Acts 9:1
Outline:
I. \\#Acts 1:1-8:4\\ God’s Work in Jerusalem
A. \\#1:1-3\\ The Introduction
B. \\#1:4-26\\ Jesus’ Departure
1. \\#1:4-8\\ The Command
2. \\#1:9-11\\ The Ascension and Promised Return
3. \\#1:12-26\\ The Wait for the Holy Ghost
C. \\#2:1-8:4\\ The Holy Ghost’s Coming
1. \\#Acts 1:1-4\\ The Holy Spirit Comes
2. \\#Acts 2:5-8:4\\ The Power of the Holy Spirit
a. \\#Acts 2:5-13\\ The Power of Languages
b. \\#Acts 2:1-36\\ The Power of Preaching
c. \\#Acts 2:37-41, 47\\ The Power of Salvation
d. \\#Acts 2:42-47\\ The Power of Fellowship
e. \\#Acts 2:44-45\\ The Power of Giving
f. \\#Acts 3:1-11\\ The Power of Healing (miracles) and
more preaching \\#Acts 3:12-26\\
g. \\#Acts 4:1-31\\ The Power of Suffering
h. \\#Acts 4:32-5:42\\ The Power of Chastening
(1) \\#Acts 4:32-37\\ The Continuous Demonstrations
of the Holy Ghost (fellowship, preaching,
giving)
(2) \\#Acts 5:1-11\\ The Holy Ghost Chastens
(3) \\#Acts 5:12-42\\ The Continuous Demonstration of
the Holy Ghost (healing, salvation, suffering)
i. \\#Acts 6:1-7:50\\ The Power of Leadership (salvation,
preaching, persecution)
(1) \\#Acts 6:1-6\\ The Power of Leadership
(2) \\#Acts 6:7\\ The Power of Salvation
(3) \\#Acts 6:8-7:50\\ The Power of Preaching and
Persecution
(a) \\#Acts 6:8-15\\ The Situation
(b) \\#Acts 7:1-53\\ The Preaching
(c) \\#Acts 7:54-60\\ The Persecution
j. \\#Acts 8:1-4\\ The Persecutions Intensify
II. \\#Acts 8:5-12:24\\ God’s Work in Judea and Samaria
A. \\#8:4-40\\ The Ministry of Philip
1. \\#5-25\\ Philip Called to Samaria
2. \\#26-39\\ Philip’s Called to the Desert
3. \\#39-40\\ God Moved Him Toward Caesarea
B. \\#9:1-31\\ The Salvation of Saul
1. \\#9:1-9\\ The Power at Saul’s Conversion
2. \\#9:10-22\\ The Power after Saul’s Calling
3. \\#9:23-31\\ The Consequences of His Conversion
C. \\#9:32-11:18\\ The Ministry of Peter
1. \\#9:32-35\\ At Lydda
2. \\#9:36-43\\ At Joppa
III. \\#Acts 13:1-28:31\\ God’s Work in Uttermost Parts of the World
I. \\#9:1-31\\ The Salvation of Saul
A. \\#1-9\\ The Power at Saul’s Conversion
1. Images
a. Paul's Events
b. Map
2. \\#1\\ "And Saul, yet breathing out" - This is to tell us
that nothing has changed with Saul during whatever time
had passed.
Note: Most believe that several years have passed since Stephen’s
stoning and Philip’s recorded ministry, perhaps 3 to 4 years. There
is no way of knowing this for certain, but most estimate that 32 years
passes between Pentecost (Acts 2) and Paul being at Rome (Acts 28).
http://biblehub.com/timeline/acts/1.htm
a. Within Jerusalem,
(1) \\#Acts 8:1\\ …he was "consenting" to the deaths
of Christians.
(2) \\#Acts 8:3\\ …he was the chief instigator in
reeking havock within the Christian community.
(3) \\#Acts 8:3\\ …he was "haling" (dragging) men
and women from every house he thought a
Christian lived to prison.
(4) This persecution went on under Saul’s hand for
these 3 (?) years and continued to in varying
degrees after him for another 3 to 4 years.
(See time notes below.)
b. Paul spoke of these days in his testimony to the
Galatians.
Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in
time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond
measure I persecuted the church of God, and
wasted it:
14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many
my equals in mine own nation, being more
exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my
fathers.
(1) "beyond measure" means way past the furthest
extremes.
(2) To "waste" means to destroy, to sack, to ravage.
(3) Neither the Bible nor Paul ever directly speak to
the issue of whether Paul killed or had
Christians killed, but the is a likelihood that he
did. If not directly, then through his part in
serving the Sanhedrin.
3. \\#2\\ "letters to Damascus" - Now he wanted to export
his terror out of country to Damascus, the capital of
Syria. The journey was about 165 miles.
a. "he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem" - His
mission was to seek out in the synagogues who
worshipped Jesus, arrest them, and bring them
back to Jerusalem.
b. Notice that synagogues is plural meaning there
were more than one.
4. \\#3-7\\ Jesus Appeared
a. \\#3\\ "near Damascus" - The exact location is
not given.
b. \\#3-4\\ Saul saw "a light from heaven" (God’s glory?)
and heard a voice.
(1) \\#7\\ The men with him also "heard a voice
but saw no man." They could heard the sound
of the voice but could not make out the words.
(2) They "stood speechless" - It seems as though
they were too frightened to say anything.
(3) God directly and miraculously intervened not only
in Saul’s life but also in these men. They saw
the light and heard the voice—-perhaps even
hearing Saul’s side of the conversation. They
saw the condition Saul was left in after the
event and they must have heard from Saul’s own
lips what was told him. The fact that God did
not allow them to understand what Jesus was
saying is no indication that God did not do a
mighty work in their presence. They just
refused to let that work produce a new heart
within their souls.
c. \\#4-6\\ Jesus’ spoke three times.
(1) "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"
(2) "I am Jesus…. It is hard for thee to kick
against the pricks." - From this statement, it
would seem that the Holy Spirit had already been
convicting Saul. Sometimes the greatest rage is
a reaction to conviction.
(3) "Arise and go into the city, and it shall…" Jesus
does not wait for Saul to decide whether he was
going to obey Him or not. He simply gave Saul a
command.
d. \\#4-6\\ Saul responded.
(1) "fell to the earth" - Saul saw the light and
heard a voice only. He never saw Jesus.
(2) …asked "Who are thou, Lord?" - The fact that
Saul called the light, Lord, does not mean that
he recognized that he was speaking to God. The
word can mean Master when used in that sense but
it can also be a simple respectful title such as
"sir."
(3) "he trembling and astonished" - Considering
what was happening to him, it was hard for Saul
to be anything else but afraid and amazed. In
those few seconds, he must have realized that
much of what he believed was wrong and
everything he was doing was.
5. \\#8-9\\ Saul’s Response
a. \\#8\\ "when his eyes were opened" - It seems
that the light was so bright, that Saul had
closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was blind.
b. "brought him into Damascus" - Saul finished his
journey but not like he had thought.
c. \\#9\\ "he was three days without sight" - Physically,
God had left His mark on Saul.
d. "neither did eat nor drink" - Spiritually too!
B. \\#10-22\\ The Power after Saul’s Calling
1. \\#10\\ "Ananias" - He was disciple of Christ who lived in
Damascus.
a. When the Lord spoke to him, he immediately responded.
b. Was it that common for God to literally speak to His
people in that day?
2. \\#11-12\\ God’s Command
a. "Arise and go" - The Lord directed Ananias to go to a
specific location, "the street called Straight," and
to put his hands on Saul’s eyes that he might receive
sight.
b. "hath seen in a vision" - Before God gave Ananias the
command, God had already given Saul the vision of
what would happen.
3. \\#13-14\\ Ananias Questions - I do not think the Lord
minds a question as long as we are content with His
answer—even if He chooses to answer the question by not
answering.
