read that in just a moment. One reason that saints want to join together in fellowship, one reason is we're commanded to. But with the command, God makes us willing. Every command that God has ever given the church He gives us the ability to be willing to follow it.

Now, He didn't say, keep the Ten Commandments. The only one that ever could was Him. And He has kept that for us. But He has never said, oh, you know, just forget about it. Go live your life like that. No, no, no. Holy Spirit will never lead anybody contrary to what it says in the Ten Commandments. But our righteousness and our justification and our sanctification is not dependent upon us keeping it. It is all that Christ has kept it on our behalf. We'll leave it there. But why? Turn with me a little further here in the book of Hebrews chapter 10. Why is it that saints want to assemble together? Why do we have people travel 30, 40, 50 miles to be here?

Lauren and Chris were down there in Vancouver. I was talking to a fellow yesterday. It turns out it's their neighbor now. Young man I had in school. He said, I saw your pickup over there yesterday. And I said, yeah. He says, I understand. They travel up here to go to church. I said, yes, they did. He says, my goodness. Why is that? You know, a lot of people ask, we've got churches all over. Surely there's one somewhere along the way that we can be happy with. Well, if they know not the gospel, I can't be happy. I have to be with saints. I have to be.

All right, Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19, we read these words. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. by a new and living way, which he had consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. And having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having a heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water, Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful at promise, and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching."

Now I heard a message this morning, Brother Gary Shepard, he was talking about, you know, the problems that are in the world. It's the same problems that have always been in the world. But one of the things that we have when we get to meet together is we get to encourage each other and say, this is of God.

He's not permitting it. He's purposing it. He's not, doesn't have a permissive will. He has a purposeful will. So we get together and say, you know, it's really kind of scary, but I know the Lord's in it. My family, they don't know Christ. I know I've got the same problem in my family. and we compare notes and we encourage one another. And we are there because God saved his people from their sins. We get to be with people that are in the same boat we're in, get to hear their problems and share their problems. And we get to share our problems. And you know, we say we have the same problems, but we have the same problem solver. the Lord Jesus, he never said, we're going to get out of this life without having problems. No, we're going to have more and more.

And it says here, as you see the day approaching. Now, what day is that? The day that Christ comes back or the day that we die? As that day approaches, you know, I'm going to need some comfort. As my day approaches. I'm expecting a lot. Point me to Christ.

Why do the saints get together then? Why do they get together today? Number one, we are commanded to neglect not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is. But with that, he gives us the will to want to be together. We will put aside other things so that we can get together the more.

Now, I understand people have to work. You know, that's just the way it is in our society. And when I first came, I said, what happens if every one of us had to work on Sunday? We'd have services on Monday. That's just what we do. Or Tuesday. The day is not so significant. The person is. The need to worship is. So here we go. All right, let's go back over to the Book of Acts.

We see with Saul of Tarsus, this was a natural outcome of the salvation given to him by Almighty God. I want to be with these folks. He could understand their fear. He could understand their trepidation. But I want to be with them. I'm one of them now.

I'm a brother Saul. Going over to the Book of Acts again, if you would, chapter 9. Acts chapter nine, as we follow the early life of brother Saul, here in the book of Acts chapter nine, and let's look there at verse 19. It says, and when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples, which were at Damascus.

And notice what he did, straightway. He preached Christ in the synagogue that he is the son of God. Straightway, that became the most important message. Now, not everybody is a preacher like Saul of Tarsus. That is agreed. But you know what? Everybody that God ever saved has the same heart and core that he had. Christ Jesus the Lord. Most important they could ever have. Straightway he preached Christ.

Turn with me. Keep your finger right there. I want to go over to the book of Galatians for just a moment. In the book of Galatians, he comments on the preaching that he did from the very beginning to the very end. This is the comment he made. He said here about the gospel, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. When he was preaching it, he said in Galatians 1, verse 11, but I certify, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after men. He wanted it clarified. This is not a men's gospel. This is not something created by men. This is not what I've been teaching all my life. He'd been teaching that we were promoted by who we are related to and what we do. His sanctification depended upon what he did. If there was anybody that ever believed in progressive sanctification, it was Saul. And the more he did, the better he felt until he was saved. And then he found it was all done.

All right, let's look at the next. Verse 12, for I neither received it of man. The gospel that God gives to his people is not something that we receive of men. Now, we may hear a man preach it, but he can't give it to us. I heard a man preach it, made me upset, but he couldn't give it to me. Now, if he could have given it to me, he would have been glad to. But since he knew the gospel, he knew he couldn't. He could not give me the gospel. That is going to be in the hand of God to give the gospel to us. As he says, he neither received it of man, neither was I taught it. A man can't teach us. Now we may be taught, but he can't teach us. Who has to teach us?

The Holy Spirit has to teach us the truth of the gospel. Oh, I'm thankful for faithful people that have declared the gospel, and you just say, oh my goodness, I never saw that before in my life. I never heard that before. And finally, the Holy Spirit gave it to us, and we rejoice in it, and we're thankful for the person who may have declared it to us, but they couldn't give it to us. And then he goes on to say, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

That's how he got the gospel. It was the revelation, the revealing of Jesus Christ. You know, we read this in Revelation chapter 1 and verse 1, the revelation of Jesus Christ. This is him, the revelation of Jesus Christ. And we will always find out that the revelation of Jesus Christ always reveals a successful, very successful savior, not one whit of negativism. So he said, I got this.

And then he also tells us, if you travel with me just a little further into the book of 1 Thessalonians 1, 1 Thessalonians 1 there in verse 5, This same appeared to him. He had heard the gospel before, I'm sure that he heard Stephen, maybe he might have heard the Lord, I don't know. But it didn't do a thing for him until God revealed it to him. Now here in the book of 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 5, for our gospel came not unto you in word only, Now, I wonder how often that is it.

Oh, it went out, but it was in word only. He goes on, and probably, as Stephen was smothered with stones, he could have said, well, it just went out in word only, look what they're doing to me. But also, our gospel came not into you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake, we were not trying to get a following. We were preaching Christ and we prayed and it wasn't in word only, it was in power and in the Holy Ghost.

My goodness, that's when things happen. When God Almighty comes in power and in the Holy Ghost, there's a person going down to Damascus that is instantly changed and now we know him as Brother Saul. All right, going back to our passage there in the book of of Acts chapter nine. As we follow this just a little further, Acts chapter nine, we find now that Saul of Tarsus, Saul the apostle, Acts chapter nine, and it tells us there, It says there in verse 22, but Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews, which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

And after that many days was refilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. But their lane of wait was known to Saul, and they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and led him down by the wall in a basket. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed.

Now what's that mean? I really want to be with these folks. He assayed to join himself to the disciples in Jerusalem. He really wanted to. Now these are the guys that really knew more about him than anybody else. They're the guys that had seen his damage. They're the guys that heard about him, heard him, in fact. And they too probably had names on his list. And he desired to join himself to the disciples, but they were all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple. Well, you know, they had good reason. No doubt the warning was already out about the words that the Lord had fulfilled among them, has spoken among them.

A couple of verses in the book of Matthew. Would you join me in the book of Matthew? A couple passages that the Lord shared with his disciples about the things, the events that were coming. Matthew chapter seven, he shared a tremendous passage of scripture with them about what they were going to face. And no doubt these people in Jerusalem understood some of that, what Jesus had just taught them.

Here in the book of Matthew chapter 7, it says, beware of false prophets. Matthew chapter 7 and verse 15, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Beware. I can just hear them say, you remember what the Lord said about this? Man, this guy, he's just a wolf in sheep's clothing. He's gonna come in here and mess up. He's looking for somebody to arrest. And then the Lord mentions, going back to the book of Matthew there, chapter 10, verse 16. Matthew chapter 10 and verse 16, we read this.

It says here, behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. The Lord was very clear on what kind of ministry they were going to have and who they were going to meet up with. It tells us in Matthew chapter 10, verse 16, behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.

Be therefore as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Can you just hear them as they're talking? Let's be careful. We're going to be just as wise as serpents and harmless as doves with this guy that wants to come into our midst. We're going to be careful here. We're going to talk this over.

And you know, there was a brother in there. His name was Barnabas. Now, I'm thankful for Barnabas. I'm also thankful for those guys that are very protective. They had a reason. This man is a mean man. And if we let him in here and he doesn't know anything, he's going to wreck the place. So that I can see both sides. Let's go over there back to the book of Acts chapter 9. We're introduced to a man by the name of Barnabas. Now we've known him before, but he's here in the book of Acts chapter 9. Acts chapter nine, verse 27.

All right, verse 26, when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he desired, he assayed to join himself to the disciples, but they were all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him. You know what Barnabas did with Saul of Tarsus? He took him to the barbecue for a cup of coffee. He went out and had a conversation with him.

What is this that we hear about you, Saul? What is this we hear about you? And Barnabas would take a sip of coffee and wait for Saul of Tarsus to say something. Because in verse 27, Barnabas shares what Barnabas heard over that cup of coffee. It says here, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way. Now, how did he get that information? Over that cup of coffee.

Saul of Tarsus said, I got a story to tell you. I'm just a sinner. I cannot tell you how I harassed the church of God, how I tore it down, made every effort to remove it. But on that road to Damascus, the Lord appeared unto me. What's he say? He has seen the Lord in the way, that he had spoken to him. Oh my goodness, how did he find that out over that cup of coffee? They visited, and I'm convinced that Barnabas was very careful. He didn't want this rascal in the church if he was just a rascal. But if the Lord had really done something for him, he was going to be welcomed. All right, goes on, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

What's that mean? The rest of the people said, amen. Barnabas has a good report about him. That time he spent some time over there at the restaurant with him and had that cup of coffee, paid off. Barnabas understood and heard that Saul was saved by the grace of God, just like the rest of us. And so he's going out and coming in. Wise as serpents and harmless as doves, Barnabas took Saul out for coffee, talked to him, came back in and said, let me tell you what he told me.

Verse 28, it says there, and he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. What a fellowship. He was with them. He had fellowship with them. First of all, he was in fellowship with God. He was in fellowship with God's Word and now he was in fellowship with God's people. What a joy it is to read about this rascal after God gave him grace. And it's the same when we get together and visit about how God has saved us from our sins.

Oh, what a rascal, but he saved us and now we have that sweet fellowship. We're going to stop there for today. Our time is about up and we'll pick this up and we'll close out the Apostle Paul quite a bit in these next few verses. And we're just thankful that you've given us this time today. May God bless you. Remember the services up at the VA home this afternoon as we talk about God's I wills. Brother Mike.