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[ Silence ] [MUSIC - "ONE LOOK"] (SINGING) One look, just one look, one look at Jesus, And my cares will all pass away.

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On look, was all I needed. ♪ And my life would be forever changed ♪ ♪ One look, just one look ♪ ♪ One look at Jesus ♪

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♪ And my cares will all pass away ♪ ♪ Only a look was all I needed ♪ ♪ And my life would be forever changed ♪ change. Then I saw him, yes I saw him. And he blessed my soul, and he blessed my soul,

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♪ And he blessed my soul ♪ ♪ Without a word ♪ ♪ And he blessed my soul ♪ ♪ And he blessed my soul ♪

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♪ And he blessed my soul ♪ ♪ Without a word ♪ ♪ Then I saw him ♪ ♪ Then I saw him ♪

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♪ Yes, I saw him ♪ ♪ Yes, I saw him ♪ ♪ And he blessed my soul ♪ ♪ And he blessed my soul ♪

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♪ And he blessed my soul ♪ ♪ And he blessed my soul ♪ ♪ With love so pure ♪ ♪ And he blessed my soul ♪

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♪ And he blessed my soul ♪ ♪ And He blessed my soul ♪ ♪ Without a word ♪ ♪ Without a word ♪

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♪ And my Jesus ♪ ♪ He's always made a way ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ And my Jesus ♪

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♪ He's in my heart to stay ♪ ♪ If you love a man around me ♪ ♪ I do what you set the captains free ♪ Yes, I know the man.

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Yes, I know the man. Yes, I know the man. Yes, I know the man. And his name is Jesus.

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He's always made a way. Oh, my Jesus. ♪ He's in my heart to stay ♪ ♪ We'll all have our melodies ♪

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♪ We'll all stand like captains we ♪ ♪ Yes I know the man ♪ ♪ Yes I know the man ♪ ♪ And His name is Jesus ♪

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♪ He's always made a way ♪ ♪ Oh my Jesus ♪ ♪ He's in my heart today ♪ ♪ And he blessed my soul ♪

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♪ And he blessed my soul ♪ ♪ And he blessed my soul ♪ ♪ Without a word ♪ ♪ And he blessed my soul ♪

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♪ And He blessed my soul ♪ ♪ And He blessed my soul ♪ ♪ Without, without a word ♪ [Music]

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These are a text. I refer you to the book of Acts, the 13th chapter, and the 9th verse.

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Amen. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. "Saul, who is also called Paul." The subject of the message, "My name is Saul, but you can call me Paul. Would you repeat those words? My name is Saul, but you can call me Paul.

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This message is based on one who is considered the most outstanding exponent of the Christian faith during his day. Saul is the Hebrew name he received when he was born. He was circumcised on the eighth day and named Saul after the first king of Israel.

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He came from the tribe of Benjamin. He refers to himself as a Hebrew of Hebrews, but he is best remembered by his Roman name, Paul. He belonged to two worlds, Roman and Hellenist.

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He was a citizen of the Jewish nation. He was a citizen of the Roman Empire. He was a citizen of the kingdom of God. No doubt he introduced himself during those early days when he became identified with

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the Christian Church by saying my name is Saul but you can call me Paul. He was a citizen on earth, he was a citizen in heaven. Westley said of those who said that they were citizens of two worlds that we may be citizens of heaven but we must pay taxes on earth. Born and read and Tarshish

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Saul was exposed to Greek culture, the Greek language, Greek thinking, philosophy, and practices. The Greek world was indeed familiar to him. He followed largely the Greek customs in addition to those that were practiced by every pious Jew. His parents were Roman citizens and he was one who enjoyed rank, privileges above those

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of the average Jew. name is Saul but you can call me Paul. As a Roman citizen he had three names four name family name and an additional name the name on his birth certificate It was Saul, but we can call him Paul.

