Ananias: The Power of Yes | Acts 9:1–22
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Intro: Thank you Leighton and team for leading us this morning. If you have a Bible with you this morning, you can turn Acts chapter 9. That will be where the majority of our focus is on today though we will pull from a few different places. The focus of this sermon series is “Ordinary People who had an incredible impact.” Today we are going to be looking at the account about a man named Ananias. Before we dive into the scripture, I want to kind of set the stage like this. Have you ever been asked to do something that you really didn’t want to do. Maybe you kind of had a bad attitude going into something and then once you actually do the thing, you are really glad you did. Basically every time a teenager’s parents makes them go on a youth trip. That’s the kind of thing we are talking about. Well that’s kind of the story of Ananias. God told him to do something he really didn’t want to do, but he did it, and received a great blessing. The main idea of today’s sermon is that when we are obedient as Ananias was, we will see the power and goodness of God. We will start by hearing about the conversion of Saul, Ananias’ obedience, and the result of that obedience. It’s a little bit of a longer passage today, but if you are able, would you please stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word.
Acts 9:1-9: Conversion of Saul
Exposition: To understand the story of Ananias we have to understand the story of Saul, who is also called Paul in the book of Acts and in other parts of the New Testament. Verses one and two say Acts 9:1–2 If you remember when Matthew was spending some time preaching through the book of Acts, he preached on the story of Stephen who was the first Christian martyr. Acts chapter 7 ends with Stephen dying after being stoned, and chapter eight starts like this, Acts 8:1–3 So Saul, who we know to have been a pharisee or expert in the law who believed in keeping it very literally, did not share the belief that Jesus was the Jewish messiah. So we read at the beginning of chapter eight that he began to lead the persecution of the Jewish men and women who believed Jesus to be the messiah and had become disciples of his and His teachings. Saul was going house to house, dragging men and women off to preaching for believing in Jesus. We read his first-hand account of what he was doing later in the book of Acts when in Acts 22 we see Saul say, Acts 26:9–10 In fact it became so bad, that Christians in Jerusalem were having to flee to other places. Going back to the passage we are looking back at, the term breathing implies that Saul’s purpose for life at that time was to breathe threats and murder against the saints. And he wasn’t satisfied with all the harm he had done to Christ followers in Jerusalem. He went to the high priest and asked for permission to go to Damascus and find the Jewish Christians there and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.
And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Explanation: Now there are several different reasons why Saul had chosen Damascus as the next place he wanted to go to. The first, is that there was a large Jewish population in Damascus. It’s estimated that there were about 10,000 Jews in the city of Damascus at this time. Damascus was also only about 150 miles from Jerusalem, so not only was it an easy place to go make sure that the large Jewish population was not being influenced by this new belief that the Jesus guy that died in Jerusalem had risen from the grave, but it was also a place that a lot of the people who fled Jerusalem may have fled to. So Saul gets a letter to take to the synagogues saying the high priest has given him authority to take the Christians back to Jerusalem. But it’s not clear that this was even legal. The Romans had given Jews communities more leeway to regulate themselves, but ti was still typically the role of the Romans to execute. Remember, this is why the chief priests took Jesus in front of Pilate and said he was leading an insurrection against Rome. They didn’t have the authority to kill. But Saul didn’t care. He just wanted the Christians gone. But then something happened that changed everything.
Exposition: Reading in verse three, Acts 9:3–7 “Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.” Acts9:3-7 Just like that, everything changes for Saul. He had thought he was going to Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem anybody that believed Jesus had risen from the grave. Instead he sees Jesus, And Jesus doesn’t say why are you persecuting my people,” He asked, “Why are you persecuting me?”Jesus could have struck Saul down right there. But he had different plans. So instead, he told him to go into the city, being Damascus, and he would later hear what he was suppose to do. And we see he did that because verses eight and nine say, “Acts 9:8–9 “Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”
Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
Transition: As I said at the beginning, we can’t have the story Ananias without first really understanding the story of Saul. But we can’t tell the account of the life change of Saul without speaking of the role Ananias played. So let’s look at that role Ananias played.
Acts 9:10-17: Ananias goes to Saul
Exposition: Verse 10 starts by saying, Acts 9:10 “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias.” So who was Ananias. We we really don’t have a lot of information. When read about Paul telling the story later in the book of Acts, he describes Ananias as a “devout man according to the law, well spoken of by the Jews.” What a description. It doesn’t say that Ananias was a leader in the church. It doesn’t say he was chairmen of any committee. It doesn’t list any talents that Ananias had. It just said he was faithful to God and His Word and had a good reputation amongst the Jewish community in Damascus.
Application: I can’t think of a better way to one day be remembered one day than this description that is given of Ananias here. If somebody were to describe you, would they describe you in the way that Ananias is described here? Would you be described as somebody that was faithful to to God’s Word and had a good reputation in your community. Can people tell by the way you live your life outside of the wall of the church that you are a follower of Jesus? You see the first step for doing something incredible for God is not about a talent we have or a skill God has given us. No, the first step is just living a faithful life.
Illustration: When I served as a summer missionary in the summer of 2014, there was a girl that was a part of our program whose dad was a pastor. And knowing that I would one day be in ministry I asked her, why do you think you didn’t rebel in the same way that many pastor’s kids get a reputation for doing. She said something that has always stuck with me. She said, “my dad is the same person at home that he is at church.” That is something that has always stuck with me. Now that is not to say if you are somebody whose kids rebelled that this is why. But I do think it demonstrates that we should hope in every area of our lives to be faithful to God. Because if we are not faithful in the small things, we will never be faithful in the large things as Ananias was about to be confronted with.
Exposition : Speaking of Ananias the text says, “The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” Ananias’ life was so centered on his faithfulness to God that when God called His name He was ready. He didn’t sit silently hoping God would call somebody else. He didn’t ignore the fact that God was appearing to him with a purpose. No, instead he said, “Here I am Lord.” He was ready to be of the Lord’s service. I dare say that if Ananias had not been the man faithful to God and who had a good reputation amongst his community, that not only would God probably not have appeared to Him in this way. He probably would not have responded in this way.
Application: Distance from God does not lend itself to usefulness by God or obedience to God. If you feel there is distance between you and God and that this description, this example of Ananias does not fit you. Take that to God in prayer. Ask Him to give you a desire to be obedient. Ask Him to give you a desire to study His Word and to spend time in prayer. Ask God to help you represent him well outside the church walls. Allow God to draw you in.
Exposition: After Ananias responds, there is a split second where he might regret his decision. Reading starting at verse 11 we see Acts 9:11–12 “And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”” The Street called straight that is mentioned here actually still exists today. It’s one of the oldest constantly inhabited streets in the world. But the street isn’t what’s important. What’s important is that Jesus was telling Ananias, a Jewish Christian, to go to this street and find where Saul, the man there to round up Jewish Christians and take them back to Jerusalem, is staying at and lay hands and pray over him. I wonder what Ananias thought in that moment.
Illustration: Do you remember the days before cell phones and even caller id where you couldn’t screen calls. Did you ever have the moment where you were just about to walk out the door or you were in the middle of something and the phone rang. And you didn’t know who was calling and you answer the phone and you then realize it is somebody who you are not going to be able to get off the phone easily and you are thinking you should have just let it ring. I wonder if there was a moment where Ananias felt like that. And I doubt Ananias was thinking he wished he had not responded to Jesus, but he has some pretty reasonable questions about the whole situation.
Exposition: Look at verse 13, Acts 9:13 “But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.” Remember there were probably people in Damascus who had fled from Jerusalem from Saul. And now they had word that Saul was on the way to Damascus to arrest Christians and take them back to Jerusalem. It is perfectly reasonable that Ananias would have some questions about that.
Application: I once heard a preacher say that there is a difference between asking God questions and questioning God. And Ananias had some pretty reasonable confusion about what God was telling him to do. When we question God, it is very unlikely that it ends in obedience because we are doubting in the very nature of who God is. But when we ask God questions, we are trusting in who He is, but wondering why that is the path he has chosen. God is big enough to handle our questions as Ananias found here.
Expostion: Reading in verse 15 we see Acts 9:15–16 “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”” Jesus tells Ananias that he has chosen Saul to be the person that would go before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel, meaning the Jewish people. God tells Ananias that Saul will go from somebody that causes others to suffer for the name of Jesus, that he himself suffers for the name of Jesus.
Application: You may not always find out the reason God is asking you to do something the way Ananias did. But we can always trust in that God can see the bigger picture and there is a reason.
