The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? Imagine for a moment that this is the week of Sauls arrival at Damascus.129 By this time Saul has gained a reputation as the ringleader of the movement to make Christianity extinct. 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. Ananias had to overcome his fear so that Saul would be overcome by grace. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. Saul asked.I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, he replied. ANANIAS - Who Are The Three Ananias In The Bible? Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. Indeed, this seems to be the rule. Yes, Lord, he answered. sOGOSapQ3[y~@9W 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,* he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. And look, you blind, that you may see. The narrative lectionary is a four-year cycle of readings Read more. Saul proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God (9:20), a designation understood to refer to Israels awaited Messiah.149. During his conversion Even then he knew he wanted to live the life of a religious. Perhaps Ananias called a meeting of the church to discuss how they would deal with Sauls arrival. Linking is encouraged, but content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed including, but not limited to such means as framing or other digital copying and/or distribution method, in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. WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. Ananias is not the last believer who has seen fit to keep God up to date (The Storytellers Companion to the Bible: The Acts of the Apostles). Sauls conversion is a watershed event, catapulting the gospel to the Gentiles and to more distant places. 19So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Did Peter and Paul meet? Not only does the narrator tell the story of Sauls transformation from persecutor to apostle in Acts 9, Saul himself re-tells the story twice when defending himself before persecutors (before the tribune in Jerusalem, Acts 22:1-21; and before Agrippa, Acts 26:1-23). 8 Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? Ananias baptised Saul in the name of Jesus - the one who had sent him to the vanquished enemy of the church. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In Pauls speech in Acts 22, he describes Ananias as a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews that dwelt in Damascus (Acts 22:12). What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? To him be honor and might forever. Saul Visits Jerusalem. One moment, Saul was opposing Jesus, as though He were the sinner; the next, Saul is on his face before this Jesus, calling Him Lord. I can believe someone might have prayed that Saul be waylaid, or terminated, in some divine act or providential accident (act of God). Saul saw and heard the resurrected Christ. This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. ACTS 9:27 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. Sermons about Ananias And Saul - SermonCentral.com When the plot became known to Saul, he made a successful, albeit undignified, escape from the city of Damascus. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The words of Jesus, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? related by Luke with no variation in all three accounts, exerted a profound and lasting influence on the thought of Paul. 30And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.p. 153 Sauls conversion did not bring instant maturity or spirituality, but was the point where growth commenced. Upon hearing Peters words, Ananias fell to the ground and died. To both Ananias (Acts 9:10) and Saul (Acts 9:12). Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 60:3). Pauls opposition resulted in the scattering of the Christians from Jerusalem, thus taking the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and beyond (Acts 8:1; 11:19-21). He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness (Micah 7:8-9). 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? 21 Were you a slave when you were called? His career as a persecutor of Christians seems to have begun with Stephen, but it quickly spread to all of the Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 7:588:3). It almost seems harder to convince Ananias that Saul is (or will be) a Christian than it is to convert Saul. To Him be the glory forever. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. And when this time comes, God will use their obedience to serve Him: For if their rejection be the salvation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15). 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 constantly defended the gospel against those who would diminish grace and seek to pollute it with works. 17(K)And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and (L)laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord [c]Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and (M)be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. Presumably this is the case, however I still wonder a bit about this. In the end, God Himself will provide the illumination so that the sun and the stars will not be needed for this function: The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted (Isaiah 30:26). called for him to be slapped. required neighboring states to grant it the privileges of a sovereign state, including the right of extradition. It lay within the jurisdiction of the Roman province of Syria, and it formed part of the Decapolis, a league of self-governing cities. Why do you think the street was named "Straight" The message of the gospel, to be sure, is always the same, but the approach is not. (4) Sauls salvation was miraculous. WebAs Donald Davis notes, In case God has overlooked Sauls atrocities, [Ananias] takes occasion to issue a brief reminder. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? Saul was knocked to the ground and confronted with the reality that hed been working against God rather than helping God. Instead, he became the first believer to minister to Saul. The first thing we shall do is to make some observations on the passage as a whole to attempt to see the forest before we scrutinize the trees. . I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 171. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. But then the preacher can continue that even though Ananias didnt know about Sauls epiphany, he did as the Lord told him anyway. Copyright 2019-2023 USCCB, please review our Privacy Policy. There is more space devoted to convincing Ananias than there is to the conversion of Saul. 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. Those who call upon your name echoes 2:21 (Joel 2:32) and recurs in 22:16 in a command to Paul himself to be baptized . The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is difficult. Damascus, a city some 150 miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, was one such city. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. 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. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness (John 12:46). At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead (Isaiah 59:10). 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, Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? SAUL Acts 9 WebTeach the children the account of Sauls conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ as found in Acts 9:120. At first, I thought this was unique with Saul. So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. This silence is instructive, in my opinion. 30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. It does not store any personal data. Why was Saul (later called Paul) going to Damascus? There are differences between the three accounts given to us in Acts. Despite the threats Saul had made and his notorious track record of persecuting, arresting and even affirming the execution of Christians, Ananias, whose Jesus dealt with Nicodemus (John 3) very differently from the Samaritan woman (John 4). 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. Would the church not have undertaken the task of discipling these folks? No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the 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. 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. * [9:29] Hellenists: see note on Acts 6:17. He sought to preach Christ in simplicity and not in a way that would detract from Him. Saul recognized that he was a sinner, and that his righteousness was but dung before God. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Paul would later use this expression (in the plural) to address his unbelieving Jewish opponents, as in Acts 22:1. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. Ananias found Just as Saul was called to a live of suffering, so Peter tells his readers that they too, like all saints, are called to suffer for His name: To this {suffering} you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21). Ananias In spite of this, we are not told here that Saul did receive the Holy Spirit or what happened when he did. Ananias was that kind of a disciple. What is the meaning of Sapphira in the Bible? 87-89), plays out the two views of Sauls conversion, the first (and seldom held the view of Ramsay), that Saul was suddenly and radically converted; second, that there was a considerable process involved. 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. And when the Galatians began to depart from the true gospel, Paul rebuked them for turning from Him: I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel (Galatians 6). There is surely a connection between Saul and persecution, and Saul and peace. (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) This first account occurs when the word is first spread to the Gentiles. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus followers What did Ananias's do to heal Paul's eyes? 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. Those whose lives Saul would gladly have taken in his unsaved days now sought to save his life by sending him away. WebThis happened to Ananias of Damascus when he ministered to Saul of Tarsus. 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). Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The first is to ask the congregation to identify with Saul himself. I see a man who is confident, aggressive, and zealous, rather than a man troubled by inner doubts. Perhaps nowhere else is the radical change (of conversion) in Pauls life153 more readily evident than in his attitude toward the saints. 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?. 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). also Romans 1:1-7, 13-17; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:3-11; cf. When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 20and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. This light was more, much more, than just a bright light. 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. 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. . WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. There would likely be another group of people meeting on the evening before Saul arrived in Damascusthose who did not believe in Jesus as their Messiah, and who eagerly sought the eradication of the church in their city. 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 casting of this spell on this false prophet could therefore have been an act of kindness, as Gods blinding of Saul had been, intended to cease his opposition and perhaps even to bring about his conversion. There are two very important implications to the personal dimension of Sauls conversion. They too rebelled against God and forsook His word and persecuted His prophets. He paid for his education by working for the priests. 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. Conybeare and Howson {The Life and Times of Saint Paul, p. 77 (sic punct.)} 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). When I saw it, I fell face down, and I heard the voice of one speaking. The call of salvation is a call to holiness, and to obedience, and to fellowship, with God and with our fellow-believers. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 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. Everyone is born in sin, and every part of their being is affected by sin (intellect, emotions, and will). The details of what was said and done when Ananias arrived are fuzzy. It is a miraculous, dramatic reversal, first of ones beliefs, and then of ones behavior. What a terrible revelation this isthat all are sinners, even the best, the most religious, the most righteous! Lesson: Saul Believes in Jesus - Ministry-To-Children Saul seems to have been the instigator of the persecution of the church, which began at the death of Stephen in Jerusalem and worked outward from there. Ananias There is clearly no attempt to establish some kind of pattern or formula for evangelism here, at least as far as methodology is concerned. 16For (I)I will show him how many things he must suffer for My (J)names sake.. 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. 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. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus’ followers🤨 There were three Ananiases in the Bible. 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. 152 I do not mean to criticize the four laws of Campus Crusade, which have been used of God to bring many to faith in Christ. also Psalm 50:15; Joel 2:32; Jeremiah 29:12; 33:3-8). sight. There is a great basis for comfort in the sovereignty of God. Saul 137 The Way is a designation for the new movement used several times in Acts 9:19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22; cf. Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was 21All who heard him were astounded and said, Is not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name, and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief priests? Leave them; they are blind guides. 129 By this time Saul has gained a reputation as the ringleader of the movement to make Christianity extinct. Jesus was LORD and not a false prophet!

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