SCRIPTURE, BY CHARLENE BROWN
Lesson text: Acts 9:10-20
Related Scriptures: Isaiah 6:1-8; Acts 26:1-23; 10:1-16
In today’s lesson we find a disciple at Damascus by the name of Ananias, of whom was given direct instructions from God to go and find a man named Saul and lay hands on him so that his sight would return to him. Now as we read in the text the task wasn’t hard or complicated, but the person to whom Ananias was to meet was complicated.
In the related scriptures Isaiah 6:1-8 we see God at work in preparing another servant for their calling. Just as God had done with Saul and Ananias, He also did with Isaiah, He gave him a vision. This vision would be one of God sitting on his throne high and lifted up. Isaiah beheld God’s glory, majesty and holiness. It was so breathtaking being in God’s presence to this magnitude that it caused Isaiah to be aware of his own sins. God gave these men visions, prepared them, and afterwards sent them on assignment to deliver His message.
Acts 26:1-23, gives us an account of the early life of Paul and his conversion as we saw in today’s scripture lesson text. During this time in Paul’s journey he was on trail and accused of violating the Jewish law. Acts 10:1-16 speaks of another servant who received a vision from God. This time it was a devout man by the name of Cornelious who feared God and gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God always. “About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, Cornelius!”(Acts 10:3)
SYNOPSIS, BY PAMELA JONES
This story talks about the interaction between two men, Ananias, and Saul . Ananias had a preconceived opinion of Saul, and for good reason. Saul, originally, was a very evil man who had serious issues against the Jews and those who worshipped God. Not only did he have issues against them, but he sought to imprison them as well as have them killed because of their salvation. These are the characteristics that Ananias feared about Saul, and rightfully so.
So, when he (Ananias) was told by God to go to where Saul was, Ananias had hesitations in doing so. But, God told him to “go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.” With that said, he went and obeyed God’s words. He laid hands on Ananias to receive his sight after being blinded for three days.
When God blinded Saul on the road to Damascus, that interaction put him on the road to being a changed man. He not only received his sight, but a new life in Christ. He saw Christ much differently now: as his Savior! No longer was he persecuting the church, but he had become part of them; preaching and testifying to all of the miracle that has changed his life – Jesus Christ!
PRACTICAL APPLICATION, BY LECHA PRICE
Our practical application warns us that we must not define “God’s call” so narrowly that it limits our awareness of and response to His call when it comes. Ananias’s call to go to Saul may have appeared to be insignificant; however, we know that it would later have a worldwide impact. This same Saul would one day be called the great Apostle Paul.
The call of God comes in many forms, ways, and to various types of believers. We do not know the number of people who blatantly refused God’s call and forfeited their privilege to serve Him. However, we are aware of several persons who accepted the distinct privilege and opportunity to partner with God in His activities among men and women like ourselves.
It does not matter how small or great we may deem the call of God to be; our hearts must remain postured to hear and respond in obedience. Moreover, it is not our responsibility to judge the significance of the call based on our human estimation as to the size of the assignment since God may not always reveal His full plan at the onset. The significance of the call is defined by the One who has summoned us. Therefore, it is vitally important that we remain perpetually alert and awake to the call of God by being ready in advance through consistent obedience to His Word as well as His Will as it is revealed to us.
