Written by: Nick Coke – The Salvation Army

Acts 9 v 1-4
In Jerusalem Saul was still threatening the followers of the Lord by saying he would kill them. So he went to the high priest and asked him to write letters to the synagogues in the city of Damascus. Then if Saul found any followers of Christ’s Way, men or women, he would arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem.
So Saul headed toward Damascus. As he came near the city, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

Notes
In my weakest moments I’m tempted to follow the great Biblical tradition of calling down curses upon God’s enemies. Within seconds of encountering any despicable sinner who has dared to utter a word against God I’m at home logging on to the Biblical Curse Generator at www.ship-of-fools.com - it’s well worth a look and a laugh! Seriously though, it never ceases to get my goat that those who seek to do damage to Jesus and his church seem to be able to say or do practically anything and God seemingly never bats an eye-lid. Or so I thought before considering today’s reading.

Saul is the kind of guy an early Christian would have tried to avoid at all costs - a kind of modern-day Phil Mitchell (a big bully for those outside the UK and non-soap fans). Luke, the writer of Acts, tells us that Saul was threatening members of the newly-founded church and arresting those he could find. I’m in no doubt that the Christians were asking God to ‘sort’ this guy out. In response, God does what he does best - the unexpected. Instead of sending the expected lightening bolt from heaven to consume the poor, unsuspecting Saul he makes a rather impressive firework display and asks Saul why he is behaving so badly. It’s at this point that Saul gets his comeuppance. The account tells us he falls to the ground before the voice of Jesus.

Two things I learn from this. First, God works in his own way. Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking you have worked out all God’s ways. He’s bigger, better and far more creative than you. Secondly, all God’s enemies will one day grovel before Jesus, whether it’s in life or death - leave them to Him, he’s got it sorted.

Acts 9 v 5-9
Saul said, “Who are you, Lord?”
The voice answered, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Get up now and go into the city. Someone there will tell you what you must do.”
The people traveling with Saul stood there but said nothing. They heard the voice, but they saw no one. Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but he could not see. So those with Saul took his hand and led him into Damascus. For three days Saul could not see and did not eat or drink.

Notes
Don’t get me wrong, I love the architecture of old cathedrals and churches but I find nothing more annoying that having to crane my neck around a gothic-style pillar or two in order to catch a glimpse of the preacher. We’ve all be there at some point I’m sure - whether it’s Sunday morning at the parish church or the back-row of those other cathedrals, football stadiums, desperately trying make out which team’s got the ball and cursing your luck that yet again you’ve grabbed the seat behind the man with the biggest hairdo in the world. Sometimes, seeing clearly is a tricky process, especially when it comes to seeing with spiritual eyes.

The man Saul proves that seeing God is way beyond the physical. Here he is, on the floor, having a pretty ‘normal’ conversation with the glorified Jesus Christ. We are told that those around can hear the voice from heaven but they see nothing. Ironically, Saul can see Jesus but physically he’s blind. How often this is the story of God-experience - God turns what we think we know about the world on its head.

It seems to me that there are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who can see God and then there are those who are spiritually blind. The spiritually blind walk around all day long with their eyes wide open and yet they never look beyond themselves long enough to find God. Then there are the others - those who may even have their physical eyes shut but they see God in the world around - they see His hand in creation, His love in relationships, His words in the Bible, His creativity in the mundane and His Son in their lives.

Acts 9 v 10-12
There was a follower of Jesus in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to Ananias in a vision, “Ananias!”
Ananias answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to Straight Street. Find the house of Judas, and ask for a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus. He is there now, praying. Saul has seen a vision in which a man named Ananias comes to him and lays his hands on him. Then he is able to see again.”

Notes
In one month’s time from today I’m due to become a father for the first time. One of the more interesting things about joining the expectant dad club is that a whole new world of otherwise hidden facts about babies and childbirth is opened up before you. It’s not long before your brain is overloading with a whole array of bizarre facts - some of which you could do without - merely to ensure that you’re not to be outdone in the hospital waiting room when talking with other expectant couples. Wild rumours seem to course around the parent-to-be circuit - stories of babies that were born able to speak Japanese or women who gave birth without noticing. However, one apparently factual thing, is that a baby is able to recognise his parents’ voice before birth. Pretty impressive, really. 

Likewise Ananias, in today’s reading, deserves a pat on the back, too. God said only one word to him and the response came without hesitation - God was obviously no stranger to this guy. Not only did Ananias recognise the voice of his Father he doesn’t seem that surprised to hear it - he doesn’t fall down in awe or run around in blind panic, he simply says ‘Yep, I’m here’. This is the kind of guy I want to be. One day, when I grow up, maybe I will be a little bit like him.

I suspect that recognising our Father’s voice takes a little bit of practice. God chose Ananias because he was a good, godly man who was ready to be used. The challenge for us is this: how ready are we to hear the voice of God? How willing are we to do what he asks? How in tune are we to hear him speak?

Acts 9 v 13-16
But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and the terrible things he did to your holy people in Jerusalem. Now he has come here to Damascus, and the leading priests have given him the power to arrest everyone who worships you.”
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! I have chosen Saul for an important work. He must tell about me to those who are not Jews, to kings, and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Notes
Don’t you just hate it when God demands you do something you don’t want to do. I’m sure you know that feeling when God speaks directly to you through the preacher - a gut-wrenching, uncomfortable sensation that erupts in the pit of your stomach as you squirm in your seat desperately trying to let God know that the nasty in-growing toenail that has been festering for weeks is about to turn sceptic and moving beyond your comfort zone might just tip it over the edge. No doubt, our friend Ananias felt a hundred times worse when God demanded he go and speak to the Christian-murdering Saul.

God asked Ananias to go and pay a visit to the church’s greatest enemy - a man who well deserved the infamous reputation that had previously reached Ananias’ ears. However, God had a plan for the growth of His church that needed Saul and Ananias was the chosen servant to make it happen. Perhaps the most disconcerting thing about today’s reading is God’s uncompromising reply to Ananias’ objections. One word said it all - ‘Go!’.

There is no doubt, that in a world such as ours, full of pain and suffering, evil and ungodliness, God is calling you to do things that will make you uncomfortable. Despite every feeble excuse you can think of, he says ‘Go!’. Despite the magnitude of the task, he says ‘Go!’. Despite the fact you think you don’t have what it takes, he says ‘Go!’. My simple advice to you, is this: when He calls - ‘Go!’

Acts 9 v 17-19
So Ananias went to the house of Judas. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus sent me. He is the one you saw on the road on your way here. He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he was able to see again! Then Saul got up and was baptized. After he ate some food, his strength returned.
Saul stayed with the followers of Jesus in Damascus for a few days

Notes
If there was ever a solid case for duffing someone up in the name of the Lord this was it. The term ‘righteous anger’ has been coined for an occasion such as this. Here we have Ananias, a good faithful Christian man standing before Saul who was known to be a Christian-killer and since he was blinded was in no position to fight back. To top it all off they were ironically standing in the house of a man called Judas (even the mention of the name must have sent shivers down the spine). This was the perfect opportunity for Ananias to smack him one for Jesus. The Bible puts it a little more poetically - ‘he laid his hands on Saul.’

Just in case you get the wrong impression and think that Ananias did put the boot in, take note of what an amazing act this ‘laying on of hands’ actually was. The physical act of resting his hands upon Saul’s head and giving him God’s blessing showed that Ananias showed real respect for him. Then as if that wasn’t enough he calls him ‘brother’ a term that put Saul on an equal level as him. This is Christian love and forgiveness at its best.

Think for a moment about your enemies - those who offend you, those who annoy you, those who hate you. Put in a similar position as Ananias you would have the choice to do one of two things. You could reek vengeance upon them or you could cast aside your pride and bless your opponent instead. This is God’s way: lay your hands upon your enemies, not in anger but in love. Do this, then just sit back and watch those weird, fishy, scaly things fall off.

Acts 9 v 20-21
Soon he began to preach about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “Jesus is the Son of God.”
All the people who heard him were amazed. They said, “This is the man who was in Jerusalem trying to destroy those who trust in this name! He came here to arrest the followers of Jesus and take them back to the leading priests.”

Notes
One of the best things I find in life to get the adrenaline coursing through the veins is the bittersweet experience of going to the hairdresser. You sit there in the chair, staring at yourself in the mirror. The unpleasant zits on your chin seem to stand prouder than ever under the bright lights, your heart misses a beat every time the scissors graze your earlobes and the feverish look in the eyes of the hairdresser make you want to scream. But when it’s all over you emerge as the new you, refreshed and transformed. If only spiritual hairdressing was that easy!

There’s nothing more frustrating for Christians like me, who slowly and painstakingly find their faith over a number of years, than people like Saul who one day are zapped by God and experience transformation in a matter of seconds. In a sad kind of way we feel that it’s not been quite as good for us as it’s been for them. And just to rub salt into the wound, Saul had a history of sin that would have put him away for life in today’s society and still God gave him the full works of flashing lights and booming voices (Acts 9:2-4). What had he done to deserve that?

The answer of course, is nothing. He had done nothing to deserve God, but then neither have you or I. The people who heard Saul suddenly change his tune from cursing the name of Jesus to declaring him as the ‘Son of God’ saw the transformation that takes place when anyone takes Jesus seriously. Transformation comes to those who are willing to let it happen, those who desire it, those who will do something with it. If you want it, you’ve got it.

Acts 9 v 22-25
But Saul grew more powerful. His proofs that Jesus is the Christ were so strong that the Jewish people in Damascus could not argue with him.
After many days, some Jewish people made plans to kill Saul. They were watching the city gates day and night, but Saul learned about their plan. One night some followers of Saul helped him leave the city by lowering him in a basket through an opening in the city wall.

Notes
Whoever coined the phrase, ‘the best things in life are free’ is talking absolute rubbish! Where can you get a mobile with unlimited free credit for text messaging? Which football club offers free season tickets for their fans? Since when did the latest bands offer their albums for nothing? These things are not free, on the contrary, these things like just about everything enjoyable and essential in life come at a price. This is one of the earliest lessons we learn as children when we don’t always get the things we want. The now-transformed Saul, the ex-Christian hunter, discovers quite quickly that life in God’s fast lane comes with a pretty hefty price tag, too.

Saul, the reading tells us, grows powerful in his debating with the Jews of Damascus. He defeats those who oppose his views in a war of words. There are however, people who would sink as low as he did before his conversion - those who are willing to kill him because of his new faith. The life of a Christian in the early church was fraught with a danger, a life that could be snuffed out any moment by those who felt threatened by the one you worshipped. Within days of God invading his life, Saul discovers the cost of following Jesus.

The truth is, no-one follows Jesus without knowing first that it will cost them everything. Following the way of the Son of God may cost you friends, relationships, material things, popularity and an easy life. Saul escaped from the city this time but he went on later to prison and then to execution. If you are to live the life that Christ calls you to, you must be willing to pay the price because one day believe me, it’ll be worth it all.


word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes