 Welcome back everyone. We have started talking about Saul's encounter with Jesus for the road to Damascus. So before we go ahead, I just thought we can quickly see about the last part that we discussed about Philip and his journey. This is how it looks. We have earlier seen that he was in Jerusalem and that he comes up to Samaria, from Samaria he is told to go to Gaza and so he comes here and this is where he meets the Ethiopian eunuch who was travelling out back from Jerusalem and the Ethiopian eunuch, you know from Jerusalem he must be going headed back for but here Philip meets the Ethiopian eunuch and obviously the Ethiopian eunuch went back to Africa and Philip continues his journey. So from here he was transported supernaturally to Azotes which we all wish, I don't know maybe in our ministry but it still happens so you never know whether one of us may experience that and he was supernaturally transported to Azotes and from there he goes around preaching the churches of Caesarea and that is how the map looks just for our clarity. Alright, now let's come back to the experience of Apostle Paul. So we talked about Jesus responding to the persecution of Saul and he says why are you persecuting me? But look at the response which Saul had, obviously he knew that this was something supernatural and so with awe and reverence he responds and says who are you Lord? That is the question which Saul has and he uses the term Lord because for a person like him to know in that moment that this is supernatural, this is beyond the normal occurrence in the natural world is something amazing because he recognized that this is God. Remember even Saul is about Jew so he had the fear of God in his heart so he responds to the voice saying who are you Lord and that Jesus who does not need any introduction is introducing himself. I think about the kindness of our God. God could have said how dare you ask who I am because I am the one who has created the entire universe but that was not his response. Instead when Paul wanted to know who the voice is, whose voice it was, Jesus responds and says I am Jesus who you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the God so the God's are like some sticks in which you have cattle and they would use certain sticks to guide their direction and those sticks would restrict the feet of the cattle and it was hard for them to come out of that or to resist the way it would work those sticks to indicate to the cattle which direction they need to go in and all that. So in a sense Jesus was telling him that you can't do your own thing. You can't resist what I am doing in people's lives as well as in your life because I am God at the end of the day. So that kind of language would have made sense to solve. I know that for us today we asked like what is the meaning of this, what is the insertion of God's and kicking against the God's but it's a restriction or you know some sort of I'm not getting the right word to really tell you but some extremely sharp stick which was used to get an ox going the way you wanted when flowing because that's what it is and Saul would have understood that language. So let's see what else happens here. The response of Saul is in reverence trembling and astonished. He asked Lord what do you want me to do? Wow, it sounds like acceptable, isn't it? The people when they heard the sermon of Peter that's how they responded and at this point earlier we saw in the previous chapter there was a person of great influence the Ethiopian Yuna who got touched and how in Acts chapter 9 it's a persecutor the most unlikely person that we would consider for you know forgiveness and salvation but God is God and he's touching the lives of all kinds of people and Paul obviously he's touched Paul is convinced in that encounter that Jesus is the Christ and so now you know he is asking God and Jesus Lord what do you want me to do? Him saying Lord itself is amazing because here is a persecutor he's even killing those who follow this Jesus and in a short moment he is using the term Lord to speak to Jesus. So Saul is touched, Saul is convinced, Saul is changed in that encounter on the road to Damascus. He had a different agenda but God changed the agenda of his entire life on that particular road and so we see that Saul is now willing to hear what God wants him to do and God instructs him arise and go into the city and you will be told what you must do. So again you see the direction of the Holy Spirit the direction of God in the entire book of Acts is something that we must desire for like wow these people are hearing from God, God is talking to different ones and right now it is Saul to whom God gives an instruction and says go into Damascus just go into the city you know I'll tell you what to do next but for now this is what I want you to do next step. So in our lives as I told us earlier sometimes we want to know the entire picture but how does God work? Maybe the next step is all that God thinks necessary to reveal to us and even for Saul it was just the next step and so now what happens we know that this was a real encounter because there were people who were with Saul who saw you know they sorry they didn't see anyone but they heard the voice so the voice which was speaking to Saul they heard it so if it was just Saul having some sort of a delusional experience imaginary you know encounter then we can blame you know Luke for it but Luke I already told us that he was a very detailed person in his accounting he was also like you know a doctor by profession so he didn't miss out on the important facts that he needs to tell the readers he's pointing out that whatever happened to Saul on the road