The first is this: every saved person must have a personal conversion experience. In Jerusalem, as in Damascus, Saul spoke out boldly proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ, the promised Messiah. Let us not fail to respect the individuality of the conversion experience and to deal with people in the light of their individuality. On various occasions in his epistles, Paul made either direct or indirect references to his former life of opposition and his radical conversion.132 Pauls theology, his lifestyle, his ministry, and his methodology, all are rooted in his conversion. WebSaul/Paul was a pretty mean guy who persecuted Christians. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. (5) Sauls salvation was an act of divine grace. He became a priest himself in 1823. One of the most dramatic revelations of Sauls Damascus road experience was that he was not serving God, but he was persecuting Him. (9) On the road to Damascus, Saul did far more than to see a bright light and to hear a voice from heaven. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? His disciples150 lowered him in a basket, from the window of a room which was in the wall of the city (9:25). And when this time comes, God will use their obedience to serve Him: For if their rejection be the salvation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15). Jesus was LORD and not a false prophet! They were based, as I understand it, on what the Lord had revealed to Ananias and not on any confession or actions of Saul, for these seem to follow these initial actions and words of Ananias. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching. 28 And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. Ananias had not only heard of how Saul had been systematically destroying the church in Jerusalem, hunting down men and women and turning them over to the authorities, but also knew that he was on the march to Damascus, ready to destroy that church as well. (1) Sauls salvation was the salvation of a sinner. For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him. He went on to become a respected teacher and the founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Betharram. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move also Isaiah 64:6). It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow-citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22). (7) The salvation of Saul was Christ-centered. There would likely be another group of people meeting on the evening before Saul arrived in Damascusthose who did not believe in Jesus as their Messiah, and who eagerly sought the eradication of the church in their city. Saul, like Stephen, was a Hellenistic Jew. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. Ananias Laid Hands on Paul Ananias did as the Lord commanded and went to Sauls house and laid his hands on him. The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. Trembling and astonished, he inquired, If the worst sinner (Saul) was not too sinful to save, then you are not too sinful for God to save. 1:16; cf. Three times in the Book of Acts it is reported, the first time in the third person (he) by Luke (Acts 9:1-31), the second time in the first person (I) by the apostle, as he spoke to his Jewish unbelieving brethren in defense of his ministry (Acts 22:1-21), and the third time, again in the first person, as his personal testimony to King Agrippa, Festus, and Bernice (Acts 26:1-23). There are differences between the three accounts given to us in Acts. What can you say about Christianity when its most outspoken and zealous opponent suddenly claims to have seen the risen Christ, and to have trusted in Him as the Messiah? Theologically, we know this as the doctrine of mans total depravity.151 Paul surely believed that it was essential for men to begin with the understanding of their own sin, for in his Epistle to the Romans, he took the first two and one-half chapters to prove that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. When the plot became known to Saul, he made a successful, albeit undignified, escape from the city of Damascus. The LORD identified Himself as the Jesus, whom he had been persecuting. The result of that reluctant leap of faith is that Sauls eyes are opened and he is baptized, becoming part of (and eventually a leader in) the very church he sought to wipe out. 1 What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, here am I, Lord. 11 And the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight. 13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Thy saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy name.145 15 But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My names sake.. Jesus did not address the entire group but said, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? The others knew that something unusual was going on, but they did not grasp it (Acts 22:9). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Those things in which Saul would have formerly trusted for his standing before God, he saw in an entirely different light after God found him and saved him: 4b If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. Charles Spurgeon once wrote: Prayer is the autograph of the Holy Spirit upon the renewed heart. God was sealing Saul to Himself. Handed down. Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? Matt. WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. It may be that Sauls conversion was the instrument God used to convert these followers of Saul, so that they really were his disciples, in a two-fold sense. /w\/)sr?o|cBw3>E> We do not know the exact time when Saul was saved. When Saul reached Jerusalem, the Christians there also were afraid of him, because they thought he was going to have them all arrested. 21:29 (30); John 5:7; 12:21; 20:15; and should be so in John 9:36. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. "how many things he must suffer for His conversion was the beginning of a life-long process of maturing and growth in the Lord. 147 The more Saul preached, the more the Jews were confused. Like Stephen, the enemies of the gospel attempted to kill Saul when they could not silence him by means of debate. 136 E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Wm. He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious (Ezekiel 1:4, 26-28; 2:1-7).143. But as I see the call of God referred to in the New Testament, it seems that the call of salvation assumes other callings, to which Paul and other New Testament writers made frequent reference: Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God (Romans 1:1). Web17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me Acts ix. Then he But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time (2 Timothy 1:9). However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. The passage which we are studying can be divided into these major segments: We will begin this lesson by making some general observations concerning this account of Sauls conversion,134 after which we will examine the sequence of events leading up to Sauls conversion, the events surrounding his conversion, and the consequences of his conversion as depicted by Luke. He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Sauls eyes. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Saul Visits Jerusalem. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, Please come to us without delay. Third, these discrepancies may well have been evident to the writers, who did not see fit to remove or explain every problem. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16). Hear, you deaf! Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse During the subsequent Roman rule, the When God spoke to Ananias commanding him to go to the house where Saul was staying, he was to receive him as a brother; and he was told that he was called to suffer as Gods chosen vessel to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, kings, and to his fellow-Israelites. Thus, his opposition to Christ and His church took on a missionary spirit. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photo-lithoprinted}, 1966), p. 90. * [9:29] Hellenists: see note on Acts 6:17. In the end, God Himself will provide the illumination so that the sun and the stars will not be needed for this function: The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted (Isaiah 30:26). When Paul spoke of his conversion here in Galatians 1, he did not speak of the light which shone without, but rather of the light which shone within. The call of salvation is a call to change. Sauls Baptism. When the Christians learned that the Hellenists to whom Saul had preached were plotting to kill them, they helped him escape through Caesarea and on to Tarsus. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. There will be no more night. Do not let anyone despise you (Titus 2:11-15). Proving (sunbibazon). 31* The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light (Matthew 17:2). At least we can say that no one had enough faith to believe it, even as Peter stood at the door, knocking to get in (12:12-17). The conversion of Saul is a very crucial event in this book, which spells out from a historical point of view (Romans, from a theological viewpoint) the relationship of Jews and Gentiles in the plans and purposes of God. With the conversion of Saul, persecution of the church did not stop, for now some of the Hellenistic Jews were opposing his preaching (and no doubt, the church at large as well). In His coming as the light, those who come to the light become lights to the world themselves: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2). Acts 9:19-23 Saul in Damascus. Introduction. Sauls world of self-trust was now at an end and prayer was helping him see that. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:6-7). We know that the salvation of men rests ultimately with God and not with usand not even with the one whom we wish to see saved. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 2:22, Acts 13:2; 22:21; Rom. here - view only). The man who, days before, was persecuting Christ was now preaching Christ. Web3. The first words of the Lord Jesus to Saul were intended to teach him the inseparable unity between Christ and His church. When Ananias To both Ananias (Acts 9:10) and Saul (Acts 9:12). I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith (Philippians 3:1-9; cf.
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