In our previous video
we encountered Saul trying
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to grew out the Galilean heresy.
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After the stoning of
Stephen he left the city
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of Jerusalem with
letters bound for Damascus,
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to arrest the
believers here in this city,
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drag them in
chains back to Jerusalem.
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We traced his
footsteps from Jerusalem
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down to Jericho,
then up the Jordan valley
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to the Sea of Galilee,
here well in the western
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edge of the Sea of
the Galilee where it met
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the great trunk
road, the International
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Highway of the day.
That road would pass
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through Capernaum where
Saul would have probably
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stopped and
celebrated the Sabbath.
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From there he made
the journey on up into
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the foothills of
the Golan Heights.
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Finally, he would come
to the crust of the ridge
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overlooking the
city of the Damascus.
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It will be a beautiful sight,
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a spectacular sight.
The Emerald Green City,
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an oasis floating in the midst
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of the Syria Desert.
When they reached this sight
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he was thrilled, he was here,
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he was on a mission for God,
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he paused on the
ridge overlooking the city,
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contemplating the
work that was before him,
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and while he was
there all of a sudden
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a light brighter
than a noon day sun began
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to shine up on him in
all of its brilliance,
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it stunned him, he
fell down to the ground
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as though he were a died man.
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He was overwhelmed,
Saul laying on the ground
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heard a voice saying.
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"Saul, Saul, why
do you persecute me?
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It's hard for you to
kick against the goads."
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Saul was totally overwhelmed
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by this theophany.
He didn't understand
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what it meant? He
heard a voice but didn't
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see anyone and
then he asked the voice
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to identify
itself. Lord, who are you?
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I'm Jesus, whom
you are persecuting.
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Jesus? Impossible!
Jesus! Could it be that
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he had been wrong all along.
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Saul had been
completely overwhelmed
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by this vision that
took place and the voice
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that he heard, he fell
on the ground as though
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he were a dead
man, the men traveling
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with him also
heard the voice but
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they didn't see
anything. Saul was overwhelmed
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but he must have
been relieved from the
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tremendous
spiritual struggle he had been
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going through,
he had been fighting
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and resisting the
Holy Spirit each step
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of the way and now
he surrounded to the
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Lordship of Jesus. Act
chapter 9, verses 8 and 9
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says "But when
Saul opened his eyes,
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he could see
nothing. So they led him by
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the hand into Damascus.
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For three days he was blind,
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and could not eat
or drink anything."
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Isn't it amazing that
the men who left Jerusalem,
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filled with anger
and venom and authority
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to I destroy the
church of Jesus Christ
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in Damascus
enters the city groping
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in the dark. How
different was his entry into
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this city then
what he had anticipated
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blind and
submissive he's led by the hand
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to the Inn of
Judas on Straight Street.
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Today this street
millenniums old connects
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the eastern and the
western gates of the
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old city of the Damascus.
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This is the oldest
continually inhabited
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city in the world. This
is a city to which Abraham
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and Sarah stopped on their way
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to the promised
land. Sarah shopped in the
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markets here in this
city and Abraham would
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have bought his servant
Eliezer here in Damascus.
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Many people wonder
if this is the same
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Straight Street that
was here in Saul's day,
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indeed it is. Every
Roman city had a street
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running from east
to west with gates
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on each end. This
street still has wonderful
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shops offering goods
along the Straight Street
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running through the
city. As a matter of fact
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it is still called
Straight Street even
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by its Arabic name.
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Saul was brought into
this city to the house
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of Judas on Straight Street
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and there he
settled on the darkness
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wondering what
would happen next.
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He was there praying,
asking God's forgiveness
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for his hardheartedness,
seeking God in repentance
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and in faith. Isn't
it amazing that Saul
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lost his sight and
yet now for the very first
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time he could
truly see. He could see
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in the eye of his
mind, Stephen his face lit up
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like an angel, he could hear
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Stephen saying
Father, forgive them for what
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they're doing. He
heard Stephen say,
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I see the son of man
standing at the right hand
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of the Father's
throne, as Saul sat alone
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in the darkness,
fasting and praying,
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he saw Jesus and was encouraged.
