WEEK 10
Persecution of the Church by Saul
Acts 8: 1 – 3, Acts 9:1 – 30
The persecution of the church continues and Saul becomes one of the major persons champions the cause. After the death of Stephen, some devout men buried him and mourned over him. Saul, however continued to ravage the church, entering from house to house to drag off men and women who believed and proclaimed the new faith and committed them to prison. This made the church scattered throughout Jerusalem.
Acts 8:1-3
Acts 9
The Conversion of Saul
Saul continued to breathe threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any person, men or women, who believed and belonged to the Way, he might arrest them and bring them bound to Jerusalem. Armed with this letter, he journeyed to Damascus.
While he was on the way, suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” The Saul replied and said, “Who are you, Lord?” The voice relied, “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 travelling with him stood speechless. They heard the voice but saw no one. When Saul got up, he opened his eyes but he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, he neither ate nor drank.
The Lord appeared to one of the disciples at Damascus, whose name was Anani’as in a vision and said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, and he has seen a man named Anani′as come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Anani′as answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name.” But the Lord insisted that he should go because He (God) has chosen him (Saul) as an instrument to carry the name of the Lord before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel and that He will also reveal to him how much he must suffer for the sake of the name of the Lord.” So Anani′as departed and did as the Lord had commanded him. When he entered the house and saw Saul, he laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized. He ate some food and was strengthened.
SAUL PREACHES IN DAMASCUS
From there, Saul began to preach in the synagogues proclaiming Jesus as the son of God. All the people that heard him preach were so amazed saying, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name? And he has come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests.” People were more afraid of him than they believed him. But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
SAUL ESCAPES FROM THE JEWS
Because of his exploits, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night, to kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket to escape to Jerusalem. When he got to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples but they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple. However 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. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but still they were looking for ways to kill him. When the brethren knew about the plot to kill him, they brought him down to Caesare′a, and sent him off to Tarsus.
THE KILLING OF JAMES – ACTS 12:1-8
James Killed and Peter Imprisoned
During that period, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He killed James, the brother of John with the sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also during the days of Unleavened Bread. He put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. While Peter was kept in prison, earnest prayer was made to God by the church for him.
Peter Delivered from Prison
On the very night Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. The angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” As he got up, the chains fell off his hands. The angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals. Wrap your mantle around you and follow me.”
MORAL LESSONS OF APOSTLES’ PERSECUTION
1. The forces of evil are always against the forces of good
2. The disciples never fought back but allowed themselves to be persecuted and God fought for them
3. There is no unrighteousness found in the apostles.
4. The Apostles never stopped praying and doing the work of God despite the persecution they suffered.
Unprecedented 