“By Faith – Saul and Ananias”

Scripture: Acts 9:1-19

For the past 4 weeks, we have considered the faith of some very well-known folks in Old Testament times. Each one had their own challenges and struggles in life, but it was their faith and trust in Almighty God that not only saw them through their trials, but led them to bring glory to their Lord.
Today, we begin to consider how some New Testament folks put their faith into action, also in the midst of their own personal struggles, and we begin with a Pharisee named Saul.

As he describes himself in Philippians 3:3-6, he was very possibly the most committed Pharisee who had ever lived. We would probably refer to him as a “Jewish fundamentalist” today, and he was proud of it. He was of the tribe of Benjamin – the smallest of the 12 tribes, but also generally seen as the most faithful. He was zealous beyond description, he was righteous to a fault, he was blameless under the law, and he had taken the lead to persecute anyone who chose to dishonor the faith of Judaism and the Law of Moses, and that especially meant all who followed the teachings of Jesus.
He was present at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 6:8-7:60), and was possibly influential in this heinous act. Throughout the trial and false testimony against him, Stephen’s faith never wavered, and during his stoning, he actually sought God’s forgiveness for his persecutors.

For most folks, the faith that brought about such a peace and confidence, even in the face of violent death, would inspire them to seek the reason and power behind such faith. But in Saul’s case, it only served to encourage him to continue and enlarge his vendetta against Christians wherever he could find them – whether they were located nearby in Jerusalem or in some faraway city. (Acts 8:1-3) Nothing could stop him.

And here is where we begin today’s examination of faith.

Read Acts 9:1-4

Saul’s agenda was about to take him beyond the seat of Jewish legalism and into Gentile territory. But that wouldn’t be much of a stretch for this “Hebrew of Hebrews” – he had been born and raised in Tarsus, which was located near the southern boundary of today’s Turkey, and on a major trade route that led to Damascus. Both of these cities would have been commercial, as well as intellectual centers of Roman influence, and Saul would have fit in perfectly.
But his agenda had nothing to do with commercialism or education – he was on a mission of faith. He had an endorsement from the high priest of Jerusalem, and this “servant of persecution” intended to make a name for himself.

His plan was to rid the world of this scourge known as “The Way” – the name that early Christians identified with. As far as he was concerned, they could either swear against the name of Jesus, or they could die – either way, he would have been satisfied. But it seems that God had a plan that was about to supersede that of the Pharisee!

Saul was nearing the end of his journey – Damascus was nearly in sight. He was mentally finalizing his plans – where he would begin, who he would seek out for support, who in his entourage he could trust to work on their own, and dreaming about how many of those blasphemers he would drag back to Jerusalem for trial. He was undoubtedly excited over the prospects, when suddenly, he is brought up short by the most dazzling light he had ever seen. It had to be from Jehovah God – was he about to be commissioned by the Lord Himself, to be blessed for his intensity of faith in purging the false teachings of Jesus from the face of the earth?

Not exactly! While he was so intent in converting others to his brand of faith, God was about to show this zealot what Divine Truth was all about. “Saul, why are you persecuting me? Do you hate me that much?”

Read Acts 9:5-9

“Persecute you, Lord?” Could this really be God? If it is, why would Yahweh think I hate him?

The realization of God’s presence, and the reality of what he had actually been doing, began to flood his soul. He had thought that he was living and working within God’s will, but now he knew that his efforts had all been directed against his God! His eyes could no longer see, but his spiritual vision now had a clarity unlike anything he had ever known before.
Saul - a man of strength, a man of conviction, a man of action - was helpless. He couldn’t see, he couldn’t lead, he couldn’t act – he had lost all sense of control over his life, and the truth is that he would never again know the control and authority that had once sustained him in all that he did. He was about to discover that those attributes never were his to begin with – that they had been the Lord’s all along, and that he was about to experience an authority that was truly great.

He knew that Jesus had been crucified, had died, and was buried, but he thought that the stories of his coming back to life were just that – stories. But now – how could a dead person be persecuted? How could a dead person speak to him? How could this light, these words, this feeling – come from any mortal being? Jesus must have been – must BE – Messiah! How could he have been so wrong, - so blind - toward God?!!

And his mission changes. He is still to go into Damascus, but now it is Christ who will be giving directions, and not his own free will.

Read Acts 9:10-14

Enters Ananias – a man who knew that he would soon be on Saul’s list of people to arrest, but it seems that their meeting will occur sooner than later! Ananias also hears the voice of Christ, but compare his response to that of Saul! Saul asks “Who are you, Lord?” while Ananias replies “Yes, Lord.” Both men hear the voice of God, but only one knows whose voice it is. Now we know what Jesus was telling us in John 10:14-15; 25-30, when he says that his “sheep”, his followers, hear and know his voice, but those who do not believe find his voice foreign to them.
At first, Saul didn’t know the voice of God, but very soon, he would begin to hear that voice for the rest of his life.

And Ananias had some of his own issues to deal with. The Lord had given both men a vision of what is about to happen, but Ananias isn’t too comfortable with this arrangement! I don’t think that his faith had suffered – it’s just that he is a bit uncertain about how he could possibly help this man who hated everything the faithful believed. All he is told is that Saul has lost his sight, and that he is to lay hands on him and heal him.

How would we react in a similar situation? Scared stiff, I imagine! And so was this man, but I think that even though he was frightened, his faith was still intact. Fear and faith can live within us at the same time, but when fear takes control, it is then that faith is placed in jeopardy! But faith can also overcome fear, and that is where Ananias was that day. He wasn’t expressing doubt that God could work in this situation – I think he just wanted to be sure that he was hearing the Lord correctly.

I don’t think it is ever wrong to ask Jesus if what we think we heard is actually what He wants us to do! Being certain of God’s call on our lives is a serious matter, and I truly believe that the Lord will honor our desire for certainty and assurance. Ananias wanted to serve the Lord faithfully, and he wanted to be certain of what he was being asked to do.

Read Acts 9:15-19

Jesus acknowledges the man’s uncertainty, and reveals what will come from his faithful obedience. Ananias is to have a share in Saul’s conversion experience, a process that Jesus could certainly have carried out all by himself. But he allows this “sheep who knows his voice” to have a role in his glorious work.

If we have faith in Christ, if we trust in his power and majesty and abilities, if we believe that his way in life, and his call on our lives, is always for our benefit, it is then that we will see his glory at work. Ananias did exactly as the Lord instructed him – he went to the house on Straight Street, he laid hands on the very man whose original plan was to arrest him and have him tried and sentenced for blasphemy, and when, in faith, he did as he was told, the man Saul began his own journey in faith. It was a huge risk, but fear couldn’t control the actions of that day. Martin Luther once wrote “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.” Ananias’ faith was worth eternity – not only for him, but for the “new” man Paul!

There’s a story that there was a Bible study teacher in mid-1800’s Boston by the name of Mr. Kimball. He felt that there was a young man in his class who he needed to lead into Christ’s plan of salvation. He was very uncertain about this, but one day as he passed the store where the young man worked, he felt a strong urge to go in and speak to the man. Mr. Kimball cautiously and tentatively did as he felt the Lord had called him, believing later that it was entirely inadequate, but, just the same, he encouraged his young friend to give his life to the Lord, and before he left the store, it happened – the young man accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
We never hear anything else about Mr. Kimball – I don’t even know his first name, and this may be the one and only time he ever lead another person to Christ, but the one who he did lead that day would become a great evangelist for the Lord. The name of this young store clerk? D. L. Moody.

Are you available to be an Ananias or a Kimball? Neither one was a great orator, neither one would have a name that resonated through the ages, neither one would ever be like Paul or Moody, but they were still a vital part of the Lord’s plan for the world. And you never know when the Lord has a great task for you, too. Are you prepared, in faith, as Ananias and Mr. Kimball were?

Don’t miss the opportunity!