Atos 9

Atos 9

Piper - God wants us to see in this conversion…that the most unlikely people can be converted and are converted. Bob Utley exclaims "Oh, the greatness of the grace and election of God! Paul does not fit the evangelical model of voluntary, volitional conversion. He was dramatically drafted!" Chosen (1589)(ekloge from eklegomai [word study] in turn from ek = out + lego = select, choose, eklegomai meaning to choose or select for oneself, but not necessarily implying rejection of what is not chosen. See eklektos = elect) means literally a choosing out, a picking out, a selection. For example 2 Pe 1:10 = "His calling and choosing you" and 1Th 1:4 = God's "choice of you" both refer to God's selection of believers. In the passive sense ekloge refers to God's selection for a purpose or task. In other words it represents a special choice as in this passage when God refers to Paul as "My chosen instrument" (Acts 9:15). Jesus chose Saul before Saul chose Jesus. Jesus described the mission in general terms (to bear fruit that would remain) to His original disciples “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. (John 15:16) ILLUSTRATION - There is an old story about a little boy in a Sunday School class who was asked what part he played in his salvation. The boy said that his conversion was partly God’s work and partly his work. The teacher was shocked by the strange answer and asked what part he played in his salvation. He said “I opposed God all I could, and God did the rest.” That is the same doctrine of election that saved Saul. In 1996, retiree and widower Reese Hurley from Cambridge, Maryland, got up from his rocking chair and headed for Africa. He’d been pondering how best to spend his remaining years, but at first had resisted God’s call to missions. When he answered the call, he went all-out! He has been on short-term trips to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Guatemala, Albania, and other destinations, working to help orphans and others in need. He has also used his skills as an electrician on missions building projects. Reese is obeying the Great Commission, doing what Jesus Himself commanded us to do (Acts 1:8). To take the gospel to the world is to confront others with Christ’s reality, grace, and glory, a lesson shown in unforgettable fashion in today’s reading. Sometimes we omit the fact that imitating Christ means we can also imitate His one recorded appearance after His Ascension–to Paul on the road to Damascus. Instrument (vessel) (4632)(skeuos) literally refers to a container of any material used for a specific purpose (2 Ti 2:20+). Figuratively skeuos is used of the human body as formed of clay, depicting it as frail and feeble. BDAG says skeuos can refer to "a human being exercising a function." In this context the function of the frail human vessel named Saul was to "pour out" the Gospel on the Gentiles. Paul uses this same noun skeuos later in a figurative description of believers who now "have this treasure (2 Cor 4:6 - "the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ") in earthen vessels (skeuos), so that the surpassing greatness of the power (dunamis) ("the extraordinary power" = NET) will be of God and not from ourselves; (2 Cor 4:7+) To bear (bastazo) My Name before the Gentiles - Again His Name is tantamount to His Person. The NLT is a paraphrase and thus is more interpretative than the NAS, ESV, KJV and in this verse paraphrases "bear My Name" as "to take My message" (Act 9:15NLT) This is not a bad paraphrase because the Name "Jesus" means "Jehovah saves" which is what He does! This statement that the Gospel would go to the Gentiles must have shocked Ananias a Jewish believer! So basically what Jesus is telling Ananias is that Saul/Paul would take the good news of salvation in Jesus to the Gentiles. As the apostle Peter clearly taught "there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other Name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12+). The apostle John also links Jesus' Name with salvation writing "as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God (REGENERATED, BORN AGAIN), even to those who believe in His Name". (John 1:12+, contrast Jn 3:18). In fact the purpose statement of the Gospel of John states "these have been written so that (Term of purpose) you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (THE MESSIAH), the Son of God; and that believing you may have (SPIRITUAL LIFE, ETERNAL) life in His Name." (Jn 20:31) As the passages below demonstrate Saul/Paul accepted and fulfilled the ministry Jesus had assigned to him. What ministry has Jesus assigned to you beloved? Rest assured, He has some role for you to play in His grand plan of redemption. Have you discovered your role? I know a man who was called to be a preacher of the Word in his 20's or 30's and even though he felt this was God's call, he ignored it and entered into his aerospace career. When I met him in his 60's, both he and his wife expressed deep regret that he had not surrendered to the call of Jesus. Only one life, twill soon pass, only what's done for Jesus will last! Here Jesus tells Ananias what His task is for Saul/Paul, but later in Acts as Paul recalls his conversion experience and Jesus' commissioning him