BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 16

A New Life for Saul

Acts 9:19-31

Each of us needs encouragement along life’s journeys. I have had three men who had a great influence in my life. These men challenged and encouraged me, each in his own way, to grow as a follower of Christ. One was a minister I had when just a young person. After I became an adult the minister of the church I was attending began to mentor me. He was the person who was instrumental in getting me involved in studying the Scriptures in a systematic way. It was at that point that I began to write what I was learning out of God’s word. The third was a co-worker who challenged me to begin memorizing Scripture. Although he already knew a great deal of the Bible, he and I worked together for several months on memorizing the book of Ephesians as we rode back and forth to work. Even after we no longer travelled together I continued to memorize other books. It only took the spark that he provided to start a fire in my heart to know God’s Word. I would not be where I am today without each of them. I thank God that He saw fit to bring such men into my life.

We as a church should know that the church will not continue if each generation does not impact the next one for Christ. Deuteronomy six speaks of the importance of mentoring. It tells us that the fathers, mature men and women, should teach the children, those younger people in the church, at every opportunity. To do so, means that we have to spend time learning and growing also. We cannot model or teach what we do not know. Saul knew a great deal about the law but he needed others to help him along the way. We need to be the church at Damascus to help the next potential Saul along the way.

Acts 9:19

This verse is one that most of us gloss over in our reading in Acts. It, however describes a very critical time in the life of Saul. Following his baptism Saul spent time with the disciples in Damascus before embarking on the task of proclaiming the gospel. Although not was well known as Barnabas, Ananias never-the-less played an important role in Saul’s development as a new follower of Christ. We have already read about his part in Saul’s conversion. We are not told how he was instrumental in bringing the two parties together. Without his efforts we cannot say what would have happened.

1. Why were these several days so important to Saul?
2. Who was instrumental in bringing Saul and the church together?
3. What does this say about the faith of Ananias?
4. What did Saul gain from this time?

Acts 9:20-21

After spending time with the disciples Saul began immediately to proclaim the gospel in the synagogues of Damascus. His preaching had a great impact on those who heard it because they knew why he had originally come to Damascus. It is interesting that although the people were amazed at the preaching of Saul there is no mention of a great influx of new believers into the church. There is a lesson to be learned. Saul was faithful in doing what God had called him to do and was willing to leave the results to God.

1. How was Saul able to begin sharing the gospel so quickly after being converted?
2. In what ways would his message be different from what the other apostles would preach?
3. Why was there not great additions made to the church at this time?
4. What would it take for Saul to begin to see results from his preaching?
5. How did the people view him at this point?
6. Why did he start in the synagogues?
7. What results might be expected from preaching in such a venue?

Acts 9:22

Even though there is no indication of many conversions, this time was not wasted. Saul used it to hone his skills. This verse tells us that he was “increasing in strength.” He was definitely getting stronger in his ability to answer the questions that he faced from the Jews. He obviously used all of his training in the Old Testament in presenting his arguments. As we have seen throughout our study of Acts that the apostles and now Saul continually referred to the Old Testament prophecies in proving that Jesus indeed was the Messiah to come.

1. What was the nature of the strengthening that Saul was acquiring?
2. In what ways did he confound the Jews with his preaching?
3. In what ways was he able to prove that Jesus is the Christ?

Acts 9:23-25

As has been seen over and over both in the gospels and now in Acts that when those who opposed the truth laid out before them could no longer refute the message they attempted to destroy the messenger. We find that it is no different whether the preachers were lowly fishermen or a well known Pharisee the result was always the same. Saul had been one of them, but because he brought a message they did not want to hear they attempted to kill him. Fortunately, the plot was uncovered and the disciples were able to get him out of Damascus.

1. Why did the Jews want to kill Saul?
2. What does the willingness of the disciples helping him escape said about the relationships that had been built?
3. What actions by the Jews show their determination in getting rid of Saul?

Acts 9:26-28

These two verses show two different responses to Saul as he attempts to unite with the church in Jerusalem. The first is the natural tendency to fear one who has caused great harm. The disciples were wary of this sudden conversion of Saul and did not know whether to believe what he was telling them.

Barnabas, the encourager, becomes an ally of Saul. He was willing to believe what Saul had told him and to give Saul the opportunity to become part of the body of Christ in Jerusalem. Rather than jumping to conclusions he was willing to listen to the testimony of Saul and he himself shared those events with the church. Based on the word of Barnabas, Saul was accepted by the disciples.

Saul took up where he had left off in Damascus. He began to travel about the city and spoke out “boldly in the name of the Lord.”

1. What does this incident show about the attitude of the early church?
2. In what ways were they like the church today?
3. In what ways were they different?
4. What two traits possessed by Barnabas do you admire?
5. In what ways were both Ananias and Barnabas the same?
6. What affect did the actions of both men have on the church?
7. What events took place upon the acceptance of Saul into the church?

