October 26, 2019: SOAP #3614:  Job 17; Acts 24-26

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 26:13 About noon, O King, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Observation:  Two surprises for Saul.  First: the being, appearing in light brighter than the sun, was the very one Saul had been persecuting.  He was taking Saul’s persecution of the Christians as personal.  What Saul was doing to the believers, he was doing to Jesus!

Second:  Jesus did not come to Saul with revenge, but with an assignment.

Application:   That is the same way Jesus has treated me!  He has not come with revenge, but with an assignment.  I could easily expect revenge, but with Him it would not be revenge, but just punishment.  However, in His great mercy, he comes with grace and forgiveness…AND an assignment.  Love for Him and appreciation motivates me to fulfill my assignments.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, anoint me to fulfill my assignments.  Live and flow through me while I am here on earth just as you did through Jesus when He was here on earth.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!