Luke 3:22), it expressed his unique relationship and fellowship with the Father. Ibid. Later, when Paul looked back on his past devotion and deeds, all done in the name of Judaism, he came to view his apparent righteous deeds for what they really weredung: 1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:24-27). 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). Some were amazed, taking note of the dramatic turn-about in Sauls faith and practice (9:21). Yes, Lord, he answered. How many times should a shock absorber bounce? There are two very important implications to the personal dimension of Sauls conversion. Many are the plans in a mans heart, But the counsel of the LORD, it will stand (Proverbs 19:21). Introduction. ACTS 9:10-14 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. Ananias fulfills his task: He laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain 142 His companions therefore took him by the hand and led him through the gate of Damascus to the place where, presumably, arrangements had been made for him to stay. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 185. 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. Second, the gospel should be proclaimed in a way that is personal. 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. WebSaul had come to Damascus with letters from the authorities in Jerusalem to find followers of Jesus and arrest them. We know from other accounts (22:6; 26:13) that it was high noon when Saul was stopped in his tracks by a bright light from heaven. No change in life is greater than the change from unbelief to belief in Christ, from being lost and condemned to being saved and eternally secure, from being separated from God and others to being united with Him and with all believers. Ananias would probably be afraid to go see Saul because Ananias was a Christian, and Saul was coming to the city to arrest the Christians. 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). That is because our Lord always confronts, convicts, and converts men and women individually, in the light of their own actions and beliefs. WebAnanias went. 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. (11) Sauls conversion was a watershed event which greatly affected the history of the church. Presumably this is the case, however I still wonder a bit about this. It is the invitation for sinful Israelites to be saved, by repenting and calling on the name of the Lord for salvation: Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. How was Saul converted to Christianity? I am not at all sure how this can be determined from the text. 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.. If this passage is profoundly important, it also poses its problems. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time (2 Timothy 1:9). Israel too will look on Him whom they have pierced and mourn. What a terrible revelation this isthat all are sinners, even the best, the most religious, the most righteous! . 148 I would assume that Saul was one of those who covered his ears so as not to hear the praise of Stephen, as reported in Acts 7:57. Now this would have been a very bitter pill to swallow for many Jewish Christians. 146 It is possible, however, to understand the expression, Brother, as referring to Saul only as a fellow Jew. 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. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus followers What did Ananias's do to heal Paul's eyes? sOGOSapQ3[y~@9W The Lord Jesus appeared to Ananias in a vision. Those who know themselves sinners, and who call upon Jesus for salvation, are saved: For WHOSOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED (Romans 10:13, citing Joel 2:32). Pauls language in Acts 26:11 seems to mean that Damascus is merely one of other `foreign cities to which he carried the persecution. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 114. The conversion of Saul, as depicted in our text, was not only a divine call to salvation, but it was also a call to service. 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 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 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. 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. At first Ananias was afraid because he knew how Saul persecuted the Christians, but the Lord said that Saul had a special ministry he must fulfill. (2) While there is considerable emphasis on the conversion of Saul, there is very little detail given as to the precise time or the details of Sauls conversion. Pauls conversion is one of the great stories of the early church, and it has rightfully inspired Christians from every generation. This first account occurs when the word is first spread to the Gentiles. There will be no more night. You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. Who was Ananias that help Saul in the Bible to regain his sight. 24n but their plot became known to Saul. 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.. Thus, it is grace which sustains the saint, in addition to saving him: Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were thus occupied were not benefited (Hebrews 13:9). Ananias found Saul and said to him, Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit. As soon as Ananias spoke, Saul could see again. It is some 150 miles Northeast from Jerusalem and watered by the river Abana from Anti-Lebanon. (4) More space is devoted to the process of getting Ananias to Saul than is devoted to getting Saul to Damascus and to the home of Judas. He realized that it was nothing which he had donenor ever would dobut only by what Jesus Christ had done that saved him. It is no wonder then that this one who was Sauls all in all would be the focus, the substance, of the gospel which he preached: But we preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). Grace is also the source and the standard for our service: Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person (Colossians 4:6). Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Verses 1 and 2 vividly depict Sauls intent, his intense desire and determination to rid the world of Christianity by taking active, aggressive, severe action against those saints who had fled from Jerusalem. For Paul, the method of proclaiming the gospel must be consistent with the message itself, and so it was. Ananias was afraid because he knew Saul's reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church . So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. Just as Saul seemingly had hatred toward Christ-followers, how do you think a Christ-follower like Ananias felt toward Saul? The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it . He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. Damascus, a city some 150 miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, was one such city. WebAnanias was afraid of Saul. Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. Discuss 2 ways in which Paul suffered as an apostle Why this swift act of judgment? NKJV, Ancient-Modern Bible, Comfort Print: One faith. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". When the plot became known to Saul, he made a successful, albeit undignified, escape from the city of Damascus. Get up and make your bed. He got up at once. 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. Thus, whenever he spoke of his conversion and his call to ministry, he always spoke of this incident as an act of divine grace, of Gods unmerited favor, of an act of mercy toward him: I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:15-16). At midday you will grope about like a blind man in the dark. Later it was the seat of administration of an Assyrian province. Rather than attempt to pacify Ananias or to alleviate his apprehension, God went on to tell him that Saul would not only be a brother, but he would be His instrument for bringing the gospel to Gentiles too. Saul could only be persecuting Jesus through the members of His body, the church. 154 What is both interesting and important about this text is that the call of salvation does not necessarily require a change of career. When he was still very young, Michael was hired out as a shepherd boy. About three hours later, Sapphira arrived. 4. Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. But beyond this, his conversion totally changed the remainder of his life. I can believe someone might have prayed that Saul be waylaid, or terminated, in some divine act or providential accident (act of God). This conclusion could be based upon Pauls argument in Galatians 1 and 2, along with the expression, when many days had elapsed in Acts 9:23. to go lay hands on Saul (soon to be known as Paul) and restore his Note Pauls summary of the gospel at the end of Galatians 2: I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20). It is one of the few accounts of a conversion which is described with some detail (although this detail is much less than we would prefer). It was due to the intervention of Barnabas, a man who would prove to be a lifetime friend of Paul, that the apostles risked a meeting with him and then granted him the freedom to associate with the saints in Jerusalem. He knew what Saul had done to the church in Jerusalem. Saul did not agree with his teacher, Gamaliel, on how the Christians should be dealt with, however. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. What happened to Straight Street since then? Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. It is impossible to overestimate the worth to the student of Christianity of this event from every angle because we have in Pauls Epistles his own emphasis on the actual appearance of Jesus to him as the fact that changed his whole life (1 Cor. Acts ix. WebWe do not know whether Ananias already had previous experience miracles of healing, but the Lord was instructing him to interview the notorious Pharisee Saul, who fiercely persecuted Christians, and to heal his blindness. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. It does not store any personal data. After this incident with Paul we hear no more Nevertheless, at some point in time Saul did arrive in Jerusalem. There are two primary options for preaching from this text. Sauls conversion is a watershed event, catapulting the gospel to the Gentiles and to more distant places. Those who think themselves worthy of Gods blessings (as many Jews did in that day) are those who are in trouble. Hebrew Baby Names Meaning: In Hebrew Baby Names the meaning of the name Sapphira is: Sapphire (gem); beautiful. Web3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. A resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary. Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. God chose Saul and had his destiny planned, before He saved him. He says: It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. With the help of Ananias, he was transformed into a follower of Jesus and became one of the most well-known evangelists ever. 152 I do not mean to criticize the four laws of Campus Crusade, which have been used of God to bring many to faith in Christ. He sent me so that you can It may well be a call to live transformed lives in the same circumstances in which we were found. When Saul looked at the disciples of The Way (Jesus disciples) all he saw was a heretical sect that was a threat to the nation of Israel and Gods Law. In this approach, preachers are offering their congregation a chance to relate to Ananias dream that leads him to overcome his preconception of Saul (a correct but now outdated preconception), come to see Saul as someone God has called, and respond faithfully. He didnt know that the risen Christ had confronted Saul on the road to Damascus just as Christ is now confronting him This sets up a flashback to verses 1-9. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. But these laws, which seek to summarize the gospel in a concise way, should always be applied individually. [9:1] 8:3; 9:13; 22:4; 1Cor 15:9; Gal 1:1314. It was an act of faith and 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 1:12-14). 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 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). And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.. Stat two things God told Anaias concerning Saul Briefly describe what happened during Anaias' meeting with Saul. When Ananias How much does horse riding lessons cost in Bangalore? The famous story of St. Pauls conversion from being an outrageous persecutor of the gospel of Christ to be an illustrious professor and preacher of it. He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. The call to salvation is also the call to a life of holiness and obedience. He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). 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. 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. So it would appear. . All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. The blindness to which Saul was subject for three days provided him with much time for reflection, meditation, and prayer. There is not so much as a hint that anyone prayed for Sauls salvation or took the initiative to bring it about. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. Not everyone can be Paul, but we all can and should be Ananias. With this backdrop in place, the preacher can now focus on two movements of Ananias part of this story: his vision and conversation with the Lord (verses 10-16) and his laying hands on Saul leading to Sauls baptism (verses 17-19). 87-89), plays out the two views of Sauls conversion, the first (and seldom held the view of Ramsay), that Saul was suddenly and radically converted; second, that there was a considerable process involved. The "Straight Street" or Via Recta in Latin, was a straight 129 The history of Damascus goes back to remote antiquity. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They, too, were afraid of Saul and did not believe he really was a follower of Jesus Christ. Saul, why do you persecute me? Imagine for a moment that this is the week of Sauls arrival at Damascus.129 By this time Saul has gained a reputation as the ringleader of the movement to make Christianity extinct. WebAs Donald Davis notes, In case God has overlooked Sauls atrocities, [Ananias] takes occasion to issue a brief reminder. In fact, as Saul would later write, he realized that he was chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). 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 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). He sent me so that you can Acts 26:18). 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." 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. 1:11, Acts 20:23; 2 Cor. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. How much better to petition God to save those whom we are concerned about, a God who desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). In the place of Ananias we would fear that it might not work out, and the consequences could be very serious. Ananias and Saul in Damascus. Ananias Get up and go to the street called Straight, to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? 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. with his wife Sapphira, sold some property and agreed to hold back Leave them; they are blind guides. After this, Saul broke his fast and was strengthened. 9oY+ We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Israels watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep (Isaiah 43:8-10). the light and blind passages above). 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. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). It's still there and you can still see the evidence of the colonnades (click ,/1Xa} V= endstream endobj 133 0 obj 634 endobj 94 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 88 0 R /Resources 95 0 R /Contents [ 98 0 R 100 0 R 102 0 R 104 0 R 122 0 R 124 0 R 126 0 R 129 0 R ] /MediaBox [ 0 0 792 612 ] /CropBox [ 0 0 792 612 ] /Rotate 0 >> endobj 95 0 obj << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB ] /Font << /F1 109 0 R /F3 106 0 R /F4 107 0 R /F6 118 0 R /F7 116 0 R >> /XObject << /Im1 127 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 131 0 R /GS2 130 0 R >> /ColorSpace << /Cs5 96 0 R >> >> endobj 96 0 obj [ /CalRGB << /WhitePoint [ 0.9505 1 1.089 ] /Gamma [ 2.22221 2.22221 2.22221 ] /Matrix [ 0.4124 0.2126 0.0193 0.3576 0.71519 0.1192 0.1805 0.0722 0.9505 ] >> ] endobj 97 0 obj 1512 endobj 98 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 97 0 R >> stream 13But Ananias replied, Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones* in Jerusalem.k They too rebelled against God and forsook His word and persecuted His prophets. (12) The same Saul who played a role in Stephens execution was to become, in large measure, his replacement. No, Ananias did not do any of these things so far as the author of Luke-Acts is concerned. This expression, calling on the name of the Lord seems to be one used consistently in the Old Testament. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. During his conversion . Your merchants were the worlds great men. In Jerusalem, as in Damascus, Saul spoke out boldly proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ, the promised Messiah. It does not store any personal data. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation.