Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1774
“‘But rise, and stand upon your feet: for I have appeared unto you for this purpose to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto you; delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send you, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from thepower of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.’ Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: but showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” Acts 26:16-20.
BEHOLD an amazing sight! Saul of Tarsus at the feet of Jesus of Nazareth! Listen! The persecutor’s voice is changed into that of an enquiring disciple. He asks, “What will You have me to do?” If angels sang with delight over a new-made world, their song must have been seven times as joyous over a new-made Apostle! The change was miraculous. At this distance of time we can hardly appreciate it, but if we had been living in daily fear of our lives—if we had seen our father or our brother dragged off to death by this ferocious enemy of the Cross—and then had suddenly heard that he was converted to the faith which he opposed, we would have cried, “Incredible!” For the Ethiopian to change his skin, or for the leopard to lose his spots would be little compared with this cruel Pharisee bowing himself in lowly penitence before the Lord Jesus whom He had persecuted!
Do you wonder that when Saul came to Jerusalem and assayed to join himself to the disciples, they were all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple? My Brothers and Sisters, as in history, so in the Grace of God, it is the unexpected which frequently occurs! The men and women whom I expected to confess Christ long ago have not yet come. I have seen Felix tremble, but I have not seen him converted. I have seen Agrippa almost persuaded, but he is not yet a Christian. Meanwhile, I have beheld a Saul of Tarsus, who, before, raged against the Cross, bowing himself submissively before the Lord Jesus! Let us never be discouraged, but let us expect to see signs and wonders in the world of Divine Grace!
Though priestcraft is far too dominant in our land, we may yet hear that “a great company of the priests” has believed in Christ. Though free thought rides roughshod over everything, we may yet hear that the boldest freethinkers have been made truly free and have felt the power of His thoughts, which are as high above our thoughts as the heavens are above the earth! Who knows, good Brother, but that son who has caused you the greatest grief may yet give you the greatest pleasure? Who knows but that one among your relatives who seems most decidedly to take the wrong side may yet become a leader in the armies of Christ? Hope on! Hope always!
Note with care how men are converted. I shall show you God’s preparation for it, in a work worked upon the minister, making him a fit witness for the Truths of God. Then I shall speak upon God’s work worked in the convert in opening his eyes and turning him from darkness to light. And, lastly, I shall call your attention to a work which must be worked by the convert, himself, for Paul preached that they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance.
I. First, let us notice A WORK WORKED BY GOD UPON THE MINISTER. “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” “Faith comes by hearing.” “How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they are sent?” In order to the conversion of the hearer, many processes must be experienced by
the preacher—he must be made, called, sent and, afterwards, delivered. All the work of the Lord upon him is a work of Grace on behalf of those who shall be converted by his means. The minister whom God sends is, first of all, himself subdued and made to be obedient to the will of his Lord.
While a man is a rebel, the Lord does not appoint him to act as an ambassador. While he is dead in sin, He does not commission him to preach the way of life. Paul was struck down to the earth—if he had not, himself fallen, he would not have known how to lift up others whom the Lord has laid low. There flashed into his face a Light above the brightness of the sun. He declares, “I could not see for the glory of that light.” He remained blind for three days and this, also, was necessary—for if he had not been shut up in that darkness, he would not have been qualified to deal with others on whom the darkness of conviction had settled. An experience of breaking down and of soul-horror is necessary to prepare a man for later usefulness among the convicted, the desponding and the despairing.