Verse 1. "Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the
disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,"
Here was Saul, an intensely Jewish man who was later to be called
Paul (a Greek word which means "little"), "breathing threats and murder
against the disciples of the Lord." This "Saul" thought of himself as a
highly religious person, a man of God. Yet his actions included the
threatening of people, and he had actually participated in at least one
murder (he led the stoning of Stephen – Acts 7:58).
So often we think of ourselves as "good" people. And yet, it is wise
to consider the nature of our thoughts toward others. Coach Vince
Lombardi said "I don’t necessarily have to like my players and
associates, but as the leader, I must love them. Love is
loyalty, love is teamwork, love respects the dignity of the
individual." Paul was attempting to change the hearts and minds of
those he threatened. He was acting as a leader but he did not care for
the people.
And now he went to the high priest. Saul had influence, he had
power, but he lacked the most important quality in life. He had not yet
learned to love those he was destined to lead.
Verse 2. "and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at
Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and
women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem."
So often we define a religious leader as one who has "letters" (such
as an "ordination") from some denomination or group. And yet church
history is full of people with designations like "Reverend" or "Pastor"
or "Father" or whatever, who were Godless men. Paul was such a man at
this moment, seeking written authorization so he might capture men and
women, take them away from their children, and bring them to Jerusalem
to be killed.
John Ruskin made the interesting comment "What we think or what we
believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only thing of
consequence is what we do." I disagree with the first part of Mr.
Ruskin’s statement, because what we believe IS of MAJOR importance. But
I agree that what we DO is of great consequence indeed. Paul’s actions
were identifying him as an enemy of God.
Verse 3. "And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching
Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;"
The night I received Christ was a great shock to me. I did not see a
"light" as in this verse but suddenly, I knew in my heart God was real,
and it frightened me. I was not alone and He knew my every thought. I
was both pleased and afraid.
I just came back from Israel, where I gave a talk on the Golan
Heights, overlooking the Damascus Road (and the border with Syria) at an
Israeli machine gun emplacement. The talk was about Paul, and I
observed that Paul must have been very pleased with himself in his
persecution of Christians. And now he was faced with the living
Christ. It is this way with us all --- Christ will suddenly appear to
us. In this life He is reaching out to us, and certainly in the next we
will see Him face to face.
Like a "light from heaven" we will KNOW He is real. We are correctly
taught, "Now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Don’t let another minute go by --- give your whole heart and life to
Him who died for you.
Verse 4. "and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
Saul was a strong man. In college, I did a 22-page term paper on
this man, and learned he was short, continued to dress like a
traditional Jew, and was not imposing, except there was something INSIDE
the man that commanded attention. He was strong inside, where it
counts, except now this strong persecutor of the Lord’s people was
knocked down, helpless before our God. Our strength is only relative to
other people and God intends to knock every one of us "off our high
horse" and bring us to His grace.
Note His question, "why are you persecuting ME?" Sometimes
you wonder, when you are in pain, or your boss is firing you, and/or
your spouse is divorcing you; does God know? Does God care? The answer
is right here. When you hurt, Christ feels your pain. There is PURPOSE
in what is happening to you (2 Corinthians Chapter 1). He will use your
trouble for ultimate good and for the glory of God. When you hurt, so
does He. When you are persecuted, Christ is persecuted with you. You
are not alone.
Verse 5. "And he said, ‘Who art Thou, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am
Jesus whom you are persecuting,’"
The commentary on this verse by Dr. J. Vernon McGee, is wonderful,
and is as follows:
"Will you notice here, the ignorance of Saul? He was possibly the
most brilliant man of his day. He was probably a graduate of the
University of Tarsus, the greatest Greek university of that day. He was
a student in the school of Gamaliel, the Hebrew scholar. He was trained
in the details of the Jewish religion. But he did not know the Lord
Jesus Christ. ‘Who art Thou, Lord?’"…Saul knew a lot but he did not
know Christ.
We live in a culture where the details of Christ are open to
everyone. You can walk to a church, just about everywhere in the
country. You can buy a Bible in just about any bookstore. To Paul’s
question, "Who art Thou, Lord?", most of us could give some kind of
response. The key question for your life is, "Do you know
Him?" Another like it is, "Have you given your whole life to Him?"
You and I need to be able to say "yes" to both of those questions.
Verse 6. "but rise, and enter the city, and it will be told you what
you must do."
Paul’s life was no longer his own. He had been converted and was now
a child of the living God, through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Notice the
two commands here, and a promise of more: 1) Get up, 2)
go into Damascus, and 3) you will be told more when you get
there.
A strong goal within the American culture is to become
self-directed. As children we long to grow up, and as mature adults, we
want to be young again. We want to win the lottery and perhaps get away
from our boss. We might secretly hope our spouse will divorce us so
nobody will tell us to take out the trash anymore.
Sometimes it takes us years to realize that when we come to Christ,
we are no longer our own. We belong to Him and He has the final
say about what we do. And then, it often takes even longer to
understand that life is BETTER when we give things over to Him.
Actually "better" is an understatement, for to give all to Him is the
ONLY way to find the life we have hungered for, all this time.
Verse 7. "And the men who traveled with him stood speechless,
hearing the voice but seeing no one."
In Acts 22:9, Paul reported this with a slight difference: "those
who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me." To the question, "Is
this a conflict?", Dr. J. Vernon McGee responds they "were aware of a
voice…but couldn’t understand what was said; it didn’t make any sense to
them." This was long before radio stations and microphones and
flashbulbs, and they were simply astonished to hear a voice and see a
light but see no one. There is no conflict here at all.
Often we are like that, for we hear and do not understand. In
Israel, we spent 10 days with our excellent tour guide, and I was
surprised that she knew more than any of us about the New Testament.
She had memorized portions of it, and yet she was not outwardly a
Christian. She had heard more than us all, and yet full understanding
did not seem to be there. So often we are like the men of this verse.
We hear something but we do not see what it means.
Verse 8. "And Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were
open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought
him into Damascus."
Paul, who had thought he could see everything, was now blind as a
bat. It’s extraordinary how quickly and totally our lives can change.
I visit the Spinal Unit at the Long Beach VA Hospital, and hear the
stories of paralyzed men. Jonathan was in a car accident. For Tom, it
was a snowmobile wreck. Jamaal was sliding into a base during a game.
Michael’s ladder fell, and Dennis was in a fist fight. All were
healthy, active men, one moment, and in the next, they were paralyzed.
The now blind Paul, who had led these men from Jerusalem to Damascus,
breathing threats all the way, was now led by the hand into the city.
He was shocked at the presence of the risen Jesus, and he never again
would be able to rely on himself. For all he knew at that point, he
would never see again – He could only trust in the Lord.
Verse 9. "And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor
drank."
All of us have had times that seemed to last forever. The wait in a
chair in the principal’s office. The time in a hospital ICU. The
moment after your spouse said, "I had an affair." I don’t think we can
imagine these three days of Paul. He had become convinced that his
enmity against the "people of the way" (Christians) was a stand for
God. He now knew he was wrong, and had murdered (and imprisoned) God’s
own people!
This was very much like David, when Nathan the Prophet pointed at
him, and said "You are the man" (2 Samuel 12:7). David indeed was
the man who had sinned, and so now was Paul. David confessed his sin,
and so did Paul, many times. God the Holy Spirit will come to you and
point out that which is wrong in your life. When this happens, just be
like David and Paul, who were sorrowful and also willing to change their
ways.
Verse 10. "Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and
the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Behold, here
am I, Lord.’"
The question should come to our minds as we read these verses; why
doesn’t God speak to people today, like He did to those in the early
Church? The answer is simple; He does speak to us. We simply do
not listen. We are not prepared for Him, because we are not a
people of faith, of prayer, or of expectancy. We are usually too busy
for God.
We look for happiness in our culture and avoid trouble, at all cost.
And yet, it is often the hospital ward or the prison cell that He has
used to produce men and women who trust in Him.
I have often felt wonder at Corrie’s sister Betsie ten Boom, as
recorded in the book "The Hiding Place" by ten Boom and Sherrill
(Copyright 1971). God spoke to Betsie and she heard Him. He showed her
things about their circumstances and she understood. It took a terrible
concentration camp (and her willingness to trust in the Lord) to produce
this remarkable woman of God.
Verse 11. "And the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go to the street
called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus
named Saul, for behold he is praying,’"
There are times in life when you will be sitting like Saul, in
darkness and confusion. It is in such moments that God will touch
others to reach out to help you, and/or to pray. Often, when someone
comes to our thoughts, we simply dismiss the idea of them
and go on to other things. (We are busy people, as mentioned in
relation to verse 10). But this is not God’s intention, for when these
thoughts come to us, we must learn that the Lord is placing those
people (or situations) into our hearts. When we think of Robert, we are
to respond "What is it, Lord; what is his need?" And if a need comes to
mind, pray for him or go to Him, as God leads.
