Acts 9

Rom. 14:7-10 - "...that He might be Lord (truth established)

Acts 2:36 - Lord and Christ

Acts 9:4-6 - Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?

Redeemed by the Lord, v.1. Disciples.

Reply to the Lord, v.5. Who art thou?

Reality of the Lord, v.5. I am Jesus.

Recognition of the Lord, v.6. What wilt thou have me to do?

Rule of the Lord, v.6. Arise—go!

Revelation of the Lord, v.10. In a vision.

Respect for the Lord, v.10. I am here.

Responsibility to the Lord, v.11. Arise – go – inquire.

Resistance to the Lord, v.13. I have heard.

Reminder from the Lord, v.15. Go thy way. He is a chosen vessel unto me.

Representative of the Lord, v.17. Brother Saul.

Review of the Lord’s dealings, v.27. Seen the Lord.

Reverence for the Lord, v.31. Walk in the fear of the Lord.

Results of the Lord’s work, v.35. Turned to the Lord.

Received of the Lord, v.42. Believed on the Lord.

ACTS 9. Saul’s Conversion Religions are generally satisfied with their adherents outwardly conforming to the tenets of the religion of their choice. True Christianity is an inward new birth, and as a result of new life begotten by the Holy Spirit and the word of God, the outward change is real. It is “by their fruits” that we know them as a “new creation in Christ Jesus.” Many people live exemplary lives in the sight of men, but when one has been born of God, conversion comes from their whole heart being turned to God, not just a change in lifestyle. This was the way it happened to Saul of Tarsus.

He was a rebel, v.1. He had seen evidence of the reality of Christianity in the life and testimony of Stephen and other new believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. He had witnessed the triumph of Stephen’s death and had heard his testimony of the risen Lord Jesus, the Son of God, standing at the right hand of God. Other believers in Christ witnessed the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, but even all of that testimony is not enough to bring the human heart to submit to the righteous, revealed will of God. In Saul’s unbelieving heart, he thought he was doing the will of God by “breathing out threatening and murder against the disciple of the Lord.”

He was a prisoner, v.2-4. This worker of “darkness,” when pressing relentlessly forward against the light, was a prisoner to the powers of darkness. His passionate heart made him determined to rob the church of God of the treasure of human souls who were shining lights as witnesses to the living Lord. When “light from heaven” stops a person and turns its searching light on the darkness of sin in one’s soul’ that makes it impossible to go any farther. The Light of Life is brighter and more powerful than the bonds of sin. That spiritual and physical apprehension of Saul, the prisoner of darkness, set him at liberty to be a “prisoner of Jesus Christ” [Phil.1].

He was an inquirer, v.5. The power of Light was accompanied by the arresting authority of a voice from heaven. Truth spoken in the power of God makes one realize it is not merely the sound of a voice or words that he is dealing with but with a real living Person. His voice and the power of verbal expression pierced right to the soul of Saul. The strong impact of the visible testimony of a faithful believer, the strong conviction of a guilty conscience, the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, and the verbal expression of the word of God make it impossible to escape from God. When one realizes he is exposed before God, the only response is to inquire as to who is speaking and what is wanted from me.

He was a convert, v.6. Being made aware of his sin and guilt brought trembling and astonishment at the greatness of God's mercy and grace. A truly repentant sinner who surrenders and totally yields to the Lord Jesus will act in faith, even if he is not conscious of his voice calling on the name of the Lord. Faith is evidenced when one speaks to the Lord Jesus, and repentance is real when there is a call for mercy, forgiveness, and submission is obvious. Taking personal ownership of one’s sin and accepting the fact that guilt has lasting consequences moves a contrite heart to seek the Lord. When we call on him from our hearts, mercy is granted. Confession of faith will include words of acceptance of the gift of eternal life, thankfulness for the grace of God that provided a Savior, and commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord. Then, like Saul, a true convert is easily led to do what the Lord says.

He was a worshipper (v.11). There is a great difference between saying prayers and praying. A praying person speaks from their heart to the One whom he longs to know better and have fellowship with. When we draw near to God with a true heart and in full assurance of faith, there will be thanksgiving, adoration, confession, intercession, and supplication with the confidence that we are heard by our heavenly Father.

He was a witness, v.15-19. Before a person is saved by grace, we are simply a person fitted for destruction who is of little value to the kingdom of God and his or her Creator. When a repentant sinner comes to Christ and puts unreserved faith in Him for salvation, all that wasted life is done with. The person becomes a “chosen vessel” of God! God equips that person for life in His family and His service. A cleansed and transformed person, instead of being a servant to sin, has become, by God’s grace, a servant of God. Saul was to bear the name of the Lord before “Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.”

