Searching for Ananias

Intro

3 opportunities to listen to his testemony. The dear doctor Luke, in writing the book of Acts, recalls Paul's experience of salvation and healing and call to the ministry 3 times.

With this frequency Luke certainly wishes to communicate to us the importance and value that Paul’s experience has for the growth of the church of Jesus.

In fact, it is precisely thanks to this experience that we can meet Ananias, a devoted disciple who lived in Damascus.

Ananias will be the instrument in the hands of God to heal Paul and encourage Paul in the ministry.

Used by God. We certainly don't have a “Paul” waiting for us to be healed, but there will certainly be someone waiting for a disciple capable of helping him.

Do we want to be used by the Lord?

Then we must take inspiration from Ananias.

Sermon's outline. To better understand why God used Ananias we will consider:

The Character of Ananias (Acts 22:12);

The Forgiveness of Ananias (Acts 22:13);

The Involvement of Ananias (Acts 22:13).

N.1 - Ananias’ character

Acts 22:12 NIV

“A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.

The nature of the distinction. The first characteristic we notice in Ananias' life is not his title, but his character.

In fact, Luke describes him as a simple disciple.

Unfortunately we live in really difficult times, where we want to stand out, distinguish ourselves from others thanks to our name, title or position.

Yet, this man was nothing more than a humble follower of Jesus in the city of Damascus.

Despite this, Ananias stood out from the others because of his character.

Characters that are really great are always simple.

Charles Spurgeon

What distinguishes us from others? Is it our sincere relationship with Jesus that distinguishes us from others or are we distinguished by something else?

The concreteness of his distinction. Everyone noticed it: Ananias was a disciple of Jesus.

Unfortunately, many times it is so difficult to distinguish a child of God from someone who is not.

In fact, Ananias was different from the others:

For his priorities;

For his habits;

For his discipline;

For his work ethic;

For his language.

Shipra and Pua, the two midwives gave a wonderful

answer regarding the women of Israel, an answer that we

would like to apply also to all those who belong to the

Church of Jesus:

Exodus 1:18–19 NIV

Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

But character is not transferable. No man can believe for another. No man can receive the Spirit for another. No man can impart to another the character which is the fruit of the Spirit’s working.

Ellen Gould White

N.2 - Ananias’ forgiveness

Acts 22:13 NIV

He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

The need to forgive. To be used by God the vessel must be clean and the heart at peace.

This was the condition achieved by our brother Ananias.

In fact, he had his reservations towards Paul:

Acts 9:13–14 NIV

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

Ananias knew how much evil Paul had done against the Church of Jesus and yet he obeyed the Lord:

Acts 9:17 NIV

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

The prophet Jonah, however, did not want to forgive the Ninevites and we all know how it ended.

Lord, help us to discover the need to forgive if we want to be your instruments.

The evidence of forgiveness. Ananias identified the young Saul with the term "brother".

Ananias had truly forgiven Paul and God gives to His disciple a new words to indicate Paul.

In fact, before, for Ananias Saul was the persecutor, the enemy, the danger, the torment of the Church of Jesus, but now Ananias has accepted the work of God in Saul's life by forgiving him.

What are the evidences of your forgiveness? Where are the new words that God has placed in your heart?

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Forgiveness, Difficulty Of

A man named John Oglethorpe, in talking to John Wesley, once made the comment, “I never forgive.” Mr. Wesley wisely replied,

“Then, Sir, I hope that you never sin.”516

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Forgiveness, Forgetting And

A man who was telling his friend about an argument he’d had with his wife commented, “Oh, how I hate it, every time we have an argument; she gets historical.”

The friend replied, “You mean hysterical.”

“No,” he insisted. “I mean historical. Every time we argue she drags up everything from the past and holds it against me!”517

N.3 - Ananias’ involvement

Acts 22:13 NIV

He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

Fully involved. I would like to note a detail that is described by Paul only on this occasion: Ananias stood beside me... (Acts 22:13 - NIV).

In this expression we can understand a lot about this disciple of Jesus.

In fact, Ananias was a man totally involved in his service to God, fully participating in the task entrusted to him by the Lord.

He did not simply pronounce healing on Paul or lay hands on him, but rather remained close to Paul.

This is the only attitude that God likes if we want to serve Him.

We often notice that some serve the Lord without participation and involvement, but simply do their homework.

Service to God is closeness, involvement, total participation in the service we are carrying out.

In this regard it is useful for us to remember the attitude of the shepherd who finds the lost sheep:

Luke 15:3–6 NIV

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’

When Jesus carried out His ministry, in His miracles, in His parables, in His rebukes and in His encouragements, more than anything else He taught us to live the service of God with total participation and involvement.

In Hebrews, in fact, there are two antidotes to apostasy: the vertical side, the confession of our hope before God; and the horizontal side, the involvement of the community in the life of the individual believer.

Grant R. Osborne

Conclusion

Ananias… just a disciple. Ananias reminds us that God does not need superheroes to work miracles and deliverance.

He needs people who stand out for their character, capable of forgiving and willing to be fully involved in the ministry entrusted to them by God.

I hope there are more and more Ananias in the Church of Jesus.