Acts - Week 31

Week 31 Acts 9 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 9:26-27 

26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. 

Saul returned to Jerusalem but believers there were afraid of him. Then Barnabas, also known as the “Son of Encouragement” (see Acts 4:36), stood up for him. Barnabas told them about Saul’s conversion and how he had been preaching boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. This was evidence that Saul’s conversion was genuine so the believers need not fear him now. One wonders the difference it would have made if there wasn’t someone like Barnabas to defend him. 

REFLECT 

Have you had someone stand up for you? Or, have you stood up for someone else? 

RESPOND 

This history about Saul is important to understanding what he went through when he was first converted. Believers were suspicious of him, just as believers in some countries must be careful that a “supposed” believer is not also an undercover person. You and your disciple need to pray for believers who live under such threats. 

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 9:28-29 

28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. 

The apostles took in Saul and he accompanied them as they went around Jerusalem boldly preaching. The persecutor was now a preacher of the gospel telling about the resurrected Messiah. He did not just preach; he debated. Others could not answer his arguments about the Christ so they tried to murder him. Think of this: Saul left Jerusalem earlier seeking to persecute believers; now he is being persecuted for Jesus and his life is in danger.  

REFLECT 

What has your life been like since you trusted Jesus as Savior? Have some of your old friends sought to ruin your reputation?  

RESPOND 

With your disciple, read John 15:19-21 to see what Jesus said about believers being persecuted in this life.  

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 9:30-31 

30 When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown. 31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers. 

When the report got around that some Jews were trying to kill Saul, believers took him to the coast and sent him back to his hometown. Notice what turmoil Saul was making—both before and after his conversion. Before his conversion the churches did not have peace. After his conversion some were wanting to kill him so other believers’ lives were likely threatened also. Notice the result of persecution: the Church became stronger and grew in numbers. 

REFLECT 

Have the difficulties other believers have faced made you bolder in your faith? Someday all will be in eternity and believers need to take as many with them as possible. 

RESPOND 

You and your disciple need to think about what Paul wrote in Philippians 1:12-14. Even though he was imprisoned others were now bolder in preaching the gospel.  

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 9:32-35 

32 Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. 35 Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord. 

Luke’s account in Acts now turns to what Peter was doing. Peter was an apostle and could do signs, wonders and miracles, which was the sign of an apostle (see 2 Corinthians 12:12). As occurred before when a person experienced instant healing, that caused others to pay attention. In this case when they saw the man who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years, they turned to the Lord. Revival seemed to be going on everywhere in the early Church. 

REFLECT 

Think of incidents that made you think the Lord was at work. Perhaps it was by watching someone’s changed life who previously had been a Christ denier. 

RESPOND 

Regarding signs, wonders and miracles, read the following passages: Acts 2:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12 and Hebrews 2:3-4. The last passage was written before A.D. 70 and considered the miracles to be in the past by that time. 

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 9:36-38 

36 There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. 37 About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. 38 But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!” 

“Tabitha” was her Aramaic name; “Dorcas” was her Greek name, revealing in those days it was common for a person to have more than one name. She was known for doing kind things for others and helping the poor. Think how much she was missed when she died. Her body was prepared for burial, but those who knew Peter was close by sent and begged him to come. Notice their plea, “Please come as soon as possible!” They must have had confidence Peter could do something about the death of this woman. 

RELECT  

Have you known of people who were so dearly missed because they did so much for others? How would you like to be known as that kind of person? 

RESPOND 

Read Proverbs 19:16-17 about helping the poor. See also Proverbs 31:20 for what the virtuous and capable wife did.