Acts_9_10-31 Saul’s Conversion Part-2

Acts_9_10-31 Saul’s Conversion Part-2
9/28/08


The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
I. As we resume our study in the book of Acts we are at the point where Saul of Tarsus is converted from Judaism to Christianity.
He refers to his former conduct in Judaism
Galatians 1:13 (NKJV)
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.

Indicating that he is no longer practicing Judaism, though scripture tells us that he retains a great love for his people and desire for their conversion as well.

Romans 10:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
A. As we left off:
1. Saul had been knocked off his horse and blinded having heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him.
2. Saul had responded to the question Jesus had asked him, with two foundational questions of his own.
a. Who are you Lord?
(1) Jesus whom you are persecuting!
b. What do you want me to do?
(1) To which Jesus responded "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
3. And we left Saul sitting in the city of Damascus blind, praying and fasting.
Acts 9:8-9 (NKJV)
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.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
II. Ananias sent to Saul
Acts 9:10-16 (NKJV)
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.”
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.
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.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
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.
16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
A. In a vision God speaks to a man named Ananias and sends him to Saul to restore Saul's sight.
1. Ananias is understandably reluctant “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
a. Saul has been a dangerous man for Christians, and this would appear to be a crazy request, was this vision really from the Lord?
b. This is the first time Christian's are called saints.
(1) The Greek word is "hagios" holy or dedicated, and so we see that as Christians we are dedicated or set-apart from that which secular or common for the purposes of God.
We no longer belong to ourselves but have been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV)
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
2. Go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine" and we see a summary of Paul's ministry in vv-15.
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.
a. Saul would become Paul the apostle to the gentiles, and his ministry would indeed include governors, kings, and his own people.
3. Suffering (vv-16) for the name of Christ was indeed to be Paul's fate, but for him it was not a burden but a privilege.
B. Ananias goes to Saul
Acts 9:17-19 (NKJV)
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.”
18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.
1. The Obedience and faith of Ananias and the immediate embracing and encouragement of Saul.
a. He addresses him as "Brother Saul" an acknowledgment that there is now a family bond that exist because of their faith in Christ and the fellowship Christ has provided through redemption.
b. We see the obedience on the part of Ananias in spite of his fear, certainly this took faith.
(1) But there is something else I find noteworthy here and that is the fact that Ananias was Spirit led to do this.
(a) We have standing orders that we are always to observe or obey like a soldier is required to salute a superior officer without being told to do so.
i) The Great Commission is like this, it is a standing order.
Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
(b) We share the gospel in our everyday life, and we bloom where we are planted, being involved in discipleship etc.
i) But I believe that we need to be Spirit led as we go out into hostile environments.
(1) A God given burden or plan, though it will involve faith, will have confirmation, it's more than a feeling.
ii) Can you imagine what might have been the result if this was the idea of Ananias and not God's and he had approached Saul a week earlier?
2. Sent that Saul might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
a. So as Ananias laid his hands on Saul and prayed for him, something like scales fell off Saul's eyes, he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he rose up and was baptized.
(1) More of what Ananias said to Saul is given to us in chapter-22
Acts 22:14-16 (NKJV)
14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.
15 For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
3. Saul was strengthened through fellowship…
19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

a. Obedience, Identification, Testimony. (This is true for both Saul and Ananias)
C. Verses 20-22
Acts 9:20-22 (NKJV)
20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
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?”
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
1. Immediately proclaiming the gospel (good news) in the synagogues there in Damascus, and he was growing in faith and understanding, and he was giving answers…
a. As he shared in the synagogues the Jews were confounded by his arguments because we read he was "proving that Jesus is the Christ".
[sumbibazo /soom·bib·ad·zo/] v.
From 4862 and bibazo (to force, causative [by reduplication] of the base of 939); TDNT 7:763; TDNTA 1101; GK 5204; Six occurrences; AV translates as ?knit together? twice, ?prove? once, ?assuredly gather? once, ?instruct? once, and ?compact? once.
1 to cause to coalesce, to join together, put together.
1a to unite or knit together: in affection.
2 to put together in one's mind.
2a to compare.
2b to gather, conclude, consider.
3 to cause a person to unite with one in a conclusion or come to the same opinion, to prove, demonstrate.
3a to teach, instruct, one.

