Acts 9:11 And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul… These words, spoken by Jesus himself from heaven to one disciple of his and about another, the very youngest of all, single out a fact, and point to it as a sight worthy to be observed. The fact is in itself a very simple one, in the judgment of many a very ordinary one, in the unheeding judgment of most men an exceedingly uninteresting and unimportant one. Nor would it be easy to find a more clearly outlined illustration of the different estimate of earth and heaven, of Jesus and of erring man, than that found here. Jesus points to the sight of a man on his knees as one worthy to be beheld - to the fact of a man praying as one to engage attention, deep regard, and practically altered conduct on the part of his fellow-men. This is the simplest statement of the history that is before us. And it may be objected that, though it be a true statement so far, it is true only in this instance, or, if not only, yet that it is to such a degree exceptionally true here, that it may not be drawn into a precedent. But the burden of proof of such a position will fall upon those who shall hesitate to admit that one and the same essential element of noteworthiness attaches to the same situation, the same spectacle, wherever it presents itself. This, then, which was a spectacle to the Lord Jesus, and of which he speaks to his disciples in that very light, may well interest the gaze and devout thought of all generations - "Behold, he prayeth!" I. Let us consider, first, what different descriptions may be given in answer to the question, "WHAT IS IT TO PRAY?" since Jesus gives such prominence to the act. 1. It is the first sign of some great change. It betrays something novel that has been at work, unseen but not unfelt. It portends much to come. 2. it is itself the first movement of spiritual life, the new-born infant's trial of the spiritual lungs, and first lifting of them up and first breathing of spiritual air, the first voice of the "babe in Christ." 3. Its form may be a single word, a simplest sentence; one gentlest sigh may bear it up all the way to heaven, one passionate cry may speed it up; one upward glance of the eye may reveal it to that benignant eye which is ever bended down in compassion on us; one big solitary tear, that drops into the earth and can no more be gathered up, will be "counted" for it by him who doth "count all our tears." 4. The time it takes may be a moment, the twinkling of an eye, or it may be the exercise of agonized hours. II. We may ask, "WHO IS THE PRAYING MAN? AND WHAT HIS STATE?" The man who prays is the man who has come into a certain new state towards God - a slate that makes him desire also to come in a very new attitude into his presence. 1. It is the state of one who has discovered a need of a kind, a depth, an amount, and an urgency he had never dreamt of before. 2. It is the state of one who has become ready and anxious to make a thorough confession. Pride has gone. Self-satisfaction has gone. Trust in the world's short resources has gone. Blindness and delusion are dissipated. 3. It is the state of one who has been shaken by conviction of sin. The first prayer is not for mercies temporal, but for mercy - the mercy that a creature wants who has been growing up a long time, but not growing up in either perfect or even conscious relations with his Creator-Father. Conviction is the grandest interpreting exposition of the prophet's dictum, "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). 4. It is the state of one who, let him be what he may, let him have been, have done, what he may, toward God, or toward man, or toward his own heart and conscience, has been visited by some glimmering ray of light, and has felt the warmth of some feeble flame of hope. Real prayer and absolute despair, real prayer and utter darkness, never go together. So prayer is the pulse of vitality. Its feeblest expression is the radiation of the spark of God's light, life, love, not extinct. 5. It is the case of one long sore sick, for whom the crisis of fatal danger is past, the disease stayed, and on whom, with more than the loudest solicitude of the tenderest parent, the Lord Jesus looks down and vouchsafes to point out the blessed symptoms, saying, "Behold, he prayeth!" III. Let us consider WHO IT IS THAT IS HERE SPOKEN OF AS PRAYING. He is a Jew, well taught, of pious forefathers, of strict Pharisee school, full of earnestness, free from immorality, given to striving for superiority and profiting above his equals, and given to saying prayers. So that, whatever a certain kind of light and moral character and virtue might avail, he had the benefit of them. On the other hand, "the light that was in him was darkness;" his zeal was bigotry; his high character was to the scale of human measurement only; he had never touched deep ground; he was a sinner and didn't know it; he persecuted "saints" and didn't know it; he kept the raiment, and consented to the stoning, of them that stoned Stephen, and didn't know what he was doing or what they were doing, - till now, in the full career of a very successful "breathing out of threatenings and slaughters," he is flung to the ground, and becomes as one stunned. Yet spoken to, he knows the Lord, and in a moment owns his rightful Master by word. The prayers of the crucified Jesus, and of the first martyr Stephen "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge;" "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" - are answered; and he who was just now breathing out those threatenings and slaughters, now breathes the deep, earnest, pleading accents of prayer. And there is no mistake, deception, nor unconscious delusion; for he who knew all says, and hushes every doubt and objection while he says it, "Behold, he prayeth!" IV. Let us notice, lastly, way JESUS SAYS, "BEHOLD!" 1. To the risen Jesus, at all events, no real surprise could be possible. Only a God's wonders - whatever that may be - might be understood here, if the charmed words had been words of soliloquy. But they are not words of soliloquy. They are condescendingly spoken in order to disarm the very faithlessness of human distrust, which, nevertheless, insisted on expressing itself. Jesus calls attention to what may teach us a large lesson of liberality, of charity, but above all of trust in the force victorious and "more than conquering" of his gospel and his Name. 2. Jesus calls attention to what we may think little of, and think amiss therein. Many are the things we think little of little sins, to wit-of which he thinks much, to hate them. Many are the things we think little of - little kindnesses, little cups of cold water, to wit - of which he thinks much, to love them. And much - oh, how much! - will waken our astonished attention one day, soon to come, that moves us with not a ripple of either surprise or interest now. Still, he that hath ears to hear may hear now that heavenly "Behold!" It speaks in most striking contrast to the "Lo! here," and "Lo! there," of earth and men. 3. Jesus says, "Behold!" because he would call attention to a change that was a pattern miracle of his power and grace. He calls attention to it, not as unique, but as a model instance. Such a character revolutionized! Such a life and force of life, and combined elements of life, and characteristics not all unmingled bad, changed! What, then, shall not Christ and the Spirit be able to do? Eighteen centuries have justified that "Behold!" in both these aspects - as pointing out a model conversion in Saul's conversion, and as vindicating it as but the first of an amazing and glorious series. 4. Jesus, in saying "Behold!" teaches us where to look, and so also where not to look, in ourselves for evidence of real change. All objection, all inquisition, all human dogma, all ecclesiastical domination and forging of creed and formula and fetters, - perish they all before the decisive "Behold! of Jesus - Behold, he prayeth!" Before this sight human presumption may well be silenced, as before it "Satan trembles." In conclusion, still, alas! for once that the gracious finger points while the gracious lip says, "Behold, he prayeth!" how often must it be said, "Behold, he prayeth not"! Though there be every reason to pray, every encouragement to pray, how many pray not!, Yet no monarch on the most powerful and majestic throne, and wielding the mightiest sway, is in very deed to compare for one moment with the man whose attitude is on his knees before God. Who can describe the new alacrity with which in due time that man regains his feet? Though Saul had labored abundantly under the wrong master, after that praying he "labored more abundantly, yet not he, but - the grace of God that was in him," and in him through that praying. - B. Parallel Verses KJV: And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, |
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