why was ananias afraid of helping saul

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). 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. We are simply told that the message itself was proclaimed powerfully and that people were amazed at the message and its miraculous impact on Sauls own conduct. What is the meaning of Sapphira in the Bible? Ananias found 6:17; Phil. 28He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. The words, Brother Saul must not have come easily to Ananias. Here, Saul was only told that it was Jesus whom he saw, who was speaking to him, and whom he was persecuting. It is here in Acts, for the first time, that Saul is called Paul. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He should not become uncircumcised. During the subsequent Roman rule, the 1:16f. When the plot became known to Saul, he made a successful, albeit undignified, escape from the city of Damascus. This happened to Ananias of Damascus when he ministered to Saul of Tarsus. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Start FREE. Pauls opposition resulted in the scattering of the Christians from Jerusalem, thus taking the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and beyond (Acts 8:1; 11:19-21). 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. It is evident in the way he was saved. . 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. 1. . He did not say that God revealed his Son to him, but that He revealed His Son in him. 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 And be thankful (Colossians 3:15). 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). Saul, like Stephen, had a ministry which focused on the Hellenistic Jews. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Enough revelation for the moment. 37Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid [her] out in a room upstairs. Web3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. This expression, calling on the name of the Lord seems to be one used consistently in the Old Testament. How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Some were amazed, taking note of the dramatic turn-about in Sauls faith and practice (9:21). s Purpose In Sending Ananias To Saul Why did Saint Paul change his Who has saved us and called us to a holy lifenot because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 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). So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow-citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22). . helpful to the Lord. NKJV, Ancient-Modern Bible, Comfort Print: One faith. A letter delivered at that time by a Roman ambassador to Ptolemy VIII of Egypt concludes with the demand: If any pestilent men have fled to you from their own country {Judaea}, hand them over to Simon the high priest, so that he may punish them according to their law (1 Macc. 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. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. 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. This is very evident in the conversion of Saul. These two shocking deaths served as an example to the body of Christ that God hates hypocrisy. 10i There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. He answered, Here I am, Lord. Why this swift act of judgment? The church did not shrink or suffer for Sauls arrival, but it grew because of it. 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. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. 1:19; Rom. 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. Nevertheless, there must have been those who intended to use Sauls coming to oppose the church. One thing was certain; no matter how much time had passed, the apostles were not yet convinced of Sauls conversion. The question must be asked as to whether or not Sauls conversion has a more general application and relevance. . These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 1:29, 30, NKJV, Abide Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version. It is one of the few accounts of a conversion which is described with some detail (although this detail is much less than we would prefer). By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. It almost seems harder to convince Ananias that Saul is (or will be) a Christian than it is to convert Saul. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. Jesus words, Why are you persecuting Me?, clearly implied that Sauls persecution of the church was a persecution of the Lord. 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. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 113. The details of what was said and done when Ananias arrived are fuzzy. What is meant by the competitive environment? To put it differently, the account of Sauls conversion in Acts 9 is but the first of three accounts, the other two coming from the lips of Paul himself. The voice from heaven did not call out, Have you ever heard of the four spiritual laws?152 Ananias was sent to Saul only. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. i3&K>Kpg One of the most dramatic revelations of Sauls Damascus road experience was that he was not serving God, but he was persecuting Him. You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world (John 1:4-5, 7-9). There is a great deal of information we are not given, and thus we cannot be dogmatic about our conclusions. The common characteristics of conversion are those on which I would like to focus in the conversion of Saul. A resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary. 2 Corinthians 4:14; cf. (7) The salvation of Saul was Christ-centered. It is not a transition, but a transformation. Web17 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 What changed about Saul/Paul after Jesus appeared to him? 3On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.c The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. part of the price for themselves while donating it to the church After this, Saul broke his fast and was strengthened. The saints (9:32, 41; 26:10; cf. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord. Acts 9 Ananias and Saul in Damascus. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. 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. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! It was time for Saul to ponder what he had seen and heard. He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. 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. Thus, persecuting the church was persecuting Jesus Christ. Rueban founded the Tribe of Reuban and Saul was King. Sauls conversion was to play a crucial role in the expansion of the gospel. 1:11, Acts 20:23; 2 Cor. More than that, he had a deep dislike and hostility toward Christians before his conversion. Lesson: Saul Believes in Jesus - Ministry-To-Children Stat two things God told Anaias concerning Saul Briefly describe what happened during Anaias' meeting with Saul. 3:7, 8; 1 Tim. 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. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. Saul could only be persecuting Jesus through the members of His body, the church. (Acts 9:11)? 9. At first, I thought this was unique with Saul. 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! What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? We can overcome our fears if, like Ananias, we trust that Jesus is directing the preaching work, Furthermore, in Acts 26:10 Paul testifies that he received letters from the chief priests, not just the chief priest alone. Do not let anyone despise you (Titus 2:11-15). Christian ministry be reconciled with the wealth and prosperity that In spite of this, we are not told here that Saul did receive the Holy Spirit or what happened when he did. the Romans . . 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. 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. also Isaiah 64:6). Were they some of those converted to Christ through his preaching? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard (Isaiah 58:8). 8 Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? A man who, along The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory (Isaiah 60:19). He officiated as high priest from about AD 47 to 52. For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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? To persecute them was to persecute Him. * [9:26] This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18. One cannot help but wonder if it did not send chills up and down Pauls spine when he cast the spell of blindness on the Jewish false prophet, Bar-Jesus: And when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. The second option is to invite the congregation to identify with Ananias (who shows up in verse 10). 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. * [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. on it belonged to the Roman province of Syria, but had a measure of municipal autonomy in the loose federation of cities called the Decapolis. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 181. required neighboring states to grant it the privileges of a sovereign state, including the right of extradition. 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. He started to KNOW GRACE! (1) Sauls salvation was the salvation of a sinner. 2 What do we know about Ananias in Acts 9? also 16:17; 18:25-26). remark on the symmetry with which Luke sets forth the two stories: The simultaneous preparation of the hearts of Ananias and of Saul, and the simultaneous preparation of those of Peter and Cornelius,the questioning and hesitation of Peter and the questioning and hesitation of Ananias,the one doubting whether he might make friendship with the Gentiles, the other doubting whether he might approach the enemy of the Church,the unhesitating obedience of each when the Divine will was made known,the state of mind in which both the Pharisee and the centurion were found,each waiting to see what the Lord would say to them,this close analogy will not be forgotten by those who reverently read the two consecutive chapters. Amen. And notice one more detail about the way in which Ananias did this. This would leave AD 33-46 for the visit to Arabia (Gal. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. Rising Strong Small Groups 26:63; Luke 22:67, 70). 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). Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. 17) and the restoration of the man after the shattering experience he had known, and for the early ministry in Tarsus, Syria, Cilicia, and Antioch, which prepared mind and method for the major assault on the pagan world. ANANIAS He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus’ followers🤨 There were three Ananiases in the Bible. The church sent him on his way to Tarsus by way of Caesarea. 14And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all (D)who call on Your name., 15But the Lord said to him, Go, for (E)he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before (F)Gentiles, (G)kings, and the (H)children[b] of Israel. * [9:13] Your holy ones: literally, your saints.. WebThe last time they saw Saul, he was arresting and killing Christians. Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? Nevertheless, conversion has certain elements which are vital and which are to be present in any salvation experience. It was only with the exit of Saul from the Holy Land, back to his native land (Tarsus), that peace once again returned.