39So Peter got up and went with them. also 2:14-17; 3:12-18; 4:1-18; 5:17-21; 6:13--7:1; Galatians 1:13-17; cf. To both Ananias (Acts 9:10) and Saul (Acts 9:12). Ananias came to Saul with grace to liberate him from his wrong-headed beliefs and open his heart to Jesus. From 64 B.C. In Peters words, Ananias and Sapphira agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord(v9), which appears to be a terrible sin in the eyes of God, so terrible that it even warranted having the couple killed on the spot, without even being given the chance to confess and repent. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). Up till now, Jesus was the sinner, and Saul was the saint. We would readily grant that every conversion which is recorded is unique, to some degree. 10i There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. He answered, Here I am, Lord. 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. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. 41He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. also 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 11:32-33; cf. Am I not an apostle? And they will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5). When Ananias placed his hands on Saul he was filled with the Holy Spirit, healed of his blindness, received water baptism, and began to eat and regain his strength. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? 129 The history of Damascus goes back to remote antiquity. In order to have both, they pretended to give the full price of the sale of their property to the apostles. 30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. And notice one more detail about the way in which Ananias did this. 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, whom we have already met (Acts 5:34-40). For just as you once were disobedient to God but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. came under Alexander the Great's rule. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Handed down. The laying on of Ananias hands was also an expression of unity, as was the later right hand of fellowship extended by some of the apostles to Saul (Galatians 2:9). Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was Salvation is a revolution, not an evolution. Hebrew Baby Names Meaning: In Hebrew Baby Names the meaning of the name Sapphira is: Sapphire (gem); beautiful. The common characteristics of conversion are those on which I would like to focus in the conversion of Saul. Then he There is more space devoted to convincing Ananias than there is to the conversion of Saul. 151 The doctrine of total depravity is that every person, every man, woman, and child, has been affected (infected?) Saul was the bad guy. a conversion of will, intellect, and emotion, which dictated the abiding purpose and direction of his subsequent life and activity. His conversion was the beginning of a life-long process of maturing and growth in the Lord. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. AT this season we are called upon to think of foreign missions. 9 What happened to Sapphira in the Bible? If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. 29He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,* but they tried to kill him. 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. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time. And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 6:17; Phil. He was, indeed, Stephens replacement. Sermon Seeds: The Way Forward - United Church of Christ 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. 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, 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. Sauls world of self-trust was now at an end and prayer was helping him see that. There are no exceptions in this all of Romans 3:23, as Paul indicated in these Old Testament words, cited just before: THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE (Romans 3:10b-12). Ananias was that kind of a disciple. Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse WebAnanias, had he disobeyed Christ, would not have helped Saul on that path in which he, as Paul the apostle, did so much, and suffered so much, for Christ. The life-changing implications of conversion are expressed in these words of Paul to Titus: 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 131 . 16and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name. He spoke of salvation as dying to the old manner of living and as rising from the dead in order to live an entirely new life (Romans 6). What happened to Straight Street since then? When Sapphira showed up, she, too, lied to Peter and to God, saying that they had donated the entire proceeds of the sale of the land to the church. Saul He started NOW to trust God. After this incident with Paul we hear no more of him. Why this swift act of judgment? Continue Learning about Religious Studies. Webb Ananias was successful because he trusted Jesus and he viewed Saul as his brother. Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse The life of Paul and his writings are very important parts of the New Testament. Saul 15:21). I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. Over and over in his epistles, Paul spoke of salvation in terms of radical change. You, my brothers, were called to be free. . You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. 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. It is, in the Bible, the radiance of Gods glory. 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. 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. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move I believe that as Luke portrays Saul in Acts, it is as a prototype, a picture of Israel. Saul and Ananias | A Story of Learning to See Again 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. How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! (11) Sauls conversion was a watershed event which greatly affected the history of the church. Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira got caught up in a band-wagon effect. Were these people as eager as Saul to destroy the church? It is hardly likely that at this stage Saul recognized Jesus as Lord, though he does so greet him in 22:10 `What shall I do, Lord? A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, pp. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). 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. Throughout his life and ministry Paul marveled at the grace of God shown to him and to other sinners. We shall then seek to identify the characteristics of Sauls conversion which are typical of every conversion. What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? Ironically, Ananias could have become one of Sauls targets of persecution for following the Lord Jesus. The men who traveled with Saul were frightened and confused. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 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. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Saul did not agree with his teacher, Gamaliel, on how the Christians should be dealt with, however. Saul had been granted permission by the high priest to arrest any man or woman in Damascus who were Christians. Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? Ananias hesitation to visit Saul showed that he had good relationship with Jerusalem, for he knew of the trouble that the persecutor had raised against the early converts, and of the goal of his mission to Damascus. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). 20and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. It was just such a miracle which gave Saul his spiritual sight, as he received back his physical sight. The baptism of Saul was his testimony to the change which had taken place. The Essene community at Qumran used the same designation to describe its mode of life. But everyone can pray for and with those who have scorned the church and are scorned by the church. Thus, his opposition to Christ and His church took on a missionary spirit. Web3. It may well be a call to live transformed lives in the same circumstances in which we were found.
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