They were based, as I understand it, on what the Lord had revealed to Ananias and not on any confession or actions of Saul, for these seem to follow these initial actions and words of Ananias. In different contexts, preachers might want to draw specific analogies concerning those for whom the congregation should be praying even though it cuts against our grain to do so. Why was Ananias afraid? Ananias found 9:31). Why do you think the street was named "Straight" But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Ananias and Saul: The Story Starts With a Disciple 2 Cor. Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). 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. Few Christians will encounter the risen, glorified Lord as Saul did here. 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. Hear, you deaf! What if They'd Said No 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. That our Lords contemporaries believed the Messiah to be in some special sense the son of God is rendered probable by the wording of the high priests question to him at his trial: `Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One? (Mark 14:61 par. It is not just in the Book of Acts that the importance of Sauls conversion is evident. 20 The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord. 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. To open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness (Isaiah 42:7). When all is said and done, the miracle which took place on the way to Damascus (and likely in Damascus as well) was that Saul saw Jesus as the Son of God, as the Messiah, and as his Savior and Lord: Am I not free? For the remainder of this essay, I will pursue the second option. WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. Ananias and Saul. Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord (Acts 13:6-12). To him be honor and might forever. Hb```f``:Ab,=`.9Z3{x5v\);]c#qea #'&D|z:wyKN,0(t\tbRFhT2thS2(9.`mNbq)-pk^;>:+pq2Ck AUbK=N\2M/`KqGLZS1 $[S|Rd\.9i'9T\.EXdxlYcqb Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. Ananias hesitation to visit Saul showed that he had good relationship with Jerusalem, for he knew of the trouble that the persecutor had raised against the early converts, and of the goal of his mission to Damascus. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Barnabas, one of the Christians, assured them Sauls faith was genuine. Acts does not tell us that he goes on to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, found churches in urban centers across the Roman Empire, stand true to the gospel while on trial for his faith over and again, and end up under house arrest in Rome awaiting a trial before Caesar. Saul Finally, we shall attempt to focus on the application of this passage to our own lives. Saul, like Stephen, spoke with such power and authority that his opponents could not refute him. What happened to Straight Street since then? 116-117. Sauls salvation was focused on one thing and on one thing aloneChrist. The Apostle Paul: Ananias and Sauls Obedience Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. 3 And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who art Thou, Lord?139 And He said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but rise, and enter the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. 7 And the men who traveled with him140 stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one.141 8 And Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.142 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. He paid for his education by working for the priests. 18Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. After this, Saul broke his fast and was strengthened. 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. 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. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. Or did they somewhat dread his arrival, knowing how zealous he was in his opposition to the church. Your merchants were the worlds great men. Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Acts 9:19-23 Saul in Damascus. From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of Gods choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. in expanding, as well as justifying, their earthly wealth and power. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Who was Ananias of Damascus in the New Testament CE!L;oza!sQjaTsg 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). What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? The call to salvation is also the call to a life of holiness and obedience. Sauls conversion was also his call to ministry, and this conversion experience is strikingly similar to that of one of his predecessors, Ezekiel: 1:4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the northan immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. 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). l. [9:14] 9:12; 26:10; 1Cor 1:2; 2Tm 2:22. 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. Saul was told at the time of his conversion that God had chosen him to bear witness to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the Jews (9:15). Here the Jews were strong in numbers (10,000 butchered by Nero later) and here some disciples had found refuge from Sauls persecution in Judea and still worshipped in the synagogues. How much does horse riding lessons cost in Bangalore? 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. No, God showed him "how many things he must suffer for 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. WebThe last time they saw Saul, he was arresting and killing Christians. 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). Choose from news (Monday), leisure (Thursday) or worship (Saturday) or get all three! Ananias As I look at the problem, I believe several conclusions must be drawn. No sinner is beyond the grace and the grasp of God. Jesus was LORD and not a false prophet! Paul would make much more of this point in the first chapter of Galatians. But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him, and said, You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 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. 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. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.. WebThere was no indication in Jesus words that Ananias was going to give Saul the Holy Spirit. 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. Here is a graphic illustration of what true repentance isit is a turning about, beginning with ones belief and bearing fruit in ones conduct. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. Start FREE. Present active participle of sunbubazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. The saints (9:32, 41; 26:10; cf. In His coming as the light, those who come to the light become lights to the world themselves: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2). (7) Those who were saved by Sauls ministry were convinced by the power of the gospel message he preached and not by miraculous signs and wonders. Upon hearing Peters words, Ananias fell to the ground and died. To both Ananias (Acts 9:10) and Saul (Acts 9:12). 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). The call of salvation is a call to change. Why was Saul (later called Paul) going to Damascus? Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? Road to Damascus Nothing is said in our text about any miracles being performed by Saul, as yet.
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