Acts - Week 30

Week 30 Acts 9 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 9:17 

17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 

After God told him the message He wanted given to Saul, Ananias obeyed and found Saul. Ananias addressed him as “Brother Saul.” Even though he was not an apostle Ananias laid his hands on Saul so he might regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ananias is what one might call a “lay” person in contrast to the “clergy.” Professional clergy in contrast to lay people did not come along until years later.  

REFLECT 

Have you sometimes thought that your witnessing is not as important as if a pastor or clergyman gave it? Remember the early church and what lay people did in spreading the gospel. 

RESPOND 

With your disciple, read Ephesians 4:11-13 to see that leadership is not to do all the work of the ministry but to train God’s people to build up the church.  

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 9:18-19 

18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 

Saul regained his sight then his first act was to be baptized. Ananias had already addressed him as “Brother Saul,” which indicates Saul was already considered a believer in the Messiah. Saul had not eaten for three days so he was hungry. His strength returned after he ate. Now a new believer in Christ, Saul stayed a few days with those whom he came to persecute. This is a great example how God can turn around a life. 

REFLECT 

Even though your conversion was not as dramatic as Saul’s, it took the same grace of God to save you as it did to save him. 

RESPOND 

Read Romans 3:9-12; 5:12, 18-19 to see that all are sinners in need of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 9:20-21 

20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!” 21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?” 

Notice that Paul did not wait a long time after trusting in Jesus to witness. He immediately began preaching about Jesus. He went first to his fellow Jews in the synagogues and announced that Jesus whom they had rejected was “indeed the Son of God.” His reputation was well known and the Jewish people were confused that the persecutor was now preaching Jesus and announcing He was the Son of God. 

REFLECT 

How long was it after you trusted Jesus as your Savior before you began to tell others about Him? 

RESPOND 

Encourage your disciple by reading 1 John 1:1-4. Even though you have not physically seen Jesus, He is revealed in the Bible and you can declare what He has said there and how he has changed your life.  

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 9:22-23 

22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 23 After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. 

Saul’s preaching was so powerful the Jews could not answer his arguments. All that was available to Saul was the Old Testament. As a Jewish Pharisee he would have been well acquainted with its teaching. From those Scriptures he was preaching about the Messiah. Because they could not kill his message their plot was to kill him.  

REFLECT 

Think how blessed you are today to have the New Testament that records the words of Jesus. You can go to the four gospels to read about who He was and what He came to do. 

RESPOND 

Talk with your disciple about the need to be good students of the Word of God. See 2 Timothy 2:15. Do not worry about what you do not know; keep adding to your knowledge so you can better explain “the word of truth.” 

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 9:24-25 

24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall. 

God told Ananias that He wanted to tell Saul what he would suffer. The opposition rose quickly as he preached Jesus was the Son of God. To catch him they watched the city gate 24/7 hoping to see him coming or going. With the cooperation of other believers during the night Saul climbed into a large basket and was lowered through an opening in the wall. This was the first of many times that God would deliver him from danger. At other times he experienced suffering.  

REFLECT 

Have you seen God get you out of some situations that might have been harmful? Be sure to thank Him for that.You can trust Him to accomplish His will for you for He loves you more than anyone else could. If He doesn’t deliver you from some difficulty, He will be with you through it. 

RESPOND 

Read 2 Corinthians 11:22-24 about what Paul suffered at other times. Have confidence in God that He will use you to accomplish His will no matter the opposition.