Objectives:
Know: The gospel connected the worst sinners to God and transformed their lives.
Think: Interact with others understanding that the gospel saves people from sin and transforms their lives.
Do: Share the gospel, trusting God to change people's lives.
Scripture: Acts 9:1-43
Notes and questions
B1 What is happening here
- C1 Saul's conversion Acts 9:1-19a
- C2 Saul in Jerusalem with the disciples Acts 9:19b-31
- C3 Peter is used by God to heal Aeneas and Dorcas Acts 9:32-43
B1 Acts 9:1, why is Saul so angry? What was the fruit of his anger? (He wanted to kill Christians). What causes anger? Is all anger wrong? (Compare Mark 3:5) What are we to do when we are angry? (See Ephesians 4:26 and Proverbs 15:1).
B2 Acts 9:1-2, who did Saul go to for letters (permission) to find, arrest, and bring Christians to Jerusalem? This is important to know for later chapters in Acts.
B3 Acts 9:3, where was Saul when this incident happened? Was this bright light just lightening? The Greek word for "shined around" means enveloped, surrounded, thus there was a great light, and Saul was in the midst of it.
B4 Acts 9:4-5, what were the words Saul heard? Who is Saul persecuting? When Christians are persecuted today, who is the one in reality being persecuted? See John 15:20. What is our response to be towards persecution? See Matthew 5:10-12 and Matthew 5:44 also Romans 8:35 and 1 Corinthians 4:12.
B5 Acts 9:6, what is Saul told to do? Saul is going to the same city but now for a different reason.
B6 Acts 9:7-9, why didn't Saul eat or drink anything? Compare Psalm 69:10.
B7 Acts 9:10-12, what scary words did Ananias hear?
B8 Acts 9:13-14, what was Ananias' response? Is that a reasonable response?
B9 Acts 9:15-16, was the Lord angry with Ananias? Personally, I don't think so. It was a legitimate question, and Ananias did go after the Lord reassured him. What did the Lord tell Ananias about Saul, and what Saul was to do?
B10 Acts 9:17-19, how would Saul have known that this was the man to lay hands on his eyes? Wouldn't it seem strange to have someone just walk in and lay hands on you? (Saul have known for at least two reasons. First, Saul had a vision that a man named Ananias would be coming to do this. Second, Ananias knew that reason to be there, that is, to lay hands on Saul's eyes and tell him that Jesus would heal him).
B11 Acts 9:17-19, why the words "filled with the Holy Spirit"? Wouldn't Saul have received the Holy Spirit upon his faith in the Lord Jesus? Possibly, based on the Scriptures as Romans 8:9 and Ephesians 1:13, Saul would have be filled with the Holy Spirit upon conversion, but Saul thinking in his Jewish teachings would need to be told this.
B12 Acts 9:17-19, how long did it take for this miraculous healing of Saul's eyes take? (It was instant). How does that compare to today's so called healers? What did Saul do immediately after being healed?
B13 Acts 9:19-22, Saul had a good start--he started preaching the Gospel. Did he have a strong finish? See 2 Timothy 4:7. Are we going to finish strong, too?
B14 Acts 9:22, the word confounded, sugcheo (G4797), has the idea of not only bashing them in debate but also an emotional response from them. Preaching the truth has an effect. It will either soften or harden a person's heart.
B15 Acts 9:23-25, why did the Jews want to kill Saul?
B16 Acts 9:26-30, did Saul stop preaching in the face of opposition? Was he a fool, or was he strengthened by God to live and preach the Gospel? Who can give us this strength?
B17 Acts 9:31, what was happening to the church?
B18 Acts 9:32-35, what was wrong with Aeneas? Was he really healed? What percentage of those who were told they were healed were really healed? (100%). How does this compare to today's healers(?)?
B19 Acts 9:36-43, who was Dorcas? What happened to her? Would you want to come back to life again after you died?
B20 Who wins in the numbers game (those who become Christians), those who preach the true Gospel or those who preach a false Gospel?
B21 What changed Paul's life? Was there a change? See 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15.
B22 Anyone you know who has had a radical change in believing the Gospel? Share your story.
Next week:
Sent into the world
Theme: Spreading the Gospel
Scripture: Acts 13:1-52
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