Acts 6: 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
8 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.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."
Taking ownership with God Part 2
Lets pray
• Last week we spent some time looking at the encounter of Saul with Jesus
• Saul was breathing out murder & threats
• Thought he was doing the will of God
• But Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus
• A great light shone
• & Jesus asked the question why are you persecuting me
• then made the statement hit is hard for you to kick against the goad or hard
• to kick against the leading of the Lord for you life & the world around you.
• The power of the words of jesus evidently got to Saul which led to him making the statement, “what do you want me to do?”
You know God is looking for a, “yes Lord!”
He’s looking for a, “what do you want me to do?”
Saul had finally bought into what God was doing in the person & the work.
But God was not through!
• When Saul stood up he immediately realized he was blind.
• His eyes were opened but he couldn’t see
• He didn’t eat or drink for 3 days
• During those long 3 days he awaited for what was supposed to come.
God reveals himself in times of pain!
God came to a man named ananias
He said “here am I”
11 So the Lord said to him, "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.
12 "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."
God was making a pitch to ananias
Things that stick out about the pitch that God made to Ananias
1. directions were clear
Can the directions be any easier?
Get up!
Go to straight street
Ask for Judas’ house
Once you get there ask for saul of Tarsus
He’ll be the one praying
He’ll be the blind one
Oh! And he has already seen in a vision a man by the name of annanias coming in & laying hands on him so he will see again.
Can it be any easier than that?
2. directive was difficult
The directions were clear but the directive was questionable.
Get up………..ok
Go to straight street………….ok
Go to Judas house…………ok
Ask for saul……………ok……….of Tarsus………..OF TARSUS?????
This sounds hard
3. cleared path
the directive was difficult But God chose to reveal to ananias what was going to happen as an end result of ananias obedience.
11…..for behold, he is praying.
12 "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."
God had prepared the path for him & shared the end result
You know in order for you to buy into something, you have to know there will be a positive end result.
That’s what commercials are all about.
• Vaccum that picks up 7 pounds of bolts
• A hair thinning cream for women that reduces the need for leg shaving
• Eye laser surgery
The promise of the destination has to outweigh the pain of the journey!
If you are not convinced that the product will make a difference or serve a purpose you will not buy into it & eventually take ownership!
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Church you have to be sold on the fact that when you entrust everything that you are in God……..
When you invest you life into him…….
No matter what happens to you, it will work out in a positive way…may not be for your glory but for the glory of God.
Ananias was given the opportunity to respond…..would he do it?
****In Ananias response we see 2 factors that cause him to hesitate in obeying God
Hesitation Factor 1
*outside influence
13 Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
Anannias response was stunted because of things he had heard.
I wish I had a dime everytime I was brought down a notch simply by a passing statement by someone that was negative.
Excerpts from actual performance reviews for British Navy and Marine officers:
• "His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of curiosity."
• "This officer is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definitely won’t-be."
• "Works well under constant supervision and when cornered like a rat in a trap."
• "This young lady has delusions of adequacy."
• "She sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them."
• "This officer should go far-and the sooner he starts, the better."
• "This man is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."
It can be innocent or intentional……it doesn’t matter…..it still influences our process of action.
You have to know that if you really want to see God do a miracle in your life or in someone elses life….you have to press through the popular public opinion on the issue!
When someone is convinced that things can’t be done, he will cling
to that conviction in the face of the most obvious contradiction. The
story is told of the time when Robert Fulton gave the first public
demonstration of his steamboat. One of those "can’t be done" A man stood along the shore repeating. "He can’t start it."
Suddenly, there was a belch of steam and the boat began to move.
Startled, the man stared for a moment and then began to chant, "He can’t stop it."
I’m not saying being oblivious to the truth, but what I am saying is that God can work beyond the public assessment & beyond the negative reports…..it a matter of whos report are you going to believe.
Moses
Numbers13:27 Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
28 "Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.
29 "The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan."
30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it."
31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we."
32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out………….
14:4 So they said to one another, "Let us select a leader and return to Egypt."
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
6 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;
7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.
8 "If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’
9 "Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them."
You gotta believe the report of the Lord!
Don’t rebel!.dont kick against the goads
Don’t fear the inhabitants of the land!
Those you fear will end up bring satisfaction to you!
Your enemies protection has departed
Above al the Lord is with you!
Hesitation Factor 2
14 "And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."
Question of Authority
“Authority” in Websters:
• the power or right to give commands
• Enforce obedience
• Take action
• Or make the final decision.
• While on maneuvers, a battleship lookout noted a light in the dark, foggy night.
• After noting the light’s coordinates, the captain recognized his ship was on a collision course with the other vessel.
• The captain instructed, "Signal the ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees."
• The return signal countered, "Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees."
• The captain signaled, "I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees."
• The response was, "I’m a seaman second class, you’d better change course 20 degrees."
• By this time the captain was furious.
• His signal strongly ordered, "I’m a battleship. Change course 20 degrees."
• The reply: "I’m a lighthouse. You make the call."
Ananias was confronted with a decision…….
who really had the final decision.
In stating that Saul had been given authority, he was overlooking the fact of who really had the power to make the final decision.
• “But saul has these papers giving him authorization”
• “He has right”
• “He has the power to pouir judgemet on your people.”
Look at Gods response……..
15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
16 "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake."
Who has the final say so?
• When king darius threw Daniel into the lions den the word said he set a seal on the stone covering the den.
• He was determining the fate of Daniel
What did God do?
Gods angel moved right past that stone & right past that seal & shut the mouth of the devourer!
• When Jesus was placed in the tomb a stone was rolled in front of the door & a seal was placed on that rock signifying the final decision.
What did God do?
His spirit moved righ past that rock & that seal & the son of God walked righ on out.
• You see, your circumstances don’t have the final say!
• You problem don’t have the final say
• The words you hear don’t have the power to condemn you
• That person don’t have the final say
There is one person that has the final say & that is Jesus Christ.
• There is no person unreachable
• There is no circumstance too impossible
• No goal unnattainable
• No issue that cant be turned around when Jesus Christ is the one who has the final say so!
God is saying to us this morning……..
• You know that thing that onse poured out Judgement & pain?
• I’m going to take that thing & use it to pour out my name!
• I’m going to do it!
• You follow along & obey what I tell you…..but I’m going to have the final say so!
What happens when you disregard public opinion & you realize who has the authority?
Your willing to buy into it & take ownership with God.
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "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."
18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
Lets stand this morning
Jesus was the one who brought the light the light to expose Saul to his sin.
But it was a man whos obedience restored the sight of Saul.
This only could happen once Ananias was delivered from the
Oppression of popular opinion
Question of who has the final say so.
You may be here this morning and you find yourself like the apostle peter after jesus was arrested in that the word said he followed from a distance.
You see in order for you to draw closer to Gods will you have to take ownership in what hes doing
You have to stand and say.
• This is my church!
• Your joy is my joy
• When you hurt I hurt
• You have to say I recognize & affirm the work Gods doing I your life.
Gods will is not for you to follow from a distance.
• Are you being held down because of the bad report you keep hearing?
• Are you having trouble accepting Gods promise for you?
• Is there a stronghold built up in your mind because of negative things you hear?.it can keep you from taking ownership this morning.
• Are you held down because of your belief about who has the final say so?
• Do you need God to assure you this morning he has the authority?
• It can be the difference between ownership or merely renting.
If you need to responde come this morning.
