370
June 1928
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Who can say how much Ananias con tributed' to the usefulness o f Paul? Saul knew he would be shunned by all be lievers. He could easily have become an exclusive recluse. If he had not been lovingly received by Ananias and intro duced by him, he might have become cynical and o f little use to the church. Much depends upon the reception a con vert gets in the infancy o f his new life. It was the kindness o f Ananias that open ed the way for Saul, SaUl was not long in getting to the -synagogue after his baptism. The heart of his message was that the Messiah is the Son o f God, His hearers were amaz ed (v. 21).. We might ’infer; that Saul continued' to preach in Damascus until he was threatened with death and smuggled out of Damascus by his associates, thence going to Jerusalem. In Galatians, how ever (1:17-18), we learn that before he proceeded to Jerusalem as described in Acts, he went into Arabia for three years. Possibly it was at the very-foot o f Mount Sinai that he pondered the relation o f the Mosaic law to grace and formulated in his mind the statements o f doctrine which later came out in his writings. At any rate, he there received his finest training in fellowship with his Lord. Was it not well that he should, just at that time, have withdrawn from those Jewish influences which were so power ful, until he became thoroughly ground ed? Some believe that the Arabia experi ence came in between verses 21 and 22 o f Acts 9, for he greatly “increased in strength and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the very Christ.” This would seem to re quire thorough acquaintance with the Messianic prophecies and a knowledge o f the facts o f Jesus’ life, so that the corres pondence between the two should be fully understood. So far as it appears, up to the time o f his conversion, Saul was largely ignorant o f the important inci dents in the life o f Jesus. Secret reve lations from the Lord, such as he receiv ed in Arabia, might have given him the wonderful knowledge by which he con founded all his hearers. Was it any wonder “the Jews took counsel to kill him” ? (V . 23.) The Pharisees could not bear to hear their own Scriptures quoted so freely in proof that this Nazarene was the Son o f God. It was wresting their very stronghold away from them. When some people find their own argument exploded, they will take counsel to wipe the reasoner o ff the map. Physical force is always easier to use than intellectual. “ The disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket” (v. 25). This was probably done from one of those houses one o f the walls o f which was, at the same time, a wall of the city. Through a window which looked out into the open country, they let him down. Baskets are still employed in these parts for hoisting and lowering purposes. The details o f this little adventure are given by Paul himself in 2 Cor. 11:32-33. Under the cover of night he found his way to Jerusalem, perhaps over the very road on which he had first come face to face with the risen Lord in glory. What a contrast between the two journeys! Then he was thé dignified leader o f an important expedition; now, he is an out cast fleeing for his life by night. Then he had with him a group of admirers who
"I don’t want to have my pic ture t a k e n " . “ I V a t c h t h e B i r d i e,” the c a m e r a man told this little fellow, but the lit tle Sumatra lad was v e r y m u c h opposed to having h is picture taken. Keystone View
J uly 22, 1928 Paul’s Early Ministry Text: Acts 9:19b-30; 11:19-30; 12:25, L esson I n O utline Acts 9 :19b-30; 11:19-30; 12:25. Gal. 1:15-18. I. Saul’s Labors in Damascus and Ara bia. Acts 9 :19b-30; Gal. 1:15-19. • 1. Preaching in the Synagogue o f Da mascus. Vs. 19b-22. 2. Escaping a Plot to Take His Life. Vs. 23-25. 3. Three Years in Arabia. Gal. 1:15-18. 4. Introduction to Apostles at Jeru salem, and Labors There. Acts 9: 26-30. II. Saul’s Labors in Antioch. Acts 11: 19-30; 12:25. 1. Proclamation of Gospel to Jews Only. V. 19. 2. Proclamation o f Gospel to Greeks. V. 20. 3. The Word Confirmed by the Lord. V. 21. 4. Barnabas from Jerusalem Investi gates Work in Antioch. Vs. 22-24. 5. Saul’s Labors in Antioch. Vs. 25,26. 6 . Prophecy o f Agabus Concerning a Famine. Vs. 27,28. 7. Antioch Church Send's Relief to Jerusalem. Vs. 29,30. 8 . The Return of Saul to Antioch. 12: 25. —o— p A U L ’S letters to the synagogue o f Da- mascus remained undelivered, but he had something else to deliver—a message for the Christ of glory. He started out
Now we read that the scales had fallen from his eyes and he entered the syna gogues to proclaim the answer to the question. At the very outset his convic tions were clear and decisive, and he never modified’ them in the least to the end o f his life. “H e preached Christ, that H e is the Son o f God’’ (v. 20). W e see the same Saul, with his life aim com pletely reversed, throwing the same in tensity into the service of the Christ He had hated.- Let us not forget the debt we owe to Ananias, a humble servant o f Christ, who had, in obedience to divine promptings, gone to the house in Damascus where poor, blind Saul was lodging, to lead him into the deeper life. That visit is too im portant to be passed over lightly. Luke speaks o f this man simply as “a certain disciple.” Paul himself (in 22:12) des cribes him as “a devout man, having a good report o f all the Jews which dwell at Damascus.” Possibly he had come to the knowledge o f Christ while visiting Jeru salem at some o f the festivals. Ananias had been commissioned in a vision to go to a certain house in a cer tain street and deal with Saul. He had at first been reluctant, but was reassured by words : “ Go thy way; fo r he is a chosen vesiel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children o f Israel, fo r I m il show him how great things he must suffer fo r my name’s sake” (9:15-16). In the mean time Saul had been prepared' by a vision (9:12; 26:16-18), so that provision was made for double authentication. Right down Straight Street went Ana nias. He turned in at the house o f one Judas, where he found Saul. Oh for men and women who will be obedient to the heavenly vision—who will follow the promptings o f the spirit to speak to oth ers about their souls ! What tremendous issues sometimes hang in the balance and how little we realize the good we might accomplish in the world by speaking a few words for Christ! Ananias was the means of restoring Saul’s sight and in troducing him by baptism into the Church.
from Jerusalem with the seal o f the high priest; he now goes before the people with the seal of the Holy Spirit upon him. Saul’s first ques
tion when he was stricken on the road was: " Who art Thou, Lord?’’ (v. 5).
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