4. \\#15-16\\ The Lord Reiterates
a. "Go thy way." Do what I told you to do. God’s
commands are not options.
b. "he is a chosen vessel unto me" - God has chosen Saul
to serve Him.
c. "before Gentiles, and kings, and the children of
Israel" - Until this point, the ministry has been
completely to the Jews. The Lord reveals that Saul’s
ministry will be different. Since Gentiles and kings
(the world being plural would have to mean Gentile
kings) are mentioned before the Jews, God may have
been letting Ananias know that Saul’s primary
ministry would be to the Gentiles.
d. "how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake"
Perhaps the reason God selected Saul was because he
had inflicted so much pain on others. Regardless, it
was the plan of God from the past that Saul would
know the pain of carrying the cross of Christ.
5. \\#17-22\\ God Begins A Work
a. \\#17\\ "Brother Saul"
(1) Ananias obeyed God.
(2) When speaking to Ananias, he called Saul his
brother. While it is possible that Ananias
meant Saul was his Jewish brother, it is much
more likely that after hearing the voice of God,
he meant that Saul was his brother in Christ.
b. \\#18\\ "immediately …he received sight …and was
baptized" - Between the visions, the blindness, and
his healing, Saul needed no more convincing. He
believed on Jesus as the Christ and was baptized.
c. \\#19\\ "Then was Saul …with the disciples …at
Damascus" - With Ananias’ recommendation, Saul joined
himself to the very believers he had come to
imprison. Among this fellowship, he no doubt began
to rethink his understanding of the Scriptures.
d. \\#20\\ "And straightway he preached Christ" - Saul
brought with him the same zeal he had used to make
havock in the church.
e. \\#21\\ "all that heard him were amazed" - Only God’s
amazing grace could—and would—use such a means to
bring glory to Himself.
f. \\#22\\ By God’s grace…
(1) "Saul increased the more in strength" (of wisdom
and understanding).
(2) "confounded the Jews"
(3) "proving that this is very Christ."
g. Paul added another note in his testimony to the
Galatians that took place during this time.
Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them
which were apostles before me; but I went into
Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem
to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
(1) First, Saul went into the desserts of Arabia for
some time. He does not give an exact time
period, but it is likely that it was for a long
season, perhaps a year or two.
(2) Second, it is three years total time from Saul’s
conversion \\#Acts 9:18\\ and his return to
Jerusalem \\#Acts 9:23\\. We could be six or
seven years removed from the crucifixion now.
C. \\#23-31\\ The Consequences of His Conversion
1. \\#23-30\\ The Christians had a new crusader.
a. \\#23\\ "the Jews took counsel to kill him" - It had
been three years since Saul left Jerusalem. How much
of that time Saul had actually spent in study and how
much in opposing the Jews is not know, but the Jews
deemed that Saul needed to be removed.
b. \\#24-25\\ "But their laying await was known of Saul"
Their plans came to Saul’s attention. The plan
apparently was to kill Saul when he exited through a
gate so the disciples let him down over the wall in a
basket.
c. \\#26-29\\ "when Saul was come to Jerusalem"
(1) \\#26\\ "he assayed to join …to the disciples"
It may have been three years, but those whom
Saul had persecuted still remembered him. They
would not believe that Saul was now a disciple.
(2) It would have been a difficult time for both Saul
and the Christians but God demands that love and
forgiveness be forgiven.
(3) \\#27\\ "But Barnabas" - This is the same
Barnabas who sold his possessions and gave them
to the church in \\#Acts 4:36\\. His name means
"son of consolation" and that was his nature. He
vouched for Saul.
(4) \\#28\\ "And he was with them" - Because Barnabas
did so, Saul was accepted into the Jerusalem
fellowship.
(5) \\#29\\ "freely in Jerusalem" - In fact, he was
eventually fully trusted, having the ability to
go freely among the Christians and the non-
believers.
(6) Paul again gave extra testimony of this time
period to the Galatians.
Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to
Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him
fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save
James the Lord’s brother.
(a) Paul saw only Peter and James, the half
brother of Jesus, who were leaders in the
church of Jerusalem.
(b) He and Peter saw each for 15 days,
after which they likely each continued their
own individual ministries, seldom if ever
crossing paths.
(c) It was not that Paul would not have seen the
other apostles but more likely that
they were scattered about by that time
serving the Lord.