We will become sensitive to the leading of God, as we recognize that
He is often directing our thoughts to prayer, when someone comes to
mind. Think about it – If the Holy Spirit is in you, is He merely a
dormant Presence, who spoke wonders to men like Ananias, but has nothing
to say to you? Indeed He is speaking to you right this moment. Will you
hear Him? Will you respond?
Verse 12. "and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in
and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight."
Notice again that there are often two parts in relation to what we
call the "spiritual gifts." An example is the gift of "evangelism" in
which the speaker is given the faith to speak, and the recipient is
given the faith to receive. Here Ananias is being told to go to Saul,
and with the gift of "healing" given him by God, he is to lay hands on
him, that he might be healed of blindness. At about the same time, Saul
has seen a vision that Ananias would come to him, lay hands on him, and
he would again have sight.
"Faith" (a confidence that God will work in a given situation on our
behalf) is itself a gift of God (Hebrews 12:2, 1 Peter 1:3). If God
gives you the faith to act in a specific instance, then ACT on that
faith. "Faithfulness" is one of the "fruits" of the Spirit named in
Galatians 5:22. If you think about it, "fruit" is produced
through
a branch on a tree, rather than by the branch. We the branch,
are to simply have the faith to act in the lives of people, which is to
say, we are to trust in God, Who truly is the One who helps them.
Verse 13-14. "But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many
about this man, how much harm he did to Thy saints at Jerusalem;’ and
here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Thy
name."
This does not mean (see commentary on the preceding verse) that we
can never question God. We should take ALL of our concerns to Him.
When we act in doubt, we are not acting in faith. God will answer all
of our concerns about life, and about Him. Ananias questioned the Lord
as recorded in this verse. "This man Saul," he was saying, "is a killer
of our people," and he asked, "isn’t he better off remaining blind?" I
am impressed, by the way, that news traveled surprisingly FAST in the
"ancient" world, and this man was well informed about the activities of
Saul.
Mary questioned God when she was told she would be with child, by
asking "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" She was well
acquainted with the principles of reproduction and knew she did not
presently qualify to become a mother. But she asked in faith (trusting
in God), as did Ananias in these verses. You might compare these
responses to those of Zacharias ("How shall I know this?" – Luke
1:18-25) who replied in unbelief. The difference between them, though
the responses were similar, was in the heart, for God looks at
your heart and mine.
Verse 15. "But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen
instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and
the sons of Israel;’"
God’s "chosen instruments" tend to be a surprise. The typical
objection to what is called "evangelical" Christianity, is the "born
again" experience (John 3:7) talked about within that group. It is
often objected, "What about Adolph Hitler? Would HE have gone to heaven
if he was ‘born again’ (received Christ) at the end, while he was in
that bunker? Good question. The answer is that Christ "died for ALL"
(2 Corinthians 5:15): not just for those who think they are somehow
"good" in the sight of God. Saul, in his actions and attitudes, would
have seemed very much like Hitler to his victims of that time.
Not only did God choose Paul, but it was done for a specific
purpose. He had been uniquely prepared, that he might be able to speak
to both Jews and non-Jews. This would be difficult, for very few people
would be accepted by both kinds of people. Josephus would be such a
man, (a Jew who could communicate with his Jewish people, and yet he was
accepted by the Romans). Both Paul (Saul) and Josephus were highly
educated men, and could speak to "kings" as mentioned in this verse.
The difference between those two men is Christ, for this Saul had now
become a man of God.
Verse 16. "for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's
sake."
During the years we were in Arizona, I had the odd experience of
knowing when we would suffer financially, before it happened. The job I
had would end, often because they closed the doors of the Tucson office,
and I would begin to pray. Three times we went for literally six months
without family income, and each time the Lord revealed that precise
information, in prayer, prior to its’ occurrence. And each time, He
provided for our needs during those times.
And I TESTED that information. When I would believe, after prayer,
that a "dry" time was going to occur, I redoubled my efforts in every
way. MORE interviews, more resumes sent; more of – everything. And the
response was precisely – nothing, until the six months was up. I do not
think this is unique. I believe that God continues to warn His people
about troubles that are to come, just like He did thousands of years
ago. The difference is that Paul would listen, whereas you and I
often do not; and when we do hear, we tend to disagree with Him about
what will happen.
Verse 17. "And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after
laying his hands on him said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who
appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’"
When God has spoken to your heart and sent you to some other person,
it’s good to tell them that HE sent you. In other words, when God
touches you to speak to someone, or comfort them, or pray, take the
extra step and let them know it was GOD who has reached out to them in
love. In the one instance, YOU get the credit and they thank you for
what was done. And that is good, for you did the job He assigned you to
do. But in the other, HE gets the praise and the glory, and the two of
you can rejoice in Him together.
Ananias laid hands on Saul, and he indicated that he KNEW about the
appearing of the Lord Jesus to this man. In other words, he appeared to
Saul as someone with great spiritual vision and gifts. However, he
qualified his knowledge and his actions, so that Saul would understand
it was not him (Ananias) who acted in his own strength, but Jesus who
worked through him. This would be a great lesson for this man who was
to become Paul the Apostle, for from that time, he always gave
the praise and the glory to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We no longer need to bring glory to ourselves, but simply glorify
Him, and His glory will fill our hearts and our lives. When I was in
Maryland recently, someone gave me a card which read, "Those who bring
sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves" (a quote
from Sir James M. Barrie). Just glorify Christ and help those in need.
If any glory is to come to you, let Him do the glorifying.
Verse 18. "And immediately there fell from his eyes something like
scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized;"
The word "scales" is the Greek word "lepides" from "lepis" which
literally means "to peel." The prayer of Ananias was answered, and
something which was blocking the sight of Saul, immediately peeled away
from his eyes. In Israel, I met lots of people who had a lot of
information about the New Testament, but lacked the fullness given in
Christ. It is often for us like our house is cleaned and in order,
waiting for the Guest of Honor to come. We have eyes but we do not yet
see.
What is blocking your sight today? Note these men prayed together in
faith, trusting in the God who led Ananias to pray for the healing of
Saul. When these elements are present, our prayers WILL be answered –
instantly. He could now see. Note he was immediately was baptized,
which is our testimony to the world that we are made new in Christ.
Verse 19. "and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several
days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,"
Matthew Henry said of this verse, "The Lord is for the body, and
therefore care must be taken of it, to keep it in good plight, that it
may be fit to serve the soul in God’s service, and that Christ be
magnified in it." He cited Philippians 1:20 in that context, in which
Paul made the interesting statement that "Christ shall be magnified
(exalted) in my body." We tend to look at our physical bodies with
disdain (that is specifically the position of many "eastern" religions),
but we should remember that Christ fills our bodies with the Holy Spirit
of God. We are to use them to help one another.
Note that Paul spent several days with the disciples who were at
Damascus. He had learned that not only did God send His Son, but also
there were men on earth who already knew that information. He went to
them and LISTENED to those men of God.
At some point, during this time, Paul went to Arabia and then
returned to Damascus, where he spent three years (Galatians 1:17) but
this is not mentioned by Luke, the author of Acts. It is possible Dr.
Luke, though he was a careful investigative reporter, simply had not yet
learned about those three years, when this was written.
Verse 20. "and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the
synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’"
By the hundreds of thousands, we, the people of God, receive the Son,
and then do NOT speak of Him at all. "I might lose my job" we fear.
"She might not want to date me." We are concerned we might be thought
of as "fanatics" or lose disciplinary control of our children. The
ultimate purpose for which we were created (and recreated in Him), is
that others might learn that Jesus is the Son of God. Don’t be afraid –
trust in Him.
Paul had been thrown down and blinded. He went without food or water
for three days, (which is getting to the point of danger in relation to
the water). The direction of his life was changed completely and
permanently. He sat at the feet of disciples of the Lord, and learned
from them. Then he immediately went to the synagogues of the Jews, and
said of Jesus, "He is the Son of God." Paul, who was now a man of REST
in Christ, did not physically rest, but at once WENT, for God’s true
rest was now in his heart.
Verse 21. "And all those hearing him continued to be amazed, and
were saying, ‘Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called
on this Name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them
bound before the chief priests?’"
God changes people. I have often been surprised that I have become a
man who loves to teach. I thought about teaching, many years ago, but a
key aspect of any good teaching is research and study. I was not a good
student and did not take instruction well. But God changed me and I
LOVE to learn about the good things of our Lord and His Word. Saul the
murderer, who at least killed Stephen, and from this verse seems to have
killed a lot more ("destroyed those who called on this Name"), was now
himself testifying about Christ.
You may not be what you want to be. You may hunger to be a different
kind of person and yet, have no power to change. Go to Christ. Speak
to the Father through His Name, and tell him your need. Notice that
Paul did not even know of his real need and yet our Lord knew, and
brought the Solution into his life. Abide in Him and He will give you
the desires of your heart (John 15:7).
Verse 22. "But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the
Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ."
God had picked this man well and had been preparing him, all his
life, from within the very womb of his mother. Every one of us, whether
we know it or not, has such special preparation from our God. He is
reaching out to us, through our troubles, and making us into something –
beautiful. Paul now merely ACTED in relation to the circumstances God
had created in his life.
At the Spinal Unit of a local hospital, where the patients are all
paralyzed to some great extent, some of them are closed and angry.
Others are more open that God might have a PURPOSE in allowing
limitations to come upon us (like Paul’s blindness). And a few look to
their circumstances with hope, trusting in God to bring them through.
What if Paul had simply been angry about what had happened. Would he
have remained blind for the rest of his life? Perhaps; but to the
extent WE are "blinded" by the circumstances of life, let us turn to God
and trust in Him.
Verse 23. "And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together
to do away with him,"
Our tendency is to regard the religious leaders of that time as
somehow unique in their resistance to the work of God in their midst.
They opposed Jesus and ultimately killed Him. They did the same
wherever possible, with His followers. Hebrews 11 (especially verses
32-39) is clear that such opposition occurred in relation to ALL the
prophets God had sent prior to the advent of Christ. Those who regard
the ministry as a profession or a "job" are ALWAYS with us, and they
always are in opposition to the simple faith that we have in God through
Christ.
In the light of these Jews who were plotting together, you and I need
to look to our OWN hearts. What is our attitude toward someone who
professes to love the Lord, but who has doctrinal beliefs (not essential
to salvation in Him) different than our own? When the disciples tried
to hinder someone from speaking in Jesus’ Name (Luke 9:49), He replied "Do
not hinder him, for he who is not against you is for you" (Luke
9:50). Be very slow to criticize others who come in the Name of our
Lord.
Verse 24. "but their plot became known to Saul. And they were also
watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;"
The Lord showed Paul (Saul) the many things he would suffer for
Christ and His Name (verse 16) and He continued to keep this man one
step ahead of his enemies, right to the end. The one who places his
trust in our Lord, will find both information and protection. God
watches out for His people. God revealed their plot to him, and whether
it was shown to him through some person or in a vision or dream,
is irrelevant. – It is God who will bring you through.
If you are in Christ and love Him enough to attempt to follow Him,
you will have enemies. Peter quoted Isaiah about the enemies we will
have (Isaiah 8:12) saying "Do not be afraid of their threats, nor be
troubled" (1 Peter 3:14). The enemy may well be standing at your
gates, intending to kill you. But don’t be afraid, for God, who loves
you, has ways that the enemy knows nothing about.
Verse 25. "but his disciples took him by night and let him down
through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket."
God will provide a way, and He often uses people to prepare that way,
for people just like you and me. He uses angels as well, but we often
don’t see the work of angels, whereas the helping hand from the person
next door is likely to be seen. God has surprising ways, often
"impossible" ways that we do not expect.
A classic and wonderful example of that is when the people Israel
passed through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:-31). The mountains were on both
sides of the people, and the Egyptian army was behind them. But the
Lord had a "pathway" through the sea, and the people walked on dry land
to safety. The Egyptians had courage, but when they entered the sea,
they were drowned. And so shall God deliver those who trust in Him.
Paul was let down through the wall, in a place his enemies would not
expect. I have seen the walls of that area – they are high and steep.
God continually opened unexpected pathways for Paul, and He has many
wonderful surprises for you, as well.
Verse 26. "And when he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate
with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that
he was a disciple."
Three years had passed (Galatians 1:17). Paul had a well-earned
reputation as a killer of the followers of "the way" (as the early
Jewish-Christians were called). We have the English phrase "once
burned" which means that when someone or something has hurt us, we avoid
them in the future. From a human perspective, they were wise to stay
away from Paul, for he had indeed done much harm to those Jews who loved
our Lord.
In Christ, our perspective is not simply of this earth. We have the
normal senses of a human being, and a God-given brain that does a pretty
good job of reasoning, but that is not enough for many situations. The
Holy Spirit of God is given to those who trust in Christ, and He
communicates His help to us at all times. Just like you and me, these
frightened disciples needed to pray.