Strong, James: The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible : Showing Every Word of the Text of the Common English Version of the Canonical Books, and Every Occurrence of Each Word in Regular Order. electronic ed. Ontario : Woodside Bible Fellowship., 1996, S. G4822
(1) He started to make sense out of items in the life of Jesus and what the scriptures taught concerning the Messiah and it was an irresistible argument.
(2) What a statement, even today, for the honest seeker the same is true the facts about Jesus and who He is are irrefutable.
III. Though Luke does not mention it, we know that Saul went from Damascus to Arabia for a short time then returned to Damascus for a few years, before going to Jerusalem. This probably took place between verses 22 and 23.
Galatians 1:10-18 (NKJV)
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,
16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
A. During this time Jesus the resurrected Christ was teaching/revealing theology to Saul.
1. Without this Saul/Paul would have no right to claim apostleship, an apostle apparently had to be an eye witness to the resurrection
Concerning the replacement of Judas Iscariot

Acts 1:21-22 (NKJV)
21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
B. Saul was so effective and zealous that soon there is a plot to kill him.
Acts 9:23-25 (NKJV)
23 Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.
24 But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.
25 Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.
1. But God protected him, and we see that Saul has endeared himself to the disciples there in Damascus, they are willing to now risk their lives for this one who had been a risk to their lives.
a. What a complete turn around, Saul the persecutor entered the city blind, but now hidden in a basket he is snuck out of town now the persecuted one, persecution that Paul says was a joy to him that he was counted worthy to receive on behalf of Jesus whom he had persecuted.
IV. It is at this time that Saul heads to Jerusalem and the mother church.
Acts 9:26-30 (NKJV)
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.
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.
28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.
29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.
30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.
A. That the disciples are still afraid shows us how vehemently Saul had persecuted the church.
1. Saul needed help in Damascus, and God had sent Ananias, now he is in need of another, someone who will brave the risk as to the genuineness his conversion, and it is Barnabas who steps in and open the door for Saul’s acceptance into the church in Jerusalem.
a. Barnabas = "son of encouragement"
b. What fruitful ministry encouragement can be.
2. It is through the ministry of Barnabas that Saul is accepted by the church and the door of ministry is open.
a. Saul spoke and debated with the Grecian Jews, and so frustrated with his debating abilities they plotted to kill him.
b. This would become a pattern for Saul/Paul as many attempts were made on his life, as he proclaimed the gospel so powerfully.
(1) Sauls movements in chapter-9 may be summarized as follows.
2. Damascus (vv. 3-22)
3. Arabia (Gal. 1:17)
4. Damascus (Acts 9:23-25; Gal. 1:17; 2 Cor. 11:32-33)
5. Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-29; Gal. 1:18-20)
6. Caesarea (Acts 9:30)
7. Tarsus (v. 30; Gal. 1:21-24)
3. We read in verse-31
Acts 9:31 (NKJV)
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.
a. It would seem that Paul's ministry was so intense and the antagonism it raised actually brought some peace to a region after he left (vv31a).
b. And we see the church spreading and growing spiritually and in number.
B. We hook up with Paul the apostle to the gentiles again in ch-11, but first the door to the gentiles will be opened by God's sovereign plan, through Peter.
V. What a dramatic conversion was that of Saul of Tarsus, and as we will see what an adventure his life and ministry were.
I wonder had we encountered such difficulty as Saul did, I few would have pressed on???
People give up so easy today…When the slightest offense happens, they are on their way
A. We all have a testimony, and whether it is dramatic like Paul’s or not, God wants to use us and our lives, our testimony for His purpose and His glory, so start sharing.
1. Obedience, Identification, Testimony.