THEN SAUL, STILL BREATHING THREATS AND MURDER AGAINST THE DISCIPLES OF THE LORD, WENT TO THE HIGH PRIEST 1. Chapter 8 began with great persecution. Saul was involved. 2. Now, in chapter 9 Saul is the leader of the persecution. 3. He is taking a more active role and the persecution is more threate... [ Continue Reading ]
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. 1. The high priest is granting him permission to act as a deputy sheriff. Keep in mind that the high priest was also the highest law e... [ Continue Reading ]
AS HE JOURNEYED HE CAME NEAR DAMASCUS, AND SUDDENLY A LIGHT SHONE AROUND HIM FROM HEAVEN. 1. Already having traveled most of the way, he was nearing his target city, Damascus. 2. Like a bolt of lightning, a bright light was shining from heaven. 3. Apparently the bright light blinded Saul.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HE FELL TO THE GROUND, AND HEARD A VOICE SAYING TO HIM, " SAUL, SAUL, WHY ARE YOU PERSECUTING ME? " 1. Saul dropped to his knees and heard a voice speak to him. 2. Saul, Saul - The repetition of the name is for emphasis. Pay attention. I am speaking to you and you need to listen. 3. "Why are... [ Continue Reading ]
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. " 1. Saul used the term "Lord" - not because he understood that this was Jesus the Christ, but as a general term of respect. We might say, "Sir, who are yo... [ Continue Reading ]
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. " 1. There is some dispute if the use of "Lord" here is again a polite term OR if Saul realized that this is the Lord Jesus C... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEN WHO JOURNEYED WITH HIM STOOD SPEECHLESS, HEARING A VOICE BUT SEEING NO ONE. 1. Saul was leading a group of men. We don't know exactly how many but several. He needed enough to arrest and bring back to Jerusalem all they captured. Remember this was a120 mile journey. 2. They stood speec... [ Continue Reading ]
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. 1. When Saul stood up - he opened his eyes. The bright light was gone. The one who spoke was gone. His sight was gone. Saul was now blind. 2. The men with him... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WAS THREE DAYS WITHOUT SIGHT, AND NEITHER ATE NOR DRANK. 1. Can you imagine - suddenly being blind? Alone? 120 miles from home? 2. All Saul could do was think about the events - his life, the confrontation with Jesus. 3. All he could do was to wait for someone to tell him what to do. 4. D... [ Continue Reading ]
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. " 1. Ananias - Some believe that Ananias was one of the 70 that Jesus sent out on a limited commission to the house of Israel. 2. But nothing is known of h... [ Continue Reading ]
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. 1. Jesus sent Ananias on a special mission. Again, similar to Philip in Acts 8:1-40. 2. One soul saved is more important than preac... [ Continue Reading ]
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. " 1. God has already prepared Saul - who is coming and what they will do. 2. Saul saw Ananias coming and restoring his sight.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ANANIAS ANSWERED, " LORD, I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY ABOUT THIS MAN, HOW MUCH HARM HE HAS DONE TO YOUR SAINTS IN JERUSALEM. 1. Saul now has a reputation - persecutor of Christians. 2. He has done much harm to the church and to the saints in Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HERE HE HAS AUTHORITY FROM THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BIND ALL WHO CALL ON YOUR NAME. " 1. His mission in Damascus was already known. Ananias knew that Saul was coming and what his purpose was. 2. He will arrest anyone who calls on the name of Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. 1. He is a chosen vessel - Jesus has a special task for Saul. There is a purpose to this conversion. There is more here than just another person being converted. 2.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I WILL SHOW HIM HOW MANY THINGS HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAME ' S SAKE. " 1. He caused suffering among the saints. 2. He will endure much suffering in the name of Jesus. 3. I do not believe this suffering was a "punishment" for his past. I was a fact that Christians were being persecuted. Conver... [ Continue Reading ]
