Was Blind, But Now I See

Introduction

Play video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZcK-Eima-w

From 2:40 to 4:21.

Opener

What makes a message effective?

I remember seeing that video for the first time and weeping like a little baby.

What made it so powerful was that you get to see a man, whom I assume more than likely has always been color blind, get to see colors for the first time.

Without words and through his reaction alone, it’s like an older man turns into a child at Christmas, with his tears and his hand motions, his excitment, what a powerful message?

It was almost like he was blind, but now he could see.

To him, that may have been what it felt like to not see colors, but then again he might have had no idea what he was missing out on, but when a gift was given and he accepted it, he put on the glasses, his perspective of everything around him changed, his world would never be the same.

What makes a message effective? I want to come back to that a little later in the sermon, but keep it in your mind as we seek to understand what God has for us in His Word today.

Go ahead and please open your Bibles to Acts 9 as I recap last week.

Main Point of the Text (MPT)

As we entered into our narrative of Saul’s conversion two weeks ago (Acts 9:1-9), I had made mention of what Saul had done to Christ’s church, he had:

Aided in the murder of Christians, members of the church such as Stephen (Acts 7:58), of whom’s death he consented of, guarding the clothes of those who were killing him (Acts 22:20).

Wrecked havoc of the church (Acts 8:3).

Entered homes, dragging off men and women, committing them to prison (Acts 8:3).

Breathed threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord (Acts 9:1).

I told you that this was a misguided man who was totally emcompassed by threat and slaughter, that his whole lifestyle, who he was, his very life breath, what sustained him, was threat and salughter against the disciples of the Lord, it was all that occupied him, it consumed him, fueling his passion to exterminate every Christian he could find.

That was who Saul was, he was broken, he believed he was doing the Lord’s work what he was really doing Saul’s work, he was decided against any relationship with Jesus, but like I mentioned, even when we believe we have decided against Christ, sometimes Christ has already decided for us, that we are His. That’s exactly what happens here with Saul.

When we left off last time (I will shorten some of the details), Saul had been enlightened, like literally, that’s why I called it that, because when Jesus had appeared to him on the road to Damacus, it was as a bright light, brighter than the sun as mid-day (Acts 9:3; 26:12-13).

In Acts 9:4, He would ask Saul a simple, but powerful question, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Oh which, Saul would respond, “Who are You, Lord?”

Jesus would answer him and say, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting...”

In response, Saul said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Jesus, then would instruct him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

And at the end of our narrative from last week, we read of Saul doing what Jesus, of whom he called Lord, HUGE, told him to do as Luke tells us in Acts 9:8-9, “Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

That is where our story picks up today, and so if you are able, please stand for the reading of God’s Word, Acts 9:10-19.

Scripture Reading: Acts 9:10-19

Prayer

Body

Point 1: A Chosen Vessel

Scripture: Acts 9:10–16

Explanation:

Beginning is verse 10, we meet our second Ananias of Acts (Acts 5:1), much different from the first, this Ananias is, as Saul describes him to the Jerusalem mob in Acts 22:12, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there.

From this we can draw the conclusion that at one time Ananias was a devout Jew, but had been converted to a disciple of Christ, as Luke describes him here as “a certain disciple at Damascus”.

As the narrative continues, the Lord calls to Ananias in a vision, calling out his name, “Ananias”.

Ananias would answer back, “Here I am, Lord”.

The Lord responded, “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. 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.”

Throughout Acts, we will see God or an angel from God come to certain individuals in many different ways to accomplish His will, in fact, here are the different ways:

Visions

Prophecies

Angel Visits

God Speaks/Commands

Jesus Speaks/Commands

Spirit Speaks/Commands

Dreams

So far, throughout our study of Acts we have seen prophecy in Acts 5 with Peter (Acts 5:9), an angel visit in Acts 5 an Acts 8 with the apostles in prison and Philip (Acts 5:20; 8:26), the Spirit commanding Philip in Acts 8 (Acts 8:29), and Jesus speaking in Acts 9 with Saul at his conversion (Acts 9:4-6).

In this scenario, God uses a vision to command Ananias to do two tasks, whom remember, we know is devout, meaning, he is someone who is known for being commited to something he believes in. He is a dedicated, loyal disciple of Christ, and God knowing that is most likely why He chose him for these tasks.

What were the two tasks?

His first task was to arise and go to Saul after telling him of his location and what he was doing there, Saul was praying in the house of Judas on a street called Straight.

His second task was, upon his arrival, to put his hands on Saul, so that he might receive his sight, oh which, God informs Ananias that Saul has seen happen in a vision he gave to him.

Despite being devout, we do get to see a human side of Ananias, one of which we all face, the feeling of fear.

Ananias responds to the Lord’s commands with the following, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

Remember who Saul was and what he did before his conversion, as Ananias too, would have known of Saul’s actions towards the disciples of Christ in Jerusalem (Acts 8:3).

Now, knowing that Ananias was a disciple of Christ, living in Damascus, being one who was of the Way, he had been made aware that Saul had recieved letters from the high priest that gave Saul the authority to arrest him and bring him bound to Jerusalem (Acts 9:2).

He wasn’t aware of the work Christ had already done on the road to Damascus, appearing to Saul and causing him to be blind (Acts 9:3-9).

But God would quickly calm his fears, letting him know that the man Saul was before was not who he was now, the man he would be visiting was someone that was a chosen vessel of Gods, that would bear His name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel; and that He would show how many things he must suffer for His name’s sake.

It is throughout the rest of Acts that you read of Saul doing these very things:

In Acts 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, Saul would go on a total of three missionary journeys where he would preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

In Acts 21 and 22, Saul would defend himself and the gospel before a Jerusalem mob (aka the children of Isreal).

In Acts 25, Saul would appeal to Caesar and speak before King Agrippa II of Judea, telling him of his testimony.

Throughout the rest of his life after his conversion, Saul would suffer for Christ, telling us himself, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Listen as he lists his suffering in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 as he says that he was “...in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.”

Before Saul became a disciple of Christ, he was a man who would make other people suffer for his own cause, but now for the sake of Christ’s name, he suffers, and he does it, knowing that it was what God had called him to do as His chosen vessel.

Application:

A chosen vessel of God, do you consider yourself a chosen vessel of God?

What does it mean to be a chosen vessel of God?

What is a vessel?

A vessel is a container used to hold or carry something.

Think of a cup, a cup is a vessel to hold or carry water.

Now, Saul wasn’t just a vessel, he was a chosen vessel, what does it mean to be chosen?

The word “chosen” implies that he was special, precious, valued, and prized (Alan Fong, my God Morning).

What if I told you that you were God’s chosen vessel? What if I told you that I believe you are special to God, that you are precious to Him, that He values you, and that he considers you a prize that He has obtained with His grace?

You are all those things to God and more. Your worth so much to Him that He was willing to sacrifice His only Son so that you might be called His son or daughter (1 John 3:1).

Jesus said it best, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God...” (John 1:12a).

I hear this question asked all the time, why would God chose someone like me? How could he use someone as broken as me?

The answer is simple, because of your faith in Him, you are His (Psalm 100:3) and those who are His, He uses to extraordinary things.

Saul speaks to us as earthen vessels in 2 Corinthians 4:7-12, he says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.”

It is true that you are merely an earthen vessel, but that is so that we may show others the power of God as we endure suffering of many kinds, because we know as Saul did, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

And we know that though we are hard-pressed, we will not be crushed, though we are perplexed, we will not be in despair, though we are persecuted, we will not be forsaken, though we are struck down, we will never be destroyed, because it is Christ who lives in us and even though death may take us from this life, it is our faith in Christ, the hope we have in Him, that will deliver us to the next, an eternity with Him, our Lord and Savior (John 10:10, 28), making being a chosen vessel of His worthwhile.

And just as Saul once was, we too were misguided, we too were broken, we too were blind, not seeing Jesus, who had his arms outstretched towards us the entire time (1 Corinthians 16:23), willing a ready to receive us as we are, to give us that free gift of His grace, which leads my next point...

Point 2: Was Blind, But Now I See

Scripture: Acts 9:17–19

Explanation:

Ananias, being the devout disciple of Christ he was, is obedient to God and does just as He told him to, verse 17, “And Ananias went his way and entered the house” and after he went in it says he laid his hands on him and said to Saul, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

What a way to be greeted when you know you should be despised?

Ananias, I am sure had not forgotten all of what Saul had done to his fellow disciples, but knowing that God had changed the man who was before him, he calls him, “Brother” telling him that it was the Lord Jesus, the same one who had come to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3), the same one he had been persecuting (Acts 9:4), had sent him, a disciple of His, one that he had came to persecute (Acts 9:2), so that he might receive his sight, but far more than just that, so that he may be filled with the Holy Spirit.

What a refreshing moment for this misguided, broken, and blind man?

Not only was Saul blind, but he would get to see again, but also the power of God, the Holy Spirit, would be given to Him.

God’s Word says that immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once.

The work of God was immediate, there was no delay, the man who had been blind, regained his sight in an instant!

Following this, we learn that there was more than Ananias said to Saul, as in Acts 22:14-16, Saul also recalls this moment to the Jerusalem mob, telling them “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’”

As immediate as was the scales removed from his eyes, Luke tell us that Saul arose and was baptized.

Putting on public display, the work that God had just done in him so that all would know that he was now a disciple of Christ, a child of the Most High and that he was forever His! Praise God!

He then recieved food, for he had not eaten or drank in three days (Acts 9:9), which strengthened him.

Upon receiving strength, he would choose to spend some days with the disciples at Damascus, those who he once wanted to persecute, likely fellowshipping with them, celebrating the transformed life of the Saul, who was now a new man, who was once dead to sin, but now alive evermore, who was once blind, but now could see.

Application:

What makes a message effective?

This week I was sitting there at my desk listening to Lecrae’s podcast, a Christian rapper, called Deep End with Lecrae.

He often has on guests that can be controversial, but Lecrae does a good job on giving someone who is misunderstood a platform, so that they might clear up some of the awful things that people think about them, despite not even knowing them.

This last week he had on Philip Anthony Mitchell, Pastor of 2819 Church, out of Atlanta, GA, who has just recently been brought to the spotlight on TikTok for his preaching against the modern day false teachers.

In the podcast interview, Lecrae bring this up, saying that “People may say it’s self-righteous to say that these pastors and these pastors are doing it wrong, because what it implies is that you the only one doing it right.”

Following this, he asks him, “How would you address that?”

And I just couldn’t get out of my mind what he said in response, because I could see Saul saying the same thing, I could see myself saying the same as well, as all three of us have called out false teachers from the platforms God has given us, but he would eventually say as part of his answer, “A lot of the things I say about errors in pastoral ministry, I implicate my own self, first things first, if anybody will be honest before you critique me and judge me and listen to my preaching. Don’t just listen to a clip, go watch a sermon or two. You will hear me implicating my own self. I talk about my own sin, my own struggles, my own failures, I air my own laundry from the pull pit. I don’t shy away from that. I do that on purpose. I tell people don’t make me an idol and I’m the first one to talk about my own brokenness from the pull pit, so that people do not think that my preaching us from a place of self-righteousness, my preaching is more from a place of brokenness.”

He continues, “There are things I say about errors in pastoral ministry and I also say I’ve made the same mistakes and my preaching sometimes is misinterpreted for talking down to pastors. It’s not me talking down to pastors, my heart (here he breaks down crying), my heart is not to talk down to them, my heart is to pull them out of the foolishness that I felt like I spent 10 years doing...”

What makes a message effective? What makes the gospel message so effective from somebody like Saul, somebody like me, somebody like you?

It’s when that message is given from a place of brokenness to a person who is broken.

When a that person who was once broken speaks of the way that Christ took their brokenness and made it into something beautiful, a story of redemption, a story full of faith, hope, and love, that’s when the message is effective.

Altar Call

As the worship team comes...

That’s where I come to your from today’s, a person who was once broken, but has been made a whole, a person who was once blind, but can now see.

I’ve done so many unforgivable things in my life…HOLY SPIRIT LEAD!