to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me (Acts 26:18). Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? He realized that it was nothing which he had donenor ever would dobut only by what Jesus Christ had done that saved him. 25but his disciples took him one night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. Rather, he sought the arrest, trial, conviction, and punishment (with imprisonment the norm and death the ideal, it would seem) of those in Jerusalem. 1:26); but for Saul the one who bore a human form identified himself as a historical person: `I am Jesus. Few of Sauls distinctive insights into the significance of the gospel cannot be traced back to the Damascus-road event, or to the outworking of that event in his life and thought. And what a comfort to know that God always finishes what He starts: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). In him was life, and that life was the light of men. . 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. In this approach, preachers will offer their congregations a chance to relate to Sauls epiphany as a way of meeting Christ in the midst of our lives and being transformed by that encounter. No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the One who spoke to him was Jesus of Nazareth, the long-looked-for Messiah, the Consolation and Redeemer of Israel. Saul asked.I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, he replied. Acts ix. Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations (Isaiah 51:4). When Sapphira showed up, she, too, lied to Peter and to God, saying that they had donated the entire proceeds of the sale of the land to the church. 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. 3 He said: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. When the man asked why he should do this, the pastor said, I dont believe anyone can continue hating someone when they have consistently prayed for that person to be blessed by God. This doctrine does not hold that men are as bad as they could be in each area of their life, but that sin has permeated every dimension of a persons life. In Sauls account of his conversion to His Jewish brethren, he added that when Ananias arrived, he instructed him to Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name (Acts 22:16). Saul got help, though, from a man named Barnabas. Then a voice said to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?, Saul asked the voice, Who are you, sir?, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. To Him be the glory forever. Hb```f``:Ab,=`.9Z3{x5v\);]c#qea #'&D|z:wyKN,0(t\tbRFhT2thS2(9.`mNbq)-pk^;>:+pq2Ck AUbK=N\2M/`KqGLZS1 $[S|Rd\.9i'9T\.EXdxlYcqb also 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2). If the blinding of Saul was a major turning point in his life, so was the blinding of Bar-Jesus. 3 Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. It is not just in the Book of Acts that the importance of Sauls conversion is evident. WebA study of the language describing what resulted from Ananias going to Saul should help in determining the part played by Ananias in Saul's being "filled with the Holy Spirit." Saul, like Stephen, was a Hellenistic Jew. What did Ananias do for Saul? Some were amazed, taking note of the dramatic turn-about in Sauls faith and practice (9:21). Ancestry, Pharisaic training, Hellenistic education, were fused by it into the character which the Holy Spirit formed and fashioned over the fourteen years of training. 5He said, Who are you, sir? The reply came, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.e These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The expansion is three-fold: (1) The expansion from Christ, to His apostles, to His church, (2) The geographical expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. If he were viewed as a reactionary, a trouble-maker, perhaps there were some unbelievers who thought Saul was too much trouble. Damascus, a city some 150 miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, was one such city. Thank God that is what happened. This light would thus have been very bright indeed. Were they some of those converted to Christ through his preaching? 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). The two messages cannot be reconciled. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him (Daniel 2:22). 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. At first, I thought this was unique with Saul. Preachers working through the narrative lectionary with their congregations, then, will do well to explore this passage in detail in order to establish the character of Paul well for the second half of Acts (Acts 13-28; see how this role is foreshadowed in 9:15), which shifts the focus from the ministry of the Twelve in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to his role in taking the gospel throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and even to Rome (see Acts 1:8). 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. What do you suppose the saints would have prayed at this special prayer meeting? For the time being, God is using the disobedience of Israel to accomplish His purposes, but there is surely a time coming when Israel will be restored to the Lord, by faith in Christ. 1:15; Eph. So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. In 2 Corinthians 11:32 Paul speaks of an ethnarch of Aretas, the king of the Nabataean Arabs, who guarded the city to prevent him escaping from it. For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.. The same grace which was shown to Saul in his salvation is shown to all whom God calls to Himself: 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. Grace is not only the basis for ones salvation, but also for ones spiritual walk and service: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:6-7). 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. Road to Damascus But these laws, which seek to summarize the gospel in a concise way, should always be applied individually. He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. The message of the gospel, to be sure, is always the same, but the approach is not. (3) Sauls conversion experience was quick and dramatic in one sense, but it also involved a process, a process of at least three days.135. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lords freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christs slave. Saul Preaches in Damascus. 15:8; Gal. Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. 41He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. Paul would make much more of this point in the first chapter of Galatians. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 1. 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. Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). The first words spoken to Saul were, Saul, Saul, Why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9:4). 9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Gods promises and purposes would not be stopped by this madman, Saul. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. Ananias a conversion of will, intellect, and emotion, which dictated the abiding purpose and direction of his subsequent life and activity. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photolithoprinted}, 1966), p. 91. Rising Strong Small Groups Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,. Only a radical conversion can produce this attitude in the life of a man like Saul: For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:8). Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Ananias These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of Gods choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. This three-fold repetition is a clear indication of the importance of this event, especially in the themes Luke is seeking to develop in the Book of Acts. The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. Ananias found They, too, were afraid of Saul and did not believe he really was a follower of Jesus Christ. Saul, like Stephen, spoke with such power and authority that his opponents could not refute him. Israel too will look on Him whom they have pierced and mourn. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. The details of what was said and done when Ananias arrived are fuzzy. His conversion was by far the most vital influence in Pauls life. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. (13) As Stephens death, instigated (or at least assisted) by Saul, resulted in an intense and widespread persecution of the churches in Jerusalem and elsewhere, so Sauls conversion seems to have been directly related to the return of peace (cf. In different contexts, preachers might want to draw specific analogies concerning those for whom the congregation should be praying even though it cuts against our grain to do so. In Jerusalem, as in Damascus, Saul spoke out boldly proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ, the promised Messiah. 24n but their plot became known to Saul. No one, it would seem, was even thinking of what God was about to do. WebAnanias, I am sure. ESCAPES IN A BASKET 145 We may note incidentally the two new descriptions of the Christians used here. 1:11--2:10; Philippians 3:1-14; Colossians 1:24-29; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; 6:13-16; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Titus 2:11-15; 3:1-7. Sauls Baptism. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. I can believe someone might have prayed that Saul be waylaid, or terminated, in some divine act or providential accident (act of God). Why was Ananias afraid? 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,* he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. 27Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

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