Lesson #13

Related Articles

Acts

September 21, 2015

Lesson #01

January 14, 2010

Lesson #02

January 14, 2010

RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

ACT 9:1-31
LESSON #13
SAUL, A NEW BELIEVER IN CHRIST

• MEMORY VERSE: COL 1:25

• CHAPTER 9 OCCURS ABOUT 36 AD. IN CHAPTER 8 WE SAW THE SALVATION OF THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH, A DESCENDANT OF HAM. IN CHAPTER 9 WE SEE THE SALVATION OF SAUL (PAUL), A DESCENDANT OF SHEM. IN CHAPTER 10 WE WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF CORNELIUS, A DESCENDANT OF JAPHETH.
• THE GOSPEL IS SPREADING, ACCORDING TO CHRIST’S COMMAND, INTO THE 3 BRANCHES OF MANKIND AS DESCENDED FROM NOAH. THESE THREE SIGNIFICANT SALVATIONS ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL MANKIND IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE WORLD.

• READ ACT 9:1-9 SAUL’S TRIP TO DAMASCUS IN SYRIA.
• WHEN THE JEWS BEGAN TO PERSECUTE THE CHRISTIANS IN JERUSALEM, THE CHURCH WENT UNDERGROUND. MANY OF THE CHRISTIANS (THE FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY –VS.2) LEFT JERUSALEM, BUT THE DISCIPLES STAYED.
• SAUL (PAUL), WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DEATH OF STEPHEN, IS ENCOURAGED TO GREATER ZEALOUSNESS FOR GOD. MOST OF THE JEWISH RELIGIOUS LEADERS ARE CONTENT THAT THE CHURCH HAS SCATTERED, BUT NOT SAUL (PAUL). HE WANTS TO PURSUE THE FLEEING CHRISTIANS OUTSIDE THE PROMISED LAND INTO OTHER AREAS.
• DAMASCUS WAS UNDER THE NABATEAN KING, ARETUS, WHO HATED THE ROMANS AND SAW THE JEWS AS AN ALLY AGAINST ROME. THEREFORE, KING ARETUS WOULD EXTRADITE PRISONERS TO CURRY FAVOR WITH THE JEWS.
• THE QUESTION ARISES; WHY DID SAUL (PAUL) NOT GO AFTER THE DISCIPLES, THE LEADERS OF THE NEW CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT, WHO REMAINED IN JERUSALEM?
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION.
• SAUL’S (PAUL) GOAL:
• SAUL (PAUL) WANTED TO PURSUE THE FLEEING BELIEVERS, TO ROUND THEM UP, AND TO RETURN THEM TO JERUSALEM FOR SENTENCING AND DEATH.
• HIS PLAN WAS TO OBTAIN LETTERS OF PERMISSION FROM THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES IN JERUSALEM TO ENTER INTO THE SYNAGOGUES OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM FOR THE PURPOSES OF ROUNDING UP THESE RENEGADE CHRISTIANS.
• SAUL (PAUL) KNEW THAT THESE JEWISH CHRISTIANS WOULD EVENTUALLY GO TO THE SYNAGOGUES TO PREACH THEIR NEW GOSPEL.
• SAUL (PAUL) ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS
• DAMASCUS IS 130 MILES NORTH EAST OF JERUSALEM, ABOUT A WEEK’S JOURNEY.
• SAUL (PAUL) IS NOT ALONE ON THIS TRIP. HE PROBABLY HAS A CONTINGENT OF TEMPLE GUARDS WITH HIM AS WELL AS NUMEROUS SERVANTS.
• GOD CONFRONTS SAUL (PAUL):
• PAUL FREQUENTLY TOLD OF HIS CONVERSION TO CHRIST…SEVERAL TIMES IN ACTS AND NUMEROUS TIMES IN HIS LETTERS. FROM THESE ACCOUNTS WE LEARN A LOT ABOUT THIS MAN, PAUL.
• WHO WAS PAUL?
• HE WAS AS JEWISH AS YOU CAN GET. HE WAS BORN INTO THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN AND CIRCUMCISED.
• HE WAS A PHARISEE, MEMBER OF THE SANHEDRIN, WHO BELIEVED IN THE KEEPING OF THE LAW TO THE LETTER FOR SALVATION.
• HE WAS HIGHLY EDUCATED GENERALLY. THE GREATEST GREEK UNIVERSITY OF THAT DAY WAS IN TARSUS, PAUL’S HOMETOWN.
• HE WAS ALSO HIGHLY EDUCATED IN THE MOSAIC LAW HAVING BEEN A STUDENT OF THE FAMOUS TEACHER, GAMALIEL.
