MONDAY 10 May 2021 “Transformed by Jesus”

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Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends on this Monday,

When was the last time you found yourself in a precarious, strategic, possibly life changing situation? Your actions, your words in those moments could shape your future and possibly that of other people? If it’s been a while for you, don’t be surprised if it happens THIS WEEK! As fast as things are changing all around us you may well find yourself confronted with a situation where you need to declare what you are firmly convinced is unwavering, unchanging truth… perhaps about the sanctity of life for the unborn, or gender being non-negotiable and determined before birth, or legitimate, God affirmed marriage as only between one male and one female, or parental responsibility for the nurture & training of their children in morality and God honoring sexuality. Are you ready for that?

We’ve been tracking the story of what happened in Jerusalem 2000 years ago after resurrected Jesus ascended into heaven, His followers were empowered by the Holy Spirit and they faithfully proclaimed Jesus’ truths. A spiritual movement began which was changing the society in Jerusalem and thus opposition arose rapidly and violently. It was amazingly similar to the strong opposition Christ followers are experiencing today in many parts of our world, even Europe and America!

This past weekend I left you standing in a room of the house of Judas who lived on Straight Street in Damascus, Syria 2000 years ago. Two men who should have been mortal enemies were considering that God Himself had led them to that room and this rendezvous and the results may dramatically change history! Saul, the angry Pharisee had come to Damascus to arrest and drag back to Jerusalem for punishment, any Jew he could find who was known to be a follower of Jesus. Saul had been struck blind by a blinding light on the road, and he had heard the risen Jesus confront him, telling him to come to Damascus and wait for a man who would help him with his blindness and give him instructions.

Standing in front of Saul was a Jewish follower of Jesus named Ananias. We don’t know how he had heard of Jesus, perhaps he had been in Jerusalem for Pentecost and was among the 3000 who were baptized as he trusted Peter’s message about Jesus. Ananias had heard much of Saul and frankly was frightened about Saul’s reputation.

Luke wasn’t there but Saul, later known as Paul, and Luke traveled for several years together and I’m sure Paul told Luke the details of this life changing day, and so Luke records this for us: “Placing his hands on Saul, Ananias said ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me to you, so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17) Friends, I doubt any of us can imagine the courage and faith it required of Ananias to do this, in obedience to the instructions he had received from Jesus. Saul had come to Damascus with a desire to see people like Ananias tortured and if possible killed! Is your relationship with Jesus strong enough, vibrant enough that you can discern when Jesus is speaking to you, even with outrageous instructions?

I wonder if Ananias prayed over Saul something like this: “Lord Jesus, I can’t imagine what you might do in this man’s life, and if it were not for your clear instructions to me, this is the last person on earth I would want to help. But in my obedience to you Jesus, I am here, praying for your powerful, transforming work in Saul’s life.” Perhaps there was a basin and a towel nearby and perhaps Ananias began wiping Saul’s eyelids with a damp cloth. Luke writes: “Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again! He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” (Acts 9:18,19)

When Saul’s sight was clear enough that he could Ananias I wonder what Saul thought? Perhaps he even said, “I came here to Damascus determined to arrest and punish people like you, hopefully even to eradicate all of you followers of Jesus from anywhere in the entire Roman empire. But now I have encountered the resurrected Jesus, and He is changing my life. My allegiance is no longer to Moses, the Law and the Prophets. My allegiance is now to Jesus. Ananias, where is there water that I may be baptized as you have been? Ananias, you called me ‘brother’, would you baptize me in Jesus’ name?”

Where Saul’s baptism took place and was it Ananias or someone else who baptized Saul we don’t know, but Luke wanted to be sure we understand that Saul was baptized in the name of God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus had instructed His disciples. (Matt. 28:18-20) My guess is Ananias stayed the rest of that day with Saul and they talked of Jesus for hours. Saul asked to meet Ananias’ friends and other followers of Jesus, not as their enemy, but as their new friend. If Ananias was married, can you imagine the conversation when he came home from this remarkable day with Saul?

Luke writes: “Saul spent several days with the disciples of Jesus in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All who heard Saul were astonished and asked, ‘Is this not the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on the name of Jesus? And has not this Saul come here to take followers of Jesus, as prisoners, back to the chief priests?’ Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 9:19-22) Do you see it my friends? Two types of people in Damascus were most interesting to Saul… followers of Jesus like Ananias whom Saul now wanted to assure that he was one of them and they had no reason to fear him! The second group was the Jews, who like Saul day before yesterday are confident this following of Jesus is a fraudulent sect, a deceiving group of people, who must be stopped. They had been ready to embrace Saul and help him root out the cancer of Jesus in their city. But as Saul now visited their Synagogues, it wasn’t to recruit help to find and arrest Jesus followers, it was for Saul to explain what had happened to him in his encounter with Jesus, and then argue, with amazing skill learned in years of Rabbinical school, that Jesus was in fact the long awaited Messiah of Israel!

Within a day or two Damascus was in an uproar, perhaps even more than Jerusalem! There was no human, logical explanation for what had happened to Saul and how different he was. Very soon, rather than Saul leading the persecution search for Christians, Jews were searching for Saul and planning to silence him, even with death if need be. I’m sure runners were sent back to Jerusalem, some to tell the apostles who were terrified of Saul, and some to tell the religious leaders who had sent Saul, that Saul was a changed man and doing what no one could have imagined, in Damascus!

Luke writes: “After many days had gone by, the Jews in Damascus conspired to kill Saul, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept a close eye on the city gates in order to kill him. But Saul’s followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.” Now my friends, of all the people you know, who is the person most powerfully transformed by the power of Jesus? What are the differences you see in them from who they were before they encountered Jesus? What power changed them?

Sadly we don’t see dramatic, total changes in people like this very often in our day, do we? Have you considered why not? As I’m writing, there’s a song playing in my heart and mind. I shared this song with you a few weeks ago, it is so very, very powerful. The words and enthusiasm fit so perfectly with what Saul was likely thinking as he walked away from Damascus that night, celebrating how much Jesus had changed him! Let’s worship my friends. . . and oh my, if this song describes you, I urge you to sing and maybe even dance for joy!!

Today’s Scripture is Acts 9:17-25.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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