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Saul is identified with his natural existence. He belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. in blessing his sons called Benjamin the ravenous wolf. And although Saul grew up in a Hellenist environment, he lived as a Hebrew.

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could speak the Hebrew language, he spoke in Aramaic, and he also could address the Hellenist Society in Greek. He particularly in Jerusalem for his university training there he sat at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the most renowned scholars of that day. Like a ravenous wolf, Saul pursued his studies related to

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becoming a Pharisee. That means to belong in the company of the separated ones. Pharisees exercised great care in the study of the Mosaic law. They were scrupulous observers of the Sabbath. They were meticulous tithers of the produce of the soil.

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Not only the grain the wine the oil but garden herbs as well Pharisees Refused to eat food that was subject to the tithe unless the tithe had actually been paid

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In their study of the law They built up a body of interpretation and application considered on an equal Basis Elevated to the status of the written law. This was the training to which

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Saul Was subjected to which he submitted himself He was Bent on being a

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liberal as far as the religious parties in Israel go while the Pharisees were the conservatives they were the ones who Boasted of the fact that they wanted to be true to the old-time religion

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Phariseeism Was the life Paul chose for himself and he refers to himself as a Pharisee of Pharisees and a Hebrew of Hebrews

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He distinguished himself by his zest and zeal in promoting and protecting Judaism. Saul became a persecutor of the church. Those who became followers of the Christian faith were objects of his scorn and ridicule and became prison victims. He was vigorous in targeting believers in Jerusalem. When they scattered from Jerusalem Paul

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followed them he went so far as to get credentials from the high sheriff deputizing him to go to Damascus and persecute all the Christians he could find. Saul and his company were riding with lightning-like speed on the highway to Damascus when suddenly the spotlight of heaven focused on Saul. The light had

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brilliance that was brighter than the noonday sun. Saul was dazzled and blinded by the brightness of that heavenly light. Saul had been traveling in darkness. He did not understand what God was doing. He did not comprehend the nature of the kingdom of God. He did not know the

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meaning of being a citizen of the kingdom. He was under the searchlight of heaven. Saul, in the midst of that experience, he fell on the ground. He was startled by an earthly voice, not a voice that he had heard before. It was the voice that was the voice of heaven that had come to earth. And the voice spoke to him

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saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" He answered, "Who are you, Lord?" And the The voice responded, "I am Jesus. I am the one you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the pricks." When you fight against the king, you are fighting against his kingdom. When you fight against the citizens of the kingdom, you fight against him.

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And when you fight against him, you fight against yourself. So with trembling voice and shaking body, Saul said, "Lord, what would you have me to do?" And the Lord said, "Arise, arise and go into the city and it will be told you what you are to do." Men with Saul was spellbound

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They heard the voice, but they saw no man Saul was blinded by the heavenly light So Unusual many times we find ourselves caught in that situation this morning as I was on my way to the worship service

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Facing the Sun I was blinded for a moment almost to the point of needing to stop the car blinded by light. Paul is blinded by light that he had never quite seen before he saw this light and was blinded by but he arose and was led being blind he by the light

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He was led by the men that accompanied him into the city of Damascus. You know the Lord has strange ways of getting us to do what he wants us to do. He knows how to knock us down from our high horses and make us humble and willing servants. The Lord knows how to get us off our pattern of traveling the

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broad road of destruction and to get us on the straight and narrow path. Saul was turned around that's what we call it conversion experience being turned around so he was converted on that road and turned around. Oh he had been and that broad road to destruction. Or you may put it this way that he was living on crooked

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circle. But now he's brought to the straight and narrow path. Well when he arrives in Damascus he meets a man that's already waiting for him. God had spoken to him too telling him that he had one who was coming to see him Ananias so when God spoke to Ananias and told him that Saul was being sent to him Saul Ananias could hardly believe it

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because he knew of Saul being one who persecuted the church and he was not at all anxious to meet Saul. But Saul was undergoing a change. He is found by Ananias who obeys God's orders and when this happens, when this encounter occurs the scales fall from his eyes. In fact he is in the process of becoming. He's a new

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creature and he can say to people now my name was Saul but you can call me Paul. because when a person becomes a new creature that person has a name change a new beginning it becomes a new being Jews were astounded and confounded by the change in this man because they were so amazed they took steps to kill Saul

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but the disciples took him by night and let him down the Damascus wall by night in a basket. What a wonderful change. What a wonderful change in his life had been wrought. Saul who once sought to kill believers in Jesus Christ is now willing to risk his life because of his belief in Jesus Christ. So Saul visits Jerusalem

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the headquarters of the newly emerging Christian faith. There he was taken under the wing of Barnabas who served as a reference and as an encourager so strong and effective was Saul's preaching among the Hellenist Jews that they sought to kill him but God protected him Barnabas and Saul worked together notice I said

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Barnabas and Saul. Barnabas is first. He is a place of preeminence. But it's not long after we began to read in Luke's account of the life of the early church. It's not long before we have the words Paul and Barnabas. It's reversed. Different arrangement because something has happened something wonderful something

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miraculous that has happened in the life of this man who was known as Saul but now they begin to call him Paul because he emerges as the leader in Gentile Christianity. He is attracted to the work. His name was Saul, but now they begin to call him Paul. Paul is the Latin, the Roman form for the name Saul. My name was

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Saul but you can call me Paul." It's radical change. Some of us can identify with this man Saul whose name is changed to Paul because we've had that change to occur in our lives. He made three outstanding missionary journeys, established churches throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome.

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He said to people again and again, my name is Saul, but you can call me Paul. He made trips to Jerusalem to meet and confer with church leaders and they discussed the inclusion of Gentiles. The Judaizers

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wanted to limit the privileges of the kingdom to those who observed Jewish customs to those who were obedient to the law but Paul was an advocate of Christian freedom. Gentiles did not have to act like Jews in order to be Christians. They could be themselves. They could be Gentile Christians and

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Hellenists could be Hellenized Christians. Jews and Gentiles working together in the Church of Jesus Christ because in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek neither bond nor free neither male or female we're all one in Jesus Christ so in physical appearance we may seem alike in many ways but there is

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this unity there may be a diversity but there is also an overriding unity in Jesus Christ oh they found fault with Paul as often as the case Paul was short in stature, ball-headed, bow-legged. He was not one that was attractive to look at. His sermons were delivered in a monotone. They were theologically sound

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and systematically arranged but they lacked our rhetorical skills the kind of skills that many people in the Hellenist congregations desired. People criticized Paul when he accepted gifts from the congregation that he served. They criticized Paul because he did not as a rule accept gifts from congregations

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which he served. He worked as a tent maker in order to gain income for his own upkeep and not be a burden to the churches. People criticized Paul because he was not one of the twelve disciples and walked with Jesus

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they criticized him because this man did not walk with the master he was not one of the twelve he did not walk the dusty sun-bit hills of Judea with Jesus and they said that what Paul had received was second-handed

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that he had no first-hand experience with the Lord but Paul refutes their claims he answers his critics by engaging in the foolishness of boasting he calls it who are these people are they Hebrews so am I other Israelites so am I in fact he says I am a better one much greater than

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they are I've had my imprisonments countless floggings and I've been near death five times I received 40 lashes from the Jews minus one three times I was beaten with rods once I received a stoning these three times I was shipwrecked for a night and a day I was adrift at sea on frequent journeys and dangers

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from rivers dangers from bandits dangers from my own people dangers from Gentiles in the city dangers in the wilderness dangers from false brethren and sisters in toil and hardship through many sleepless nights hungry and thirsty often without food, cold and naked, and besides other things,

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I was deeply under pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches. If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. So let me go on about visions and revelations of the Lord I was not there with Peter and John on the Sea of Galilee and the

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other disciples I was not there when he fed the hungry multitude I was not there when he healed all manner of sickness and disease but I have seen the Lord on On the Damascus road I heard the voice of God calling me by name and I saw the Lord. High and lifted up I saw him.

