THE GOSPEL   |   QUESTIONS   |   ARTICLES   |   SERMONS   |   SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   ABOUT

biblestudy: Acts (Part Ten)

Acts 9 Paul's Dramatic Conversion
John W. Ritenbaugh
Given 18-Nov-88; Sermon #BS-AC10; 89 minutes

Description: (show)

---

The last time while we were in Chapter 8 after finishing up on the martyrdom of Stephen, and we spoke for a little bit of length on The effect that that had on the church. That the martyrdom of Stephen was in a major way responsible for the spreading of the gospel beyond Jerusalem, because up until that time, it seemed as though the Uh, apostles were more or less I, I do not want to use the word stuck, but they were certainly centering their efforts at the preaching of, of the gospel to the Jews in the area of Jerusalem. I do not know exactly when the Marty number Steven occurred, that is how many years it was after the crucifixion and resurrection. It seems to be somewhere in the, in the neighborhood of roughly about 2 years. After the crucifixion and resurrection. And when that occurred, Why the Disciples were dispersed. Out of Jerusalem and Even by the Bible's own record, about the only ones who were left were the apostles. Oh, do not ask me why it was safe for them in, in the city of Jerusalem and, and it was not safe for the others. Uh, I do not know an answer to that. I can, I can Put out a guess, and that is that It seems as though the trouble against the church was stirred up by those who were identified in the Bible as the Hellenists. Uh, these were the Greek-speaking Jews of the diaspora and they had come to Judea, most likely to, to die and to be buried there. And they had a lot stronger feelings regarding those things and the natives. Uh, all of the apostles were local. Stephen was a Hellenist. And it was in Uh, in his preaching to these people that the persecution was stirred up and they took a great deal of offense at what he said. So apparently the ones who were primarily scattered were those who are, were of the Hellenistic background, and they scattered out into Samaria and they began preaching there. Now In times past, I know that those of you who are older in the church have heard Mr. Armstrong say that, that Cornelius. was the first Gentile converted. I do not know whether we can prove that. Certainly, the conversion of Cornelius was very significant, and I'll get to the reason why it was significant. But uh, Those Samaritans were not. Israelites As II Kings shows very clearly. They had a counterfeit Judaistic religion. But they were not Israelites. Uh, we are going to get to the conversion of Philip. In just a little bit, or not Philip, pardon me, but the Ethiopian eunuch. And it's one of those things. Was he An Israelite or was he really in Ethiopia. He was very familiar with the scriptures. But The Jews admitted Gentiles into Judaism as proselytes. And yet it seems as though the man, I, I would say there is a, a higher Uh, percentage of chance that he was not Israelite than that he was. However, it was still just a, a random conversion, that's all. I feel certain too that in the apostles preaching in Samaria, Philip's preaching, and then later on, Peter and and John went, went down there, that there was no overt attempt to convert any Uh, any Gentiles. We're going to see the Progression of this as we begin to go through leading up to the conversion of Cornelius. And I would say that that the the conversion of Cornelius, which was brought about entirely by God, it was not at all in the apostle's mind to do such a thing, to take the gospel to him. Uh, it was a situation that was forced by God, probably one of the most significant events that ever occurred in the history of God's church. Just one of those benchmark things. That Didn't have any other things like it. Uh, had ever occurred because from the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God had been working entirely through Israelite people. With the conversion of, of Cornelius came a major turn in the work of God that actually opened up the way for the preaching of the gospel to Gentiles all over the earth. So it was not in any way an insignificant thing at all. Now we are still leading up to that. We're in chapter 8, towards the end of it. We have come up as far as verse 26, I believe was about as, as far as we got there, 25 or 26. And so we will pick up there and we will continue to lead up to the conversion of Cornelius in his household. So in verse 25, let's go back there. So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem. That's Philip. Maybe not, maybe not Phil. But it would have certainly been Peter and John. They returned to Jerusalem preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. they could have followed exactly the same. Procedure that the apostle Paul normally did. When he went into a Gentile city, he went to the synagogues of the Jews first. Uh, it was there that he conducted some sort of a campaign. And then if they rejected him, then he turned to the Gentiles. I think it's entirely likely that the apostles were doing the same thing. They were going to the Jews who were in the area of the Samaritans and not making any overt attempt at all to preach to the Samaritans. OK, now in verse 26. An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, rise and go toward the south along the road, which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. Uh, this is desert. So a direct order again. I think I mentioned to you the last time. That Philip, pardon me, Luke is writing this in such a way to show that this evolution, if you want to put it, of the preaching of the gospel to the, to the Gentiles was not something that was humanly engineered. All along the way, that God was pulling the strings and it becomes very obvious that the apostles up until the time of the preaching of the gospel to, to Cornelius, were very reluctant. To do anything outside of the area of Jerusalem and anything. To the, to the Gentiles at all. So now we have Philip who is being, is going to be sent here to one single individual. And as I mentioned before there is a, a greater possibility that this man was non-Israelite-ish than that he was an Israelite. So God sent him then down toward Gaza. Gaza was the southernmost city of the of the Philistines. And it's was in the same area that we know of today as the Gaza Strip, right along the coastline, the extreme southeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea. And even in those days, it was a wilderness area. So here is this lonely road leading seemingly out into the middle of nowhere and Philip finds himself walking along. So he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Canda or Candice, the queen of the Ethiopians who had charge of all her treasury and had come to Jerusalem to worship. That verse tells you a number of things about this man. He was no insignificant convert. He was a man very high in the government of what today is in the Sudan. this area that he was from at that time was between, if you know where the city of Khartoum is and Aswan, where the Aswan Dam is. Most of you have heard of that, but as one today is in Upper Egypt, but at