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"ACTS Lesson 11 Acts 9-‐1-‐22 ""Saul Why Are You Persecuting Me ""But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and ""asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-‐2) ""1. Note Luke's description of Christianity in Acts 9:2 as ""the Way."" We will continue to run across this phrase throughout Acts (19:9,23; 24:14, 22). What does Luke intend by its use? ""2. What are the implications of the phrase, especially considering the context? "" ""Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, ""Saul, Saul, whyare you persecuting me?"" And he said, ""Who are you, Lord?"" And 'he said, ""I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."" ,(Acts 9:3-‐5) ""3. Place yourself in Saul's ""sandals"" at this moment. He must have immediately had some shattering realizations. What might some of them have been? "" ""Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ""Ananias."" And he said, ""Here I am, Lord."" And the Lord said to him, ""Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight."" (Acts 9:10-‐12) ""4. Place yourself in Ananias' ""sandals"" at this moment. What might you have been thinking? "" ""But the Lord said to him, ""Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For J will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."" (Acts 9:15-‐16) "" 5. What does the Lord mean by referring to Saul as ""a chosen instrument""? "" 6. In what way could Saul be an especially effective ""instrument"" in, carrying the name of Jesus to others? "" 7. Why would suffering be a reality from the very beginning of Saul's conversion? "" ""Even though Saul was physically blind for three days, there were certain things he came to ""see"" very ""clearly. In your own words, how did Saul grow to realize: "" 8. Simply being a ""religious"" person was not enough? {Gal 1:13-‐14) "" 9. Being sincere doesn't necessarily make one right? {Acts 26:9-‐11) "" 10. Conscience doesn't always lead in the right direction? (Acts 23:1; 24:16) "" 11. He had been ignorant of God's will? (1 Tim 1:12-‐14) "" 12. The ""chief of sinners"" could be saved? (1 Tim 1:15) "" 13. He had to change the way he was serving God? (Phil 3:2-‐11) "" 14. The Lord could use him in powerful ways? (Act 26:15-‐18) "" 15. What sinners must do in order to be saved? (Acts 22:14-‐16) """"He is the Son of God."" And all who heard him were amazed and said, ""Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?"" But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. (Acts 9:19-‐22) "" 16. What does it say that Saul ""immediately"" proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ""He is the Son of God""? "" 17. THOUGHT QUESTION: How would Saul have gone about ""proving"" that ""Jesus was the Christ"" to the Jews ""who lived in Damascus? "