40Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. We know nothing of Ananias beyond this story in the shadows. Ananias and Saul: Faith over Fear - livingwithfaith.org Web'And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2. 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. The same grace which was shown to Saul in his salvation is shown to all whom God calls to Himself: 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. Devotion Saul I am not at all sure how this can be determined from the text. We know from other accounts (22:6; 26:13) that it was high noon when Saul was stopped in his tracks by a bright light from heaven. When I look through the Gospels and the Book of Acts, I never find the gospel presented in the same way to different people. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! here - view only). Israel was also blind, and Pauls blindness was but a specific example of this blindness: The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. Were these people as eager as Saul to destroy the church? To whom did the Lord communicate "in a vision"? For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him. WebWe can understand why Ananias would be afraid of Saul. 10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. The ananias anointing | Church Page | murrayledger.com What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? Introduction. Present active participle of sunbubazo, old verb to make go together, to coalesce, to knit together. Jesus was alive and not still in the grave! The towns of Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa were populated by both Jews and Gentiles and their Christian communities may well have been mixed. Why do you think the street was named "Straight" 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). The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. 10 i There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. He answered, Here I am, Lord. 11 The Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of One is the truth from God Himself, ,%d/3o3o6jda=|4S-LJ3ajLcNfZyV;CkCl>390q {KQ0lQ)0>~cy:CJkP|4M-\v Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? Webb Ananias was successful because he trusted Jesus and he viewed Saul as his brother. Pauls hatred for Christ and His followers was common knowledge. Saul asked.I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, he replied. ), Acts 7:59; 9:2, 21; 1 Cor. With the help of a priest who knew his parents he was allowed to attend religious school. Second, the gospel should be proclaimed in a way that is personal. 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. (5) Sauls salvation was an act of divine grace. Saul got help, though, from a man named Barnabas. 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. What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? * [9:43] The fact that Peter lodged with a tanner would have been significant to both the Gentile and Jewish Christians, for Judaism considered the tanning occupation unclean. 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. This Paul knew and testified to. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. He spoke of it as the movement from darkness to light (Colossians 1:12-13; Ephesians 4:8-14) in which the new believer should now walk. Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. During the subsequent Roman rule, the Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? the Romans . 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. Paul Receive the Holy Spirit by the Laying The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is difficult. 6 What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? Impatient men forget that God is not bound by time. The Church at Peace. Israels watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep (Isaiah 43:8-10). 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 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time. And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. It was the most powerful piece of artillery in the Jewish camp that was suddenly turned round upon them. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 123. Sermon Seeds: The Way Forward - United Church of Christ * [9:1930] This is a brief resume of Pauls initial experience as an apostolic preacher. Acts 9:10-19 Acts 22:12-16 - Webflow It was bright enough to bring about a period of blindness. 30And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.p. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. How can this message of suffering for Jesus' name in The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? And look, you blind, that you may see. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The risen Lord selected Saul out of the group with which he was traveling to hear, to see Him, and to understand His words. 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. Ironically, Ananias could have become one of Sauls targets of persecution for following the Lord Jesus. Sauls vision prepared him for the arrival of Ananias, clearly indicating that he was the one God had appointed to reveal His will for him. 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. At first Ananias was afraid because he knew how Saul persecuted the Christians, but the Lord said that Saul had a special ministry he must fulfill. It is the invitation for sinful Israelites to be saved, by repenting and calling on the name of the Lord for salvation: Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 23:16-17, 19, 24; 23:26). Damascus was an important town, about 150 miles (242 km) from Jerusalem, with a considerable Jewish population. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. The ultimate issue was Gods ability to saveeven the most committed unbeliever. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:24-27). If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14; cf. 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. * [9:26] This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18. 19So when he had received food, he was strengthened. In spite of the clear and present danger, Ananias went and began to look for the Christian hunter Saul. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. Perhaps Ananias called a meeting of the church to discuss how they would deal with Sauls arrival. ACTS 9:27 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. Did Peter and Paul meet? Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was helpful to the Lord. With the help of Ananias, he was transformed into a follower of Jesus and became one of the most well-known evangelists ever. And Jesus took the persecution of Christians very personally. The Essene community at Qumran used the same designation to describe its mode of life. . The New International Version What Paul learned about himself, personally, on the road to Damascus he came to understand and to preach concerning all men. (9) Finally, I believe that Lukes portrayal of Sauls salvation is typical of that of the nation Israel, which is still future. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands onq him to restore his sight.. Rather than attempt to pacify Ananias or to alleviate his apprehension, God went on to tell him that Saul would not only be a brother, but he would be His instrument for bringing the gospel to Gentiles too. 180-181. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. sOGOSapQ3[y~@9W It was only with the exit of Saul from the Holy Land, back to his native land (Tarsus), that peace once again returned. Christian ministry be reconciled with the wealth and prosperity that Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. Enough revelation for the moment. They could not prove him wrong from the Scriptures. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, Ananias fulfills his task: He laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain WebAnd Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, Hd7/`l@TM0h#`C2 +u-AsQ3j++&?Fu7_[1_?a^J> It is not just in the Book of Acts that the importance of Sauls conversion is evident. * [9:29] Hellenists: see note on Acts 6:17. 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. He started to KNOW GRACE! Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. He did not say that God revealed his Son to him, but that He revealed His Son in him. What are 3 long term physical effects of tobacco use? Saul went to other cities where he sought to arrest Christians and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16). Then a voice said to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?, Saul asked the voice, Who are you, sir?, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 2 What was the decision of Ananias and Sapphira? Acts 9:10-19 NKJV - Ananias Baptizes Saul - Bible Gateway Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. Some of the Hellenistic Jews responded to the preaching of Saul as they had to Stephens preaching; they wanted to kill him (9:29). The light was the light of His glory. Saul, as it were, saw the light, but in addition, he was to become a light, a light to the Gentiles, as well as to his own people. Ananias who was 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. * [9:3143] In the context of the period of peace enjoyed by the community through the cessation of Pauls activities against it, Luke introduces two traditions concerning the miraculous power exercised by Peter as he was making a tour of places where the Christian message had already been preached. also Romans 1:1-7, 13-17; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:3-11; cf. Web3. It was his preaching that resulted in the conversion of many Gentiles, and it was his writing (his epistles) to these saints which greatly strengthened them in their faith. Then you hear the Lord telling you to minister to that person. WebActs 9:1. 43* r And he stayed a long time in Joppa with Simon, a tanner. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. There are no exceptions in this all of Romans 3:23, as Paul indicated in these Old Testament words, cited just before: THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE (Romans 3:10b-12). 135 There are those who describe Saul as a tormented man after the stoning of Stephen. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. Verses 1 and 2 vividly depict Sauls intent, his intense desire and determination to rid the world of Christianity by taking active, aggressive, severe action against those saints who had fled from Jerusalem. Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. He should not become uncircumcised. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul,why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. At midday you will grope about like a blind man in the dark. 5He said, Who are you, sir? The reply came, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.e (1) There is considerable emphasis given to Sauls conversion in the Book of Acts. east-west thoroughfare through Damascus built by the Greeks after the city 39So Peter got up and went with them. 2, called him Ananias ben Nebedeus. Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you (Isaiah 60:1). Pauls conversion is one of the great stories of the early church, and it has rightfully inspired Christians from every generation. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it (Revelation 21:23-24). What a shock these words must have been to Saul, who up to this point, seems to have prided himself for his faithfulness to Judaism! the light and blind passages above). 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? Choose from news (Monday), leisure (Thursday) or worship (Saturday) or get all three! Have you had such an encounter? Unexpected and mysterious ELW 258 All are welcome ELW 641, Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics. At first he found himself in the position of being regarded as an apostate by the Jews and suspect by the Christian community of Jerusalem. 1:1; 1 Cor. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children (1 Thessalonians 2:7). He spoke of salvation as dying to the old manner of living and as rising from the dead in order to live an entirely new life (Romans 6). (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 139 A. T. Robertson writes, It is open to question if kurie should not here be translated Sir as in 16:30 and in Matt. God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for hypocrisy While their penalties seem extreme to us today, God judged them guilty of sins so serious that they threatened the very existence of the early church. Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? Salvation is a revolution, not an evolution. 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). Jesus was LORD and not a false prophet! Barnabas, one of the Christians, assured them Sauls faith was genuine. Now this would have been a very bitter pill to swallow for many Jewish Christians. Q 3 He said: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness (John 12:46). 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. Web3. The Conversion of Saul WebSaul had come to Damascus with letters from the authorities in Jerusalem to find followers of Jesus and arrest them. It is no wonder that a fair amount of the text is devoted to a description of Sauls attempt to associate with the local church, first at Damascus, and then in Jerusalem. 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. also 16:17; 18:25-26). Sauls world of self-trust was now at an end and prayer was helping him see that. No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the One who spoke to him was Jesus of Nazareth, the long-looked-for Messiah, the Consolation and Redeemer of Israel. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). The couple wanted to appear as outstanding church members, but they didnt want to part with their possessions. Or could it be that these disciples of Saul were Sauls disciples before his conversion, who accompanied him as he sought to capture Christians. What a terrible revelation this isthat all are sinners, even the best, the most religious, the most righteous! As at Damascus, Saul eventually had to leave the city of Jerusalem to save his life. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight (Acts 9:10-12). At first, I thought this was unique with Saul. The first question which must be asked with regard to the interpretation of this text is this: What is the meaning of this text in the context of the whole book? Luke has included this account of Sauls conversion in order to contribute to the argument which he is seeking to develop.
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