Homiletics

 Acts 9:1-43

Content:

1. Saul headed to Damascus to imprison Jesus followers 1-2
2. Saul encounters bright light and voice of Jesus asking why he was persecuting him. 3-6
3. Saul follows instructions of Jesus and now blinded goes to Damascus with help of companions. 7-8
4. In vision the Lord calls Ananias to go to Saul and restore his sight. 9-12
5. Ananias reluctant yet God reassures Saul is God's chosen instrument. 13-16
6. Anenias goes, lays hands on Saul who is immediately physically and spiritually able to see. 17-19
7. Saul baffled crowd as he preached Jesus as the Christ. 20-22
8. Saul lowered in basket to escape city and persecuting Jews there in Damascus. 23-25
9. Jerusalem disciples afraid of him but Barnabus stood up for him. 26-27
10. Saul taught in Jerusalem until threats sent him to Tarsus. 28-30
11. the church experiences a time of peace. 31
12. Peter heals Aeneas of 8 year paralysis in Lydda, leading many to the Lord. 32-35
13. Disciples call for Peter to come and heal Tabitha (Dorcus) who did in Joppa. 36-38
14. Peter goes, removes mourners and prays then Dorcus is restored to life. 39-40
15. Miracle draws many believers in Joppa where Peter remains for a time. 41-43

Divisions:

1. Saul encounters Jesus on Damascus Road and with help of Ananias receives new vision, becoming follower of Jesus. 1-19
2. Saul experiences persecution, support and growth as new believer. 20-31
3. Peter heals Aeneas and Dorcas in Lydda and Joppa resulting in many believers. 32-43

Subject Sentence:

• Saul encounters Jesus becoming follower while Peter continues to heal.
• (alternative*) Believers increase as Saul receives sight, Aeneas mobility and Dorcas life. 

Aim:

• TCMT act upon the truth that as God does his work of healing through the obedient act of believers, more will come to know and believe in Jesus.

Application:

1. Where is fear keeping me from going to some one or a group of people to help them see the truth of the gospel? What is God asking me to do to impart spiritual vision to another?
2. Who is God asking me to support as they grow in spiritual truth?
3. What  ministry of healing is God calling me to for the advancement of his kingdom.  Am I trusting God to draw followers as I am obedient to serve where he puts me.
4. Here is an extra application question related more to my second subject sentence than an individual division)  - How might I to be involved in helping people see spiritual truth?  How might I to be involved in giving mobility - enabling others to go and do something they have been paralyzed to do? How might I to be involved in restoring life?

* Here is a little side note on subject sentence.  I am giving two of which both I think are appropriate.  The first one seems the most straight forward in being  identifiable of which passage in scripture it is as it points specifically to Saul's  conversion and Peters continued ministry of healing.  However the second one while hopefully points to the scripture also pulled out for me the idea of believers resulting from experiencing the work of healing in the life of others (in this case Saul, Aeneas and Dorcas.)