• HE WAS ZEALOUS TO DO THE WILL OF GOD EVEN TO THE POINT OF PERSECUTING AND KILLING CHRISTIANS.
• HE WAS SINCERE FOR GOD BUT SINCERELY WRONG.
• THE FIRST THING THAT OCCURS ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY IS A BRIGHT LIGHT (THE SHEKINAH GLORY OF GOD). (3)
• THEN THERE IS A POWERFUL FORCE THAT KNOCKS SAUL (PAUL) TO THE GROUND. (4)
• THEN THERE IS A VOICE THAT SAYS THE WORDS, “…WHY PERSECUTEST THOU ME?” (4)
• NOTICE THAT CHRIST IS IDENTIFYING HIMSELF WITH THE PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS. HE DOES NOT SAY, “WHY DO YOU PERSECUTE MY FOLLOWERS?”
• THE PERSECUTION OF A BELIEVER IS THE SAME AS PERSECUTING CHRIST.
• THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOW, IN THIS NEW CHURCH AGE, THE HOLY SPIRIT IS LIVING INSIDE THE BELIEVERS. THEY ARE IDENTIFIED WITH CHRIST AND HE IS IDENTIFIED WITH THEM.
• SAUL’S (PAUL) IGNORANCE:
• HE ASKS THE LORD, “who art thou, Lord?” (5)
• THE WORD, “LORD”, IN HIS QUESTION IS NOT THE NAME, JEHOVAH. INSTEAD IT IS A WORD USED AS AN HONORIFIC TITLE TO SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY.
• SAUL (PAUL) DOES NOT HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, SO HE DOES NOT KNOW WITH WHOM HE IS TALKING.
• THIS MAN, HIGHLY EDUCATED IN THE MOSAIC LAW, DID NOT KNOW GOD EVEN THOUGH HE THOUGHT HE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT GOD.
• THAT MEANS THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWING GOD AND KNOWING ABOUT GOD.
• JESUS IDENTIFIES HIMSELF BY NAME.
• THIS MUST HAVE BEEN A GREAT SHOCK TO SAUL (PAUL) TO DISCOVER THAT JESUS WAS ALIVE AND RAISED FROM THE DEAD AS THE DISCIPLES SAID, AND THAT JESUS AND GOD ARE ONE.
• THE PHRASE, “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks”:(5)
• THIS PHRASE EXISTS IN THE KING JAMES BIBLE AND HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM MOST MODERN VERSIONS. HOWEVER, LUKE INCLUDES A CONFIRMATION OF THE PHRASE IN ACTS 26:14.
• THE PHRASE REFERS TO AN AGRICULTURAL PROVERB.
• THE FARMER PLOWING HIS FIELD CARRIED A LONG POINTED STICK CALLED, A GOAD, IN ONE HAND AND STEERED HIS PLOW WITH THE OTHER HAND. WHEN THE OX LEADING THE PLOW FAILED TO KEEP A STRAIGHT FURROW, THE FARMER PRODDED THE OX WITH THE GOAD. HOWEVER, MANY TIMES THE OX REBELLED AGAINST THE FARMER AND KICKED THE GOAD ONLY CAUSING HIMSELF MORE PAIN.
• THEREFORE, THE PHRASE, KICKING AGAINST THE PRICKS, SIMPLY MEANS THAT YOU ARE CAUSING YOURSELF MORE PAIN THAN IS NECESSARY BECAUSE YOU ARE FIGHTING A LOOSING BATTLE.
• SAUL’S (PAUL) RESPONSE TO JESUS: (6)
• SAUL’S (PAUL) WHOLE LIFE IS SHATTERED IN THE FLICKERING OF A MOMENT. EVERYTHING HE THOUGHT, EVERYTHING HE WAS TAUGHT, AND EVERYTHING HE BELIEVED WAS WRONG BECAUSE IT WAS BASED ON THE WRONG FOUNDATION THAT SALVATION WAS THROUGH THE LAW.
• SAUL (PAUL) ASKS, “LORD, WHAT WILT THOU HAVE ME TO DO?” (6)
• THE WORD, “LORD”, IS THE SAME HONORIFIC TITLE OF ONE WHO IS IN AUTHORITY.
• SAUL (PAUL) WANTS TO KNOW HOW HE CAN STRAIGHTEN OUT HIS LIFE TO REMEDY HIS PAST ACTIONS.
• JESUS TELLS HIM TO GO INTO DAMASCUS AND WAIT.
• INCIDENTALLY, MUCH OF PAUL’S RESPONSE IN VERSE 6 THAT APPEARS IN THE KING JAMES VERSION IS LEFT OUT OF MOST OTHER VERSIONS.
• WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WITH SAUL (PAUL)?