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Exalted, having been resurrected, I saw him. And I have been grasped by his Spirit. I've been caught up into the third heaven. Whether in the body or out of the body, I don't know.

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God knows. Yes, I was caught up in the paradise, and I heard things that no man can utter. I heard things that I'm not permitted to repeat.

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So on behalf of such a one, I will boast. The citizen of the kingdom knows how to suffer. Paul says, "There was given me a thorn in the flesh to keep me humble, to keep me prayerful, to keep me from being lifted up in

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pride because of the visions and revelations I received from the Lord." I Don't know exactly what the thorn was Paul, but

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Tell us Paul does not tell us what the thorn was he just Suffers as so many people do suffer silently We don't know whether it was hypertension whether it was this dreadful disease of Cancer or what it could have been we don't know

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But Paul says that God gave him the answer These words my grace My grace My grace is sufficient for you

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No matter how much pain no matter how heavy the burden my grace is sufficient for you and Then at the end Paul is shifted around from one political leader to another and

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Finally he ends up in Rome for his death sentence to be executed Not long after this We hear him as he speaks to us through letters to his son Timothy

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He has preached the gospel is one many souls to Christ But he ends up in a Roman prison When I was in Rome, they took us to a prison that they said if this is st. Paul's prison

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I'm not sure that there was st. Paul's prison, but it was at least one that had the name of being st Paul's small place dark dingy And to say that this man of such greatness spends his last dime

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In such a place is that dark dingy damn But this is where Paul Spent his last days and he says as he writes this letter That I am ready

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Wow, the things that have happened to me I am ready I'm ready. I've fought a good fight. I've kept the full faith. I'm ready. I'm ready to be offered up I'm ready. I tell you I'm ready But

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as I worked on this message, I said Paul Ebenezer is celebrating 131 years of its history What shall I say to them about?

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then and the Christian mission, what should I say that you would have a say and Paul said tell them

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Tell them whatsoever things are true Whatsoever things are just Whatsoever things are pure Whatsoever things are of good report to think on these things

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So we still have a journey before us We still have miles and miles to go before we sleep But there is one who is with us From the beginning to the end

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Who never leave us alone? Oh, we may see the lightning Flashing we hear the thunder roll And since breakers dashing trying to conquer our souls But there is one who promises never ever to leave us

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To leave us alone he promised Never to leave us and that's the blessing God goes with us all the way He goes with us as

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We walk in green pastures and he also walks with us when we come to the dark valley Shattered thanks be to God for such a savior and as we come to the invitation There may be those

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Who trust God this morning Who give your life to him? Who accept the word of Jesus Christ? Who believe this report of his goodness and his grace we invite you to come

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It's an open door he sets before us Come by letter by Christian experience or profession of faith you may come come There's room at the cross

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[MUSIC] ♪ A shelter in which we can hide ♪ ♪ And His grace will bring ♪ ♪ His affliction for me ♪

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♪ And be as His fountain ♪ ♪ As my at the sea ♪ ♪ There's room and a cross for you ♪ ♪ There's room and a cross for you ♪

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♪ Though millions have come ♪ ♪ There's still room for one ♪ ♪ Is that true ♪ ♪ And who knows for you ♪

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♪ O will you let the people of Israel ♪ ♪ When the time for us is near ♪ ♪ The Savior's near grace ♪ ♪ To all who are gaze ♪

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♪ And welcome the sinner ♪ ♪ Before his tomb lays ♪ ♪ Let fruit and wine flow you ♪ ♪ Let fruit and wine flow you ♪

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[MUSIC] ♪ Our world is as true as the cross for you ♪ ♪ The hand of my Savior is full ♪ ♪ And the love of my Savior is long ♪

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♪ Must start shining bright... ♪ [ Silence ]