I. INTRODUCTION
A. Arabia or Damascus? It is not clear where Saul spent the bulk of this three years, but it is obvious that he was led to get in touch with himself and God before approaching men, (including the Apostles).
1. Where in Arabia did Saul go? This is also unclear, since Arabia stretches from Cilicia in the west to Damascus in the east to the Persian Gulf in the south.
2. If he did travel to southern Arabia, he may have walked in the footsteps of Moses and Elijah.
B. Why did he make this journey? Was he seeking a place of solitude, contemplation, prayer, or meditation?
1. We know Moses spent years in the land of Midian preparing for his great work.
2. Elijah wandered the desert before beginning his prophetic work.
3. John the Baptist - was in the deserts, (Lk. 1:80).
4. Jesus Christ - was "led by the Spirit into the wilderness," (Lk. 4:1).
C. Compare Saul's three years of preparation to the three years spent by the 12 Apostles following Jesus.
D. The Lesson will attempt to address the following questions: what professions are open to us as Christians, how should we choose our profession, and how should our time be spent preparing for our chosen profession?
II. DISCUSSION
A. How do we determine what professions are available?
1. During any one generation there are a great variety of professions from which to choose. One of the beauties of God's creation is that employment exists for every person who can and wants to work.
2. If God provides each generation with enough work to do, He also provides people with enough talent to accomplish those tasks. There are farmers, businessmen, seamen, mechanics, soldiers, scientists, civil servants, inventors, and explorers enough to fulfill the needs of humanity in each generation.
3. The great diversity of occupations allows us to use our God-given free moral agency to pursue the profession of our choice.
B. God expects us as His people to choose a profession that will determine our condition on this earth within the parameters of morality, legality, and godliness. Saul's choice was determined by the declared purpose of Jesus Himself, (Acts 26: 16-18). Today we cannot expect such direct Divine guidance. As we choose our avocation we must take into account: our qualifications, circumstances, abilities, needs, and most importantly, how we might best serve the Lord.
1. We must choose our profession so that the most can be made of life for its proper purposes.
2. If we are able to narrow our choices to a few, then we must be especially careful to look closely to the future of each of those careers.
3. Our choice must be the one best adapted to our capabilities or ability to learn the capabilities needed for that job.
4. The choice of profession must be from among those that are just and honorable.
5. Likewise, we should choose a profession that allows for the fewest temptations.
6. The choice must be one that is conducive to personal growth, good for the family, good for society, and the advancement of humanity.
7. The choice cannot interfere with our preparation for the next world.
C. How should we spend the time between choosing and entering the profession?
1. Make sure enough time is taken in preparation. Take time to train and practice. The average professional life will last only 25 years, and that is all the time we will have to make our mark on this world. Would it be better to enter our profession at 20, unprepared, or at 25 very well prepared? Jesus prepared for His ministry for 30 years. His ministry lasted only three years!
2. The studies engaged in during the years of preparation should obviously have reference to the future avocation. Yet, even Saul had a trade to fall back on in the event his preaching could not support him. No one can expect to prepare to be a mechanic, a musician, a physician, a sailor, a farmer, a preacher, a lawyer, and a merchant. However, each of us must prepare to be a citizen, a spouse, and a Christian.
3. The preparation for our profession must be subordinate to our preparation for eternity. Prayer, Bible study, love of man, and love of God must be pursued. A spirit of gentleness, purity, kindness, and conscientiousness must be cultivated. All the plans we make for this earth-life may be for nothing, but our preparations for eternity are guaranteed.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONS
1. Name some professions that would obviously conflict with a person's Christianity.
2. Think of some "borderline" professions that could be a stumbling-block to a Christian and his or her influence in this world.
3. Are there any earthly professions that are perfect for the Christian? Name them.
4. Our preparation for eternity deserves (less, equal, or greater) attention than our preparation for our vocation.