Sermon Tone Analysis

Not Even A ________.

Most good, most heart warming stories have a beginning.

That is especially true of our Jesus story.

We used to call that a testimony, but word is not well understood outside of church circles.

For most of us our Jesus story began with at least two things:

In some way or another we heard our Lord speak to us.

God brought someone into our lives to help us.

Over these next weeks I would ask that each of us refresh our Jesus story.

As we refresh our story ask our Lord to:

Through you tell someone who does not know the Gospel, the Gospel and how He loved/ loves them

Direct you to someone who is praying and asking for someone who cares.

While provides for the us the 3rd person account of the Apostle Paul’s conversion, affords to us a heart warming account of a comparative,y unknown believer whom God used to comfort, stabilize and begin to focus Saul after Saul met Jesus on the Road to Damascus.

While provides for the us the 3rd person account of the Apostle Paul’s conversion, affords to us a heart warming account of a comparative,y unknown believer whom God used to comfort, stabilize and begin to focus Saul after Saul met Jesus on the Road to Damascus.

The account before needs to considered alongside a portion of Saul’s first hand account of his conversion - .

In other first hand accounts of Saul’s conversion story, Ananias was not mentioned, the reason being that Ananias was never the story focus.

The story focus was always Jesus.

But Jesus uses people who love Him and care to come alongside of those who need not just the word but someone.

WE ALL NEED SOMEONE.

WHO WAS THE SOMEONE THAT THE LORD USED IN YOUR LIFE?

WHOSE SOMEONE ARE YOU?

Please note how Ananias is described in the Word of God.

Ananias is:

A RESPECTED Disciple - 9:10; 22:12

Paul’s character reference for Ananias

A disciple - 9:10

a certain (KJV) - among the other disciples in Damascus there was one whom the Lord used to come alongside of Saul

mathetes - disciple - same as 12 - comes from the same root as the verb - manthano - learn.

Being a disciple means continuing to learn

According to Jesus, a disciple/servant becomes like his master - so to re believers

Matt 10:

ILLUSTRATION - What did you learn today?

We don’t know what we do not know!

A respected disciple - 22:12

Well spoken of - having a good report (KJV) - bear witness - passive martyreo

By all the Jews who lived there - believers and unbelievers

Faith in Christ lived in such a way that others not others affirmed him

A devout man according to the law - 22:12

respectful - when used of a believer = God fear - lives as before God

according to the law - obedient to the laws

Used to describe Zechariah & Elizabeth

2. A RESPONSIVE Disciple - 9:10-16

The Lord spoke to him in a vision.

With the beginning of the New Testament era, before we have the NT in writing, for a while, God spoke through visions and angels.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter explained that this was in part a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.

This was connect with the coming of the Holy Spirit and his indwelling believers

These dreams and visions were a limited time when the Apostles were alive.

With the death of the Apostles and the NT being in place, God now speaks through His Word.

In that context, what was revealed/communicated in the dreams and visions was the Word of God - true and without error.

We need to understand that God is not giving new revelation in the sense that He speaks to me the Word of God.

God speaks to me through the Word not the Word.

Peter affirmed that.

After he began to preach Jesus and in so doing quoted various OT Scriptures - ;

Acts 2:

The Lord called Ananias and Ananias responded immediately, “Here I am Lord.

This reminds us of God’s calling Samuel - - but in the account before us, we cannot help but be impressed that with one call, Ananias heard, recognized the Lord’s voice and responded immediately to the Lord.

Please note the clarity and detail of what the Lord said.

Rise and go

Straight Street - house of Judas

Saul could not see - blinded - led by the men who were him - they saw the light but did not hear the voice -

Look for man of Tarsus named Saul who is praying

SAUL’S CONVERSION IS NOT MENTIONED BUT INFERRED.

And has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so he can regain his sight

The arrangement would be confirmed by a double dream - compare Cornelius & Peter -

The name Saul was known to Ananias. - 9:13, 14 - News of what he had done and was doing had reached Damascus.

provides some background.

It is obvious that Saul had moved on from observing - 7:58, 59 - and approving of Stephen’s stoning/murder, Saul had begun to ravage the church - 8:3.

- News of what he had done and was doing had reached Damascus.

provides some background.

It is obvious that Saul had moved on from observing - 7:58, 59 - and approving of Stephen’s stoning/murder, Saul had begun to ravage the church - 8:3.

It was with that purpose Saul had journeyed to Damascus 9:1.

Please note the terms that Ananias used to describe what Saul had done.

How much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem

First use of a term commonly used by Paul as Christians set apart for God’s service and showing a holy character - agios - 9:41; 26:10 - cf - adjective from

- sanctified 20:32; 26:18

Phil 1:

Those who call on your name

Echoes - 2:21

Recurs - 22:16 as a command to Paul to be baptized.

Compare -

And here he has authority from the chief priests.

Authority - power, moral authority, influence

Ananias’ comment might be seen as disobedience and lack of trust in God’s direction and power.

We have to assume to assume that this was not a lack of trust in God’s power to do the seeming impossible as it seems to have been with Zechariah.

Instead, Ananias question is about clarification as to how one who had been evil was now blinded, praying and waiting for Ananias to come and lay hands on him.

Graciously, God repeated the command, “GO” with an explanation.

He is a chosen instrument of mine.

Same word used of Jesus choosing the 12

Instrument - through whom God would work.

To carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel

carry anything - John carry sandol

my name - heart of the Gospel - it is not about the church or me.

It is about Jesus.

What would you have me do with Jesus?

Gentile, kings and children of Israel - 3 main groups before Saul would bear witness.

It was Jesus whom Saul had persecuted.

Now he would carry his name/banner.

ILLUSTRATION - Young man who skated around ACC and carried the Maple Leaf banner.

I will show him how much he must suffer for sake of my name.

must suffer rather than cause suffering - 9:13

Acts makes it very clear.