Verse 27. "But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the
apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and
that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly
in the name of Jesus."
"Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles." We are
not told how Barnabas knew of him, though it is possible, as
Matthew Henry reasoned, that he may have known him from the past, which
might have been in the school of Gamaial or some other context. What’s
important is that this Godly man Barnabas had the courage to act for his
brother in Christ. Note that one man can make a difference.
All too often, in religious contexts, we tend to only act for the
person of spotless reputation. There are those among us who have
unsavory pasts, before they turned to Christ. Others in our midst have
fallen, and our tendency is to not associate with them anymore. Paul
had definitely done great harm to many Christians, though all of us
should realize that WE are sinners too ("If we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves – 1 John 1:8). We need to prayerfully be willing to
RECEIVE one another.
Verse 28. "And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem,
speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord."
And they did receive him, all because of the action of Barnabas (and
the Lord) on his behalf. You may facilitate a great work of the Lord by
receiving one of God’s people that everyone else rejects. And now Paul
was with them (the apostles) and was able to move about "freely in
Jerusalem". Because one many had the courage to receive him, a great
work was begun in the Name of the Lord.
You may think your life is of little consequence, but God does not
agree. Ananias (Acts 9:10-18) and Barnabas (of the preceding verse) are
much less well known and their work seems small in comparison to that of
Paul. This should be an encouragement to all of us, because few are
selected for the center stage of this world, and all too often the ones
who are elected (see Romans 13), become monsters like Adolph Hitler.
Ananias and Barnabas, in relation to Paul, were facilitators of his
work. They supported the man in his need. Jesus was very clear about
the importance of this role: "He who receives a
prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and
he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall
receive a righteous man’s reward, and whoever gives one of these little
ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly I say
to you, he shall by no means lose his reward" (John 10:41-42).
Ananias and Barnabas earned the same reward as Paul.
Verse 29. "And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews;
but they were attempting to put him to death."
I think that if we knew what other people were often really thinking
about us, they wouldn’t have to kill us – the information would scare us
to death! There is a spirit of murder inside of men, and we may defeat
them in argument but lose their hearts. They were unsuccessful in
killing Paul, but you can be sure they said terrible things about him.
As stated elsewhere, even with the high murder rate in today’s world,
a lot more people think about murder than actually commit the act. As
Jesus pointed out in Matthew 5:22, the person with murderous thoughts is
in great danger. Paul was spared at this time, but because of their
thoughts (those who hated him), THEY were condemned by a holy God. Look
at your thoughts and repent of them. Your murderous thoughts will
destroy you.
Verse 30. "But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him
down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus."
You’ve GOT to go to Caesarea! We were there a short time ago , and
the very places Paul walked are dug up and open for all to see. The
seats in the amphitheater have been unearthed and you can sit in the
very places where Paul likely sat. He was taken there because it was
dangerous for him in Jerusalem, and the disciples, who now cautiously
accepted him as their brother, whisked him out, first to Caesarea and
then to Tarsus.
I’m sure that many of the disciples were still cautious about him,
but they now had the right idea and rescued him, when he was in need.
So will God rescue you, even if the people who are His instruments do
not particularly care for you or trust you.
Verse 31. "So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and
Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the
Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase."
In the absence of Saul’s persecution of the church there was peace
(if only for a time). The investigative reporter Dr. Luke, author of
the Book of Acts, now turned from Paul to the activities of the Apostle
Peter. The Church was built up at this time, both in numbers and in
faith in God. Note that the "fear of the Lord" continues, though we
have become one with the Son. And in this context the Greek word "phobo"
indeed does mean "dread" or "terror". But to "dread" God is simply to
recognize who He is, and to find reverence, understanding that He
who could squash you like a bug; also loves you without measure.
To have a fear of the Lord is reasonable, because He simply is all
powerful, holy, and He knows your thoughts. But also note that He gives
the Holy Spirit to those who trust in the Son. The word "comfort" in
this verse is a form of the Greek "parakletos", a "calling to one’s
side". The God who could destroy us, has sent His Holy Spirit to us,
and we now understand that we are SAFE in God through Christ.
Verse 32. "Now it came about that as Peter was traveling through all
those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda."
"Lydda" is also called "Lod," and Josephus referred to it as "not
less than a city" because it was a place of some commercial importance.
The location of Lydda was about thirty miles northwest of Jerusalem,
within what had been the area of the Tribe of Benjamin. There were
Christian believers in that place, and Peter, who was traveling through
the area, was paying them a visit.
All of the apostles had become men who looked to the leadership of
God. They no longer visited places because of their own understanding,
but went as they were led by the Holy Spirit. The fact that someone has
perhaps not yet visited you in your need, does not mean God has
forgotten you. It may just mean that the ones God has spoken to about
you, have not yet learned to listen to Him and respond, as the apostles
had done.
Verse 33. "And there he found a man named Aeneas, who had been
bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed."
In my encounters with paralyzed people, I observe there is still no
medical cure for them. Much like leprosy, which may now be arrested but
not cured, great strides have been made but, unless God intervenes and
performs a miracle, you are paralyzed for life. The key to some
recovery from paralysis is that, if you are vigorous with your physical
therapy, some improvement may occur, especially within the first couple
of years.
This was a time when medicine had no treatment to offer and physical
therapy did not even exist. Aeneas was a man without hope. His
paralysis, which possibly indicated a break in the cervical area of the
spine – was "permanent". But God delights in bringing hope to the
hopeless. Keep that in mind, when all seems lost for you.
Verse 34. "Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; arise
and make your bed.’ And immediately he arose."
It was Peter that spoke to this man, saying words that made Aeneas’
body whole – instantly. But notice that in every aspect of Peter’s
life, he gave the credit to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Even
today, it is not the doctor who heals, it is the Lord. The doctor is
given intelligence, manual dexterity, and training – all this is
provided by God. Even the desire to use his or her "natural"
abilities is given by God.
So the doctor, like Peter, if he is an honest man, must give the
credit to God. The medical person can set the broken leg, but he does
not perform the healing; God does. Peter correctly made the statement
"Jesus Christ heals you" and the man was healed. There had been no
reason to make this man’s bed for many years, but now there was a reason
– Aeneas was not in it anymore.
Verse 35. "And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they
turned to the Lord."
As stated in relation to verse 32, "Lydda" (a.k.a. "Lod") was about
thirty miles northwest of Jerusalem. "Sharon" was a coastal plain
between Joppa and Mount Carmel, which contained such towns as Lydda,
Joppa, Caesarea, and Antipatris. Aeneas (see preceding verse) who
previously had been paralyzed for eight years, was now walking around.
People in the whole plain were encountering him and turning to the Lord
Jesus.
People say, "if only I could see a miracle, I would believe." And
that opportunity might come, like for the people in this verse. But the
challenge to you is to believe without the miracle. It’s not
such a hard job as it seems, for faith (belief) is a gift of God
(Hebrews 12:2 – He is the Author and Finisher of our faith). Just be
open to Him, and let Him give you His peace.
Verse 36. "Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha
(which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding
with deeds of kindness and charity, which she continually did."
Tabitha (Aramaic or Hebrew) or Dorcas (Greek) each translate into the
English word "gazelle." The name fit her. In 2 Samuel, David presented
a psalm (song) on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of
his enemies, including Saul the King. Verse 34 of that Chapter says "He
makes my feet like the feet of deer and sets me on my high places."
Often what God means when He compares our feet to those of a deer, is
that we will become quick to serve others.
This the kind of event (see the next verse about her death) that
makes people respond with bitterness, "How come bad things happen to
good people?" And they do. We often forget though, that EVERYBODY
dies. The young often don’t appreciate that fact, but the aging
process, when it comes upon us, places life (and death) into
perspective. We should all go and visit people in hospitals, for we
would acquire a better understanding of life.
Verse 37. "And it came about at that time that she fell sick and
died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room."
In grief, we understand that our first response to the death of
someone we love, is shock. They were going through the motions by
washing the body and presenting it for viewing, but they were
experiencing shock at the loss of this fine woman. Part of our identity
is found in the responses of other people. That is, we feel good about
ourselves when someone consistently does nice things for us. Tabitha
(or Dorcas) was such a person, and she would be missed.
Verse 38. "And since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having
heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, intreating him, ‘Do not
delay in coming to us.’"
We can learn something from these people, for they did not give up,
even in death. It is important to remember that death is not the
victor over us. As Corrie ten Boom was fond of saying, "Jesus is
victor" in every phase of our lives. He is the victor over your grave
and over mine. Others had been raised from the dead, and perhaps Peter
could help them. But Peter must hurry, for they missed this good
woman of God and wanted her back.
