Get up and make your bed. He got up at once. What do Ananias actions, when asked in the passage to heal Saul, suggest about his feelings toward him? "how many things he must suffer for One is the truth from God 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. Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? To him be honor and might forever. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". He was, indeed, Stephens replacement. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, He is the Son of God. 21 And all those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests? 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding147 the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ. The remaining verses of this account describe the results of Sauls conversion, all of which serve as dramatic proof of his radical transformation as a result of his encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light (Matthew 17:2). 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands onq him to restore his sight.. The first words spoken to Saul were, Saul, Saul, Why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9:4). 129 By this time Saul has gained a reputation as the ringleader of the movement to make Christianity extinct. 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. WebYou know someone is coming, perhaps to arrest you for being a Christian. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). Lesson: Saul Believes in Jesus - Ministry-To-Children This account is accompanied by an asseveration of its truth which suggests that some people were contradicting it.133. No one could fault the reluctance of Ananias. What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children (1 Thessalonians 2:7). 6Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.f Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). Just as Saul seemingly had hatred toward Christ-followers, how do you think a Christ-follower like Ananias felt toward Saul? 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. A resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary. A( ) Ananias is obscure. How true are two of the proverbs, which read: The mind of a man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9). 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. 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. Did he still not realize who the Lord was? 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. Discuss 2 ways in which Paul suffered as an apostle 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. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 10Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus (A)named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias., 11So the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul (B)of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. Is paralegal higher than legal assistant? Elsewhere in Acts, such as with the apostles, Stephen and Philip, the message of the gospel was underscored by signs and wonders which accompanied the message. 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. Ananias and Saul: The Story Starts With a Disciple Introduction. 2:7; 2 Tim. 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). In the place of Ananias we would fear that it might not work out, and the consequences could be very serious. In other words a beginning point for narrating Acts 9:1-19 could be with Ananias knowledge of Saul as a persecutor, which he expresses in verse 13. WebThe Conversion of Saul. Ananias With the help of Ananias, he was transformed into a follower of Jesus and became one of the most well-known evangelists ever. It says nothing about him receiving the Holy Spirit. 12And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight., 13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, (C)how much [a]harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. Ancestry, Pharisaic training, Hellenistic education, were fused by it into the character which the Holy Spirit formed and fashioned over the fourteen years of training. The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Matthew 4:16). 22But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. Stat two things God told Anaias concerning Saul Briefly describe what happened during Anaias' meeting with Saul. Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? 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. 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. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, Please come to us without delay. At first, I thought this was unique with Saul. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. No, Ananias did not do any of these things so far as the author of Luke-Acts is concerned. God chose Saul and had his destiny planned, before He saved him. Salvation is the miracle whereby God removes the blindness of sin and of Satan, whereby God replaces death with life. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. One moment, Saul is inflicting pain and suffering on others who trust in Jesus as the Messiah, the next, he is enduring suffering for the sake of Jesus, the Messiah. At first Ananias was afraid because he knew how Saul persecuted the Christians, but the Lord said that Saul had a special ministry he must fulfill. Ananias small act of obedience led to a great harvest for the kingdom. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. The apostles had nothing to do with Sauls conversion, and they were reluctant to believe it had happened or to welcome him into their fellowship. 148 I would assume that Saul was one of those who covered his ears so as not to hear the praise of Stephen, as reported in Acts 7:57. He amazed everyone because they knew he was speaking the same words as the people he had been persecuting. It was due to the intervention of Barnabas, a man who would prove to be a lifetime friend of Paul, that the apostles risked a meeting with him and then granted him the freedom to associate with the saints in Jerusalem. 6:17; Phil. 7 Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? Gods promises and purposes would not be stopped by this madman, Saul. Saul took this most seriously, not eating or drinking until after his confession of faith by means of his baptism. He is trying to inform God of whats going on. 2. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". What a terrible revelation this isthat all are sinners, even the best, the most religious, the most righteous! Amen (Romans 11:33-36). Preachers working through the narrative lectionary with their congregations, then, will do well to explore this passage in detail in order to establish the character of Paul well for the second half of Acts (Acts 13-28; see how this role is foreshadowed in 9:15), which shifts the focus from the ministry of the Twelve in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to his role in taking the gospel throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and even to Rome (see Acts 1:8). Ananias was that kind of a disciple. At length, in Gods good time, the door opened, and the events of half a lifetime assumed final and complete significance. E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles, (Grand Rapids: Wm. Barnabas, one of the Christians, assured them Sauls faith was genuine. 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. 1* Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,a went to the high priestb About three hours later, Sapphira arrived. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. Present active participle of sunbubazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. 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. No doubt God had used Ananias to serve as Sauls first Barnabas. Just as Barnabas would vouch for Saul with the apostles in Jerusalem, so Ananias, a highly respected Jewish Christian, would vouch for Saul here. 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The conversion of Saul is a very crucial event in this book, which spells out from a historical point of view (Romans, from a theological viewpoint) the relationship of Jews and Gentiles in the plans and purposes of God. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Salvation is a revolution, not an evolution. Perhaps Ananias called a meeting of the church to discuss how they would deal with Sauls arrival. What Paul learned about himself, personally, on the road to Damascus he came to understand and to preach concerning all men. ANANIAS Web3. The LORD identified Himself as the Jesus, whom he had been persecuting. Perhaps so, but I am not as confident of this as I once was. Paul experienced many hardships in his travels, and he was frequently thrown into jail for preaching about Jesus. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? - Answers And now, he is preaching the same message. 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. 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. The saints (9:32, 41; 26:10; cf. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life (1 Timothy 1:12-16). We can learn more about his life in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and we can still read some of the letters he wrote that have been collected into the Bible, such as Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. When Paul spoke of his conversion here in Galatians 1, he did not speak of the light which shone without, but rather of the light which shone within. But why would they be called his disciples? All of this account describes the two complementary divine visions which Ananias and Saul received. Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,. He who had wanted to kill these saints now wanted to fellowship with them. During his conversion But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God (John 3:19-21). Those who think themselves worthy of Gods blessings (as many Jews did in that day) are those who are in trouble. The light from heaven brought Saul to the ground. No, I worked harder than all of themyet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of Gods grace given me through the working of his power. Sauls conversion was a miracle, short and simple, but not so much the result of the external miracle of the bright light and the voice of the Lord as the internal transformation and illumination which God wrought: 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man (Galatians 1:15-16). My names sake". Indeed, this seems to be the rule. 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. No change in life is greater than the change from unbelief to belief in Christ, from being lost and condemned to being saved and eternally secure, from being separated from God and others to being united with Him and with all believers. All rights reserved. According to Acts 9:10, Ananias was living in Damascus. His name was Ananias (not to be confused with the husband of It is some 150 miles Northeast from Jerusalem and watered by the river Abana from Anti-Lebanon. 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. WebAnanias was afraid of Saul. (N)Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Why was Saul (later called Paul) going to Damascus? All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photo-lithoprinted}, 1966), p. 90. 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. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. This text portrays one of the historical landmarks of the church. 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. His disciples150 lowered him in a basket, from the window of a room which was in the wall of the city (9:25). And they will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5). I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you (Isaiah 60:1). 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. They could not out-argue him. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinnersof whom I am the worst. He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:6-7). 20:32; 26:18) is a common term in Pauls writings and describes Christians as people who have been set apart for Gods service and must show an appropriate character. `}Hq)l2hZ0r89asO70Da`qg So it would appear. . How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move To both Ananias (Acts 9:10) and Saul (Acts 9:12). Sermon Seeds: The Way Forward - United Church of Christ * [9:26] This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18. Let us avoid cookie cutter conversions.. As persecution was no longer needed to disperse the church and the gospel, peace was restored to the land. Or could it be that these disciples of Saul were Sauls disciples before his conversion, who accompanied him as he sought to capture Christians. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, l. [9:14] 9:12; 26:10; 1Cor 1:2; 2Tm 2:22. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6). You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deuteronomy 28:28-29). Say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says. 5 And whether they listen or fail to listenfor they are a rebellious housethey will know that a prophet has been among them. Israels watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep (Isaiah 43:8-10). 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. Paul was overwhelmed by a flash of heavenly light. 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. Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. It was irresistible argument and spread consternation among the Jews. Many are the plans in a mans heart, But the counsel of the LORD, it will stand (Proverbs 19:21). 3. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:7). Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Sermons about Ananias And Saul - SermonCentral.com 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. (5) Sauls salvation was an act of divine grace. It lay within the jurisdiction of the Roman province of Syria, and it formed part of the Decapolis, a league of self-governing cities. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. I see a man who is confident, aggressive, and zealous, rather than a man troubled by inner doubts. The call to salvation is also the call to a life of holiness and obedience. Q&A 1. 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. 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. What do Ananias actions, when asked in the passage to heal Saul, suggest about his feelings toward him? Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. 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). 29He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,* but they tried to kill him. 21:29 (30); John 5:7; 12:21; 20:15; and should be so in John 9:36. This light was more, much more, than just a bright light. One thing was certain; no matter how much time had passed, the apostles were not yet convinced of Sauls conversion. He had heard of all the terrible things Saul had done to Christians in Jerusalem and how it was his intent to do the same in Damascus, Ananias town. His parents allowed visiting priests to minister secretly in their home during the dangers of the French Revolution. Even if he were not one of these men, he would surely have hated to hear the gospel. Ironically, Ananias could have become one of Sauls targets of persecution for following the Lord Jesus. What else did Jesus explain to Ananias? It is here that Paul took the leadership and became the dominant or leading individual, instead of Barnabas. 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. WebSaul/Paul was a pretty mean guy who persecuted Christians. 9. In other words, Is Sauls conversion typical and illustrative of the conversion of every saint, or is it unique, the exceptional case, which has little correspondence to most converts?. 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. Lest anyone think they are too sinful to save, let me remind you that when Paul wrote that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, he quickly added, among whom I am foremost of all.. Ananias was used as Gods instrument in the conversion of Saul, but even he had to be pushed to go to Saul. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 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. This light would thus have been very bright indeed. First, there are problems which appear to be serious. Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord (Acts 13:6-12). Who is blind like the one committed to me, blind like the servant of the Lord? (Isaiah 42:18-19). We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. He also warned those who would corrupt grace, to make it a pretext for sin (cf. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy lifenot because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 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).
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