BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 15

 Paul, A Man on Fire

Acts 9:1-19

For years I have been interested in studying motivation.  It is the whole idea of discovering what makes people do what they do.  I want to know what drives a person to accomplish all they do in their lifetime.  Why is it that some people are driven and some do not ever seem to have a desire to achieve anything of value.  I have especially try to understand why some followers of Christ seem to be on fire in their faith and others just want to drift along. 

What I have discovered which may not be universally true is that those who have lived lives in rebellion against God become dynamic Christians once they are transformed.  One example is a former fellow worker of mine who until he attended the Air Force Academy was an avowed atheist.  His conversion to Christianity came after reading C.S. Lewis’s “Space Trilogy.”  From that point on he became a dynamic believer, memorizing Scripture, becoming involved with the Navigators and become an encourager to people like me.  He actually helped me get started in memorizing Scripture and was willing to do it alongside me.

This is the way I see Paul.

One of our tasks is to look for those who have the potential to become leaders in our Church.  There are those who have a drive that needs to be guided by all of us in encouraging them in their spiritual growth.  For each of us we need to look within to see if somehow we are shortchanging God because of our apathy.  He desires that each us become a dynamic follower of Christ who will impact the world around us.  This cannot take place unless a true transformation has occurred in our own lives.

 Acts 9:1-2

Verse 1 provides us with a person who is totally consumed with the task he has set out to accomplish.  The idea of breathing threats seen here would indicate that all Saul thought about and talked about was ways to persecute the disciples.   His actions would indicative of man under the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  His treatment of the people was his way of recoiling from the work God was doing in his heart.  I am reminded of the scene in Quo Vadis when Nero became frustrated and angry because as the Christians were being martyred they were singing.  We can see this in the actions of Paul the more those he was persecuting acted as Stephen did the more he tried to stamp out Christianity.

Questions that may come to mind are:

1. What characteristics would see as admirable in Saul at this point in his life?
2. Why was Saul so fanatical and vehement about persecuting believers?
3. What impact do you think that the death of Stephen had on his continuing actions against the church?
4. Why did he not go after the apostles?
5. How was his actions possible preparation for what God was going to do in Saul’s life. 

For some reason Saul suddenly changed his strategy in attacking the Church.  He asked for permission to continue his persecution of the followers of the way in the synagogues of Damascus in Syria.

1.  Why did Saul suddenly shift from trying to destroy the church in Jerusalem to go into another country?
2. What did he hope to accomplish by going to Syria?
3. What does it say about the early disciples that Saul was going into the synagogues to carry out his mission?

Acts 9:3-9

 Unknown to Saul his request for a letter authorizing him to arrest Christians was to lead him to a defining moment in his life.  It was on his way to Damascus that he was confronted by Christ.  Let’s look at the sequence of events that took place.

• There was the blinding light that knocked Saul to the ground.
• Jesus spoke to him asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
• Saul asked His identity but was given the answer, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”
• He was then ordered to go into the city and wait for instructions.
• The men with him heard the voice but did not see the vision.
• It was only when Saul arose from the ground to proceed into the city did he realize that he was blind.
• He was led into the city and waited three days in the dark neither eating nor drinking anything.

Saul had finally met someone more powerful than he.

1. Why did Jesus ask Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
2. Why was Paul willing to obey the instructions of Jesus?
3. Why could the men not see what Saul was seeing?

Acts 9:10-19

The Lord appeared to Ananias and commanded him to go to Saul and give him a message.  Saul was to be a witness to the Gentiles.  He was also to tell him that he would also face suffering for the Lord’s name’s sake. 

After having reservations he finally obeyed the command of the Lord and went to Saul.  When Saul heard the message he

• Received his sight
• Was baptized
• Stopped fasting and ate.

1. What happened to the men who had come with Saul?
2. What do you believe they thought of him now that he was blind and helpless?
3. As was asked above about Saul, What do you admire about Ananias?
4. How would you respond to a command like the one given to Ananias?
5. What does it say about Ananias that he was willing to obey the command of Christ?
6. What indication do we have that Saul was ready to hear what Ananias had to say to him?

 Think back to the time when you responded to the call of Christ. 

1. Why would God want us to be part of His kingdom?
2. What prompted you to become a Christian? 
3. What did that decision mean to you?
4. What responsibility do you have because of your decision?
5. If you were called to obey Christ in the way that Ananias was what do you believe you would do?

We must take our call to follow Jesus seriously.  God will do all that is within His power to reach us, but leaves the final decision to us.  We may never face the situation that confronted Ananias.  We should however always be open to listen to the Lord.  There may come into our lives when someone like Saul may appear to be beyond hope or who in our opinion would not fit into the church.  He or she may be the very person to whom God would want us to witness.  We can never be sure that the one God brings into our midst may be a chosen vessel of His to accomplish great things.