Sermon Tone Analysis

Called to Greatness

(Acts 9:10-19)

February 20, 2022

Read Acts 9:10-19 – Years ago, a famous organist was giving a recital on an organ supplied with air by a hand pump.

A young boy, Bob, was pumping.

Between songs he whispered, “We’re doing pretty good, aren’t we?”

The organist objected, “What do you mean ‘we’”?

A few minutes later, the organ suddenly stopped playing.

The organist pulled all the stops, but to no avail.

That’s when Bob popped up and said, “Now do you know what I mean by ‘we’?” Greatness always has some help from the wings.

Saul was destined for great things, but God used a little man, just a disciple, to help prepare him.

That makes Ananias a participant in every victory Saul had.

In that sense, we are all called to greatness as believers.

We’re not adopted to sit on the sidelines and watch others serve.

Eph 4:12, it is the job of pastors “to equip [all] the saints for the work of ministry.”

We’re all gifted for service.

Rom 12:6: “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.”

God didn’t save us and gift us to watch others.

We’re called and gifted to serve.

Big or little in our eyes, we’re gifted to bring light to darkness.

So, Saul is first called to salvation by God’s grace; but he is also called to serve.

Our call is no less significant in God’s eyes.

I. It’s a Supported Call

Imagine Ananias suddenly getting a vision from God saying, “Ananias, go to Straight Street [he knows where that is; it’s still there today], to Judas’ house [he knows that] and look for Saul of Tarsus!

Whoa!

At that point, Ananias’ blood must have frozen.

He knows that name, too.

He knew Saul had come to arrest believers, and his blood must have run cold at this instruction.

But God tells him Saul is praying – a good sign -- that he’s had a vision of Ananias coming to him to heal his blindness.

That no doubt helped, but Ananias is still unsure.

13) “But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.”

With one more reassurance, Ananias sets out on his mission.

Now Jesus could have healed Saul and given him this info right after he believed..

But instead, immediately after his conversion, the Lord involves two minor figures in Saul’s preparation for ministry – the often overlooked Judas, to whose house Saul was sent – and Ananias who was instructed heal Saul’s blindness and affirm his amazing call to ministry.

Two things apply to us here.

First, God uses little people.

Saul is going to loom large over the whole church age.

No question.

But without Judas and Ananias, there is no Saul.

All are equally important to God and treasured as part of Christ’s ongoing work on earth carried out thru faithful servants.

This illustrates I Cor 12: 22) “On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23) and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24) which our more presentable parts do not require.

But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25) that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.”

We love our eyes, right?

We esteem their function in our body.

But without the ugly liver, the eye wouldn’t mean much.

Paul says, “If the whole body were an eye, good luck to you, rolling your way down the street.”

Judas and Ananias may seem small potatoes to us – but not to God.

And neither are you.

We’re all called to serve, whether little or big.

2nd, this shows God affirms our call thru others.

By using Judas and Ananias, God was re-enforcing in Paul’s mind that, tho he would have a leading role, he needed others.

We see this often.

Barnabas selected Paul to come to Antioch.

Paul later chose Silas to accompany him and then many others.

When Timothy got discouraged, Paul reminded him in I Tim 4:14 of the “elders laid their hands on you.”

II Tim 2:6: “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you thru the laying on of my hands.”

One way we know our giftedness is thru the affirmation of others.

So, if you’re not sure of your spiritual gift, find a need and fill it.

If that’s your gifting, you’ll start to love it and others will affirm you.

If not, move on until you get to the right place.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re an eye, a nose, a leg or a pancreas – we need you, and you will be affirmed in your calling.

In DC there is a memorial to US Grant on his war stallion east of the Capitol.

2-1/2 miles away is another statue – quite small, of Maj.

Gen. John Rawlins –seldom noticed.

Rawlins was a lawyer from Galena, ILL – friend of Grant who was his chief of staff.

He knew Grant’s weakness for alcohol and extracted a promise he’d abstain during the war.

He not only organized Grant’s commands, but kept him sober.

He is little known or appreciated – but no Rawlins; no Grant.

So, Beloved, whoever you are, you are needed.

Find your place; exercise your giftedness; forget prominence, aim for faithfulness.

II.

It’s a Special Call

Special first bc the call is from God. 15) Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name.”

It would have been great to be chosen by Caesar, but Saul’s call is infinitely greater.

He’s called by God!.

Gal 1:1: “Paul, an apostle – not from men nor thru man, but thru JC and God the Father.”

Col 1:1: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” Called by God!

And it was great because of the task.

He was “to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.”

Throughout his ministry, Paul went to Jews first.

But he knew he had a special privilege to take the gospel further – to the rest of the world – the Gentiles.

Rom 11:13: “Now I am speaking to you Gentiles.

Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles.”

He was called, Rom 15:16: “to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles.”

And it was great because he’d be before kings.

And he was.

While in jail in Caesarea, he gave witness to the Roman governors– Felix, Festus and King Agrippa.

Later, in Rome, he almost certainly appeared before Caesar himself.

Saul’s whole life prepared him for this.

He had the best education under Gamaliel.

He was bright, ambitious, zealous.

His Roman citizenship was a great advantage.

Unbeknownst to him, God had been preparing him all along.

Yet, Paul never lost perspective.

God says in Acts 9:15: “he is a chosen instrument [σκευος] of mine.”

Paul says in II Cor 4:7, “That may be, “But we have this treasure in jars [σκευος] of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

He never forgot, the treasure was not him, but the gospel.

He was an instrument, yes, but a clay pot instrument – like you’d find in any home at that time for cooking, storing food and even more mundane uses.

Paul’s saying, “I’m just a clay pot.

It’s the gospel that is the treasure.