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But the darkness of
his sins were constantly
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before him. Being a
good Pharisee he probably
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sort an answer
to his dilemma but
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how could he make this right?
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How he could give
life back to Stephen?
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How could he undo
the damage he had done
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to countless
believers in Jerusalem,
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as he sat in the
darkness depression began
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to settle upon his
mind, but what could he do.
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The believers in
Damascus heard that
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Saul was coming and
embraced for the storm.
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When whispering of his
Mountain-top experience
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began to filter
through the community
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they didn't believe
it. They were afraid,
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that it was a shrewd
ploy to get them to identify
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themselves and then he
would take off his mask,
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arrest them and haul them off to
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Jerusalem in chains.
And so no one would go
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and talk with Saul,
who was there in the
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Inn on Straight
Street. There were afraid that,
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they would be
arrested and hauled
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off to Jerusalem,
everyone stayed back
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including the
leader of the Christian
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community here in Damascus.
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The Lord revealed to the man,
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Ananias, this
is my servant Saul,
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go to him and
pray for him that his
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eyes maybe opened.
"Then Ananias went to
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the house and entered it.
Placing his hands on Saul,
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he said, "Brother
Saul, the Lord Jesus,
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who appeared to
you on the road as
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you were coming
here has sent me so that
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you may see again and
be filled the Holy Spirit.
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Immediately,
something like scales fell from
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Saul's eyes, and
he could see again.
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"He got up there
and was baptized.
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And after taking some food,
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he regained his strength."
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And in response to
the vision Ananias went
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to the Inn on Straight Street.
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The Inn of Judas
where he found Saul's
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sitting lone in the darkness.
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He went over and
conformed yes Saul,
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Jesus has called you
and He has now ask me
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to come and pray
with you that your sins
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maybe forgiven
and you can be filled
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with the Holy
Spirit. He prayed over Saul
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and scripture says
immediately something
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like scales
fell from Saul's eyes
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and he could see. Saul
had sight all of his life
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but he had not
been able to really see,
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but now he had
been touched spiritually
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by Jesus and he
had both physical
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as well as spiritual
sight. Now that he had
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received a sight, he could take
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physical
nourishment, he ate some food
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and was strengthened by it.
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Later in Acts chapter 22,
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Saul will recount
additional details
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of what Ananias told him,
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"The God of our
Fathers has chosen you to know
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his will and to
see the Righteous One
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and to hear
words from his mouth.
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"You will be his
witness to all men of what
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you have seen and heard.
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And now what
are you waiting for?
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Get up and be baptized
and wash away your sins
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calling on his name."
what a relief these words
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were to Saul? Even
though he had given
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witness to Stephen's martyrdom,
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Jesus was accepting
him. He could be forgiven
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through the very
name that he had come
00:10:09.98\00:10:11.99
to Damascus to destroy.
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"Saul, arise and be
baptized, washing away
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your sins, calling on
the name of the Lord."
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Yes he was a good
Pharisee and as a good
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Pharisee he knew
that Gentiles were to be
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baptized to be
immersed, to be born again
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but now he's to be born again.
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And he's to testify
of it by being baptized.
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Yes, Ananias took him
just a few meters from
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here out to be a
Abana River that used to
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run in full
stream pass this house.
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And he baptized him
in the most sparkling
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waters of the Abana River.
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Isn't that amazing
that a Jewish rabbi
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leaves Jerusalem,
crosses the Jordan River
00:11:00.21\00:11:03.07
and comes into
Syria where he has told
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to be baptized in
the Abana River to wash
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away his sins. I
think of Captain Naaman
00:11:09.46\00:11:14.28
who lived in the
city. The Syrian General
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who was impressed by the
words of the little maid,
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he had leprosy and
she encouraged him to go
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and see Prophet
Elisha over in Israel
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and so he went. And
there the Prophet told him
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to go and wash
in the Jordan River
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and he would be healed,
cleansed of his leprosy.
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Captain Naaman
refused, he was insulted,
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we have a much
cleaner river in Damascus
00:11:40.87\00:11:43.00
the Abana River, but
finally his colleague said,
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if he told you to
do something hard,
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to pay a lot of
money you would do it.
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And so, Captain
Naaman went and dipped
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into the dirty Jordan River.
