保罗的榜样
使徒行传九章1至22节
1扫罗仍然向主的门徒口吐威吓凶杀的话，去见大祭司，
2求文书给大马士革的各会堂，若是找着信奉这道的人，无论男女，都准他捆绑带到耶路撒冷。
3扫罗行路，将到大马士革，忽然从天上发光，四面照着他。
4他就仆倒在地，听见有声音对他说：“扫罗，扫罗！你为甚么逼迫我？”
5他说：“主啊，你是谁？”主说：“我就是你所逼迫的耶稣。
6起来！进城去，你所当做的事，必有人告诉你。”
7同行的人站在那里，说不出话来，听见声音，却看不见人。
8扫罗从地上起来，睁开眼睛，竟不能看见甚么。有人拉他的手，领他进了大马士革。
9三日不能看见，也不吃，也不喝。
10当下，在大马士革有一个门徒，名叫亚拿尼亚。主在异象中对他说：“亚拿尼亚。”他说：“主，我在这里。”
11主对他说：“起来！往直街去，在犹大的家里，访问一个大数人，名叫扫罗，他正祷告；
12又看见了一个人，名叫亚拿尼亚，进来按手在他身上，叫他能看见。”
13亚拿尼亚回答说：主阿，我听见许多人说：这人怎样在耶路撒冷多多苦害你的圣徒，
14并且他在这里有从祭司长得来的权柄捆绑一切求告你名的人。
15主对亚拿尼亚说：你只管去！他是我所拣选的器皿，要在外邦人和君王，并以色列人面前宣扬我的名。
16我也要指示他，为我的名必须受许多的苦难。
17亚拿尼亚就去了，进入那家，把手按在扫罗身上，说：兄弟扫罗，在你来的路上向你显现的主，就是耶稣，打发我来，叫你能看见，又被圣灵充满。
18扫罗的眼睛上，好像有鳞立刻掉下来，他就能看见。于是起来受了洗；
19吃过饭就健壮了。扫罗和大马色的门徒同住了些日子，
20就在各会堂里宣传耶稣，说他是神的儿子。
21凡听见的人都惊奇，说：在耶路撒冷残害求告这名的，不是这人么？并且他到这里来，特要捆绑他们，带到祭司长那里。
22但扫罗越发有能力，驳倒住大马色的犹太人，证明耶稣是基督。
信息分享
保罗在哥林多后书五章17节的那句话，最能总结这种完全的改变：「若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已过，都变成新的了。」保罗在信主之后，便立即有改变。当他还在大马色的路上，他必定就问主说：「主啊，你要我做甚么？」他立刻就想按照主的心意做任何事──从那刻开始，这种渴望便一直成为他的人生钥匙。
随后保罗开始祷告，神亲自对亚拿尼亚说，保罗正在祷告（九11）。接着，他被圣灵充满（九17），再接受洗礼（18节），成为信徒。我们每个人是否也有这三个新生命的标记呢？
接着，他便与大马色的信徒相交（九19）。这是非常重要的一步；可惜有些时候，我们忽略告诉初信者，与其他信徒相交对灵命成长的重要性。新约从没教导信徒可以各自修行，所有信徒都应立即一起参与敬拜和相交服事生活。
第20节指出他「立即」就为基督做见证，结果，他的灵命便不断成长（22节），他对基督的认识亦愈发加深。他的信主过程和信主后的连串行动，都为我们建立典范。你之前有没有注意这些方面呢？我们有没有教导其他初信者要学习保罗的榜样呢？
保罗在各方面为我们树立了美好的榜样。我们有没有成为他人的榜样呢？他人在我们身上看得见耶稣吗？我们有与其他信徒切实相交吗？我们相互都有需要。我们有祷告吗？有为主作见证吗？有不断成长吗？让我们再三反省，并每日切实地行在生活中。
THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL
Acts 9: 1-22
1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”
And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.
12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.
20 Immediately he preached the Christin the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
Message
The best summary of the change is found in Paul’s own words in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.” Notice the immediate effect in Paul’s life. On the Damascus road he must have said, “Lord what do you want me to do?’ He wanted immediately to do whatever the Lord wanted him to do. That continued to be the secret of his life from that moment on.
Then he began to pray (v.11). God Himself told Ananias this is what Paul was doing now. Then he was filled with the Holy Spirit (v.17). Next he was baptized (v.18) the mark of a believer in Christ. Are these three indications of new life present in the life of each one of us?
Next he joined in fellowship with the Christians in Damascus (v.19). This is very important but sometimes we neglect to tell new converts how important it is for their spiritual growth. There is no such thing as an isolated Christian in the New Testament. They joined with others in worship and service immediately.
Verse 20 says “at once” he began to witness about Christ. And as a consequence to all this, Paul grew in his Christian life (v.22) and in the knowledge of Christ. What an example his conversion is together with his subsequent actions. Have we ever noticed these things before? Are we passing them on to others?
Paul was a tremendous example in all of these. How is our individual example? Can others see Jesus in us? Are we in fellowship with God’s people? We need each other. Are we praying? Are we witnessing? Are we growing? Let’s think through these things again and make sure they have a place in our lives day by day.