Acts 9:1-9 KJV
1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 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.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 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.
6 And he 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.
7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

What would you do if Jesus asked you why are you persecuting me? Saul a devout Jew and a priest(find that out else where in scripture, not this passage). He had a official legal document in his hands to bring christians back to Jerusalem bound(arrested) with papers and was to go in to Damascus and make arrest. Now imagine a bright light so blinding that you hear a voice but you see no one there because the light was extremely bright. In that bright light came a voice that said why are you persecuting me. Well it takes a lot of light for some folks to see that persecution does not always come with arresting God's people but how we treat God's people and others not of faith. He arrest them not because they were doing anything wrong but because they were believers in Christ and follow not just the Jewish law or in their opinion their faith. The law of the Jewish still maintain order even under Roman law much like our state laws are under our federal laws. Rome had allowed the Jews to persecute Christian because it seem to make them happy. Saul by all rights was follow not only religious law, but also governmental law of man. He was doing exactly what he thought as a Jewish Priest he had the authority by God and his government. Saul found out he was mistaken about who was in charge as blinding light shined so bright that it blinded him. And the voice said why do you persecute me. Saul said who are you, and the voice said I am Jesus who you persecute. The Saul said what would you have me do. He said go to Damascus and you will be told what to do.

What would do if you found you were persecuting Jesus. Paul had no clue who this Jesus really was only who people probably had said over the years in discussion of who the man claimed to be, and never understanding he was and is the Messiah. Many non Christians make fun of religion of any kind without knowledge of what is true, what it all about. Some of the jokes even reach believers ears and they repeat them. When Jesus gets a hold of man's heart something happens. A changed did take place in Saul life. Saul name would be changed to Paul. Not only was his name changed but his life changed. He became free from the yoke of the law of man as he step out in faith, but he also of Jewish council which he served. His salvation came with the removal of the yoke of man but not the yoke of God. His submission to God would of already been in check because being part of the priesthood, though not all priesthood were in submission to God or knew the Father of Jesus.

In Paul world the gentiles that got saved were walkin the vanity still of their mind, because they understood not the yoke of the law of Jews, or the law of Rome. Roman law was about the only thing that control the gentiles. Now Roman life style was not necessarily a wholesome lifestyle but it did not mean it was not. It was individual life style on what type of life you chose to live much like we do today in America. America is said to be corrupt and rightly so. Sexual immorality is at it peak, thieving, murder, greed, lust, desire for all in the world to embrace it and yet no thought to God. Gentiles of our world today knowing not the Christian life style dive right into faith in Jesus, but turn their back on living for Jesus in the purity of faith and life style. They do not give up their old way of living, not understanding their need to follow in the pathways of Jesus. Paul would be totally transformed when he was healed of blindness, but his life style of faith would not change in the since of belief. He still believe in God but He now knew Jesus was the Son of God and the blood covering for sin. Jesus was the Lamb that had come to save us.

Paul write Ephesians about putting on the new man, to put on the new life style of faith living not in the corruption of the world but living in the pathway of Jesus. Every time we follow the corruption of our world, we following sin. We do not even have to do anything but focus on the corruption more then Jesus. Paul was guilty of persecuting Jesus by arresting the believers because of faith. Paul was guilty of crucifying because the Jews would kill the believer in Jerusalem after standing them on trial. Paul when he blinded chose to not only follow the voice of Jesus who had blinded him, but also who had the power to help him see again.

The biggest persecuters of Jesus is not the antichrist right now but the believers of faith that gossip and choose not to follow in the ways of Jesus. Refuse to allow their heart to be sanctified by the regeneration and renewing of the heart and mind in the ways of faith. Paul did not question who blinded him, but what he need to do to solve his blindness, he was willing to do whatever Jesus told him to do. Our biggest sin is remaining in sin and not removing it. Yet we all have sin that not under the cross of Jesus. Do we sits daily in the streets surrounded us with God's people in tow saying I believe Jesus lives but I have no place in my heart for his ways. Who believes like that, it is of the devil.

We either conform to the ways of God by following Jesus and the law of love or we follow in the ways of devil in the ways of evil? Hopefully after todays lesson you no longer as blind as Paul was even though he had legal right by laws of man and the temple he served. Legal rights is not always the love of God. Sometimes it is abuse of oneself and others. We must strive to put on the new man/woman of faith, the life change coming with the handwritting of the Holy Spirit on our hearts and allowing Christ to rise in our hearts as we submit to the Holy Spirit as we learn to follow Jesus and say what must I do Lord.

When we choose Jesus the Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf or he use us as a testimony of Christ's love and commitment to faith in God. Jesus cross came with a price, Jesus would rise but he would not remain teaching but send his disciples forth to teach and to be even persecuted. Better to be persecuted for the right reasons, not for the wrong ones. No one wants to go to jail for sin, but people go to jail because of evil doing. People are going to hell not because they do not believe in Jesus but they refused to follow in Christ footsteps. I say once saved always saved, but are you saved if you do not do the things Jesus did? Follow as a part of belief, and do you know you are saved by testimony of Jesus in your heart. Salvation never came by works. Salvation always came by faith in Jesus. Our disobedience grieves the Holy Spirit. How many times had Paul without the knowledge of his Savior did he grieve the Holy Spirit, before Jesus took action we do not know. Paul was a man of faith based on what he studied and knew. It evident in his writtings. He knew when Jesus question him why he sin, he knew then Jesus was the Messiah and went about protecting the church and preaching about Jesus. God would not leave Paul in his ignorance, that why Jesus blinded him. Sometimes we have to be blinded to have our blindness removed like Paul would.

How long will you allow sin in your life that prevents you from following Jesus? How long will your sin once you believe keep you from not standing up for your faith in Jesus by obeying Jesus? Jesus took up a cross that was not his sin, but sin of another. By doing so he took all of our sin upon himself. Let today be the day you not only say I getting rid of sin in my life but I laying it at the cross and allowing Christ to bury it with him and allow the new man within to arise as you follow Jesus in your life.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us not sin in our life style, in the ways of the world that is not of you. Help us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, believing he has to ability to cleanse us from past, future, and present sin in our life. Help us to strive to be more like you. Helps us to put on the image of Christ and follow your Spirit. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Ephesians 4:17-32 KJV
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.