to Damascus was not in his imagination it was real because there were people who were standing next to him who heard the voice but they did not see anyone okay so there were others who testified to what actually happened and they stood speechless also tells us that this was supernatural which the others could also testify to and then you know we see that when God spoke to Saul and met him in this way Saul he arose from the ground but one thing happened to him that he was not able to see any longer okay now we can all ask the question why is it that Saul became blind and there are so many explanations that people give they say that oh there was a bright light when he had the encounter and maybe that affected his eye now we don't know though all these things are speculations but one thing we know is that when he had that particular encounter when he arose he couldn't see and so he had to be led by hand into the city of Damascus and over there he was fasting for three days without sight and neither ate nor drank now again the question arises why was Paul fasting we can only have some speculation one thing is that about Saul we will see later on also that the Jewish tradition the Jewish customs are something that he had practiced his entire life so maybe at a time like this when he needed to show reverence to God the right thing to do was to fast and to seek the Lord while he waited for his eyes to be healed or he could have just fasted in and prayed repenting of his sins of how he was persecuting the Jews or you know he could have been asking God for a touch or a healing for his eye or direction for his life there's so much that could have actually gone on in Paul's heart and he would have chosen to fast and pray seek the Lord in those moments or it can just be that the encounter was overwhelming for him because it was super natural he never expected it you know how if God inter sort of intercepts in our lives and we were we were thinking of some grand plans but here is God just coming in you know intercepting our lives and showing us a different direction it can be such a jolt and so maybe he was just shocked that something like this has happened and he had a supernatural encounter and so you find that he goes into the seeking God mode he's fasting for three days he didn't eat anything he didn't drink anything that sounds like the fast of Esther you remember she also fasted three days no eating no drinking also so they didn't even drink water so this is like an Esther fasted dry fast that he went into now let's see God had told him that hey I will tell you once you go into the city of Tabascus now how does God actually minister to him let's start to read from verse 10 let's read till verse 19 yes go ahead is it now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias and to him the Lord said in a vision Ananias and he said here I am Lord so the Lord said to him arise and go to the street called straight and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold he's praying and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight then Ananias answered Lord I have heard from many about this man how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem and here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who call on your name but the Lord said to him go for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles kings and the children of Israel for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake and Ananias went his way and entered the house and laying his hands on him he said brother Saul the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales and he received his sight at once and he arose and was baptized so when he had received what he was strengthened then Saul's Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus should I continue yes thank you Rosalind so we are looking at how God guided him in Damascus so now we are introduced to a man known as Ananias this is not the Ananias and Sapphira that Ananias that's a different Ananias who experienced a severe judgment in the time of great revival this Ananias is from Damascus he's a disciple it says that means he's a believer in the Lord Jesus and nothing more is mentioned about him therefore when we are only told that he's a disciple he's probably like an ordinary believer right so you just look at the ways in which God works God is reaching out to Ananias and from chapter 8 we are seeing the prophetic communication of God meaning how does God speak to people we saw how the angel came and told Philip go down you know go down to Gaza and then we saw how Philip receives how he received we don't know maybe the spirit he got that communication with God said okay go overtake the chariot right and then we saw the supernatural transportation now what's happening encounter Paul has an encounter on the road he hears a voice from heaven and all okay that's all done now coming to Ananias another picture here is that a vision a vision is is what he receives Ananias okay so the Lord is speaking to him in a vision and the Lord said in a vision Ananias how would you like that how would we like it you know we get a vision which God is saying Nancy or you know any one of us success or Jefina that means there is something very specific that God wants to tell us okay so how does Ananias respond thank God for people like Philip and Ananias they are responding positively and obediently maybe that's why God went to them isn't it so the response of Ananias here I am Lord yes present present promise it's living say in the class so he shows up and he says yes I'm available Lord please tell me what to do and the Lord said to him directions right everywhere arise and go so much work to do we can't afford to sit down and you know rest or sleep so exciting God is getting people on their toes and say come on get up you have to go here you have to go there do this do that so again there's a message to Ananias Paul Saul was told to come to Damascus now where is Ananias going arise go to the street called Strait and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold he is praying this would have been a shock for Ananias I'll tell you why but you notice how God communicates so there's a vision in the vision there is an instruction but in the instruction there is a word of knowledge because Ananias is being told the address of a persecutor how would we like it you know in the vision we are the only ones we came to know where the persecutor is and God is telling us okay go here you know in India we have like fifth cross the seventh main road all that and the house may be MG road and go to house number 3322 okay if there is a house that please don't go but I'm just saying random right but what of knowledge how would Ananias know where to go you see God can give us specific information as well we just need to desire it it has happened in the book of Acts it's nothing you know great for God he can give very very specific information in this case it's an address so God gave Ananias Saul's address and very clearly who the Saul is not just any Saul Saul of Tarsus and I'm sending you to him because he's seeking me he's praying remember he was fasting isn't it so he's seeking me now and see how God is communicating in this situation he's saying now Saul has also been informed he saw in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight so both sides God has communicated that this is what he intends to do Ananias get up go to this address meet Saul of Tarsus because you have to lay your hands on him and pray for him he will receive his sight okay now let's see what is the response of this obedient disciple who said yes here I am Lord okay Ananias what do you have to show us verse 13 how Ananias is trying to you know give God a justification he says Lord I have heard from many about this man you know how much harm he has done to your saints and Jerusalem and here he has authority from the chief priest to bite all who call on your name so he's telling God as if God doesn't know this assignment is dangerous Lord like in other words reconsider or pick someone else you know I I cannot jeopardize my own life you want me to go to this man who has come here with the agenda of persecuting killing oh why would somebody go and meet such a person so he's trying to tell God what God already knows okay sometimes we do that when God speaks to us we try to say are you sure is that my number or is it a wrong number like Lord what's happening but God says to Ananias I know what I'm doing okay go for he's a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles kings and the children of Israel but I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name sake in other words Jesus is saying this person is going to be a minister of God and you know his influences is great and he'll go through a lot for the kingdom of God so you don't worry so he's being convinced that now Saul of Tars is is no longer that persecutor but he is now a disciple or a believer you know beginning as a believer of course will become a disciple of the Lord Jesus so now that God has given him the assurance Ananias is okay so it was 17 he went his way and entered the house again that shows us how sensitive Ananias just like Philip was to the voice of God that he was convinced by what God showed him about this all of Tarsus and he goes whatever God told him in that instruction he does that he lays hands on him and he calls him brother Saul okay you know all these things are very minor but it shows us how people responded to the voice of God because it was very clear for them so for Ananias at this point it was no longer fear he first of all went and entered the house and he's calling the persecutor brother so apparently in you know those times when they used use our brother or brethren they're referring to other believers so by now Ananias is sure that Saul is a believer so he's a brother Saul the Lord Jesus appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit okay and immediately what happens the scales fell off as something like scales falls off his eyes he received his sight and he arose and was baptized but we also know that he would have been filled with the Holy Spirit because that's why Ananias actually went there so what's happening in these moments three days ago you know he encountered God he's blind and he's a believer but he doesn't know what to do does he know about the vision for his life you know we don't know at this point whether he's clear on those matters but he's seeking the Lord okay you see even for Paul he needed to go through that growth step by step just because he was meant to be a mighty apostle God doesn't you know exempt him from the important truths of the word like you know we notice here that yes he needed healing for the blindness but he needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit okay and also he had to be baptized in water so both of those things actually happened and now Saul is a confirmed believer in the Lord Jesus others who hear about him at least other believers who would hear about may have heard about him would have a little bit of peace in their hearts knowing that okay finally you know this man has given his life to Jesus but what truth that I want to point out for us here is that like who did God pick to pray for baptism in the Holy Spirit for a mighty apostle