Acts 9

(taught on June 29, 2008)

(Acts 9:1) Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

· Saul was his Hebrew name, and Paul was his Roman name. He was born in Tarsus, a free city of the Romans, and himself a freeman of that city. His father and mother were both native Jews; therefore he calls himself a Hebrew of the Hebrews; he was of the tribe of Benjamin. His education was in the schools of Tarsus first, which was a little Athens for learning; there he acquainted himself with the philosophy and poetry of the Greeks. Then he was sent to the university at Jerusalem, to study divinity and the Jewish law. His tutor was Gamaliel, an eminent Pharisee. His learning was great. He had a trade (tent-making), which was common with those among the Jews who were bred scholars, for the earning of their keep, and the avoiding of idleness.

· Breathing - deep, agitating emotion as you breathe rapidly & violently when you feel this way. And he breathed the threats and murder, meaning it sustained him, and was part of everything he did.

· Paul intensely desired to kill as many Christians as possible (men or women - vs 2). He tried to get them to blaspheme (26:11) so he could kill them, thinking he was doing a service to God. This is similar to terrorists who kill innocent people thinking they are serving God. This was foretold by Jesus in John 16:2.

· Paul went to the high priest in Jerusalem - Annas (4:6). Saul had the heritage and knowledge and power to make him into probably the most feared anti-Christian in that day.

· Why was Saul to vehemently against Christians? I'm guessing he had a passion to uphold this things of God and for truth. This passion was misguided, and when he learned the truth, this same passion was what enabled him to become so great for God. Everything he did, he did with passion. What are you passionate about? What would it take for you to become great for God? Are you great for God now? Why or why not? What is preventing you from your first step towards greatness for God? What would that first step be for you?

(Acts 9:2) and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

· The Way - a title for followers of Christ. May have come from:

* Jesus claiming to be the way - John 14:6

* The straight and narrow way that leads to life - Matt 7:13

* John Baptist preparing the way, Matt 3:3, Isaiah 40:3

· The Letters were warrants for arrest, by the authority of the Sanhedrin. Damascus was about 150 miles N/NE from Jerusalem (verse 1), about a 6 day walk. It is now just east of Lebanon, in Syria.

· Why Damascus? He probably heard that there was a number of Christians there - which there were, Ananias being one of them (vs 10).

(Acts 9:3) As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.

· The others with Paul also saw the light - Acts 22:9.

· Interesting that the light was "from heaven" - I think this meant from where the light was created, not the direction that it shone from. This light was Jesus' glory.

(Acts 9:4) Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

· The light must have been remarkable, stunning, for everyone there fell to the ground (26:14).

· The Paul hears a voice coming from nothing - as if the light wasn't stunning enough.

· Jesus spoke to Paul in Hebrew (26:14). The common language of the day was Aramaic (see notes on Acts 2:14). The others with him did not hear the voice (vss 9:7, 22:9).

(Acts 9:5) And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."

· "Kick against the goads" - an ox goad is a sharp piece of iron at end of 8 ft stick; it's used to urge oxen on. This expression was used as an action of a stubborn unyielding ox kicking against the goad. Ox would gain nothing from the struggle & would injure no one but itself. Jesus said Paul's struggle against Him was accomplishing nothing and only injuring himself. Paul probably understood exactly what Jesus was saying about Paul. Paul must have wondered how he was doing that.

· When Paul would try to suppress the church, it only served to make it stronger - like squiishing a pregnant spider, or stepping on an ant mound, or getting rid of a puddle by jumping on it.

· Are you kicking against the goad? What are you struggling with that only hurts you, and doesn't really have an impact on others? Do you have any internal struggles with God? What have you been fighting? When can you release it, give it to God, and honor Him?

· Two important life questions we should be asking God: (v. 5-6)

1. Who are you?

2. What do you want me to do? (Paul's reaction upon encountering Jesus - what is yours?)

· Jesus appeared to Paul, not just to convert him, but for two other reasons:

1. Appoint him to ministry - Acts 26:16 (note that there were other things Jesus said at this time that are only revealed later)

* Revelations to Paul: 18:9, 22:18, 23:11, 2 Cor 12:1-7

* Mission - to bring the gospel to Jews & Gentiles - Acts 26:17-18

2. To qualify him as an apostle. Acts. 1:22 qualification of an apostle had been to be "a witness with us of His resurrection."

