Lesson #14

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Acts

September 21, 2015

Lesson #01

January 14, 2010

Lesson #02

January 14, 2010

RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

PAUL’S CONVERSION AND ACTS 9:32-43
LESSON #14
DISCERNING CHANGES TO COME IN GOD’S GUIDANCE

• MEMORY VERSE: GAL 2:20

• SAUL (PAUL) CONVERTED TO CHRIST ABOUT 36 AD.
• CALIGULA BECAME EMPEROR OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AFTER HAVING MURDERED HIS FATHER TIBERIIUS IN 37 AD.
• IN OUR LAST LESSON WE SAW SOME OF THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS CONCERNING PAUL’S CONVERSION TO CHRIST ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE PAUL IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH AND TO THE NEW TESTAMENT ITSELF (HAVING WRITTEN MUCH OF IT), WE WILL SPEND MORE TIME TALKING ABOUT HIS CONVERSION BASED ON OTHER NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.
• READ ACT 22:1-21
• SOME INTERESTING THINGS TO NOTICE IN THIS PASSAGE:
• BELIEVERS IN CHRIST WERE NOT CALLED CHRISTIANS UNTIL LATER. THE EARLY BELIEVERS WERE CALLED, FOLLOWERS OF “THE WAY”. (4)
• SAUL (PAUL) PERSECUTED BOTH MEN AND WOMEN BELIEVERS.(4)
• HE BROUGHT THEM BOUND BACK TO JERUSALEM FOR TRIAL, BEATING, AND DEATH. (5)
• THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WITH PAUL:
• THOSE WITH PAUL SAW THE BRILLIANT LIGHT. (9)
• ACT 22:9 SAYS THAT THOSE WITH PAUL DID NOT HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD WHO SPOKE TO PAUL.
• HOWEVER, ACT 9:7 SAYS THAT THOSE WITH PAUL DID HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD.
• THE RESOLUTION OF THIS DISCREPANCY:
• THOSE WITH PAUL HEARD THE SOUND OF THE LORD’S VOICE, BUT THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT THE LORD SAID TO HIM.
• PAUL’S PHYSICAL BLINDNESS WAS DUE TO THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE GLORY OF THE LIGHT THAT ACCOMPANIED THE LORD’S VOICE. (11)
• ANANIAS’ MESSAGE TO PAUL IN DAMASCUS:
• ANANIAS TOLD PAUL THAT GOD HAD CHOSEN HIM TO BE A WITNESS OF HIS DAMASCUS’ ROAD EXPERIENCE TO ALL MEN. (14-15)
• REMEMBER THAT THE DISCIPLES WERE TO BE WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE OF CHRIST
• THEREFORE, OFTEN YOUR BEST TESTIMONY IS YOUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE PERSONALLY IN YOUR OWN LIFE.
• PAUL FREQUENTLY TALKED OF HIS CONVERSION EXPERIENCE OUT OF OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE THESE OTHER ACCOUNTS IN PAUL’S WRITINGS. HE FULFILLS CHRIST’S CALL.
• FINALLY, PAUL RETURNED TO JERUSALEM. WHILE PRAYING IN THE TEMPLE, HE HAD ANOTHER VISION OF THE LORD THAT TOLD HIM TO LEAVE JERUSALEM.
• WHO TOLD PAUL HE WOULD BE A MISSIONARY TO THE GENTILES?
• IT WAS NOT ANANIAS WHO TOLD PAUL OF HIS SPECIFIC MISSION TO PREACH TO THE GENTILES. IT WAS THE LORD WHO SPOKE TO HIM IN THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM JUST BEFORE PAUL FLED FROM PERSONAL DANGER IN JERUSALEM. (21)
• READ ACT 26:9-18
• WHAT NEW FACT DO WE SEE IN THIS TESTIMONY OF PAUL’S SALVATION THAT ACT 9 DID NOT MENTION?
• SAUL (PAUL) HAD THE CHRISTIANS TORTURED UNTIL THEY DENOUNCED JESUS AS GOD. (11)
• ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS, THE LORD APPEARED TO PAUL IN A BRIGHT LIGHT AND TOLD HIM HE WOULD BE A WITNESS TO THE GENTILES, TO TURN THEM TO GOD FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN. (17-18)
• READ GAL 1:15-19
• WHAT NEW FACT DO WE LEARN FROM THESE VERSES ABOUT PAUL REGARDING THE TIMING OF EVENTS?
