How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. They, too, were afraid of Saul and did not believe he really was a follower of Jesus Christ. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). Could Judas have been a Christian? . 6:17; Phil. And Jesus took the persecution of Christians very personally. 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. 3On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.c Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. It was time for Saul to ponder what he had seen and heard. I. And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14). Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. You, my brothers, were called to be free. Saul proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God (9:20), a designation understood to refer to Israels awaited Messiah.149. There is no more appropriate conclusion to our message than the words of the apostle Paul, which immediately follow those above, and which aptly express the response of the Christian to the wisdom, the grace, and the sovereignty of the God who has saved us, and who works all things together for His glory and for the good of His chosen ones: Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Here is a graphic illustration of what true repentance isit is a turning about, beginning with ones belief and bearing fruit in ones conduct. 2 Corinthians 4:14; cf. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. And yet while God had foretold the rebellion of Israel and their rejection, so He had also foretold of Israels restoration (cf. Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. 1:15). A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 114. These two shocking deaths served as an example to the body of Christ that God hates hypocrisy. They could hear the voice but they did not see anyone who was speaking. The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is difficult. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 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. What a shock Sauls conversion must have been to both groups! get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! WebExplain why Ananias was told that Saul was a 'Chosen Vessel' Give an account of the vision which Saul had while traveling on the road to the Damascus. 153 Sauls conversion did not bring instant maturity or spirituality, but was the point where growth commenced. 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 00:00. Salvation is a revolution, not an evolution. 133 I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 173. Ananias was that kind of a disciple. 8 Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? Continue Learning about Religious Studies. 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. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness (Micah 7:8-9). And thus, in Gods time, Saul was dramatically converted, seeing the Christ whom he had been persecuting, risen from the dead and in His heavenly glory. God chose Saul and had his destiny planned, before He saved him. In Damascus, the Lord had spoken to a man named Ananias, and the Lord told Ananias to find Saul and to lay his hands on Saul and pray so that Sauls sight would be restored. The election of Saul to salvation was specific and thus, personal. The longer I study Sauls conversion, the more convinced I am that his conversion is typical. Did he still not realize who the Lord was? Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for, And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting, he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before, I will show him how many things he must suffer for My. Charles Spurgeon once wrote: Prayer is the autograph of the Holy Spirit upon the renewed heart. God was sealing Saul to Himself. What Israel failed to do, Jesus, the Messiah would do. Then he And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, Chapter 9. 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. 17) and the restoration of the man after the shattering experience he had known, and for the early ministry in Tarsus, Syria, Cilicia, and Antioch, which prepared mind and method for the major assault on the pagan world. Then, on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by a vision of Jesus. He paid for his education by working for the priests. 5 Why did Ananias and Sapphira lie to God? (14) There is an interesting symmetry or parallel between the conversion of Saul and the conversion of Cornelius. What else did Jesus explain to Ananias? AT this season we are called upon to think of foreign missions. Who was Ananias that help Saul in the Bible to regain his sight. 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. But everyone can pray for and with those who have scorned the church and are scorned by the church. It was a city in the days of Abraham, and at the time of the Israelite monarchy it was the capital of the most important Aramaean kingdom. How old was Jesus when he was crucified? 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). 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. 9:31). 2:22, Acts 13:2; 22:21; Rom. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Imagine for a moment that this is the week of Sauls arrival at Damascus. He knew that going to see Saul would put his life in danger. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching. 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. Web3. That our Lords contemporaries believed the Messiah to be in some special sense the son of God is rendered probable by the wording of the high priests question to him at his trial: `Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One? (Mark 14:61 par. Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse 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. All of these should be expected and can be rather easily explained. WebAnanias placed his hands upon Saul who received the Holy Spirit and the restoration of his sight. 16and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name. 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. In our text Ananias was instructed to go to Saul and to lay hands on him so that he might receive his sight (9:12). (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. Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. At first he found himself in the position of being regarded as an apostate by the Jews and suspect by the Christian community of Jerusalem. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1). The second evidence of Sauls conversion was in his bold proclamation of his newly found faith in Jesus as the Messiah. For now, he was told to proceed on to Damascus, where he would be given his next instructions.144 His blindness certainly gave Saul the opportunity to dwell on these events. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul,why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. How did God use Ananias in the New Testament? It was surely fear (reverence), among other things, which prompted this. Even if he were not one of these men, he would surely have hated to hear the gospel. WebAs Donald Davis notes, In case God has overlooked Sauls atrocities, [Ananias] takes occasion to issue a brief reminder. 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. with his wife Sapphira, sold some property and agreed to hold back * [9:13] Your holy ones: literally, your saints.. . There are affinities between his conversion experience and Ezekiels inaugural vision, in which the prophet saw the likeness of the heavenly throne and above it a likeness as it were of a human form (Ezek. . And laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Everyone is born in sin, and every part of their being is affected by sin (intellect, emotions, and will). 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. Here the Jews were strong in numbers (10,000 butchered by Nero later) and here some disciples had found refuge from Sauls persecution in Judea and still worshipped in the synagogues. Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? Who is blind like the one committed to me, blind like the servant of the Lord? (Isaiah 42:18-19). 20 The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:8-11). 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him, and said, You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? Many are the plans in a mans heart, But the counsel of the LORD, it will stand (Proverbs 19:21). Note the following impressions gained from a reflection on the passage as a whole. It does not store any personal data. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. I. Howard Marshall summarizes the problem in these words: Nevertheless, we obtain a different impression of things from Galatians 1:16-24, according to which (1) Paul did not confer with men after his conversion nor go to the apostles in Jerusalem, but (2) departed to Arabia and then returned to Damascus; then (3) three years later he went to Jerusalem for a visit lasting a fortnight during which he saw only Peter and James, and at this time he was unknown by sight to the churches of Judea; thereafter (4) he went to Syria and Cilicia. 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. He should not be circumcised. (1) There is considerable emphasis given to Sauls conversion in the Book of Acts. Ananias was used as Gods instrument in the conversion of Saul, but even he had to be pushed to go to Saul. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world (John 1:4-5, 7-9). 34Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. 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. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Linking is encouraged, but content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed including, but not limited to such means as framing or other digital copying and/or distribution method, in whole or in part without the publisher's written consent. Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to his death (Philippians 3:7-10). He amazed everyone because they knew he was speaking the same words as the people he had been persecuting. 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. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. 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. 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). The approach the Lord took was one of dealing with Saul in the light of his sin, of his salvation, and of his ministry. * [9:29] Hellenists: see note on Acts 6:17. many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus? Q&A 1. 23:16-17, 19, 24; 23:26). 1. 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. As I look at the problem, I believe several conclusions must be drawn. 14And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all (D)who call on Your name., 15But the Lord said to him, Go, for (E)he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before (F)Gentiles, (G)kings, and the (H)children[b] of Israel. Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord (Acts 13:6-12). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The risen Lord selected Saul out of the group with which he was traveling to hear, to see Him, and to understand His words. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? Perhaps so, but I am not as confident of this as I once was. (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. By divine revelation, Peter called out Ananias for lying to the Holy Spirit and to God. 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. 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). 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. (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. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. A man who, along Israel too will look on Him whom they have pierced and mourn. Saul did not agree with his teacher, Gamaliel, on how the Christians should be dealt with, however. Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? 154 What is both interesting and important about this text is that the call of salvation does not necessarily require a change of career. Conybeare and Howson {The Life and Times of Saint Paul, p. 77 (sic punct.)} In spite of this, we are not told here that Saul did receive the Holy Spirit or what happened when he did. 28He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. There are two very important implications to the personal dimension of Sauls conversion. He started NOW to trust God. Stat two things God told Anaias concerning Saul Briefly describe what happened during Anaias' meeting with Saul.
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