TEXT: ACTS 9:4-5
'And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?/And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
To all who are incest against the church of Christ, saint Luke would have them know that they are but inflicting pains on themselves as a man does who kicks against a goad or pricks,--a staff with ball-like end that has sharp or pricky object on one end, used in wars in those days and served as instrument to prod horses, ass or any beast of burden into motion. Saints should rather pity their persecutors than wishing their harms, in that, no man in his right mind would kick against tips of swords or pricks: it is madness to do that. If the saints' enemies know that they harm themselves in persecuting the church; that they are running against incoming fiery darts, trust me, they would not lift a finger against the least of Christ's sons or daughters. Ignorance is the mother of the spirit of persecution: it is the soul of every battle ever wagged against the Church of God. He who takes a stand against the truth, knows not better. Injuries attends upon any who kicks against the church, as normally as sparks fly up, and waters fall downward. Oh saints, you are light, to give light to the world; salt, to sweetens and attacks decay on earth; here you are called pricks, not to primarily hurt any, but to goad and prod into motion this indifferent and slothful generation toward God. Oh know once Let no man therefore kick against the church: for it is a hard thing to do. Let every believer consider his persecutor as one to be pitied than harmed.