Text: Acts 9:1-6 (KJV)
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. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and 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 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.
MESSAGE
From our previous lesson, we learnt that God has all the right to show mercy to anyone he chose to, and the fact that we are saved at all is because of His mercy. God made us His vessels of mercy by bringing us out of sin and darkness and making us His glorious and chosen generation, a holy nation, and peculiar people. Praise the Lord.
In showing mercy, God has no prejudice, there is no favouritism with our God. When God want to show mercy, that a person is white or black is not important, or that such is male or female is not the question. God shows mercy to us regardless of who we are.
In our text of the day, the Bible told us about a man called Saul; he was said to be angry and mad at the Christian. He wanted to erase any trace of Christianity and he was zealous about this wicked cause. He went from city to city showing no discrimination between men and women, young or old, getting as many into prison. He stood in opposition against the cause of Christ and can be said to be deemed for wrath.
But on this day as he went to Damascus, he met with mercy. This reminds us of that beautiful hymn “Amazing Grace” – Saul a lost soul was found by mercy, mercy opened his blind eyes and he saw the Lord. That such a man would be saved is unbelievable even to the Apostles at first. Paul in his own words gave us a clear idea of who he was when he said:
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (1 Timothy 1:12-13 )
Paul went further in his testimony saying: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief – (1 Timothy 1:15). But how does a chief sinner become a chief saint? He gave us the answer in the next verse when he said, “it is because I obtained mercy”. Paul also attributed his ministerial exploit to mercy (2 Corinthians 4:1). From being a vessel of wrath deemed for destruction God made Paul a vessel of honour by mercy.
Paul is the perfect proof of the power of mercy. A one time persecutor and terrorist becoming a saint of God. God made Paul His vessel of mercy to show to you and me that He will be merciful unto who He will and show compassion upon whom He will.
Are you like Saul? Jesus will show you mercy if only you will ask today. We who are saved are nothing but His vessels of mercy. Why not thank Him again for making you His vessel of mercy.
REFLECTION
For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Romans 11:30
Mercy is God’s ability to overlook wrong and pardon in full. It is the reason why we are God’s children today. Let us take a moment to thank Him for His great mercy toward us.
God bless you and have a great day.
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