145 We may note incidentally the two new descriptions of the Christians used here. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. Now this would have been a very bitter pill to swallow for many Jewish Christians. 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. The church did not shrink or suffer for Sauls arrival, but it grew because of it. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, 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. Saul, the typical (albeit more zealous) Jew, opposed God in the person of Christ and His body, the church, even while he thought he was serving Him. To Paul, his relationship, by faith, to Jesus Christ was also the beginning of his new relationship to the body of Christ, the church: Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christs afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 1:15; Eph. 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). The results of Sauls preaching were predictable, very much like the response Saul would have had (or did have) to the preaching of the gospel before his conversion. . ANANIAS And now, he is preaching the same message. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it (Revelation 21:23-24). Would the church not have undertaken the task of discipling these folks? (Philippians 1:4-9). The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). He sent me so that you can 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. . Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. This light was more, much more, than just a bright light. Obedience is often not easy, but it is very likely the most direct way forward and the clearest way to honor God. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14; cf. The Apostle Paul: Saul and Ananias The expansion is three-fold: (1) The expansion from Christ, to His apostles, to His church, (2) The geographical expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. 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 Ananias He got up and was baptized, Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. It is also bad news for the self-righteous. Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. Nothing is more evident in the account of Sauls conversion than his radical reversal. 23After a long time had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 20 The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord. Saul, like Stephen, spoke with such power and authority that his opponents could not refute him. (7) The salvation of Saul was Christ-centered. (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. Saul asked.I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, he replied. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. Who was Ananias that help Saul in the Bible to regain his sight? WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. came under Alexander the Great's rule. 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). Saul was not aware, until after our Lords words, that the One who had interrupted his journey was Jesus, and that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah, the LORD, but he was certain, at this point, that whoever this One was, He was the LORD. No sinner is beyond the grace and the grasp of God. Pauls hatred for Christ and His followers was common knowledge. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? Pauls opposition resulted in the scattering of the Christians from Jerusalem, thus taking the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and beyond (Acts 8:1; 11:19-21). Acts 26:18). For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 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. Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. Ananias found Let us suppose further that the church had gathered on this particular evening for a time of prayer, prompted by the news that Saul was soon to arrive, with all the necessary legal machinery (that is, the authorization of the chief priests and the Sanhedrin130) to arrest and extradite131 the saints who were in the city. . I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 171. 116-117. The splendid deliberateness with which God forged His human tool is the great lesson of these years. 1. It is difficult to estimate the amount of resistance Ananias would have had to this divine instruction to receive Saul as a brother in the Lord. * [9:36] Tabitha (Dorcas), respectively the Aramaic and Greek words for gazelle, exemplifies the right attitude toward material possessions expressed by Jesus in the Lucan Gospel (Lk 6:30; 11:41; 12:33; 18:22; 19:8). Ananias About three hours later, Sapphira arrived. Paul recognized that his ministry was that of bringing the light to those who were lost, including the Gentiles, kings, and his fellow-Israelites: For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47). Christianity was described as putting off the old and putting on the new (Colossians 3). by the sin of Adam. Who was Ananias of Damascus in the New Testament 9oY+ Unless otherwise noted, all material copyright 2023, Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. 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. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). Nevertheless, Ananias obeyed. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. NKJV, Ancient-Modern Bible, Comfort Print: One faith. It lay within the jurisdiction of the Roman province of Syria, and it formed part of the Decapolis, a league of self-governing cities. 12and [in a vision] he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay [his] hands on him, that he may regain his sight. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light (Matthew 17:2). Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lords wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. We will next seek to learn how this description of Sauls conversion fits into and contributes to the development of Lukes argument in Acts. 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. 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. 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). Lesson: Saul Believes in Jesus - Ministry-To-Children ananisofdamascus - Bible Facts 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Second, the only result of this event shown in the Bible is that Saul received his sight. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 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. He went on to become a respected teacher and the founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Betharram. But everyone can pray for and with those who have scorned the church and are scorned by the church. ,%d/3o3o6jda=|4S-LJ3ajLcNfZyV;CkCl>390q {KQ0lQ)0>~cy:CJkP|4M-\v 37Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid [her] out in a room upstairs. Sauls vision prepared him for the arrival of Ananias, clearly indicating that he was the one God had appointed to reveal His will for him. Saul Preaches in Damascus. When we look at Pauls great love and compassion for the saints, we have to remind ourselves of the hate he once had toward them. WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. Ananias 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. The call of salvation is a call to change. 129 The history of Damascus goes back to remote antiquity. 