Building For Christ—Celebrating 9 Years Of God’s Call
Exodus 4:1-13 Acts 9:11-18
Today is a day of celebration in the life of our church as we remember the goodness of God. Anniversaries are a time of remembrance of where we started and where God Is leading us in the future. The word remember is used 230 times in the Bible. In order for us to become what God wants us to become, we need to remember how God reached out to us in the beginning.
A little over ten years ago, there existed two churches seeking to know the will of God for their future. There was Glenville New Life Community Church whose history dated back 50 years, and Calvary Presbyterian Church whose history dated back 130 years. The two churches felt led to discover if God was calling them to the same mission in Building For Christ. After many months of prayer, deliberation, discussions, votes, and worshipping in each other’s sanctuaries, the two churches came together and united in Christ under the banner New Life At Calvary.
It was not always easy, but what kept things in focus was the reality that we were allowing God to build His Kingdom through us in a new way. Not only was God interested in us building a new ministry for Christ, God was just as interested in building a new work for Christ in each of our own hearts. We can be proud of all the outreach ministries, the worship services, the world missions and the love that has grown out of this church and been poured into the world. In many ways we have taken the gospel to several nations.
We can thank God for all of you brothers and sisters who have provided what was needed to do God’s work. We remember and are thankful for those who labored in our midst who are now in the presence of the Lord. Many of you here today and others who are now serving God in other ministries, have been faithful in the roles God placed you in.
We have a reason to celebrate after nine years because we have seen the faithfulness of our God, and we have witnessed the presence of God in our midst. We can celebrate the birth of Bridge City Church on the west side, which came out of a vision from covenant partners in our own midst. We can celebrate the partnerships God allowed us to form with other churches, ministry teams, and community groups. Together we have made an impact for God. The Lord has raised up some incredible people in our midst.
Anniversaries remind us that not only do we have a beginning, but that we also have a purpose. That purpose always extends beyond the celebration of the day itself. God has a purpose for building the body of Christ here in this location. The amazing thing is that God has invited you to be a part of that process both as a congregation and as an individual.
Without individuals, there is not congregation. The Scriptures tell us, in 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. God has called you with a purpose in mind. You are a necessary part of the body of Christ. There are no unused parts even though some of us act as though we are spare parts.
In our New Testament reading, God wanted to do something new in “Building For Christ.” It was something that nobody in their right mind would have come up with because it was so far outside the box. We are introduced to a person by the name of Ananias. A person devoted to God with a great reputation for serving the Lord earnestly. Ananias lives in Damascus. He has heard about the persecution that has broken out in Jerusalem against the believers. Men and women are being thrown in jail for their faith and some are being killed.
The mastermind behind this Persecution was a madman named Saul who had gone overboard wanting to annihilate the followers of Jesus. He wasn’t happy with just arresting and killing Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem. He had gotten a search warrant to go and arrest Christians in Damascus and drag them back to Jerusalem to face trials.
Just think, if you knew this madman was going to show up at church today following service to arrest those of you who love the Lord, what would your reaction be? Some of you may leave service early, others may be glad they are watching the service online.
The thing is, when a scary challenge is presented to us, we don’t know what the outcome might be and whether it will leave us better equipped in building for Christ or if it will bring an end to our situation. The issue becomes, will I trust Jesus in this situation. Everybody is going to face some scary times. Every church is going to face some scary times. Ananias was probably wondering where he could go and hide to get away from this madman Saul and save his life and the lives of others.
Then it happened, while he was praying, he had a vision. The Lord said, “Ananias!” and he said “Yes Lord.” You know if God were to call your name, “would you be ready to say “Yes, Lord” or tempted to say, “wait a minute Lord, I need to get rid of this before I’m ready to stand in your presence.”
How many of you know that too many people when they hear from God, they send God straight to voicemail with the promise, “I will get back to you at my earliest convenience.”
God is calling you today, because God has a purpose for you today. If you were honest with yourself, you would admit the path you are taking is not leading you where you want to go with your life. Jesus Christ entered this world because God has a far better plan for you than you do.
I can imagine that Ananias was thrilled to have a vision. “Yes, God’s going to tell me where to go and hide. And then God drops some instructions that he does not want to hear? Are you open to the possibility that God might have some news for you that you don’t want to hear?
God says in Acts 9:11-12 (NIV2011) 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 2 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
Ananias is probably thinking, “wait a minute, Saul the madman is praying and he’s blind.” If he’s blind, that means a whole lot of us are safe. Why on earth would you want to change that? I’ll just tell all the believers, whatever you do, don’t go over there by Straight Street.”
Ananias then proceeds to enlighten God on why God’s plan is not a good one. How often have we tried to educate God by letting him know some additional information that apparently God was not aware of ? “We say to God, you see in my situation…..)