• THE MEN WITH SAUL (PAUL) SAW THE LIGHT AND HEARD AN UNINTELLIGIBLE VOICE (ACT 22:9 ACT 26:14), AND THEY SAW SAUL (PAUL) FALL TO THE GROUND AND SPEAK TO SOMEONE THEY COULD NOT SEE.
• THEY SAW THE EFFECT THAT THE EXPERIENCE HAD ON SAUL (PAUL) BECAUSE NOW HE WAS PHYSICALLY BLIND.
• WHY DID GOD MAKE SAUL (PAUL) BLIND FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME?
• THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BLINDNESS SEEMS TO BE A WAY OF IMPRESSING UPON SAUL (PAUL) THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHYSICAL SIGHT AND SPIRITUAL SIGHT; BETWEEN PHYSICAL BLINDNESS AND SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS.
• WHEN SAUL WAS PHYSICALLY ABLE TO SEE, HE WAS SPIRITUALLY BLIND TO GOD’S TRUE NATURE AND PLAN.
• WHEN SAUL BEGAN TO SEE GOD SPIRITUALLY, HE COULD NOT SEE PHYSICALLY. THEREFORE, FOR A TIME HE MUST CONCENTRATE MORE ON HIS NEW SPIRITUAL SIGHT WITHOUT DISTRACTION FROM ANY PHYSICAL SIGHT.
• DR. LUKE TELLS US THAT ACTUAL “SCALES” OR A FILM COVERED PAUL’S EYES PREVENTING HIS SIGHT. (18)
• PAUL’S THREE DAYS IN DAMASCUS WITHOUT SIGHT, WITHOUT FOOD, OR WATER. (9)
• THE NUMBER 3 IN THE BIBLE IS A SYMBOLIC NUMBER FOR THE TRINITY MEANING THAT THE HOLY TRINITY WORKED WITH PAUL FOR THREE DAYS.
• PAUL IS PRAYING FOR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM. IN OTHER WORDS HE PRAYS FOR SPIRITUAL SIGHT, AND HE PRAYS FOR PHYSICAL SIGHT. GOD PREPARES PAUL FOR ANANIAS’ VISIT. MEANWHILE, GOD IS SPEAKING TO ANANIAS CONCERNING PAUL.
• READ ACT 9:10-25 EXPERIENCES OF THE NEW CONVERT:
• ANANIAS, SENT BY GOD TO MINISTER TO PAUL:
• WHY DID GOD NEED TO USE ANANIAS IN SAUL’S (PAUL) CONVERSION?
• NO ACT OF SALVATION EVER OCCURS WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF THREE THINGS:
• #1 = THE CONVICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• PAUL WAS CONVICTED OF HIS PERSECUTION AGAINST CHRIST AND HIS DISCIPLES.
• #2 = THE WORD OF GOD.
• PAUL KNEW WELL THE WORD OF GOD.
• #3 = A HUMAN BEING WHOM GOD USES AS A TOOL TO CATCH OTHERS (FISH) FOR GOD.
• STEPHEN WAS A HUMAN TOOL, BECAUSE SAUL (PAUL) HEARD STEPHEN PREACH AND HAD OBSERVED STEPHEN’S FACE WHEN HE DIED.
• ANANIAS IS THAT HUMAN TOOL IN THE HANDS OF GOD TO FURTHER GUIDE PAUL.
• A BABY CHRISTIAN MUST NEVER BE LEFT WITHOUT GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT IS NEXT IN HIS NEW LIFE. ANANIAS DOES THAT FOR SAUL (PAUL).
• ANANIAS IS THE BRIDGE TO THE REST OF THE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST.
• IF SAUL (PAUL) IS TO BE ACCEPTED AS A NEW BELIEVER IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE WHO WILL VOUCH FOR HIS CONVERSION. OTHERWISE, THE OTHER CHRISTIANS WILL FLEE AT THE SIGHT OF HIM, BECAUSE HIS REPUTATION OF PERSECUTION HAS PRECEDED HIM.
• NOTICE THAT EVEN ANANIAS IS AT FIRST HESITANT AS HE MENTIONS SAUL’S REPUTATION AS WELL AS THE PURPOSE OF SAUL’S PRESENCE IN DAMASCUS. (13-14)
• IN VERSE 13, THE WORD, “SAINT”, IS USED FOR THE FIRST TIME TO REFER TO CHRISTIANS.
• GOD GIVES ANANIAS A TWO-PART MESSAGE:
• PART #1 SOFTENS ANANIAS’ FEARS OF PAUL BY TELLING HIM THAT PAUL IS CALLED BY GOD TO A SPECIFIC MINISTRY.
• WHAT KIND OF MINISTRY DOES GOD SAY THAT SAUL (PAUL) WILL HAVE?
• GOD TELLS ANANIAS THAT PAUL WILL HAVE A THREE-PART MINISTRY:
• #1 = PAUL’S PRIMARY CALLING IS MENTIONED FIRST…THAT HE WILL PREACH AMONG THE GENTILES.