(d) Paul made much of the distance between
himself and the other apostles to the
Galatians to demonstrate to them that he
was an apostle in his own right, taught
personally by the Lord Jesus.
(7) \\#29\\ "arguing with the Hellenistic Jews"
(a) These would be the Greek Jews. It is again
difficult to image the diversity of the
Jewish people but Jews are not just those
born in Israel. Because of the scatterings
through the centuries, they can belong to
any nation and culture.
(b) The Greeks were intellectuals, believing
that education and philosophy could find
the answers to man’s problems.
1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the
Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews
a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness;
(c) Greek Jews would likely be reasoning along
the lines of our intellectuals today,
doubting the possibility of the
resurrection.
(d) "they were attempting to put him to death"
It sounds like they were losing the debate
and were not very good sports about it!
They decided to kill Saul
d. \\#30\\ "to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus"
(1) Images
(a) Map
(b) Map
(2) The Christians decide to send him back to his
home city for safety.
(3) Paul spoke of this to the Galatians as well.
Gal 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of
Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of
Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which
persecuted us in times past now preacheth the
faith which once he destroyed.
24 And they glorified God in me.
(4) By the terms "Syria and Cilicia," it is obvious
that Paul did not stay just at Tarsus nor
attempt to hide.
(a) Cilicia was the Roman providence or state in
which Tarsus was located.
(b) Syria is the nation just north of Israel.
(c) So Paul began to evangelize the Jews in the
areas north of Israel.
2. \\#31\\ The religion eventually got peace.
a. "throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria" - The
Bible does not directly say that Saul’s conversion
stopped the persecutions but it seems to imply that
his conversion may have helped to that end.
b. "the church" - The text does not say "the churches"
throughout those regions but "the church." Perhaps
because the different fellowships still had unified
leadership under the apostles or perhaps because the
Christians were more in tuned and obedient to the
Holy Ghost, but there were not many churches, just
one.
II. \\#9:32-11:18\\ The Ministry of Peter (Since the election of the
deacons, the book has focused on individuals. Stephen, Philip,
Paul, and now Peter.)
A. \\#9:32-35\\ At Lydda
1. Map
2. "Peter passed through all quarters" - While the apostles
had originally stayed in Jerusalem during the
persecution \\#Acts 8:1\\, Peter and John had eventually
gone to Samaria to verify the work of God going on there
\\#Acts 8:16\\. Apparently, from there they continued
to travel in the region preaching the gospel and
strengthening the believers.
3. Lydda was between Jerusalem and the coast about 25 miles
from the Jerusalem.
4. While there, Peter healed Aeneas who had the palsy
(tremors and paralysis) so bad that he had been
bedridden for eight years.
5. This caused many to turn to the Lord.
B. \\#9:36-43\\ At Joppa
1. Images
a. Map
b. Picture
c. Picture
d. Picture
2. Joppa was on the seacoast and is called Jaffa today.
a. It was the city that Jonah fled to when God called
him to preach to Nineveh, a Gentile city.
b. It is interesting that God will call Peter to preach
to Gentiles from that same city.
3. \\#36\\ "Tabitha," Aramaic meaning gazelle.
a. Also called "Dorcas," Greek also meaning gazelle.
b. This woman had did good works, probably using her
talent as a seamstress \\#39\\, and meant much to the
the Christians there.
4. \\#37\\ She grew sick and died. The ladies afterward
washed her and laid her in the upper room. She would be
buried before sunset.
5. \\#38\\ "desiring him that he would not delay" - Joppa was
about 11 miles from Lydda and would take two to three
hours journey to get there and again to return. They
would need to hurry to return before it was necessary to
bury her.
6. \\#40\\ Peter does what he had seen Jesus do
\\#Mark 5:36-43\\.
a. He puts everyone out of the room.
b. And speaks what appears to be the same phrase although
there is the difference of one letter in our
translation.
7. \\#42\\ The news spreads through Joppa, causing many to
believe.
8. \\#43\\ "Simon a tanner" - Peter was invited to abide with
a man who was a tanner.
a. A tanner was one who skinned animals for their hides.
b. This was often considered an "unclean" job and so
tanners were shunned by many Jews.
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