Read Acts 9:26-30

Are You An Encourager?

“Did you see who came to worship on Sunday?” “What nerve he must have to show his face around here!” “Does he think we have forgotten what he did?” “He doesn’t belong here!”

Perhaps you have thought these things at one point in your life. Perhaps these very thoughts were going through the disciples’ minds in the first century when Saul of Tarsus came to Jerusalem. Luke tells us that “he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26). It’s understandable, though, isn’t it? Did not Ananias himself express doubt and perhaps a hint of fear when Jesus told him Saul was coming? If this guy showed up at the church building next week, don’t you think you would be a little leery?

Enter Barnabas. Remember what his name means? “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). He was the disciple who sold everything he had to help others in need. And if there was ever anyone in need, it was Saul of Tarsus. Perhaps he wasn’t hurting financially, but this man needed some support, didn’t he?

It was Barnabas who stood up with Saul and “took him to the apostles” (Acts 9:27). He stood by him as the apostles listened to his report, “how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27).

Were the disciples justified in demanding evidence? Certainly. Paul himself later wrote, “Test all things, hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The apostle John wrote, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the word” (1 John 4:1). John the Immerser said, “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8). Based on his past, it was fair to ask Saul questions and “test” him.

Barnabas saw that Saul passed the test, and was willing to stand by him upon further questioning. He was true to his name: a Son of Encouragement.

Read Acts 9:10-19; 22:12-16

Why Are You Waiting?

When the Lord told Ananias that Saul of Tarsus was headed his way, his heart must have skipped a beat. The man who was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples” (Acts 9:1), who had authority to imprison those who professed the risen Lord, was coming to his house. But Saul was not coming to arrest this “devout man” (Acts 22:12); Saul was coming to learn from him.

Ananias chose to trust in the Lord and obey the command to go to Saul. He went to the house where Saul was praying and fasting, and said to him, “The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:14-16).

There are many religious groups that teach the doctrine of the “sinner’s prayer” for salvation. They claim that if you simply pray and ask Jesus into your heart, that you will be saved. There is no Scriptural support for such a statement. In fact, the conversion of Saul of Tarsus shows the exact opposite. Saul prayed for three days, but when Ananias arrived, he told him to stop praying!

What did Ananias teach Saul of Tarsus about salvation? He said, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Can a person be saved if his sins are not washed away? If it is baptism that washes away sins, can one be saved without baptism?

I understand that someone you trusted probably told you something different. They meant well, but they were misinformed themselves. When we stand before the Lord in judgment, He will not accept the excuse, “I didn’t know!” Jesus makes it clear that we can know the truth (John 8:32) and that we have that which will judge us (John 12:48). If you have not obeyed the Lord by putting Him on in baptism, why are you waiting?

Read Acts 8:26-40

The Value Of Questions

Questions asked at the right time can be a wonderful teaching tool. When Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch, the eunuch was reading from Isaiah’s prophecy. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30). This is a splendid question for a teacher to ask a student.

The eunuch responded with a question of his own: “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31). This man was humble, seeing his need for a wise teacher. “He asked Philip to come up and sit with him” (Acts 8:32). He was hospitable to a man who was willing to study with him.

As they read from the scroll, the eunuch asked Philip another question. He said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” (Acts 8:34). Philip seized the opportunity to explain how Jesus Christ fulfilled the prophecies recorded so many centuries before.

We can also infer from the eunuch’s next question that Philip taught him about baptism. “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36). Had Philip not expressed the importance of immersion, the eunuch never would have asked such a question. But Philip’s answer reinforced baptism’s place in the gospel plan of salvation. He declared, “If you believe with all your heart, you may” (Acts 8:37).

Without delay, the chariot was stopped, and Philip and the eunuch went down into the water. The eunuch died to his sins, was buried with Christ in baptism, and was raised again to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4). He was immersed for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). His sins were washed away (Acts 22:16). He believed and he was baptized, thus, he was saved (Mark 16:16).

Have you followed the example of the eunuch? Have you confessed your belief and been immersed into Christ? If not, why are you delaying?

Read Acts 8:9-25

God’s Second Law Of Pardon

Of all the Samaritans that accepted the gospel, Simon may have been the most surprising. He was a very popular entertainer as a sorcerer, “claiming to be someone great” (Acts 8:9). And he was not the only one making that claim; the people—“from the least to the greatest”—also said, “This man is the great power of God” (Acts 8:10). The people of the city “heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time” (Acts 8:11).

Things changed for Simon when Philip arrived in Samaria. Philip was not a master of the sleight of hand; the miracles he performed in the name of Jesus were legitimate. The truth he preached was powerful. The people believed him and obeyed the gospel. Even Simon heeded Philip. “Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done” (Acts 8:13).

Peter and John came to Samaria to see the good work that Philip had done. They laid hands on their new brothers and sisters, imparting upon them the ability to work miracles as well. That gave Simon an idea. “And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hand the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 8:18-19).

Simon sinned, thinking that God’s power was for sale. He sinned, missing the acclaim he once enjoyed. He thought he could reclaim some of his former popularity. Peter rebuked him and said, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity” (Acts 8:22-23).

Our God is a merciful and gracious God, and He wants us to obey Him and serve Him from the heart. Even when we sin, He gives us the opportunity to repent and return to Him.

Read Acts 8:4-13

Preaching Christ

Philip, another one of the seven servants Luke introduced in Acts 6, was among the Christians scattered during the great persecution following Stephen’s martyrdom. Philip went to Samaria, and despite the typical Jewish opinion of Samaritans at that time, he “preached Christ to them” (Acts 8:5).

Hearing the truth and seeing the supporting signs, “multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip” (Acts 8:6). What were those things? Luke does not leave us wondering. He taught them and “preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12). He told them about the Savior of the world and the church that He established. And at this preaching, “both men and women were baptized” (Acts 8:12).

There are many things involved in preaching “the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” One must preach the divine nature of Jesus. He is not a created being but eternal. He is God the Son, as much Deity as God the Father and God the Spirit.

One must preach the prophecies that point to Jesus the Messiah. His advent was prophesied, as was His suffering and His power. One must preach about the church, as it is the kingdom (Matthew 16:17-19). It is to the church that one is added when he obeys the gospel (Acts 2:47).

One must preach the truth of Jesus’ return. He is coming again, but not to set up His kingdom. He already did that. Nor is He coming to rule on this earth for one thousand years. He affirmed before Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). No, He is coming again to deliver the kingdom to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24).

Have you ever heard these things? Has the truth of the gospel been preached to you, or have you only heard fanciful theories based on nothing but speculation? Be like the Bereans who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

Read Acts 6-7

Reactions To The Truth

The seven men chosen to serve the widows in Acts 6 were “men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). One of those men was Stephen. Luke says that Stephen was “full of faith and power” and that he “did great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). Yet, his teaching got him into trouble with some who did not believe; they “set up false witnesses” (Acts 6:13) and accused Stephen of blasphemy.

The high priest heard the accusation and asked Stephen, “Are these things so?” (Acts 7:1). Rather than defend himself against the charges, Stephen used the time he was given to preach the good news of Jesus. He began by talking about Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph, about Moses and the wilderness wanderings, about Joshua and David and Solomon. He quoted from the prophets Amos and Isaiah.

Stephen then turned his attention to his audience. “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it” (Acts 7:51-53).

Their reaction was quite different than the reaction of the people on Pentecost. Instead of recognizing their great need, Stephen’s audience was stubborn and hard-hearted. They “gnashed at him with their teeth” (Acts 7:54), “they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord” (Acts 7:57), and then they stoned the righteous Stephen.

How do you react when you hear the truth, and that truth speaks against you? Do you seek to correct your shortcomings so that you can serve God appropriately, as He has commanded, or do you ignore the man who has told you what God expects?

Read Acts 5:17-42

They Did Not Cease

You cannot silence God. The government may oppose the truth and they may try to oppress those who speak it, but man cannot defeat God. The high priest and the Sadducees tried and failed time and time again. The apostles were arrested, then miraculously freed; instead of halting their proclamation of the good news, they did what the angel of the Lord told them to do: “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20).

The captain brought the apostles back to the council again. The high priest asked, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?” (Acts 5:28). The rulers were growing weary of the blame being placed on them for Jesus’ crucifixion. “And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” (Acts 5:29). But, is this not exactly what they had asked for? Had they not cried, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:25).

The apostles refused to be silenced though. “We ought to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29). No matter what the Jewish officials said, the apostles were not about to back down. Gamaliel the Pharisee advised the council, “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God” (Acts 5:38-39). And he was right. They had no hope of defeating the will of God.

The apostles were beaten, threatened again, and commanded to stop their teaching. What did the apostles do? “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:41-42).

May we all have the resolve of the apostles, refusing to back down in the face of intimidation and persecution.