• #2 = PAUL’S SECONDARY CALLING IS THAT HE WILL CARRY THE NAME OF CHRIST BEFORE KINGS.
• #3 = PAUL’S THIRD CALLING IS TO BRING GOD’S WORD TO THE JEWS. WHEN PAUL WENT INTO A CITY, HE FIRST WENT TO THE SYNAGOGUE TO PREACH. THIS DID TWO THINGS:
• IT BROUGHT THE GOSPEL TO THE JEWS FULFILLING GOD’S THIRD PURPOSE IN PAUL’S LIFE.
• IT HELPED PAUL TO INSERT HIMSELF INTO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY SO HE COULD REACH OUT TO THE GENTILES AND FULFILL GOD’S FIRST PURPOSE IN PAUL’S LIFE.
• EVEN THOUGH GOD TOLD ANANIAS ABOUT PAUL’S FUTURE MINISTRY, THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US THAT ANANIAS TOLD PAUL ABOUT THIS MINISTRY.
• JUST BECAUSE GOD TELLS YOU SOMETHING ABOUT ANOTHER PERSON DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO TELL EVERYTHING GOD TOLD YOU. YOU SHOULD REVEAL ONLY WHAT GOD TELLS YOU TO REVEAL.
• LATER WE WILL DISCOVER HOW PAUL LEARNED OF HIS FUTURE MISSION FOR CHRIST.
• PART #2 IS A PROPHECY TO INDICATE TO PAUL WHY GOD CHOSE HIM:
• NOTICE THAT ANANIAS’ MESSAGE IS A PROPHECY OF WHAT GOD WILL FULFILL IN PAUL’S LIFE.
• GOD CHOSE PAUL TO SUFFER FOR CHRIST.
• THERE PROBABLY HAS NEVER BEEN ANYONE WHO SUFFERED MORE FOR CHRIST THAN PAUL DID.
• THE MARVELOUS THING ABOUT PAUL IS THAT HE ACCEPTED THIS SUFFERING WITH AN ATTITUDE OF BEING HONORED TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD TO SUFFER.
• I THINK THAT MARVELOUS ATTITUDE CAME FROM THE FACT THAT HE KNEW IT WAS GOD’S PLAN THAT HE SUFFER IN THE SAME WAY THAT HE MADE OTHER CHRISTIANS SUFFER BEFORE HE WAS SAVED. IT WAS GOD’S CONSEQUENCES AND HE KNEW HE DESERVED IT.
• ANANIAS PRAYS FOR PAUL’S PHYSICAL HEALING AND FOR THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT. (17)
• PAUL’S EXPERIENCE WITH CHRIST:
• PAUL WAS SAVED ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS WHEN HE WAS BORN AGAIN AND RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO HIS HEART. (THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE)
• ANANIAS CALLS PAUL, “BROTHER”, INDICATING HE HAD ALREADY BEEN SAVED. (17)
• PAUL WAS FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT IN DAMASCUS WHEN ANANIAS PRAYED FOR HIM TO RECEIVE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR SERVICE. (THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT)
• PAUL WAS BAPTIZED IN WATER BY ANANIAS IN DAMASCUS. (WATER BAPTISM)
• PAUL SPENDS A NUMBER OF DAYS IN DAMASCUS WITH OTHER BELIEVERS. (19)
• HE SHARES HIS TESTIMONY IN THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUES IN DAMASCUS ABOUT HIS NEW LIFE IN CHRIST.
• NOTICE THAT EVERYONE IS AMAZED AT THE CHANGE IN THIS MAN BECAUSE THEY ALL KNEW WHY HE HAD COME TO DAMASCUS. HOWEVER, NOW HE IS PREACHING FOR THAT WHICH HE PREVIOUSLY PREACHED AGAINST.
• HE PREACHES THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. (20)
• HE PREACHES THAT JESUS IS “VERY” CHRIST. (22)
• THE PHRASE, “VERY CHRIST”, MEANS = TRULY THE MESSIAH.
• HE TOLD THE JEWS THAT JESUS IS TRULY THE MESSIAH.
• THE JEWS IN DAMASCUS WERE SO UPSET AT HIS TEACHING THAT THEY IMMEDIATELY PLANNED TO KILL HIM.
• PAUL KNOWS THE PLOT BY A SUPERNATURAL WORD OF KNOWLEDGE.
• OTHER BELIEVERS HELP HIM TO ESCAPE THE CITY IN A BASKET OVER THE CITY WALL.
• AN INTERVAL OF THREE YEARS OCCURS HERE WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS LATER.