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And the spots of
his leprosy were washed
00:12:00.98\00:12:03.32
away from his skin.
Saul, the Jewish rabbi
00:12:03.33\00:12:08.44
filled with hatred
and venom towards the sect
00:12:09.37\00:12:13.80
called the way, left Jerusalem,
00:12:13.81\00:12:16.61
crossed the Jordan,
came here to Damascus.
00:12:16.62\00:12:20.18
And washed in the Abana River
00:12:20.79\00:12:22.83
and the spots of his
sins were washed away
00:12:23.32\00:12:27.24
from his soul. He
went to the Synagogues
00:12:27.95\00:12:31.64
and immediately began
preaching about Jesus,
00:12:31.65\00:12:35.23
being the Christ,
the Messiah let me read
00:12:35.64\00:12:38.28
to you from the Bibles
it's a thrilling story.
00:12:38.29\00:12:40.18
"At once he began to
preach in the synagogues
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that Jesus is the Son of God."
00:12:44.09\00:12:46.00
All those who
heard him were astonished
00:12:46.50\00:12:48.71
and asked, Isn't
he the man who raised
00:12:48.72\00:12:51.38
havoc in Jerusalem
among those who call
00:12:51.39\00:12:54.44
on his name?" And
hasn't he come here to take
00:12:54.45\00:12:57.60
them as prisoners
to the chief priests?"
00:12:57.61\00:12:59.69
what an incredible
story, the very man sent
00:13:00.18\00:13:03.56
from Jerusalem to
destroy the name of Jesus
00:13:03.57\00:13:06.87
in this city now is
proclaiming that name.
00:13:06.88\00:13:09.42
The people of Damascus
must have been baffled,
00:13:10.51\00:13:12.68
the Jews had send a
request from this city,
00:13:13.14\00:13:16.17
send us help, send
the exterminator to come
00:13:16.72\00:13:19.78
and take care of
this dreaded sect away.
00:13:19.79\00:13:21.90
And so Jerusalem
sends it's brightest mind,
00:13:22.71\00:13:25.61
it sends it's finest
mind, Saul is dispatched
00:13:26.07\00:13:30.14
from Jerusalem
to come to Damascus,
00:13:30.15\00:13:31.83
but when he arrives in the city,
00:13:32.19\00:13:33.65
he goes into the
Synagogue and instead of
00:13:34.12\00:13:36.60
condemning the name of Jesus,
00:13:36.61\00:13:38.29
he uplifts it, he
tells how Jesus had touched
00:13:38.30\00:13:42.70
his eyes, how Jesus
had forgiven his sins.
00:13:42.71\00:13:46.32
Jews in Damascus
are totally baffled,
00:13:46.99\00:13:49.51
they cannot
believe what has happened
00:13:49.52\00:13:51.79
their champion
has become their foe.
00:13:51.80\00:13:54.20
Now Saul uses all
the rabbinical training
00:13:55.86\00:13:58.28
that he received under Gamelio.
00:13:58.29\00:13:59.91
To focus on his
arguments in support
00:14:01.57\00:14:05.59
of Jesus being the Messiah,
00:14:05.60\00:14:07.88
no one in Damascus
can refute his arguments;
00:14:08.29\00:14:11.00
no one can stand
against what he is saying.
00:14:11.34\00:14:13.67
Yes, he was a
Pharisee. All of his life he had
00:14:14.40\00:14:18.43
placed his hope in the
resurrection of the dead.
00:14:18.44\00:14:21.09
Now he understood
how that resurrection
00:14:21.80\00:14:25.39
would take place.
For Jesus, the one who
00:14:25.40\00:14:29.34
appeared to him
out there on the ridge
00:14:29.35\00:14:31.40
overlooking the
city of Damascus,
00:14:31.41\00:14:33.13
Jesus had died,
submitted to the grave,
00:14:33.48\00:14:36.54
gone down into
Hades, and yet He had come
00:14:36.55\00:14:39.77
back to life, He
had destroyed the very
00:14:39.78\00:14:42.67
bands of death, he had destroyed
00:14:42.68\00:14:44.54
that very power of death.
00:14:44.55\00:14:45.90
He had defeated that
ultimate in any death.