Acts 9:29-30

Saul began sharing with the Hellenistic Jews. These are the same people who opposed Stephen. Remember that Saul was part of the group that had Stephen executed. Now he was proclaiming Christ to them and arguing with them. As they had with Stephen when they could not refute the things they were hearing they became determined to kill Saul also.

To save him the disciples spirited him off to Caesarea. He then returned to his home in Tarsus. What happened there will be a lesson for another time.

1. Why did the Hellenistic Jews refuse to listen to one who had once been a part of them?
2. What was he sharing that they could not refute?
3. What did the actions by the disciples about the how they now regarded Saul?

Acts 9:31

A chapter that started speaking about the great danger to the church not only in Jerusalem but in all Judea, Galilee and Samaria ended with the people experiencing peace. With the threat of persecution removed during this period the church continued to grow. It was “going on in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.”

1. Why was the church now experiencing peace?
2. How far had the church spread at this point?
3. Why would the church grow in this kind of climate?

This would be a good time at the beginning of the new year to give thought to which of the individuals in the narrative you would see yourself being. You might look at the characteristics of each of them and pick those you may to want to emulate:

• The transformed Saul
• The disciples of both the churches in Damascus and Jerusalem
• Ananias
• Barnabas

We need to be careful that we do not fall in the trap that we have seen in the church at Jerusalem. They let fear cloud their judgment. They were not willing to accept the fact that people can change. God is in the business of changing people.

Our attitude should be that of the church at Damascus who saw the potential in Saul and were willing to mentor him correcting his theology where he was off track but also helping him to build on his strengths of teaching and preaching. Because they were so open to see the positive in Saul they did not hinder his spiritual growth. We too need to be constantly looking at others in our body and those who might come to the church for ways to help them grow and use how God has wired them for God’s kingdom.

Just think if the disciples in Damascus had rejected Saul what would the church look like today. We must not forget that each person in our midst may be another potential leader of the church with the impact on the world like that of Saul.

This process can start with each of us assessing how God can even use you or me.

Additional Notes:

RT-All that Paul had and all he had accomplished needed to be handed completely over to Christ. By doing this he did not become less of a Jew, a Benjamite or learned keeper of the Law. One thing is certain he did not lose his passion for what he believed. He, however, had been given a new direction and a new focus for using all God had given him. Christ had made him new on the inside in order to take him to places among people he did not know with a new purpose. Paul saw the world in a different light after the scales of blindness were removed. (Acts 9: Phil. 3:1-10)

C-From the time he became a follower of Christ, Paul, instead of persecuting the church at Damascus, began to proclaim the gospel of Jesus in the synagogues. (Acts 9:20-22)

GC-When one is able to present the truth he will confound the opponents of Christianity. (Acts 9:22)

GC-If you understand the Bible you will be able to use it to answer some of life’s most difficult questions for unbelievers as you witness to them. Remember to do it with all gentleness not haughtiness or false piety. (Acts 9:22; 1 Peter 3:15; Col. 4:6)

C-Those who had once been Paul’s compatriots were now plotting to kill him because he was now preaching Jesus. (Acts 9:23)

DM-The Jews continually tried to suppress the truth. In this case it was Paul one of their own group that attempted to kill. (Acts 9:23-24, 29)

C-Paul escaped from Damascus and went to Jerusalem where he tried to associate with the disciples. Understandably they were suspicious of his intentions since only recently he had been a persecutor of the church. (Acts 9:25-26)

C-In Barnabas Paul found a needed friend who was willing to trust him and bring him into the fellowship of the believers. (Acts 9:27)

DM-Barnabas overcame any misgivings he may have had about Paul. He took him under his wings and became his mentor. Paul was even brought by Barnabas to meet the Apostles. (Acts 9:27)

C-In the city in which he done the most harm to the Christians, Paul began to speak out boldly in the name of the Lord. (Acts (9:28)

C-Some of the Hellenistic Jews tried to put Paul to death after hearing the message. He was sent away to Tarsus for his protection. (Acts 9:29-30)

RT-Things have not changed a great deal since the time that the book of Acts was written. People are still trying to still the voice of those who move in their midst boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus. If the world could only see that out of the proclamation of this word of truth, man can find life then he would not go to such great links to destroy it. The primary difference between those of the early Christian era and the present day is that even with the tremendous opposition and persecution the followers of Christ experienced there were many who were willing to listen with a genuine anticipation to what was being promised to them. Today even though the same truths are being taught there is less of a tendency to listen at all. (Acts 9:28; 1 Peter 2:2)

C-For a time the churches throughout the areas of Judea, Galilee and Samaria experienced a time of peace. They were being built up and went about in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The churches under these conditions continued to grow in numbers. (Acts 9:31)

GC-One continues to grow when he has the fear of the Lord and lives in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 9:31)