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. " 1. Ananias obeyed. He went to the right house. He found... [ Continue Reading ]
IMMEDIATELY THERE FELL FROM HIS EYES _SOMETHING_ LIKE SCALES, AND HE RECEIVED HIS SIGHT AT ONCE; AND HE AROSE AND WAS BAPTIZED. 1. His physical eyes were opened. 2. His spiritual eyes have also been opened. 3. He was baptized. Why? We learn in Acts 22:16 that Ananias commanded him to arise and be... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WHEN HE HAD RECEIVED FOOD, HE WAS STRENGTHENED. THEN SAUL SPENT SOME DAYS WITH THE DISCIPLES AT DAMASCUS. 1. The fast was over. Saul was ready to eat, gain his strength. 2. Saul stayed in Damascus - not to persecute Christians, but to associate with them.... [ Continue Reading ]
IMMEDIATELY HE PREACHED THE CHRIST IN THE SYNAGOGUES, THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD. 1. Immediately - No delay. There was no waiting. The change was complete. 2. Saul was now a Christian - and he was ready to defend what he once persecuted. 3. Saul preached that Jesus is the Messiah. He preached firs... [ Continue Reading ]
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? " 1. The news spread rapidly. Just as news of his coming to persecute had preceded his arr... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT SAUL INCREASED ALL THE MORE IN STRENGTH, AND CONFOUNDED THE JEWS WHO DWELT IN DAMASCUS, PROVING THAT THIS _JESUS_ IS THE CHRIST. 1. Saul worked hard to prove his conversion was genuine. 2. He confounded the Jews in Damascus. 3. He quoted Old Testament passages to "prove" that Jesus is the Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW AFTER MANY DAYS WERE PAST, THE JEWS PLOTTED TO KILL HIM. 1. Now the table is turned. Now the the Jews were ready to kill Saul. A few weeks ago Saul was their hero. Now he was the villain. 2. They plotted to kill him.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEIR PLOT BECAME KNOWN TO SAUL. AND THEY WATCHED THE GATES DAY AND NIGHT, TO KILL HIM. 1. Some how the plot was exposed. Saul learned of the plan. 2. There were Jews watching all the gates of the city, day and night. 3. They would know when he tried to leave town and could ambush him.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE DISCIPLES TOOK HIM BY NIGHT AND LET _HIM_ DOWN THROUGH THE WALL IN A LARGE BASKET. 1. In a basket - A large basket to carry light food - bread. It was a large, strong basket. 2. This method of escape was used in the past. Rahab let the spies escape in a basket. Joshua 2:15 3. David escap... [ Continue Reading ]
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. 1. Saul returned to Jerusalem. 2. He tried to "join" the disciples. 1. It is true that you can not "join" the church. The Lord adds the saved to it. Ac... [ Continue Reading ]
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. 1. Barnabas, the "Son of Encouragment", steps up. He steps in to defend Saul and urg... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE WAS WITH THEM AT JERUSALEM, COMING IN AND GOING OUT. 1. Saul was accepted into the fellowship of the Jerusalem church. 2. He was with them. He was one of them. 3. He had "joined" the disciples at Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SPOKE BOLDLY IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND DISPUTED AGAINST THE HELLENISTS, BUT THEY ATTEMPTED TO KILL HIM. 1. Bold = to speak with assurance, confidence; to speak freely 2. He preached that Jesus is Lord. 3. He disputed with the Hellenists (Jews who spoke Greek) 4. These were perhaps... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE BRETHREN FOUND OUT, THEY BROUGHT HIM DOWN TO CAESAREA AND SENT HIM OUT TO TARSUS. 1. The brethren protected Saul. They got him out of town, sent him to Caesarea. 2. From there he went back to his hometown - Tarsus. 3. Paul confirms this in Galatians 1:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. 1. God expects the church (Christians) to work. But sometimes, after a period of stress and persecution - just ta... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW IT CAME TO PASS, AS PETER WENT THROUGH ALL _PARTS OF THE COUNTRY,_ THAT HE ALSO CAME DOWN TO THE SAINTS WHO DWELT IN LYDDA. 1. Peter begins traveling. Remember the apostles did not leave Jerusalem when Saul was persecuting the church. (Acts 8:1) 2. Lydda is a town 9 miles from Joppa, west of J... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE HE FOUND A CERTAIN MAN NAMED AENEAS, WHO HAD BEEN BEDRIDDEN EIGHT YEARS AND WAS PARALYZED. 1. While visiting the Christians at Lydda, Peter learns of a paralyzed man. 2. He was a "shut in" for 8 years.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND PETER SAID TO HIM, " AENEAS, JESUS THE CHRIST HEALS YOU. ARISE AND MAKE YOUR BED. " THEN HE AROSE IMMEDIATELY. 1. Aeneas - Jesus will heal you. 2. Think about it. If you have been paralyzed for 8 years, you know that you can't just "get up and make your bed." 3. Would you argue? Explain that... [ Continue Reading ]
SO ALL WHO DWELT AT LYDDA AND SHARON SAW HIM AND TURNED TO THE LORD. 1. All in the area of Lydda, and the next town of Sharon - saw the miracle. 2. The turned to the Lord. Like in Acts 8:1-40 - they saw the miracle and believed the message.... [ Continue Reading ]
AT JOPPA THERE WAS A CERTAIN DISCIPLE NAMED TABITHA, WHICH IS TRANSLATED DORCAS. THIS WOMAN WAS FULL OF GOOD WORKS AND CHARITABLE DEEDS WHICH SHE DID. 1. The scene now shifts to Joppa, and finds a disciple, Tabitha. 2. Acts 9:1-43 is also the first time that the term " DISCIPLE " is used to apply... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IT HAPPENED IN THOSE DAYS THAT SHE BECAME SICK AND DIED. WHEN THEY HAD WASHED HER, THEY LAID _HER_ IN AN UPPER ROOM. 1. We do not know the cause, but she became sick, and in a short time had died. 2. Her body was washed, prepared for burial, and laid in an upper room. Remember that upper rooms... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SINCE LYDDA WAS NEAR JOPPA, AND THE DISCIPLES HAD HEARD THAT PETER WAS THERE, THEY SENT TWO MEN TO HIM, IMPLORING _HIM_ NOT TO DELAY IN COMING TO THEM. 1. Since Peter is near, they sent messengers to bring him to Joppa. 2. Imploring him - More than just ask, this is a stronger term, beg, besee... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN PETER AROSE AND WENT WITH THEM. WHEN HE HAD COME, THEY BROUGHT _HIM_ TO THE UPPER ROOM. AND ALL THE WIDOWS STOOD BY HIM WEEPING, SHOWING THE TUNICS AND GARMENTS WHICH DORCAS HAD MADE WHILE SHE WAS WITH THEM. 1. Peter honored their request. He came to the upper room. 2. Many widows were weepin... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT PETER PUT THEM ALL OUT, AND KNELT DOWN AND PRAYED. AND TURNING TO THE BODY HE SAID, " TABITHA, ARISE. " AND SHE OPENED HER EYES, AND WHEN SHE SAW PETER SHE SAT UP. 1. Clearly, she was dead. They had prepared the body for burial. They were weeping. They were remembering the wonderful life and ex... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HE GAVE HER _HIS_ HAND AND LIFTED HER UP; AND WHEN HE HAD CALLED THE SAINTS AND WIDOWS, HE PRESENTED HER ALIVE. 1. Peter introduces himself. Then he calls the saints and widows. 2. He presents her alive.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT BECAME KNOWN THROUGHOUT ALL JOPPA, AND MANY BELIEVED ON THE LORD. 1. The miracle became known - and many believed on the Lord. 2. Again - they saw (or heard about) the miracle and believed in Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO IT WAS THAT HE STAYED MANY DAYS IN JOPPA WITH SIMON, A TANNER. 1. Peter remains now with the saints in Joppa. 2. He stays with a leather tanner, named Simon. 3. NOTE : Simon (Hebrew) and Peter (Greek) are the same word for the same name. Peter is staying with Simon.... [ Continue Reading ]