<TITLE>04. Par 29-40</TITLE>L-29 The moon is a shadow of the sun. The sun just reflects its light when its behind the earth. And the moon gives light, to walk by, at night. And what a beautiful picture we have here, another beautiful picture: the sun represents Christ; the--the moon represents the Church. They're just like husband and wife. And in the absence of Christ, the Church reflects the minor Light, the Gospel. And it--it's the Light to walk in until the Son rises again, then the Church and the Son, the moon and the sun, blends together. See? The moon is a part of the sun, and the Church is a part of Christ. And while the absence of Christ, the Church reflects His Light. And then as sure as we can see the moon shining, it knows the sun is shining somewhere. And as long as the Church is reflecting the Light of Christ, Christ is alive somewhere. Amen. Think of it.

L-30   Now, the law was a type of grace, but law had no saving power in it. Law only was a... The law was a policeman. The policeman put you in jail, but, you see, it taken grace to get you out of jail. See?

L-31 So the Blood of Christ, the Gospel, delivers us from sin. Law only makes us sinners. The law only said, "You are a sinner. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not bear false witness." See? It's a policeman that says you're wrong and you're guilty. But the Gospel is the good news. Christ died to save us from all of our trespasses, transgressions of the law. Christ died to take us out.

L-32   Now, Paul, as soon as he was converted, he never consulted with any seminary, neither did he consult any ministers. But did you notice? He went down into Arabia, and was there three years, in Arabia. Now, this is, to my opinion, that...

L-33 Now, we've got to get a background of this, so we'll know how substantial it is. And the first lesson, tonight, we take our background.

L-34 Now, Paul was such a Bible teacher, because he was taught under that great, all-time famous Gamaliel. And he was one of the best known of the day, that great teacher of the law and the prophets. So, Paul was well schooled in those things.

L-35   And then I like him this way, this great revelation, being honest in his heart, a murderer, had consented to Stephen's death and saw Stephen die under the rocks and clods of being stoned to death. I think it must have got next to Paul when he saw Stephen raise his hands to Heaven, and said, "I see the Heavens open. I see Jesus standing at the right hand of God." And he said, "Father, lay not this charge of sin against them." And he fell asleep.

L-36 Did you notice that? He never died. He fell asleep. Just like... I don't believe he ever felt another rock. Just like a baby on the bosom of its mother, falls asleep, Stephen fell asleep in the arms of God.

L-37   There is something, about Paul, that got next to him. Then he, any man under conviction, trying to fight It, he rolls over to the high priest and gets some letters. Said, "I'll arrest all those people that's making all that noise, and those heretics;" which was considered, what we would call today, some "radical fanatic," or something like that, making a lot of noise and causing disturbance. "We'll just go down and settle it."

L-38 And on his road down, a little old... not a great highway like we travel. And them roads in Palestine, just little trails, like a cow trail through the woods where the cattle, and the sheep, and the horses, and the donkeys, and the camels, went over the hills.

L-39 And Paul, on his road down to Damascus, about noon, one day, a great Light shining down and struck him to the ground. No one saw It but Paul. I want you to notice that. And right here, this is not personal now, but just so we're leading into this background. That you'll know that that same Jesus...

L-40   Now, when He was here on earth, He said, "I came from God, and I go back to God."


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