what is the status of Ananias is he a prophet or is he some pastor or some teacher is a normal disciple ordinary believer exactly exactly so that's the point see for God no he uses anyone to minister to anyone and it's such a privilege to know that an ordinary disciple that's who God picked to minister to you know apostle Paul about who this half the course is about him but God picked an ordinary believer sometimes even in our lives right God we just tell us you go do this you go pray for someone go lay hand on someone don't worry too much about you know who that is what it's all about obedience and those little steps that we take to minister and similarly when it comes to you know we observe someone ministering maybe a child is praying for an adult and he must not stop them saying oh what can God do through this child God use Ananias to minister to Paul God can use anyone to minister to anyone and that is a reality which we see in scripture so at this point to be seen how Saul is now fine his vision is back he is baptized in the Holy Spirit he's baptized in water he's made his confession he's a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and what happens after that so we are told that he continued to stay in Damascus for a little more time when he was strengthened so he you know after fasting he broke his fast and went back to his regular eating and he was strengthened both physically and I'm sure spiritually other disciples would have strengthened him and taught him a couple of things about following Jesus and so he remained there now let's move on and let's see what happens to the ministry of Saul let's read from verse 20 to 22 priests but saw increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus proving that this Jesus is the Christ. Yeah thank you Rosalie so obviously we know that the call on Saul's life was to minister to many people we saw that right God spoke to Ananias and said you stand before kings so he was going to influence the influencers that's his call and notice how when we carry the call of God it stars us up to do what we are called to do okay and so Saul could sense it right from the start and apart from that his natural personality his natural training his natural background we know that he came from a very learned you know upbringing and no wonder he was part of the synagogue because you have to be very highly qualified to be a part of that group so even from his natural experiences and his personality he seems to be more of a leader he seems to be more of someone who steps out and goes for whatever they believe in and so immediately we are told so once now Saul is settled he's stronger physically and growing spiritually he starts to preach immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues and you also notice how synagogues are the places where the Jews gather right for learning for fellowship so in the synagogues he goes and he begins to preach but this time who is he preaching about he's preaching about the Son of God so that is a puzzling matter for everyone in the entire region because if you see somebody who hates Jesus loving Jesus overnight it's hard to accept very hard to accept and people were amazed and they were questioning they were saying isn't this the same person who was destroying those who believed in this name and now he's out preaching in that same name what's going on but scripture just tells us that he continued to do what God called him to do so you know when we carry the call of God in our lives you see those you see those you know like I don't know how to put it like embers maybe when we are even when we are young even when we don't have great opportunities the call of God stirs us up sometimes you know even we just begin to do what we are called to do and there will be a good amount of time before Paul can actually start to preach you know but right after his conversion we see that he's trying to step into the call that God has for his life and he continued to strengthen himself he went to the synagogues and it says confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus so that means he he probably got in got reasoning with Jews people asking him questions and he was able to answer those questions and show them why the Lord Jesus is the Messiah so he was proving that Jesus is the Messiah and it's understandable he came from a learned background so he was a very intellectual man he would have been able to just the way we saw you know others port from the scriptures he would have been able to port the scriptures really well to convince the Jews of the fact that Jesus is the Messiah so now let's move on what happens in verse 23 maybe we can read the entire stretch from verse 23 to verse 30 now after many days were passed the Jews plotted to kill him but the plot became known to Saul and they watched the gates day and night to kill him then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket Saul a Jerusalem and when Saul had come to Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples but they were all afraid of him and did not believe that he was a disciple but Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached holy at Damascus in the name of Jesus he was with them at Jerusalem coming in and going out and he spoke holy in the name of Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists but they attempted to kill him when the brethren found out they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus. Yes thank you Rosalind so we're looking at how Paul is moving towards the call that God has for him we saw that he was going to the synagogues confounding the Jews proving that Jesus is the Christ but he may have felt the need