00:14:45.91\00:14:48.49
And He come back to
life, and now he offered
00:14:48.50\00:14:53.29
that new life to Saul.
00:14:53.30\00:14:55.56
"Yet Saul grew
more and more powerful
00:14:56.35\00:14:59.16
and baffled the Jews
in Damascus by proving
00:14:59.17\00:15:01.78
that Jesus was the Christ."
00:15:01.79\00:15:03.80
Yes, the
exterminator turn preached focus
00:15:04.16\00:15:07.31
his teaching and his
arguments about Jesus
00:15:07.32\00:15:09.77
being the Christ. The
word Christ is the Greek
00:15:09.78\00:15:12.96
word anointed one,
which means Messiah
00:15:12.97\00:15:16.57
in the Hebrew. He
came proving to the Jews
00:15:16.58\00:15:19.84
that Jesus was the Messiah.
00:15:19.85\00:15:21.51
This is the long awaited
one, this is the one that
00:15:21.87\00:15:24.82
we have long looked forward to,
00:15:24.83\00:15:26.55
and this is the
one that our scriptures
00:15:26.56\00:15:28.49
have portrayed
and prophesied about.
00:15:28.50\00:15:30.83
This Jesus has now
come, he is the messiah,
00:15:31.21\00:15:35.94
he is the anointed
one, and he is the Christ.
00:15:35.95\00:15:39.51
Yes, Damascus was
ablazed with what had happened,
00:15:40.13\00:15:43.84
the Jews were
baffled, they were angry,
00:15:44.21\00:15:47.01
the Devil was angry.
Let's notice what happens next.
00:15:47.51\00:15:50.89
"After many days had gone by,
00:15:51.81\00:15:53.48
the Jews conspired to kill him,
00:15:54.19\00:15:56.14
but Saul learned of their plan.
00:15:56.50\00:15:58.40
Day and night they
kept close watch on the city
00:15:58.91\00:16:01.63
gates in order to kill him.
00:16:01.64\00:16:03.12
But his
followers took him by night
00:16:03.13\00:16:05.37
and lowered him in a
basket through an opening
00:16:05.38\00:16:07.62
in the wall." The
Jews could not refute
00:16:07.63\00:16:11.50
his arguments, so they
attempted to silence him.
00:16:11.51\00:16:15.04
They attempted to take his life.
00:16:15.66\00:16:18.35
This would be the
first of many attempts
00:16:20.29\00:16:22.14
upon his life. But
there is a period of time,
00:16:22.15\00:16:25.69
it doesn't happen immediately,
00:16:26.59\00:16:28.28
if we read carefully in
verse 19 and in verse 23
00:16:29.15\00:16:32.53
we've see that there
are two separate periods.
00:16:32.54\00:16:35.28
Acts chapter 9,
verse 19 it says,
00:16:36.82\00:16:40.68
"Saul spent
several days with the
00:16:41.19\00:16:43.62
disciples in
Damascus." Verse 23 says,
00:16:43.63\00:16:47.97
"After many days had gone by,
00:16:48.42\00:16:50.05
the Jews conspired to kill him."
00:16:50.55\00:16:52.46
There's actually two
different periods here
00:16:53.15\00:16:55.20
and they're separated
by a longer period time.
00:16:55.58\00:16:59.42
How do I know
that? Well, I know that
00:17:00.09\00:17:02.11
because he tells us
in Galatians chapter 1,
00:17:02.12\00:17:05.55
"I was advancing
in Judaism beyond many
00:17:06.62\00:17:08.81
Jews of my own age
and was extremely zealous
00:17:08.82\00:17:11.99
for the
traditions of my fathers.
00:17:12.00\00:17:13.54
But when God, who
set me apart from birth
00:17:14.21\00:17:17.62
and called me by
his grace, was pleased
00:17:18.00\00:17:20.23
to reveal his Son to
me so that I might preach
00:17:20.24\00:17:22.38
him among the
Gentiles, I did not consult
00:17:22.39\00:17:25.19
any man, nor did I
go to Jerusalem to see
00:17:25.34\00:17:29.44
those who were
apostles before me,
00:17:29.45\00:17:31.66
but I went immediately
into Arabia and later
00:17:32.47\00:17:36.52
returned to Damascus.
Then after three years,
00:17:36.53\00:17:39.96
I went up to
Jerusalem to get acquainted
00:17:39.97\00:17:41.81
with Peter and stayed
with him fifteen days."
00:17:41.82\00:17:44.26
But we might wonder
why did Saul go out into
00:17:44.99\00:17:48.29
the desert of
Arabia. Well he left Damascus
00:17:48.30\00:17:51.47
for two reasons at least,
00:17:51.48\00:17:52.97
one was it was hot
here, not the mercury
00:17:53.41\00:17:56.57
in the thermometer
but the anger of the Jews,
00:17:56.58\00:17:59.37
the one that they had
brought to wipe out the
00:17:59.78\00:18:02.67
sect called away
is now it's strongest
00:18:02.68\00:18:05.61
proponent in the
city. They were angry
00:18:05.62\00:18:08.47
and so he left to
let things cool down.
00:18:08.48\00:18:11.59
The second and
perhaps even more important
00:18:12.80\00:18:15.24
reason was that he needed time,
00:18:15.25\00:18:17.54
time away from
the hustle and bustle
00:18:18.29\00:18:20.85
of Damascus or any
city to be able to meditate
00:18:21.26\00:18:26.33
and contemplate and
study the scriptures.
00:18:26.58\00:18:29.08
Yes, he didn't trained
by the great Rabbi Gamelio,
00:18:29.59\00:18:33.07
he had a sharp rabbinical mind,
00:18:33.43\00:18:35.64
he needed time to
focus upon the scriptures
00:18:35.65\00:18:38.91
and the new light of
Jesus being the Messiah,
00:18:38.92\00:18:41.92
the long awaited one
that had been prophesied
00:18:41.93\00:18:44.55
in Hebrews scripture
and so he went out into
00:18:44.56\00:18:46.45
the desert of Arabia to
spend time in meditation
00:18:46.55\00:18:50.19
and prayer and in
study, where he did go?
00:18:50.20\00:18:53.73
Well there are two
logical places that he might
00:18:54.88\00:18:58.98
have gone. One
was down to the Petra,
00:18:58.99\00:19:01.38
that rose red city
half as oldest time.
00:19:01.87\00:19:04.87
It was along the Kings' high way
00:19:05.50\00:19:07.15
and the Southern Part of Jordan.
00:19:07.23\00:19:09.24
The beautiful
cliffs of Petra would have
00:19:10.22\00:19:13.05
provided a
wonderful sanctuary for Saul
00:19:13.06\00:19:16.14
to go and spend
time in contemplation
00:19:16.52\00:19:18.98
and in study of
scripture or perhaps he went out
00:19:18.99\00:19:22.92
to Palmyra. About
hundred and fifty miles
00:19:22.93\00:19:26.12
east of Damascus. This
fabulous oasis out in the
00:19:26.13\00:19:30.66
desert was a major
caravan stop on the road
00:19:30.67\00:19:34.79
going on from Damascus to Persia
00:19:34.80\00:19:36.93
and on into the
orient. This time it was the
00:19:36.94\00:19:40.89
second richest
city in the Roman world.
00:19:40.90\00:19:43.95
We don't know where
Saul went in Arabia,
00:19:45.09\00:19:47.14
it could have been to Palmyra,
00:19:47.52\00:19:49.00
it could have been to Petra.
00:19:49.01\00:19:50.25
But we do know that he return
00:19:50.73\00:19:52.42
to the city of
Damascus. And here he began
00:19:52.43\00:19:55.08
to preach Jesus as the
Christ or as the Messiah.
00:19:55.09\00:19:58.31
The Synagogue was
going crazy they didn't know
00:19:58.85\00:20:01.77
how to silence this preacher.
00:20:01.78\00:20:03.92
Acts chapter 9 verses 23.
00:20:04.29\00:20:06.30
"After many days had gone by,
00:20:07.00\00:20:08.73
the Jews conspired to
kill him, but Saul learned
00:20:09.27\00:20:12.90
of their plan. Day
and night they kept close
00:20:12.91\00:20:15.71
watch on the city
gates in order to kill him.
00:20:15.72\00:20:18.03
But his followers took
him by night and lowered
00:20:18.63\00:20:20.88
him in a basket through
an opening in the wall."