(Acts 9:6) So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

· At this point Paul surrendered his will. It was pretty evident to Paul now that Jesus was what the He and the Christians had claimed, that Jesus was truly from God, and not just a deceitful leader. Paul recognized this, and was ready to obey Jesus. I'm sure he was quite confused, and nt really sure how to react - but what else could he do but to obey?

· This is very remarkable - in a moment, Paul's world view was turned upside down.

· Carl Sagan was a very well known astronomer and science author. He wrote frequently about religion and the relationship between religion and science, expressing his skepticism about many conventional conceptualizations of God. Sagan once stated, for instance, that "The idea that God is an oversized white male with a flowing beard, who sits in the sky and tallies the fall of every sparrow is ludicrous. But if by 'God,' one means the set of physical laws that govern the universe, then clearly there is such a God. This God is emotionally unsatisfying... it does not make much sense to pray to the law of gravity." One of his most famous quotations as seen in Cosmos, was "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." Sagan viewed the existence of God as extraordinary claims, but he did not see any extraordinary evidence for God, so he could not believe. Ah, if only Jesus had visited Sagan as He did Paul! But that is not how God works - God looks for faith in the things that are not seen - Heb 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

(Acts 9:7) And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.

· The others with Paul also saw the light (vs 3) - Acts 22:9. This light was Jesus' glory.

· Funny, it says they "stood" speechless. They feel to the ground initially (26:14), and must have started to stand back up.

(Acts 9:8) Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

· Paul had had his eyes closed, and now he opens them to find that he has been blinded.

· Paul was miraculously stricken blind -

" More evidence that Jesus is God, by this miracle

" To humble him - He had to rely on others

" To force him to reflect on his past (repentance)

" To force him to wait on the Lord (like the story of the study of the fish in class - 3 days of only observation)

" As a symbol of his spiritual blindness, so that when he receives his physical sight again, he also is given his spiritual sight

· Our time of waiting should include reflection & also a waiting for more information.

· Be still; wait upon the Lord Psa 27:14 "Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!"

· What was Paul doing while waiting? Praying! This we must do each day. Not just have a moment of prayer or reading, but take time to be quiet and to wait to see what God has for you that day.

· Note that Paul continued to Damascus, but now with a very different purpose!

(Acts 9:9) And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

· Notice that for these three days he was with those he had travelled with, plus probably some Christians, since there was no mention of any conflict when Ananias spoke with Paul and baptized him (vss 17-18). They must have all marveled at what had happened to Paul. He was staying with Judas, who probably was a Christian (and he lived on the Straight street) (vs 11). At the least, Judas and his household were not enemies of the Christians. And so, when Paul arrived at the house, they may have feared him.

· We knw why Paul was three days without sight, but why was he three days without food or drink? Paul was very devout, and very opinionated. But his foundation was rocked, and he was very confused. I expect he took this time to think, to focus on God, asking Him what was going on?

· Sometimes we need quiet time without answers to reflect. This is what is so great about when it is time to sleep. We get some quiet time to think and reflect, some getting less time than others :-).

(Acts 9:10) Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."

· This was probably only a month of so since the stoning of Stephen, which was not very long after Jesus ascension. It is likely Ananias, as a Christian leader in Damascus, was there during Pentecost, and had been a follower of Jesus during His ministry.

· God spoke to Ananias in a vision. Note it was during the day, so Ananias was probably not sleeping. Jesus was have actually appeared in some form to him. I wonder what that was like? I expect this may have been the first time God came to Ananias this way.

· "Here I am, Lord" is translated in NIV as "Yes, Lord". In the Greek it means "Behold, Lord". The NIV is accurate in what it means - he just acknowledges the call of his name.

· But he does say "Lord", so he recognizes the source.

· (Acts 9:11) So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.

(Acts 9:12) "And 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."

(Acts 9:13) Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

· Paul was well known, even 150 miles away in Jerusalem. And what a reputation he had. He was probably the lead persecutor of Christians at that time.

· How would you feel if you were told Osama Bin Laden had become a Christian, and you were to go to a house to meet and baptize him, in an area where he has authority to destroy Christians? Ananias knew the authority Paul had (vs 14). The news of the authority given Paul had travelled faster than Paul had.

(Acts 9:14) "And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."

(Acts 9:15) But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

· In Acts 26 Paul gives his testimony before King Agrippa.

· In Acts 22-23 Paul defends the gospel in Jewish synagogues and before teh Sanhedrin.