151 The doctrine of total depravity is that every person, every man, woman, and child, has been affected (infected?) His parents allowed visiting priests to minister secretly in their home during the dangers of the French Revolution. Lesson: Conversion Saul and Ananias Prayer The longer I study Sauls conversion, the more convinced I am that his conversion is typical. WebTeach the children the account of Sauls conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ as found in Acts 9:120. After this, Saul broke his fast and was strengthened. Let us not fail to respect the individuality of the conversion experience and to deal with people in the light of their individuality. 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. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching. 29He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,* but they tried to kill him. Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. Saul and Ananias | A Story of Learning to See Again It was just such a miracle which gave Saul his spiritual sight, as he received back his physical sight. It is here in Acts, for the first time, that Saul is called Paul. They may have been attempting to compile a list of known (and even suspected) Christians, along with addresses, to facilitate Sauls task. 39So Peter got up and went with them. His conversion was the beginning of a life-long process of maturing and growth in the Lord. Nevertheless, there must have been those who intended to use Sauls coming to oppose the church. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move The man who, days before, was persecuting Christ was now preaching Christ. He started NOW to trust God. (Acts 9:11)? So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. * [9:1930] This is a brief resume of Pauls initial experience as an apostolic preacher. 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. (5) There is a good deal of emphasis on the results of Sauls conversion. What is remarkable about the Lord's directions to Ananias? Choose from news (Monday), leisure (Thursday) or worship (Saturday) or get all three! Saul, like Israel, had been blinded as to the meaning of the law because of his rejection of Christ (cf. 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. 18Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Leave them; they are blind guides. Instead, he became the first believer to minister to Saul. (7) Those who were saved by Sauls ministry were convinced by the power of the gospel message he preached and not by miraculous signs and wonders. 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). They are private Christians, living like islands rather than as a part of His body. 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). Straight Street was widened and colonnades added to it. Your merchants were the worlds great men. And Jesus took the persecution of Christians very personally. The children will practice being giving and friendly with someone that they do not know. The account records their sudden deaths after lying to the Holy Spirit about money. 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. Copyright 2019-2023 USCCB, please review our Privacy Policy. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord. Barnabas stood up for Saul and explained everything to the Jerusalem Christians. Shortly afterwards, the Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias, asking him to go to Saul, place his hands on him, and restore his sight. Ananias who was We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. also Romans 1:1-7, 13-17; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:3-11; cf. The Conversion of Saul How do you write a good story in Smash Bros screening? 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. 3 Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. God chose Saul and had his destiny planned, before He saved him. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. . 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. In Galatians 1, Saul wrote that God had called him while he was still in his mothers womb (Galatians 1:15). a conversion of will, intellect, and emotion, which dictated the abiding purpose and direction of his subsequent life and activity. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7; cf. How can this message of suffering for Jesus' name in 24 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to (1 Corinthians 7:15, 17-22, 24).154. Granted, his experience is unique and dramatic. He should not become uncircumcised. The first is to ask the congregation to identify with Saul himself. 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. It was, of course, Ananias who instructed Saul to be baptized, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). They could not out-argue him. in expanding, as well as justifying, their earthly wealth and power. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15). 7 Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:17-18; cf. 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. And they will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5). 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 We may not be able to identify the precise moment or the exact events which brought it about, but salvation does not happen in some kind of group way. Jesus repeated his command, explaining that Saul was his chosen instrument to deliver the gospel to the Gentiles, their kings, and the people of Israel. 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. 1:4). F. F. Bruce, p. 190. 136 E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Wm. 36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas). See Appendix B for information on Sauls Theology in the Book of Romans. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for hypocrisy While their penalties seem extreme to us today, God judged them guilty of sins so serious that they threatened the very existence of the early church. Shape us into children who rejoice in knowing and proclaiming you to the world. 154 What is both interesting and important about this text is that the call of salvation does not necessarily require a change of career. 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. Acts 9 Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible Did they send for Saul? The answer is: Jesus. (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. The couple wanted to appear as outstanding church members, but they didnt want to part with their possessions. A vision, in this context, was a supernatural sight from God. 1 What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word. 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). 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Not only does the narrator tell the story of Sauls transformation from persecutor to apostle in Acts 9, Saul himself re-tells the story twice when defending himself before persecutors (before the tribune in Jerusalem, Acts 22:1-21; and before Agrippa, Acts 26:1-23). He trusted that Christ had a future purpose for Saul (verse 15) even though Sauls past as he knew it seemed to point toward a different future. 4. The pastor advised him to pray for the person every day for two weeks pray for the person not about the person. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time (2 Timothy 1:9). Note the following impressions gained from a reflection on the passage as a whole. He officiated as high priest from about AD 47 to 52. The answer to both questions is no. We dont know why Ananias is only mentioned once after Acts chapter nine.
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