00:20:20.89\00:20:23.56
Yes, they want to
try and take his life,
00:20:24.27\00:20:27.32
they've put on all
points bulletin to close
00:20:27.33\00:20:29.94
all the gates, to
watch carefully as he would
00:20:29.95\00:20:32.91
go through one of
the seven gates around
00:20:32.92\00:20:34.93
the city of Damascus.
00:20:34.94\00:20:36.67
The guards
stationed at the gates
00:20:37.89\00:20:39.60
were on the
lookout, but inspite of this
00:20:39.94\00:20:43.00
God provided for the emergency.
00:20:43.01\00:20:44.96
The Bible says that
Saul was lowered in a basket
00:20:45.46\00:20:49.77
through a window
that was in the city wall.
00:20:50.10\00:20:52.74
This seems
strange to our modern ears
00:20:53.27\00:20:55.46
but if you're familiar
with the masonry practices
00:20:55.87\00:20:58.80
of the ancient world,
it makes perfect sense.
00:20:58.81\00:21:01.53
You see walls
were a maybe defensive
00:21:02.02\00:21:04.04
protection major.
People tended to live outside
00:21:04.05\00:21:07.57
the walls during times of peace,
00:21:07.58\00:21:09.54
but they would
come inside the city
00:21:09.88\00:21:11.59
during times of war or
during times of conflict.
00:21:11.60\00:21:15.07
Walls had to be
very thick to prevent
00:21:16.60\00:21:18.90
battering rams
from knocking them down
00:21:18.91\00:21:21.01
and piercing through,
however this was a great
00:21:21.02\00:21:23.83
waste of space, so
walls tended to be left
00:21:23.84\00:21:26.78
hollow in the
middle, rooms could be
00:21:27.11\00:21:29.72
build in them. And
this would provide living
00:21:29.73\00:21:32.80
space during the time
of crisis rubble would be
00:21:32.81\00:21:36.96
filled in the rooms
and the wall would become
00:21:36.97\00:21:39.46
solid but during
times of peace and security
00:21:39.47\00:21:42.94
people could
actually live inside of them.
00:21:43.37\00:21:45.43
Do you call the
story of Rehab the harlot?
00:21:46.16\00:21:48.62
Yes, Rehab there in
Jericho, she lived inside
00:21:49.30\00:21:52.82
the walls of the
city and she let two spies
00:21:52.83\00:21:56.78
that Joshua had sent
in to spy out the land
00:21:56.79\00:21:59.62
of Jericho out
through a window in the wall
00:21:59.63\00:22:02.89
of the city. David
also escaped from the city
00:22:02.90\00:22:07.07
through the window
of his wife's house that
00:22:07.43\00:22:10.76
was built in the
wall of the city.
00:22:10.77\00:22:12.71
I'm standing here beside the old
00:22:13.45\00:22:17.06
walls of Damascus, behind
me is the traditional spot
00:22:17.07\00:22:22.63
that is pointed to as
the wall from which Paul
00:22:22.64\00:22:25.81
was lowered. It's
about forty meters down from
00:22:25.82\00:22:29.69
the gate of the city
and here Paul was led down
00:22:29.70\00:22:33.84
in a basket to the
ground escaped the notice
00:22:34.24\00:22:38.01
of the guards and left the city.
00:22:38.02\00:22:40.30
Now you might wonder
Tony, is this real window,
00:22:40.96\00:22:44.49
it's look like an
aluminum frame window to me.
00:22:44.95\00:22:47.32
Well indeed it is,
it's recently been replaced,
00:22:47.84\00:22:50.14
the masonry here is actually,
00:22:50.57\00:22:52.42
Ottoman masonry, we
can see the small stones
00:22:52.88\00:22:56.61
it's very different
then these large stones.
00:22:56.62\00:22:58.85
The large stones are
from the Roman period.
00:22:59.31\00:23:01.57
This would have been
the city wall in Paul's day.
00:23:02.04\00:23:04.63
The Ottoman's came
along in the sixteen century
00:23:05.04\00:23:08.41
and built the
modern wall around the city
00:23:08.42\00:23:11.78
on the
foundation of the old walls.
00:23:11.79\00:23:14.06
So of course this would
not be the original window
00:23:14.46\00:23:18.58
that Paul came down from,
00:23:18.59\00:23:19.94
but it would be in
this, this vicinity.
00:23:20.38\00:23:22.94
It's amazing that Saul
is delivered by the very
00:23:24.68\00:23:28.53
people he came to
Damascus to destroy.
00:23:28.54\00:23:31.10
Yes, they delivered
him by lowering him from
00:23:31.94\00:23:34.54
a window in this
wall in a leather basket.
00:23:34.55\00:23:37.65
Once outside the
walls of the city,
00:23:38.45\00:23:40.90
Saul made his way for
Jerusalem but he was not
00:23:41.37\00:23:44.72
prepared for the
reception, he would
00:23:44.73\00:23:46.52
receive in the Holy City.
00:23:46.53\00:23:48.36
"When he came to
Jerusalem, he tried to join
00:23:49.96\00:23:52.28
the disciples, but
they were all afraid of him,
00:23:52.29\00:23:54.92
not believing that he
really was a disciple.
00:23:55.49\00:23:58.28
But Barnabas took
him and brought him
00:23:58.89\00:24:00.64
to the apostles.
He told them how Saul
00:24:00.65\00:24:03.33
on his journey had seen the Lord
00:24:03.34\00:24:05.36
and that the Lord
had spoken to him,
00:24:05.66\00:24:07.34
and how in Damascus he
had preached fearlessly
00:24:07.72\00:24:10.17
in the name of Jesus.
So Saul stayed with them
00:24:10.18\00:24:13.48
and moved about
freely in Jerusalem speaking
00:24:13.49\00:24:16.33
boldly in the name of the Lord."
00:24:16.34\00:24:18.63
After three years the
believers in Jerusalem
00:24:19.47\00:24:22.32
were still skeptical
of Saul's conversion story
00:24:22.81\00:24:26.25
when he arrived in the city,
00:24:26.66\00:24:28.01
they did not
welcome him with open arms,
00:24:28.41\00:24:31.45
instead their
expressed doubt and skepticism
00:24:31.46\00:24:34.09
about his story,
they shunned him until
00:24:34.10\00:24:37.07
one man named
Barnabas stepped forward,
00:24:37.08\00:24:40.10
listened to his
story and then went before
00:24:40.44\00:24:43.24
the believers
and vouched for Saul.
00:24:43.25\00:24:45.55
Yes, it was a
tremendous story the man who had
00:24:46.11\00:24:48.99
left Jerusalem
to go to Damascus,
00:24:49.00\00:24:51.67
to stamp out the name
of Jesus had been baptized
00:24:51.68\00:24:55.44
in the name of Jesus.
And now returns to the city
00:24:55.45\00:24:58.33
of the
Jerusalem proclaiming that
00:24:58.34\00:25:01.27
Jesus Christ is Lord,
the church is thrilled
00:25:01.77\00:25:05.51
by this
tremendous turn of events.
00:25:05.52\00:25:07.80
Saul is sharing
that Jesus Christ is Lord
00:25:08.28\00:25:11.05
in the synagogues,
but his stay would be
00:25:11.06\00:25:13.55
cut short. According
to Galatians chapter 1,
00:25:13.56\00:25:16.39
verses 18 and 19 he
stays only fifteen days
00:25:16.40\00:25:20.39
during which time
and he meets with James
00:25:20.82\00:25:22.88
and Peter and John.
Acts chapter 9, verse 29,
00:25:23.16\00:25:27.43
"He talked and
debated with the Grecian Jews,
00:25:27.44\00:25:29.92
but they tried to
kill him. When the brothers
00:25:30.30\00:25:32.81
learned of this, they
took him down to Caesarea
00:25:32.82\00:25:35.01
and sent him off to Tarsus."
00:25:35.02\00:25:37.20
Paul was misunderstood.
When you think of how
00:25:38.49\00:25:41.52
he escaped from
Damascus by the skin of
00:25:41.53\00:25:44.54
his teeth they
were trying to kill him
00:25:44.55\00:25:46.25
and as he journeyed
to Jerusalem he must have
00:25:46.60\00:25:48.75
expected a
wonderful celebration that the
00:25:48.76\00:25:51.31
former persecutor
is now a believer,
00:25:51.32\00:25:53.40
but he gets there
and they don't trust him.
