Read Part One HERE
A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS
PART IX - VI
"As I , Saul, was resting and praying in the home of Judas on Straight Street, a believer named Ananias came to see me.... He knew that not too long ago I had been the great persecutor of the Church in Jerusalem..And I had come to Damascus to take people like himself back to Jerusalem... My plan had been to have them thrown into prison.....But the Lord had appeared to Ananias... And He had shown him that I had changed.... I had become a follower of the Lord Jesus instead of being a persecutor....After Ananias came, he prayed for me.... That same moment I could again see... And I was filled with the power of God....I did not waste time...Once I was healed I began to visit synagogues.... While there I began to teach my fellow Jews that Jesus is indeed the Son of God....Sadly, many of my fellow men could not accept my words.... And I could not really blame them... After all, not too long ago I thought exactly as they did....Unfortunately, it became too dangerous for me to stay in Damascus....So I left and travelled to Jerusalem....However, the believers there were very weary of me... And that was very understandable....But I thank God that Barnabas believed me... And he took me under his wings.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Saul's comversion brought great change into his life....
ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS
PART IX - VI
Saul's conversion was very real as we can see from the fact that he soon began to share the Good News of Jesus wherever he went. as you can read in Acts 9:20
At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
To begin with it was difficult for the believers to accept that Saul had become a genuine follower of Jesus Christ. After all, he had been the very one who had been persecuting them. However, over time, there were those who recognised his change was real and as a consequence, he, who had been the persecutor of the Church, became the one who was being persecuted as you can read in Acts 9:23-25
After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him. But Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
In due course, he arrived in Jerusalem and there too the believers were afraid of him. But one of the believers, a man named Barnaba introduced him to the Apostles as you can read in Acts 9:27
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles.
Eventually they in turn sent him on to Caesarea and from there on to Tarsus. Saul's conversion had a great effect upon the Church for it enabled the Church to enjoy a time of peace when many more men and women were added to the Church as you can read in Acts 9:31
Then the Church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strenghtened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
It was a powerful time for the Church.
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