why was ananias afraid of helping saul why was ananias afraid of helping saul

The church sent him on his way to Tarsus by way of Caesarea. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. All of these should be expected and can be rather easily explained. 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one.g Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. also Isaiah 64:6). The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world (John 1:4-5, 7-9). It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers. Both are call stories. Unexpected and mysterious ELW 258 All are welcome ELW 641, Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16). The risen Lord selected Saul out of the group with which he was traveling to hear, to see Him, and to understand His words. The towns of Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa were populated by both Jews and Gentiles and their Christian communities may well have been mixed. Their attempt to deceive the apostles was an attempt to deceive God putting the Spirit of the Lord to the test (v. 9) and they paid the price! God then used this man to further His purposes in launching the career of the most influential of the apostles. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. Jesus was alive and not still in the grave! Let us be careful to discern what changes the gospel requires and what changes it does not. WebAnanias, I am sure. 1. Who was Ananias that help Saul in the Bible to regain his sight. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. More than that, he had a deep dislike and hostility toward Christians before his conversion. Salvation may occur in a large group, such as those saved at the preaching of Peter at Pentecost, but each individual was saved because of a personal encounter with Christ. All of this account describes the two complementary divine visions which Ananias and Saul received. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? Paul would make much more of this point in the first chapter of Galatians. At least we can say that no one had enough faith to believe it, even as Peter stood at the door, knocking to get in (12:12-17). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was taught by none other than Gamaliel, But beyond this, his conversion totally changed the remainder of his life. 27Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. 133 I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, reprint, 1987), p. 173. For it was the Fathers good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (Colossians 1:13-19). Who told Saul to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street? And laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. 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 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. Julius Caesar confirmed those rights and privileges anew to the Jewish nation (although Judaea was no longer a sovereign state), and more particularly to the high-priesthood. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), pp. He should not become uncircumcised. * I see a man who is confident, aggressive, and zealous, rather than a man troubled by inner doubts. There he was transfigured before them. When Paul spoke of his conversion here in Galatians 1, he did not speak of the light which shone without, but rather of the light which shone within. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for, And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting, he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before, I will show him how many things he must suffer for My. For you are our glory and joy (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). Saul Preaches in Damascus. It was almost as though Saul had looked intently into the beam of an intensely powerful carbon-act light, the kind used as search lights. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. 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. He didnt know that the risen Christ had confronted Saul on the road to Damascus just as Christ is now confronting him This sets up a flashback to verses 1-9. In the process, Saul was to greatly extend the outreach of the gospel to the Gentiles. Granted, his experience is unique and dramatic. As he himself understood the heavenly voice which said to him at his baptism, You are my Son (Mark 1:11 par. The common characteristics of conversion are those on which I would like to focus in the conversion of Saul. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord. 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. 21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord. Let us not fail to respect the individuality of the conversion experience and to deal with people in the light of their individuality. To establish the congregations identity with Ananias, the preacher might want to begin in the middle of the passage which actually looks back to Acts 8:1-3 (and 9:1). 26o When he arrived in Jerusalem* he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. The expansion is three-fold: (1) The expansion from Christ, to His apostles, to His church, (2) The geographical expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. 24 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to (1 Corinthians 7:15, 17-22, 24).154. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. He had heard of all the terrible things Saul had done to Christians in Jerusalem and how it was his intent to do the same in Damascus, Ananias town. 6:17; Phil. He has sovereignly chosen to use people to lead people to salvation, Spirit baptism, deliverance, and healing. Did he still not realize who the Lord was? 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. For the time being, God is using the disobedience of Israel to accomplish His purposes, but there is surely a time coming when Israel will be restored to the Lord, by faith in Christ. 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). 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching. The apostles had nothing to do with Sauls conversion, and they were reluctant to believe it had happened or to welcome him into their fellowship. 00:00. Amen (1 Timothy 6:16). It would seem not to be there on the road to Damascus. (12) The same Saul who played a role in Stephens execution was to become, in large measure, his replacement. 15 These, then, are the things you should teach. 3 Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? Though I have fallen, I will rise. 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. 136 E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Wm. Christianity was described as putting off the old and putting on the new (Colossians 3). We know that the salvation of men rests ultimately with God and not with usand not even with the one whom we wish to see saved. Ananias Get up and go to the street called Straight, to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. If Luke had any ax to grind on this issue, here would have been a great place to stress this matter, but he did not do so. During his conversion By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. But the gospel is good news for sinners. For now, he was told to proceed on to Damascus, where he would be given his next instructions.144 His blindness certainly gave Saul the opportunity to dwell on these events. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead (Isaiah 59:10). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light (Matthew 17:2). This divine illumination is that miracle which God performs within a lost, blinded, dead soul, so as to bring about salvation: 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Saul had been granted permission by the high priest to arrest any man or woman in Damascus who were Christians. There is a great deal of information we are not given, and thus we cannot be dogmatic about our conclusions. To Paul, his relationship, by faith, to Jesus Christ was also the beginning of his new relationship to the body of Christ, the church: Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christs afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. The remaining verses of this account describe the results of Sauls conversion, all of which serve as dramatic proof of his radical transformation as a result of his encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. Did they send for Saul? The pastor advised him to pray for the person every day for two weeks pray for the person not about the person. (1 Corinthians 9:1). (Acts 9:11)? B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photolithoprinted}, 1966), p. 91. 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. He knew what Saul had done to the church in Jerusalem. It is no wonder then that this one who was Sauls all in all would be the focus, the substance, of the gospel which he preached: But we preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). 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. 5 Why did Ananias and Sapphira lie to God? 150 It is interesting to ponder the identity of these disciples of Saul. WebSaul had come to Damascus with letters from the authorities in Jerusalem to find followers of Jesus and arrest them. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. 35And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. and the other is a deceptive, self-serving half-truth from people interested He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:4-11). Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped (Isaiah 35:5). About three hours later, Sapphira arrived. Why did Ananias have to overcome his fear? required neighboring states to grant it the privileges of a sovereign state, including the right of extradition. (Acts 9:17) and that Saul was to "be filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17). No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the 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. Damascus, a city some 150 miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, was one such city. Ananias not only When Ananias While I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9:5). 4. And they will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5). WebAnanias placed his hands upon Saul who received the Holy Spirit and the restoration of his sight. Pauls hatred for Christ and His followers was common knowledge. 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. 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 2. 151 The doctrine of total depravity is that every person, every man, woman, and child, has been affected (infected?) There is surely a connection between Saul and persecution, and Saul and peace. The call to salvation is also the call to a life of holiness and obedience. 9. If Ananias and Sapphira were born again believers and God judged them for their sin, it means that even though Jesus was judged for sin, God still judged them for their sin. Leave them; they are blind guides. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. 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. This man who had formerly cringed at the preaching of the gospel148 was now proclaiming the same message. Some of the Hellenistic Jews responded to the preaching of Saul as they had to Stephens preaching; they wanted to kill him (9:29). What is wrong with Ananias response to the Lord? 142 His companions therefore took him by the hand and led him through the gate of Damascus to the place where, presumably, arrangements had been made for him to stay. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 185. Those who call upon your name echoes 2:21 (Joel 2:32) and recurs in 22:16 in a command to Paul himself to be baptized . (5) Sauls salvation was an act of divine grace. The first is to ask the congregation to identify with Saul himself. (3) Sauls conversion experience was quick and dramatic in one sense, but it also involved a process, a process of at least three days.135. Preachers can narrate verses 10-14, and then basically say, You see, Ananias didnt know what had just happened. Conybeare and Howson {The Life and Times of Saint Paul, p. 77 (sic punct.)} The men who traveled with Saul were frightened and confused. Paul was overwhelmed by a flash of heavenly light. With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith (2 Thessalonians 1:11). No one could fault the reluctance of Ananias. 9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. I can believe someone might have prayed that Saul be waylaid, or terminated, in some divine act or providential accident (act of God). He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus followers What did Ananias's do to heal Paul's eyes? There will be no more night. 39So Peter got up and went with them. I was inclined to think that most of us, experientially, are called to faith in Christ only to gradually learn Gods will for our life, progressively revealed to us as we walk in Him. Used by permission. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. It's still there and you can still see the evidence of the colonnades (click "how many things he must suffer for Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. He who had wanted to kill these saints now wanted to fellowship with them. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. 17 And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened. The first words of the Lord Jesus to Saul were intended to teach him the inseparable unity between Christ and His church. I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? During the subsequent Roman rule, the Ananias had to overcome his fear so that Saul would be overcome by grace. what occupation he was (possibly a businessman). 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). He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, called for him to be slapped. Ananias is not the last believer who has seen fit to keep God up to date (The Storytellers Companion to the Bible: The Acts of the Apostles). Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. One thing was certain; no matter how much time had passed, the apostles were not yet convinced of Sauls conversion. Hear, you deaf! A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments (Lamentations 4:14). He was a man of great respect and influence, and thus he realized that his actions would have broad ramifications. This happened to Ananias of Damascus when he ministered to Saul of Tarsus. The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 1:11--2:10; Philippians 3:1-14; Colossians 1:24-29; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; 6:13-16; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Titus 2:11-15; 3:1-7. What happened when Ananias anointed Saul? The answer is: Jesus. Perhaps so, but I am not as confident of this as I once was. And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14). Ironically, Ananias could have become one of Sauls targets of persecution for following the Lord Jesus. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. It is also bad news for the self-righteous. With the help of a priest who knew his parents he was allowed to attend religious school. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? 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. Grace is also the source and the standard for our service: Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person (Colossians 4:6). But why would they be called his disciples? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. And yet, even in opposing God, he furthered Gods purposes; he was instrumental in the evangelization of the Gentiles (Acts 8:1, 4; 11:19-21). Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. It may well be a call to live transformed lives in the same circumstances in which we were found. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. 20 The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord. He sought to preach Christ in simplicity and not in a way that would detract from Him. There is no more appropriate conclusion to our message than the words of the apostle Paul, which immediately follow those above, and which aptly express the response of the Christian to the wisdom, the grace, and the sovereignty of the God who has saved us, and who works all things together for His glory and for the good of His chosen ones: Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 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. When we look at Pauls great love and compassion for the saints, we have to remind ourselves of the hate he once had toward them. At first, I thought this was unique with Saul. Nothing is more evident in the account of Sauls conversion than his radical reversal. The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 60:3). 16For (I)I will show him how many things he must suffer for My (J)names sake.. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). 22But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. When her lie had been exposed, she also fell down and died at Peters feet. He should not be circumcised. He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. Few Christians will encounter the risen, glorified Lord as Saul did here. 1 What happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a result of lying to God? (10) Sauls encounter with Christ was not only a conversion, but it was also a call to a very specific ministry. 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. In Peters words, Ananias and Sapphira agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord(v9), which appears to be a terrible sin in the eyes of God, so terrible that it even warranted having the couple killed on the spot, without even being given the chance to confess and repent. Third, these discrepancies may well have been evident to the writers, who did not see fit to remove or explain every problem. 28He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. 1* Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,a went to the high priestb Now that the Lord had identified Himself as Jesus, Saul recognized that he was the sinner. (9) On the road to Damascus, Saul did far more than to see a bright light and to hear a voice from heaven. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. The "Straight Street" or Via Recta in Latin, was a straight He realized that it was nothing which he had donenor ever would dobut only by what Jesus Christ had done that saved him. Why this swift act of judgment? Before he reached Damascus a light flashed in front of Saul that was so bright he fell down on the ground. If the worst sinner (Saul) was not too sinful to save, then you are not too sinful for God to save. 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 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. Saul, why do you persecute me? Think about what happened as a result of this man overcoming his fear and obeying God. It is not a transition, but a transformation. Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. WebActs 9:10-18 Ananias. The first thing we shall do is to make some observations on the passage as a whole to attempt to see the forest before we scrutinize the trees. 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. 148 I would assume that Saul was one of those who covered his ears so as not to hear the praise of Stephen, as reported in Acts 7:57. * She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. That is all we know about Ananias - the small but essential part he played at the start of Paul's pilgrimage of faith. It was bright enough to bring about a period of blindness. I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. 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. Linking is encouraged, but content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed including, but not limited to such means as framing or other digital copying and/or distribution method, in whole or in part without the publisher's written consent. In Hellenistic times it was completely replanned on the Hippodamian grid-system. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18). The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. The importance of Sauls conversion can hardly be overestimated. The call of salvation is a call to change. As applied to our Lord, then, the title `Son of God marks him out as the true representative of the Israel of God and as Gods anointed king; but it is no merely official title. Or did they somewhat dread his arrival, knowing how zealous he was in his opposition to the church. It says nothing about him receiving the Holy Spirit. And look, you blind, that you may see. In this chapter we have, I. 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. God changed him from being a man who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and a persecutor of the Christians into a bold missionary who preached the Gospel wherever he went. What do Ananias actions, when asked in the passage to heal Saul, suggest about his feelings toward him? Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. And they were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.