Acts Chapter 9 Verses 1 – 2

• This is interesting…this is the first time we have seen the Christian movement titled and the title given is, “The Way.” The Book of Acts calls Christianity “The Way” five times and this was how the early church was known.  People of the Way or followers of the Way…perhaps it is because they are all preaching Jesus and Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the Way.”  What it speaks is that Christianity is more than a belief or a perspective or a group…it’s a way of life…it’s a faith…a way of being…its more than I believe…its I live this…that’s what following the Lord really looks like…
• It’s interesting that they didn’t pick one of the other two things Jesus said He was in John 14:6…Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Christianity then and today could be referred to as the “The Truth,” or “The Life.”  Both would be accurate for sure…but Saul…so filled with hate that he breathed murder…that’s some bad breath!  HA!
• I was going to tell you a bad breath joke but you know what, they all stink! HA!  You know you’ve got bad breath when you talk to your dog and he tries chewing it!  HA!!  Ok enough…Saul was so filled with animosity, hate, aggression, hostility and resentment against these Christians that he breathed murder against them!  WOW…
• But later Paul would write in Philippians 3, “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Here’s where religion airballs righteousness…he was blameless in following the law, yet his heart was so far lost to God that he breathed murder…when God breathes life…
• You know what he sought to do…? Take away their freedom.  He wanted to bring them bound…and the freedom that I have in Jesus…to love Him, to know Him, to be right with God, to live as a child in the house of God…enrages the world…and enrages the religious elite...Freedom to live is something my heart and every human heart craves…and only Jesus is the Way to the freedom from sin, and therefore, the freedom to live!

Acts Chapter 9 Verses 3 – 5a

• Saul’s first prayer! It’s awesome!  “Who are you?”  You may be thinking, “Wait…Saul is a Pharisee, a religious leader, surely he has prayed before…”  But the question is, were his prayers ever heard?  Perhaps the better question is, to whom was he praying?  Let’s study the first question first.  And this may be a hard/uncomfortable  How effective are the prayers of the unrepentant?
• Isaiah 59:2 says, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” 1 Samuel 8:18 says, “You will cry out in the day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”  Micah 3:4 says, “They will cry to the Lord, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds.”  Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” 
• It’s a tough conversation…one that perhaps we can go round and round on…but there is substantial Biblical proof text to say or conclude that the prayers offered to God by the unrepentant heart may very well go unheard by God…BUT…the prayers of the humble…check this out…Daniel 10:12, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard!” We can’t be sure that any prayer prior to this one by Saul ever reached the ear of God...but this one…on his back, knocked off his high horse, “Who are you, LORD…”  We can be sure this one hits pay dirt.
• Perhaps the better question to ask and answer is this…has Saul ever really prayed to God before? Think about an unrepentant prayer…if it’s an unrepentant prayer, a prayer offered without humility, then what kind of prayer is it?  A prideful prayer.  And if the prayer is prideful then is it really the God of love and the God of longsuffering…is it really that God that is being approached?  No way…easier question to answer for me…and so I say, perhaps you can agree…ok if you don’t…Saul’s first ever real prayer and it’s a perfect one…
• Who are you, Lord? Perhaps the most important question you can ever ask of Jesus.  Have you asked it yet?  His question that day to the disciples, “Who do YOU say that I am?”  (Matthew 16, Mark 8, Luke 9)  It’s such an essential question, an essential prayer, a perfect first prayer of Saul…and check this out…I love this…we talked about this on Wednesday night…Saul is not pursuing God…he is not coming to God in humility…but yet God still speaks to him!  I love that!
• No matter what they’ve done or who they are or what you’ve done or what has happened, God will speak to them and He does and He wants to speak to you, will you hear? Will you bow your ear?  We spoke at length on that this past Wednesday…God got a hold of Saul when Saul wasn’t even looking for him…that comforts me…So Saul says, “Who are you, Lord (Master)?”

Acts Chapter 9 Verse 5

• Persecuting Jesus? Jesus said to Saul, “Why are you persecuting Me?”  But what was Saul doing…breathing threats and murders against the disciples…I love this…when someone threatens the church, Jesus takes it personally.  Why are you persecuting “Me?”  I love that.  I grew up fearful…fending for myself…and as a youngster having a friend that would stand with me in a fight, because we were always looking for a fight…we were hurting kids and hurting kids hurt kids…but having someone there meant the world to me.  We have that in Jesus…evidence here…
• Saul must have been wrestling with what he was doing…an internal fight between his career, his wealth, his position and his conscience…and so he was vicious…but God sees right through that…, “It is hard to kick against the goads of your heart.”

Acts Chapter 9 Verse 6

• Perfect first prayer. Perfect response.  Who are you, Lord?  Jesus…the one that knows your heart…and knows all that you need…  What do You want me to do?  Not what are You going to do for me?  What do You (humility – You’re in control – You’re the Master) What do YOU want me (the servant, the responder, the humbled one) what do YOU want me to do?  Paul will go on to be the fullest man to ever live apart from Jesus Christ. 
• He would write in Philippians 4, “Whatever state I am, I am content. I am content being humiliated and discredited, I am content abounding.  Everywhere an in all things I am full even when I am hungry, and content whether filled or suffering need.  I can do all things through Christ who is my strength.”  Breathing threats and murder is the manifestation of emptiness and inner-enmity…it’s the disease of sin…a life apart from God…the antidote is this, “Who are You, Lord…what would You have me to do?”