Good weekend to you my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
Can you remember a time in your life when the experiences of one day changed the direction, the priorities, even the purpose of the rest of your life? Yesterday and this weekend, we’re looking closely at a man who had that experience, and it changed more than him, in truth, it changed the entire world!
His name is Saul. He’s a passionate Jew who has dedicated his life to study and becoming a great Pharisee and teacher of Jewish Scriptures. Even though still young, by Rabbi standards, Saul is rapidly becoming well known and most in Jerusalem consider him a future great leader. He is incensed about Jesus and the followers of Jesus who are becoming a significant spiritual movement in Israel, and even surrounding parts of the Roman Empire. Saul has come to Damascus, Syria with authority to arrest any Jewish person who has become a follower of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem for trial and punishment.
But on the way Saul and his group have had a shocking encounter with the resurrected Jesus Christ. Saul was blinded by a brilliant light and challenged by a voice from heaven which called him by name and accused him of persecuting Jesus! Saul was led to Damascus by those traveling with him and in his blind state, Saul has been fasting from food and water for 3 days, only praying and desperately seeking answers from God.
Saul was absolutely convinced he was right to believe what he believed and do what he had been doing to eradicate the name and influence of Jesus from anywhere in the entire Roman empire, but especially the region of Palestine. Saul felt he was honoring God most when he was most vicious and violent toward followers of Jesus. Now think about that friends. Have you see this same attitude in our world with ISIS and Boko Haram and Al Qaeda and other radical Muslim groups? Jesus had said to His disciples: “…a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God…” (John 16:2) Opposition to Jesus has usually come from one of two main sources… religious fanatics thinking they are serving their God well by eliminating followers of Jesus OR politicians and secularists who believe their society will be better without God or those who build their world view around God. Look back in history and you can see the reality of this. Look around the world today and what do you see?
While Saul was fasting, praying and blind, meanwhile, in Damascus, one of those passionate followers of Jesus named Ananias has also had an encounter with Jesus. Luke describes it like this: “In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord (Jesus) called to him in a vision, “Ananias”. ‘Yes, Lord’ he answered. The Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.’ (Acts 9:10-12) Do you see Luke reporting that Jesus is working to guide BOTH Saul & Ananias to an encounter with each other that would change both their lives forever? I wonder if you’ve ever had that experience?
Ananias of course doubted the wisdom of this plan. Ananias said “Lord, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority to arrest all who call on Your name!” When is the last time, my friends, you sensed quite strongly that God was leading you to do something, but it seemed illogical or maybe even dangerous? What did you do? As the moral & spiritual landscape of our nations continue their rapid change and our societies are increasingly determined to remove God and God’s truth and anyone who follows Jesus from the public conversation or even from visibility, you and I may find ourselves in such situations as Ananias was facing. He knew nothing of Jesus’ plan and purpose for Saul. He had heard frightening, factual reports of what Saul had done and was planning for Damascus. In his blind condition, Saul was no threat, in fact he was powerless, at least temporarily. We can all probably well imagine the thoughts Ananias, and others in Damascus, had about how vulnerable blind Saul was and how easily it would be to silence him permanently.
But Jesus had issued a clear directive to Ananias, and far from revenge for Stephen’s death, Ananias was commissioned to go to Saul and help him! Luke writes: “The Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is My chosen instrument to carry My message before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” (Acts 9:15) Now it shouldn’t be difficult for you to put yourself in this tenuous situation. Ananias understood clearly what Jesus had instructed him to do. He could well imagine what might happen if Saul’s sight is restored. What possibly could Jesus mean with the words Ananias heard that explained Saul’s commission to be Jesus’ ‘chosen instrument to carry My message before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.”?
Saul as a learned scholar viewed Gentiles as little more than animals. He believed strongly that God viewed ONLY Jews as humans in some way worthy of a relationship with God and eternal life. It was inconceivable to Ananias that Saul would recover from his blindness and become so dramatically transformed that he would actually become an evangelist of the gospel like Philip! What outrageous miracle would be required for Saul to so profoundly change that he would proclaim the glorious truth about Jesus being the Messiah and Savior of the world? Could it ever come to reality that Saul would even make these proclamations to Gentiles of all people? No, it simply wasn’t possible… at least that’s what I would have thought if I was Ananias, what about you, my friends?
After much thought and prayer, Ananias did an amazing thing… he went to Straight Street, looking for the house of Judas. Let’s walk along with him, do you hear him mumbling to himself, “I can’t believe I’m doing this. When they find out, the Christians, my friends, will run me out of town, maybe even kill me. Jesus, I believe you have unlimited power, but it will take the same power as Your resurrection from the dead to change this man Saul. Have I really understood Your instructions accurately?” I see Ananias stopping outside the door to Judas’ house. Looking around and once again praying. And then with trembling hand, knocking on the door, perhaps hoping no one will answer his knock. But the door opens, just a little… ‘What do you want?’ “I’ve been sent by a vision from God. Is there a man named Saul of Tarsus here, and was he struck blind three days ago by bright light on his way here from Jerusalem?” “Yes, come in…” Let’s go in with Ananias.
The room is sparse. A little bed, a chair. A man kneels at the chair, on the floor, his head in his hands. He has heard the knock at the door and now the footsteps. “Who is there? Is someone here in this room with me? Who are you and why are you here?” I wonder how long the silence hung in the air my friends?
“My name is Ananias. I am a follower of Jesus. Are you Saul of Tarsus? I have had a vision and the Lord told me to come here to you. Why are you here in Damascus, Saul?” Scripture doesn’t tell us they said those words, but I imagine it was very similar to this. I can see Saul slowly rising up from kneeling at his chair where he has been praying. His eyes are closed with what appear to be some scales on his eyelids. “Yes, I am Saul. I have come from Jerusalem. On the road I had an encounter with resurrected Jesus. A brilliant light blinded me. His voice startled me. He said to me “Saul, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” ‘That was three days ago. I’ve been here praying and fasting, asking God to explain to me what it all means, and waiting for someone sent by God to help me. Are you that someone, sent by God to help me?”
What do you feel my friends as you watch these two men standing quite a distance apart in this little room, cautious, maybe even a bit fearful of each other. Both wondering if what the other is saying is true. Ananias faces a huge decision. What if he does help Saul, wipe the scales off his eyes, pray for his sight to return… what might happen then? Or, what if he just turns and walks out of the house leaving Saul blind?
I think let’s stop right here for this weekend. Ponder the options, the choices, the risks. Look around your world. What if God intervened in the efforts of many to remove God from your society by reaching into the mind and heart of one of the most radical fanatics who oppose God where you live? What if the Holy Spirit sent YOU to visit with that radical anti-Jesus person? What would that encounter be like? Do you really think Jesus could change them? If so led by the Spirit would you call them “Brother or Sister” and help them? How much have you prayed about the rapid moral decline, the outright rejection of Jesus & God’s truth in your society? Let’s ponder that with this song. . . and pray about that this weekend.
Today’s Scripture is Acts 9:10-15.
Choose below to read or listen.
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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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