October 12, 2025

ACTS: THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE HOPELESS

October 12, 2025

 Pastor Jonathan Falwell

How often have you heard of someone’s salvation and remarked, “I never thought he/she would be saved!” We have probably seen this situation in our own families or in families of close friends. No one is outside the reach of God. Today we have the perfect example from Scripture: the Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, later Paul, who was zealous to find and imprison those who were following Jesus Christ after His crucifixion and resurrection. Saul, knowing the Scriptures intimately as one of the religious leaders, was adamant that Jesus was a fraud. On his way to Damascus to jail more believers, Jesus appeared to him in full glory. Saul fell off his horse as Jesus asked, “Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul knew in an instant his activities were not God’s will. He was fighting against the holy Lord God. His life turned upside down and he became the last apostle, living everyday in victorious submission to Jesus Christ. He fulfilled his call to be a chosen vessel of Jesus Christ, taking the Gospel to the Gentiles, to Israel, and to kings.

Focal Passages: Acts 9

The Conversion of Saul:

  • Read Acts 9:1-9. Was Saul thoroughly convinced he was doing God’s work? What lesson can we learn from that one fact? Why would the older religious leaders have loved the young man for being so zealous?
  • As you read verses 3-5, how does your mind imagine the scene? How did Saul know it was the “Lord” as he asked “Who are You”? If you had been Saul, what would you have thought when Jesus replied, “I am Jesus”?
  • Why is Paul’s answer to the Lord in vs. 6 remarkable? Why do you think God did not explain more than just the next three days to him?
  • Is it possible there was symbolism in Saul’s blindness, with no food, and nothing to eat for three days? What were the elements of his conversion? (Awareness that this was God who was speaking, Recognition of sin, Submission to God’s call, Repentance for the underlying sins in his life). Are you so willing to respond to God’s call?

The Obedience of Ananias:

  • Read Acts 9:10-17. Is there someone you can think of who causes you to fear? How would you have felt in the shoes of Ananias, upon God telling him to go help Saul? Do you feel his response was not in rebellion, but more in confusion? Why are vv. 15-16 important?
  • When God told Ananias what He had planned for Saul, did he argue? What did he do?
  • What was special about Ananias’ opening words to Saul? How did he know God would send Saul the Holy Spirit when he laid hands on him? Did Saul show any attempt to get involved with Ananias in helping him complete God’s call? Do you think the spirit with which Ananias served Saul was an encouragement to the new believer? Do you think Ananias had any left-over fear that Saul might jump up and arrest him?
  • What was the second thing Jesus had told Ananias (vs. 16)? Why did he not tell Saul this?

The Urgency of Saul:

  • Read Acts 9:18-19. What three things happened immediately? What was significant about the baptism? Read Acts 2:38 and 10:47. If this is how Ananias had received the Holy Spirit, is it possible that was why he told Saul he would be filled by the Spirit? What did he do then? Do you think these disciples (not apostles) were afraid of Saul?
  • Read vs. 20. What was Saul’s first step of obedience? How could he have immediately started to preach? What kind of background and training did he have that equipped him to teach like this? Even though his recent past had not miraculously dropped into oblivion, did these people seem to accept him?
  • Read vv. 22-25. In vs. 22, is he preaching to believers or non-believers? What was he proving (not just debating) to them? Why did they desire to kill him? How did God watch out for him? What was another miracle in this passage? Describe this basket!

The Partnership of the Believers:

  • Read verses 26-31. Where did Saul go after leaving Damascus? Who was afraid of him? How did the disciples differ from the apostles?
  • Who took him to the apostles? Did they believe him? Where did he run into trouble? Who were these people (from Acts 6:1)? Where did the brethren send him? How do you think Saul felt about going back to his home? What were some possible situations he would find there? Have you ever had to go back ‘home’ and face your past?
  • When Saul was removed, what happened in the churches in the area? What conclusion can we draw from this?

TAKE AWAYS:

  • No one is ever too far outside the reach of the Gospel.
  • God has called us all to the ministry of reconciliation.
  • From the moment of salvation, God has a job for us to do.
  • We can get more done together than apart.

Close: How blessed we are to live in an age when the Scriptures are available to us in our homes, where we can study them, memorize them, and teach them to the family. One wonders, did Saul learn about God as a personal friend, or did he see Him as the High and Holy One from the Old Testament who commanded nature and spoke to the ancient Fathers of the faith. How would we have known God in those circumstances? Abraham was 75 years old when God called him from his home to go about 550 miles, to a land He would give him. He told Abraham he would have a baby, but then he waited 15 years. God told Abraham to take Isaac, his son, and sacrifice him on an altar—which was totally against God’s holiness. He asked 80-year-old Moses to take the Jews out of Egypt—about 2 million of them! He told Saul to go back to Tarsus. What does He want you to do? Are you willing to say “What do You want me to do, Lord?” Just do it.

By Sandy Day

October 12, 2025

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