Intro: In a “Peanuts” comic strip, there was a conversation between Lucy and Charlie Brown. Lucy said that life is like a deck chair. Some place it so they can see where they are going; some place it so they can see where they have been; and some place it so they can see where they are at present. Charlie Brown’s reply: “I can’t even get mine unfolded.”
In the passage today we see Ananias as one who can do more than simply unfold his “deck chair.” He is sent to help Saul to unfold his deck chair.
Today we are looking back to the time of Jesus, Saul of Tarsus, and Ananias of Damascus. We are looking back some 1970 to 2000 years. But in looking back we can more clearly see our present and ultimately our future. In the lives of Ananias and Saul of Tarsus we are introduced to a very important class, Christian Living 101.
It is not preaching, it is not teaching, it is not attending Church on a regular basis. Please don’t misunderstand me, these all come out of true Christian living. They are inseparable from the life of a Christian, but they are not the core. They are the healthy out growth of the most important part of a Christian life. Knowing God the Father, through God the Son, living by the power of God the Spirit.
I. The Essence of Christian Living
The word essence can be defined as: The most important ingredient; the crucial element.
The most important ingredient in
Quality fudge is: a good cream
Quality bread is: good wheat
Quality candy is: a good sugar
The most important ingredient in Christian living is Christ. A relationship with God.
The key to any relationship is open communication. We see in this passage the essence of open communication with God!
A) God Speaks
1) We must then ask whom does God speak to?
a) In the Bible God speaks to all different types of people, pagans, Jews, lost, and saved.
b) In this passage God speaks to a Disciple. A follower of “The Way”
2) We see God is speaking to Ananias.
a) His name
Ananias: This comes from the Hebrew Hannaniah
1) It means “God has favored”
2) It was the name of the boy renamed Shadrach. God had favored him and three others by protecting them in the fire. (Daniel 1.6)
a) Ananias is to be the means by which Saul can experience the favor of God.
b) Ananias is prepared by God to be used to impact Saul’s life.
Lottie Moon was prepared by God to impact both the Chinese people and the Southern Baptist Convention.
The first ever Christmas offering had a goal of $2000.00
It collected $3315.26. Today it is one of the biggest offerings in the Southern Baptist Convention. Last Year Southern Baptist Gave $133,886,221.58. Why? It is a direct result of God preparing one woman to reach a nation and a denomination.
Who have you been prepared to Impact?
b) His background (Acts 22.12)
12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, “
1) Ananias was a man of God’s Word
12 “having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there,”
2) Ananias was a man with a witness for God
“Testimony” – witness or evidence
He was a man with an evidence of God’s spirit living in him.
No wonder God chose to speak to him and through him!!
Note: Your pastors belief, as a Christian God will uses you so much more if you are a man or woman of God’s word, and also of God’s witness!!!
B) Man responds
1) His conversation
“and the Lord said to him in a vision “Ananias”
a) God spoke his name
i) Jesus knew Ananias name
ii) Jesus knows your name if you are saved.
John 10.3 “To him the doorkeeper and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
John 10.27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;”
b) Ananias answered his Lord
“Here I Am, Lord.”
Reminds us of 1 Samuel 3.1-11 (Samuels Call)
God was ready to do something great in Israel!
God was here in acts going to do something great in and through Saul’s life and in the world.
God still speaks to his people!! God still works through His people! God will do something great at Calvary if we will hear his voice and respond.
i) Ananias knew the voice of his Shepard.
ii) Ananias showed he was ready and willing to obey his Lord.
c) God spoke Ananias’ commission
“Get up and go to the street called straight and inquire at the house of Judas”
i) God is once again sending his people out
ii) It is impossible to miss the call of God throughout this book of the Bible. God is continually calling His people to go to those in need of salvation. God also calls on His people to go to those in need of encouragement, to those in need of healing, spiritually, physically mentally.
In your Pastors words Go Reach, Teach, and Encourage Cabot, Arkansas, your Neighbors, The Nations, for the Lord Jesus Christ!!!
Truth: One of the essential characteristics of God’s people is that they Go to those in need, no matter the danger no matter the cost.
d) God spoke encouragement expecting Ananias’ concern
Acts 12.11-12 “for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”
i) His posture has changed – he is praying
no more breathing threats, he is breathing prayer.
ii) His attitude has changed – he is expecting you
Instead of taking Ananias into custody Saul is expecting to talk with him.
iii) His vision has changed – he is blind
God is always preparing the Ground of someone’s heart at the same time he is preparing us.
2) His concern
Ananias
Transition: It is not enough to be in an attitude to hear God. If you life is full of the essence of Christianity you will also be active in obeying God.
II. The Effort of Christian Living
So many teach that life as a Christian is “easy.” The struggle ends when you accept Christ.(Christianity requires dieing to self, surrendering to Christ)
A) Ananias’ Struggle (But) Acts 9.13
1) Reputation of Saul
Acts 9.13 “I have heard from many about this man.”
Saul’s reputation had preceded him.
a) What he did Acts 8.1
b) What he planned to do
1) Desire to bring Followers of the way back to Jerusalem
2) Desire to destroy Christianity.
2) Reluctance of Ananias
It is never the easy commands that we say But to but the difficult and usually painful commands of God we question.
Ananias had plenty of excuses. All God had was patience.
a) Unlike Jonah Ananias never said he wouldn’t go, he simply state his reservation about going.
b) Unlike Saul who was surprised to hear the Lord’s voice Ananias was very comfortable talking to his Lord as though he were speaking to a family member.
God is available for us to share our fears, concerns, and doubts.
We have this wrong idea that God is a drill seargent that expects us to stand up, shut up, and blindly obey orders.
When we have doubts and fears God gives us a direct word for courage and strength.
In our struggles God will provide answers.
B) Answer from God
“Go for he is”
1) A chosen instrument (a vessel of choice selection)
a) To bear my name to gentiles
b) To bear my name to kings
c) To bear my name to the Sons of Israel
2) A chosen instrument of suffering.
a) Suffering is part of salvation
b) Suffering, trials, tribulation, temptation,
Reveal the reality of you salvation or lack of it
Reveal to what extent you are controlled by the spirit
3) No reason to fear Saul he will be suffering instead of causing other to suffer.
III. The Effect of Christian Living
A) Saul’s Identification
“So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying hands on him said, Brother Saul,”
1) Ananias “after laying hands on him.”
2) Ananias accepted Saul’s conversion
3) Ananias identified with Saul as a Christian brother.
B) Saul’s Sanctification
“the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
1) Saul was immediately baptized
--baptism in the NT was immediate.
Thousands saved by peters Petecost sermon
Ethiopian Eunuch
Saul.
2) Saul fellowshipped with the saints.
a) A clear mark of a life transformed by God is a desire to be with Christian brothers and sisters.
First John 3.14 “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.”
b) Simply put a desire to be around other Christians.
3) Saul was transformed by the Holy spirit.
1) His commission changed
from persecutor to prayer warrior, preacher,
2) He was set free from
prejudices of the Pharisees, the weight and penalty of sin.
Summation: Ananias probably had no earthly idea that he was going to meet the most important person for Christianity outside of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He however did have the essence of Christian living. A relationship with the living God through the Lord Jesus Christ in such a way that God could call on him day or night. No matter the time, no matter the terms Ananias would say, Here am I.
What is the essence of your Christian life? Why do you ask pastor? Because the essence of you life will have a direct impact on your effort, and your effect as a Christian living in this world.
God’s best goes to those that are willing to give their best despite the questions and excuses.
I urge the Christians here today to:
1) Determine to ask God on your way from this building to reveal to you those people who you can impact and influence for the Lord Jesus Christ.
2) Determine to ask God to use the essence of your Christian life, in order that the effort, and effect of you life will be to glorify God. (1 Cor 10.31)
3) Determine to be available to God, despite you excuses or concerns.