to go to the place that it all began to Jerusalem we saw right we saw how ministry was coming out of Jerusalem so he may have thought if I go to Jerusalem meet the apostles I may have an opportunity to be trained by them or sit under their teaching and learn but he goes there he tries to join the disciples but what is the response they are also afraid of him and they're not able to believe how can a man like this who has persecuted the disciples now suddenly claimed to be a disciple so they don't receive him but remember Barnabas we talked about Barnabas earlier we said he was a son of encouragement and he was also from a pretty wealthy background so maybe Barnabas understood you know where Saul is coming from and he was the one who did this this work of how to say this but not really convince the apostles but to make a way for Saul because still that time he was not accepted even among the apostles but there was a man like Barnabas who who seems to be who seems to have this personality of hey everyone's important that you know we must we must care even for someone whom we are not able to accept so he seems to have that kind of a very accommodating personality and so a persecutor such as Paul he instead of shunning him away he says okay come let me do something for you I will take you to the apostles and he takes us all to the apostles and he tries to speak to them about everything that happened in Saul's life so that they can understand that now this man is a true disciple so once Barnabas did this bridging job they were accepting of him and they are told that he was with them at Jerusalem but later on you know some of the episodes that apostle Paul writes we'll notice that he was not there for a very long time he was there for a short duration so we can't even say that all the teachings that the apostles had they were able to impart it to him right away not at all he was there for a very short period of time and you know he continued to do the work that he knew to do so he went ahead and he started preaching about Jesus there were the Greeks speaking Jews the Hellenists who disputed with him we are told and things went so far that they disliked him to the extent of attempting to kill him okay so now it is quite clear for us that this man Saul is a disciple he's preaching Jesus to the extent that people are even wanting to kill him right so it's clear that Saul is a disciple and when the attempt to kill Saul happens by that time the believers in Jerusalem are convinced that this man is genuine and so they are willing to help him and they bring him down to Caesarea and they send him to Tarsus so Saul is originally from Tarsus and that's the place where they might have advised him to go back to for his own safety you know for a period of time so Saul tried to minister it was not easy but he managed to minister for a short period of time and he sent back to Tarsus so now what are some of the other things that take place so we look at that let's now go to verse 31 we can read all the way till verse 42 uh okay brother I'm sorry to interrupt you it's not very clear what you want to hear thank you so much for you know attempting to read would you like to continue or we can we can have another person asking are you hearing me now ah yes yes so much better so much better please go on okay thank you then the churches throughout all Judea Galilee and Samaria had peace and were edified and working in the fear of the Lord and in comfort of the Holy Spirit they were multiplied now it came to pass as Paul went through all the parts of the country that he also came down into the saints who dwelt in Lydia they there he found a certain man named Anias who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed and Peter said to him Anias Jesus the Christ hails you arise and make your bed then he arose immediately so all who dwelt at Lydia and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord at Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha which is translated Dorokas this woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did but it happened in those days that she that she became sick and died when they had washed her they laid her in the upper room and since Lydia was near Joppa the disciples had heard that Peter was there they sent two men to him empowering him not to delay in coming to them then Peter arose and went to them with them when he had come they brought him to the upper room and the and all the widows stood by him whipping showing the tunics and gametes with which Dorokas had made while she was with them but Peter put them all out and knelt down and prayed and turning to the body he said Tabitha arise and she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter she sat up then she gave then he gave his hand and lifted her up and when she had called and when he had called the the saints and the widows he presented her alive and it came it became known throughout all Joppa and many believed on on the road so it was that she stayed many days in Joppa with Simon Atana Amen. Wow so all the miracles are continuing on one hand we saw Philip believer doing ministry Ananias a believer doing ministry so though we are focusing on you know something that is happening in the life of one or two people there is so much more that's actually parallely going on in the Church of Jerusalem churches around surrounding in the surrounding regions so one thing is clear as as we read that the churches throughout all Judea Galilee Samaria had peace and were edified what else do we see walking in the fear of the Lord comfort of the Holy Spirit and they were multiplied so thriving churches existed in the region because of the