JBF Bible Study Questionnaire                                                                             SWS 01-18-2009

I WILL SHOW HIM HOW MUCH HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAME

Acts 9:1-31

Key verses: 9:15, 16

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Read 7:58-8:3; 9:1-2. What do you know about Saul (Acts 22:1-5, Philippians 3:4-6)? What impact did the death of Stephen have on Saul? What was Saul’s purpose in going to Damascus?

Read verses 3-9. What happened to him as he neared Damascus? How does Jesus’ visit show God’s one-sided grace (1Ti 1:15b; 1Co 15:10, Ro 5:8)?

Read verses 10-19a. Who was Ananias and what did the Lord tell him to do? Why did he hesitate? What did the Lord tell him about Saul? How did Ananias help Saul? What does this show about his faith?

Read key verses 15-16 again. How did the Risen Christ see Saul? What mission did the Risen Christ give Saul (Ro 1:5, Galatians 1:15, 16)? What does this teach about his purpose in saving Saul? How much must he suffer for Jesus' name (2Co 11:23-27)?

Read verses 19b-25. What did Paul do after his conversion?  How did his listeners respond? What happened to Saul (Galatians 1:17, 18)? What kind of opposition arose? How did Saul escape?

Read verses 26-30. Why was it hard for Christians in Jerusalem to accept Saul? Who helped him though? Read verse 31. What happened to the church? 

JBF Bible Study Questionnaire                                                                             SWS 01-18-2009

I WILL SHOW HIM HOW MUCH HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAME

Acts 9:1-31

Key verses: 9:15, 16

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

#Question-1

Acts 7:58-8:3 

    dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 

    [59] While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." [60] Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep. 

    [8:1] And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.

    On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. [2] Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. [3] But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. 

Acts 9:1-2 

    Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest [2] and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 

    

Read 7:58-8:3; 9:1-2. What do you know about Saul (Acts 22:1-5, Philippians 3:4-6)? 

What impact did the death of Stephen have on Saul? 

What was Saul’s purpose in going to Damascus?

#Question-2

Acts 9:3-9 

    As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. [4] He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 

    [5] "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

    "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. [6] "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." 

    [7] The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. [8] Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. [9] For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 

    

Read verses 3-9. What happened to him as he neared Damascus? 

How does Jesus’ visit show God’s one-sided grace (1Ti 1:15b; 1Co 15:10, Ro 5:8)?

#Question-3

Acts 9:10-19 

    In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"

    "Yes, Lord," he answered. 

    [11] The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. [12] In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." 

    [13] "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. [14] And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." 

    [15] But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. [16] I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." 

    [17] Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." [18] Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, [19] and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

    Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 

    

Read verses 10-19a. Who was Ananias and what did the Lord tell him to do? 

Why did he hesitate? 

What did the Lord tell him about Saul? 

How did Ananias help Saul? 

What does this show about his faith?

#Question-4

Acts 9:15-16 

    But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. [16] I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." 

    

Read key verses 15-16 again. How did the Risen Christ see Saul? 

What mission did the Risen Christ give Saul (Ro 1:5, Galatians 1:15, 16)? 

What does this teach about his purpose in saving Saul? 

How much must he suffer for Jesus' name (2Co 11:23-27)?

#Question-5

Acts 9:19-25 

    and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

    Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. [20] At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. [21] All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" [22] Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. 

    [23] After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, [24] but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. [25] But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. 

    

Read verses 19b-25. What did Paul do after his conversion?  

How did his listeners respond? 

What happened to Saul (Galatians 1:17, 18)? 

What kind of opposition arose? 

How did Saul escape?

#Question-6

Acts 9:26-30 

    When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. [27] But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. [28] So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. [29] He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. [30] When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 

    

Read verses 26-30. Why was it hard for Christians in Jerusalem to accept Saul? 

Who helped him though? 

Read verse 31. What happened to the church?