00:25:54.12\00:25:56.66
He arrives in the
city and they shun him,
00:25:57.90\00:25:59.83
perhaps that
happens to you in life,
00:26:00.49\00:26:02.45
even by believers
who should know better.
00:26:02.86\00:26:04.91
It happened to
Saul. So we shouldn't be
00:26:05.34\00:26:07.78
discouraged, but I love the fact
00:26:07.79\00:26:10.27
that there is a man
named Barnabas who steps
00:26:10.28\00:26:13.36
forward and trusts
Saul, who believes in him.
00:26:13.37\00:26:16.95
You know Barnabas was
not really his name at all.
00:26:17.93\00:26:20.05
His real name was Joseph.
00:26:20.46\00:26:21.96
Joseph from the
island of Cyprus.
00:26:22.34\00:26:24.30
You see
according to Acts chapter 4
00:26:24.71\00:26:26.74
he had sold a field
and he brought the money
00:26:26.75\00:26:29.40
and laid it at
the Apostles feet.
00:26:29.41\00:26:31.34
They were so thrilled by this,
00:26:31.76\00:26:33.24
they were so encouraged that
00:26:33.25\00:26:34.47
they gave him a nickname.
No longer he would called
00:26:34.48\00:26:36.80
Joseph now he will
be called Barnabas,
00:26:36.81\00:26:39.53
a son of
encouragement. Oh my friend,
00:26:39.54\00:26:42.31
I wanna be a son
of encouragement,
00:26:42.53\00:26:43.86
don't you? I wanna be
a son of encouragement.
00:26:43.87\00:26:47.43
I want to have
daughters of encouragement
00:26:47.44\00:26:50.27
around me. I think of
the tremendous difference
00:26:50.28\00:26:53.62
that Barnabas made
in the life of Saul.
00:26:53.63\00:26:56.06
And I think of the
tremendous difference
00:26:56.82\00:26:58.85
that you and I can
make in the lives of others.
00:26:58.86\00:27:01.36
When by God's grace
our lives are touched
00:27:02.70\00:27:05.41
like Barnabas life
was touched and we can
00:27:05.42\00:27:08.83
believe in others
and encourage others too.
00:27:08.84\00:27:11.14
Now join me as we
pray together. Eternal God,
00:27:12.05\00:27:14.50
I thank you for
the tremendous way that
00:27:14.51\00:27:16.74
you worked to
touch the life of a
00:27:16.75\00:27:19.75
persecutor like Saul.
We thank you for the story
00:27:19.76\00:27:22.83
of how the scales
fell away from his eyes
00:27:22.84\00:27:25.14
and he can see
Jesus, how a Rabbi indeed
00:27:25.15\00:27:27.83
discovered the gospel
in the city of Damascus.
00:27:27.84\00:27:29.99
Lord, I pray that
each of us might be able
00:27:30.58\00:27:32.66
to see you and as we
see you that we might
00:27:32.67\00:27:34.60
become like
Barnabas to be an encourager
00:27:34.61\00:27:37.31
to make a difference
in the lives of others.
00:27:37.68\00:27:39.72
Yes, Lord Jesus,
this is our prayer
00:27:40.20\00:27:42.45
in your precious name, amen.
00:27:42.46\00:27:44.68
The church of
Jerusalem sends Barnabas
00:27:45.67\00:27:47.75
up to Antioch, where
the church is exploding
00:27:47.76\00:27:50.95
in that great city.
Barnabas asked Saul to
00:27:50.96\00:27:54.66
comedown from
Tarsus and to join him
00:27:54.67\00:27:57.00
and to help him teach there.
00:27:57.01\00:27:58.52
They teach for over a
year when the Holy Spirit
00:27:58.94\00:28:01.96
comes upon the community
and says set these two men
00:28:01.97\00:28:05.18
apart from me and
send them out to distant
00:28:05.19\00:28:07.71
lands bringing
light to the Gentiles
00:28:07.72\00:28:10.09
and that will be the
focus of our next teaching.
00:28:10.50\00:28:13.27