Sermon Tone Analysis

BACKGROUND

Who was Ananias?

Ananias was a devout Jew (Acts 22:12) who was a believer in Jesus Christ.

He knew what kind of reputation Saul had and that he was coming to Damascus to arrest believers.

It was up to a week’s journey from Jerusalem to Damascus, but some of the Jerusalem Christians had gotten to the city first in order to warn the saints.

FACTS / TIMELINE

Jesus dramatically and directly confronts Saul on the road to Damascus.

Acts 9

Jesus speaks to Ananias

Acts 9.

Ananias Says “Here I am...” just like Samuel did

The Lord gives the assignment

Ananias says Whoa, Lord...

Acts 9.13

“Because Ananias perceives the danger, this makes his willingness to go all the more impressive.

We need to mix realism, or wisdom, with our courage.

Study the situation and make a righteous judgment.

Even Jesus hid Himself for personal safety on occasion  and encouraged His disciples to be as “shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.”

().

Being courageous and being stupid are two different things.

But never should we disobey the Lord because we are afraid.”

- By Jon W. Quinn (Expository Files, Sept 2015)

God confirms His Word

God confirms His Word

Acts 9.

Ananias obeys

acts 9.17-

Another later account states:

BETTER:

Saul washed away his sins by “calling on the Lord” (; ).

Kenneth Wuest translates , “Having arisen, be baptized and wash away your sins, having previously called upon His name.”

In the Greek, it is not a present participle (“calling”), but an aorist participle (“having called”).

His calling on the Lord preceded his baptism.

APPLICATION

IMPACT - GO BIG OR GO HOME?

Or is it OBEY and trust God with the results.

BIGGIE SIZE IT!

“Christianity in the West tends to idolize success while misunderstanding suffering.

We struggle with view the Christian life from a triumphalist perspective: “I’m a Christian; therefore I’m entitled to victory in every way!” -Ernest Gray (Sr.

Pastor @ Keystone Baptist Church @ Asst.

Prof @ Moody).

Difficult Assignment?

Persevere

You have everything you need...

Difficult People?

OBEDIENCE IS THE ONLY PATH TO LASTING IMPACT

Even if it’s not American Super-Sized Strategic

What if your IMPACT results in a footnote in someone else’s story.

ILLUSTRATION -

Edward Kimball (DIFFICULT OBEDIENCE)

Ever heard of Edward Kimball?

Ever heard of Edward Kimball?

a Sunday School teacher who was afraid to witness.

Kimball went to visit a visitor to his church - a shoe salesman.

Kimball, trembling laid his hand on that clerks shoulder and told him how to receive Christ - he left feeling like a failure.

That shoe salesman said a little later on, if that man is that concerned about my soul, i ought to be concerned - he bowed his head and asked the Lord to save him - his name was

Dwight L. Moody

applied for Church membership and was rejected - didn’t know enough about the Bible

never ordained - started a Sunday School Ministry after leading 200 people to Christ

went to England in 1873 - started preaching - revival broke out

influential pastor who heard about him - invited him to come to his church to preach for several weeks

F. B. Meyer

J. Wilbur Chapman

Billy Sunday

(CLT REVIVAL INVITE )

Mordecai Hamm

Billy Graham Every few seconds the Gospel is seen or heard somewhere in the world through BGEA

----

Samuel L. Brengle (satisfied as a footnote)

Following his graduation he received offers to pastor some of the largest Methodists churches in the US.

However, he turned them down as he became interested in the work of The Salvation Army.

He had heard William Booth speak at an open-air service and was drawn to his ministry and mission and he desired to travel to England to meet and volunteer his services to the Founder of The Salvation Army.

He had also met a young Salvationist by the name of Elizabeth Swift and had asked for her hand in marriage.

When he did arrive in England and meet the Founder, the meeting was far from cordial, Booth viewed Brengle with some scepticism calling him a dangerous man in that he had been his own boss and Booth was not sure Brengle would adhere to the discipline of The Salvation Army.

Nonetheless he was accepted for training and made his home at the Salvation Army Training Barracks in London.

There one of his first duties was to blacken and shine the boots of his fellow cadets, a job that was considered menial.

Rather than complain he reminded himself of the fact that His Savior did not consider it beneath Himself to wash the feet of the disciples.

“If I am to serve the servants of Christ, it is enough.”