Even though Ananias was a reluctant evangelist, he converted Saul. September 2022 Ps. allAnsReport[10] = new frames.quiz_main.initValuate11(); if ((valid[n]==-1)||(maxScore[n]==minvoto)) frames.quiz_top.document.writeln (bodyTagFrame2); frames.quiz_main.document.close(); Our perspective is so small, so limited. Ananias objected that Saul had been persecuting "thy saints", but the Lord told him that Saul was "a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel". June 2020 } Now see the story from the perspective of Ananias a Christian living in Damascus who was well aware of the destruction Saul was wreaking on the faithful. (9:13-14) A : He was warned by God in a dream: B : His wife said for him to have nothing to do with this man: C : He had heard from many how much harm Saul had done to the saints in Jerusalem: D : He knew Saul was a Pharisee: E : Have you arisen and been baptized? end_test = CountAnswers(); Knowledge & Wisdom Hope else if (flag==0) documento.write("F"); Damascus, Ananias And Paul, House Of Judas, Receive His Sight, 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most. if (valid[4]==0) { function PrintResults() As a matter of fact, he reminds me of me! Look at him now, the proud Pharisee, the unmerciful oppressor, the daring blasphemer, prayeth! if ((valid[n]==1)||(maxScore[n]==maxvoto)) if (tipo == 1) { else { frames.quiz_top.document.open(); December 2015 Tarsus, the city of Sauls birth, was the capital of the province of Cilicia lying along the northeast coast of the Mediterranean. June 2014 The man God uses may be a very unlikely person. January 2019 Even reluctant evangelists convert when they preach the Gospel. Suppose you were a Jew living in hiding in World War II Europe, and God told you to go meet one of the highest ranking officers of the SS or the Gestapo. He was warned by God in a dream. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. frames.quiz_main.document.close(); And now here God asks Ananias to go and confront the ringleader of the persecutors. November 2014 function SetClock(timeStr) As a matter of fact, providence dictated that He would use this man to do incredible things for His kingdom. "Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias.". ACTS 9:15-18 15 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. When Paul preached to the Corinthians, his preaching was in demonstration and of the Spirit and of power that [their] faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Cor 2:5). 1. Ananias himself was murdered by assassins for his cooperation with the Romans. But if we were SURE that this was what God said, we would go. He was one of the leaders of the Damascus church, and as such, he was one of Sauls targets. { He argued about who Jesus was; he appealed to the OT in support of his preaching; he increased in strength and courage. frames.quiz_top.document.writeln (bodyTagFrame2); Following Jesus always comes with a price. November 2017 So Ananias departed and entered the house. { It was an act of faith and bravery equivalent to helping a lion out of a trap. People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them. frames.quiz_status.document.writeln (", "); No surprise is expressed that the voice of the Lord was actually heard by this man. I was thinking this morning about one of my favorite passages of Scripture. { Background Study: frames.quiz_status.document.clear(); We then read that Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Whether at that point Saul was the student or the teacher we do not know. God's reasons for bringing about the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira involve His abhorrence of sin, the hypocrisy of the couple, and the lesson for the rest of the church, both then and now. February 2020 June 2016 frames.quiz_top.document.clear(); Perhaps he sat and learned at the feet of Ananias. frames.quiz_main.document.writeln(". Acts 9:16. Love PrintStatusBar(); Then Saul ate and got his strength back. allAnsReport[2] = new frames.quiz_main.initValuate3(); He was one of the leaders of the Damascus church, and as such, he was one of Sauls targets. frames.quiz_top.document.writeln (", "); { Ananias went to SaulHe went his way and entered the house. } All content Tim Challies, 2002-2023. God knew all about Saul. October 2016 The teaching of the Holy Spirit takes away the scales of ignorance and pride from the understanding; then the sinner becomes a new creature, and endeavours to recommend the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, to his former companions. How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things! (Romans 10:15). And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias;Ananias was a common name among the Jews, which in its Hebrew form was Hananiah. doValuate(18,frames.quiz_main.document.domanda.score19,frames.quiz_main.document.domanda.risposta19); msg = "Wrong! When honest individuals hear the Gospel today, they will arise and be baptized. The only distinction given for Ananias is that he was from Damascus. I like to think that he began the sentence with uncertainty and confusion, and perhaps with with the words UmmmGod. PrintStatusBar(); The Lord told Ananias to go see Saul of Tarsus. ii. } This meeting resulted in the scales falling from Sauls eyes and his baptism (presumably by Ananias). Many give some type of excuse as to why God's plan won't work. frames.quiz_main.document.close(); allAnsReport[8] = new frames.quiz_main.initValuate9(); setTimeout(deleteTooltip,2000); Saul changed from hating Jesus to loving Jesus. Ananias was understandably reluctant to approach this notorious persecutor, who had come to Damascus expressly to arrest Christians like himself. if (valid[12]==0) { Ananias Baptizes Saul 11 "Get up!" the Lord told him. frames.quiz_main.document.open(); if (PrintAnswer.arguments.length>1) window.alert("QUIT PRINT"); ? He says Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. April 2021 doValuate(3,frames.quiz_main.document.domanda.score4,frames.quiz_main.document.domanda.risposta4); qstHead = new init_array("","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","","",""); He is praying. Join in and write your own page! } January 2021 } God allAnsReport[6] = new frames.quiz_main.initValuate7(); Zealous, brutal, and loyal to his religious heritagethis was how the book of Acts introduced the man called Saul of Tarsus who quietly approved of and watched the death of Christianity's first martyr, Stephen. PrintOpenHTML(frames.quiz_main.document,"",1); } 9. But Saul is understandably reluctant to give so many racist people the chance to jeer at him, and his response to Lanahan suggests he's become cynical about what it's like to play hockey at "the higher levels." Active Themes Lanahan can sees that Saul is wary about moving to a higher level. He traveled, with orders in. So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house . function PrintNoReload() window.status = ""; more wicked. document.location = GetLinkFromMark(voto); Saul could not see; maybe Ananias wanted to convey warmth and good will to this blind persecutor. Saul was then told to go the city and wait for further instructions. There was a man in Damascus named Ananias. As Saul neared Damascus, however, intending to hunt Christians in that city, Acts tells us that the resurrected Jesus stopped him and, taking away his sight, commanded him to go into the city and to wait till he was told what he must do. I can just picture Him stammering a bit as he takes it upon himself to remind God of just who this Saul guy is. frames.quiz_status.document.writeln (noBorderBodyTagFrame2); msgFormat = "" + msg + ""; } It may seem like a small detail until you think it through, but the extent of Ananias faith was such that the man not only obeyed Gods instruction, but also fully accepted his enemy by addressing him with the words Brother Saul. The level of Ananias faith is seen again toward the end of Acts 9 which records that after his conversion Saul returned to Jerusalem, and that: When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple (vs. 26). See the notes on Isaiah 1:1; compare Genesis 15:1; Numbers 12:6; Ezekiel 11:24; Acts 10:3; Acts 11:5; Acts 16:9; Daniel 2:19; Daniel 7:2; Daniel 7:1-2, Daniel 7:26; Daniel 10:7. History & The Bible 14 And he has come here with authority from the . Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable. doValuate(2,frames.quiz_main.document.domanda.score3,frames.quiz_main.document.domanda.risposta3); Be an evangelist who talks of what Jesus has done for him. else { First, when Saul left Samuel's house he would see two men by a famous tomb called "Rachel's Tomb". frames.quiz_top.document.writeln(", "); Just follow the link above and get the details! YES or NO _ _ _ 1. March 2014 } That's when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. When we hear Gods voice, we may hesitate to react, but moving forward can cause us to become a reluctant hero Ananias of Damascus is such a hero. Jesus was alive from the dead, and Ananias was not surprised when he heard Him speak.11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,Paul spent three days in the house on Straight Street. if (PrintAnswer.arguments.length>1) January 2020 At the very least you could set up a Bible study to be conducted by someone who knows how to evangelize. return end_test; If you would like to write a letter to the editor, you can do so here. return warnSound; Saul needed help. Ananias is told that the G-d of Abraham has a plan to use Paul for preaching to all people. 5. Imagine the surprise of the authorities in the synagogues those who had granted him approval to kill Christians as Saul now worked with the followers of Christ. Ananias.. if (nScore[n]"; March 2019 February 2015 Even though we might be reluctant, we need to preach to those around us. Ananias was willing to face a difficult assignment. He is simply called a certain disciple.. str += " - "+GetRemFromMark(voto); When the Lord revealed himself to Saul, Saul asked what he should do. The account is recorded in the Book of Acts, Chapter frames.quiz_main.document.writeln(", "); We might say that we dont know how. After Saul was blinded in an encounter with God on the Road to Damascus, his traveling companions led him into the city to await further directions from God. The chapter not only tells us that Saul was breathing out murderous threats against the early disciples, but also that he was hunting them down and conveying them to prison. function EndQuiz() { Can you explain, "It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks? Enter your email address and we will send you a link to reset your password. Baptist, Title: Ananias Ministers to Paul (9:10-19a). window.status = ""; Christ was a profound, terrifying and mystical experience. The word "vision" is often used in speaking of the "communications" made to the prophets, and commonly means that future events were made to pass in review before the mind, as we look upon a landscape. Saul's Conversion. frames.quiz_main.document.clear(); Now, this is not a description of His Christian character, but of his Hebrew character. God's approval and spirit, his personality traits became more and But look at Ananias response: Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. if (valid[18]==0) { } } July 2015 11 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. When he found him, he "laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'" Yet, the Scriptures still teach that Christians should be evangelistic. Saul arose and was baptized by the reluctant hero, Ananias. September 2017 The disciple who baptized Saul, the greatest missionary the church had ever known, was simply a certain disciplehe was no great leader in the church. Unsubscribe at anytime. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. Ananias was apprehensive. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his . January 2018 Its probably almost impossible to imagine how that instruction really felt to Ananias, but we get a glimpse of his reaction in his reply to the Lord: Lord, Ananias answered, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. Paul wrote to the Philippians: For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. It served as both a commercial and educational center. textField.value = msg; First, Ananias called Saul his brother. doc.writeln(", "); God was working with Ananias and Saul at the same time. window.status = ""; if (closeHead==1) September 2014 PrintOpenHTML(frames.quiz_status.document,"",1); function deleteTooltip () { if (valid[19]==0) { PrintAnswerOnTopFrame(msg,explan,GetSoundName(n)); 1:1, 12). Now, he leaves Damascus under the cover of night in order to escape with his life. PrintResultOnTopFrame(); And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.It was the Lord Jesus who spoke to Ananias. Surely you could tell someone how much Jesus loves him and how to become a Christian. and as David grew closer and closer to God, Saul became very afraid In Acts 9, Paul was persecuting the church and he is temporarily struck blind. Why was Ananias reluctant to do as the Lord asked? Tradition says that later Ananias became bishop of Damascus and died a Martyr. 1:28). It will help you learn to structure your life to do the most good to the glory of God. Unless we are actively bearing fruit, the Father will remove us from the Son. to Damasus. And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name. Following God's directions has consequences and some life-changing. And he said, Behold, I. frames.quiz_top.document.close(); Many have supposed that he was one of the 70 disciples. The commission is given in verses 15-16. Ananias was instructed to come to Saul, restore his, sight, baptize him, and reveal his commission to him. 2. His haughtiness at the time of Paul's arrest was characteristic of his whole tenure. allAnsReport[12] = new frames.quiz_main.initValuate13(); function PrintResultsTable(doc) { Copyright Stallings Drive Church of Christ. He was not a Hellenist, but a Hebrew. } allAnsReport = new init_array(22); ordineDomande = new init_array(0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21); Paul's hatred for Christ and His followers was common knowledge. We do not know how the Gospel came to Damascus nor how Ananias was converted. . initShortQuestion(); Ananias was willing to be the answer to prayer. else { At this point Ananias fades from the story and we hear of him no more. var explan = new initListOfRemark(n); 10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. March 2018 frames.quiz_top.document.writeln (", "); We need to rely on Him, on His Word, on His voice, trusting that He will not lead us astray. In Paul's speech in Acts 22, he describes Ananias as "a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews" that dwelt in Damascus ( Acts 22:12 ). And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold , he prayeth,12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.15 But the Lord said unto him, 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:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.19a And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. He said, "Ananias." Ananias said, "Here I am, Lord." Then the Lord went on to tell Ananias to go to the street called Straight and go to the house of Judas and ask for Saul of . Reflection: by Kathryn M. Matthews. The "light" Saul saw (9:3) was brighter than the sun (26:13). if (valid[17]==0) { The men would tell Saul that the donkeys had been found and that they were back at Saul's house. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. We know nothing about Ananias except what this passage tells us. Barnes' Notes on the Bible A certain disciple - A Christian. function FinalActions() { No longer was Saul a persecutor; now as he preached Christ, he was often persecuted for this radical change. Damascus expressly to arrest Christians, To save items to a SermonFolder, please sign in to your account. Dealing With Doubt His apparent cooperation with the conspirators who were seeking to assassinate Paul (Acts 23:12-15) further reveals his unscrupulous character. So we understand not only why Ananias was astonished by the Lord's command, but also why he was reluctant to obey it and go to Saul. Earlier in this chapter, Saul of Tarsus had an encounter on the road to Damascus. 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. God tells this disciple to run an errand on His behalf. { November 27, , THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE ORGANIZATION November 20, 2019 , November 13, 2019 Many people are unaware of an . } The commission is given in verses 15-16. arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). His role in the drama of Acts is small, yet significant. Ananias was reluctant to go to Saul. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. Persecution } Faith & Trust What would Saul do next? Dont you know that your people are persecuted in that nation? Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it? Ananias delivers that small dose of knowledge, and Saul goes on to write two-thirds of the New Testament; he plants churches that will have lasting impact; he leaves a legacy, not of bitterness and rage, but of boldness and righteousness and faith. The number three represents divine completeness. Paul will now window.print(); Ananias introduced him to the very hesitant function init_valid() Ananias himself was murdered by assassins for his cooperation with the Romans.Why was Ananias of Damascus chosen to convey Sauls commission instead of the apostles in Jerusalem? function PrintOpenAnswer(n,outMsg) { allAnsReport[13] = new frames.quiz_main.initValuate14(); return; This is an obvious reference to Saul and Ananias being brothers in Christ. PrintBottomFrame(); September 2016 In AD 66, at the start of the first great Jewish Revolt, Ananias was assassinated by an angry mob of anti-Roman revolutionaries. copied to any other site without permission. frames.quiz_top.document.writeln (", "); 3-4 - Kingdom Ministry2009 But the Lord said, "Go, for he is a . In Acts 9:10-19, the Bible reveals how the Lord was working to prepare Saul of Tarsus for his new life as the apostle Paul. March 2015 The main idea is, that he revealed his will to him in the case. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." 11 And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that . Why was Saul going to Damascus? if (GetTypeOfSubstitution(voto)==4) { Ive often wondered if missionaries dont react in the same way when they feel their hearts stirred for a particular nation or people. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. February 2017 And as he had commenced the work of converting Saul, it is evident that he is intended here. frames.quiz_main.document.writeln(""); } Here we have the Lord sending a servant. Sunday AM Classes: 9:30 Their act of selling property to appear as though they were giving like the others (Acts 4:32-37), and then keeping part of the money, resulted in Gods judgment of their hypocrisy with death.The third Ananias was the high priest and president of the Sanhedrin at the time of Pauls arrest (Acts 23:2). In a vision - Perhaps by a dream. omitPoint = new init_array(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0); Even in antiquity, news traveled quicklyAnanias knew about Saul. Ananias showed weakness here. His haughtiness at the time of Pauls arrest was characteristic of his whole tenure. April 2018 The ready acceptance of the command seems to imply either personal discipleship or previous visions of the same nature. Acts 9:17. frames.quiz_main.document.clear(); My daily, curated collection of Kindle deals for Christians. It's easy to do. why was ananias reluctant to go to saul. Simply click here to return to. August 2022 PrintResultTopBar(frames.quiz_main.document); The answer may be found in one of the following reasons:a) As a Jewish Christian, who adhered to the customs of Judaism, Ananias was an unimpeachable witness to the truth of Sauls call and apostleship.b) It was fitting that Saul, the leading persecutor of the disciples, should be received into the fellowship by one of the despised Nazarenes in Damascus whom he had intended to seize.c) An ecclesiastical reason becomes clear as we read Galatians 1:15-2:10, for it had to be made clear that Pauls apostleship was not received from men, but directly from the Lord.And to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias.