896 - Les Feldick Bible Study - Lesson 2 Part 4 Book 75 - Connecting the Dots of Scripture - Part 20

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 2 * PART 4 * BOOK 75 CONNECTING THE DOTS OF SCRIPTURE – PART 20 Genesis – Revelation Okay, it’s good to see everybody back for program number four this afternoon. We’re in Book number 75. I don’t know where we’re going to stop with our tapings. People are writing and asking how long are we going to go? Well, I don’t know. I threatened to quit a couple of years ago, but we had our minds changed. Okay, we’re going to move right on now to Acts chapter 9. In our last program we had the stoning of Stephen, which I call the epitome, or the crescendo, of Israel’s rejection. It was just like they came to the end of an orchestra piece and just screamed, “We will not have this Jesus of Nazareth ruling over us!” At the same moment, we’re introduced to the next major player on Scripture’s stage, and that is Saul of Tarsus. So we’re going to go right over to chapter 9 for this half hour and look at the conversion of this religious, fanatic, zealous Jew. He had to completely turn a full flip-flop, if ever there was one. From one who was so steeped in Judaism, to one who would now proclaim to us in this Age of Grace, you’re not under the law, you’re under grace. Acts 9:1-2 “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples (or these Jewish believers) of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2. And desired (or asked) of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, (That believed that Jesus was the Christ, or what we call the Kingdom Gospel.) whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.” I mean the guy was heartless. Acts 9:3 “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined around about him a light from (Where?) heaven:” Now you know, it’s amazing what people are saying anymore today. Somebody sent me an article (I don’t even remember what part of the country it was from) where this preacher was saying that the only people that ever went to heaven were Elijah and Enoch. Imagine? He said nobody knows what heaven is. They don’t know where it’s at. Well, here’s just an example. In Acts chapter 1 at the ascension, where in the world does Scripture say Jesus went? He went into heaven. And where does it say He’s coming from? From heaven. All of Scripture is pointing to the fact that heaven is a real place. And they can’t see that? But here again, this light came from heaven. Where’d it come from? The right? The left? From underneath? Where’d it come from? Above. So what do we take from that? When we go up to heaven, we don’t go horizontal, we go up. And that’s good enough for me. That’s enough. Heaven is up there someplace. It’s a literal, visible, physical place to which we are going and from which Christ has come. All right, now we’ve got Saul of Tarsus raging, I always say, like a bull. He can’t get to Damascus fast enough so he can arrest these Jews who had embraced Jesus of Nazareth and take them bound back to Jerusalem, so he can put them on trial and hopefully put them to death. Now I made a comment on the program way, way back. I don’t remember when it was, or where it was. Maybe you’ve heard it lately, I don’t know. Nothing brings out the wickedness in people like religion. Just look at the world today. In the name of religion they can drive a suicide bomb into a marketplace and blow people to smithereens in the name of their religion. Well, the Muslims aren’t the first. It’s always been that way. Religions will cause people to do barbaric things. Well, Paul, or Saul of Tarsus, was no different. Now before I even start, so that you’ll see where this man came from, let’s go ahead to chapter 26. Here he’s rehearsing this lifestyle that we’re looking at on his road to Damascus. Acts 26:9-10 “I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints (That is those believing Jews.) did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; (He was working hand and glove with the religious leaders.) and when they (these believers) were put to death, I gave my vote against them.” That’s where I get the idea that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. Acts 26:11-12a “And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; (And I feel that was using torture.) and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. 12. Whereupon as I went to Damascus…” That was the life of Saul of Tarsus, the religious nut. All right, come back with me now to Acts chapter 9. We want to move on quickly if we possibly can, because most of you have heard me teach this over and over and over. #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible