THE WINNING RESULTS OF AN OBEDIENT SERVANT
Acts 9:17-22
There is a story told about King Henry III growing tired of court life and the pressures of being the king, so he applied to a monastery to be accepted for a life of contemplation. His religious superior said to him, “Your Majesty, do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience? Are you aware that it will be hard for you because you have been a king for so long and is not used to taking orders.”
Then the king replied, “I understand. As for the rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you.” Then his superior suggested to him, “go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where the Lord God has placed you.” And King Henry III went back to the throne with renewed vigor.
-Illustration by SermonCentral.com
As we hear this story of King Henry III we hear the spiritual heart of the one that would have been his superior. He told him to go back to the place in which God had placed him. In today’s text, Ananias to is found realizing the place in which the Lord had called him. And through his act of obedience we will see wonderful results.
Our last lesson showed us what could happen when we allow our fears to interfere with our will to obey the Lord. Saul had just been stopped on the Damascus Road by Jesus Christ Himself. His pride, gone, his eyesight, gone, and he was unsure of what would happen to him once he entered Damascus. But while he was yet dealing with his fears and thoughts, the Lord was showing him in a vision, that He was preparing a disciple by the name of Ananias to come to him and to lay his hand upon him so that he may receive his sight. It was for this mission that the Lord had chosen Ananias, but instead, Ananias for fear of the deeds that Saul was known for, was reluctant to go ahead with the mission. The one thing in this lesson that we should be extremely happy about is that the Lord is very patient with us. He could had forced His will upon Ananias, but that would have canceled out man’s free moral agency. He even could have changed messengers, but then He would have had to change the vision that He gave Saul. That could have been disastrous because it would’ve allowed Saul to doubt the vision he had received. So with His love He listened to Ananias’ concern, then with His mercy He instructed Ananias to go to Saul because he was His chosen vessel.
In this lesson we will see the results of Ananias’ obedience. Saul had been in Damascus three days without sight and the text says that he neither ate nor drank anything. It appeared that his only desire was to pray and as he was praying he saw a vision of a man named Ananias and he was coming to lay his hands upon him. Verse 17 picks up with Ananias following the Lords instructions and he is now arriving at the house of Judas with a willing heart to do the Lord’s will.
So let us take a look at the winning results of this obedient servant.
First of all in verses 17 and 18...
1. WE SEE THE WINNING RESULTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING (vv. 17,18)
“And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales; and he received sight, and arose, and was baptized.”
First of all we see the Holy Spirit doing His work through Ananias. Four things happened to Saul that day. He received the right hand of fellowship because Ananias called him “brother”, his sight was restored, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and was baptized. Ananias after hearing that Saul was a chosen vessel unto the Lord and how he was to bear the Lords name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel, had no problem facing the one that he at one time feared. He being motivated by the Holy Spirit is now in the presence of the once feared persecutor of the faith. With his fears behind him, he is now proceeding with the Lord’s words fresh on his mind. He is standing before Saul and with holy boldness is telling him that the Lord that appeared to him on the Damascus road had sent him so that he may lay his hands upon him to receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
After Ananias laid his hands on Saul, verse 18 said that “immediately” there fell from his eyes as it had been scales; and he received sight, and arose, and was baptized. Isn’t it amazing how fast the Lord moves when He have another champion in His sight. It said immediately he received his sight. He did not wait on the other disciples to come to validate nor did He wait for the next Temple prayer meeting, he just moved instantaneously. So this text is showing us the winning results of the Holy Spirit working through Ananias His obedient servant.
Secondly, in verse 19...
2. WE SEE THE WINNING RESULTS OF GOOD FELLOWSHIP (v.19)
“And when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples who were in Damascus.”
In this text we see a very important phase in a new converts life, and that is fellowship. Saul had eaten and gained his strength. Then he had fellowship with the other disciples of the Way. This was important for both sides because Saul needed to experience not only forgiveness in the Divine nature, but he needed to know that the brethren had forgiven him as well. The disciples needed this fellowship to see that the Lord can change anyone, including Saul, even when many thought that there is no hope for Saul. But at this fellowship of the brethren, although there may had been some that still had their doubt, they embraced Saul and taught him the basics of Christendom. In the book [Paul the Apostle] by Robert Boyd he said, “it was not clear what they discussed in those first few days, but he feels that Saul was enlightened as he listened to the mature Christians unfolding the Old Testament prophecies relating to Jesus Christ, and the fulfillment in His finished work at Calvary.” What ever they discussed, Saul grew in the knowledge and admiration of Jesus Christ and truly believed that He was the Son of God.
Finally, in verse 20...
3. WE SEE THE WINNING RESULTS OF ANANIAS’ OBEDIENCE (v.20)
“And immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.”
The one way that we can obtain winning results is to be obedient to the Holy Spirit. In fact as the illustration showed us in the beginning, King Henry III although king was obedient to the Friar placed over him. We to have to learn obey someone some time or another. In our everyday life someone or something is instructing us to do something. The alarm clock on our night stands goes off to tell us that it is time to get up. We wear watches to keep us in tune with our appointments. We stop at stop lights and stop signs to prevent accidents from happening and without debate the job that we have, started with the interviewer telling us the time we are to arrive for work and the time when we are to leave. We listen and follow their instructions because being obedient allows us to a job. As the text is showing us that Ananias’ obedience is the evidence of winning results. In this text we see Saul in the synagogues preaching Christ. Just think a few weeks earlier he was in many other synagogues destroying the credibility of Jesus, but now he is preaching that Jesus is the Son of God. Ananias’ obedience attributed to Saul becoming one of the most profound writers in the New Testament. He would go on to be one of the greatest missionaries and church planters in the bible, and would leave us quotable sayings like Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believeth;” In 1 Corinthians 1:18 he left us, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.” In 2 Corinthians 4:3 he said, “But if our gospel be hidden it is hidden to them that are lost,” In Galatians 3:1 he left a quotable question “O Foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?”
In 2 Timothy 4:1 when he charged timothy to preach the word “be instant in season and out of season;” but the most notable scriptures are found in verses 6 and 7 when his life was coming to a close he said, “For I am ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. Verse 7 said “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my coarse, I have kept the faith.”
CONCLUSION
Well we are never sure of what effect our obedience to the Lord will have on someone. But while I’m here I should tell you what I have decided and it is another quote from Paul the Apostle in Philippians 1:21 he said and I quote, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is to gain.”
Live on for Jesus Salem, tell someone about the Savior.
Live on for Jesus, be obedient to Him.
Live on for the Word, and walk in the newness of life.
Live on in the Spirit, and be led by His presence.
