Acts & The Life of Paul | Lecture 13 : BC302-Acts-20260921

Yes, good morning and welcome everyone. >> Morning. So, let's pray and uh we will start today's class. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for adding another day and a week into our lives. Lord, we thank you that your word says that uh this is eternal life that we may know Jesus Christ. And so, Father, we pray that you will cause us to walk in the Zoey life of God, the God kind of life where Lord, we can uh know you more and more and serve you with uh all that you have given us. Lord has uh we study from the book of acts. We pray that you will impart a fire within us oh God which will cause us to serve you the way the people in the first century church served you. We thank you Lord that you have wonderful plans for us in this generation and uh we pray that you'll open up our eyes to those plans. We worship you. we honor you in Jesus name we pray. Amen. So we completed Acts chapter 8. So let's do a quick recap of the um chapter and then we will get into the next chapter. So what are some things that you can recall from act 8? What was going on? >> Yes, there was much persecution. And uh when persecution was taking place, what happened to the believers? Scattered for the sake of their safety. But did that mean a stopping of the uh proclamation of the gospel? >> No. Thank God people continued to preach wherever they went. So we saw one particular person travel a lot and uh minister who is he? Who is Philillip? >> Yeah, he was one of the volunteers or deacons of the church who helped in an administrative task which is to serve food to the widows. And uh at this point God is using him to proclaim the gospel. So he goes to the place called as Samaria. Uh Samaria is to the north of Judea. So we have seen the map and he goes there primarily to the city of Samaria and he preaches the gospel. So when uh he preaches the gospel what are some things that take place? Yeah. Miracles um then lot of people accept Christ and uh there is one particular person who accepts Christ um who's very well known in some area who >> Simon the sorcerer. Correct. Simon the sorcerer. People even call him the power of god because he used to um he uh dabble in the occult and uh he was very powerful like that. Now when he also accepted uh Christ uh we later on see that after the proclamation of the gospel Philip asks for Peter and John to come and they come and they uh minister baptism in the Holy Spirit. But even before we talk about baptism in holy spirit through the ministry of philillip how was the city of Samaria blessed great joy in the city so verse 8 acts 8:8 uh it's so encouraging to hear that and there was great joy in that city so we can also pray that for our own ministries wherever we go we proclaim and god's power uh They are supernatural works. We can say Lord uh let there be great joy wherever I minister. So thank God. Philip's ministry was like that. Then Peter and John they come they lay hands. So was it common to lay hands for the baptism in the Holy Spirit? Very very common. It was like the next step as soon as people accept Christ they have to receive baptism in Holy Spirit. So now once uh they received baptism in the Holy Spirit, what was Simon's reaction? >> He wanted the them to lay hands on him so he could also do those uh miracles. >> Correct. >> Correct. So he told Peter and John that um uh can can you also give me this power and he intended to pay for it. Okay. Then uh we know that the apostles rebuked him. They said your money perished with you. Uh you thought that you could buy the power of God. And one more thing which um the apostles tell him is wait I'll tell you that specific verse uh verse 23 correct for I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity. So what we can understand from this is that yes we can be believers and we can serve the lord but god is more interested in our heart condition. If our um intentions are evil that also uh you know it's something it will stop us from fulfilling god's purpose. Simon god can use him mightily but what is the problem here? his heart condition, the position of his heart is not correct. He probably looked for fame, for uh popularity uh through the power of God. So God rebuked through the apostles and said, "Look, your heart is poisoned and this is not the right attitude." So this is such a warning for us. Did we see any other warning in the book of acts that people did not have the good attitude uh towards God anywhere else you remember an era? >> Yes. Very good. So acts five you remember they they try they showed as if they are doing uh God um uh like worshiping God with their giving but they were actually hiding the truth. So, holy spirit already knows and holy spirit um you know revealed it through word of knowledge uh that Peter brought forth and uh uh when there is great revival mighty uh manifestation of the presence of god the judgment also is great so they in fact died immediately I don't know why like in Simon's case it was different he was just judged and thank god he repented he said please pray that none of these things will happen to me. Right? So, uh yes, from Samaria, where did uh our Philip go? >> Uh no, down to Gaza. Remember we saw them? Yeah. Azotus in the end first to Gaza. Uh and he goes through the wilderness and uh he meets a very special person. Yeah. Ethiopian Yunak. And uh God speaks to him and says you go a little fast and meet this person. And what was he doing at that time? >> Yeah, he was reading from the book of Isaiah about the lamb that uh you know went to be slaughtered. And uh then Philip asks him the question. See this is such a classic passage for evangelism. Even today we have lot of people around us who are searching God. They are doing something. They are seeking something. We can go and ask them whom are you trying to find? That's how Philip approached it because the unip was already reading from the book of Isaiah