The beloved physician Luke wrote as Paul was making his defense before King Agrippa, he told him, “as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecute you me? it is hard for you to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. 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 the 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 the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse nineteen of the book of Acts Luke shared Paul told King Agrippa, “I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision” where we read:
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
The verse begins, “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, ...” Luke began with the word, “whereupon” which means “whereby and for this reason and account”, “O king Agrippa” or “O leader, prince, commander and lord of the land whose name is Agrippa which means hero-like”. Luke shared how “Paul” told “king Agrippa” that he responded to Jesus' commission in the following way.
The verse continues, “... I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:” Luke added the words, “I was not disobedient” which means “I, Paul, did not exist as impersuasible, non-compliant and contumacious” “unto the heavenly vision” or “toward the sight, visual and appearance from the celestial region and sky”. Luke shared how “Paul” told “king Agrippa” that he was not insubordinate and unwilling to obey the “vision” he received from the “heavenly” region.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Paul” wanted to assure “king Agrippa” that he was obedient to the “vision” given to him by Jesus. “Paul's” experience was so dramatic that it altered his life, and from that point on he began to follow Jesus as his personal “Savior and Lord”. “Paul” became one of the greatest witnesses of the salvation of God which is available through believing and trusting in His Son Jesus, and when a person submits to Jesus, they will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. This message of the gospel is available to everyone, and those who are wise will not be “disobedient” to the invitation God has extended to all mankind.
Next time Luke shares how Paul tells King Agrippa how he, “showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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