• AFTER HIS CONVERSION TO CHRIST, PAUL LEFT DAMASCUS FOR ARABIA WHERE HE SPENT SOME TIME, THEN RETURNED TO DAMASCUS FOR A SHORT TIME. THREE YEARS AFTER HIS CONVERSION ON THE DAMASCUS ROAD, PAUL WENT TO JERUSALEM. HE STAYED WITH PETER FOR 15 DAYS AND SAW ONLY JAMES. THEN PAUL LEFT JERUSALEM BECAUSE OF THE PERSONAL DANGER THERE. (17-19)
• FROM JERUSALEM, PAUL WAS TAKEN TO CAESAREA, BOARDED A SHIP, AND SAILED TO HIS HOME IN TARSUS.
• READ PHI 3:4-14
• WHAT WAS PAUL’S ATTITUDE TOWARD HIS PRESTIGIOUS PAST?
• THE THINGS OF WHICH PAUL WAS PREVIOUSLY PROUD:
• HE WAS A CIRCUMCISED JEW FROM THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN WHICH MADE HIM ONE OF GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE.
• HE WAS A PHARISEE WHO ZEALOUSLY PERSECUTED THE CHURCH FOR GOD.
• HE WAS BLAMELESS IN KNOWING AND KEEPING THE LAW OF MOSES.
• PAUL WAS THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF A GOOD JEW. HE HAD MUCH OF WHICH TO BE PROUD.
• BUT PAUL’S PRIDE WAS BROKEN ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS. GOD HUMBLED HIM AND GAVE HIM A NEW ATTITUDE.
• PAUL’S NEW ATTITUDE IS THAT HE COUNTS HIS PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AN ACCIDENT OF BIRTH AS NOTHING FOR WHICH TO BE PROUD.
• HE NO LONGER RELIES ON HIS PAST RECOMMENDATIONS TO OPEN POLITICAL DOORS FOR HIM.
• INSTEAD, HE TRUSTS IN CHRIST TO PUT HIM WHERE NE NEEDS TO BE.
• WHAT DID PAUL GAIN THAT HE CONSIDERED HIS PAST WORTHLESS IN COMPARISON?
• HE GAINED THE EXCELLENCY OF PERSONALLY KNOWING JESUS CHRIST AS HIS SAVIOR.
• HE GAINED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST THROUGH FAITH.
• HE GAINED THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD.
• HE GAINED THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRIST’S SUFFERING.
• PAUL FELT HONORED THAT CHRIST CONSIDERED HIM WORTHY TO SUFFER FOR CHRIST.
• READ ACT 9:32-43 PETER’S MINISTRY OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM:
• WE DO NOT SEE IN ACT 9 THAT SOME TIME HAD PASSED.
• PAUL WAS CONVERTED TO CHRIST ABOUT 36 AD.
• PETER MINISTERS OUTSIDE JERUSALEM ABOUT 40 AD.
• PETER PASSED THROUGH “ALL QUARTERS”. (32)
• PETER TRAVELS THROUGHOUT THE AREA AROUND JERUSALEM PREACHING THE GOSPEL.
• IT COULD BE THAT PETER IS FOLLOWING UP ON NEWLY PLANTED CHURCHES AS A RESULT OF PHILIP’S MINISTRY.
• PETER IN LYDDA AND JOPPA:
• PETER BRINGS HEALING TO A MAN WITH PALSY IN LYDDA.
• PETER BRINGS HEALING TO TABITHA (DORCAS) WHO HAD DIED IN JOPPA.
• WHAT WAS GOD’S PURPOSE OF THE HEALINGS THROUGH PETER IN LYDDA AND JOPPA?
• THE HEALING AND RAISING FROM THE DEAD WERE SIGNS OF THE POWER OF GOD THAT ADVERTISED THE GOSPEL SO THAT MANY MIGHT BE SAVED. (35, 42)
• THE HEALING OF AENEAS, A GREEK SPEAKING JEW.
• HE EVIDENTLY IS NOT A BELIEVER BEFORE PETER BROUGHT HEALING TO HIM.
• PETER TELLS THE MAN WHO HEALS HIM. (34)
• THE RAISING OF TABITHA (DORCAS) FROM THE DEAD:
• THIS WOMAN HAS TWO NAMES. SHE LIVES IN A GREEK-SPEAKING SEAPORT ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF JERUSALEM.
• TABITHA IS HER HEBREW NAME, WHICH MEANS SHE IS A JEW.
• DORCAS IS HER GREEK NAME.
• NOTICE AN ELEMENT OF FAITH BY THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH WHO REQUESTED THAT PETER COME IN HOPES HE COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT TABITHA’S DEATH.
• PETER HAD SEEN JESUS RAISE PEOPLE FROM THE DEAD. HE FOLLOWS THE SAME PATTERN. (MAR 5:41-42)
• HE REMOVES THE MOURNERS FROM THE ROOM.
• HE PRAYS
• HE COMMANDS THE DEAD WOMAN TO RISE.
• PETER USES HER HEBREW NAME IN HER HEALING. THE WORDS PETER SAYS TO HER ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT JESUS SAID IN LUK 8:40-42, 49-56.

• “Tabitha arise”.

• WHAT PURPOSE DID DORCAS’ GOOD WORKS SERVE?
• THIS WONDERFUL CHRISTIAN WOMAN USED HER SEWING TALENT TO PROVIDE CLOTHING FOR WIDOWS IN THE CHURCH THAT WERE TOO POOR TO BUY CLOTHING. THIS WAS HER COMMENDABLE MINISTRY THAT GAVE JOY TO EVERYONE AROUND HER.
• SHE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A SIMPLE TALENT THAT IS NOT TOO MUNDANE OR TOO SECULAR TO BE OF USE TO GOD WHEN GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• WHAT WAS SO SHOCKING ABOUT PETER’S STAY IN THE HOUSE OF SIMON? (43)
• ACT 9:43 SPECIFICALLY TELLS US THAT SIMON WAS A TANNER.
• SIMON WAS A JEW WHO MADE A LIVING TANNING HIDES.
• THIS WAS AN UNCLEAN PROFESSION FOR A JEW TO HAVE ACCORDING TO THE MOSAIC LAW.
• THE TANNING OF ANIMAL SKINS MEANT THAT A PERSON MUST HANDLE ANIMALS THAT THE MOSAIC LAW DECLARED WERE UNCLEAN.
• THE TANNING OF ANIMAL SKINS MEANT THAT A PERSON MUST HANDLE DEAD ANIMALS THAT MADE THE TANNER CEREMONIOUSLY UNCLEAN.
• THE TANNING OF ANIMAL SKINS MEANT THAT ACIDS WERE USED IN THE CURING OF SKINS THAT CAUSED A TERRIBLE ODOR. IT WAS NOT A PROFESSION THAT ONE COULD HIDE.
• IT WAS THE CUSTOM THAT A TANNER HAD TO LIVE NO LESS THAN 50 YARDS OUTSIDE THE CITY.
• THE JEWS WERE HAPPY TO LET THE GENTILES BE THE TANNERS.
• THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MENTION OF SIMON, THE TANNER –ABOUT 40 AD.
• THERE IS NOTHING IN SCRIPTURE THAT IS INCIDENTAL. EVERYTHING HAS ITS PURPOSE.
• THAT MEANS THERE IS SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT IN THE PLAN OF GOD ABOUT PETER’S STAY IN THIS HOUSE.
• FROM THE DAY OF PENTECOST ABOUT 33 AD, WE HAVE SEEN THE DISCIPLES CHANGING UNDER THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• THEY HAVE BEGUN TO TREAT GREEK-SPEAKING JEWS EQUALLY. (ACT 6) –ABOUT 35 AD.
• THEY HAVE BEGUN TO ACCEPT SAMARITANS AS EQUALS AND WORTHY OF SALVATION. (ACT 8) –ABOUT 36 AD.
• IT IS OBVIOUS THAT GOD IS DOING SOMETHING NEW IN THE CHURCH AGE. WHAT WAS ONCE UNCLEAN AND PROHIBITED IS NOW OK.
• IN SEVEN YEARS GOD HAS BEEN GRADUALLY PREPARING THE CHURCH LEADERS FOR THE NEXT BIG CHANGE.
• THIS VERSE ABOUT SIMON THE TANNER, IS A HINT OF BIGGER CHANGES TO COME.
• APPLICATION
• CHANGE IS PART OF LIFE. YET, MAN RESISTS CHANGE IN SO MANY AREAS OF LIFE. GOD WORKS PATIENTLY MOVING US INTO NEW AREAS, INTO NEW PLACES, AND WITH NEW PEOPLE. WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF HOW GOD IS MOVING, SO THAT WE DON’T RESIST GOD’S DIRECTION.
• DISCUSSION:

HOW CAN THE CHRISTIAN DISCERN GOD’S CHANGING TIMES?

• SINCE GOD IS SOVEREIGN, THERE IS THE ATTITUDE THAT NOTHING HAPPENS BY CHANCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN. THEREFORE, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN OUR LIVES, AND EVERYONE THAT CROSSES OUR PATH SERVES IN SOME WAY TO DIRECT US IN THE WAY WE SHOULD GO.
• IF WE RESIST GOD, WE ARE LIKE SAUL WHO KICKED AGAINST THE PRICKS, TO HIS OWN DETRIMENT.

HOMEWORK
ACT 10:1-48
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 9:32-43
• HAS THERE BEEN SOME DIRECTION OR CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN RESISTING?
• PRAY AND ASK GOD TO HELP IN YOUR CHANGE OF ATTITUDE SO THAT YOU SUBMIT TO HIS WILL.

• PREPARATION FOR ACT 10:1-48
• READ ACT 10:1-8
• WHAT IS THE MESSAGE IN CORNELIUS’ VISION?
• READ ACT 10:9-18
• WHAT IS THE MESSAGE IN PETER’S VISION AND WHY WAS THE VISION NECESSARY?
• READ ACT 10:19-33
• WHAT DOES VERSE 21 TELL YOU ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF PETER?
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN VERSES 1-33?
• READ ACT 10:34-48
• WHAT ARE THE MAIN TRUTHS OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE?
• WHO ARE “they of the circumcision”? (45)
• HOW DID THE JEWS KNOW THAT THE GENTILES WERE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT?

• MEMORY VERSE: ACT 10:34