That's 22 verses 1 through 21. These are God's words. Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now. And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent than he said, I am indeed a Jew born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our father's law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this way to the death, finding and delivering into prisons both men and women, and also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council, the elders. from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. Now it happened as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? So I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting. And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of him who spoke to me. So I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all the things which are appointed for you to do. And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me, and stood, and said to me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And at that same hour I looked up at him. Then he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know his will, and see the just one, and hear the voice of his mouth, or you will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Now it happened when I returned to Jerusalem, and I was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw him saying to me, Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me. So I said, Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death. and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him. Then he said to me, depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles. So far the reading of God's inspired and inherent word. The commander wanted to know, back in verse 33 of chapter 21, who Paul was and what he had done. And there were many in the crowd shouting one thing and another, verse 34. So this is a question now. Everybody knows there's a big commotion. And yet the question is, who is Paul and what has he done? And so Paul is taking advantage of God's providence, we remember that from last week, in God's providence. His chains came by way of protection, his chains came by way of love, and his chains came by way of opportunity, and we noticed bunch of the different things that he's taking advantage of in order to have an opportunity to speak and a big part of it is this big question now from both the Romans and the Jews who is Paul and what he has done and so He's asked to speak and there's a great silence in verse 40 and of the previous chapter and when they hear that he's speaking to them in Hebrew or in or Aramaic, they are all the more silent. And so now he has this great opportunity. And it sounds at first like he's answering the question, who is Paul and what has he done? He says, I am indeed a Jew born in Tarsus of Cilicia brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel and so forth. But as he goes on to answer the question, his primary answer, the thing that he's really aiming to get across, is who is Jesus and what has he done? So this is something that he models here for us to do, something that we desire for others to know Christ, to know what Christ has done, to rest in Christ and to rest upon and draw the benefits from. what Christ has done by His Spirit. And the Lord uses testimony not about ourselves so much, but about the Christ who saves sinners such as we are, and sinners such as those who hear us, and who employs us. than when we are saved by him. So, as he gives his testimony, he is giving all of these important truths, important facts about the Lord Jesus Christ. So, he says, I was zealous toward God, as you all are today. identifies himself with them, but he's identifying what they're doing as sin that they think is zeal towards God. And this sometimes is what people need, to know that even their zeal for God is uninstructed, uninformed, or under-instructed and uninformed, and can indeed be very offensive to God. For instance, many have discovered that what they thought was zeal for God in their worship was very humanistic. It was actually offensive to God according to scripture. And here we have an entire city, mob at least, of Jews who are zealous. They think for God. They're zealous for traditions that came from God. They're zealous for traditions that came with respect to the saving work of God. but they are missing that God himself has come and so by their zeal for these things that remain they're actually opposing Christ and his people and his apostle and so forth. Anyway, so he identifies himself with them as sinners, and he describes, I persecuted this way to the death, finding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness, and all accounts of the elders from whom I also received letters to the brethren and went. to Damascus to bring in chains, even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. Then in verses six and seven, he shows them or he tells them something about Jesus that indicates that Jesus is not only human, but divine. It happens, I journeyed and came near Damascus about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's very interesting. First, the light shines from heaven. Second, he hears the voice, which he's implying is also from heaven. But the voice is not just from the first heaven or from the second heaven. The voice is coming in a divine way. by way, perhaps, of vision. But you look at verse nine, it says, those who were with me indeed saw the light, and they were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of him who spoke to me. And so we find that the Lord Jesus, whom they all are thinking of as merely a man who was and who had been crucified, the Lord Jesus is able not only to shine light from heaven, but to speak with a great voice, and to speak with a voice that he selects who will hear it. Perhaps speaking in Paul's mind and heart, he doesn't go into much detail there, but he is identifying the Lord Jesus as divine. He also identifies the Lord Jesus as one who unites his people to himself. He did not come to save by merely by giving us instruction about what we are to do. He came to save by being our salvation. He came to save by giving us to be united to them when we believe. So Paul thought he was persecuting the followers of the way, And he was on his way to Damascus and so forth to to persecute Christians But what Jesus says when he speaks to Paul is Saul Saul, why are you persecuting me? And so the Lord Jesus is man and God in one person but the Lord Jesus is uniting people to himself so much so that that when Paul was persecuting others, he was persecuting Jesus. And what is he telling the crowd now? He's telling the crowd that even for a sinner such as Paul, he became one who was joined to Jesus Christ, united to Jesus Christ, so that when they were persecuting Paul, whom were they persecuting? They were persecuting Jesus. But what does this mean for them? This means for them that persecutors of Jesus can come to be united to Jesus, so that if they go on to be persecuted, then those who persecute them will be persecuting Jesus. This is extraordinary, that the God who made all things, God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, would become Jesus the Christ, would become a man. So, he's human and divine, he's united to his people, he's still fully human. He didn't transform from human into divine. That wouldn't make a whole lot of sense for us to be united to him if he wasn't still in our nature, but we can even see it in the way he answers in verse 8. So I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus, and this is important, of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting. So up until this point, when he says, Who are you, Lord? He doesn't realize that this is the God-man. This is the one who has united his people to himself. Or maybe he does, is beginning to realize it, but Jesus puts it beyond doubt. He says, I am the one who is from Nazareth. I'm the one who was conceived by the Holy Ghost in Nazareth, and who was born in Bethlehem, and who was taken as a baby to Egypt, and returned, but ended up returning to Nazareth because Herod's son was on the throne and God accommodated his earthly father Joseph and his fear and probably his wisdom on behalf of his family and who grew up in Nazareth and who was known in Nazareth as the carpenter's son. that this one is the one who is now in glory, and shines light, and speaks with a voice selecting who may hear, and who has united his people to himself, so that whatever happens to them is received as done to him. He's still fully man. He's still the Jesus from Nazareth. He's fully God and fully man. Then in verses 10 to 12, it says, So I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise and go into Damascus. and there you will be told all the things which are appointed for you to do." And so he gives, Jesus is one who gives his people direction. Jesus is the one who rules over all things for his people in his providence. He tells Paul what to do, but as Paul does the things that he's told, he also knows that Jesus is ruling and overruling what happens. Now, he doesn't tell us, you know, he doesn't give us compass rose directions, GPS directions, you know, get up and go to your cousin's house or whatever, but he does give us all sorts of instruction, commandment, principles by which to live in his word. And as we do those things, we can be just as confident in God's providence ordering and arranging whatever else is happening, just like Paul was dependent on Ananias receiving him and coming to him and so forth. And he says, since I could not see for the glory of that light being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus than a certain Ananias, a devout man, according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there came to me. And so forth. And so God is ruling and overruling in all things. And Paul did what he was told, and God overruled, coordinated, carried out all his will in his providence to make it turn out exactly as was right, exactly as was good and wise. So Jesus still rules. He rules people. He gives us instruction. and he rules providence, he orders out and arranges things according to his will. If you know that the one who has given you the commands, who has taught you the way of life, is the one who is ruling and overruling all things unto his glory, and the gathering and perfecting of his people. and the completion of his plan of redemption, then you are free not to worry about outcome so much as to walk with him in hope and confidence. So Jesus rules people and providence. And then Jesus' commands have within them their own power and authority. Ananias comes and, speaking on behalf of Christ, comes to me and he stood and he said to me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And at that same hour, I looked up at him. If God's word did not carry with it, even on someone else's lips, the power to obey it, It would be a cruel thing. Many people think of the biblical view of salvation, which they associate with Calvin, who is just a consistent Bible teacher and Bible thinker on this point. They think it's cruel. They think, why would you tell people? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ if you know yourself that they cannot believe in the Lord Jesus Christ And it's kind of the same question is why would you tell a blind man? Receive your sight if you know that he doesn't have sight. Why would you tell a blind man? Hey look at me? But the answer is that God's Word, and then specific here, Jesus' Word, as within it, the power to obey the command. You may hear much instruction from the Bible that you know that you don't have the ability in you to do it. But Christ, whose Word it is, has the ability in Him for you to do it. And so you look to the One who is speaking for the ability, even as you seek to respond in obedience. And He's the One who's giving you the faith to recognize that it is His Word. He's the One who's giving you the desire to obey. And if He is the one who has given you the faith and who has given you the willing, He will also be the one who gives you the working. Remember what we've been hearing in the midweek sermons, that Jesus gives us this desire to serve Him, this hatred of our sin. I find the willing in me, or present with me, but the doing I do not find. Well, the willing came from Jesus. And so you know what doing is going to come from. The doing came from Jesus. And often we find a lot of unwilling present with us too. And so the overcoming of that comes from Jesus. So Jesus's commands have their own power and authority in them. Another thing he tells them about Jesus, just in this choice basis, and he said, the God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know his will and see the just one and hear the voice of his mouth." Now we're separating verse 14 from verse 15, or rather taking them one at a time, so that we can see that employment in Christ's service is secondary to and derived from a result of knowing Jesus himself. See, Paul is accustomed to thinking, as a Pharisee, accustomed to thinking, well, before he was converted, Saul, as he was standing there, well, not standing yet, he stands in verse 16, as he is on his knees or sitting there in Ananias' house. He's accustomed to thinking of God as one who places many demands on us. The first thing he's told is that Jesus redeems him. Why? To know Jesus as well, or God redeems him to know his will, and to see Jesus, whom he calls the Just One, and to hear the voice of Jesus' mouth, that this knowledge of Christ and fellowship with Christ, this knowledge of God in Christ and fellowship with God in Christ, is the first part of that for which Jesus redeems us. And if you want to think in terms of God's law, that's fine. Just know that the first table of the law is the most important table. It is the greatest commandment. And it is therefore the keeping of the first table of the law is the first great benefit of salvation. That we would know God himself, first commandment. That we would be liberated from all man-made ideas about him and man-made ways of coming to him, second commandment. that in knowing Him and coming to Him in the right way through Jesus Christ, His glory would not be lightened or lessened, but emphasized and displayed in its greatness, third commandment, that we would know all of our time as designated by God, the worship times, morning and evening, yes, the six days, but especially all day long. on that seventh day, or the first day for Adam and Mrs. Adam, the first day of the week for us, the Lord's day, when we discover that Jesus is Yahweh and that creation has really concluded in the resurrection and the new creation that is to come, the fourth commandment. And of course, all of our time in between that, the morning and evening time, and the six days, and the six days themselves, more generally speaking, belong to Him. And so the first great thing we're redeemed for is to know Him. The God of our fathers has chosen you. that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth." And if you are redeemed, this is the great reason that God has chosen you, sent Christ for you, atoned for you, sent His Spirit to give you faith that you would be joined to Jesus. First and foremost, that you would know Him. that as you read and hear His words, that you would know them as His words, and that you would hear Him, that you would know who He is by faith and have fellowship with Him, have interaction with Him. But He does also employ us, and in Paul's case, His assigned role of life, what was given to him in the place that he was put, and the relations, and the calling of God, the specific calling on his life, was this witnessing to all men. Verse 15, for you will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And there's no greater loving your neighbor as yourself than to love them with the gospel. There are other things that are necessary. but there is nothing that is greater. And so he becomes Christ's agent in whatever else he does, and you must be Christ's agent. If he has redeemed you, if he has given you to obey the first great commandment, especially in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus himself as the great keeping of the first four commandments of the law, then as you keep the other six, In all of the work that you do, in all of your interaction with others, you are to be Christ's agent in all those relationships as well. He employs those whom He redeems for Himself. Now, He doesn't always give them the results that they desire. He employs them according to His own wisdom. He returns to Jerusalem. He's praying in the temple. He's eager to tell the Jews about the Christ who has saved him. He thinks for sure. It's kind of like the rich man and Lazarus. So the rich man wants to be permitted to go and warn his family. He thinks if someone rises from the dead and tells them, They'll believe him, and what is he told? He's told they have Moses and the prophets. If they don't believe them, they won't even believe someone who rises from the dead. Well, Paul thinks he's a pretty good candidate for a similar kind of thing. If the one who is the greatest persecutor of the church tells them, then surely they will believe him. Now, it's very interesting how this works out in Acts 22, because they actually end up proving the point. Because here he is, the great persecutor. And that's how he identifies himself, and he tells them. But as we're going to see in next week's passage, they don't believe him. And this was what the Lord Jesus told him. Make haste to get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me. How does Jesus know? Because the only way anyone ever comes to receive Jesus's testimony is by Jesus's grace. And we don't know whom he will give faith by the hearing of his word. But he does. And so Jesus employs us according to his good and wise and perfect will. And still, not always according to our expectations. And this can be a difficulty for us, whether in our personal relationships, or in how we serve in his church, or whatever else. but we need to trust Him. He is the Sovereign Lord, so He employs those whom He redeems for Himself. And if you know that, and if you know that He's the one who must produce the fruit as well, then you can look back at your own believing and say, That didn't come from me. That came from Christ. He is the one who gave to me to receive the testimony of others concerning Him. It wasn't how convincingly they spoke. It wasn't how cleverly I listened. It was because Jesus gave to me to receive that testimony. And ultimately, this is because Jesus is the one who, by the authority that He has in His Word, who in his providence to give to sinners to receive testimony concerning him, he redeems sinners from their sin. Verse 16, which is your memory verse. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins. Calling on the name of the Lord. A rise is told to do, and we think of ourselves as those who can stand on our two feet by ourselves. But then this wonderful thing, it's a passive command, be baptized, which you can't do. It's something that's necessary, but it has to be done to you. And so there is a physical picture of a spiritual reality of when the Lord commands you to arise and wash away your sins. It's something that is necessary for you, but you can't do it. And so as the water is poured out upon you and you receive that physical display of washing, yet you know that the one who has commanded it has given this command of something that He does to you. It's not the application of water and baptism. It's not the praying that you do or the believing in Jesus that you do that washes away your sins or forgives you. It is Jesus to whom you pray. It is Jesus who pours out His Spirit. And so, this calling on the name of the Lord in verse 16 explains how it can be that sins are washed away. It's because it's the Lord who washes them away. not us who are being washed. And so the sign itself is intentionally passive, intentionally something that is done to us from above, so that we will see that the washing away of the sins is the same. It is something that is done to us from above. Your baptism, my dear children, teaches you to call upon the name of the Lord, that that which you most need in your life, both in the washing of justification, in washing away your guilt, and in the washing of sanctification, The removal of your remaining sin is something that is done to you from above, from where there is a man who identifies himself as from Nazareth, but who has died for sinners and risen again and ascended, and all authority in earth belongs to him, and all authority in heaven belongs to him. And from heaven He works on earth in order to redeem you, that you might know Him following the first four commandments, especially with respect to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that you might be employed by Him following the last six commandments in everything that He gives you in His providence to do in accordance to His Word. And so this is the story of our life, but who I am and what I have done is really the story of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. And this is what we ought to be looking for opportunities to tell. And let's start thinking of that when people are asking us about ourselves. How can I answer this? so truthfully, not bit and switch, but more truthfully than I'm tempted to answer. How can I answer this so truthfully that it's quite obviously an answer about who Jesus is and what Jesus has done? Let's pray. Father, thank you for this portion of your Word that we are going to get to hear tomorrow. We thank you that you have answered the question the same way, that the great way in which you tell us about yourself and what you have done is in Christ. And so we pray that you'd help us to know you this way, to know Him this way, to see our lives this way, and then to be ready to speak of ourselves this way, really to speak of Him who has saved us by His power. So we ask you these things in His name, even in the name of Jesus. Amen.