why was ananias afraid of helping saul
. Would the church not have undertaken the task of discipling these folks? 28, p. 185. 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). WebWe do not know whether Ananias already had previous experience miracles of healing, but the Lord was instructing him to interview the notorious Pharisee Saul, who fiercely persecuted Christians, and to heal his blindness. 00:00. Pauls language in Acts 26:11 seems to mean that Damascus is merely one of other `foreign cities to which he carried the persecution. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 114. Damascus, a city some 150 miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, was one such city. 132 The impact of Sauls conversion on his message and his ministry is testified to by A. T. Robertson: Luke evidently attached great importance to the story of Sauls conversion as the turning point not simply in the career of the man, but an epoch in the history of apostolic Christianity. It was time for Saul to ponder what he had seen and heard. (6) Little emphasis is placed on Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit, and nothing is said about what happened as Saul received the Spirit. 116-117. All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Let us avoid cookie cutter conversions.. The Lord Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. The first words of the Lord Jesus to Saul were intended to teach him the inseparable unity between Christ and His church. Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? Unless otherwise noted, all material copyright 2023, Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast (Galatians 2:8-9). 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. What a shock Sauls conversion must have been to both groups! Continue Learning about Religious Studies. There are two primary options for preaching from this text. Saul was not aware, until after our Lords words, that the One who had interrupted his journey was Jesus, and that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah, the LORD, but he was certain, at this point, that whoever this One was, He was the LORD. What is remarkable about the Lord's directions to Ananias? The Lord seeks and saves individuals, and thus our methods should be personal. 24n but their plot became known to Saul. 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. The account of Ananias and Saul is found in Acts chapter At this point, the conversion of the hero of the Gentile mission is recounted. 87-89), plays out the two views of Sauls conversion, the first (and seldom held the view of Ramsay), that Saul was suddenly and radically converted; second, that there was a considerable process involved. Thus, persecuting the church was persecuting Jesus Christ. It was as the Son of God that Christ was revealed to him on the Damascus road (Gal. WebSauls Baptism. Trembling and astonished, he inquired, Thus, whenever he spoke of his conversion and his call to ministry, he always spoke of this incident as an act of divine grace, of Gods unmerited favor, of an act of mercy toward him: I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:15-16). 23After a long time had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, He was a man of great respect and influence, and thus he realized that his actions would have broad ramifications. 18Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Here is a graphic illustration of what true repentance isit is a turning about, beginning with ones belief and bearing fruit in ones conduct. We can learn more about his life in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and we can still read some of the letters he wrote that have been collected into the Bible, such as Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. The common characteristics of conversion are those on which I would like to focus in the conversion of Saul. There are affinities between his conversion experience and Ezekiels inaugural vision, in which the prophet saw the likeness of the heavenly throne and above it a likeness as it were of a human form (Ezek. But why would they be called his disciples? We know nothing of Ananias beyond this story in the shadows. It was, of course, Ananias who instructed Saul to be baptized, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). to go lay hands on Saul (soon to be known as Paul) and restore his Suppose you were a Christian who had just arrived in Damascus, and you had been able to learn the whereabouts of a group of believers. (Acts 9:11)? That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. i3&K>Kpg After this, Saul broke his fast and was strengthened. He summed up life in this one word: For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). 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. And notice one more detail about the way in which Ananias did this. Sauls conversion was a miracle, short and simple, but not so much the result of the external miracle of the bright light and the voice of the Lord as the internal transformation and illumination which God wrought: 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man (Galatians 1:15-16). The words and actions of Ananias are an evidence of his faith and obedience to the divine commission he was given, as outlined by Luke in the verses above. 16and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name. And having escaped from Damascus in a basket, most likely alone, he probably returned to Jerusalem alone, without a witness who could corroborate his claims. 6 For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4, 6). 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, Please come to us without delay. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world (John 1:4-5, 7-9). Even if he were not one of these men, he would surely have hated to hear the gospel. Christian ministry be reconciled with the wealth and prosperity that And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, Chapter 9. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. Were they some of those converted to Christ through his preaching? 21:29 (30); John 5:7; 12:21; 20:15; and should be so in John 9:36. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. But these laws, which seek to summarize the gospel in a concise way, should always be applied individually. Let us be careful to discern what changes the gospel requires and what changes it does not. 1 What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? . I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 171. Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? Under the influence of this experience he gradually developed his understanding of justification by faith (see the letters to the Galatians and Romans) and of the identification of the Christian community with Jesus Christ (see 1Cor 12:27). Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you (Isaiah 60:1). I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. Charles Spurgeon once wrote: Prayer is the autograph of the Holy Spirit upon the renewed heart. God was sealing Saul to Himself. Hear, you deaf! 15:10; Gal. Ananias Here, Saul was only told that it was Jesus whom he saw, who was speaking to him, and whom he was persecuting. 3. Shortly afterwards, the Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias, asking him to go to Saul, place his hands on him, and restore his sight. 1 What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? 29He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,* but they tried to kill him. 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). No one, it would seem, was even thinking of what God was about to do. many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus? Theologically, we know this as the doctrine of mans total depravity.151 Paul surely believed that it was essential for men to begin with the understanding of their own sin, for in his Epistle to the Romans, he took the first two and one-half chapters to prove that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). * 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one.g Sauls Conversion. Sermons about Ananias And Saul - SermonCentral.com 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. Who does the voice of Vanessa on Phineas and Ferb? Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lords wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. Devotion Saul The words which Ananias spoke to Saul indicate he was also to lay hands on him so that he would receive the Holy Spirit (9:17). ANANIAS - Who Are The Three Ananias In The Bible? The longer I study Sauls conversion, the more convinced I am that his conversion is typical. 1:4). F. F. Bruce, p. 190. My names sake". 6Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.f His conversion was by far the most vital influence in Pauls life. 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. FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? The voice from heaven did not call out, Have you ever heard of the four spiritual laws?152 Ananias was sent to Saul only. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 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. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. How much better to petition God to save those whom we are concerned about, a God who desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Like Stephen, Saul seemed to gravitate toward preaching to the Hellenistic Jews (9:29). Why do you think the street was named "Straight" 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. They could only kill him, and this they were determined to do (9:23). Copyright 2023 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. All rights reserved. The first is this: every saved person must have a personal conversion experience. (2) While there is considerable emphasis on the conversion of Saul, there is very little detail given as to the precise time or the details of Sauls conversion. Acts 9:10-19 Acts 22:12-16 - Webflow Lesson: Saul Believes in Jesus - Ministry-To-Children The conversion of Saul is a very crucial event in this book, which spells out from a historical point of view (Romans, from a theological viewpoint) the relationship of Jews and Gentiles in the plans and purposes of God. Ananias was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Damascus and was helpful to the Lord. This three-fold repetition is a clear indication of the importance of this event, especially in the themes Luke is seeking to develop in the Book of Acts. And Jesus took the persecution of Christians very personally. When Saul looked at the disciples of The Way (Jesus disciples) all he saw was a heretical sect that was a threat to the nation of Israel and Gods Law. Also, The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The LORD identified Himself as the Jesus, whom he had been persecuting. Saul, in my opinion, is portrayed by Luke as the first-fruits of these promises. Then Jesus told them, You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Blindness, not willing to see, not willing to understand is all too common but Ananias cured Saul blindness by a touch. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. What if They'd Said No Shortly afterwards, the Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias, asking him to go to Saul, place his hands on him, and restore his sight. What is wrong with Ananias response to the Lord? That is all we know about Ananias - the small but essential part he played at the start of Paul's pilgrimage of faith. 134 Blaiklock comes to this conclusion concerning the time of Sauls conversion: Probably the earliest acceptable date for the conversion on the Damascus road is AD 33. 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.
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