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Explore the Bible

Sunday, June 29

“Paul: Total Commitment”

Acts 9:15-22, 26-30

By W. Wayne VanHorn

The past two weeks we have studied people who shared their faith with boldness and consistency. However, neither Stephen nor Philip had formal theological training. This week’s lesson focuses on Paul, a man who had the highest quality training in the theology of Judaism. Initially, the early church grew primarily by receiving converts from Judaism. The Jewish leaders believed Christians were perverting the Law of Moses and leading people astray from the truth. They opposed the early church and sought to counter its growth by persecuting Christians.

No one was a more ardent opponent of the early church than Paul, also known as Saul of Tarsus. He was a strong advocate of the theological teachings of Judaism. This week’s lesson relates the conversion of Paul to Christ and his corresponding shift from being an ardent defender of Judaism to being a committed proponent of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

  1. Make a Faith Commitment (Acts 9:15-19a) (ends with “strength”)

    Paul was on his way to Damascus, the capitol of Syria, with orders to arrest Christians. Just outside the city, he encountered the risen Lord. He lost his physical sight but found his spiritual sight. The Lord sent Ananias, a believer living in Damascus, to aid Paul in regaining his physical sight, but also to help him understand his new spiritual orientation. The Lord instructed Ananias that he had chosen Paul to carry his name “to the Gentiles and kings and sons of Israel” (Acts 9:15; NASB). Ironically, Paul, the one who had caused so many Christians to suffer, had become a Christian and who suffer much because of his stance for Jesus (Acts 9:16). Ananias laid hands on Paul. Paul received his sight, was baptized, and then regained his physical strength. During this visit Paul was “filled with the Holy Spirit,” the key to his new found commitment to Jesus (Acts 9:17; NASB).

  2. Demonstrate Commitment (Acts 9:19b-21)

    The impact of Paul’s conversion on his actions was immediate. Instead of persecuting Christians, he fellowshipped with them. Instead of denouncing Jesus as a false messiah, he proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God (Acts 9:19b-20). Paul openly advocated for Jesus in the Jewish synagogue, the place of both enthused converts and entrenched opponents. Some who heard Paul speak in the synagogue were confused by his new allegiance. Supporters of Judaism had to wonder how to deal with a man who until recently was a staunch opponent of Christianity but who now openly proclaimed Jesus. Christians had to wonder whether his conversion was genuine or a ruse to entrap Christians? No matter how he was received Paul demonstrated commitment to Jesus by faithfully sharing the Gospel.

  3. Grow in Commitment (Acts 9:22)

    One characteristic that ensured the genuineness of Paul’s conversion was the continued growth in his commitment to Christ. Paul grew “more and more powerful” in his ability to persuasively argue from the Hebrew Scriptures that Jesus was the messiah. The term “proving” (NASB) literally means “to knit together.” Paul was figuratively knitting together arguments from the Jewish Bible that Jesus was the Christ. He became so effective in outdebating the Jews that he was “confounding” them, or causing them uncertainty about their blind trust in Judaism (Acts 9:22; NASB). Their minds were disturbed like the soil of a newly plowed field into which Paul would plant the seeds of the Gospel.

  4. Show Intense Commitment (Acts 9:26-30)

    Paul journeyed back to Jerusalem a changed man. When he had left for Damascus he was intensely committed to Judaism and opposed to Christianity; as he returned to Jerusalem, he was intensely committed to Christianity and prayerful that Jews would accept Christ. In Jerusalem he faced skeptical Christians reluctant to extend the right hand of fellowship. He also faced a life-threatening opposition from Hellenistic Jews who viewed him as a traitor. Through all of these experiences, Paul preached boldly “in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27-29).

This week’s lesson teaches Christians today to renew their commitment to Jesus. We should pray for and witness to those who oppose Christ and his church. Who knows, perhaps one of our greatest opponents today, will become the next Paul. By keeping our eyes on Jesus, we will be able to cope with the skepticism of fellow Christians and the hostility of non-believers. By allowing God to fill us with the Holy Spirit, our lives for Christ will be characterized by total commitment.

VanHorn is dean of the School of Christian Studies & the Arts at Mississippi College and a member of Morrison Heights Church, Clinton.