ongoing ministry of various believers and various apostles and now another very notable figure is included which would be Apostle Paul who we will study about but in the overall picture the church is thriving or the body of Christ is thriving persecution or no persecution they are continuing to grow and God is you know reaching the hearts and lives of people now we will now see the focus shift to Peter and Peter is ministering in some regions we have names such as in the Sharon, Lidda, Joppa so these places where about 40 kilometers or 25 miles away from Jerusalem so then you know you know how far these apostles have actually gone and the work is thriving so they go to Lidda and there is a notable miracle a man called Annius who was wedded in eight years he is now restored back and you know Peter ministers to him and he says Jesus Christ heals you arise and make your bed so see how the healing is ministered in this case there is an instruction isn't it so it's not always the same we have to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and Peter again being led by the Holy Spirit gives that right instruction at that time and commands healing and he says you need to arise make your bed and he arose immediately wow supernatural supernatural things are taking place around that region and people see the people who live there they see and they turn to the Lord so what is a property of miracles or healings deliverances what does it do to you know those who are seen these things manifest their hearts get stirred up towards God in this case very clearly Luke writes they turn to the Lord and they saw this eight year paralyzed man recover and next is a resurrection think about you know Peter's ministry he has gone to Lidda and you know he has ministered to this paralyzed man he must have thought okay time to take a holiday now I'm so tired you know God has done powerful things let's take rest but what happens right after right at Joppa there is a lady a very devout good lady known for good works but she became sick and died her name is Tabitha and what happens immediately you know the since Lidda was near Joppa and the disciples had heard that Peter was there they were like okay Peter we know you're in the neighborhood you better come here because there's another task for you and how would Peter have responded when the disciples came and said you know what there's a lady she just died and you're supposed to raise her from the dead can you come can you come quickly okay so this is the way Peter's ministry is going and a man full of faith okay he just goes to Joppa and there he's ready to minister even to somebody who is dead and he says Tabitha in El town prayed turning to the body he says Tabitha arise and under the miracle happens what is this resurrection she opened her eyes okay and when she saw Peter she sat up okay every region something amazing is going on and so we see that the church and the work of God is thriving so the passage there says I became known throughout all Joppa and many believed in the Lord so in this manner the God was actually causing the church to be very fruitful and we noticed that some of these places they were at two highways at that time Egypt and Syria highway Joppa and Jerusalem highway so you know in those regions as people came to know the Lord we're sure that you know the gospel would have spread further away from here as well so these are the notable works that God was doing in the midst of his people and then you know Peter stayed in the house of a man a tanner by the name of Simon there's something amazing that will take place you know even at during this state at Simon's house but we'll talk about that in the next class so let's just stop here if there's anything you want to talk share you can share if not we can just pray and close for today yeah so true no Zellie we are reading it and we are amazed I don't know how it was when it was actually happening and if you look at scripture even today we should be experiencing these amazing things okay so let's expect let's expect God to move powerfully in and through our lives and our churches shall we all close with a word of prayer I just request any one person to please go ahead unmute and pray please let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father we come to you under the name of Jesus we thank you for this day we thank you for the class that we had we thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus we thank you that you chose to dwell in us and you chose to move through us Jesus what are merry humans that you even think about us Lord but God you do you love this you gave your life for us God I just pray that as we are learning about the power of the Holy Spirit behind every disciple when we accept him the power of the Holy Spirit during the early churches God and as we are learning about it God I just pray that we will put it into practice we will seek you more we will keep your gospel as our priority in everything that we do on this life so that we can move powerfully for you we could raise a community of believers for you Jesus that the words we speak will be spoken at the right time that people could be touched and be and their souls could be saved for your kingdom Jesus we just pray that you will use us we are surrendering ourselves Jesus I surrender each and everyone in this class we are just surrendering ourselves we are humbling ourselves in your presence Jesus take us and use us for your kingdom Lord we keep you all the glory and honor in Jesus name we pray amen amen thank you thank you Triphina thank you everyone God bless you have a blessed weekend and I'll see you next week so bye fellow thank you