The setting
Acts 9:1-2 “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats AGAINST the disciples.” Saul is passionate about eliminating the threat to his people (the Sanhedrin, the Hebrews, the Benjamites, and so on and so forth). Maybe because he just wants to help out, maybe because it will look really good on his resume as he seeks more glitter, gold, and bells to wear, or in other words, he wants to climb the corporate ladder.
So here we are, Saul has the approval to take to prison, any followers of Jesus in the next city, Damascus. And instead of accomplishing his goal, something unexpected and extraordinary happens. Jesus stops Saul dead in his tracks and confronts him with the truth. An instantaneous change occurs within Saul. He moves from murderous threats to standing with his accused to preach the good news to the Jews and the Gentiles.
ACTS 9:10-17
This backdrop is what leads me to a guy named Ananias and the lessons we can learn from his actions today. But first! In the book of Acts, you will read about 3 different men with the same name. In Acts 5 Ananias and his wife Saphira were the couple that lied about the amount of money they sold their property for to give to Peter and the apostles. God put them both to death for deception in their heart against Him. Much later in Acts 23, Paul is giving a defense before the Sanhedrin. Sitting as High Priest at the time is a man named Ananias. He’s a big deal. In the middle, we meet Ananias the man who we can learn from today.
Verse 10 – The Lord called Ananias. I don’t know if this was a regular occurrence in his life. Maybe. This might be the only time, or maybe it was the only time recorded in scripture. Regardless, it was a life-altering encounter.
Verses 11-12 – Specific instructions are given. Leaving no room for doubt about God’s intentions.
Verses 13-14 – Ananias is open and honest with the Lord about his concerns. Clearly, Sauls’s reputation preceded him and the believers in Damascus knew that Saul was coming. What do you suppose they were most likely doing? My guess – praying. So it’s not difficult to imagine that while Ananias is in prayer asking for protection, wisdom, strength, or whatever else he needed for himself and his church and quite possibly for God to stop Saul’s efforts. This is not the answer that he was looking for from God.
Verse 15-16 – God replies with more detail and affirms his order.
Verse 17 – Ananias obeys.
lessons
FIRST
Position yourself to hear God. That means being: Available. Prepared. Willing. Ananias was all of these things in the moment that he heard from God. His schedule was not too full. His heart and life were in sync with God.
SECOND
Open yourself to serve others. If God had asked Ananias to go pray for his best friend and brother in the faith would there have been any question? Nope. But this was about as opposite a request from God as Ananias could have even imagined. He wasn’t sent to a friend, he was sent to an enemy. This was unexpected and took an extra amount of humility and grace that could only come from God.
THIRD
Remind yourself to trust God. Ananias act of going and laying his hands on the very man that he believed would destroy him and his church took courage, but I think more than that it took faith in the God that was bigger than what he could see or understand. “If I perish I perish” were the faith-filled words of Queen Esther and I can’t imagine that those words were not in the heart of Ananias on his walk down Straight Street. Is obedience to God not simply an act of worship? Yeah, I think so. Bending your will to line up with God’s will is a recognition and response to who God is and a desire for Him to rule and reign over your life. He is trustworthy, sometimes we need to move the circumstances aside to remember that.
Relax!
Hey! Let us not forget that this touch from Ananias began the most incredible ministry of any man in scripture. Paul truly showed us what it looks like to go into the world and make disciples of all nations.
It all belongs to God.
God is the designer and orchestrator. All of the people who are committed to Him, can be given a part or a piece that will become God’s perfect will for His Kingdom. But it’s not our job to be anything more than the one piece, like Ananias to willingly go and pray for Saul. There are many other people that played different roles in Saul’s life and God used them all to lead Saul where he needed to go.
I hope that helps us to remember when we position ourselves to hear God and are truly open to serving others that the plan is much bigger than our piece and it all is in God’s hands. We can do our part and trust Him with all of the rest.
