The approach the Lord took was one of dealing with Saul in the light of his sin, of his salvation, and of his ministry. We know nothing of Ananias beyond this story in the shadows. Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. 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). The children will practice being giving and friendly with someone that they do not know. They wanted to keep Gods blessings to themselves. They, too, were afraid of Saul and did not believe he really was a follower of Jesus Christ. The man who, days before, was persecuting Christ was now preaching Christ. Shape us into children who rejoice in knowing and proclaiming you to the world. In this occasion, no one seems to have prayed for Peters miraculous escape. Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead (Isaiah 59:10). 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. Later it was the seat of administration of an Assyrian province. He who had wanted to kill these saints now wanted to fellowship with them. 9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Now they were keeping watch on the gates day and night so as to kill him, Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. And yet while God had foretold the rebellion of Israel and their rejection, so He had also foretold of Israels restoration (cf. 23After a long time had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, I am not at all sure how this can be determined from the text. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end (Isaiah 60:20). (4) More space is devoted to the process of getting Ananias to Saul than is devoted to getting Saul to Damascus and to the home of Judas. Like Stephen, the enemies of the gospel attempted to kill Saul when they could not silence him by means of debate. He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. 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. The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993. 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. 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. The conversion of Saul is important in another way. The pastor advised him to pray for the person every day for two weeks pray for the person not about the person. The election of Saul to salvation was specific and thus, personal. To him be honor and might forever. east-west thoroughfare through Damascus built by the Greeks after the city Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. 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). Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. God changed him from being a man who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and a persecutor of the Christians into a bold missionary who preached the Gospel wherever he went. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. gJi\!2LITShA%)&bqd=/)@Eg*tttpt @V6wCAp{GyAGG9h d=u3zDca{y:&0}=!P`XX z;g3
{~paveta +w Both are call stories. As he himself understood the heavenly voice which said to him at his baptism, You are my Son (Mark 1:11 par. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Leave them; they are blind guides. Israel was called of God and set apart to proclaim the way of salvation to the Gentiles. Did Peter and Paul meet? One of the most dramatic revelations of Sauls Damascus road experience was that he was not serving God, but he was persecuting Him. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Could it be that God had also appointed someone to meet Saul as he entered the city, with specific instructions as to where he was to stay? WebSauls Baptism. Jesus words, Why are you persecuting Me?, clearly implied that Sauls persecution of the church was a persecution of the Lord. It would seem not to be there on the road to Damascus. To Paul, his relationship, by faith, to Jesus Christ was also the beginning of his new relationship to the body of Christ, the church: Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christs afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. He amazed everyone because they knew he was speaking the same words as the people he had been persecuting. When the plot became known to Saul, he made a successful, albeit undignified, escape from the city of Damascus. He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. 9. But everyone can pray for and with those who have scorned the church and are scorned by the church. Throughout his life and ministry Paul marveled at the grace of God shown to him and to other sinners. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent (Psalm 104:2). Ananias small act of obedience led to a great harvest for the kingdom. 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. Though I have fallen, I will rise. 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. 147 The more Saul preached, the more the Jews were confused. vii.) 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching. Do not let anyone despise you (Titus 2:11-15). Fourth, if we had all the facts, there would be no problem. Who is blind but my servant {Israel}, and deaf like the messenger I send? The second option is to invite the congregation to identify with Ananias (who shows up in verse 10). He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness (Micah 7:8-9). A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see Teaching from the Scriptures, p. Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 143 . Only a radical conversion can produce this attitude in the life of a man like Saul: For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:8). Note Pauls summary of the gospel at the end of Galatians 2: I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20). Matt. 2 What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? 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. Paul was overwhelmed by a flash of heavenly light. Have you had such an encounter? Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 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). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Lord (Acts 9:11)? He went on to become a respected teacher and the founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Betharram. But Elymas the magician (for thus his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. We can overcome our fears if, like Ananias, we trust that Jesus is directing the preaching work, ). A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 115. 135 There are those who describe Saul as a tormented man after the stoning of Stephen. * [9:36] Tabitha (Dorcas), respectively the Aramaic and Greek words for gazelle, exemplifies the right attitude toward material possessions expressed by Jesus in the Lucan Gospel (Lk 6:30; 11:41; 12:33; 18:22; 19:8). What do you suppose the saints would have prayed at this special prayer meeting? There will be no more night. the Romans . 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. what occupation he was (possibly a businessman). 28He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. Not knowing what had happened, she, too, lied about the offering and was also struck dead (Acts 5:111). 129 The history of Damascus goes back to remote antiquity. He trusted that Christ had a future purpose for Saul (verse 15) even though Sauls past as he knew it seemed to point toward a different future. Christian ministry be reconciled with the wealth and prosperity that 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. Unexpected and mysterious ELW 258 All are welcome ELW 641, Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics. It is evident in the way he was saved. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple (vs. 26). Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Paul experienced many hardships in his travels, and he was frequently thrown into jail for preaching about Jesus. Michael Garicoits (1797-1863) was born into a poor, but hardworking and humble family. Q WebWe can understand why Ananias would be afraid of Saul. 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). 153 Sauls conversion did not bring instant maturity or spirituality, but was the point where growth commenced. The church in Damascus has been talking about Saul and its members rightfully afraid of him he has, after all, been dragging Christians out of house after house, throwing them into prison, and desiring their deaths. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments (Lamentations 4:14). I see a man who is confident, aggressive, and zealous, rather than a man troubled by inner doubts. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Sauls eyes. Luke is emphatic in his representation of mans salvation as having been ordained and orchestrated by God, as a manifestation of His sovereign grace: And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed (Acts 13:48). For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.. 1:4). F. F. Bruce, p. 190. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. For Paul, the method of proclaiming the gospel must be consistent with the message itself, and so it was. 11 The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsusp named Saul, for he is praying. 2 Corinthians 4:14; cf. In 2 Corinthians 11:32 Paul speaks of an ethnarch of Aretas, the king of the Nabataean Arabs, who guarded the city to prevent him escaping from it. 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. 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). Scripture taken from the New King James Version. It is here that Paul took the leadership and became the dominant or leading individual, instead of Barnabas. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. It is no wonder then that this one who was Sauls all in all would be the focus, the substance, of the gospel which he preached: But we preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). Who does the voice of Vanessa on Phineas and Ferb? So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow-citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22). One is the truth from God Himself, WebAnanias, I am sure.