Studies by Book
02 Acts 09 23-31 SAUL'S EARLY MINISTRY 01 Acts 09 23 Entrusting our lives to Jesus
📖 Acts 09:23-31
01 – Wed08May2024 – *Entrusting our lives to Jesus* - _Acts 09:23-31_ – SAUL’S EARLY MINISTRY – _Acts 14:01-02_
We have completed the study of _Acts 09:01-22_, titled as, THE CONVERSION OF SAUL. This study was of 50 lessons. We now move on to the next study of _Acts 09:23-31_, which we will title as, SAUL’S EARLY MINISTRY.
*_Act 9:23 Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him._*
This was what the Lord had revealed to Saul through Ananias. _Acts 9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."_
We must read the Scriptures with an open heart and mind to receive His revelations to us. God’s word will challenge us and cause us to walk closer to Him. _Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and *is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart*._
Let the word of God speak to us regarding the thoughts and intents of our hearts. _Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life._ It is here that we need correction, rebuke and encouragement.
_II Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work._
Therefore, we must be diligent students of God’s word to receive and impart what the Lord reveals to us. _II Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth._
Saul knew that he would have to suffer for the name of Jesus and he was prepared.
The Jews have this aspect in their nature that when they are confronted and challenged, they either submit and turn around to be wholly committed to the Lord or they become violent. Repeatedly, we see in the book of Acts, the violent behaviour of the Jews to the Gospel of Jesus.
_Acts 6:10-12 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. (11) Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." (12) And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council._ / _Act 13:45_ / _Acts 13:50_ / _Acts 14:19_ / _Acts 17:13_ / _Acts 21:27_
Here we see that the Jews plotted to kill Saul.
*What is it that we Gentile Christians need to learn from the Jews?*
We see here that the Jews believed the message of Paul and Barnabas. _Acts 14:1 Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that *a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed*._ It was the unbelieving Jews who became violent. _Acts 14:2 But *the unbelieving Jews* stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren._
The word belief in Greek is pisteuō pronounced as pist-yoo'-o. Belief implies to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well-being to Christ): - believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.
Therefore, when a Jew believed in Jesus, he or she entrusted his or her life to Christ. There was no turning back. *They could not be believers in Christ, who also trusted the material things of life for their well-being.* This was not possible in the Jewish mind.
This is the problem with us Gentile Christians. We are very quick to believe for *believing in Christ does not cost us anything*. We claim to believe in Christ but we trust other things for our safety, security and success. *We can be involved in church activities, ministry and several other outwardly spiritual works but our trust is in money.*
We raise our children to do well in life but the underlying motivation is that they should have material success. We simultaneously tell our children that they should go to church, read the Bible, and participate in Christian activities. We are backboneless Christians and we raise generations of backboneless Christians.
We have not understood that believing in Jesus is entrusting our life entirely into His hands. He now has full authority over our choices, decisions, careers, place where we live, time, money, family etc.
We want to believe in Jesus so that our eternity is assured. *We will be ‘good people’ in society but our trust is in our material sources. Let it be clear we are not believers in Jesus at all.*
*Will we become true believers today?* Will we entrust every aspect of our lives to Christ? Will we now look up to Jesus for His direction and authority in every part of our lives? If we don’t, we may be in for a rude shock for the Lord knows our hearts. _Hebrews 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account._
The Jews persecuted Christ and the church. Yet, the Jews have something precious to teach us even through their persecution.
```The Jews choose not to believe in Jesus because they cannot stop trusting themselves and turn and place their trust in Jesus. Since the call to believe in Jesus is a matter of trusting Him completely, they resist, and persecute the church.```