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). Introduction. What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? As I look at the problem, I believe several conclusions must be drawn. The account records their sudden deaths after lying to the Holy Spirit about money. The first is this: every saved person must have a personal conversion experience. For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all (Romans 11:25-32). The approach the Lord took was one of dealing with Saul in the light of his sin, of his salvation, and of his ministry. a. 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). Ananiass vision was intended to direct him to the house of Judas and to Saul. There is no story in Acts more important than Saul/Pauls call, his encounter with the risen Christ. 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). In spite of the clear and present danger, Ananias went and began to look for the Christian hunter Saul. (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. Copyright 2023 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. All rights reserved. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It is difficult to estimate the amount of resistance Ananias would have had to this divine instruction to receive Saul as a brother in the Lord. In 47 B.C. When Sapphira showed up, she, too, lied to Peter and to God, saying that they had donated the entire proceeds of the sale of the land to the church. The answer to both questions is no. We dont know why Ananias is only mentioned once after Acts chapter nine. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.. 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. Saul was knocked to the ground and confronted with the reality that hed been working against God rather than helping God. (14) There is an interesting symmetry or parallel between the conversion of Saul and the conversion of Cornelius. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. A Period of Peace After Sauls Conversion (Acts 9:31) We will next seek to learn how this description of Sauls conversion fits into and contributes to the development of Lukes argument in Acts. Ananias hesitation to visit Saul showed that he had good relationship with Jerusalem, for he knew of the trouble that the persecutor had raised against the early converts, and of the goal of his mission to Damascus. How did God use Ananias in the New Testament? 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. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious (Ezekiel 1:4, 26-28; 2:1-7).143. what occupation he was (possibly a businessman). What do Ananias actions, when asked in the passage to heal Saul, suggest about his feelings toward him? Those things in which Saul would have formerly trusted for his standing before God, he saw in an entirely different light after God found him and saved him: 4b If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit because it was the Holy Spirit who dwelt in the apostles, giving them their power and authority. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1). WebThe Lord called to him in a vision, o Ananias!. . Saul, the typical (albeit more zealous) Jew, opposed God in the person of Christ and His body, the church, even while he thought he was serving Him. . Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16). They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. Ananias 21:29 (30); John 5:7; 12:21; 20:15; and should be so in John 9:36. WebAnd was Ana- nias still reluctant to help Saul after the Lord explained the situation to him? Without Ananias prayer, Saul spends the rest of his life as a blind man wondering what his life might have been. Saul and Ananias | A Story of Learning to See Again * [9:29] Hellenists: see note on Acts 6:17. 5:3-4). That He had already appeared to Saul "on the road" Also, The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world (John 1:4-5, 7-9). 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. At this point, the conversion of the hero of the Gentile mission is recounted. Lesson Text Acts 9:1-19 Scripture Memory Verse Now that the Lord had identified Himself as Jesus, Saul recognized that he was the sinner. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deuteronomy 28:28-29). 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. A( ) Ananias is obscure. What can you say about Christianity when its most outspoken and zealous opponent suddenly claims to have seen the risen Christ, and to have trusted in Him as the Messiah? All rights reserved. 135 There are those who describe Saul as a tormented man after the stoning of Stephen. 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. Ananias baptised Saul in the name of Jesus - the one who had sent him to the vanquished enemy of the church. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. And notice one more detail about the way in which Ananias did this. Ananias would probably be afraid to go see Saul because Ananias was a Christian, and Saul was coming to the city to arrest the Christians. 5 How did God use Ananias in the New Testament? 22But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. The children will practice being giving and friendly with someone that they do not know. In Hellenistic times it was completely replanned on the Hippodamian grid-system. But these laws, which seek to summarize the gospel in a concise way, should always be applied individually. How much does horse riding lessons cost in Bangalore? 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, here am I, Lord. 11 And the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight. 13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Thy saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy name.145 15 But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My names sake.. I do not question that he did receive the Spirit, but merely observe that this receiving of the Spirit (accompanied by the laying on of hands) was not something Luke wanted to emphasize. To Him be the glory forever. What is meant by the competitive environment? Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. The life-changing implications of conversion are expressed in these words of Paul to Titus: 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Webb Ananias was successful because he trusted Jesus and he viewed Saul as his brother. 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). 15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. The expansion is three-fold: (1) The expansion from Christ, to His apostles, to His church, (2) The geographical expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. Luke 3:22), it expressed his unique relationship and fellowship with the Father. Ibid. If he were viewed as a reactionary, a trouble-maker, perhaps there were some unbelievers who thought Saul was too much trouble. (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) Lest anyone think they are too sinful to save, let me remind you that when Paul wrote that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, he quickly added, among whom I am foremost of all.. No, God showed him "how many things he must suffer for 12And 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., 13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, (C)how much [a]harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 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. The result was the restoration of Sauls sight and, it would seem, Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit. 16and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name. Saul Ananias Loves Paul Missions Lesson 2 Lesson at a Glance So it would appear. FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 1:4). F. F. Bruce, p. 190. It was evidently a term used by the early followers of Jesus to denote their movement as the way of life or the way of salvation. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 181. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 59:15b60:13). What are 3 long term physical effects of tobacco use? 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. 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives. How old was Jesus when he was crucified? Then he They, too, were afraid of Saul and did not believe he really was a follower of Jesus Christ. WebTeach the children the account of Sauls conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ as found in Acts 9:120. The narrative lectionary is a four-year cycle of readings Read more. Ananias would have lost a human beings greatest privilege, of being an agent of the Lord (like an angel of the Lord). 9For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christtheir Lord and ours 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 9). And when this time comes, God will use their obedience to serve Him: For if their rejection be the salvation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15). By divine revelation, Peter called out Ananias for lying to the Holy Spirit and to God. Few Christians will encounter the risen, glorified Lord as Saul did here. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 10. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:6-7). He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The details of what was said and done when Ananias arrived are fuzzy. How can this message of suffering for Jesus' name in 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. Like Stephen, the enemies of the gospel attempted to kill Saul when they could not silence him by means of debate. 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. When the Christians learned that the Hellenists to whom Saul had preached were plotting to kill them, they helped him escape through Caesarea and on to Tarsus. Nevertheless, Ananias obeyed. Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,. Ananias son of Nebedeus (or Nedebeus) was a high priest who, according to the Acts of the Apostles, presided during the trials of the apostle Paul at Jerusalem (Acts 23:2) and Caesarea (Acts 24:1). 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.
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