In our study of Acts chapter nine, we look at the miraculous transformation of a murderer into an apostle. This can help us to understand that God can use anyone and, in fact, wants to use everyone to fulfill his plan.
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Meanwhile, Sha'ul, still breathing murderous threats against the Lord's talmidim, went to the cohen hagadol and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Dammesek, authorizing him to arrest any people he might find, whether men or women, who belonged to "the Way," and bring them back to Yerushalayim.
This passage is significant in the fact that we see that the disciples of Yeshua Messiah were known as belonging to "the Way". In Exodus 33, as Moses was leading the people out of Egypt to the promised land, he expected the kingdom to be established when they arrived there but he also knew that the Messiah had to be revealed before the kingdom. Moses asked God where was the Way and he was referring to the Messiah. We also see that Saul received letters to the synagogues to arrest the believers which reminds us that they were still a part of the "Jewish" faith as they were worshipping in the synagogues. Even as the gospel was spreading, there were those that wanted to keep the people from hearing the truth. Saul, who will soon be known as Paul, was one of those people. He was not content with driving the gospel out of Jerusalem. As we see in this passage, he even got authority to hunt Christians down in other countries (Damascus is in Syria).
He was on the road and nearing Dammesek, when suddenly a light from heaven flashed all around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Sha'ul! Sha'ul! Why do you keep persecuting me?"
As Saul (Paul) was headed to Damascus to hunt down Christians, God intervened. Notice that when Yeshua talked to Saul that he said "why do you persecute me?" We all, as Christians, will be persecuted but we must keep in mind that it is really God that the people are rejecting and not us. We must also trust that God takes care of his own just as he stepped in to keep Saul from harming his people in Damascus.
"Sir, who are you?" he asked. "I am Yeshua, and you are persecuting me. But get up, and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do." The men traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. They helped Sha'ul get up off the ground; but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing. So, leading him by the hand, they brought him into Dammesek. For three days he remained unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
The first thing we see from this passage is that, when someone persecutes you as a Christian, they are not persecuting you but Yeshua Messiah. Notice in the first part of the passage, that Jesus asks Saul why he was persecuting him not the individuals he was searching for. We also see that God can step in and take care of the situation. It probably gets your attention when Yeshua speaks and you lose your sight. Another important thing is that some people can be right next to the working of God and see nothing. You see, the men with Saul heard a voice but saw nothing. There are many people today that are so near but yet so far from God and his working.
There was a talmid in Dammesek, Hananyah by name; and in a vision the Lord said to him, "Hananyah!" He said, "Here I am, Lord." The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to Straight Street, to Y'hudah's house; and ask for a man from Tarsus named Sha'ul; for he is praying, and in a vision he has seen a man named Hananyah coming in and placing his hands on him to restore his sight." But Hananyah answered, "Lord, many have told me about this man, how much harm he has done to your people in Yerushalayim; and here he has a warrant from the head cohanim to arrest everyone who calls on your name."
What is your answer when the Lord calls? We see, in this passage, an example of Yeshua telling someone to do something and he is answered with excuses. When the Lord gives us instructions (which he still does today), we must be ready to act without excuses. Ananias answered the Lord's command with fear but we are called to trust and not fear anyone of this world.
But the Lord said to him, "Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name to the Goyim, even to their kings, and to the sons of Isra'el as well. For I myself will show him how much he will have to suffer on account of my name."
Ananias had questioned God's selection of a servant. His protests did not sit well with the Lord. Yeshua explains to Ananias that Paul was chosen by him and that he would suffer much for sharing the good news. How many times do we, as Christians, fall into the same thing and question God's decisions. We must understand that God is sovereign and He does not have to check his decisions with us. It is not like his choices for leaders must go through a confirmation process. He says it and that has to be good enough just because of who God is.
So Hananyah left and went into the house. Placing his hands on him, he said, "Brother Sha'ul, the Lord - Yeshua, the one who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here - has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Ruach HaKodesh."
Although he was afraid, Ananias was obedient and went to the house where Paul was staying. Then, he calls the man who had been persecuting the church "brother". He explains that it is Jesus that has sent him and why he has come. Have you been in any situations where it was tough and scary to obey the Lord? If so, take comfort in the fact that God will take care of you. Remember this story of Ananias and the man that would become the apostle to those of us who were not Jews.
In that moment, something like scales fell away from Sha'ul's eyes; and he could see again. He got up and was immersed; then he ate some food and regained his strength.
When Ananias was obedient, God's plan was carried out. In this passage we see that the change in Saul/Paul was immediate. When he was touched by the power of Jesus, he was changed. The same pattern should be evident in our lives. When God touches your heart and you accept his grace and mercy, there should be an immediate change in your life. As we see in Paul's case, that change was then followed by an act of obedience (he was baptized). We are all called to the same immediate obedience when God touches our lives.
Sha'ul spent some days with the talmidim in Dammesek, and immediately he began proclaiming in the synagogues that Yeshua is the Son of God.
In this passage, we see another immediate change in the life of Saul/Paul. After accepting Christ, we are told here that he immediately began to preach the gospel of Jesus the Messiah. Once again, the same thing should apply to our lives. When you truly come to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you will share (preach) that good news.
All who heard him were amazed. They asked, "Isn't he the man who in Yerushalayim was trying to destroy the people who call on this name? In fact, isn't that why he came here, to arrest them and bring them back to the head cohanim?" But Sha'ul was being filled with more and more power and was creating an uproar among the Jews living in Dammesek with his proofs that Yeshua is the Messiah.
After Saul/Paul's encounter with Jesus, his actions changed but people didn't want to believe that he was a different man. Therefore, you get the questions in this passage. The people knew what Saul had been but they couldn't explain what they were seeing now. Not only that, but now this esteemed student of the law was arguing successfully that Jesus is the Christ. Do you have old friends or relatives that see the change in you but do not want to believe it? That is basically the same thing that happened with Saul/Paul. Like him, we are all called to be that example and to speak the truth that Jesus is the Christ even if those around us do not want to believe it. We must trust God to show them and to change their hearts.
Quite some time later, the non-believing Jews gathered together and made plans to kill him; but their plot became known to Sha'ul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to do away with him; but under cover of night, his talmidim took him and let him down over the city wall, lowering him in a large basket.
Since the Jews could not beat Saul/Paul in debating the scriptures, they decided that they must kill him to shut him up. We are told that they watched the city gates to catch him coming and going so that they could kill him. But, he learned of their plan and escaped the city. We may be asking ourselves what this has to do with us today and think that stuff like this does not happen anymore. The sad truth is that it happens even more today than it has in the past. You see many people, including well known religious leaders, have distorted the truth for profit and have much to lose by people getting back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can take comfort from this passage in the fact that God took care of his servant Saul/Paul and He will take care of us as well.
On reaching Yerushalayim, he tried to join the talmidim; but they were all afraid of him - they didn't believe he was a talmid.
Imagine the thoughts going through the disciples heads as Saul, the man who had so severely persecuted the church in Jerusalem, came to join in their fellowship. They judged the state of his heart by his previous actions. The same is true of the "church" today and also probably in most of us as individual believers. We, as followers of Christ, do not have the right to exclude anyone who wants to follow Jesus from the fellowship. It is God's fellowship and not ours and He knows His sheep. We must trust in Him to protect us and not lean on our own understanding or past experiences.
However, Bar-Nabba got hold of him and took him to the emissaries. He told them how Sha'ul had seen the Lord while traveling, that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Dammesek Sha'ul had spoken out boldly in the name of Yeshua.
Have people noticed a major difference in your life since you came to know Jesus? This verse is a great example of what should take place when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Barnabus noticed a major change in Saul/Paul and was able to testify to the apostles of the change that he had seen.
So he remained with them and went all over Yerushalayim continuing to speak out boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they began making attempts to kill him. When the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
Once again, Saul/Paul debated the Jews and they didn't like the words that God gave him. They lost the argument and so tried to kill him once again. As Christians, we can expect some of the same type of persecution. When those who try to argue with God's Word get frustrated, they lash out.
