Scripture Reading: Acts 9 | Sabbath: August 10, 2024
Memory Verse: Acts 4:11
Acts 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Weekly Proverb: Proverbs 12:8
Proverbs 12:8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
Introduction: God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts; His plans higher than our plans; His ways deeper than our ways. We cannot
expect God to fulfill our desires. God’s actions are not what we expect, but the outcome is always victory.

1. Saul had rebelled and God rejected him from being king. From whose sons would God choose a new king? 1 Samuel 16:1.
1 Samuel 16:1 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2. When Samuel saw Jesse’s first son, what was his reaction? What was God’s response? v 6, 7.
1 Samuel 16:6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.
1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
3. Jesse had eight sons. What of the first seven? v 8-10.
1 Samuel 16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
1 Samuel 16:9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
1 Samuel 16:10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.
4. What of the eighth? Who was the unexpected choice? v 11, 12.
1 Samuel 16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
1 Samuel 16:12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
5. Stephen preaches Jesus to the Jews; they were insulted; they stoned him. Who was present and consenting to the execution? Acts 7:58, 59, Acts 8:1
Acts 7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Acts 8:8 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
6. What unexpected choice was made by the risen Lord? Acts 9:1-6.
Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Acts 9:2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Acts 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
7. Ananias must have been shocked. What did he think of God’s choice? What did he remind the Lord of? v 10-14.
Acts 9:10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
Acts 9:11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
Acts 9:12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Acts 9:13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Acts 9:14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
8. What did the disciples at Jerusalem think of Jesus’s choice? v 26.
Acts 9:26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
9. Did Jesus make the right choice? 1 Corinthians 15:9, 10.
1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
10. Moses was a shepherd, not a leader. What unexpected job was he chosen for? Exodus 3:(1-10), 2, 10.
Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
Exodus 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
11. Moses had skills; the skills of a shepherd. Why didn’t he think he should lead God’s nation? Exodus 3:11, Exodus 4:10.
Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
Exodus 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
12. What did the builders think of a certain stone? Acts 4:10, 11.
Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Acts 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
13. Who chose the Messiah? How was He chosen? Do you think that the Pharisees saw the Messiah being chosen? Matthew 3:16, 17, 7.
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
14. Jesus was thought by some to be the Messiah, the son of David, God’s chosen. Was he what the Pharisees were expecting? Matthew 12:22-24.
Matthew 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
Matthew 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
15. Jesus was an unexpected choice. What of His servants? What is the world expecting? Matthew 7:13, 14, 21-23.
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Conclusion: Popular opinion says: 1) A king should be tall and handsome, like Saul. But God chose David. 2) A leader should be an excellent speaker. But God chose Moses. 3) A representative should have excellent credentials. Paul was chosen even though he had the wrong credentials. Jesus was the chosen Messiah; chosen by God to teach His law; not the law of the Pharisees. God excels in the unexpected. The world will be expecting millions of Sunday-keeping Christians to be reaped from the earth. When Jesus makes his choice, expect the unexpected.