SAUL INTERRUPTED

SAUL INTERRUPTED

Friday, June 16, 2017

Acts [ESV] 9:1-28 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. 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, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 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." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name." 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 I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "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. When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

  As we saw earlier, Moses or Gideon was not seeking God’s will beyond how they were already living. Their life was one of survival mode, Moses on the lam living out his life as a back country shepherd, Gideon circumventing Midianite law in order to live.

  Neither was Saul of Tarsus seeking God’s intervention. But his story is quite different in that he thought he fully comprehended and was passionately dedicated in doing God’s will until God dramatically publically interrupted his misguided path while traveling the road to Damascus.

  For those among interested in what God’s exceptional will may involve I suggest studying the life and death of Paul. To aid you in doing so, for your convenience I’ve provided from Nave’s Topical Bible the outline with Bible references.

  Study on. Ponder much. Examine if and as needed.

EBB4

 

Paul

[originally] Called Saul

Act_8:1; Act_9:1; Act_13:9

Of the tribe of Benjamin

Rom_11:1; Phi_3:5

Personal appearance of

2Co_10:1; 2Co_10:10; 2Co_11:6

Born in Tarsus

Act_9:11; Act_21:39; Act_22:3

Educated at Jerusalem in the school of Gamaliel

Act_22:3; Act_26:4

A zealous Pharisee

Act_22:3; Act_23:6; Act_26:5; 2Co_11:22; Gal_1:14; Phi_3:5

A Roman

Act_16:37; Act_22:25-28

Persecutes the Christians; present at, and gives consent to, the stoning of Stephen

Act_7:58; Act_8:1; Act_8:3; Act_9:1; Act_22:4

Sent to Damascus with letters for the arrest and return to Jerusalem of Christians

Act_9:1-2

His vision and conversion

Acts 9:3-22; Acts 22:4-19; Act_26:9-15; 1Co_9:1; 1Co_15:8; Gal_1:13; 1Ti_1:12-13

Is baptized

Act_9:18; Act_22:16

Called to be an apostle

Act_22:14-21; Act_26:16-18; Rom_1:1; 1Co_1:1; 1Co_9:1-2; 1Co_15:9; Gal_1:1; Gal_1:15-16; Eph_1:1; Col_1:1; 1Ti_1:1; 1Ti_2:7; 2Ti_1:1; 2Ti_1:11; Tit_1:1; Tit_1:3

Preaches in Damascus

Act_9:20; Act_9:22

Is persecuted by the Jews

Act_9:23-24

Escapes by being let down from the wall in a basket; goes to Jerusalem

Act_9:25-26; Gal_1:18-19

Received by the disciples in Jerusalem

Act_9:26-29

Goes to Caesarea

Act_9:30; Act_18:22

Sent unto the Gentiles

Act_13:2-3; Act_13:47-48; Act_22:17-21; Rom_11:13; Rom_15:16; Gal_1:15-24

Has Barnabas as his companion

Act_11:25-26

Teaches at Antioch one year

Act_11:26

Conveys the contributions of the Christians in Antioch to the Christians in Jerusalem

Act_11:27-30

Returns with John to Antioch

Act_12:25

Visits Seleucia

Act_13:4

Visits Cyprus

Act_13:4

Preaches at Salamis

Act_13:5

Preaches at Paphos

Act_13:6

Sergius Paulus, deputy of the country, is a convert of

Act_13:7-12

Contends with Elymas the sorcerer

Act_13:6-12

Visits Perga in Pamphylia

Act_13:13

John, a companion of, departs for Jerusalem

Act_13:13

Visits Antioch in Pisidia, and preaches in the synagogue

Acts 13:14-41

His message received gladly by the Gentiles

Act_13:42; Act_13:49

Persecuted and expelled

Act_13:50-51

Visits Iconium, and preaches to the Jews and Greeks; is persecuted; escapes to Lystra; goes to Derbe

Act_14:1-6

Heals an impotent man

Act_14:8-10

The people attempt to worship him

Act_14:11-18

Is persecuted by certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, and is stoned

Act_14:19; 2Co_11:25; 2Ti_3:11

Escapes to Derbe, where he preaches the gospel, and returns to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch, confirms the souls of the disciples, exhorts them to continue in the faith, and ordains elders

Act_14:19-23

Revisits Pisidia, Pamphylia, Perga, Attalia, and Antioch, in Syria, where he abode

Act_14:24-28

Contends with the Judaizing Christians against circumcision

Act_15:1-2

Refers the question as to circumcision to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem

Act_15:2; Act_15:4

He declares to the apostles at Jerusalem the miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them

Act_15:12

Returns to Antioch, accompanied by Barnabas, Judas, and Silas, with letters to the Gentiles

Act_15:22; Act_15:25

Makes his second tour of the churches

Act_15:36

Chooses Silas as his companion, and passes through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches

Act_15:36-41

Visits Lystra; circumcises Timothy

Act_16:1-5

Goes through Phrygia and Galatia; is forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach in Asia; visits Mysia; essays to go to Bithynia, but is restrained by the Spirit; goes to Troas, where he has a vision of a man saying, “Come over into Macedonia, and help us;” immediately proceeds to Macedonia

Act_16:6-10

Visits Samothracia and Neopolis; comes to Philippi, the chief city of Macedonia; visits a place of prayer at the river side; preaches the word; the merchant, Lydia, of Thyatira, is converted and baptized

Act_16:11-15

Reproves the soothsayer; causes the evil spirit to come out of the damsel who practices divination

Act_16:16-18

Persecuted, beaten, and cast into prison with Silas; sings songs of praise in the prison; an earthquake shakes the prison; he preaches to the alarmed jailer, who believes, and is baptized with his household

Acts 16:19-34

Is released by the civil authorities on the ground of his being a Roman citizen

Act_16:35-39; 2Co_6:5; 2Co_11:25; 1Th_2:2

Is received at the house of Lydia

Act_16:40

Visits Amphipolis, and Apollonia, and Thessalonica, preaches in the synagogue

Act_17:1-4

Is persecuted

Act_17:5-9; 2Th_1:1-4

Escapes to Berea by night; preaches in the synagogue; many honorable women, and men, not a few, believe

Act_17:10-12

Persecuted by the Jews who come from Thessalonica; is conducted by the brethren to Athens

Act_17:13-15

Disputes on Mars' Hill with Grecians

Acts 17:16-34

Visits Corinth; dwells with Aquila and his wife, Priscilla, who were tentmakers; joins in their handicraft; reasons in the synagogue every Sabbath; is rejected of the Jews; turns to the Gentiles; makes his abode with Justus; continues there one year and six months, teaching the word of God

Act_18:1-11

Persecuted by Jews, drawn before the deputy, charged with wicked lewdness; accusation dismissed; takes his leave after many days, and sails unto Syria, accompanied by Aquila and Priscilla

Act_18:12-18

Visits Ephesus, where he leaves Aquila and Priscilla; enters into a synagogue, where he reasons with the Jews; starts on his return journey to Jerusalem; visits Caesarea; goes over the country of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, strengthening the disciples

Act_18:18-23

Returns to Ephesus; baptizes in the name of the Lord Jesus, and lays his hands upon the disciples, who are baptized with the Holy Ghost; preaches in the synagogue; remains in Ephesus for the space of two years; heals the sick

Act_19:1-12

Reproves the exorcists; casts an evil spirit out of a man, and many believe, bringing their books of sorcery to be burned

Act_19:13-20; 1Co_16:8-9

Sends Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, but remains himself in Asia for a season

Act_19:21-22

The spread of the gospel through his preaching interferes with the makers of idols; he is persecuted, and a great uproar of the city is created; the town clerk appeases the people; dismisses the accusation against Paul, and disperses the people

Acts 19:23-41; 2Co_1:8; 2Ti_4:14

Proceeds to Macedonia after confirming the churches in those parts; comes into Greece and abides three months; returns through Macedonia, accompanied by Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus

Act_20:1-6

Visits Troas; preaches until break of day; restores to life the young man who fell from the window

Act_20:6-12

Visits Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Samos, Trogyllium, and Miletus, hastening to Jerusalem, to be there at Pentecost

Act_20:13-16

Sends for the elders of the church of Ephesus; rehearses to them how he had preached in Asia, and his temptations and afflictions testifying repentance toward God; declares he was going bound in spirit to Jerusalem; exhorts them to take heed to themselves and the flock over whom the Holy Ghost had made them overseers; kneels down and prays and takes his departure

Acts 20:17-38

Visits Coos, Rhodes, Patara; takes ship for Tyre; tarries at Tyre seven days; is brought on his way by the disciples to the outskirts of the city; kneels down and prays; takes ship; comes to Ptolemais; salutes the brethren, and abides one day

Act_21:1-7

Departs for Caesarea; enters the house of Philip, the Evangelist; is admonished by Agabus not to go to Jerusalem; proceeds nevertheless to Jerusalem

Act_21:8-15

Is received by the brethren gladly; talks of the things that had been wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry; enters the temple; the people are stirred against him by Jews from Asia; an uproar is created; he is thrust out of the temple; the chief captain of the garrison interposes and arrests him

Acts 21:17-33

His defense

Act_21:33-40; Acts 22:1-21

Is confined in the castle

Act_22:24-30

Is brought before the council; his defense

Act_22:30; Act_23:1-5

Is returned to the castle

Act_23:10

Is cheered by a vision, promising him that he shall bear witness in Rome

Act_23:11

Jews conspire against his life

Act_23:12-15

Thwarted by his nephew

Act_23:16-22

Is escorted to Caesarea by a military guard

Act_23:23-33

Is confined in Herod's Judgment Hall in Caesarea

Act_23:35

His trial before Felix

Acts 24

Remains in custody for two years

Act_24:27

His trial before Festus

Act_25:1-12

Appeals to Caesar

Act_25:10-12

His examination before Agrippa

Act_25:13-27; Acts 26

Is taken to Rome in custody of Julius, a centurion, and guard of soldiers; takes shipping, accompanied by other prisoners, and sails by way of the coasts of Asia; stops at Sidon, and at Myra

Act_27:1-5

Transferred to a ship of Alexandria; sails by way of Cnidus, Crete, Salamis, and the Fair Havens

Act_27:6-8

Predicts misfortune to the ship; his counsel not heeded, and the voyage resumed

Act_27:9-13

The ship encounters a tempest; Paul encourages and comforts the officers and crew; the soldiers advise putting the prisoners to death; the centurion interferes, and all on board, consisting of two hundred and seventy-six souls, are saved

Acts 27:14-44

The ship is wrecked, and all on board take refuge on the island of Melita

Acts 27:14-44

Kind treatment by the inhabitants of the island

Act_28:1-2

Is bitten by a viper and miraculously preserved

Act_28:3-6

Heals the ruler's father and others

Act_28:7-10

Is delayed in Melita three months; proceeds on the voyage; delays at Syracuse; sails by Rhegium and Puteoli; meets brethren who accompany him to Rome from Appii forum; arrives at Rome; is delivered to the captain of the guard; is permitted to dwell by himself in custody of a soldier

Act_28:11-16

Calls the chief Jews together; states his situation; is kindly received; expounds the gospel; testifies to the kingdom of heaven

Act_28:17-29

Dwells two years in his own hired house, preaching and teaching

Act_28:30-31

Supports himself

Act_18:3; Act_20:33-35

Sickness of, in Asia

2Co_1:8-11

His resolute determination to go to Jerusalem against the repeated admonition of the Holy Ghost

Act_20:22-23; Act_21:4; Act_21:10-14

Caught up to the third heavens

2Co_12:1-4

Has “a thorn in the flesh”

2Co_12:7-9; Gal_4:13-14

His independence of character

1Th_2:9; 2Th_3:8

Persecutions of

1Th_2:2; Heb_10:34

Zeal of

See Zeal, Exemplified by Paul

Persecutions endured by

Act_9:16; Act_9:23-25; Act_9:29; Act_16:19-25; Act_2:24; Act_20:22-24; Act_21:13; Act_21:27-33; Act_22:22-24; Act_23:10; Act_23:12-15; Rom_8:35-37; 1Co_4:9; 1Co_4:11-13; 2Co_1:8-10; 2Co_4:8-12; 2Co_6:4-5; 2Co_6:8-10; 2Co_11:23-27; 2Co_11:32-33; 2Co_12:10; Gal_5:11; Gal_6:17; 1Th_3:4; Phi_1:30; Phi_2:17-18; Col_1:24; 1Th_2:2; 1Th_2:14-15; 2Ti_1:12; 2Ti_2:9-10; 2Ti_3:11-12; 2Ti_4:16-17