Acts 9:10-19 - "Go"

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. 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 he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.

This is a different Ananias than the one we read about in chapter 5. Jesus chose to use this Ananias in a different way that he did the Ananias we read about in the earlier chapter. Jesus came to Ananias and 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 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”

At this point I think it would do us well to put ourselves in Ananias’ shoes. Jesus came to him and said “look for a man of Tarsus named Saul…” At this point it has to click with Ananias. By this time Saul had developed a reputation that preceded him. When Jesus told Ananias who he was to look for I’m sure Ananias wished he had been wearing a diaper. Imagine a Jew during world war two being told to go to Berlin and look for a guy named Hitler, in order to lay hands on him and pray for him. As we see, Ananias tries to reason with Jesus saying “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” I love Jesus’ response to a frightened Ananias. There is no negotiation, no rubbing his back, building his self-esteem, no pep-talk, no pleading with Ananias to obey. Jesus answers simply “Go…” He explains to Ananias that Saul is “a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” Ananias, frightened but obedient “departed and entered the house. And laying hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’”

What if Jesus spoke to you in this way? What if Jesus told you to “Go.” How would you respond? Most of us, myself included, would answer something like “if Jesus spoke to me I would do whatever he told me to.” Here is the truth: Jesus has spoken to us and most of us are not doing what he commands. The Bible is God’s word to us. God speaks to us as much today as he ever has. His words to us are found on every page of Scripture. Do not think that because you don’t hear God audibly speak to you that he is not speaking at all. Whenever we take time to read His word, He is speaking to us just as if He were sitting in front of us. Jesus’ last command to his disciples before his ascension to heaven began with one simple, familiar word: “Go.” Matthew 28:18-20, familiarly known as the great commission reads like this:

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

So, Jesus has spoken to us and he tells us just as he told Ananias: “Go.” Has Jesus command you, like Ananias, specifically to go to the one person on the face of the earth who is “breathing threats and murder” against you? Chances are probably not. Evangelism starts at home for those who have unbelieving family members. It then extends to unbelieving friends and co-workers. This is something we are commanded by Jesus to do. It’s not something we do on our own either. Jesus said “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore…” Why will we be effective when we tell people about Jesus? Why will our nervous, studdering proclamation of the Gospel gain disciples? I guarantee you it is not because we have “sold” anybody on Jesus. It is solely because “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given” to Jesus, and those whom he has chosen before the foundation of the earth will come to Him.

Lets be honest, talking to Jim two cubicles down from you is not quite as intimidating as the circumstances Ananias faced. Coming into the fire station and proclaiming the Gospel to my friends does not carry with it the perceived threat of imprisonment or death. Step up, obey the God of the universe, emulate the obedience of Ananias and “Go.”

Listen to last Sunday's sermon from Church of the Cross on Acts 9:1-19: The Unexpected, Unconventional, Undeniable Conversion of Saul.