· Note that the Lord had taken care of things for Ananias, even though it did not appear like things would work out. We need to take God for His word, and trust Him. How hard that is to do!

(Acts 9:16) "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."

· What an interesting charter given for Paul - not just the work for God, but the tough results are given, as well.

· Yikes!!! Paul was to know ahead of time the things he must suffer. How much more difficult that might make the suffering? If you were to go through suffering, would you prefer to know ahead of time? I don't think I would.

(Acts 9:17) And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

· Despite Ananias' doubt and fear, he did what God asked him to do. God has basically said to him, "Trust Me!"

· It appears he was freely allowed in the house. It appears Ananias knew Judas, and probably knew where he lived... or it was easy to find which house was Judas house.

· Ananias first task with Paul was to lay his hands on him, so Paul may receive his sight and receive the Holy Spirit. Then he was to baptize him. Obviously the Lord and Ananias had some conversation not recorded here.

· Notice that he received the Holy Spirit before he was baptized.

(Acts 9:18) Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

· Other famous dramatic turnarounds in the lives of people who became leaders in the Christian faith:

--- Lee Strobel

· Most of his life he was a devout atheist.

· He "thought the idea of an all loving and powerful creator of the universe was stupid."

· He was the legal editor of the Chicago Tribune.

· He needed evidence before he would believe anything.

· At one point his wife became a Christian, and he thought it was the worst possible news he could have received.

· He used his journalism and legal training to begin an investigation into Christianity and any other world faith. He spent 21 months doing the investigation. Then, on November 8, 1981, he decided that "in light of the torrent of evidence flowing in the direction of the truth of Christianity, it would require more faith for me to maintain my atheism than to become a Christian." He could not swim upstream against all the evidence. "I was trained in journalism and law to respond to truth", and he decided he had to with Christianity.

· Lee pastored a megachurch, and wrote the "Case for ..." books, like the Case for Christ.

--- Jerry Falwell

· His grandfather was a staunch atheist.

· His father was an entrepreneur, a bootlegger, an agnostic who hated preachers, and a drunkard. His dad struggled through about the last 20 years of his life because he shot and killed his brother. It was ruled self defence, but he was burdened with it for the rest of his life.

· Jerry said "I seldom went inside a church. I like pretty girls, fast cars, latenight parties, ..., poker games, and beer busts."

· When he started going to a church, people recognized him as "the rowdy Falwell kid from Rustburg Road whose father ran booze during the Depression and who family had a rough and ready reputation in Lynchburg."

· He was saved on January 20, 1952.

· When he started dating a girl in the church named Macel, who he would eventually marry, Macel's mother didn't like Jerry. She knew his family's reputation in Lynchburg and had convinced Macel that he was a "typical Falwell" and would lead her down the primrose path if she took one step in his direction.

· Jerry founded a church that grew to 24,000 members, started Moral Majority, was the symbol of Christianity in the U.S. for many years, started the Old Time Gospel Hour radio program, and founded Liberty University.

--- Augustine

· Augustine was born on November 13, 354, in North Africa (present-day Algeria). His parents were Romans citizens of modest means; his father was a pagan, and his mother, Monica, a Christian. In his Confessions series of books, he dramatically recounts the first 33 years of his life until his conversion in 387.

· Augustine describes his adolescence in terms of "my past wickedness and the carnal corruptions of my soul." During his teenage years he says that he was pricked by the "briars of unclean lusts." He tells a story about he a bunch of boys stole a load full of pears, for no reason at all except that it was wrong to do so.

· In 370, the year his father died Augustine was sent to study at Carthage. As he writes, "I came to Carthage, where a cauldron of illicit loves leapt and boiled about me. I was not yet in love, but I was in love with love." Around 371, he took a concubine and "did fall in love, simply from wanting to." He had a son by her in 372. But in 373, he "changed the direction" of his interests and kindled a passion for philosophy and its quest for truth.

· Around 374, Augustine wrote that, throughout the "nine-year period, from my nineteenth year to my twenty-eighth, I was led astray myself and led others astray." During this time he remained faithful to his concubine, bonded by "a lustful love," and cared for their son. He moved to Milan, where he heard Bishop Ambrose preach. At first, Augustine was interested only in his eloquent style rather than in the content of his sermons. But gradually, Ambrose made him see that faith could be maintained on reasonable grounds.

