You never know
The book of Acts records the day when Saul, known later as Paul, became a follower of Christ. His conversion illustrates two things. First of all you never know who God will use, and an act of faith taken by a man named Ananias.
Luke the author of Acts records,
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
As he neared 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.
“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 sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,“Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
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.”
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! 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.”
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.”
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” Acts 9:1-19.
Saul as this portion of scriptures states was an enemy of what was then called The Way or believers in Christ.
He had received letters from the authorities in Jerusalem to arrest any man or woman found to be following Christ. God however had other plans for Saul.
As Luke the writer of Acts notes on the road to Damascus Saul had a supernatural encounter with Jesus.
The voice was not just in Saul's head. The people with Saul heard the voice but saw no one. However Saul obeyed the voice.
Another man Ananias a believer in The Way, also heard God’s voice telling him to go and minister to Saul. Ananias was justifiably hesitant. He knew who Saul was and that he had intended to persecute the early church. Still he acted in faith, in obedience to God. He went to Saul and ministered to him.
Ananias that day acted purely on faith. He had no idea that Saul who would later become known as Paul would go on to be a powerhouse for the Christ.
That Paul himself would be persecuted and later die for being a follower of “The Way”
That Paul would write a large portion of the still to be written New Testament.
That Paul would be an integral part of taking the Gospel of Christ throughout the known world. That the words Paul would write would be encouraging believers in Christ Jesus two thousand years later.
The story illustrates that believers in Christ need to know the voice of God and be willing to act in faith. For you never know who God will use to present the message of eternal life through Christ Jesus to the world.
Pleases think about it.
The book of Acts records the day when Saul, known later as Paul, became a follower of Christ. His conversion illustrates two things. First of all you never know who God will use, and an act of faith taken by a man named Ananias.
Luke the author of Acts records,
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
As he neared 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.
“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 sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,“Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
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.”
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! 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.”
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.”
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” Acts 9:1-19.
Saul as this portion of scriptures states was an enemy of what was then called The Way or believers in Christ.
He had received letters from the authorities in Jerusalem to arrest any man or woman found to be following Christ. God however had other plans for Saul.
As Luke the writer of Acts notes on the road to Damascus Saul had a supernatural encounter with Jesus.
The voice was not just in Saul's head. The people with Saul heard the voice but saw no one. However Saul obeyed the voice.
Another man Ananias a believer in The Way, also heard God’s voice telling him to go and minister to Saul. Ananias was justifiably hesitant. He knew who Saul was and that he had intended to persecute the early church. Still he acted in faith, in obedience to God. He went to Saul and ministered to him.
Ananias that day acted purely on faith. He had no idea that Saul who would later become known as Paul would go on to be a powerhouse for the Christ.
That Paul himself would be persecuted and later die for being a follower of “The Way”
That Paul would write a large portion of the still to be written New Testament.
That Paul would be an integral part of taking the Gospel of Christ throughout the known world. That the words Paul would write would be encouraging believers in Christ Jesus two thousand years later.
The story illustrates that believers in Christ need to know the voice of God and be willing to act in faith. For you never know who God will use to present the message of eternal life through Christ Jesus to the world.
Pleases think about it.
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