God chooses to put the treasure of the Gospel into “earthen vessels” so that it will not be God’s people that will be demonstrated and exalted. The results will be from God through man, not man through God. There would be suffering times ahead for God’s servant Saul. Sometimes, he would be cast down but not defeated. Alone, but not in despair. God would be his unseen Leader, Guide, Power, and Protector. Saul’s conversion and preparation for service are examples to us, and in some ways, they are a pattern for us to follow who have believed in the same Lord Jesus Christ he did.

ACTS 9. Saul’s Testimony To be able to put one’s testimony of salvation into a few precise words is not all that easy. Many things come to our minds when we review how God saved us. We begin to see through going over our testimony of conversion that there were many components we may not have realized or even thought that were part of what brought us to the place where we called on the name of the Lord. The longer we are saved, the more we can trace the hand of God in bringing us to Him. That said, specifically how God saved us can be put into a few brief sentences when we state simply who we were before salvation, and what brought us to repentance; how God actually saved us as the Spirit and the word brought new life, and the differences in our life since.

In a few brief words in Galatians chapter one, Paul writes his testimony and, in doing so, gives the whole Gospel message. “It pleased God,” salvation is a work of God; “who called me by His grace,” salvation is an undeserved work of God; “to reveal His Son in me,” salvation is a planned work of God; “that I might preach Him,” salvation is a purposeful work of God.

Saul of Tarsus was saved by God’s grace alone, and he was “not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” Jesus Christ was his Savior, and He was Saul’s Lord. He stepped forward in his newfound faith in the Lord Jesus Christ with gratitude, enthusiasm, and confidence, and his testimony speaks for itself.

A Courageous Stand, v.20. “Straightway he preached Christ as the Son of God.” The power of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ had transformed Saul into a man focused on the Person and work of his Savior. There is no place in the Gospel message to accept the works and ideas of people as part of the Christian faith. The true Gospel is “the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes it; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” An enemy of the Lord, Jesus became a faithful servant whose testimony reveals a man who knew salvation is in Jesus only.

A Suggestive Question, v.21-22. “Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name?” There is no question that it was Saul of Tarsus, but the old Saul had died, and a new Saul had “been raised to walk in newness of life.” The persecutor became a preacher. The lion who sought to devour the people of God became a lamb who represented the perfect Lamb of God. The man with a cold, callous heart now had a warm heart that was on fire for his Savior and Lord. To be born again is like a resurrection from the dead. “So is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

A Vigilant Enemy, v23-25. “They watched the gates day and night to kill him.” The strength of new birth and new life embitters those who love sin and remain in bondage in the kingdom of darkness. Those who enter the kingdom of God grow in grace, make obvious the enemies of a believer, and expose the world, the flesh, and the devil for what they are. Opposition against light can be expected from those who “love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.”

A Confession of Discipleship, v.26. “He assayed to join himself to the disciples…” Saul tried to join with the disciples when he went back to Jerusalem, but understandably, they were afraid he was back to imprison and kill them. His new attitude must have been considered to be a deceitful way to get in among the believers and find out who were leaders and faithful to the Lord. Evidence of new life imparted by the Holy Spirit, is that a true believer wants to be with other believers and enjoy fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ together as we have fellowship one with another. When a person loves God, they love the people of God. They will find joy in being in the company of those who love the Savior.

A Brotherly Action, v.27-28. “Barnabas took him and declared to them how he had seen the Lord…” The sudden change in some people who have been quickly transformed by the grace of God makes others skeptical of the reality of their profession of faith in Christ. Not everyone responds in the same way to the preaching of the Gospel, and not everyone has a dramatic conversion like Saul of Tarsus. It is true that some people who profess to be saved take off like a rocket and, in a short time, crash and burn, or else are soon nowhere to be found.

However, there are people of discernment, like “the son of consolation,” Barnabas, who take the time to listen patiently, enquire with insightful questions, and observe the tone of voice and visible expressions of one who says they are a child of God. The attitude of a new convert and of someone who is unknown to us but who claims to be saved can reveal the sincerity of their desire and commitment to obey the word of God. By watching the face, eyes, and body language of a person, and hearing and seeking signs of life, those of discernment seek to determine if what they say is who they really are. Those wise brothers of faith and experience are a blessing to both the new converts and older cautious saints. Such a blessed and Christ-like act as Barnabas took, was a blessing to Saul and the believers in Jerusalem.

A Confirming Testimony, v.29-30. “He spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus.” The Pharisees and religious leaders of the Jews must have been beside themselves when their champion persecutor became an outspoken Christian. Saul didn’t hesitate to openly declare his faith in Christ, and he preached the Gospel openly as he told the message of the risen Christ he had seen. Both in public meetings and in sit-down discussions, he told what he knew of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. He was well-versed in the Old Testament scriptures and would have been able to explain the fulfilled prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.

He was doing the same thing they had stoned Stephen for doing. It was unmistakably clear that both Stephen and Saul of Tarsus were motivated by the Spirit of God to preach Christ.