• READ ACT 9:26-31 PAUL STIRS UP TROUBLE
• PAUL RETURNS TO JERUSALEM AND ATTEMPTS TO JOIN THE OTHER BELIEVERS.
• THE JERUSALEM BELIEVERS WERE SKEPTICAL OF PAUL. THEY THOUGHT HE WAS A SPY IN THEIR MIDST.
• BARNABAS HAD HEARD OF PAUL’S SALVATION EXPERIENCE AND TAKES HIM TO THE APOSTLES AS A VERIFICATION OF PAUL’S SALVATION.
• BARNABAS BECOMES PAUL’S SPONSOR.
• PAUL JOINED THE JERUSALEM CHURCH AND BEGAN PREACHING TO GRECIAN JEWS.
• THIS IS PROBABLY THE SAME SYNAGOGUE OF THE LIBERTINES WHERE STEPHEN PREACHED THAT LED TO HIS DEATH.
• THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT HE “spoke boldly in the name of the Lord.” (29)
• EVIDENTLY TOO BOLDLY AND WITHOUT TACT FOR EVERYWHERE PAUL GOES HE STIRS UP TROUBLE. PEOPLE EVERYWHERE ARE OUT TO KILL HIM.
• THE OTHER BELIEVERS HAVE TO COME TO HIS RESCUE AGAIN.
• PAUL IS TAKEN TO CAESAREA, PUT ON A SHIP THAT TAKES HIM TO HIS HOME IN TARSUS.
• IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT PAUL HAD ANOTHER VISION OF JESUS. (ACT 22:17-21)
• ONCE PAUL IS IN TARSUS (WHERE HE SPENT 6-9 YEARS), OUT OF JERUSALEM, AWAY FROM PUBLIC PREACHING, THE CHURCHES HAVE PEACE BECAUSE JEWISH OPPOSITION TO CHRISTIANITY CALMS DOWN.
• SOMETIMES NEW BELIEVERS ARE SO ENTHUSIASTIC FOR THE LORD THAT THEY END UP ANTAGONIZING PEOPLE.
• IT IS BECAUSE NEW BELIEVERS NEED TRAINING BY GOD BEFORE GOD CAN EFFECTIVELY USE THEM.
• THIS IS A BIBLICAL PROCESS:
• MOSES GOT HIS TRAINING IN HUMILITY IN MIDIAN, ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE DESERT.
• PAUL GOT THIS TRAINING IN HUMILITY IN ARABIA ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE DESERT. HE SPENT 3 YEARS IN ARABIA. (37-39 AD) (GAL 1:17-18)
• THERE IS ANOTHER GOOD REASON WHY THE CHURCHES WERE AT PEACE AT THIS TIME.
• THE JEWS WERE TOO BUSY WITH THE ROMAN EMPEROR CALIGULA, WHO WANTED TO PUT HIS STATUE IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE FOR WORSHIP, TO SPEND TIME PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS.
• BEFORE CALIGULA COULD ACCOMPLISH THIS ABOMINATION, HE SUDDENLY DIED.
• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• WHAT DO WE LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER ABOUT THE CARE OF NEW CONVERTS?
• NEW CONVERTS NEED OTHER CHRISTIANS TO GUIDE THEM, COUNSEL THEM, TEACH THEM, AND PROTECT THEM.
• EVERY BELIEVER HAS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR NEW BELIEVERS WHO COME INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST TO SEE THAT THEY ARE ENCOURAGED AND GROWING IN THE LORD.
• DISCUSSION:

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO ENCOURAGE AND MATURE NEW BELIEVERS?

HOMEWORK
PAUL’S CONVERSION AND ACT 9:32-43
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 9:1-31
• IN WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED TAKING A NEW BELIEVER UNDER YOUR WING TO ENCOURAGE AND GUIDE HIM?
• WHAT DIFFICULTIES DID YOU HAVE IN THIS KIND OF MINISTRY? WHAT SOLUTIONS DID YOU LEARN?
• IF YOU HAVE NEVER HAD THIS EXPERIENCE, ASK GOD TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF NEW BELIEVERS IN YOUR MIDST WHO NEED SOMEONE LIKE BARNABAS TO COME ALONG SIDE OF THEM.
• PREPARATION FOR PAUL’S CONVERSION AND ACT 9:32-43
• THE NEW TESTAMENT CONTAINS MORE ABOUT PAUL’S CONVERSION THAN WHAT IS CONTAINED IN ACT 9. BECAUSE PAUL IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH AND TO THE NEW TESTAMENT ITSELF, WE WILL SPEND MORE TIME TALKING ABOUT HIS CONVERSION TO CHRIST.
• READ ACT 22:1-21
• WHO TOLD PAUL HE WOULD BE A MISSIONARY TO THE GENTILES?
• READ ACT 26:9-18
• WHAT NEW FACT DO YOU SEE IN THIS TESTIMONY OF HIS SALVATION THAT ACT 9 DID NOT MENTION?
• READ GAL 1:15-19
• WHAT NEW FACT DO YOU LEARN FROM THESE VERSES ABOUT PAUL REGARDING THE TIMING OF EVENTS?
• READ PHI 3:4-14
• WHAT WAS PAUL’S ATTITUDE TOWARD HIS PRESTIGIOUS PAST?
• READ ACT 9:32-43
• WHAT WAS GOD’S PURPOSE OF THE HEALINGS THROUGH PETER IN LYDDA AND JOPPA?
• WHAT PURPOSE DID DORCAS’ GOOD WORKS SERVE?
• WHAT WAS SO SHOCKING ABOUT PETER’S STAY IN THE HOUSE OF SIMON? (43)
• MEMORY VERSE: GAL 2:20