Exposition: I imagine at this point, Ananias’s nerves were calmed. Maybe he fully understood at this point that Saul was not a threat to him. But that didn’t take away from all Saul had already done. That didn’t take away from all the people that had been dragged out of their homes in front of their families just because they believed in Jesus. No matter what Saul was going to do, it didn’t make Ananias forget about what had already been done. Wouldn’t it have made sense if Ananias had said no. If he had said that Saul didn’t deserve the forgiveness of sins. He didn’t deserve to have his sight back. let him suffer for what he did. That’s not what he did. Verse 17 starts with the words, “So he departed, and entered the house.” So he went. He was obedient to what God had told him to do. What if he had done just the bare minimum. How easy it would have been for Ananias not to accept Saul. How easy it would have been to just go pray and then leave and not be able to get past all the things that Saul did. He could have said, “God may love you. But I don’t. He may have forgiven you, but I don’t. No that’s not what he did at all. Instead verse 7 reads, Acts 9:17 “So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”” Ananias went in and told Saul what God told him to say. But the thing that is so remarkable is that he called him “brother Saul.” The term brother was how two Christian men addressed each other. By calling him brother, Ananias was calling Saul a part of the family of God. He was saying this man that had terrorized Christians was now part of the family of God. Ananias didn’t just do what God told him to do, he showed an incredible amount of faith. He showed that God’s grace was enough that event the persecutor of the church could become a part of the family of God. He showed that he believed that Jesus’ death on the cross didn’t just cover all sins. He covered the sins of all who believe. In his obedience, Ananias was able to forgive Saul as God had forgiven Saul, and he was an agent of God’s grace.
Application: Do we believe , like Ananias, that God can forgive all sins. Do we believe that no matter how sinful somebody’s life has been, that God’s grace can extend to them. Do we believe that even those who have harmed us or somebody else are capable of receiving the grace of God? If God told us to, would we go to people that have been or are hostile to the gospel because we believe that God’s grace can reach them too? If the person whose past we knew walked down the aisle asking to be Baptized them, would we greet them as a brother or sister, or we look skeptically upon them? We must be willing to give the same grace that God gives. That’s what Ananias did, and he gives us an example to follow.
Transition: So Ananias did what God called Him to do. But let’s look at what was the result of that.
Acts 9:18-22: The Result of Ananias’ obedience
Verse 18 readds, Acts 9:18 “And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;” In that moment, Ananias saw two things that were incredible. He saw a supernatural event as the scales fell from Saul’s eyes and him regain his sight. He ten saw Saul make a public proclamation of faith. He saw the one who was killing all those who made a public profession of faith, himself make that same profession. But Saul’s life change didn’t end in that small group of people. No he quickly became a defender of the faith. The passage ends like this. Acts 9:19–22 “and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.” He who had gone and killed Jews for proclaiming Christ, went and proclaimed Christ to the Jews. His life was radically changed. He would then go on to be the most successful and important missionary in the history of the world. And you can’t tell the story without Ananias. We will not have a church full of Saul’s, unless the church is willing to be Ananias. And all that takes is showing the grace that we ourselves have received.
Ananias saw Saul regain his sight, He saw him in basic obedience, He saw complete life change. And it all started with Ananias.
Conclusion: As we close, I want us to think about what would have happened if Ananias had told Saul no. There’s a few maybes. The first is maybe God goes down the list and picks somebody else to go to Saul. Maybe somebody else gets the opportunity. Or maybe God would have chosen somebody other than Saul though that doesn’t seem likely with what he had already done in Saul’s life on the road to Damascus. But what we know with certainty, is that if Ananias had gone, he would never have experienced God in the way he did by going to Saul. Are you allowing disobedience in some area of your life right not to hinder you from truly experiencing what God has for you? Is there somebody that like Saul, God is telling you to go to and you have talked yourself out of it. And because of that you aren’t getting to see somebody come to know Christ or walk with them through this new life they have. Maybe God’s calling you to go on that mission trip with Don in January but you keep talking yourself out of it and you are going to miss out on what God wants to show you there. Maybe it’s not anything specific, byt you just haven’t been willing to say like Ananias, “Here I am Lord,” or you just haven’t been living obediently. Maybe you’re somebody that has never asked for forgiveness of your sins and turned your life over to Jesus. Maybe you have felt for some time that Jesus was telling you it was time to make Him Lord of your life. And you keep resisting that call. And because you haven’t said yes, you are missing out on all that a relationship with Jesus brings. If that is you, don’t delay. The altar will be open if you need to come and pray and commit to the obedience we talked about today. Or if today is the day you need to give your life t Jesus, I will be at the front and I would love to pray with you. But whatever God is wanting to do in your life, don’t miss out because of a failure to say yes. Let’s pray.
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.