Acts 9:1-2
Acts 9 is a pivotal point in Acts, and its story is a prelude to not just the story of rest of the book of Acts, but of the New Testament itself and my own salvation.

The story begins with an angry Jew. It ends with redeemed Gentiles.

We must be careful here to not conclude that Saul was rebellious against God. He loved God and even at this stage in his life demonstrated a commitment and love for God that surpasses any commitment and love my own life story would tell (re-read Philippians 3:4-8).

Saul loved God, loved God’s word, and structured his life around faithfulness to that word.

From Stephen and the rest of Christ’s disciples, Saul encountered teaching that, as far as he understood it, was blasphemous and false. Here is what Saul’s scriptures told him to do when he encountered false teaching:
“If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known, some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him. But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people." (Deuteronomy 13:6-9).

Stephen and the others were fellow Jews, and they were teaching doctrines that conflicted with the way Saul understood Jewish scripture. What caused Saul to despise Stephen and the Christians around him was his righteousness.

But all of man’s righteousness is like used menstrual cloths (Isaiah 64:6 - yes, that is the literal translation of the Hebrew word “iddah” (עִדָּה).


Personal Anecdote:

When I first became a Christian, the minister who taught me was a member of the churches of Christ, which is a common way of designating a large group of non-denominational churches who differ from many other groups in a few key teachings: Non-instrumental music during worship, the Lord’s Supper each Sunday, and believer’s baptism through immersion are doctrinal tenets that are important to them. What are often referred to as “old school” churches of Christ use these as tests of fellowship. You must not only believe these to be true from the Bible, you must believe that those who do not believe them are not truly saved. What I’ve written above is not applicable to all churches of Christ today. In fact, churches who use these as a firm test of fellowship today are smaller in number than in the past. But it was the way I was taught as a new believer.  Because of that, I spent a few years denouncing the faith of many believers. This included my own parents and other family members. I got in very heated arguments with them about it and told my parents (who have always been committed believers) that they were going to hell. I repented and apologized later. I believe all of those are good and important doctrines and practices, but they do not save or damn a person. My point, though, is that I was - in a weaker way than Saul - persecuting Christians because of sincerely, but wrongly, held biblical beliefs. I did it for God. God started where I was, taught me truth, and accepted my repentance.
Saul’s sincere heart toward God explains why, in the following verses, Jesus revealed Himself to him in the way that He did for Saul but not for other persecuting Jews at that scene...

Acts 9:3-9
Jesus revealed Himself to Saul in a way that others present could hear. Acts 22:9 clarifies that Saul’s traveling companions heard noise but did not understand the words of Christ. It was probably similar to John 12:28-29, when God spoke to Jesus from Heaven, but the crowd gathered heard thunder.

Saul also became blinded by the light of Jesus’ glory, and walked to Damascus by faith and not by sight, which no doubt inspired his words in 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Acts 9:10-12
It is awesome to watch the Lord orchestrate among various people, geographies, and events to help His people carry out His directive to be His “witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Saul is humbled, now realizing that he cheered on the killing of the Messiah and assisted in persecuting and killing the Messiah’s followers.

Living in Damascus was a devout disciple of Christ’s named Ananias (whose name means, “God has been gracious”).

Saul had been praying. During a prayer he saw a vision of a man named Ananias whom God had chosen to heal his sight.

This seems very significant. God didn’t need Ananias to heal Saul. God could have restored Saul’s sight as easily as He took it away. But He chose to use a specific person to execute the miracle.

The specific reason isn’t given, but from Ananias’ response to God in the next verses it seems it was to develop or strengthen Ananias’ own faith, and perhaps at the same time help Saul become accepted by those who were emerging as leaders of the growing church.

Acts 9:13-16
God specifically, intentionally, chose this persecutor of the church not only to suffer in His name, but to unify all people in Christ. Saul would later write, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:28-29).

Acts 9:17-19
Ananias obeyed God. When he met Saul, he addressed him as “Brother” and let him know the Lord Jesus, who was very much alive, appointed him to d two things:
1. Heal Saul’s blindness
2. Ensure Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit

Acts 9:20-22
Saul wasted no time. As soon as his eyesight was restored and he was filled with the Holy Spirit and was baptized, he returned to synagogues to debate and teach. He had done this all his life, but now it was with the additional message that the Messiah was the man that the Jews, through the Romans, had crucified, that He was alive, and that He was the only way to God.

As a side note, some Christians teachers teach that it’s impossible to prove the reality of who Jesus is through debate. Saul found otherwise to be the case.

Acts 9:23-30
This practice of fully vetting a professed Christian through self-testimony and the testimonies of other believers is largely a lost practice in the modern church. I still remember the days when some churches received a letter of recommendation from someone’s former church when they moved to a new area. When I moved from Ohio to Iowa 5 years ago (before returning to Ohio), I requested such a letter from my pastor and presented it to my new pastor. Both approached it as a unique but welcome request.

In order to protect the purity of the church, this sort of care should be re-instituted. Just think of all of the numerous people you know who would say they are Christians. Do you believe they all are? Satan goes to church, too.

Saul was from Tarsus (Acts 21:39; Acts 21:40). In order to protect is life and reduce the stress within the church, the disciples escorted him to Caesarea and then sent him back home.

Acts 9:31
The secret to church growth is explicitly stated here: Walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit! So simple. Not advertising and marketing. Not programs. Not “Bring-A-Friend Sundays.” The infectious spread of the Holy Spirit’s power is how the church grows.

Does the modern church need a spiritual awakening? Is the church shrinking? According, at least , to the following articles it is:

• "Christianity Declines Sharply in US, Agnostics Growing: Pew" – Newsmax
• "Christians In U.S. On Decline As Number Of 'Nones' Grows, Survey Finds" – NPR 
• "Big Drop in Share of Americans Calling Themselves Christian" - New York Times 
• "America Is Getting Less Christian and Less Religious, Study Shows" – HuffPo 

Not that public, secular media reports which rely on sensationalism to survive are to necessarily be trusted. What do you see around you?

Acts 9:32-43

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Acts 9:15-16 NIV
bible.com/bible/111/act.9.15-16.NIV


Four things we must remember...

1. Jesus is God. God has a master plan. He chose us as part of this plan.

Paul was chosen by Jesus before he was even born. He did not understand that even in his persecution of believers, he was being used as a tool to spread the good news of Christ geographically. He was very sincere in his bold actions of persecution... yet also very mistaken. Yet God chose Him. Gods plans sometimes make no sense to us. We do not choose God. He is in control of everything and he chooses us. (We do not choose Him) This is very clear in the story of Saul's conversion.

2. Jesus commands us..

He speaks to us. Our job is to listen and to obey. No matter what that might mean for our life. Following Gods commands may mean less money, less security, less comfort...in some cases persecution by our peer group. No matter what we must obey and really hear what he is asking of us. Then go boldly and obey His command to us. He has a mission for each of us.


3. There will be suffering, hardship, difficulty. ..

God does not promise to take away pain, or spare us from suffering in this life. In fact it is through suffering in this life that His power works within us! There will be strife... probably tears. Seek God for shelter, help, guidance and strength. He chose you and will never leave you.

4. He promises His Grace...

God promises he will be with us. His grace is sufficient.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV
bible.com/bible/111/2co.12.9-10.NIV