and he asked him a very interesting question. Who do you think this is talking about? Basically our questions are pointing towards Christ. So Philip asked a question pointing towards Christ and then Unuk said I don't know and thankfully Philip was well versed in scriptures. He explained it's talking about Jesus Christ the Messiah and at that point the unuk was born again. What is the immediate next thing they decide to do? >> Water baptism. So as they uh spoke they quickly saw water and the Yonuk was enthusiastic and he's saying u uh we can see water why can't I be baptized right and uh uh so Philip baptizes him and we said that believers baptizing believers should be fine because you see that happening in the uh book of acts so yes he was waterbaptized and what is so special about the um uh transformation of the unuk. Why is it so important for us? Why is it so important in the book of acts? The unak accepting Christ and being water baptized >> is a he was a treasurer. he was in a higher position and he is carrying that gospel to the Ethiopian country. >> True. So we see that uh God is being strategic where God wants to send the gospel into an entire continent and he's using uh Philillip. Uh I don't know if you've ever read uh some of the missionary uh accounts of you know different organizations and growing up I read some about one organization they were a little bit extreme and what they would do to go uh into uh uncharted territory is they'll pray they used to pray a lot in tongues and wait on the lord and they would get impressions within them uh that go here go there and they went into um Eastern Europe. So those days Eastern Europe was closed. You can't just go into it. There's a lot of persecution and poverty many things. Uh but uh those stories as a youth when I read those stories I was so challenged they would literally pray and ask like God whom do we meet? Then God will put it on their hearts like take this tract or take this Bible and go through. Uh and it's a little bit scary. Uh obviously today nobody in your right mind would do such crazy stuff. But those days those missionaries did it. I don't know why. But God would tell them exactly whom to meet. You go you'll find a man like this. Talk to him. strategy only God knows right. How do you get the entry into that c nation? Uh how do you safely pass through uh the the customs and with your Bibles and crazy stuff. Uh but uh what I realized is you know we can be led by the spirit to that extent also. It all depends on how far we want to go. Now please don't get get me wrong. I'm not saying do crazy stuff. Uh but look at these people like Philillip and all waiting on the Lord. Lord whom should I talk to today? Sometimes when we are doing evangelism we just go. We don't pray also. We like whomever I see I'll just go talk. Good. That's really nice. But when we go prayerfully, you know, pray in the spirit, God may connect us to some people that we have no idea have so much influence. Yes or no? And did God tell Philip, you're going to meet Ethiopian Yunak. He he is the treasurer of the queen. Nothing. So when God wants to give us a divine great appointment, he doesn't even tell us. He'll just say turn right. That's it. That's the instruction. But Philip followed it. And there is a historical literally crosscultural crosscontinental missions which is so strategic but it can only be done by hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. So, Philip did it. Great. So, Ethiopian unak we saw and then what happened? We stopped there. What's the next part? >> Huh? >> Right. So, uh when he was coming out of the water, Philip disappeared because God took him to Azotus and maybe that was where God wanted him to preach. And from Azotus he's making a journey towards Cicria. He's preaching and um you know doing his work of evangelism continuously. Now the first eight chapters roughly the first 8 years also and uh now we are kind of moving on to the next decade. So the church has been functional for about um you know 8 8 years 10 years now. And uh now Luke is introducing to us a central figure in the book of acts. The introduction has kind of started for Saul. Where did we see Saul earlier? Stephen. Yeah. You remember the the Sanhedrin, you had people from different uh groups, the Pharisees, but it was being led by a man, a young man called as Saul. And Saul was trained under >> Galile. So he's a he's a welled educated, well-trained, wellrespected, passionate Pharisee. And now Luke is giving him the due focus of the discussion. So we are going to read more about uh Saul and many times you know this word um in the Bible you'll find the word um be converted in your hearts. Now some English translations say that uh but we know that word convert is so kind of in our culture it sounds controversial but basically it's nothing but turning to Christ. So uh Saul turned from his faith towards other things towards Christ and that's why we we say acts 9 is about the conversion of this man called Saul. Right? So that's what we are going to read now. Let's go ahead. Are you all with me? Are you all able to track what is going on or Okay, good. Is it interesting? >> Yeah. Yes, it's very interesting. Okay, so we will read from verse one to verse 9. Who would like to read it out? Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to synagogue of Damascus, so that if you found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the gods." So he trembling and astonished said, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." And the man who journeyied with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was there and he was 3 days without sight and neither at nor drunk drank. >> Okay. Yes. So we normally call this as uh the encounter of uh this man called as Saul on his way to a district called as Damascus. So the reason why he is going to Damascus is also clearly mentioned in verse one. He was breathing threats and murder. He's a persecutor and he was um uh going to kill the disciples. So by this time the followers of Jesus are we don't uh hear words like church like uh the Luke doesn't say Saul is going to find people of the church or no other word is used except that they are disciples. So it's really beautiful you know like uh the people who believed in Christ followed Christ and so the rest of the communities called them disciples. So even today uh for us we are we are uh believing in Jesus. So you know we are called Christians. But can people call us disciples through our life? That is more important. Yes or no? Like really do you know so and so they are a follower of Jesus. We know that this man or this lady uh like a disciple. They follow Jesus in all things. You know they pray, they worship, they go to church, they are righteous. So the believing community had a wonderful reputation and people around called them disciples, disciples of Jesus, followers of Jesus. And so Saul is going against them. Why do you think he is going against good people? He's going to kill. Okay, but these people are good. No, they are following uh Jesus Christ. They are not uh some troublemakers. Then why is Saul going against them? Good people. >> It's a work of God. >> Uh yes, it's a work of God, right? But what was it in Saul and his uh teammates or his >> because speakings to our word from the Old Testament regarding the Moses uh roots and regalians. So these people are totally different. They follow one single person Jesus Christ and >> Yes. So you're right, uh, brother. Uh, he, so the reason why Saul is passionate is in his head, he's right. Are you with me? Nobody is wanting to go against God. But in his head, he is serving God because he's the follower of Judaism. And for them, uh, they were waiting for the Messiah. And Jesus is not the Messiah. Jesus according to them had already gone against their scriptures. So why would they follow Jesus? So in his head he's right. And for us today the picture of Saul is a is a picture where uh you know there are many people like this. They don't follow Jesus. They even go against Jesus not because they are unrighteous but in their righteousness they are correct. Yes or no? Yeah. So Saul is one such person. He wanted to do the right thing and he was passionate for what he understood as the right thing. Very passionate guy. passionate to the point that let us destroy all these disciples who are going against the word of God. So you remember we said earlier uh in acts 8 they went and dragged out even women all the disciples. So it's it's showing to us a very brutal uh attack on God's people. But we should understand the heart. These people are not uh doing it as an evil act but they are doing it as an act of worship to God in their own heads. That's what they are thinking right. So Saul is one such guy and he has taken letters meaning he has already got the permission and he's walking passionately towards this district called as Damascus. And when he is going there uh the Bible in verse two says he found to find any who were of the way. So disciples is one way of describing God's uh followers of Jesus. But also at that time the word church was not used. They just called it the way. Okay. People of the way. So he's going to find them and he's ready to uh imprison them in Jerusalem. So if he finds he'll catch them and take them back. And as he is going on the road to Damascus, suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. See how God is encountering a persecutor. His agenda is opposite. Let's kill. But God has another agenda. God says, "I'm going to interrupt your plan." Okay? And uh that day a light shone from heaven. So we will see even towards the end of the book of Acts uh Saul will narrate this incident what happened. Okay? Uh but think with me. He is in the middle eastern region. So we've seen right like where uh all this Jerusalem and uh yeah even Saul where he comes from southeastern Turkey today that that place is called Turkey. So these regions were very hot and as he is moving towards Damascus it would have been a hot day and for us here in the summers it can get pretty hot right anybody do you look up in the sky when it's like 12 afternoon and just like the sun is like a ball of fire nobody will dare to look up but the Bible says that they're shown a light already it's light is there how much more light can you see but you see the light of heaven it's greater than uh the so-called middle eastern sun so the light of heaven would have been so bright he's shocked okay and uh uh as he sees this light he fell to the ground because he immediately understood something supernatural is happening and at that time he's also hearing a voice it says Saul Saul why are you persecuting me think about this a voice from heaven and the voice is so personal it doesn't just say oh you man no by name of the persecutor Saul. Saul, you know, whenever uh name is repeated like that, like Simon, Simon, it it's a way of God trying to just minister to that person twice. Saul, Saul, and what does the voice say? Why are you persecuting me? That means that when God's people are facing persecution, Jesus feels the pain. Isn't it amazing? He could have said, "Why are you persecuting my people?" That would have been more appropriate. But no, the voice is saying, "Why are you persecuting me?" You see how Christ feels for his church. Last time when Stephen was being martyed, we saw Jesus standing up. This time it's like a personal question to Saul. Jesus is asking him, look, you are not doing this to my people, you're doing it to me. Okay? So it really opens up our heart, right? Like wow, what a god we serve. He does not forget the perse even the persecutions which we are facing. how we may not be facing like how the uh disciples were facing like not going to prison and all but maybe some of us we are from families where because you're living for Christ family members don't talk or they say