as the apostle to the Gentiles... “And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” (Acts 22:21) Paul's bearing of Jesus' Name to the Gentiles is repeatedly expressed in his epistles. Romans 1:5+ (Jesus Christ our Lord) through Whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith (See Obedience of faith) among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, Romans 11:13+ But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, Galatians 2:7+ But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the Gospel (GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE NAME OF JESUS) to the uncircumcised (GENTILES), just as Peter had been to the circumcised (JEWS) Ephesians 3:6-7+ to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel, of which (Eph 3:6 = "the Gentiles") I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace (cf PAUL'S "POWER SOURCE" IN 1 Cor 15:10+) which was given to me according to the working of His power. 2 Timothy 4:17+ But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. Comment - This is a great testimony by Paul which should encourage all of us who have been called into a particular ministry (and in some way we have ALL been called), because here we see that what the Lord commands, the Lord enables. God had given Paul a large charge to reach the Gentiles but here we see that the same One Who charged him, now strengthens him to finish the course (2 Ti 4:7+) and fulfill his ministry (2 Ti 4:5+). Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and He will stand by you through "thick and thin" and He will enable you to accomplish the work to which He has called you. You can count on it, because in Him the word is "Yes and Amen!" Stedman on bearing of Jesus' Name to the Gentiles - Is it not true that you and I are here this morning because of the conversion of the Apostle Paul? We have all been blessed through the conversion of this man. His life has made great impact upon every one of us. Not one of us would even be here if it were not for this mighty apostle to the Gentiles.(Acts 9:1-19 Beloved Enemy) Thompson - One Bible expositor said that when a person has been called by God to bear the name of Jesus Christ to the world, there is no higher calling. He said that if someone asked him to be President of the United States he would say “no”; because it is a demotion, because there is no higher calling than to preach God’s Word to the world. That is Saul’s assignment. And kings - King Agrippa and Caesar (kaisar) are mentioned in Acts. Acts 26:1-2 Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense: “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; Acts 27:24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ Steven Ger comments on Jesus' mention of these three groups (Gentiles, Kings, Jews), is intended to convey to Saul that he was "to possess a flexible, "go anywhere" type of ministry." (Ibid) Paul himself expressed the same through when he wrote "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some." (1 Cor 9:22) Do you have a "go anywhere" "by all means" mentality toward souls who are standing on the edge of eternity, destined and doomed to eternal punishment unless they hear and receive the Gospel? (Twenty-First Century Commentary-Acts) Ray Stedman on the sons of Israel -- That was last on the list. Paul always wanted to put it first. We shall see, as we trace the further story of Acts, that there was a struggle in this young man's life. He longed to be the instrument by which Israel would be redeemed. He wanted to minister primarily to the Jews and he felt he was equipped to do so. But he was not running the program anymore; God was. God had a struggle with him to teach him this, but this was the order he followed. Although he had great impact upon his own nation, the sons of Israel, he was primarily the minister to the Gentiles. (Acts 9:1-19 Beloved Enemy) And the sons of Israel - This refers to the Jews. So while Paul's primary assignment would be to be an apostle to the Gentiles, this did not preclude that he would also be a minister to his own nation of Israel. As he later wrote "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Ro 1:16+). In fact in the concluding passages of Acts we see Paul proclaiming the Gospel to the Jews in Rome “But we (JEWS) desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect (REFERRING TO CHRISTIANITY, AKA "SECT OF THE NAZARENES" - Acts 24:5), it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.” 23 When they (THE JEWS) had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets (MESSIANIC PROPHECIES), from morning until evening (ALL DAY, NON-STOP, REDEEMING THE TIME!). 24 Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. 25 And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, 26 saying, ‘GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, “YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; 27 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.”’ 28 “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.” 29[When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.] 30 And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. (Acts 28:22-31, see also Paul's speech to the Jews from the steps of the Roman barracks in Jerusalem Acts 22:1–21).) G Campbell