Then the Messianic community throughout Y'hudah, the Galil and Shomron enjoyed peace and was built up. They lived in the fear of the Lord, with the counsel of the Ruach HaKodesh; and their numbers kept multiplying.
In this verse, we see that God gave the church a period of rest. We are told that, during this period, the church was strengthened by the Holy Spirit. The same can happen in each of us as well as in groups of "the church". We must strive to keep in mind that this time of rest had a purpose (strengthening by the Holy Spirit) and realize that it is a temporary period and not get too comfortable. It is easy to stay in a period of rest and not go back to work and that really describes most of the "church" today.
As Kefa traveled around the countryside, he came down to the believers in Lud. There he found a man named Aeneas who had lain bedridden for eight years, because he was paralyzed. Kefa said to him, "Aeneas! Yeshua the Messiah is healing you! Get up, and make your bed!" Everyone living in Lud and the Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now in Yafo there was a talmidah named Tavita
This passage gives us a great example of faith. We see Peter exhibit his faith by boldly proclaiming "Jesus Christ heals you" to Aeneas. Peter simply believed in the power of Christ and put it into action. We also see faith in Aeneas who also believed that Jesus could heal him and so he immediately got up. The passage is also a good example of what happens when people exhibit their faith in Jesus Christ. We are told that all who saw Aeneas after he was healed "turned to the Lord". Because of the faith of Peter and Aeneas, those in the area were able to see God at work. When people see God at work in His children, they turn to the Lord because they want God to work in their lives as well. We must each look around us to see if our faith is being exhibited. Just like Peter and Aeneas, if our faith is being exhibited, people will be turning to the Lord.
(which means "gazelle"); she was always doing tzedakah and other good deeds. It happened that just at that time, she took sick and died. After washing her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Lud is near Yafo, and the talmidim had heard that Kefa was there, so they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come to us without delay."
In verse 36, we see faith in action as Tabitha is described as both a disciple and one who "was always doing good and helping the poor". If you are a disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ, it will be evident in your actions just as it was for Tabitha. The rest of this passage gives us an example of faith as the other disciples believed that Jesus would use Peter to bring Tabitha back to life. A question comes to mind as to whether she would want to come back to this life. The other disciples assumed that she would and sent for Peter.
Kefa got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him into the upstairs room. All the widows stood by him, sobbing and showing all the dresses and coats Tavita had made them while she was still with them.
In this passage, we see that Tabitha (Dorcas) was mourned by the widows. She was remembered for her skills at sewing. This brings us to a question that we should all ask ourselves: What will we be remembered for? Will we be remembered for material things or for eternal things and which is more important?
But Kefa put them all outside, kneeled down and prayed. Then, turning to the body, he said, "Tavita! Get up!" She opened her eyes; and on seeing Kefa, she sat up.
In this verse, we see an example of how to tap into the power of God. We see that, before Peter told Tabitha to get up, he knelt in prayer. Peter knew that without God he could do nothing but through prayer he could even call a woman back from the dead. We, as Christians, can also wield the power of God but, like Peter, it starts with humbly bowing in prayer.
He offered her his hand and helped her to her feet; then, calling the believers and the widows, he presented her to them alive. This became known all over Yafo, and many people put their trust in the Lord.
We notice in this passage the reason for this healing. Because of this miracle, many people came to the Lord. When we come to Christ, our every action should be focused on this same purpose. We, like Peter, are called to be the salt and light of this world.
Kefa stayed on in Yafo for some time with a man named Shim'on, a leather-tanner.
At first glance, we may not see much to this verse but God was really working on Peter. God had Peter stay with a tanner which was a person that worked with the skins of dead animals. You see, Peter was Jewish therefore staying with a tanner would really not be something he wanted to do because Jewish law said that touching dead animals or people made you unclean. Have you been in situations where you were very uncomfortable? Did you think that maybe God had you there for a specific purpose?
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