The Meeting of Saul and Ananias for World Evangelization (Acts 9:1-19)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The title of today’s message is, “The Meeting of Saul and Ananias for World Evangelization.” The people whom we meet, that meeting might be a blessing or a curse, and our entire lives are determined based on the people we meet. First and foremost, there is the meeting between me and my parents in my family, and then, once we start going to school, there are the meetings that we have with our teachers and our friends. Then, in the future, we meet with our spouse and we have a family. It’s very important that these meetings are blessings of meeting. God is a God of blessings, and the meetings God has prepared are blessings. In order for that to happen, the blessing must be inside of us. Even if God has prepared blessings of meeting for us, if we are not able to see it as a blessing, we lose hold of it. When we look at our environment, our circumstances, and the people around us, what is the perspective with which we look at them? We see things based on whatever is inside of us, and whatever we see, we end up talking about that and acting upon that. That means, in order for our actions to change, whatever is inside of us must change first. If something is a blessing, but we’re not able to see it as a blessing because of what’s inside of us, we must change what’s inside of us.
Today, we see the meeting between someone named Saul and Ananias, and in the middle of that meeting is Jesus. God gives them this communicated meeting through His Word. Then, we must look at this individual named Saul.
1. Saul
1) Judaism
(1) Pharisee
(2) Legalism
(3) Student of Gamaliel – Top elite
Saul was the greatest elite and successful person who was not only a Pharisee, but a student of Gamaliel. On the outside, that’s what he was like, but when you look at him internally, it’s a different story. Saul had a spiritual state just like everybody else that was separated from God and seized by Satan, and every single human is born with that same condition because we have Original Sin. That state of Original Sin means that we are not able to escape from our thoughts, centered on “me.” I’m in a state where I cannot escape from myself, that is the state of Original Sin, separated from God. I go wherever I want to go, and I want to accomplish success for myself. We cannot escape from that path.
In that state, Saul received a worldly education without God. Saul received education in the law of God ever since he was young; how could that be worldly education? By learning the law of God, he should have learned more about God, but instead, he learned the education of the world, which is, “How can I make myself better for my success?” Then, as we grow up, we receive scars from our parents, our family, and the world. Every person has scars, and our scars continue to grow, and Satan uses that. Evil spirits enter in through our scars and seize us, and especially for Saul, because he had accomplished success by his own efforts, he had his own stubbornness and strongholds inside of him. The characteristic of successful people is they accomplish success without God, so they have their own stubbornness, their own pride, and their own convictions. Because they have accomplished success through those things, they don’t let go of them, and then they emphasize that onto their children as well, and they emphasize that with anxiety. Because they don’t know the success that is in Christ, they emphasize their version of success with insecurity. Especially for Saul, he was legalistic and was a religious leader. So, from the perspective of the world, he was always worried about how to live a correct life.
There’s a characteristic of people like that: they are always angry. “If someone is different from me, then I cannot handle it because I’m certain in myself, because I’m right, and that means you’re wrong, and I cannot accept how wrong you are because I am the truth.” Then, there is no choice but for people like this to get into fights with people. They assert themselves and break down relationships.
2) Saul’s point-of-view
(1) Threats and murder (Acts 9:1)
In today’s scripture, Acts 9:1, it says Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. Do you know why he was angry to the point of murderous threats? Because Saul had conviction that he was living according to God’s law and that he was right. But when he looked at Christians, they looked different from him, they were wrong, and he could not handle that.
(2) Arresting Christians (Acts 9:2)
So, he is completely filled with this wrath, this anger, and he is going out to capture these Christians. If you are possessed by evil spirits, then you can race forward 500 kilometers. That was the state of Saul. So, when you look at Saul, how do you see him? You look at this elite Saul with whatever is inside of you. In order to save Saul, you must have the eyes to see Saul inside of you. I went to the Hollywood church yesterday and there was a gathering of mostly Caucasian people, and I asked them, “What meeting is this?” They said this was a gathering of people who were family members or loved ones of those who are recovering from addiction. There was this room full of people in their 30s and 40s living in Hollywood, and on a Saturday morning, what were they so desperate for that they were gathered here rather than doing something else? It is because they don’t know why their family is collapsing. They don’t know why their relationships are breaking, so in that desperation, they go into this meeting for loved ones of recovering addicts. From the outside, everybody there looks like healthy, good citizens, but inside of them, there is something they cannot figure out.
