129 The history of Damascus goes back to remote antiquity. Their story is rarely shown in art, but is the subject of one of the Raphael Cartoons, and a panel on the Brescia Casket, both illustrated here. This man who had formerly cringed at the preaching of the gospel148 was now proclaiming the same message. And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he In this chapter we have, I. Salvation may occur in a large group, such as those saved at the preaching of Peter at Pentecost, but each individual was saved because of a personal encounter with Christ. what occupation he was (possibly a businessman). Who has saved us and called us to a holy lifenot because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. When Saul reached Jerusalem, the Christians there also were afraid of him, because they thought he was going to have them all arrested. 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). His career as a persecutor of Christians seems to have begun with Stephen, but it quickly spread to all of the Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 7:588:3). Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? What do you suppose the saints would have prayed at this special prayer meeting? The Lord Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.. Web'And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2. What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?d In spite of this, we are not told here that Saul did receive the Holy Spirit or what happened when he did. Granted, his experience is unique and dramatic. There will be no more night. 6 What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? (1 Corinthians 9:1). 7 Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? Continue Learning about Religious Studies. We do not know the exact time when Saul was saved. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. A man once confessed to his pastor that even though he didnt think of himself as hating people, there was one person he really hated for the way the person had wronged him. He was, indeed, Stephens replacement. 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. 1:15). A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 114. And so, Saul asked the LORD who He was. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. God changed him from being a man who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and a persecutor of the Christians into a bold missionary who preached the Gospel wherever he went. 37Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid [her] out in a room upstairs. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:3-6). Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Webb Ananias was successful because he trusted Jesus and he viewed Saul as his brother. Could Judas have been a Christian? After that Saul was welcomed by the Christians and he preached freely in and around Jerusalem. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. 133 I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 173. the Romans . What Israel failed to do, Jesus, the Messiah would do. The Creator of the universe specifying the name of a street and the house in one of His planets. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christtheir Lord and ours 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 9). Luke is emphatic in his representation of mans salvation as having been ordained and orchestrated by God, as a manifestation of His sovereign grace: And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed (Acts 13:48). 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. ), Acts 7:59; 9:2, 21; 1 Cor. It was his preaching that resulted in the conversion of many Gentiles, and it was his writing (his epistles) to these saints which greatly strengthened them in their faith. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus followers What did Ananias's do to heal Paul's eyes? WebAnanias was afraid of Saul. They, not unlike Ananias, were very reluctant to have anything to do with this Christian killer. It was, of course, Ananias who instructed Saul to be baptized, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). 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. Is paralegal higher than legal assistant? The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave . In this occasion, no one seems to have prayed for Peters miraculous escape. He started to KNOW GRACE! * [9:2] The Way: a name used by the early Christian community for itself (Acts 18:26; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). 15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Even then he knew he wanted to live the life of a religious. 136 E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Wm. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. WebAnd was Ana- nias still reluctant to help Saul after the Lord explained the situation to him? Perhaps nowhere else is the radical change (of conversion) in Pauls life153 more readily evident than in his attitude toward the saints. Over and over in his epistles, Paul spoke of salvation in terms of radical change. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him (Daniel 2:22). Pauls experience was not visionary but was precipitated by the appearance of Jesus, as he insists in 1Cor 15:8. He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. Nevertheless, Ananias obeyed. 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. In 47 B.C. They could only kill him, and this they were determined to do (9:23). * My names sake". The Lord Jesus appeared to Ananias in a vision. They wanted to keep Gods blessings to themselves. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Verse 18 tells us that, "straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight, and he arose and was baptized." Preachers can narrate verses 10-14, and then basically say, You see, Ananias didnt know what had just happened. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. They could not prove him wrong from the Scriptures. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? Peter Restores Tabitha to Life. Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. He also warned those who would corrupt grace, to make it a pretext for sin (cf. Here is a graphic illustration of what true repentance isit is a turning about, beginning with ones belief and bearing fruit in ones conduct. Then, on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by a vision of Jesus. These two shocking deaths served as an example to the body of Christ that God hates hypocrisy. Ananias is not the last believer who has seen fit to keep God up to date (The Storytellers Companion to the Bible: The Acts of the Apostles). To put it differently, the account of Sauls conversion in Acts 9 is but the first of three accounts, the other two coming from the lips of Paul himself. Ananias (/nnas/ AN--NY-s; Ancient Greek: from Hebrew , Hananiah, favoured of the LORD) was a disciple of Jesus at Damascus mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible, which describes how he was sent by Jesus to restore the sight of Saul of Tarsus (who later was called Paul the Apostle) and . 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. Why this swift act of judgment? The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory (Isaiah 60:19). As he himself understood the heavenly voice which said to him at his baptism, You are my Son (Mark 1:11 par. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? Ananias would have lost a human beings greatest privilege, of being an agent of the Lord (like an angel of the Lord). 3:7, 8; 1 Tim. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? 11 The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsusp named Saul, for he is praying. (9) Finally, I believe that Lukes portrayal of Sauls salvation is typical of that of the nation Israel, which is still future. All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. What is remarkable about the Lord's directions to Ananias? Would the church not have undertaken the task of discipling these folks? It was the most powerful piece of artillery in the Jewish camp that was suddenly turned round upon them. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 123. 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.. with his wife Sapphira, sold some property and agreed to hold back Saul took this most seriously, not eating or drinking until after his confession of faith by means of his baptism. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped (Isaiah 35:5). . As applied to our Lord, then, the title `Son of God marks him out as the true representative of the Israel of God and as Gods anointed king; but it is no merely official title. 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. %PDF-1.2 % In the process, Saul was to greatly extend the outreach of the gospel to the Gentiles. He officiated as high priest from about AD 47 to 52. What a terrible revelation this isthat all are sinners, even the best, the most religious, the most righteous! Scripture taken from the New King James Version. See Appendix B for information on Sauls Theology in the Book of Romans. . More than that, he had a deep dislike and hostility toward Christians before his conversion. AT this season we are called upon to think of foreign missions. Saul, like Stephen, had a ministry which focused on the Hellenistic Jews. (5) Sauls salvation was an act of divine grace. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, There are two very important implications to the personal dimension of Sauls conversion. Saul had been granted permission by the high priest to arrest any man or woman in Damascus who were Christians. Saul, like Stephen, was a Hellenistic Jew. One of the most dramatic revelations of Sauls Damascus road experience was that he was not serving God, but he was persecuting Him. The good news of the gospel is that Christ Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). (3) Sauls salvation was personal. Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? (what was bad was that they lied about the amount). Saul was received as a true believer, as a brother.146 The laying on of Ananiass hands, however, was a distinct act of identification with Saul. In other words, Is Sauls conversion typical and illustrative of the conversion of every saint, or is it unique, the exceptional case, which has little correspondence to most converts?. It was time for Saul to ponder what he had seen and heard. Leave them; they are blind guides. came under Alexander the Great's rule. But as Saul grew in strength and as his arguments were irrefutable, just as Stephens had been (Acts 6:10), his opponents realized that the only way to silence Saul was to kill him. Could it be that God had also appointed someone to meet Saul as he entered the city, with specific instructions as to where he was to stay? At this point, the conversion of the hero of the Gentile mission is recounted. We are simply told that the message itself was proclaimed powerfully and that people were amazed at the message and its miraculous impact on Sauls own conduct. No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the The words of Jesus, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? related by Luke with no variation in all three accounts, exerted a profound and lasting influence on the thought of Paul. in 1971. 22But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:11). I can believe the saints who gathered to pray would have prayed for the protection of the church in Damascus and for the safety of individual saints, especially the leaders and the most visible Christians. How humorous it seems to hear Ananias informing the Lord that Saul was an enemy, one who had caused many Christians great suffering and adversity, as though He was unaware of this! With the help of Ananias, he was transformed into a follower of Jesus and became one of the most well-known evangelists ever. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along. It is not just in the Book of Acts that the importance of Sauls conversion is evident. 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). 138 Three times (8:3; 9:2; 22:4) this fact of persecuting women is mentioned as a special blot in Pauls cruelty (the third time by Paul himself) and one of the items in his being chief of sinners (1 Tim. He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? 1:15; Eph. I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. There is more space devoted to convincing Ananias than there is to the conversion of Saul. And they were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

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