something that hurts us even that is something Jesus feels that pain you know I know of some friends they used to go to church but they can't tell also that they are going to church. uh how for our usering team we are waiting to catch whoever comes hello good morning how are you we want to make friends with them but some of these people they don't want to be known because it's so risky they didn't tell in their house they just want to worship they come they run away so that they can quietly worship nobody should know I'm a believer so going through persecution is not easy at any level But Jesus sees it and he feels the pain. So he's asking him, "Saul, what are you doing? You are persecuting me. Why? Why are you persecuting me?" So as soon as Saul hears this one thing he knew, I am talking to um daty meaning this has to be God. It can't be a uh person or an angel. He could have said is it an angel? No. But his spirit knew in that moment, oh we are dealing with God. So look at his language. He says who are you Lord? So he has to pay respect now because God is speaking to him. And then Jesus talks to him and Jesus says, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goats." So this it is hard for you to kick against the goats is like a um it's a statement that Paul would have understood. You know, it's like um when when an animal is to be sent in one direction, they would do something to their feet so that it does not move in other directions. So, it's as if Jesus is telling him, look, I'm putting your life on a track and if you want to get out of it, it's not going to be easy. that plan and purpose which I have for you. It will move you in a particular direction and you can't just get out of it and that's what it means and Jesus spoke to him and said you are persecuting me I am Jesus and so when Saul hears these words look at his response you know when we encounter God you remember Isaiah when uh he had a vision of God. He says uh here I am Lord send me. See he encountered the presence of God. He encountered the holiness of God. And immediately what happens to us when we encounter God's presence, we we want to serve. You know, we want to live our life for God. Saul is not having any more conversation. Nothing. All done. He realized I'm dealing with God. And his response is, Lord, what do you want me to do? He's already agreed what plan you have for me. I'm already saying yes. Just tell me what to do. He's already in agreement and he's ready to move. Uh serving Jesus. How did it happen? Like one minute, one moment ago, he was a persecutor. Now he's asking that Jesus whom he is persecuting, Lord, what do you want me to do? How did this happen? Tell me. >> That one encounter with Jesus. >> Yeah. Encounter. Encounter. Sometimes we use the word encounter. Encounter meaning when uh our eyes are opened, our spirit is open to the presence of God, the person of God. Like when you meet God, you can't be the same person. Yeah. So the persecutor having an encounter in a moment it's like a turnaround for him. He was going in this direction now he's like okay I'll turn back you know complete uh U-turn and he's saying no I'll go in the opposite direction now. So this also is a lesson for us when we look at persecution around the world uh and uh around our communities. We can even pray for the persecutors and say Lord we pray for an encounter. Nothing is too hard for you. They are doing the right thing as per know their faith. But if Jesus encounters them, they will also know the uh you know the uh truth and uh they can make a turnaround. If if Saul can turn around, why can't any other persecutor turn around? It's possible. So what a great um testimony of hope we have here. So Saul is asking, Lord, what do you want me to do? Then God gives him instructions and says now you get up and you go into the city and you will be told what you must do. So uh the same place Damascus he's moving into the region of Damascus and uh in the region of Damascus there's a city okay the the city of Damascus. So he wants to God is saying you go there and I will tell you more over there. Now a few more things before we take a break. So when um this situation happens, there were others also with him. They were journeying together with Saul. So what happened to them? It says in verse 7, hearing a voice but seeing no one. So did they have did they see the bright light? Yeah. Doesn't look like they saw the bright light. No, but they heard the voice. So you remember we said God speaks or ministers to the spirit of the one that he wants to reach out to like Samuel. Samuel Samuel and nobody else is hearing only Samuel is hearing. He goes to Eli and he checks. Eli says, "No, I if you're hearing, you respond." So here, God is specifically meeting with Saul, but the people around heard. They kind of came to know, but they didn't have the full experience. So in a way, maybe God was ministering to more to Saul's spirit at this time. And one thing that happened to Saul was uh he lost his sight. When he opened his eyes, he got up. He had fallen down. Got up. He's not able to see. He's gone blind. And he needs help now. And the people around him are helping him. And they now take him to Damascus. And in Damascus he is there for three days without sight neither ate nor drank. So it shows us that he knew that something powerful has happened in his life. He's not able to see. But no neither ate nor drank means being a pious man being a godly devout man. He was probably fasting and seeking the Lord and saying, "God, what do you want to say? Why is this happening to me, you know, I'm so confused, but I'm reaching out to you." So, he's he's seeking the Lord for 3 days and then now next we will see after the break what uh God ministers to him. Okay? Yeah. If you have any comments, questions also, we can take it later. you can think about it and then we'll discuss later. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you everyone.