In fact, more is written of what Saul said and did because he was saved than is written of what he said and did resulting in his salvation. 116-117. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 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). Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped (Isaiah 35:5). what occupation he was (possibly a businessman). What Ananias didnt know is that Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. also Psalm 50:15; Joel 2:32; Jeremiah 29:12; 33:3-8). Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. They could only kill him, and this they were determined to do (9:23). He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. Saul, like Stephen, spoke with such power and authority that his opponents could not refute him. 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. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;* so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.h The narrative lectionary is a four-year cycle of readings Read more.
Saul Let us not fail to respect the individuality of the conversion experience and to deal with people in the light of their individuality. Upon hearing Peters words, Ananias fell to the ground and died. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. (6) Little emphasis is placed on Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit, and nothing is said about what happened as Saul received the Spirit. It is evident in the way he was saved. 3:7, 8; 1 Tim. 149 It is more significant than might be supposed at first glance that the only occurrence of the title `Son of God in Acts should be in this report of Sauls early preaching. It was surely fear (reverence), among other things, which prompted this. (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.
The New International Version Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. During the subsequent Roman rule, the Ananias and Saul. This is very evident in the conversion of Saul. 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). At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead (Isaiah 59:10). My names sake". The light was the light of His glory. Saul, as it were, saw the light, but in addition, he was to become a light, a light to the Gentiles, as well as to his own people. All of these should be expected and can be rather easily explained. The blindness to which Saul was subject for three days provided him with much time for reflection, meditation, and prayer. The first is this: every saved person must have a personal conversion experience. Peter Restores Tabitha to Life. Straight Street was widened and colonnades added to it. When Saul stood up, he discovered he was completely blind, and the men who were with him had to lead him by his hand until they reached Damascus. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. 2. Q * [9:119] This is the first of three accounts of Pauls conversion (with Acts 22:316 and Acts 26:218) with some differences of detail owing to Lukes use of different sources. For Paul, the method of proclaiming the gospel must be consistent with the message itself, and so it was. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. remark on the symmetry with which Luke sets forth the two stories: The simultaneous preparation of the hearts of Ananias and of Saul, and the simultaneous preparation of those of Peter and Cornelius,the questioning and hesitation of Peter and the questioning and hesitation of Ananias,the one doubting whether he might make friendship with the Gentiles, the other doubting whether he might approach the enemy of the Church,the unhesitating obedience of each when the Divine will was made known,the state of mind in which both the Pharisee and the centurion were found,each waiting to see what the Lord would say to them,this close analogy will not be forgotten by those who reverently read the two consecutive chapters. 28He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.
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10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photo-lithoprinted}, 1966), p. 90. WebThe Conversion of Saul. This light was more, much more, than just a bright light. God then used this man to further His purposes in launching the career of the most influential of the apostles. 16For (I)I will show him how many things he must suffer for My (J)names sake.. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. 2:22, Acts 13:2; 22:21; Rom. He realized that it was nothing which he had donenor ever would dobut only by what Jesus Christ had done that saved him. Frequent biblical texts speak of God in terms of light: You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game (Psalm 76:4). 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. They are private Christians, living like islands rather than as a part of His body. 1. To persecute them was to persecute Him. 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. 140 They are called his sunodeuontes, `those who were in the caravan with Him (cf. 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. One cannot help but wonder if it did not send chills up and down Pauls spine when he cast the spell of blindness on the Jewish false prophet, Bar-Jesus: And when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. ), Acts 7:59; 9:2, 21; 1 Cor. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.
ANANIAS If the unity of Christ and His body, the church, were a vital truth with respect to Sauls persecution of the church, it was also a vital truth for him as a Christian.
Who was Ananias of Damascus in the New Testament Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. Jesus was alive and not still in the grave! . Acts 26:18). 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. WebAnanias placed his hands upon Saul who received the Holy Spirit and the restoration of his sight. 19So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. 1:4). F. F. Bruce, p. 190. It is a miraculous, dramatic reversal, first of ones beliefs, and then of ones behavior. 11The Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. Unexpected and mysterious ELW 258 All are welcome ELW 641, Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics. 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. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. Saul, like Stephen, was a Hellenistic Jew. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 143 . But Elymas the magician (for thus his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. When he was still very young, Michael was hired out as a shepherd boy. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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). The first words of the Lord Jesus to Saul were intended to teach him the inseparable unity between Christ and His church. Your merchants were the worlds great men. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. All of this account describes the two complementary divine visions which Ananias and Saul received. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. 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). Why was Saul (later called Paul) going to Damascus? It almost seems harder to convince Ananias that Saul is (or will be) a Christian than it is to convert Saul. The good news of the gospel is that Christ Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7). They could not prove him wrong from the Scriptures. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The light from heaven brought Saul to the ground. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). Web3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. The couple wanted to appear as outstanding church members, but they didnt want to part with their possessions. His acceptance by the latter was finally brought about through his friendship with Barnabas (Acts 9:27). There are two very important implications to the personal dimension of Sauls conversion. WebAs Donald Davis notes, In case God has overlooked Sauls atrocities, [Ananias] takes occasion to issue a brief reminder. 6 For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4, 6). Ananias small act of obedience led to a great harvest for the kingdom. Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. Amen (1 Timothy 6:16). 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. sOGOSapQ3[y~@9W He was to come to the earth as the great light, the light to the Gentiles, and so He did. The pastor advised him to pray for the person every day for two weeks pray for the person not about the person. Ironically, Ananias could have become one of Sauls targets of persecution for following the Lord Jesus. And yet, even in opposing God, he furthered Gods purposes; he was instrumental in the evangelization of the Gentiles (Acts 8:1, 4; 11:19-21). This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Just as Saul had opposed those who believed, so Bar-Jesus opposed the proconsuls conversion. His conversion was the beginning of a life-long process of maturing and growth in the Lord. 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. 11:2328; 12:710; Gal. 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. Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. 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. (8) The salvation of Saul made him a vital part of Christs body, the church. Sauls Conversion. He sent me so that you can 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. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The saints (9:32, 41; 26:10; cf. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Second, the gospel should be proclaimed in a way that is personal. WebAs Donald Davis notes, In case God has overlooked Sauls atrocities, [Ananias] takes occasion to issue a brief reminder. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. I believe that as Luke portrays Saul in Acts, it is as a prototype, a picture of Israel. 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. When one looks at all the references to this event, it was, in fact, a personal appearance of the risen, glorified Jesus to Saul (cf. Who is blind but my servant {Israel}, and deaf like the messenger I send? Web3. You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you.
The New International Version AT this season we are called upon to think of foreign missions.
Rising Strong Small Groups Saul saw and heard the resurrected Christ. 180-181. Who told Saul to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street? Like Stephen, the enemies of the gospel attempted to kill Saul when they could not silence him by means of debate. The Old Testament passages which I have suggested bear to Saul (blind, light) are passages which speak of Israel in their original context. 2 Cor. 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.
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