Here is a teaching on chapter 9 of the book of Acts. If you want to check out previous Bible studies and chapters going forward, join our group here. Once you get added into that Facebook group, you can go to the "units" tab and you'll see all of the chapters and their study guides as they are being taught.
First I want to say a quick prayer.... Lord I pray that you lift up every single person reading this right now. I pray that we have knowledge and understanding to know exactly what it is that we're reading and how to implement it in our daily lives. I pray that we take whatever we learn from this Bible study and we spread it to other people and let other people know about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you with my whole heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Acts Chapter 9:
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6 "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. 11 The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the prophets of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, 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 Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
In the last couple of Bible studies we've heard the mention of Saul, so now we're seeing more about Saul and how Jesus changes his heart. In verses 1-2 Saul went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogue of Damascus so that if he found anyone there that belonged to the Way he could take them to prison in Jerusalem. So Saul had hatred in his heart and anyone that even mentioned the name of Jesus or belonged to the Way (which we know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life) he wanted to put them in prison. So whenever it is mentioned here of "the Way" they're talking about Jesus and the people that belong to the Way are Christians. So Saul wanted to put anyone that called out in the name of Jesus Christ, was a believer, or a Christian into prison. He had hatred in his heart and he was just out for the blood of Christians.
Then we see in verses 3-6 that a light from heaven flashed around Saul, Jesus asked Saul why he persecutes him, and then he told him to go to the city and he would be told what to do. So Saul was on his way to Damascus to get this letter to be able to put Christians in prison and Jesus appeared to him. Now in verses 7-9, Saul was blind physically, but he was also blind spiritually. He had spiritual blindness, his heart was so hardened, he had so much hatred in it, and he was so full of his wicked ways that he thought what he was doing was the right thing. Saul thought putting Christians in prison for speaking about Jesus Christ and spreading the gospel was the right thing to do and that it was according to the law and the prophets.
In verses 10-12 Jesus called to Ananias in a vision and told him to go to Saul to restore his sight. We see in verses 13-14 that Ananias was afraid because Saul came to arrest all who called on the name of Jesus. He had heard about Saul and that he came to do harm to the people that called on the name of Jesus and he was afraid that if he went to Saul to restore his sight that something might happen to him, that he might put him in prison.
Now in verses 15-16, Jesus chose Saul, a man that had authority and respect among the people, to carry his name and suffer for the name of Jesus. Jesus suffered to forgive us of our sins and he made the ultimate sacrifice for us. When we spread the gospel of Jesus Christ we will have sufferings also, because this world is full of hate and corruption. We have to rejoice even in our sufferings and have hope. Jesus has already overcome the world, so we can take heart and never stop spreading the gospel. We should never be afraid because of what other people are going to say, do, or think about us. We just have to spread the gospel and know that God's got us and that we will have eternal life in heaven with Jesus and God the Father.
Then in verses 17-19 Ananias placed his hands on Saul and he could immediately see again and was filled with the holy spirit. Then Saul got up and was baptized. So Paul went from being physically and spiritually blind to being able to see physically and spiritually and he became filled with the holy spirit.
19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
I'm going to stop right there and discuss these verses with you guys here. So in verses 19-22 Saul spent several days in Damascus and he was preaching in synagogues about Jesus being the Son of God. These people that heard Saul were astonished and they were asking if he was the same person that was causing chaos in Jerusalem among the people that call on the name of Jesus. They were also asking if he came to take them as prisoners, but Saul grew more and more powerful and was proving that Jesus is the Christ. I just want to point out that this just goes to show that Jesus can use anyone. Saul went from putting anyone who calls in the name of Jesus in prison that led to their death, to preaching about Jesus Christ and proving that Jesus is the Christ and he is the Son of God. If Jesus can use Saul then he can use anyone. There's not anyone that has done too much to be able to be forgiven and to be a chosen instrument for Jesus Christ and for the name of Jesus. When Jesus chooses us we have to stay faithful, we have to follow him, and let the Holy Spirit guide us.
In verses 23-25 the Jews conspired to kill Saul and his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in a wall. So Saul was protected that night and nothing was going to stop him from spreading the gospel and for Jesus using him to be a vessel and to spread the gospel and his testimony.
