Acts 9: 1-9 The Road to Damascus (Acts 22:1–21; Acts 26:1–23)
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. “It is hard for you to kick against the goads. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could not see a thing. b So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything.
Acts 9:10-19 Ananias Baptizes Saul
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.
“Get up!” 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. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”
“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”
So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “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.”
At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.”
That morning, Saul could scarcely wait to get to Damascus. After all Saul’s successes in dragging Jesus followers off to prison in other places, Saul was certain that he would break up the nest of heretics hiding in Damascus and drag them back in chains to Jerusalem. Nothing was going to stop Saul…except the Holy Spirit.
“As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. “It is hard for you to kick against the goads. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Saul has been struck blind, and those with him are shaking in their sandals. Although Saul’s companions haven’t seen the blindingly bright light, they have heard the voice of thunder and they will be thrilled to deliver Saul to someone else so they can distance themselves. Obviously, Saul has angered God, and these men don’t want to become targets of God’s wrath. Meanwhile, Saul is blind and confused but spiritually stunned. Is Jesus Christ really the Messiah? Has Saul been wrong all along? If Jesus is truly the Messiah, how and why has Saul missed all the signs? After all, Saul has studied the Messianic prophecies intensively since his youth. But Jesus has spoken to Saul in tones of thunder, and Saul knows that he has had an encounter with the Holy One. Little wonder then, that Saul goes on a complete fast for three days and nights without eating or drinking. Saul needs divine answers and this is the only way he knows to get them.
If Saul’s companions are shaken, that’s nothing compared to the response of a believer named Ananias. All the believers in Damascus know that Saul is on his way to arrest them and drag them back to Jerusalem. Now God speaks to Ananias in a vision, ordering him to go lay hands on Saul so that he can receive his sight. Ananias is terrified! “God, what are You thinking of? This man is prepared to kill us all! How can You possibly demand that I go minister to our worst enemy?”
But God isn’t interested in Ananias’ arguments. “Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” Imagine Ananias, trudging along the streets of Damascus, getting slower the closer he comes to the house where Saul is waiting.
“So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “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.” Ananias is obedient, lays hands on Saul, and Saul regains his sight and is simultaneously filled with the Holy Spirit. Does Saul embrace Ananias? We don’t know. We only know that Ananias disappears back into anonymity, his main task completed, while Saul enjoys a meal and begins learning about Jesus from the believers in Damascus.
Generally, people focus on Saul and his miraculous transformation. But without Ananias and his act of obedience, nothing would have happened. Saul might have remained as a blind Jewish scholar for the rest of his life. Most of the New Testament would never have been written. The people to whom Saul would preach would never have heard the good news of Jesus Christ.
Throughout the history of the church, there are small people who quietly do great things. Nobody remembers D. L. Moody’s Sunday School teacher, but it was that man who sought out Moody in the shoe store where he was working and led him to the Lord in the back room. Moody became one of the greatest evangelists of the late nineteenth century, spreading the Gospel both in America and in Great Britain, and founding Bible schools that have since trained hundreds of thousands of vibrant witnesses to Jesus.
There are countless lessons to be learned from this story, but let’s learn from the example of Ananias. We might be small people, but God can use us to do great things when we will listen to Him. Let us listen to Him and obey.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to listen and be obedient, no matter what You ask us to do. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment