Acts 9:23-25

After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

The man that sent other men running is now on the run…The people don’t believe Saul. His former life at this point, is louder than his message. The Jews now conspire to kill him. Welcome to being a Christian Saul. Welcome to the world of living on the run and hiding. Saul, the man who enjoyed the pursuit, is now living in hiding. It’s ironic.

However, by the grace of God Saul was able to make a few disciples because the scriptures tell us “his followers” came to him and saved him in the middle of the night. I love it! Saul isn’t even there a long time but he has followers. Where are our followers, maybe the better question is who is following us?

To lead, you must have followers otherwise you’re not leading…you’re just walking. You don’t get followers unless you break out of your skin and start to deliver the message you have been entrusted with.

Matthew 22:8-10

"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

You are called to fill the wedding hall! Be bold and be courageous! No one wants to follow someone who can’t be sold out to what they believe. If no one is following you it might be because you have yet to get excited…you’ve yet to get a little crazy…you’ve yet to get a little passionate. Maybe that is why people often quote the church as “asleep”. Well it’s time to wake up…it’s time to get fired up…and let our hearts be passionate once again about what God is doing! Not with what he is going to do…but about what He is doing right now!

Acts 9:20-22

At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

“At once…” (NIV)

“Immediately…” (NLT)

“Went right to work…” (Message)

However you want to say it…Paul couldn’t wait any longer. His heart was on fire…it had been baptized in fire…it had been birthed in fire. So he preached. He preached with all of his heart that Jesus is the Son of God. Saul is excited…it’s overflowing out from his heart and into his mouth. His words are piercing and effective…so much so, that the crowds are astonished. They literally can’t believe it. The murderer has become the preacher. The one who chased us to death, now preaches to us eternal life. All of this defied their logic…but that’s how it is isn’t it? God defies logic. He is beyond our thoughts and even our imagination…and that is when we get shook up. We don’t like to admit it but we get doubtful and, if you’re really being honest with yourself, a little afraid. Who could blame you? Saul doesn’t exactly have the greatest of background at this point. His credibility is basically zero to none, right? After all it has only been a few days since he was there to kill them…you just can’t expect them to completely trust him yet now can you?

Credibility is important in ministry…

Are you what you appear to be? I hope so…but hear me out, if you are not…it could be the reason you aren’t listened to and are not taken seriously. Saul had zero credibility. Who is going to believe him? That is what fear does…it makes us doubt and disbelieve our circumstances…and that could cost us our life…I say that because Saul was teaching the good news…not his own news…he was witnessing the Gospel of Christ and proving that Jesus is the Messiah…not railing false accusations…but his credibility and integrity was so much in question that it was hard to focus on anything else.

“Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews”

Saul grew powerful in the Lord. His testimony and his witness astonished and amazed all that heard him preach. He was bold and a tad bit reckless. As I read this I couldn’t help but think of a conversation that I had the other day about where has the Holy Ghost power of the church gone? Where are its men of power? We see it in new believers but it never last long.

You see, new believers are excited. So excited that they change things…excitement does that. Excitement doesn’t seem so revelational right now and the proof is in our life. Are we excited for Christ? Do we act like it? Why not? Why aren’t we excited anymore? Why can’t we recall what it was like when we first accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior? Some say that they can recall, but a life that has been changed is challenged to change others…

Acts 9:17-19

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.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

“Ananias went…”

I’ll say it over and over again…God loves obedient men/women. The obedience of the servant creates the opportunity of blessing. If you want to be blessed….bless others. It’s just that simple. There are some fundamentals that are just undisputable.

The New King James, the KJV, and the NIV all record that immediately Saul’s eyes were healed and his sight was restored. The Message Translation records it this way, “No sooner than the words left his mouth.” The New Living Translation says “instantly”. Just like that change is birthed. There is an acute awareness of our iniquity before us. Some things are immediately healed and restored and then there are some that leave with time, as we grow closer to the One who is able.

What a wonderful testimony. What a wonderful chapter…but it isn’t over…it is just beginning…

The murderer is now sitting down at a meal with Brother Ananias. I bet he never saw that coming. You kill those that want to kill you…not make them dinner…but that is what we see now. They are sitting, eating, and fellowshipping with one another.

Saul, the guy that had penned up all the warrants of arrest, penned this to the Romans years later…

Romans 1:16-17 (Message Translation)

Its news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: "The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives."

