This week we’ve been looking at Christ’s words to Saul of Tarsus in Acts 26:14―“It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” We discussed the meaning of the oxgoad and met the Master of the oxgoad. Today we’ll look at the third and final part of this package: the message of the oxgoad.
When Jesus rebuked Saul (who would soon become the Apostle Paul) for kicking against the goads, He was telling the proud Pharisee that he was only hurting himself in resisting the truth & teaching of Christ. The more he resisted . . . the more he suffered. The harder he kicked . . . the deeper the goad drove into his flesh. A modern equivalent to this timeless message is, “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you!”
How about it? Is there an area in your life where you’ve been biting the nail-scarred hand that feeds you?
How foolish and prideful for us to rebel against Omnipotence! But look with me at the great tenderness in Jesus’ words; He does not say, “It is hard for my people” or “It is hard for Me,” but rather Jesus says, “It is hard for you, Saul!” It is startling when we realize that our Savior is always thinking about the sinner, even when we are busily sowing seeds of our own sorrow! I’m sure we would all agree from personal experience that it is, indeed, hard for us when we kick against the goads. It was almost as if Jesus was saying sorrowfully to Saul what we parents say to our children when applying some stern discipline: “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.”
Who but the Savior could think such compassionate thoughts of a man who was intent on persecuting His church? When we see cruel men persecuting Christians, what do we think―compassionate thoughts or condemning thoughts? How quickly we would write off a man like Saul . . . but not our Savior. No one is beyond the redemptive reach of our Lord! No one has wandered too far, failed too often, or sinned too deeply to place himself or herself beyond the reach of Jesus’ promise: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus provides great comfort for us because He has great compassion for us.
So . . . where has God been applying His oxgoad to your life? Where have you increased your suffering because you continue to kick against the goads? And when will you yield to the truth and teaching of Christ? When Saul finally reached that point, nothing could stop him. The Apostle poured out his life to bring the Gospel to the nations, and no earthly obstacle would deter him―not the whip; not false witness; no trial, tribulation, or even an excruciating thorn. Paul, by God’s grace, ran his course and was able to say: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Would that we all will be able to say that at the end! This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT…AMEN!
Grace for the Race 