Section III

The Church Begins to Expand

[Acts 6:1 – Acts 9:31]
ACTS OF APOSTLES
CHAPTER 9
ACTS of the Apostles Chapter 9

2 Sections

1. Saul Meets Jesus on the Road

to Damascus [vv1-19a]
2. Saul Preaches in Damascus
and Jerusalem [vv19b-31]
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
Saul
 Kept up his violent threats
of murder against the
followers of the Lord
 Went to the High Priest
[Caiaphas] – letters of
introduction to the
synagogues in Damascus
 Should he find followers of
the Way of the Lord –
arrest them [men &
women] and bring them
back to Jerusalem
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
Saul
 Coming near Damascus
 Suddenly a light from the
sky flashed around him
 Fell to the ground
 Heard a voice saying to
him
 ‘Saul, Saul! Why do you
persecute me?”
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
Saul
 Called him ‘Lord’
 Asked who he was

The voice
 Said he was Jesus whom Saul
was persecuting
 Told Saul to get up
 Go into Damascus
 Would be told what he must do
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
The men travelling with Saul
 Heard the voice
 But could not see anyone

Saul
 Got up from the ground and
opened his eyes
 But could not see a thing
 Taken by hand and led into
Damascus
 Not able to see for three days
 Did not eat or drink anything
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
Ananias
 A Jew of Damascus
 A believer in Jesus
 A religious man
 Greatly respected by all the
Jews
 Had a vision from the Lord
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
The Lord in the vision told
Ananias
 to go to the house of Judas
on Straight Street
 to ask for Saul of Tarsus
 That Saul would be praying
and would see Ananias
come and place his hands
on him so that he might
see again
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
Ananias told Jesus
 Many people had told him
stories about Saul and the
terrible things he had done
to Jesus’ people in
Jerusalem
 Saul had come to
Damascus to arrest all
those who worship Jesus
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
Jesus told Ananias
 To go for he had chosen
Saul
- to serve him
- to make his name
known to the Gentiles
and kings and the
people of Israel
 That he would show Saul
how much he must suffer
for Jesus’ sake
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
So Ananias
 obeyed and went
 placed his hands on
Saul
 Told Saul that he had
been sent by Jesus so
that he might see again
and be filled with the
Holy Spirit
Saul Meets Jesus on the Road
to Damascus [vv1-19a]
At once, something like
fish scales fell from
Saul’s eyes and he
could see again

He got up and was

baptised

He ate and gained

back his strength
Saul Preaches in Damascus
and Jerusalem [vv19b-31]
Saul
 Stayed for a few days
with the believers in
Damascus
 Went straight to
synagogues and began to
preach that Jesus was
the Son of God
Saul Preaches in Damascus
and Jerusalem [vv19b-31]
All who heard Saul’s
preaching
 Were amazed
 Asked whether he was not
the one who was –
- killing the worshippers
of Jesus in Jerusalem
- who had come to arrest
all these people and
- take them back to the
chief priests
Saul Preaches in Damascus
and Jerusalem [vv19b-31]
Saul’s preaching
 Became more powerful
 His proofs that Jesus was
the Messiah were so
convincing that the Jews
could not answer him

After many days, the Jews

met together and wanted to
kill Saul
Saul Preaches in Damascus
and Jerusalem [vv19b-31]
Saul was told of the Jew’s
plan

One night,
His followers helped him to
escape in a basket through
an opening in the wall of the
city
Saul went to Jerusalem and
tried to join the disciples
Saul Preaches in Damascus
and Jerusalem [vv19b-31]
The disciples in Jerusalem
 Did not believe that Saul was
a disciple
 Was afraid of him
Barnabas
 Took Saul to the apostles
 Explained how Jesus had
met Saul on the road to
Damascus
 And how consequently Saul
had boldly preached in
Jesus’ name in Damascus
Saul Preaches in Damascus
and Jerusalem [vv19b-31]
Saul
 Stayed with the believers
and preached all over
Jerusalem
 Talked with the Greek-
speaking Jews and they
tried to kill him
 Taken by the believers and
sent to Tarsus
Saul Preaches in Damascus
and Jerusalem [vv19b-31]

The church throughout

Judea, Galilee and Samaria
enjoyed a time of peace

Through the Holy Spirit’s

help, it was strengthened
and grew in numbers as it
lived in reverence for the
Lord
Peter goes to Lydda and Joppa [vv32-43]

This part of the chapter falls under

Section IV – The Beginning of the
Gentile Mission