the time. Uh, it was part of Ethiopia. Not today, that area that this man was from is, is part of the Sudan. The boundaries have shifted around. But this man was Her treasure, treasure of the, of the nation. So he did what he was told. And he met this man. He had come to Jerusalem to worship. Uh, he, it doesn't say directly that he was a proselyte of the Jews. He may have been. There certainly was an interest in Judaism. There certainly was an interest in the Bible, and that he had made the trip all the way up there in his, in his chariot and now was returning. Apparently he had gone there for a holy day. In verse 28, he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the spirit, said Philip, go near and overtake this chariot. That's kind of interesting all by itself. Uh, it doesn't say that anybody was with Philip. He was by himself. And I would think that ordinarily if someone Of this kind of rank and position. He was traveling along, he was hardly alone. He might have had an entourage with him. But at least it would seem to me several, several other men, probably on horseback. And some of those men undoubtedly would be military officials of some kind. I mean, you do not send the treasure of the country out on the desert roads without some kind of protection. Can you imagine the Secretary of Treasurer of the United States traveling somewhere without any other kind of retinue with it. Now, what would you think of a, of a stranger coming up to you, maybe several other people around you. Uh, just walking up to your chariot and say, hi, what are you doing? kind of thing. I would imagine that at the very least, they probably bristle with a certain amount of wariness about this fellow who was, who was coming up to their chariot, wondering what his intentions were. I think it might have taken a little bit of courage and faith on Phillip's part to do such a thing. But he was obedient and he did what was told to her. Well, here was the fellow reading the book of Isaiah. Now either Philip was a good lip reader or the man was reading out loud. That's kind of unusual too. How many of you go along in your chariot reading out loud? I go along in my chariot on, on the interstate highways out here. I see people in other automobiles singing. They're all by themselves, they are directing music. Maybe this fellow was kind of doing the same thing. He was, he was You're reading the Bible. Who is he reading to? Was there anybody else in the chariot with him? Or did he have somebody reading to him? Possibility. Interesting to think about what was going on here. So You asked him a leading question. You understand what you are reading. He said, How can I? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the eunuch. I think you can already begin to see. It's pretty humble individual. At least from his response. How can I? I must have been completely mystifying to him. But it makes one wonder. If he was a convert to Judaism, why hadn't he been taught something? Uh, to me, this is at least a fairly good piece of evidence that he was interested in Judaism, but he was not yet a convert. He, he hadn't been baptized into that religion. But was Let's say looking at the Bible in a, in a way that an intelligent person would. But he was humble enough to admit that he really did not understand what he was reading. And He said, How can I, unless someone guides me. So he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the scripture which he read was this. This is out of Isaiah 53. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb, silent. Before his shear it sheared. And so he opened not his mouth. In his humiliation, his justice was taken away. And who will declare his generation where his life is taken from the earth? I feel certain that There was some divine guidance. The man's response. I do not see how he could have asked. A better question about a more pertinent scripture than the ones that he did. What an opening for Phil. I have never in all my life had anybody asked me a question. Any better than that, for sure. I mean, in, in my life as a minister. A lot of people ask me questions about things that they do not understand. This man was on his way to conversion, he could not have asked a better question. This is a series of scriptures that today people of Christian persuasion. Generally take for granted that they understand. So Philip began preaching. verse 34, let's go to there first. So the eunuch answered and answered Philip and said, I asked. You, of whom does the prophet say this of himself or some other man? I is it Isaiah? He's talking about Is it Israel? Or somebody else. Then Philip opened his mouth, beginning at this scripture, preached Jesus to him. I took someone From the church To explain it to him properly, someone who could make the right kind of application. How the Jews understood. That it Applied to the, to the Messiah. But they completely missed the idea. Of the Messiah having to die. They looked upon that as being a messianic scripture, something that applied to the Messiah, but somehow or another, they also in their ignorance of things, did not apply it to the Messiah actually being killed. So it's no unders it's not at all difficult to understand. That if somebody had had attempted to describe the scripture to him or interpret it to him properly, he's, I mean, among those of the Jewish faith that he just simply would not have gotten a correct explanation. Now, this becomes somewhat interesting when we get into chapter 9 and the conversion of the apostle Paul, although this scripture is not brought up, it is apparent. The apostle was familiar, very familiar with not only this scripture, but many, many other scriptures. And then when he was converted, suddenly his mind was open and he saw the proper application and he immediately went out into the areas around Damascus and began preaching but suddenly he saw The right application. He knew intellectually, the scriptures. And he may even have known intellectually that they applied to the Messiah. But he did not know the individual. That they were to be applied to was Jesus of Nazareth. Then When he saw Christ, Christ revealed himself to him, then the interpretation of the scriptures became right and true. The same thing had happened to Phillip. Conversion was not as dramatic as Paul's. And undoubtedly, Phillip. was familiar with the scriptures. But then when God converted him, then he had a proper application of the scripture. He could interpret the truth that was there. While the eunuch was in the position where He knew the scriptures intellectually, but he did not understand them. He was humble enough to admit it, so God sent someone to open it up to him. So verse 36. As they went down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized. I do not know whether Phillip got all the way to baptism in his preaching. But whether he did or did not, Somehow or another, the eunuch was aware that he needed to be baptized. And he was, I am sure, aware because the Jews were baptizing. John the Baptist baptized, and the Jews were baptizing for hundreds of years before John the Baptist. They were aware they did not baptize themselves, but they did baptize proselytes. they needed to be clamped. the Jews did not need to be clans, they were born into Judaism. So arosely. Needed to be baptized, and so the man was aware of baptism. And then Philip said, You believe with all your heart, you may. Oh In a way, this what I'm going to tell you here doesn't make any difference, but it's just kind of interesting. Uh, There are people Who go over the scriptures. With a fine tooth comb, I mean a fine tooth comb. Word by word, letter by letter. They tear the thing apart, very critically examine it. And They tell you that Well, this person could not possibly have written that, or he could not possibly have written this other thing over here. Sometimes they really go off the deep end. Uh, some of the critics of the Old Testament. That Moses could not possibly have written. Uh, the pandatu Because there was not such a thing as writing that. These are very intelligent men and women who are studying. Well they have had to eat their words on that one. Because they found writing. 