Jesus, What Will Ye Have Me Do? - Part 829

When many of us think about Saul/Paul, the moment that stands out most is his moment of conversion -- when Jesus met him on the road to Damascus. Before that, he was known for seeking out and killing Christians.

"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." (Acts 9:1-2)

But something happens as he journey to Damascus. Suddenly, there shined round about him a light from heaven, and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" 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."

And Saul trembling and astonished said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

And the Lord said unto him, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."

While this dialogue between Jesus the King of kings and Saul, who diligently sought Christians to kill them is occurring, "the men which journeyed with [Saul] stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man." (Acts 9:7) I can only imagine what these men were thinking. Here was Saul, the man who seemingly was above fear on every level, trembling on the roadside talking to someone that they could not see.

When Saul arose from the earth, and his eyes were opened, he saw what the men travelling with him saw. That is, no man. So they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. Therein, Saul remains in a room praying for three days and three nights. But he wasn't only praying. He prayed there continuously without eating, which in and of itself shows the intensity and seriousness of the spiritual transformation that was transpiring within Saul. At some point within this three day period, he saw a vision that responds to his question, "What will you have me do?"

It does not end there. As the scriptures state, the Lord JESUS had at the same time appeared in a vision to one of His disciples who lived in the same city in which Saul was praying. In the vision, the Lord calls the disciple Ananias by name.

Ananias replied, "Here I am Lord." The Lord then instructed Ananias to go to a street called ‘Strait.' He was told that when he got there, he would find a man named Saul praying. Ananias said to the Lord that he had heard from many of how Saul persecuted all those who worshipped Jesus, even those who called upon His name. Is this the same Saul?

"Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake." (Acts 9:15-16)

Knowing Ananias' thoughts, the Lord was revealing to him that Saul was a chosen vessel who would in the future bear His name to the Gentiles and to the children of Israel. And, that Saul was to suffer many things as he fulfilled Jesus' purpose and plan for his life. So without hesitation, Ananias sets forth as instructed in the vision.

Ananias arrives at the house of Judas, requesting to see Saul of Tarsus. He is brought to the room where Saul is still on his knees praying. Ananias walks into the room and declares, "Brother Saul, the Lord JESUS who appeared to you as you journeyed has sent me to you so that you might have your sight restored, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Ananias then lays his hands upon Saul. At that moment, from Saul’s eyes fell scales - so to speak. The spiritual blindness that had kept Saul in darkness was being removed. Ananias then directs Saul to arise and be baptized, washing away his sins whilst calling upon the name of the Lord JESUS!

Saul obediently obeys the command. Indeed, there was no hesitancy in his response. In fact, instantaneously Saul is baptized in water identifying that he is also one of those JESUS people whom he had previously terrorized in the name of his religion. This same religion which was determined by man's authority to eradicate all who should dare call upon the name of JESUS.

Saul, being fully persuaded now willingly joins the ranks of those who were also of like mind, having also been fully persuaded of God that JESUS is the Christ - the only begotten Son of the Holy Spirit SEED. Christ the blessing afore promised to Abraham - that in the SEED of the Holy Spirit will all the nations of the earth be blessed. Not blessed in Abraham's natural seed - which seed as all other natural seeds of Adam’s offspring is sin prone seed but in a new SEED - a SEED that is pure, holy, and undefiled. Which SEED is the manifestation of God in flesh - the lamb of God (child) which through His willing sacrificial death at Golgotha (Hebrew) or the place of a skull (Greek) should be the end of all sacrificial offerings for sin!

Most of us at one time or another may have been a Saul -- nurtured as a member in an institutionalized religion or religious culture which was (and perhaps still is) foreign to the truth and light of the knowledge of God. As we read in Saul's situation, God's intervention unravelled Saul (and similarly us) from our religious entanglement.

What does this mean? Note that many say they believe in God. In fact, the devils believe there is a God and these tremble. But so did Saul. He knew there was a God. He just didn't know His name.  So when God introduced Himself to Saul on his way to Damascus, what did He say?

He said, ‘I AM JESUS.’

"And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And when [Saul] had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

But all that heard him were amazed, and said; "Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?"

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 were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, 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 to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, 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. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." (Acts 9:18-31)

Like Saul, who later became Paul, we need to ask Jesus the same question -- "Jesus, what will ye have me to do?" His response might surprise you. Stand in the offering plate.