Note that Peter was willing in relation to the needs of other
people. So should we be quick to respond to the concerns of
those around us.
Verse 39. And Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they
brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him,
weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make
while she was with them."
There were two ladies in Tucson, Arizona, that I will never forget,
for they were just like Dorcas. I was at the funerals of both of them,
and each place was filled with weeping people who benefited from what
they had done. One of them was Carroll Erringer, a lady who held no
formal office in her church, but was always sought out by those who were
in authority, because she had so much to offer of our Lord.
Carroll simply HELPED others, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in
her life was glorious and unmistakable. She was full of the Lord.
Carroll reached out to people in many religions, and her funeral
contained many nuns and priests. Someone (I think it was me) commented
the place looked like a "penguins convention". Just like in relation
to Dorcas, There were many, including me, whose lives were made better
by Carroll, a great woman of God.
Verse 40. "But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed,
and turning to the body, he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ And she opened her
eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up."
Peter was no longer a man who would think, "I wonder if prayer will
work? Let’s give it a try and see what will happen!" He HAD been like
that, but was not such a person anymore. God gave him the
knowledge that when he prayed, the woman would be restored. Peter KNEW
what he should do, and what would happen as a result of it. Notice that
prayer changes things – God answers prayer. "The gifts and the calling
of God are without repentance" (Romans 11:29). Peter was no different
than we are, except his faith was complete, whereas we as a 21st
century people tend to doubt.
We hear a lot about the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" and meet people
who claim that experience. Peter really did have the "baptism" and
showed it in several ways. He now KNEW what he must do, who before had
been indecisive. He had become a man of prayer, whereas before had
been a person who acted first and then called for help. Most of
all, he, who was self-willed and weak, was now a man of God and was
strong.
Verse 41. "And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling
the saints and widows, he presented her alive."
Peter gave Tabitha his hand and raised her up. Matthew Henry
comments "…not as if she labored under any remaining weakness, but thus
he would as it were welcome her to life again, and give her the right
hand of fellowship among the living, from whom she had been cut off."
This lady was alive and she was in no way weakened by the
experience of death. When someone is terribly ill, we expect a lengthy
period of weakness and slow recovery but that was not the case here –
Tabitha was WELL and ready to serve again.
God can bring just that kind of health to you and to me. Best of
all, He heals us inside, and this healing lasts eternally.
Tabitha was brought back from the dead, but then, she died again! Jesus
died for your sins, and the benefits He offers will last - forever!
Verse 42. "And it became known all over Joppa, and many believed in
the Lord."
When we do something notable, word gets around (and raising someone
from the dead is certainly "notable"). But Peter had done his work (his
prayer in faith) well, for it was not Peter who was praised, but the
Lord.
I was with a man this morning, who has a certain gift from the Lord
(God shows him what and who to pray for; and when he prays, the sick are
remarkably improved). We discussed the grace of God in our lives
– that the gifts and the answers we receive, are a miracle from
the Lord. As this man said, he does not deserve this wonder, for God
does not need him. He used the analogy that he is like the "passenger
in the back seat of a car." He does not own the "car" and deserves no
credit for the operation of it. So it is with all gifts and
answers from the Lord, such as, for example, teaching. The Lord draws
the man and equips him, and then it is God who acts in the hearts
and lives of people.
Verse 43. "And it came about he stayed many days in Joppa with a
certain tanner, Simon."
A tanner was a person who took the skins of dead animals, treated
them, and then made from the skins, items that would be useful to
people. The Jews did not like to touch dead people or animals, on the
ground they became "unclean" when they did. If a Jew touched someone
who was "unclean", he would be "unclean" too. Peter was a good Jew, but
now he was someone even better than that – he was a man who truly
followed God. The only reason he would stay in the house of Simon, was
that God led him to be there. He had learned to follow the Lord.
A tanner used acid to tan his animal hides, and as J. Vernon McGee
has pointed out, his house would be quite "odiferous" (smelly). Our
human tendency is to avoid those places and people. We must learn to be
men and women who do more than just rely on our instincts (in this case,
our nose) – we are to become a people who go where God sends us. Peter
was there in a place he would not choose to go, with a person he would
normally avoid. You may well find yourself in places you would
not expect and with people you might avoid. It doesn’t matter, because
you will become a person of joy through following our God and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
Ron
Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
