Acts 22:7

And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest.

J. P. Sanders, president of Columbia Christian College, gave the title "Questions of the Hour, and of the Ages" to the four questions which loom in this speech:

1. Why persecutest thou me?

2. Who art thou, Lord?

3. What shall I do, Lord?

4. Why tarriest thou?

(1) Persecution of the truth is futile and only aids the persecuted cause by (a) arousing sympathy always felt for the "under dog," (b) by intensifying the zeal of the persecuted party, and (c) by scattering and multiplying the centers of dissemination of the persecuted truth.

(2) This is the most important question a mortal might ask. It is who Jesus is, was, and ever is which hails him as God in the hearts of men and demands their allegiance, loyalty, and obedience.

(3) What shall I do, Lord? Paul here had a conversation with the Lord, plainly asking him what to do to be saved; but Jesus did not bypass the great commission, nor deny the sufficiency of the word as proclaimed by gospel preachers; he sent Paul to Ananias.

(4) Why tarriest thou? Why should any man tarry, or delay his baptism into Christ? Some delay because they think they are too young, others because they fancy they are too old, some because they suffer from the delusion that they do not need to obey; some suppose they are good enough already; others fear they are too wicked to be saved; still others suppose there's plenty of time yet, simply procrastinate, or wait for some mysterious power from above to move them.

I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest ... It is impossible that any man could have invented such a reply. It appears amazing even yet that our Lord would thus have associated himself with the wretched village of Nazareth while enthroned at the right hand of the Majesty on high. This is unlike men. The writer welcomed many people from areas throughout the world during seventeen years with the Manhattan Church of Christ, New York City; and without variation, when people were asked, "Where are you from?" the answer was always that of a well-known city or state. Take this example:

"Where are you from?"

"I come from Houston."

"Wonderful. What part of the city do you live in?"

"Well, actually, we live in Goose Creek (near Houston)."

If human beings had been inventing the New Testament, Jesus would have replied to Paul, "I am the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, dwelling in light unapproachable!" But the Lord said, "I am Jesus of Nazareth"!

Implicit in the Lord's reply is the fact that whatever is done to the church our Lord established is also done to himself. See under Acts 9:4.