Welcome back to another episode of Five Minutes in Church history.

Last week, we were in 401, and this week we are in 401 again.

And again, we are visiting with our friend Augustine.

I told you that he was in Carthage for

the Synod of Carthage. And on June 23, 401, Augustine preached a sermon in Carthage called On the

Apostle Paul. We think of Augustine, the theologologian, Augustine the writer, but I want to introduce

you to Augustine the historian, and as an historian, he loved to preach sermons on historical figures.

He would preach sermons on the martyrs. He preached sermons on the Sicilian martyrs, on Castas and

Ameliaus. He preached a number of sermons on Perpetua and Felicitas.

But he also preached sermons on the historical figures in the Bible.

Sermons on John the Baptist, on John the Apostle, on Peter, and on Paul.

And here he is in Carthage with a sermon on Paul.

He is recalling Paul's conversion on the Damascus Road,

and he says, Jesus did not say to Paul or Saul at this point,

why are you persecuting my servants?

But he said, instead, why are you persecuting me?

This might be the first time Paul learned the wonderful doctrine of union with Christ

as persecuting the servants is persecuting the Christ. And I will let you in on a little

piece of information. It was Derek Thomas that I first learned that from, from a sermon by him on

Acts. But let me read to you what Augustine writes about Paul's conversion.

Paul is now preparing himself to obey,

where previously he had worked himself up to destroy.

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