A Wonderful Result, v.31. “Then had the churches rest…” There was peace like the calm after a storm when, instead of Saul being the instigator of terrible persecution, he had been made new in Christ and was now a powerful voice for the Lord. The Lord’s people were built up in their faith and edified by the word of God being preached and explained by men like Stephen and Saul. The fear of the Lord was the motivating factor in the daily lives of God’s people. When we experience the Lord with us in daily life; “Lo, I am with you always,” our lives become conformed to the way our Lord Jesus wants, not to the way of the world. The comfort of the Holy Spirit becomes real to us, and the word of God is preached and lived out. When the faith of God’s people is obvious, the word of God becomes real when seeking sinners, and the word multiplies when they come to Him for salvation.

ACTS 9. Victory of Faith Peter must have realized more and more, as time passed, that he had the responsibility of opening doors to the work of the Gospel and the furthering of the kingdom of God. He went out from Jerusalem to other areas to support new believers who had been scattered because of persecution. Lydda was twelve miles down the road from Jerusalem and a little off the beaten path. It was in that community Peter went to, and his apostolic authority was put to the test. Healing as a testimony to the power of the Gospel strongly influenced the people of that community, as well as another fairly small place nearby called Sharon. When Aeneas, a paralytic, was healed after being helpless for eight years, there was unmistakable evidence that the Lord was working through His servant outside of Jerusalem, the same as when the Lord was here.

Sin and its consequences leave people helpless and hopeless until the saving power of God is manifest in the Gospel. The name of Jesus has all authority, and Peter knew that. Peter’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ had not diminished a bit and was unwavering. His bold statement of faith that the Lord would do what He said brought much glory to the Lord Jesus as well as a blessing to lost souls.

Victory at Joppa Twelve miles from Lydda and thirty-eight miles from Jerusalem is the city of Jaffa which is part of Tel Aviv. It was called Joppa in Peter’s day, and believers went there as the work of the Gospel spread across the Mediterranean area. Among the believers at Joppa were a very helpful sister in Christ, who is called Tabitha and Dorcas. Of special interest is that she was identified as a “disciple” in the feminine form, which is the only time we read this in the New Testament.

Also, of interest is why those believers at Joppa urged Peter to “Please come at once!” even though Dorcas was already dead and washed for burying. Peter had not been known as having been involved in raising the dead, so perhaps the new believers needed some assurance as to what happens to a Christian after death. They also likely wanted some spiritual comfort after the loss of a very special person of their number.

Why he went, v.36-38. “They sent unto him two men desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.” Peter was well-known among the disciples of Jesus and was known to have performed miracles in the name of Jesus. Perhaps the believers at Joppa were not really sure she was dead, or more likely, they wanted comfort in their grief and consolation from a person of proven faith. They didn’t have the scriptures and needed to be confident of her being “absent from the body and present with the Lord.” It was a major concern of the early believers in places like Joppa and Thessalonica as to what happens to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ when they die. A person like Peter, who is filled with the Holy Spirit, is often able to bring comfort, consolation, and the truth of God to the minds and hearts of suffering saints in a way that comforts and instructs them.

What he saw, v.39. “All the widows… showed the coats and garments which Dorcas made.” When a child of God sees a need and moves to meet that need without fanfare or fuss, they will be held in the minds and hearts of those who have been blessed by that generous person. Whatever is done for the glory of God and is done as unto Him will never go dim in God’s eyes. It is also true that “the memory of the just is blessed,” and people will be kept in the affections of the Lord’s people for a long time.

What he did, v.40. “Peter put them all forth and kneeled down and prayed.” Miracles point people to the Lord Jesus, not the person He uses to do His will. Miracles do not always happen, regardless of how just and righteous a person may be. We are responsible for leading people to Christ and telling them about the saving work our Lord has accomplished on our behalf and on their behalf as well. If it is possible, we must remove anything that would distract a person from putting their faith in Christ, and that would hinder our own faith in His power to save precious souls. A definite prayer was made by Peter for a definite purpose. It is necessary for us to speak to God personally as intercessors, and that is why names are important when we pray. When we pray, expect to be heard and answered.

Peter gave Tabitha his hand in tenderness to lift her up, and in like manner, we should lift up newborn believers in their faith by whatever means possible. We can do that by speaking the truth in love. An appropriate verse of scripture can be assuring, strengthening, and enlightening when given by a person of compassion.

Victory because of faith in our Gracious God will bring rejoicing to God’s people. They rejoiced in the grace of God, and so did many others who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved. They were delivered from the power of sin and death. That is resulting evidence of the grace of God working when the Gospel is preached and demonstrated. When souls are saved, the angels in heaven rejoice, the saints on earth rejoice, the new-born believer rejoices, and most importantly, the Great Shepherd rejoices when He has found the sheep that was lost.

A LIFE OF FAITH: God’s Expectation