I hope you are really living!

Acts 9:16

“For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Who wants this? Who wants God to have this vision of your life? Who wants to know that they are going to suffer much for the sake of the Gospel? Who wants that job? No one does! Maybe that is why God chooses. It’s quite possible that we are going to have to trust God sometimes as we endure trials of suffering in our life and have comfort to know that it is for His glory. I am not going to say that you are going to understand it…but you will have to endure it. I know that isn’t comforting but know this…that you will discover a depth with God few will ever know…maybe now it makes sense that when we read…

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

God said he would show him how much he would have to suffer…but in suffering Saul found strength, hope, love, mercy, grace, and compassion. Paul suffered…but his suffering would later produce some of the greatest writings of the New Testament and ultimately lead him to take the Gospel where many feared to go!

Acts 9:10-16

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.” 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. 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.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 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. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

We are now introduced to a man named Ananias. The scripture records that he was a disciple living in Damascus…his life was about to be intertwined into the life of Saul forever. Listen, God uses people to present the gospel…not animals, not inanimate objects, and not angels. He uses us to proclaim His grace and mercy. He uses us as witnesses…

Saul heard the good news from a complete stranger that he had planned to destroy. Saul didn’t believe in Jesus because he truly had never had an experience with Christ. But now, in the hands of a common man, Saul finds himself blind and helpless. Instead of a spirit of revenge, Saul finds mercy, grace, and love. He finds compassion in the hands of Ananias and he hears the gospel for the first time.

I love the work of prayer in these scriptures…Saul was found praying by Ananias. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be? If you are struck blind by a flash of light and hear a large audible voice you’d be praying too. It was Saul’s defense mechanism…it should be your defense mechanism. Saul’s stress and anxiety was combated by prayer. Prayer here is the key to these passages. Saul is praying. Ananias is praying. God is speaking to both of them through prayer in the form of a vision. Sometimes we miss having a grand vision because we don’t have the prayer life that opens the coax connection between us and God…and this is a vision you don’t want to miss! You don’t want to miss the vision that it’s fallen into your hands to go and witness the gospel of Jesus to the greatest enemy of the church at that time. If you miss that opportunity heads literally roll…people go to prison…wives become widows…children become orphans. You can’t miss that vision…or is it that we are afraid of a vision like Ananias’s?

Acts 9:3-9

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 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.” And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 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. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

NKJV – “Suddenly a light shone…”

NIV – “Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him…”

Message – “He was suddenly dazed by a blinding flash of light…”

No matter how you want to say it…In a flash of light a life was changed forever. That is how it is isn’t it? God meets us right where we are at. He comes to us in a flash of lightening…suddenly, immediately, and quickly. He speaks to us and our heart just melts. I find it interesting that God meets Saul…and Saul meets the ground. Again, that is how it is…Who can stand before the Almighty God? Saul, who terrified and sent many into trembling, is now feeling the trembling in his own heart and soul. In an instant all of his plans were gone…now there is nothing but the darkness…a sea of perpetual black and void.

Saul steps out in faith…blind faith…literally…he had to…all of his choices were stripped from him. His plan was now hidden from him…his path was gone. God removed all distractions from Saul’s eyes…Saul’s future was about to change…and here is a great lesson. New eyes are needed for new vision.

Acts 9:1-2

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

The scripture says that Saul was hunting people who were of “the Way”…notice that “Way” is capitalized…because it’s important…

In the early church we were not called Christians, at least not yet. We were called the “Way”. This is very important, because at this point in time the early church was viewed by how they conducted themselves and how they treated others. If some of you are hearing this for the first time…here are a few scriptures to verify this fact…

Acts 19:9, Acts 19:23, Acts 24:14, Acts 24:22

Over and over in the Book of Acts this is a common reference to the Saints of God…and it’s important…because what this generation of believers could use today is to be known for how they live their life. That sense of integrity has long since left the church many years ago. The churches today are really more known for what they’re against than what they are for. We have a bad tendency to be reactive rather than proactive. What that means is, we get upset when our views, opinions, or thoughts are challenged…but we fail to exercise them into our life…that is why we get called hypocrites.

It’s time to start living what we preach. If ever there was a time when our life needs to shine, it’s now. How we live our lives gives credibility to our message and ultimately gives glory to God.