You need to know that problem as well as the answer. If you’re not able to see that problem and you don’t have the answer, it means you’re not able to see what the real problem is. Think about it, how could they have a normal family relationship? Because first, our relationship with God is broken, then of course, there is no choice but for our human relationships to be broken. If our relationship with God is broken, it means there is a problem in my spiritual state. The cause of that problem in my spiritual state is being certain in myself, it is my own standards. I’m right, that means you’re wrong, and I cannot accept that because everybody is so sure that, “I am right and everyone else is wrong,” and yet our relationships keep breaking. Everyone thinks they’re correct and the other person is wrong, but their relationships are breaking, and they’re gathering in meetings like this. Those are people like Saul. In the world, they have success, they have power, they’re capable, but they don’t have the answer. So, you and I, what is a Christian? A Christian is someone who comes to every answer in Christ. Then, what is the problem of mankind? Restoring our family? That is a problem. Addiction can be a problem. Or, mental illnesses, whether they are diagnosed or not, are a problem, but what is the fundamental cause of that problem? It is the spiritual problem.
Then, what exactly is the spiritual problem? Humans have a spirit, that is what sets us apart from animals, so now, we have a problem in the state of our spirit. Our spirit should have a normal, healthy relationship with God, based on His Word, prayer, and His will for evangelism, but that relationship is broken. Satan, knowing this, enters into us. That is the spiritual problem that results in every other problem, including mental, physical, family, and future generation problems. There are some students who are always fighting with their parents, right? Children do not have knowledge of the world yet, so they are fighting with their limited knowledge. Children, you have to try and learn. Because you are still students, you need to learn, not only the material from school, but listen and learn from the world. You have such limited knowledge of the world right now, you shouldn’t try to do everything with that. Whether we are children or adults, what’s important is restoring the correct spiritual state. The tool to restore our spiritual state is the Word of God and prayer. We communicate with God through His Word, and we communicate with God through prayer, and we communicate God into the field through evangelism. That spiritual state must become normalized. If that relationship is broken, that’s when spiritual problems enter. The devil works by taking you away from God’s stream of His Word, prayer, and evangelism, and making us go instead towards whatever we want. So, I hope you will stop trying so hard to fix the problems you see with your eyes, and instead, focus on restoring your spiritual state and relationship with God.
(3) Asked for letters to the synagogues (Acts 9:2)
In today’s scripture, Saul found the mission of his life was to kill Christians, so he gets a letter from the High Priest and goes to imprison these Christians.
3) Met Jesus
(1) Light from heaven shone around him (Acts 9:3)
(2) Fell to the ground and heard the voice of Jesus (Acts 9:4)
(3) Why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9:4)
While he was on the road to Damascus, there was a strong light from heaven that shone upon him. Jesus Christ Himself appeared to Saul and gave His Word through His voice. The voice said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
2. After meeting Jesus
1) Saul and Jesus
(1) Who are You, Lord? (Acts 9:5)
Saul responds by saying, “Who are You, Lord?” Especially for Israelites, they were trained in the Word of God since they were young, so he bowed down before God.
(2) I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting (Acts 9:5)
The voice responded, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Saul never even met Jesus, when would he have persecuted Jesus? Persecuting believers of Jesus is the same as persecuting Jesus Himself. The reason is because we have been united with Jesus and we are one body. So, anyone who persecutes me is persecuting Jesus. God promised Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse,” then that means believers must bless one another. God says, “I will bless those who bless you,” and if there is somebody who is constantly talking bad about other people or cursing people behind their backs, then God will curse them, because you talking bad about and criticizing people behind their back, you’re actually criticizing God, so when you go out into the world, you shouldn’t do that. Wherever you go, you should bless people; that’s why you’ve been called. Stop trying to be blessed; you’ve already been blessed. Instead, bless others, instead of cursing them; then everywhere you go, blessings will be before you.
Why do we keep getting cursed? It’s because we’re constantly judging people, criticizing people, cursing people behind their backs. I’m sorry for talking about my own family, but it’s not that good of a family, and so, when I was growing up, my mom would always be talking bad and gossipping about people in my neighborhood. She never would talk about things people were doing well; she would go around the village, listening to everything that people were doing wrong and talk about that. I got married to my wife and then she said, “That’s such a fascinating family.” My wife was fascinated, “How does your mom talk bad about everyone like that?” and that’s my imprint, root, and nature. Whatever I’ve received and seen from my parents is already imprinted in me without me even realizing it. Then, we got married, and we have different family lines and backgrounds, so it’s hard to adjust. She said it was so shocking because I came from a nonbeliever family. I’m not like that anymore, but I was in the beginning; that’s how much we act, talk, and see things according to what is inside of us.
We do not evangelize through trainings that we get. I’m not saying to not receive training, but in reality, whatever is inside of me determines how I see that person, what I say to them, and how I act towards them. If God’s bartizan of grace is inside of me, then that’s how I will see people. On the other hand, if the bartizan of legalism is inside of me, then I’m always right and you’re wrong, and even if I am wrong, I’ll be so burdened and oppressed by Satan that I can’t budge. So, your family problems, whatever problems you have cannot be solved. First, you must change the fundamental problem inside of us, the source of your problem. If the things inside of us are changed with the Word of God, then that’s how we will see things, and that’s how we will talk as well.
Do you know why people say cursed words? Because that’s what’s inside of us. No matter how much we try to change that with the education of the world, it cannot be changed. On the outside, we may pretend we are not like that, but that will not really change unless what’s inside of us changes. Then, what does it mean to be a Christian? A Christian is not just somebody who goes back and forth to a church building. They are somebody like Saul who meets Jesus Christ, and in that moment, all the problems of their past, present, and future are solved. Then, you might have this question, “What do you mean that the problems of my past, present, and future are solved? I’m still facing a mountain of problems,” and if there are any of you who are thinking like that, it is because of the disbelief we have regarding God, because even in that mountain of problems, God is guiding me. Is that right? Is that not right? God does guide you, so God has finished the problems of our past, present, and future at once. Now, we are going on this journey that God has prepared. But why is it so hard to change elites? Because I’ve accomplished success with my methods and my standards, I don’t want to go down God’s journey, because I have my stronghold and my own sure method. We accomplished this with such hard work and diligence, and because there is no other method we know, we just hold onto our methods and talk about that.
(3) Go and meet the one who will tell you what you must do (Acts 9:6)
Saul, in order to change that inside of him, he had to go to the desert of Arabia for 3 years. As soon as Saul meets Jesus, Jesus says, “Now, get up, go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” As soon as you meet Jesus, all of your problems are finished and God tells you what work you must do in the future, right? If God has called me, there is a reason or a goal for which He has called me, and I race towards that goal. But if I don’t have that goal from God, it means I’m holding onto my own goal, and that goal was developed outside of God. That changes into disaster because it’s not God. It’s created by God but it is not God Himself. Money is not God, success is not God. People are not God. If you believe in that, trust in that, and rely on that, then it becomes our idol. Faithfully, we must only believe in the One Who has saved us and follow Him. Even if I have a mental problem, I trust in the God Who is with me.
Who do you think will win, your mental illness or Christ? God continues to give you that Word of faith through worship. Is it better to have money or to not have money? It’s better to have money, but what God wants you to have is the spiritual state that allows you to be good no matter what you have. Little children do not have money, but little children don’t worry; they are always smiling and laughing, because even if they cannot speak yet, they know, “This is my parent,” how? Because this person is continuously feeding me, changing my diapers, and giving me everything that I need, and I know that this person protects me, and in any kind of dangerous situation, the parent protects their child, so the child does not worry. The child does not worry as long as the parent is capable of solving the child’s problems. For us, by believing in Jesus Christ, the Triune God is with me, He is with us. You should not look at your mental problems or other problems, you should not look at the problem of addiction; instead, focus on Christ Who has overcome the problem. Then, why did He allow this problem for me? God allowed you to experience this so you can save other people like that.
