The Word Is Alive The Book of Acts

1. The Word Is AliveThe Book of Acts Chapter Nine Narrated by Tony Gillon

2. Chapter Nine • Acts 6:1–11:30 – • The Witness beyond Jerusalem (continues)

3. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Nine • Saul travels to Damascus to persecute and arrest Christians.

4. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Nine • Saul travels to Damascus to persecute and arrest Christians. • Saul blind for three days.

5. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Nine • Saul travels to Damascus to persecute and arrest Christians. • Saul blind for three days. • Jesus instructs Ananias to heal Saul and inform him of his task as an apostle.

6. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Nine • Jews in Damascus plot against Saul.

7. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Nine • Jews in Damascus plot against Saul. • Saul arrives in Jerusalem.

8. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Nine • Jews in Damascus plot against Saul. • Saul arrives in Jerusalem. • Peter heals a cripple and raises Tabitha.

9. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Nine • Jews in Damascus plot against Saul. • Saul arrives in Jerusalem. • Peter heals a cripple and raises Tabitha. • These two miracles spread the word.

10. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Summary of Chapter Nine • Jews in Damascus plot against Saul. • Saul arrives in Jerusalem. • Peter heals a cripple and raises Tabitha. • These two miracles spread the word. • Peter stays in Joppa.

11. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Acts 9:1–31 - The conversion of Saul

12. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Acts 9:1–31 - The conversion of Saul • Saul’s conversion seems to be an interruption in the Acts narrative unless we remember that he too was part of the Diaspora Jews, who had been in view in the receiving of the Gospel.

13. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Although many commentators refer to Paul as being a Hellenist, they state that it is believed that his parents were native Jews and thus not part of the Diaspora.

14. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Acts 9:1–19a - Saul’s conversion

15. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Acts 9:1–19a - Saul’s conversion • While travelling to Damascus to arrest any Christians who might be there, Saul encountered the risen Christ and, blinded by a dazzling light, was led into the city to await further instructions.

16. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

17. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Saul’s documents from the High Priest may have been official extradition papers or letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus. • Saul was intent on arresting any disciples, known as those who belonged to the Way.

18. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (Acts 16:17).

19. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (Acts 16:17). • But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:14).

20. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).

21. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). • He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervour and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately (Acts 18:25–26).

22. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. • (Psalm 1:1).

23. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. • (Psalm 1:1). • For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish (Psalm 1:6).

24. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. (Psalm 27:11).

25. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

26. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Damascus: • A six day journey northeast of Jerusalem. • A key oasis on the key trade route from Mesopotamia to Egypt. • Under the control of King Aretas IV.

27. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me (2 Corinthians 11:32).

28. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Although modern Damascus is built on the ruins of the ancient city, one can still see the Straight Street (v.11) running east to west with its East Gate and monumental arch. • Thousands of its Jewish inhabitants died in the Jewish-Roman war of AD66-73.

29. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • For the brilliance of the light, we have Paul’s description given in Jerusalem: • About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me (Acts 22:6).

30. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • For the brilliance of the light, we have Paul’s description given in Jerusalem: • About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me (Acts 22:6). • About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. (Acts 26:13).

31. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

32. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” • Saul, Saul • Jesus called Saul by name: • For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honour, though you do not acknowledge me (Isaiah 45:4).

33. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Saul, Saul: • Samuel, Samuel (1 Samuel 3:4). • Martha, Martha (Luke 10:41). • Simon, Simon (Luke 22:31). • O Jerusalem, Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37). • O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD! (Jeremiah 22:29).

34. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Jesus’ reference to Saul’s action why do you persecute me? shows his close identity with his followers: to persecute Christians is to persecute Christ.

35. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. • “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

36. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. • “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” • Who are you, Lord? • Though Paul was ultimately blinded by the bright light, he indicates elsewhere that he actually saw the risen Christ on this occasion.

37. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? (1 Corinthians 9:1).

38. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? (1 Corinthians 9:1). • And last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born (1 Corinthians 15:8).

39. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? (1 Corinthians 9:1). • And last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born (1 Corinthians 15:8). • To reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles (Galatians 1:16a).

40. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • This dramatic experience immediately changed Saul: • Or ever I was aware (Song 6:12a). • The light of the world (John 8:12). • Made his light shine in our hearts. • (2 Corinthians 4:6). • Children of light (Ephesians 5:8).

41. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 7 The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.

42. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 7 The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. • Saul’s companions heard the sound, i.e. the Lord’s voice, but did not see anyone. In a later testimony to the Jews, Paul spoke of them seeing the light but not understanding the voice.

43. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine (John 12:28-30).

44. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

45. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). • Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7).

46. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). • Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7). • Then he said: The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth (Acts 22:14).

47. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

48. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13). • Let me hear your voice! (Song 8:13).

49. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

50. The Witness beyond Jerusalem • For three days he was blind: • Jonah was in the great fish (Jonah 1:17). • Jesus was in the tomb (Luke 24:21-22). • Paul was not being punished but his blindness and fasting are just manifestations of his intense encounter with the Risen Lord.