Ananias begins with in Acts 9:13-14 (NIV2011) 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” Ananias really expected to change God’s mind with this new information. Don’t you think God knew about Saul and his reputation? Ananias would have been quite content to leave Saul in his blindness. Are we tempted to leave our perceived enemies in that place?
When we look at others, we never know what purpose God his in mind for them. As a church you never know what purpose God has in mind for you when a stranger walks into your midst. That’s why it is so important to fulfill that last part of your purpose statement to “love all those who enter our doors and welcome them in our midst.” God had a purpose even for a madman wrongly imprisoning and executing followers of Jesus.
Acts 9:15-16 (NIV2011) 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
What do you do when you have clear instructions from the Lord to be involved in building for Christ? Do you change your schedule to be obedient? Do you respond like Moses with either additional excuses or request that God choose someone else? Or will you respond like Ananias?
We discover our purpose when we expect God to use us. We have to be available for the call. God is always looking for someone who is willing to say, “Here I am use me.” He’s looking for churches that will say, “Here I am use me.”
We can get caught up in doing so many good things, that we miss out on the most important thing, because we’re too busy. Doing good things can become an end in themselves and we can forget our purpose in building for Christ is to make sure we are growing closer to Christ, and providing opportunities for others to give their lives to the Lord. As a church are we helping to make disciples?
Ananias was willing to drop his schedule to do what God was calling him to do. He trusted God enough to believe that God had a better plan for his life and for the life of the future church than He did. One word from God allowed him to let go of all the bitterness and resentment he had toward Saul for the destruction Saul had inflicted on the church in Jerusalem. God said, ‘this man is a chosen instrument of mine to proclaim the word to others.”
If Ananias had told some people what he was about to do, they would have tried to persuade him not to do it, using the same arguments Ananias had used with God. Others would say, he wasn’t being a faithful brother if he prayed for Saul to get his sight back. Some would have gone to the extreme of saying if you do this, I don’t want anything else to do with you. How many people do we write off because we don’t understand what God is doing in someone’s life?
Ananias let go of his own feelings to do what God told him to do. Acts 9:17-20 (NIV2011) 17 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.”
18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
Nobody could have foreseen that one of the greatest thing to have come out of a madman coming from Jerusalem to arrest the saints in Damascus, would be the birth of one the church’s greatest apostles. Nobody but God that is. God used him to start and build more churches than probably all the other 12 apostles together.
God had a purpose for bringing Ananias and Saul together. Purpose is revealed when we are in the right place with the right people. Saul immediately began preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Saul’s name will later be changed to Paul. Paul preached for many days in Damascus that Jesus is the Messiah.
He preached so persuasively, that the Jews decided they were going to kill him. He came to Damascus to arrest and kill Christ followers. By the time he left he had to sneak out of the city in a basket lowered over the city walls, because men were watching the gates to kill him for becoming a Christ follower.
Ananias had no idea that his act of obedience would lead to the ministry of Paul who wrote many of the books of the New Testament in what we call the bible. Your role of obedience in the body of Christ may have a much larger impact than you can imagine.
I don’t know where you came into the church from this morning. You may have walked in as Saul went to Damascus, a non-believer even antagonistic toward Jesus Christ. You may have come in like an Ananais, a believer in God, but not quite committed to doing anything God asked. However you came in, God loves you and has a purpose for you.
God established this church nine years ago for your to be in this place at this time to get to know God in a fresh and a new way. Be open as Ananias was to the possibility that God has something in mind for you far greater than you can imagine. It begins with a confession and repentance of your sins and putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. He will fill you with his Holy Spirit and your life’s journey will never be the same.
You have completed nine years of ministry as a congregation. As a church you are unique. There is something called the Snow Flake principle mentioned by Bruce Barton. It deals with each snowflake being slightly different. Ananias was perfect for the task God called him to do in launching the ministry of Saul. Saul needed someone who could give him instant credibility with the church in Damascus. He needed someone who would believe in him from the moment he met him. He needed an Ananias to steer him in the right direction for ministry. Someone needs you to be an Ananias in their lives.
God has a tailor-made ministry for each Christian. God has a tailor made ministry for each church. It’s the snowflake principle. We’re all different. No one else can do what you can do. No one else has your circle of friends, your abilities, your situations. In a sense, each believer and each church has an apostolic call.
As you begin your tenth year of ministry at New Life At Calvary, remember God wants to send you out, to commission you to do something significant. You may not play a prominent or highly visible role, but God has a fulfilling plan for you that will bring him glory by building his church. God has equipped you to reach a group of people that no other church will be able to reach. Be faithful in your calling.
This sermon is for a church celebrating its 9th church anniversary. It uses Saul and Ananias to show that we are uniquely created for a purpose.
1 Bruce B. Barton and Grant R. Osborne, Acts, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1999), 157.