Then in verses 26-28 when Saul came to Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were afraid of him. We saw in our Bible study from chapters 6 and 7 when Stephen was being stoned, that Saul was there giving approval to his death. The apostles knew that Saul was out to persecute and to put in prison anyone who called on the name of Jesus and so they didn't believe that he was a disciple. So Barnabas took Saul and brought him to the apostles and he told them what had happened in Damascus. He told them that Saul had seen the Lord, the Lord spoke to him, and that he was preaching fearlessly in Damascus about Jesus Christ. So Saul stayed with the apostles and spoke boldly in the name of the Lord and was able to move around freely in Jerusalem.
Now in 29-30 we see that the Grecian Jews tried to kill Saul, so whenever the brothers learned of this they took him down to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus. Then in verse 31 the church had a time of peace and they were strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was using the person that was out for the Christians blood and was trying to get orders to put anyone that called in the name of Jesus in prison. Jesus was using Saul to spread the gospel, to share his testimony, and to let people know that Jesus is the Son of God and is the Christ. So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace and the church was strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit and there became more and more believers.
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. 34 "Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!"
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas made while she was still with them.
40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
Alright, so those are all the verses in chapter 9 of the book of Acts but I'm going to discuss these verses with you guys here. So in verses 32-35 Peter went to Lydda to visit the saints, he found this paralytic, told him that Jesus Christ heals him, and to get up and take care of it was mat. So Aeneas immediately got up and those that were in Lydda and Sharon saw him and they turned to the Lord. So the Lord used Peter, and the faith that Peter had, and he healed this paralytic, and because of Peter performing this miraculous sign other people came to the Lord. Now like I always say, the power is not in Peter. This healing power is a gift given by the Holy Spirit. Because of Peter's faith in Jesus Christ and in the name of Jesus Christ, Peter was able to heal this paralytic.
Then in verses 36-38, I just want to mention something about the name Tabitha (which is translated into Dorcas), that means gazelle. Tabitha was always doing good, helping the poor, and she was gentle like a gazelle. So Tabitha had died and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. So in verses 39-43 Peter went with the men, was taken upstairs to the room, and these widows stood there crying and they showed Peter the robes that Dorcas had made for them. So Peter sent them all out of the room and he got on his knees and prayed. Whenever we pray to Jesus Christ, whenever we pray and we really believe, and we're guided by the Holy Spirit, then whatever we ask we will receive. So after praying, Peter turned to Dorcas and said, "Tabitha, get up." So because of Peter's belief in Jesus Christ and because of him praying, having faith, and being guided by the Holy Spirit, this woman that was laying dead came back alive. Then Peter called the people and showed them that Tabitha was alive and many people believed in the Lord in Joppa after this had happened. So because of this miraculous sign there was many more people that believe in Jesus Christ. It's amazing what can happen when you really are guided by the Holy Spirit, have faith, and speak in the name of Jesus Christ. We have certain gifts that the Holy Spirit gives us, and when we let the Holy Spirit guide us, we're fully submitted to the will of God the Father, and to following Jesus, then we can do a lot of great things and we can lead a lot of people to Christ, to believing in him, and having eternal life in heaven.
Acts Ch 9 Study Guide
What did Saul ask the chief priest for? Why?
Why did Jesus come to Saul on his way to Damascus?
Who can Jesus use to spread the gospel and testify about him? Why?
In verse 26, why did the disciples think that Saul was not really a disciple?
How did Peter heal Aeneas and Tabitha?
What happens when we pray and are guided by the Holy Spirit?
What is your biggest takeaway from this Bible study?
So this concludes this Bible study on chapter 9 of the book of Acts. Next week we're going to go into chapter 10, so make sure you stay tuned for that.
I love you guys so much.
Never forget to choose faith over fear.
-Lorena Camille (Faith Fuels My Fire)
p.s. If you'd rather listen to Faith-based, business, mindset, and mental health tips, then check out my podcast. There I will share my personal experiences, stories I've never told before, and bring you along with this hot mess life of mine. New episodes every week.
For weekly Bible Studies, tune in every week to my podcast. Every week I go over a new chapter/s of the Book of John.
You can also follow me on Instagram (_lorenacamille_) I'll be posting frequently and doing daily stories.
For past Bible Studies on the book of Jeremiah, join our Facebook Community
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Comments