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). What is meant by the competitive environment? Imagine for a moment that this is the week of Sauls arrival at Damascus. The Conversion of Saul Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse And if Sauls blindness led to his own conversion, at least the blinding of Bar-Jesus contributed to the conversion of the proconsul (and perhaps too his own conversionwho knows?). To persecute them was to persecute Him. 6 What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira got caught up in a band-wagon effect. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? For all the saints. Ananias Lesson: Conversion Saul and Ananias Prayer Jesus was alive and not still in the grave! How many times should a shock absorber bounce? * [9:13] Your holy ones: literally, your saints.. WebThe Good Ananias: A Lesson for Believers. 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. There is more space devoted to convincing Ananias than there is to the conversion of Saul. (1 Corinthians 9:1). Were these people as eager as Saul to destroy the church? 29He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,* but they tried to kill him. 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). Paul Receive the Holy Spirit by the Laying Under the influence of this experience he gradually developed his understanding of justification by faith (see the letters to the Galatians and Romans) and of the identification of the Christian community with Jesus Christ (see 1Cor 12:27). 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). A( ) Ananias is obscure. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:7). 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. And yet while God had foretold the rebellion of Israel and their rejection, so He had also foretold of Israels restoration (cf. Acts ix. 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. 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. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight (Acts 9:10-12). * [9:26] This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18. 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. If Luke had any ax to grind on this issue, here would have been a great place to stress this matter, but he did not do so. The argument of the Book of Acts is essentially this: The expansion of the gospel through the church as it is empowered by the Holy Spirit. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it (Revelation 21:23-24). My names sake" (Acts 9:16) even before his ministry began. 1:15; Eph. 146 It is possible, however, to understand the expression, Brother, as referring to Saul only as a fellow Jew. He is there praying,j This account is accompanied by an asseveration of its truth which suggests that some people were contradicting it.133. It is evident in the way he was saved. Ananias and Saul: The Story Starts With a Disciple 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. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was the first recorded sin in the newly organized church. 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. From the fact that three different accounts of Sauls conversion are recorded in Acts, we know this event had to play a crucial role in the expansion of the church. It was an act of faith and 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). (6) Little emphasis is placed on Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit, and nothing is said about what happened as Saul received the Spirit. They found that their cause was literally shut down by Sauls arrival, and the wind was taken out of their sails by his conversion. In this occasion, no one seems to have prayed for Peters miraculous escape. Second, the gospel should be proclaimed in a way that is personal. 2:1 He said to me, Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you. 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?d Ananias Loves Paul Missions Lesson 2 Lesson at a Glance of him. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6). This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. 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). We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The result of that reluctant leap of faith is that Sauls eyes are opened and he is baptized, becoming part of (and eventually a leader in) the very church he sought to wipe out. He amazed everyone because they knew he was speaking the same words as the people he had been persecuting. Is paralegal higher than legal assistant? Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was helpful to the Lord. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. 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. Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? The Apostle Paul: Ananias and Sauls Obedience Saul sought them out to persecute, even kill them, as an unbeliever; but he sought them out to worship and fellowship with them as a Christian. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. The saints (9:32, 41; 26:10; cf. WebAnanias went. The two messages cannot be reconciled. Acts 26:18). Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. 134 Blaiklock comes to this conclusion concerning the time of Sauls conversion: Probably the earliest acceptable date for the conversion on the Damascus road is AD 33. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Finally, we shall attempt to focus on the application of this passage to our own lives. Three times in the Book of Acts it is reported, the first time in the third person (he) by Luke (Acts 9:1-31), the second time in the first person (I) by the apostle, as he spoke to his Jewish unbelieving brethren in defense of his ministry (Acts 22:1-21), and the third time, again in the first person, as his personal testimony to King Agrippa, Festus, and Bernice (Acts 26:1-23). It is not clear whether this official was a representative of the king resident in Damascus to look after the interests of the Arabs there, or whether Damascus at this time was under the control of Nabataea. I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 168. 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. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit because it was the Holy Spirit who dwelt in the apostles, giving them their power and authority. The first words of the Lord Jesus to Saul were intended to teach him the inseparable unity between Christ and His church. Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. There is a great deal of information we are not given, and thus we cannot be dogmatic about our conclusions. He started NOW to trust God. 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. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. 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. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Ananias was afraid because he knew Saul's reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church . Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. 17So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, 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. The conversion of Saul is important in another way. 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. 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). Bible Hub God then used this man to further His purposes in launching the career of the most influential of the apostles. 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. 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. Why was Saul (later called Paul) going to Damascus? Ananias restores Saul's sight - Catholic Courier What happened to Straight Street since then? Shape us into children who rejoice in knowing and proclaiming you to the world. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. Jesus words, Why are you persecuting Me?, clearly implied that Sauls persecution of the church was a persecution of the Lord. He summed up life in this one word: For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Why did Saint Paul change his This would mean that the Gospel isnt as good as we thought it was and that God violates the law of double jeopardy where He punishes the same sin twice. 2 What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? (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. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Your merchants were the worlds great men. But his blindness was symbolic of his condition. Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. 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. 2. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 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. sight. It is here that Paul took the leadership and became the dominant or leading individual, instead of Barnabas. (5) There is a good deal of emphasis on the results of Sauls conversion. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? Amen. Who is blind but my servant {Israel}, and deaf like the messenger I send? 1:16; cf. He was, indeed, Stephens replacement. 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. He officiated as high priest from about AD 47 to 52. The New International Version 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. Why did Ananias have to overcome his fear? The pastor advised him to pray for the person every day for two weeks pray for the person not about the person. 143 . If the worst sinner (Saul) was not too sinful to save, then you are not too sinful for God to save. This silence is instructive, in my opinion. 8 Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? 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). 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. What is wrong with Ananias response to the Lord? To the church, Saul turned out to be a friend, a fellow-believer, in fact, a flaming evangelist, who proclaimed Christ more clearly and powerfully than anyone had previously done in Damascus. When God spoke to Ananias commanding him to go to the house where Saul was staying, he was to receive him as a brother; and he was told that he was called to suffer as Gods chosen vessel to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, kings, and to his fellow-Israelites. 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). Like Stephen, the enemies of the gospel attempted to kill Saul when they could not silence him by means of debate. The "Straight Street" or Via Recta in Latin, was a straight * She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 28 And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. 13:1 On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity (Zechariah 12:1013:1). 92 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 94 /H [ 1243 743 ] /L 503600 /E 43371 /N 16 /T 501642 >> endobj xref 92 42 0000000016 00000 n 0000001188 00000 n 0000001986 00000 n 0000002200 00000 n 0000002434 00000 n 0000002614 00000 n 0000002636 00000 n 0000004226 00000 n 0000004248 00000 n 0000005775 00000 n 0000005798 00000 n 0000008986 00000 n 0000009009 00000 n 0000012094 00000 n 0000012305 00000 n 0000013156 00000 n 0000014011 00000 n 0000014230 00000 n 0000014604 00000 n 0000014827 00000 n 0000023280 00000 n 0000023869 00000 n 0000024230 00000 n 0000024446 00000 n 0000024731 00000 n 0000024987 00000 n 0000025380 00000 n 0000026152 00000 n 0000026257 00000 n 0000029454 00000 n 0000029477 00000 n 0000032108 00000 n 0000032131 00000 n 0000034910 00000 n 0000034933 00000 n 0000037945 00000 n 0000040047 00000 n 0000040070 00000 n 0000043063 00000 n 0000043141 00000 n 0000001243 00000 n 0000001964 00000 n trailer << /Size 134 /Info 91 0 R /Root 93 0 R /Prev 501632 /ID[<3cb89dccfaad5f26269ffad0f6f6443b><3cb89dccfaad5f26269ffad0f6f6443b>] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 93 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 89 0 R >> endobj 132 0 obj << /S 672 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 133 0 R >> stream For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). Israel was called of God and set apart to proclaim the way of salvation to the Gentiles. 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. It may well be a call to live transformed lives in the same circumstances in which we were found. Pauls experience was not visionary but was precipitated by the appearance of Jesus, as he insists in 1Cor 15:8. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. By divine revelation, Peter called out Ananias for lying to the Holy Spirit and to God. ACTS 9:10-14 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, 1:1; 1 Cor. It was almost as though Saul had looked intently into the beam of an intensely powerful carbon-act light, the kind used as search lights. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent (Psalm 104:2). WebSaul had come to Damascus with letters from the authorities in Jerusalem to find followers of Jesus and arrest them. Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse The New International Version Yes, Lord, he answered. It is a miraculous, dramatic reversal, first of ones beliefs, and then of ones behavior. What if They'd Said No Q Ananias Saul Visits Jerusalem. But there is a greater discrepancy between the accounts of Sauls conversion in Acts and that which Paul gave in Galatians 1. Sauls world of self-trust was now at an end and prayer was helping him see that. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him (Daniel 2:22). And if this was important for Saul to do, it was equally important for the church to accept him into their fellowship, as an expression of their unity in Christ. 00:00. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. Rising Strong Small Groups 39So Peter got up and went with them. He sent me so that you can Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? 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). (6) Sauls salvation was a conversion, a radical change. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photo-lithoprinted}, 1966), p. 90. How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Ananias was that kind of a disciple. 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. . The words which Ananias spoke to Saul indicate he was also to lay hands on him so that he would receive the Holy Spirit (9:17). 26o When he arrived in Jerusalem* he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. One thing was certain; no matter how much time had passed, the apostles were not yet convinced of Sauls conversion. And because Saul is welcomed into the church, he is sent out by the church. 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 6:17; Phil. All of these should be expected and can be rather easily explained. 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. Despite the threats Saul had made and his notorious track record of persecuting, arresting and even affirming the execution of Christians, Ananias, whose The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. His conversion was by far the most vital influence in Pauls life. A devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was taught by none other than Gamaliel, WebAnd Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, It is the very word that Luke will use in 16:10 of the conclusion reached at Troas concerning the vision of Paul. also 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2). also Isaiah 64:6). 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. Ananias and Saul - Holy Land of God Acts does not tell us that he goes on to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, found churches in urban centers across the Roman Empire, stand true to the gospel while on trial for his faith over and again, and end up under house arrest in Rome awaiting a trial before Caesar. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. To whom did the Lord communicate "in a vision"? It was, of course, Ananias who instructed Saul to be baptized, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). * [9:43] The fact that Peter lodged with a tanner would have been significant to both the Gentile and Jewish Christians, for Judaism considered the tanning occupation unclean. Saul, like Israel, had been blinded as to the meaning of the law because of his rejection of Christ (cf. 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. We know nothing of Ananias beyond this story in the shadows. Saul, like Stephen, was a Hellenistic Jew. The only question is who is the LORD? WebAnswer: > 10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. Here I am, Lord, he replied. 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. 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. While Paul may not have brought about the execution of all those whom he arrested, including women as well as men (verse 2), verse 1 strongly suggests that this was his desire and ambition. As I look at the problem, I believe several conclusions must be drawn. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. He knew what Saul had done to the church in Jerusalem. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 145 We may note incidentally the two new descriptions of the Christians used here. Ananias 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. The message which Saul received was not only a call to salvation, but a divine call to ministry. Saul was not content to punish some and to drive the rest from the holy city. He did not want to merely contain Christianity or to drive it from Jerusalem; he wanted to rid the earth of Christianity and its followers. He sent me so that you can We know that Paul was not instantly a biblical scholar or a seasoned apostle. * [9:3143] In the context of the period of peace enjoyed by the community through the cessation of Pauls activities against it, Luke introduces two traditions concerning the miraculous power exercised by Peter as he was making a tour of places where the Christian message had already been preached. As persecution was no longer needed to disperse the church and the gospel, peace was restored to the land. So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. It may be that Sauls conversion was the instrument God used to convert these followers of Saul, so that they really were his disciples, in a two-fold sense. 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. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, What else did Jesus explain to Ananias? Those who think themselves worthy of Gods blessings (as many Jews did in that day) are those who are in trouble. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Saul is welcomed into the church. 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 on it belonged to the Roman province of Syria, but had a measure of municipal autonomy in the loose federation of cities called the Decapolis. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 181. But then the preacher can continue that even though Ananias didnt know about Sauls epiphany, he did as the Lord told him anyway. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. If the blinding of Saul was a major turning point in his life, so was the blinding of Bar-Jesus.