· But in 386, sexual passion still restrained him from committing to Christianity. "I in my great worthlessness [he writes to God] had begged You for chastity, saying: "Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet." For I was afraid that You would hear my prayer too soon, and too soon would heal me from disease of which I wanted satisfied rather than extinguished."

· One day he was wondering how long it would take before his intellectual conversion would be accompanied by a moral one, when suddenly a child's voice, in "a sort of sing-song, repeated again and again, 'Take and read, take and read.'" He thought that this was a message from God, and picked up the bible and read the first passage he saw. It was from Paul's Epistle to the Romans 13:13-14: "Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscences." He says that as soon as he finished the sentence, he felt as if "all the darkness of uncertainty vanished away." Now his will as well as his mind was converted to God.

· Augustine was a prolific writer of themes of the Christian faith.

(Acts 9:19) So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

· It had been three days since Paul had had food or drink (vs 9).

· Ananias is no longer mentioned. He had done what God had asked him to do - bring Paul into the Christian faith.

· Now, a group of disciples discipled Paul. Paul must have been amazed, that now both his physical eyes, but more importantly his spiritual eyes, had finally been opened!

(Acts 9:20) Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

· After only a few days Paul had heard what he needed to know, and now he was taking that message to others.

(Acts 9:21) Then all who heard were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?"

· Everyone knew of Paul... but the stories they had heard surely were not what they were now seeing.

· As famous as Paul had been for his persecution, he was to be as famous for his Christianity.

(Acts 9:22) But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

· God gave Paul insight and power. Plus, Paul was intimately acquainted with both perspectives, and so he could well defend the Christian faith. No one could debate against him, as much as they tried (for many days), so they sought other ways to defeat him (vs 23).

(Acts 9:23) Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.

(Acts 9:24) But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.

· I expect Paul was still preaching, so they were looking for him to be in a secluded area to kill him.

(Acts 9:25) Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

· Paul could not exit the city through the gates, so he left through a window... except it was a really high window.

(Acts 9:26) And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

· Paul travelled all the way back to Jerusalem. I expect some of the disciples met him outside the wall to travel with him. Or maybe he travelled that distant by himself. They must have given him provisions to make the journey. By foot it would probably take 4 days at a minimum.

· When he arrived in Jerusalem, they knew him there very well - the way he used to be. The way he was, how could he have converted?

· It is such a challenge today to know when to trust conversions to Christianity, especially when you read about them (like Bob Dylan, Deion Sanders, and Jim Baker).

(Acts 9:27) But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

· This was the same Barnabas that sold the land, and gave all the proceeds from the sale to the apostles to distribute to the needy (Acts 4:36-37). This was in contrast to what Ananias and Sapphira did (5:1-5). Barnabas shows great character and faith then and now, as he is the one who trust Paul, and even is brave enough to bring him to the apostles. What a disaster if Paul had been tricking them, to have access to the apostles. Somehow Barnabas knew he could now trust Paul, probably by what Paul was saying about Jesus, and the understand he had of his faith and Christianity. They must have very quickly become friends, as they travelled a lot together later.

(Acts 9:28) So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.

· So now the apostles learned to trust Paul, as Barnabas had, for Paul had free access to the apostles and disciples there.

(Acts 9:29) And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.

· Hellenists were devotees or students of the Greek language and culture, especially a Jew of the dispersion (Diaspora). The Hellenists probably held to the gods of the Greek culture.

· So, here Paul was not debating with the Jews, but the Greeks. This was foretold by the Lord to Ananias (9:15). He must have been preaching in areas where Greeks congregated, and probably debated, as was their custom, rather than preaching now in the Synagogues.

· In Damascus the Jews tried to kill Paul, and now the Greeks were.

(Acts 9:30) When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

· Caesarea was on the coast northeast of Jerusalem, and Tarsus was up where modern Turkey is.

· Again (like vs 26), did Paul travel alone or with other disciples? Here it says they brought him, which indicates some travelled with him.

· I wonder if they brought him to Tarsus since that was his home.

(Acts 9:31) Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

· Wow, what a powerful enemy Paul was, and now what a powerful ally. What a difference this one man was making.

· Look at the results of Paul's conversion - the Christians in the entire region had peace, were edified (improving their foundation in Christ), were walking with God in fear, comforted by the Holy Spirit, and were multiplying. In Paul's conversion, God had big plans for his church expansion - seemingly as much by taking Paul out of the persecution role as much as putting him in the preaching role.