ACTS LESSON 20


    In the last lesson, we saw Saul (the persecutor of the Christians)
receive both his physical and spiritual sight, and we saw him baptized
in the Holy Ghost, so that he could be an effective witness.  We will
pick up in Acts 9:20.

     Acts 9:20 "And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God."

    You can easily see that this transformation in Saul was immediate.
Now he is just as strong for the Lord Jesus Christ, as he had been
against Him.  The difference is, now that his understanding has
changed.  Now he knows who Jesus is.  Saul will be bold in his
preaching Jesus, because of this dramatic thing that has happened to
him. Straightway means that just as soon as he received his sight, he
went directly to the temple and preached.  He had ready access to the
temple.  He was a Pharisee .

    Acts 9:21 "But all that heard [him] were amazed, and said; Is not
this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem,
and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto
the chief priests?"

    The amazing thing to those who heard Saul was that just a few days
before, he had been capturing and punishing the followers of this
Jesus that he now proclaimed so openly.  People who had never believed
before would believe now, because of where this came from.

    Acts 9:22 "But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded
the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ."

    Who would be better to confound the Jews than one of their very
own?  Even more than that, He had been so strongly against Jesus as
the Christ (Messiah).  Now that this strong Pharisee of the Pharisees
believes Jesus was the Christ (Messiah) perhaps, they had better take
another look, too.  Saul knew the law, he had been trained in their
schools.  Saul could prove to them from their own Scriptures who Jesus
was because He fulfilled every prophecy about Messiah from Genesis all
the way through Malachi.

    Acts 9:23 "And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took
counsel to kill him:"

    They could not disprove what he was saying through the Scriptures,
and suddenly the rulers in the temple become afraid that he will
convert everyone, so they decide the only way to stop him is to kill
him.

    Acts 9:24 "But their laying await was known of Saul. And they
watched the gates day and night to kill him."

    They felt at sometime he would leave this town, and they would
capture him as he left through one of the city gates.  Saul knew of
their plot to kill him.

    Acts 9:25 "Then the disciples took him by night, and let [him]
down by the wall in a basket."

    The hunter had become the hunted, now that he was boldly
proclaiming Jesus Christ is Messiah.  The very people, that he had
hunted and persecuted before, are the ones who let him down the side
of the wall in a basket to safety.  He was numbered among the
disciples himself now.

    Acts 9:26 "And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join
himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and
believed not that he was a disciple."

    Assayed means he attempted to join the other disciples.  He had
been such a cruel pursuer of the disciples before, that his name had
been passed among the disciples as someone to avoid at all cost.  His
conversion to Jesus was so recent, that word had not reached Jerusalem
yet, and the disciples did not believe him when he told them he was a
disciple, too.

    Acts 9:27 "But Barnabas took him, and brought [him] to the
apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way,
and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at
Damascus in the name of Jesus."

    Many believe that the happenings spoken of in Galations 1:17-19,
indicate that Saul had been a Christian hidden in the Abrabian desert
three years before this visit to Jerusalem occurs.  We do know that
Paul, in Galatians, says that he did not go to Jerusalem until after
the three years.  For our study here, it doesn't matter when it
happened, only that it did happen before the disciples believed Saul
to be one of them. Barnabus believed Saul and took him to the
apostles.

    Acts 9:28 "And he was with them coming in and going out at
Jerusalem." Acts 9:29 "And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay
him."

    The apostles, after hearing his testimony, believed him.  In fact,
he stayed with them and went in and out of the city of Jerusalem with
them.  Saul was an aggressive man and he spoke boldly.  These Grecians
were Jews and were caught up in the law.  They had not accepted Jesus
as the Christ.  The boldness of Saul frightened them, and they tried
to kill him to get him quieted down.

    Acts 9:30 "[Which] when the brethren knew, they brought him down
to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus."

    Saul was known as Saul of Tarsus, so this had to be his home town.
Caesarea was on the sea coast, and perhaps they sent him by ship.
Tarsus was in Cilicia.  Cilicia was in the south east province of Asia
Minor.  He would be safe in Tarsus.

    Acts 9:31 "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and
Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the
Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied."

    When Saul left for his home in Tarsus, it seems the Jewish rulers
let up for a while on persecuting the Christians.  It seemed they were
just let alone, and they became strong in numbers and in the Holy
Ghost.  The beginning of wisdom, is to fear the Lord.  They became
almost a country within a country.  They went about their worship as
usual, but without as much fanfare as before, and the temple rulers
almost forgot about their existence.  It was a time of peace and rest
for the church.

    Acts 9:32 "And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all
[quarters], he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda."

    It seems as though Peter was travelling through the countryside
proclaiming Jesus Christ the Messiah to all who would listen.  The
reason for the peace was possibly because most of this ministering at
this time was outside Jerusalem.  Lydda was a town about 11 miles out
of Joppa.  Two other names Lydda was called by was Lod or Lud.  These
saints were those converted to Christianity.  Lydda was an area of
working people.  This had been a pagan city before.

    Acts 9:33 "And there he found a certain man named AENEAS, which
had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy."

    Acts 9:34 "And Peter said unto him, AENEAS, Jesus Christ maketh
thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately."

    Peter was so full of the power of God, that he just spoke the name
of Jesus Christ to this man who had been sick of the palsy eight
years, and the man was immediately healed.  Palsy is a disease of the
central nervous system that gets worse as time passes.  We see the
power in the name of Jesus Christ.  He was immediately healed.

    Acts 9:35 "And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and
turned to the Lord."

    We see here the results of such a miracle.  It caused all who knew
to believe.  Jesus said, if you didn't believe for any other reason,
then believe because of the miracles.

    Acts 9:36 "Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named
Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full
of good works and almsdeeds which she did."

    Remember, Joppa is eleven miles from Lydda.  Notice here, that a
disciple can be a woman, as well as a man.  This Dorcas was not just a
Christian in word only, but was a doer of the Word, as well.  Verse 36
says she was full of good works.  Her belief was her life.  Her Jewish
name was Tabitha and her Greek name was Dorcas.  The Dorcas means
gazelle.

    Acts 9:37 "And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick,
and died: whom when they had washed, they laid [her] in an upper
chamber." Acts 9:38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the
disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men,
desiring [him] that he would not delay to come to them."

    Notice that she was not embalmed.  She was Jewish and they do not
embalm their dead.  She was washed.  These disciples, here, did not
have enough confidence in their own prayers.   They knew that Peter
was close by, and that Peter could call on God to raise Dorcas from
the dead in the name of Jesus Christ.  They sent two men to get Peter.

    Acts 9:39 "Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come,
they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by
him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made,
while she was with them."

    She would be greatly missed, because she had made beautiful
clothing for all of them.  She was a very unselfish woman.  She had
ministered to all of them.

    Acts 9:40 "But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and
prayed; and turning [him] to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she
opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up."

    Notice the humbleness of Peter, he kneeled.  His prayer was to the
Father in the name of Jesus.  He spoke to her in Jewish since she was
Jewish and he was Jewish, also.  Peter did not do this for show.  He
sent the women out.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much, James 5:16.  Tabitha arose and sat up.

    Acts 9:41 "And he gave her [his] hand, and lifted her up, and when
he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive."

    What a time of rejoicing.  This wonderful unselfish child of God
is now alive.  The revival was overwhelming.

    Acts 9:42 "And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many
believed in the Lord."

    If anything would cause someone to believe, this should be it.
Revival broke forth in Joppa.

    Acts 9:43 "And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa
with one Simon a tanner."

    Simon, the tanner, opened his home to Peter, and Peter stayed with
him while he ministered in Joppa.



                          Acts 20 Questions


1.  What message did Saul preach in the Synagogue?
2.  What were the people in the temple amazed about?
3.  In verse 22, we find that Saul increased in _________________.
4.  What did he prove to the Jews at Damascus?
5.  After many days, the Jews took counsel to ______________  him.
6.  Where had they planned to capture Saul?
7.  How did the disciples help Saul to escape?
8.  What does the word assayed mean?
9.  Why did they not want to join Saul?
10. Who was the one who believed Saul and took him to the apostles?
11. What did he tell the apostles about Saul?
12. What does Galatians 1:17-19 indicate?
13. Saul spoke boldly in what name?
14. Who did he dispute against?
15. What did the local authorities want to do with Saul?
16. Where did the brethren take Saul to help him escape?
17. What was the name of Saul's hometown?
18. Where was Cilicia located?
19. Verse 31 tells us the church had rest where?
20. They walked in the ____ of the Lord and the _____ of the Holy
    Ghost.
21. Peter came to what city?
22. How long had AENEAS been sick?
23. What disease did AENEAS have?
24. Who did Peter tell AENEAS made him whole?
25. What effect did this miracle have on the people of Lydda and
    Sharon?
26. What was the Jewish name of the lady disciple in verse 36?
27. What was her Greek name?
28. What had happened to her?
29. Why was everyone so grieved over her?
30. How do we know she was not embalmed?
31. What did Peter do besides pray for Dorcas?
32. When she was raised from the dead, what effect did it have on the
    people?
33. Who did Peter stay with in Joppa?

                                 Notes