- Covered In His Dust
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- Acts Chapter 9 (part 2)
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
👇🏽 Important 👇🏽
👉🏽 Read Chapter 9 before reading my notes. If you don’t, my notes might not make sense.
We’re diving into part 2 of Chapter 9, so it's important to read it again to stay on track.
You can access my previous notes on Acts and Luke by signing into your account. Click 'Read Online' at the top right of this post and scroll down to find them waiting for you.
Good morning! ☀️
Where has the Book of Acts been my entire life? I’ve read it a dozen times, and I feel like I’m reading it for the first time! ♥️
Acts Chapter 9 is pivotal. It’s a key chapter where the focus starts to shift from Peter to Paul.
Up until this point, Peter has been the main leader in spreading the gospel, especially to the Jews. But in Acts 9, when Saul (later known as Paul) is dramatically converted on the road to Damascus, it marks the beginning of his ministry.
From here on, the Book of Acts gradually turns its attention to Paul and his mission to spread the gospel to the Gentiles.
We’re going to take our time. Today is part 2 of at least three parts. Soak in it. Meditate on it.
It
is
so
rich.
Let’s get to it!
And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Saul was a Pharisee who hated Christians.
I can’t imagine what Saul must have been thinking. He’d been breathing threats and murder against the disciples of Jesus, and now he comes face to face with the fact that…
Jesus
is
alive.
And not only is He alive… He is Lord!
Saul was in a state of shock. Everything he believed in was shattered.
His identity.
His mission.
His understanding of righteousness.
Saul had been a committed persecutor of Christians, believing he was doing God's will.
Now… his world had completely fallen apart.
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
The men who were with Saul on the road to Damascus—they were right there when everything happened. They saw the light and heard the voice, but they didn’t have the same experience Paul did.
You can be close to someone who has a strong faith and even walk alongside them in life, but that doesn’t make you a believer.
I went to church, and Wednesday night Bible studies with my wife… FOR YEARS before I met Jesus.
I had Christian friends.
I owned multiple Bibles.
I knew the right things to say.
But my life had no fruit. I was living a lie.
And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
The number three is important in the Bible and often appears with symbolic meaning.
Here are a few examples:
The Trinity: The most prominent use of the number three is in the concept of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This represents the threefold nature of God.
The Resurrection: Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. The three days between His crucifixion and resurrection symbolize completion and divine fulfillment.
Jonah and the Fish: Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, which is often seen as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ time in the tomb.
Peter’s Denials and Restoration: Peter denied Jesus three times, and after the resurrection, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, restoring him and commissioning him for ministry.
Saul was blind for three days: Just as Jesus was in the tomb for three days before rising, Paul’s blindness symbolized the death of his old self, followed by a resurrection into a new life as a follower of Christ.
Saul thought he was serving God by persecuting Christians, but in reality, he was blind to the truth of who Jesus was.
And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
"Straight Street" or "Via Recta" still exists in Damascus, Syria. It's one of the oldest streets still in use in the world today.
It could also be symbolic. Paul, who was spiritually "off course," is now being brought to a place called "Straight,"
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.
Ananias must have felt pretty anxious when the Lord told him to visit Saul.
It’s like Jesus asking you today to go and speak to someone as intimidating and dangerous as Kim Jong-un.
Just like Ananias knew Saul’s reputation for persecuting Christians, imagine the fear of approaching someone like Kim Jong Un, who not only deals harshly with enemies but also his own people.
Yet.
He went.
Jesus reassures Ananias by showing that Saul’s transformation is real and that God has a challenging road ahead for him.
Knowing that Paul would suffer for the name of Christ might have helped Ananias grasp the seriousness of Paul's future commitment, making it easier for him to obey Jesus’ command.
For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
Who better to tell of Paul’s sufferings than Paul himself?
Halfway through his ministry, Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. He didn’t list everything, but he shared some of the intense hardships he’d already faced—like imprisonments, beatings, shipwrecks, and constant danger.
Even though he had already endured so much, his journey wasn’t over. More trials were still to come.
Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—
with far greater labors,
far more imprisonments,
with countless beatings, and often near death.
Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.
Three times I was beaten with rods.
Once I was stoned.
Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;
on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers,
danger from robbers,
danger from my own people,
danger from Gentiles,
danger in the city,
danger in the wilderness,
danger at sea,
danger from false brothers;
in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night,
in hunger and thirst,
often without food,
in cold and exposure.
And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
Paul was defending his role as an apostle and addressing those who questioned his authority and dedication to Christ.
When Paul says, “I am talking like a madman,” he knows it might seem foolish to boast about his sufferings, especially since boasting often appears prideful. But he felt compelled to point it out because the Corinthians had been influenced by false apostles who bragged about their own credentials and accomplishments.
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
I love that ♥️
He rose and was baptized.
Early church baptisms often took place immediately after a person came to faith in Jesus Christ.
We saw it at Pentecost:
"So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls."
In the last chapter, we read about the Ethiopian Eunuch:
"And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?' And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him."
And now we see it with Saul.
Saul’s baptism demonstrated that he had completely changed. He went from persecuting Christians to following Christ. Through baptism, Saul left his old life behind and began a new one in Christ, making a public proclamation of his radical transformation.
By being baptized, Saul publicly joined the very people he had been attacking. It brought him into the Christian community, showing that he was now part of the body of Christ.
Saul was immediately baptized, and then…
For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
He immediately proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God.
This would have been a big deal!
Just a few days ago, Saul was known as the most ruthless hunter of Christians. Proclaiming that Jesus was NOT the Messiah and COULD NOT be the Son of God.
And now, here he is, standing in the synagogues, boldly proclaiming that Jesus is indeed,
The
Son
of
God.
The shockwaves from this must have been incredible.
Jews were looking to Saul as a fierce defender of their faith, someone who would stop at nothing to crush this new movement. Now, he’s declaring that the one he was persecuting is the Messiah—the one they were waiting for, the one who fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies.
What did Saul mean when he said, ‘He is the Son of God’?
When Saul declared that Jesus is the Son of God, he was acknowledging that Jesus is not only the Messiah but also divine—God Himself.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Two thoughts must have been going through the minds of the Jews…
“Saul! YOU were the one who was supposed to stop him!”
And then…
“Wait. If what Saul is saying is true… we crucified the Messiah we were waiting for.”
When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
But that’s for next time.
One Minute Inspiration
How can you not absolutely, to the center of your bones, NOT LOVE THE BOOK OF ACTS?
It’s SO rich!
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
George and his family are expanding to Cuba in 2024.