The only way to escape from your problem is by looking at the answer, which is Christ; you cannot escape your problem by looking at the problem. If there is a multiple-choice question on a test, and you only read a problem, you cannot find the answer. If you’ve read the problem, then you have to quickly look at the answers. Religion is continuously looking at the problem, unable to find the answer. The answer to all problems is Christ, and He continuously gives us the answer. There is no need for you to have the answer because Christ is with you and He guides you, moment by moment, in every circumstance. As you live like this, one day you’re restored. Then, I become the tool to save other people like me in the past with mental problems or addictions. You can say, “Yes, it is a problem, but I have an answer.” There are people who cannot have relationships with people, there are people who fight with everyone around them, right? Just leave them be, leave them be for the Lord to take care of them. You keep trying to change them and fix them yourself; that’s why you keep having relationship problems. No matter what my wife says, I just let her be and I entrust her to God, because she also has her bartizan inside of her, she’s not going to listen to me; God has to take care of it. Because if I say, “Oh, I’m right, then why don’t you listen to me and follow me?” then the other person will be so afflicted. Nowadays, I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older or I’m becoming more feminine, but I just let her be.” I don’t know if maybe it’s because she’s becoming more masculine, but she’s becoming more outspoken than before. What I’m trying to say here is, “Let them be.” Yes, I will say something, but if nothing happens from that, I don’t fight it, I just entrust it to God, because I can’t even control my life; how could I try to move or control someone else’s life? I have to entrust it to God to move. Being like that at work as well, yes, say what you think a few times, but if it still doesn’t work, then entrust it to God. Everybody has their own stubbornness, they have their own opinions and they might pretend to listen to you, but they’re not listening to you. They can only change if God works upon them.
If you change everything into prayer, then it comes back to you as answers. Let’s say you go to church but there’s someone you really don’t like. If, in your heart, you think, “I don’t like that person,” then that’s what goes into your brian. Later on, what your brain does is it will release bad emotions every time you see somebody like that, and because now your brain is flooded with bad emotions, you’re going to say bad things and do bad things, so instead, change your thoughts to prayer. “Oh God, I don’t like that person.” “God, that person really doesn’t get along with me,” then at the very least, your thoughts will not be programmed into your brain, they will be sent to heaven; then God will answer you. So, change everything into prayer. Everything you think, everything you feel, everything you see, change it into prayer. Because if you don’t change it to prayer, then everything you think, feel, and see will come in and control you.
2) Saul
(1) In a state where he could not see (Acts 9:8)
(2) He was led to Damascus by others (Acts 9:8)
(3) Could not see, eat, or drink for 3 days (Acts 9:9)
So now, Saul is blind and people are leading him to Damascus. He could not see or eat or drink for three days. What do you think he did for 3 days, then? He just met Jesus, and Jesus told him, “I will send you someone who will tell you something in the future.” Then, what do you think Saul was doing for those three days? He was probably praying, “What must I do for the rest of my life?” If you’re not able to receive your reason for living for the rest of your life from God, then you’re wasting your life. You’re living your life so diligently, but it’s not aligned with God.
Let’s say you’re running a marathon, but you don’t know the goal destination, so you just ran so diligently but you don’t even know where the finish line or the track are. You’re just running so diligently because you know you have to, and you run faster than everybody else. We don’t even have a finish line. Should that be our life? If God has called me, then, no matter what, He has a goal or destination. There is a work we must accomplish on this earth, and if somebody holds onto this and lives their life, there is nothing that can change them because this goal will be accomplished by God. Even if they face temptations or difficulties, they will just pass by them. But if we don’t have this guaranteed goal from God, we’ll collapse when something hard happens or we’ll get distracted when someone says something to us. If this person is truly a saved child of God, then God has a work He will do through them. No matter how destroyed they become, God will raise them up and guide them to accomplish His goal for them. If I have that goal from God in me, then I will see other people like that too. But if I don’t have that goal from God, then I look at everybody else so anxiously; because I’m anxious about them, I have to use other methods. All of that is wasted time, money, and effort, because if you just let them be, it will pass by, because God will carry it out.
3) Disciple in Damascus – Ananias
(1) Jesus spoke to him (Acts 9:10)
So, God gives His Word regarding what He will do through Paul to a man named Ananias in Damascus. Who is Ananias? In today’s Word, Ananias is somebody who receives God’s Word during the Sunday message and then relays it to people in the field throughout the week, because if you just listen to God’s Word and then you don’t put it into practice, God doesn’t need to give you any work, and that disciple is in Damascus. So why did God break down Paul on the road to Damascus? Because Ananias is in Damascus. God will send the people who will receive salvation; He breaks them down and guides them to the person who received God’s Word and relays that Word out into the field.
(2) Told to go to the house of Judas on the street called Straight (Acts 9:11)
(3) Find Saul (Acts 9:11)
God gives Ananias His Word so accurately. He says, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street, and ask for a man from Tarsus who is praying.” He says, “Place your hands on him and restore his sight. Give him the filling of the Holy Spirit and deliver My words exactly to him.”
3. Saul receives his mission
1) Ananias
(1) Saul, while praying, saw Ananias come and lay hands on him so that he could regain his sight (Acts 9:12)
(2) Ananias knew Saul as a persecutor of Christians (Acts 9:13-14)
(3) Hesitated to meet Saul
So, Ananias says back to God, “Lord, I have heard many reports about this man. He’s come all this way to capture believers and take them to Jerusalem.” This is the knowledge he already had, so when we receive God’s Word, we try to combine it with the knowledge and the experiences we have. Based on my knowledge, I should not do this, but God’s Word is telling me to do this.
What is the Lord’s Day? God gives you His Word that doesn’t quite align with what you know, and we pray to God about it until He confirms it. That is the Lord’s Day. But what happens if you just stay in that state of understanding and digesting it? Then you will not be able to carry it out. You have to wrestle with the Word of God because of the knowledge I already have. Because of my experiences, I’ve had to wrestle with a world of God. The Lord’s Day is the time for you to do that. Until God confirms, “This is the Word God was giving to me,” then with that Word you go out into the week.
2) Mission to be given to Saul
(1) Carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel
(2) Chosen instrument of mine
So, in Acts 9:15, the Lord responds 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.” After God gives Ananias His Word, Ananias obeys and he goes to relay the Word to Saul. If you have the posture to receive the Word of God within Christ and then relay that Word to the people in your field, then God will do the same thing to you. But how did we learn our walk of faith? “Oh, I just received grace,” that’s it. God is not only giving His Word to me; He is giving it to me to relay it to others. If someone only wants grace for themselves, God does not give them a very deep Word. Because you already have salvation, you already don’t have a heart to receive God’s Word and relay it to others, so that person will live a shallow walk of faith. That’s fake. What’s real? Even right now, God gives us His Word through worship, and that Word of God changes the incorrect imprints inside of us. Then, God confirms on the Lord’s Day, how this Word becomes an answer to relay into the field; then for the rest of the week, we live following that Word. So, Ananias receives God’s Word and he goes and looks for Paul. That is for businesspeople, this is how you look for people in your business. For students, you go to school to find these people.
(3) I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name
Acts 9:16, God says, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” If we believe in Jesus, then we will suffer for the name of Jesus. Why did God call Saul? Because Saul is someone who will stake his entire life if it is aligned with God’s will. Saul is not someone who says, “I believe in Jesus, so why do I have to suffer for Jesus?” But most people when they face even a little problem, they say, “Oh God, why did you allow this to happen to me?” These people cannot live a walk of faith like Paul. If a soldier is going out into war and they think, “Why is this mountain so high?” they cannot win that war. If they’re going out into battle, and they’re complaining that they have no water, then they cannot win that battle. God uses the person who will only go towards the goal, that is the person who can fight the war.
3) Ananias’ obedience
(1) Jesus sent me to meet you (Acts 9:17)
(2) Opened Saul’s eyes and filled him with the Holy Spirit
(3) Was baptized, ate, and was strengthened
So, Ananias opens Paul’s eyes and Paul receives the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
1. Jesus Who is carrying out the work of salvation even now
In conclusion, what does it mean to believe in Jesus? It means my problems in the past, present, and future are finished. Then, you must receive the mission for which you must live the rest of your life. That is the mission of the Kingdom of God.
2. God Who is giving and fulfilling His Word even now
3. Holy Spirit Who is giving answers through the work of the Holy Spirit even now
Third, in order to accomplish that mission, God gives you the power of the filling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ said, “I will be with you always and forever, with all authority in heaven and on earth.” I must remain within the stream of this Word. Even right now, Jesus Christ is carrying out His ministry of salvation. Even right now, God is giving us His Word through worship, and He fulfills His Word, and even right now, the Holy Spirit works upon us with power, in order to fulfill that Word. I bless you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you will remain within the stream of the Triune God’s Word and testify of the name of Jesus Christ as a witness.
Message Prayer
We will pray together now, but you just sitting there with a blank mind is not prayer. Ask why God gave you this Word this week. You shouldn’t leave the church until you confirm, “Oh, this is the Word God is giving to me specifically,” that’s why God told you not to work on Sunday and only do this.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We have returned Your materials as offering. We pray this offering will be used to save people in the field, the missions field, and the people in the church. We believe You will bless the hands that have given the offering with the economy to do world evangelization. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
God, we thank You.
In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Closing Prayer and Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of our Father God, and the indwelling, working, guidance, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be upon the heads of the people of God, the people of all nations, and the remnants who desire to go down the path of world evangelization God has prepared, be with them now and forevermore always, amen.