February 26, 2023 - Where There's Fear, There's God!

Change of Plans - Saul Commissioned as an Apostle of Jesus Christ.

Intro: Significantly enough, the celebrated and much-read C. S. Lewis entitled his autobiography “Surprised by Joy”. In characteristic brilliance and artistic attractiveness, he shared the intimacies of his life, his desire to discover faith, and his difficulties in finding it. He spoke frankly of his mother’s death; study and snobbery at Oxford; World War I; his father’s death; and his rediscovery of self. At last, in his room at Oxford in 1929, he wrote: “I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.… - G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 143.

Link: C.S. Lewis wasn't alone, Saul wasn’t alone. We all have our stories of how we came to Christ, some dramatic, others yet seemingly simple. The fact is when we came to know the Lord, He transformed us! Sometimes we look at our inabilities and we belittle what God can do through us. We sometimes do this to the point of loosing not our Faith but faith in what God can and will accomplish through us if we but humble ourselves and set our sights upon Him.

Think of Saul here, having murdered and arrested many Christians in the name of God. He surely would have had the right to sulk in his past. To say God couldn't and wouldn’t use him. BUT HE DIDN’T.

So why do we?

Acts 9:10-19

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

Ananias was a disciple at Damascus, notice it doesn’t say he was from or lived in but was at Damascus.

Some believed that Ananias may have been a newer Christian.

He quite possibly fled to Damascus to get away from the persecution, even Saul.

A vision was a common way in that time period that God used to communicate with people. We know God used it with Cornelius, Peter, Paul and many others.

In each of these men listed, all were asked to do an unexpected courageous act for God. - Ananias wasn't alone, look how many others God used and wanted to use to do a great act through them? JUST TO NAME A FEW: Saul, Gideon, David, Rahab, Joseph, Jesus and He even wants to use you in a mighty way.

When it comes to you and your not alone, OUR DEFINITION OF God using me may differ from what God’s definition is.

Ananias vision was a specific one as well, 1. go to straight street, 2. go to the house of Judas, find Saul there, he will be blind and he will be praying. Oh and Saul had a vision that you were coming to lay your hands on him so that he may receive his sight back.

Application 1: I just mentioned that God had a specific job for Ananias here in this moment, believer, God also has a specific job for you too. But to hear God and what He wants for you to do, you must be quiet and listen for Him so that you can listen to Him. Sometimes Gods speaking comes through different means: A pastors message, talking with a fellow believer, Prayer or if your like some and you just want to hear God speak to you with your own ears, read His Word - aloud.

!!!PROBLEM-WARNING!!! Some say, how do I know what God wants me to do? Or I’ve heard, God hasn't called me to do… But if you read and study His Word, a lot of things we say were not called to do, God has given you a commandment to do. Let me repeat that. IF YOU READ AND STUDY GOD’S WORD, A LOT OF THINGS WE SAY WERE NOT CALLED TO DO, GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A COMMAND TO DO!

What if Ananias said, God did not call me to seek out Saul? I don’t feel called to do it. Here is part of the problem, feelings. MY FEELINGS get in the way, o so to often, How about yours? Have they caused you to stumble in sin, believing the lies of satan oh to often? I know I have, if you have, your not alone.

So what do we do about it?

recognize the lie for what it is

recognize, you fell for it

confess that to the Lord

do a 180 and go do what God has commanded you to do

Lets sum this up in Verse 11-12

11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.

12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments, Vol. VI: Acts–Revelation Chapter 9

There is still (says Maundrell) a street of this name in Damascus, about half a mile in length, running from east to west through the city.

13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

Ananias her is concerned, it appears there is a level of fear here. And understandably so. Look what the Moody commentary says about this: It is not surprising that Ananias protested. He had heard about Saul’s persecution of the Lord’s saints. - William H. Marty, “Acts,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 1693.

Application 2: Ananias was afraid, concerned, bothered perhaps. I bet you too can appreciate and understand this. But what if Ananias would have said, LORD, I WASN'T CALLED TO DO THIS! God’s answer would have been, I have commanded you to do this.

Likewise, we sometimes make this mistake. God din’t call me to do it. Folks, I must remind you all, we are in a fierce WAR. From the moment you trusted Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, you pledged your allegiance to your King. Like it or not, you are in a WAR from then till death. So what are you going to do about it?

recognize it for what it is, a war

recognize yourself for what you are, a soldier

recognize God for who He is, your commander

recognize your need to stay in constant communication with your commander in prayer & Bible study and fulfilling its commands

A soldier, if he were to get a letter or message from a superior officer or his King, he reads it right away, he doesn't set it down. If he did and got caught, perhaps asked later, why didn't you do what I asked. Do you think the King would say its OK, I realize you didn't think you had to do it b/c you felt that way or b/c you didn't read my message? NO!!! So what makes us think we can do that with God when were in just as much of a real WAR?

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Commentator Longenecker explains the dramatic changes that would occur in Saul:

(1) instead of a persecutor he would become the Lord’s chosen instrument;

(2) instead of concern for Israel alone his mission would be both to Gentiles and Jews; and

(3) instead of personal prominence and glory, he would experience the same kind of suffering he had inflicted on others.

Can you imagine, two men, both of their worlds shook up by God.

Saul is in the process of doing a 180 degree turn. God is going to use Him to radically change this world and lead it to Christ.

Secondly think of Ananias, God was about to use this man that we know very little about to be used in bringing Saul to Jesus.

Application 3: Just think, how is God wanting to use you to change our world? You say, but I can’t be a Paul, I can’t even be a Ananias. But may I say to you, how do you know, your not God? Don’t try to think into existence the thoughts of God. By that I mean don’t try to put words into Gods mouth. God just wants you faithful. God wants you to fall in love with Him again. Loving God is obeying Him, God even told us in 1 Samuel 15:22 “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

God loves sacrifice, restoration from sin, but He would you rather just obey Him outright in the first place.

Obedience is showing God love.

17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you…”

Ananias was faithful to God. He obeyed God, he showed his love to God. When God calls/commands you to obedience, do you follow?

18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

B/C of his faithfulness to God, Saul's life was changed.

Where does God want to use you, to help change the life of someoneelse?

19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.”

Application 4: I asked the question earlier, how does God want to use you to change the world? Don’t get overwhelmed with this question, think smaller, simpler, baby steps. Perhaps for you it is:

spending real quality time with God in His word.

spending real quality time with God in prayer for your family, missionaries the lost.

stop your arguing with God over what He has commanded you to do.

Flexing your mind in getting further knowledge on how to be a better: Husband, Wife, Mom, Dad, AWANA worker...

1st the Word of God

A good Christian book on the topic - I can suggest some if you need

Don’t overthink it, but don't not think about it and prayerfully consider this, this week.

Challenge: Perhaps God is laying upon your heart to do something for Him. He asked Ananias to do something bold, what is he asking you to do that is also bold? Perhaps you already know, you’ve been fighting it off. Perhaps you aren’t sure, maybe you need to stop what your doing, start talking and listening to Him.

The Asbury Revival, time will tell if its really a revival or an emotional experience. But I can tell you this, God wants a revival in “THE CHURCH”, in our church, in your heart. Revival is falling in love with God all over again, confessing your sin as His child, getting up and charging forward in what He has commanded you to do!

UNSAVED: ABC - Rm 10:13 “13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”” 1 John 1:7 “…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Closing Song: Revive Us Again