There Are Times When God Can Seem to Be Really Scary, But It’s For the Best

Saul’s Dramatic Conversion Terrifies the Early Church

(Acts chapter 9, verses 17–31)

This posting is taken from my Christian nonfiction book, “The Social Gospel Teaching Series Vol. 2: The Book of Acts”, which you can order from this link

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Last week as we performed our analysis of part 1 of Acts chapter 9, Saul of Tarsus, an agent of the guard at the Temple at Jerusalem and a member of the Sanhedrin, together with his contingent of officers, had found themselves stopped on the road to Damascus by none other than the risen Spirit of the Lord. Saul had been knocked off his horse and struck blind as a result of his Divine encounter to the point where he had to be led into Damascus. And so now we find him bedridden and deeply troubled over what had happened to him. The rest of the officers who accompanied Saul must have been in a state of confusion, to say the least, at the loss of their leader. As we move on to part 2 today, Ananias has now arrived on the scene by the Lord’s command to restore Saul’s sight. So let’s get going at verse 17 where we left off last week.

Part One of This Week’s Study Verses

“Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord — Jesus, who appeared on the road as you were coming here — has sent me so you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Paul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, ‘Isn’t he the one 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?’ Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.’” (Acts 9, verses 17–22)

God Bless Ananias. We Need More Like Him Today Than Ever Before