5 and 600 years now before Moses. They also said that he could not possibly have have written most of the things in there because he was too ignorant. Uh, he could not have done it because he did not have a body of laws behind him. It would have been enabled him to write something like that. Well, that fell apart too. They began to find things. The archaeologists dug things up and they found out that there were nations that had laws that were somewhat similar hundreds and hundreds of years before the 10 Commandments and the Old Testament the other Old Testament laws were written. Well, the reason I bring that up is because they say in verse 37. That that phrase if you believe with all your heart, you may, was not written by PhilipI say, what's the difference? Whether he wrote it or not. It's not wrongCertainly if we are going to be baptized, we better believe with all of our hearts. It's not all that's required of a person being baptized. But certainly a person has to believe with all of his heart. How can a person commit himself to being a disciple of Christ if he's not going to believe with all his heart? What if he's going to hold something in reservation? It says so plainly there in, in Luke 14 verse 2526. That we have to love Christ. Uh, More intensely, more completely, more obediently than we do, father, mother, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, wife, husband, and anybody else because you've got to put me first. That's commitment. That's with all your heart. I do not know, maybe I'm a little bit scornful, but Why even write about something like that? What difference does it make whether Phillip wrote it or not? It's certainly a true statement. Maybe somebody did editorialize and stick it in at a later date. But it's still true. And that God has allowed us to be part of his Bible. There is nothing wrong with it. So he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Now if one took that statement all by itself. It would be possible for a person to believe that that is all is needed. I mean for baptism. But it's not all that's need. And I am sure, because Philip baptized him, that the man also understood the gospel of the kingdom of God. Jesus made it very clear. The person has to not only repent, but he has to believe the gospel. That's Mark 1 and verses 14 and 15. Peter made it very clear in Acts 2:38 that a person has to believe in Jesus Christ. You put the two together and you begin to have a good foundation for baptism. A person has to believe the gospel and he has to repent. He has to believe in the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. So that verse does not stand all on its own. Now in addition to that, if we were going to really expand on this, we would, we would have to understand what the word believe means. It does not mean believe intellectually. That's only a starting point. Proving out that God exists, proving that Jesus of Nazareth indeed is the Messiah, that indeed he lived the perfect life and indeed he is the sacrifice for sin. But that word believe also includes the things that James wrote, the things that Paul wrote about faith. faith without works is dead, that the person has already begun to turn in his life in obedience to God. Again, we are going to get to it in Acts 20 in verse 21. Acts 2120. I keep getting those backwards. I think it's 2120. Where it says that repentance is toward God and faith is toward Jesus Christ. That's part of the, part of the counseling that has to be done for baptism. The person understands that and has done it. Repent means to turn. You turn toward God. God becomes the source. Oh The the reason and the way that we live. And our faith is in Jesus Christ. And his blood for the remission of sin. So if a person is not turning away from the world and turning toward God, he hasn't repented. Which means that he begins to obey. What he is learning, which might include such things as keeping the Sabbath, turning away from Sunday keeping, turning to Sabbath keeping, turning to tithing. It's not that the person is doing things perfectly, but the very fact that he is turning with his actions is showing the direction of his heart, you see, he's turning toward God. All these things were included within this. And so if we just took this bare bones verse, we are lacking a great deal. You to take information from a much wider number of verses in the Bible to find out what really went on. I wonder how many miles they covered before Philip finally got done talking with this man. I do not know, maybe many hours went by. Maybe again, the man was so well prepared from his studies in the Old Testament, his counseling with, with Jewish counselors, with rabbis that he was very well prepared and things went pretty fast. I do not know. OK, verse 38. So he commanded the chariot to stand still, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and he baptized him. Now people might wonder. Whether the man went All the way under. Now if you read in the commentaries, Some commentators, commentators will give you long explanation. As to why he could not possibly have had anything more than a cup of water poured on his head. I see, we kind of snicker at that. And the reason is we know better. God's truth is so plain and clear, you know, it talks about the simplicity that is in Christ. I feel certain Philip would not have deviated away from what he had learned either from Christ or the apostles. Baptism symbolizes a burial. And therefore, a person has to be completely immersed. Or it's not properly done. It's that simple. Just putting a couple of drops of water on the forehead or pouring with a cup does not symbolize a burial. Everybody knows that. Can you imagine getting buried in Forest Lawn the same way most of us have been baptized in the churches that we formerly attended. Why there would be knee bones and leg bones and head bones and arm bones and everything sticking all out of the ground. It would be an awful sight. But that's not the way it is because they completely immerse them in the dirt. And so it was done. There was sufficient water that the eunuch could go all the way down under and that he was buried. His life then was buried in Christ. That man came up out of the water, a new creation. Yeah. I am sure then Philip must have. Uh, laid hands on him and on he went. Verse 39. Now when they came up Uh, out of the water. Now, is not that fine? But they will argue. Well, they have only been ankle deep. They still came up out of the water. Uh, the spirit of the Lord taught Philip away so that the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing. Just as a, a little aside, one of the manuscripts says on this verse. The Holy Spirit fell on the eunuch. But the angel of the Lord caught up Philip. Interesting. Uh, And which one is correct, I do not know. It really doesn't matter. The eunuch went rejoicing. And Philip Uh, was whisked away, blink of an eye. And then he was found at Ao Aotus. But your Bible may have a marginal reference that Ozodus was another one of the cities of the Philistines, one that we normally call in the Bible, Ashdod. And then how long he was there nobody knows, but he was, he then made his way up the coast. And finally, we find him in Acts 21. Uh, he surfaces again there and he is in Caesarea. Uh, we will get the Caesarea a little bit later because that's where Cornelius was converted, Caesarea. So Philip then went to To Caesarea, God sent him there. It's very likely that God sent him in in advance of what was going to happen later on with the conversion of Cornelius and then Peter's arrival there. OK, Chapter 9. And then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them down to Jerusalem. I'll tell you, here was a man who was really zealous. And he was not content. We've just Persecuting the Christians around Jerusalem. He wanted to extend this thing all the way up into Syria into Damascus. Well, I think for most of us, We, we, we, we find this hard to reckon with. That how the apostle could could feel justified in doing what he was doing. Now he looked upon these people as dangerous schismatics. I mean, he looked upon the Christians that way. And you have to understand that he could look in the Old Testament and he could find. Evidence there to justify what he was doing. I mean, if he was looking at it as an unconverted man. Could he not go to Numbers 25 and say, look at what Phineas did? And God gave that man. A promise That there would never be anyone that lacked. from Phineas's offspring who would be Able to be high priests. that even predates the promise to David a long time. And it centers the high priesthood into into one man's family. Phineas was descended from Aaron. We find this one descendant of, of Aaron who is singled out and say, well, the the high priesthood now is going to be in your family, and it was a direct result of his zeal. In defending, you might say the name of God. How about the time or the time, let's say that Moses came down from the mouth after receiving the commandments and he found the, the golden calf there. And he said, all of you who are on the Lord's side, come over here. What was it a couple of 1000 Levites stood up and they went over and stood beside Moses, and then he told them to take out your swords and slay your brothers. That's a lot of zeal. So he could look in the Old Testament, he could find a measure of justification for doing what he was doing. And actually, by comparison, what he was doing was not as bloody, as violent, as oppressive of what God's great servant Moses or what Phineas did. There was a major of just um of justification there and Paul undoubtedly felt he was doing what he was doing in the name of God. He was doing what he was doing in order to preserve Judaism. To keep it from splitting. So in verse 3 then, As he journeyed, he came near Damascus and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell on the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? So We have this intensely bright light and voice. Now it's highly likely that This intensely bright light was a measure of the glory of God. And that And at least played a part in the striking of him blind. Paul did not recognize the voice. He did not see a figure. He had to ask for the person's identity. That comes up in verse 5. That, who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Oh, Oh wait a minute. I can imagine that the apostle Paul's brain was spinning about this time. I do not think that it took a brilliant observation on his part to recognize that even though he could not see anything, he was in the presence of someone awfully powerful. I do not think that he thought it was an angel. I think that he thought it was God. So persecuting God. Oh, that was just like hitting him across the face. With a fish A rotten fish. He thought he was doing the work of God. He thought he was standing up for God, defending God, preserving the honor of God's name. Well, I'll tell you what a correction. That was enough to humble even Paul. Now Paul had his Perhaps I think I'm fairly safe in saying this. His first introduction. Jesus feelings. Of closeness to those who were his disciples. Because Paul was not persecuting him. He was persecuting people. But Christ feels so close to his people that a persecution against his people is a persecution against him. This is very clear. I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Now, do you suppose his brain was spinning? But what does this mean? Jesus In heaven Jesus glorified? Jesus, the Messiah. I am sure that a chain reaction. was exploding in his mind. He was trying to sort out. And correct The confusion was spinning around in there. It is hard for you to kick against the goats. As you're hurting yourself, Saul. Now, Saul would have had to have come to the conclusion. Beginning right now at His brief conversation with Christ. Up until the time that Anna and I laid hands on him for the receiving of God's spirit and the receiving of his sight once again. I am sure that during that period of time, he did a great deal of meditating and coming to conclusions. Really impressed themselves very deeply in his mind, and he had a very rapid conversion. There is no doubt at all that the apostle Paul was extremely well schooled in the Old Testament. You know, as we would say that he knew it backwards and backwards. He did not understand it, but he knew it. He was a man of great intellect, tremendous memory, tremendous mind. Very logical and deep thinker. It was all headed in the wrong direction. He was reaching wrong conclusions because he did not have the key. Here comes the the key that he needed to unlock everything. Jesus of Nazareth really was the Christ. You see what that did is it just changed totally his ideas regarding the Messiah. Because the Jews did not have a concept of a suffering Messiah. One who was going to die for the sins of the world. They had very clear understanding of a conquering Messiah. They had that all in place. They did not have in place the suffering Messiah. Who's going to live a perfect life and then die for the sins of mankind, freeing us from the penalty of the law and enable us to turn to God in obedience and keep the law that we formerly broke with impunity as enemies of God. You can, you, you can almost begin to picture these concepts begin to explode in his mind. And I'm sure the next 3 days. Some of the deepest thinking that the apostle ever did in his life. Putting those scriptures together, now having the key that he needed to unlock them. To get the right interpretation. So he trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what do you want me to do? The Lord said to him, arise and go into the city, you will be told what you must do. The man who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no one. Now we could compare this with Another time that the apostle Paul mentions this in in Acts 26 and also in Acts 229. There is a, a, a somewhat seems to be a contradiction between the accounts. But there is no contradiction. It it is that they heard the sound, but Paul only understood what was said. With that, with that, you can figure out that there is no contradiction between the two. They heard that they did not see anybody. In verse 8. Then Saul arose from the ground, but when his eyes were open, he saw no one. They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. I was humiliated. There is Paul the great warrior. All the zealot All the strong man. And he has to be led by hand, lying. That was an additional shock. He had his eyes shut up until that time. There was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And to him the Lord said in a vision. And, he said. Here I am, Lord. He must have recognized his voice in some way. At least he knew that he was. Talking to Christ. Here comes the next step in Paul's conversion. This thing turns out to be a test for Anna Is too. That's all along the way. And the Lord said to him, arise and go to the street called straight. A quire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, where the holy is praying. In a vision he had seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his, his sight. There is no doubt That God went through all of this. In order to impress On all concerned. The magnitude of the importance of Paul's conversion. So again, that it could not be doubted by anyone who either saw it. Or was a true witness of what occurred, and indeed, this man was converted in a very extremely intensely miraculous way. Just unique. Now all of our conversions are equally miraculous. They are not all as intense as this man's was. I had a very special job for him to do. And saw the man's education. He oversaw maybe even where he was born animation of that in the book of Galatians. Paul was separated from his mother's womb by God. He saw that he was born in an area that was Much less parochial, great deal more cosmopolitan. Parsus Paul himself said was no mean city. Crossroads area filled with all kinds of different nationalities of people. Apostle Paul was a Roman citizen. He undoubtedly received a very fine secular education that he was sent to Jerusalem to to study. position to be prepared for what he was going to do. And there are very strong indications that the apostle was also a member of the Sanhedrin. He was part of the ruling body of those 70 men who oversaw the internal affairs of Judea. Which would have also meant that he was married. Could not be in the Sanhedrin without being married. He had family experience. There is no indication that there were any children from that marriage. But you can see that this man was prepared in a way that the other apostles were notJust considering that background. You can understand why he was the man chosen by God to go to the Gentiles. The others were not. He had a much wider view of things than than the others did. So they did a very fine job, but equally as important in its own in their own way. Their responsibility was primarily to the Israelite people. Ananias. had a a choice to make. Because the, the word about Paul had certainly gotten around. And And I, I am sure, was probably mumbling a prayer all the way over there. Probably said a few times, how did I ever get into this? Why could not he call somebody else? But he obediently did it. I'm sure that he asked God for the faith, and on he went. Verse 13. Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. Here he has authority from the chief priest to find all who call on your name. The Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's namesake. Well, it was amazing to Ananias. This man was being And Well, there are two things here. I just happen to think. There are 2 things here that appear for the first time. Um In the book of Acts, maybe the first time in either any of the books after the The beginning of the New Testament. I really did not check this out thoroughly as I should. In verse 2 of chapter 9. That is the first time that Christianity is called the way, the way. It's a way of life. And then in the In verse 13, The first time Christians are called saints. Saints in Jerusalem. Ananias was, I am sure. Craigulus Maybe You could almost get from his reply. Some of the same flavor of what others had done. To a representative of God and there was somewhat of a penalty. Now you might remember whenever Zachariah. The father of John the Baptist questioned the angel. About Elizabeth becoming pregnant. What do you mean? Her become pregnant? I'm paraphrasing. He he became dumb. He could not talk, and it was because he questioned. Now, Mary, on the other hand, It's something Somewhat similar. Sort of like, who, me? But the angel did not strike her dumb. There was no penalty in any way. Now here we have Ann and I. Who is questioning here? And one might wonder, you know, it looks like he's throwing up all this information. To justify not going. I mean, this man is dangerous, Lord. Kind of thing. But there, the only thing I can think of, there must be something in their attitude which indicates. They were not rebellious. Where maybe in the case of Zechariah there was a measure of rebellion. There was a measure of disbelief. That the angel did not find acceptable. Now here, there was tolerance. Or Ananias's question. It must have been. God perceived that in his heart. There was no rebellion. It was just a sincere, honest, childlike question. So there must have been a good attitude that that. Uh, evident to me anyway. OK, now look at Paul's commission. I think that it's so interesting. Uh, Not just that he was going to be sent to Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. But Rather than promising the apostle. Exaltation promises him suffer. For I will show him how many things he must suffer. For my name's sake. That would be a little discouraging, wouldn't it? I, I think it would be me. You know, if a person is normally, if he's going to be sent out on a great quest. You know, he comes before the head of the company, he comes before the president or the governor or whatever it is. There is a great big build up. I know you can do it. I mean, they really pumped the guy full of of some kind of a confidence so he can go out there and feel that he's really going to be able to do the job. I did not do that. I do not think that God is against encouraging somebody. God is realistic. God is on. And he leveled. The apostle Paul right off. This is not going to be an easy responsibility. It's a tough assignment that I am handing to you. There are going to be Many suffered Pain, fear, anxiety, frustration, discouragement. Depressions from time to time. Yes, maybe your life is going to be threatened. You're going to be very afraid. I think it's interesting But he did not Promise him exultation. I'd rather suffer. I think maybe we need to consider that. Because sometimes I think that we get unrealistic ideas regarding what our Christian life. is to be like I am sure that God intends that we be at peace. In the sense that there is a measure of contentment. But there is a major measure of a, of a sense of well-being. There is a sense of satisfaction that that somehow or another God in His mercy has opened up to us this understanding. You see, God is We would take the time to study this, especially in the teachings of Christ, beginning with with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You will find that Christ repeatedly warned. His disciple that it was not going to be a bed of roses. That's real You do not give away something as great as the kingdom of God. Or It would be totally unappreciated, especially when one considers. What has to be done between time of conversion. And the time of entrance into the kingdom of God. Now if you stop to think about the accomplishment of any great goal on earth. I do not care whether it's the winning of a gold medal. At the Olympics, whether it's the winning of a championship in some kind of athletic competition, whether it's becoming a powerful and mighty and wealthy business, or whether it's being some sort of a public servant in terms of being a congressman or a senator or Representative in government or a governor or a king or or whatever, there is in almost every case, a very long, hard struggle from the time that one starts until the time that one accomplishes. We would no more realistically think. Of achieving a great material secular goal without some sort of a struggle. Yep We often have fairy tale ideas. About I that Not that we are ever going to earn in any way. We, we cannot do that. Even though it can't be earned. Requires an awful lot of hard work. Ying Right. God certainly backed the apostle Paul up. Yet he made him suffer. In the accomplishment of the things that all the I'll tell you, the man is amazing, tremendously yielded man, and nobody has worked any harder than. So despite all the suffering, he just kept gritting his teeth, kept right on going. Right He accomplished says more than they are. Don't think that he was bragging when he said. Verse 17, Ananias went his way, entered the house, laying his hands on him, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, who came and sent me that you might receive your sight. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales. He received his sight at once. He arose and was baptized. When he had received food was strengthened. and I put his doubts aside. And went into him and he called him a brother. I think it Very interesting, warm greet. He did not stand back at arm's length. quivering in fear, By this time he had collected all his thoughts. And on he went. Now it's interesting that Ananias laid hands on him. And there were Three things here accomplished all at once. One laying on a man. He received the Holy Spirit. He was healed Problem in his eyes and he was also set apart, anointed you might say for the doing of his commission. All in one fell swoop. Now here is another case of a man, one of those cases that I mentioned to you the last time. Where the receiving of God's Holy Spirit is out of sync. With the way it normally is. Normal Uh, Step by step procedure is for a person to be called, for the person to repent, you leave the gospel for the person to be baptized, for the person to have hands laid on him, and then the receiving of God's Holy Spirit. Here we find The baptism taking place after receipt of of God's Holy Spirit. So that was taken care of then 8. And with strength Then it says Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Immediately He preached the the Christ. Interesting the way that it states that preached the Christ. preached about Jesus the Messiah. He preached that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. I did not have. Complete knowledge yet. He began preaching about what he did know, what he did understand, but he did not believe. Something that had already been resolved in his mind began preaching immediately. Oh Again, ordinarily a person would not do such a thing. You have to remember that Paul was a rabbi. Paul was accustomed to speaking in public. He knew the scriptures. All he needed was the key. God gave him the key, and God gave him his spirit. So he began speaking immediately. He was, he was prepared in such a way that And He was ready to speak on Jesus being the Christ immediately. He was not completely. Uh, brought up to speed yet, but we are going to see that he had to spend 3 years in Arabia with Christ. Before he was brought up to the same speed, the same level as the others. But he began preaching right away. Uh, then all who heard were amazed, and said, I is this not he who was destroyed those who called on his name in Jerusalem has come here for that purpose so that he might bring them down to the chief priests. all increased all the more its strength, spiritual strength. Confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this is this Jesus is the Christ. You see, he was not preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God yet. Stuck to the things that he knew and believed. Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ. Now, I'm going to put together sort of a, an itinerary for, for the apostle Paul here so that you will understand. And not get confused Over the next few verses and maybe through the rest of the book of Acts. Uh, put these things together, it's step by step order. OK, his conversion is told. Beginning in chapter 9, verse 1 and going through verse 19. Immediately following his conversion. Beginning in 919 and going through verse 22. was the preaching of Jesus as the Christ. We have to go all the way to Galatians one. Make up the next step. Galatians 1 Verse 17. He says Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. And after 3 years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, verse 18. remained with him 15 days. OK, now. The third step, then, right after Acts 9:22. that he went off to Arabia. So you can put there then Galatians 1:17 and 8. OK, then he returned to Damascus. After being in Arabia. And that picks up the story in Acts 9, beginning verse 23 through 25. And the 5th step in this. His first trip to Jerusalem as a Christian, that begins in Acts 9 and verse 26 through 30. You can match that with Galatians 1 versus 18 through 24. Now if you read through Acts 9, you get Either a confused impression or you will get a wrong impression of the time element that is involved here. Between verse 22 and verse 30, there is actually a period of of somewhat more than 3 years. In verse back to Acts 9:23. says after many days. Now that corresponds to the 3 years in Arabia. After many days were passed, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul, and they watched the gate day and night to kill him, probably the city gate. And the disciples took him by night and let him down. Through the wall in a large basketthere is one little interesting sidelight here. Now my new King James. says then the disciple verse 25. Really doesn't say that in the degree. That now is the site. That raises question. Who were these disciples? Were they people who were Disciples of him before. His conversion Most rabbis had a retinue of a student. They were teaching. Even as Paul had been a student of Gelliel and probably followed Gelliel around. Did the apostle Paul have with him a group of men that he was teaching. And these disciples continued to follow him, where they also Converted as a result of the A Paul's conversion? I do not know. But it says in the Greek, his disciple, not Christ's disciples, his now. If they were Pauls, we have to ask and ask the question, were they really converted? Or were they still following? We were they loyal to him despite his conversion? Or were they people who were Never really a part of his retinue prior to his conversion but had been baptized as a result of some of Paul's preaching since Paul's just an interesting little thing it's there. But God says we are supposed to live by every word of God, and it definitely says they were his his his disciples. But at any rate, you get the picture. He came back to Damascus after being in Arabia for 3 years and I Lying in wait for him. So he had to be spirited out of the city. Late at night, let him down over the city wall from a window, and that's how I escaped. Out of the verse 26. When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. They were all afraid of him. He did not believe that he was a disciple. I hear it is 3 years later, this man's reputation. is still preceding him wherever he goes. You can imagine what poor Ananias went through and whenever God told him to go see Saul. He was 3 years later, Saul hadn't been persecuting anybody, but as soon as the disciples heard that he was back in the city, he started knocking. Oh. There is a question there. Yeah Why did not they accept it? Without fear. Haven't they heard 3 years from Damascus. Surely they hurt. Hasn't anybody at all been checking up? Hasn't anybody been sent to Damascus? Confirm this. They think that there was an elaborate conspiracy. That If Paul was just feigning a conversion. That he was going to be a 5th columnist inside the Christian community in Jerusalem. Get all kinds of information, you know what they call them today, a mole. I'm no longer calm as I date myself now it's a mole. It would be a mole inside the community. Get all the information, get all the names and addresses. Suddenly a big sweep by the FBI. Everybody started off the first. I wonder about that why, why did not they just accept it. I mean, he, he was not a Gentile, he was. He was a Jew. Have a nice some great. But nonetheless, He was a Jew. OK, verse 27. Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that he had spoken to him, how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Well, Barnabas stuck his neck up. Now this fits in with what we already know about Barnabas earlier chapters of Acts here. He was a Man of some vision, big heart. A that son of encouragement. That he kind of took the apostle Paul under his wing. led the way for him in order to have him accepted by the community. So he confirmed. 30. The reality of Paul's conversion. 28, so he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in, going out, and finally accepted him. spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, disputed it against the Hellenists. Isn't that interesting? He, he, he aimed his preaching at the very group that had persecuted. Uh, Even And it's very likely the same group of which he was associated with whenever he was persecuted. That man had guts. See, God, God got his zeal turned around in the right direction. And he went right back to the people who had been doing. Persecuting in the first place. Yeah but they attempted to kill him. his former persuasion with those people was gone, he was now. Yeah So when the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea, sent him out to par. Back to his hometown. I do want to go back to that reference there in. Relations one Because this has, this adds a little bit of Color you might say to the things that we just read there at Acts 9. Now in Acts 9 we see him. Uh, trying to be accepted by the community there in Jerusalem. Acts of Galatians 1 verse 18. We find that even though he wants to be accepted by the community there in Jerusalem, the mother church there, he is also very quick to assert his independence on them. There is kind of a Uh, a relationship. In which he is a part of them and yet he is not a part of. Wholeheartedly with them. On the other hand, he wants people to make wants to make sure that people understood that he was not their disciple. But that rather he was taught in the same manner that they were. By spending time with Chris. Of course, what that would tend to do was make sure that people understood that he indeed was not an apostle of any lesser level degree or anything than any of these other men. And then after 3 years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and remained with him 15 days. I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. concerning the things that I write to you. Uh, indeed before God, I do not lie. Afterward, I went to the regions of Syria to connect that with Acts 9, where he was sent to Caesarea and then to Silesia, which is where Tarsus was, it was unknown by faith to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. They were hearing only. He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy. They glorify God in me. Let's see what the verse 16. 50. When it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb. That might indicate All was Reporting that he was In the same category as Jeremiah. And John the Baptist That he had been sanctified to God from the womb. They're the only three men other than Christ that a statement similar to that was made. Jeremiah, John the Baptist, the apostle Paul. Jeremiah and John the Baptist. Very definitely says that they were sanctified from the womb. Here's an allusion to it by the apostle Paul when he says he separated me from my mother's womb. But simply me Uh, that he was born, that the way that he says it indicates that he felt that he was sanctified from birth. I'll be through His grace. Reveal his son in me, and I preach him among the Gentiles. I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. OK, back to Acts the 9th chapter again. Now in verse 30, It's entirely possible that But when this occurred, he was persecuted by the Hellenist. And then the brethren sent him, it says, To Caesarea and then on to Tarsus. It's entirely possible that if he was a thin skinned man that he could have taken that as a personal rebuff. And certainly had the courage to continue to preach there. Uh, but the church. It appears as though interceded actually rushed him out of town. Oh Probably good reason for them to do that because they have lived through the experience of the persecution that arose as a result of Steven. They did not want to have that happen to them again. Now, the reason I say that the apostle Paul might have felt that that was a rebuff. Is that God gave him a vision. Recorded in Acts 22. When Paul was giving his own personal account of these things, it's not just Luke writing, but rather it is Paul reporting on what occurred and he said that God gave him a vision. Told him to do that. Actually to encourage it. In verse 31 And all the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, Samaria had peace. So it shows you again that there was some wisdom in, in what they did, sending Paul away. Because it gave the church peace, they were edified. It means really that they were strengthened. Of course there is, there is strength and edification. But strengthen this is a better word. Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied, continued to grow. And now this first kind of summarizes because we are going to take another step in the conversion of the The Gentiles But this verse, right up to this point. We have the Introduction of the three pivotal characters in the book. Peter Steven. Oh These 3 men have had the most to do with The spreading of the gospel out beyond the confines of Jerusalem. You know, I might also add here that really to this point. Philip has had more to do with Fred of the gospel and the apostle Paul. Paul is now introduced, coming on the scene very shortly while he's going to be the main character. The others are going to completely fade into the background. We're hardly going to hear of them at all, at least through the book of Acts. Stage is being set. Uh, or The explosion of the gospel in a much, much bigger way. And then in verse 32, And to pass as Peter. Uh, put back into the story flow here, went through all parts of the country. He also came down to the saints who dwelt lit up. Now, later It was about 20 or 30 miles. Oh it's a little bit, I think it's 25 would be a pretty good guess. Northwest of Jerusalem. And We're having it introduced here. At the beginning of how the gospel spreads. From Jerusalem West to the Mediterranean Sea. See it make a loop up to Caesarea. There it's not going to jump out over the whole Mediterranean area. So again, Peter went to Glita. And he found a certain man named Aeneas who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed, and Peter said to him, Aeneas Jesus, the Christ heals you. Arise It says in the Greek roll off your bed. In English, we make a bed. The great They have Bed rolls, so they rolled it up. It says literally roll up your bed. And he rose immediately. So all who dwell at Lita, Sharon, meaning the plain of Sharon there saw him and turned to the Lord. Verse 36. Now JaA Ja is about another 15 miles west of Lita. And it's on the coast. That a toast And Nothing Very interesting here that I've never thought of before. There was a certain disciple named Tabitha which is translated circus. One a Hebrew word or Aramaic, the other Greek, they both mean the same thing. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds, which she did. It happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Now since Lita was near Jaffa. When the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him imploring him. Not to delay coming to them. Now the interesting thing to me is this. The Hebrews were In the habit of burying people very quickly. The person died. The body was washed, was usually anointed. Then Within The same day The person was in the ground. I noticed they washed her. They did not annoy her. They did not intend to bury him. Now Peter was late. 12 miles away. I knew he was there. They were in Jaffa. They sent somebody down to lit it. had to have walked, ridden a horse or something still 12 miles away. This lady's dead. They get the litter Undoubtedly, it must have taken a little bit of time for Peter to get ready. If he was not ready at all, maybe it was the next day, he might have slept overnight. And then the next day walked a little. It wouldn't have been too much for him to walk 12 miles in one day, wouldn't have taken too long. 3 or 4 hours at a good pace and he would have been there. Now, the question to me is, Why did they do this? It almost seems as though they had resurrection on their mind from the very beginning. He never intended to bury it. Until at least Peter got there. She was dead before they ever sent anybody. Delia in the first place, it was not a matter that she was sick and that they tried to get Peter there to anoint her before she died. She was dead before they sent anybody. So it it seems as though they had it on on their mind already to ask him to raise her from the dead. Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room and all the widows stood by him weeping. The showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. I can remember reading this when I was younger. And I, I got to thinking that they bring all the things, the clothes with them that she had made. Oh, I, I found out recently that it means that The clothes that they were wearing. She had made Now it seems as though she had kind of a special ministry to the to the widows because they were the ones that are mentioned here that were especially saddened by by her death. She had spent a great deal of her time taking care of these ladies. And they were very saddened because Going to miss her Peter got them all out of the room, verse 40. Knelt down and pray. I wonder if he was shocked by their request. Maybe he was. Maybe he had to stop to think this thing through. Oh, maybe. I do not know, I do not know. I'm sure he wouldn't have gone there and said, sure, I'll resurrect her. He could have resurrected her anyway. I would have had to have done it. No wonder though he wanted to get them out of the room so that he could pray. And of course, After he had prayed, He turned to the body and said the rise. You opened your eyes She saw Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and lifted her up. He had called up saints, widows, presented her alive. He became known throughout all Jaffa, and he believed on the Lord, so it was that he saved many days. in Jaffa with Simontana. Well that concludes that chapter, but there is just one little thing that I want to. Interject here That is that According to Regulations that the Jews had at that time, but Tanner was an unclean man. Because of the processes that were used. To soften the hide. To make them usable for wears clothing and shoes. Uh, it's interesting because Peter stayed with this man. Apparently for quite a long time. I was Peter losing his scruples regarding The regulation. That he had formerly, apparently, at least to some degree, lived with all of his life. Apparently so, as there seems to be. Nothing would indicate. He gave a second thought. Spending many days. The man who would have been continually rendering Peter. Ceremonially uncleaned. As Peter's contact with we see just a little indication. Churches widening of understanding regarding Many of the regulations that have been attached to the law of God.

JWR/aws/drm

 

 

Sermon Topics

False Gospels

Jesus Christ's Return

Life after Death

Repentance

Resurrection

The Gospel

The Kingdom of God