Chapter 30
The Power of a U-Turn
The Reading: Acts 9:10-18
The Problem:
The apostle Paul was a Roman citizen, born to Jewish parents who were a part of the class of Jewish leaders called the Pharisees. His given name was Saul, and he was born in Tarsus (which is today in modern Turkey) in about 6 A.D.
Saul was sent by his parents at a young age to Jerusalem to study the Torah under Gamaliel, one of the most prominent Jewish scholars of his time, still revered among Jews to this day. He became so astute in his knowledge of the Torah, the laws of the Jewish people, that he was eventually admitted to the Sanhedrin, the ruling group of Jewish leaders, similar to our Supreme Court. If you were a part of the Sanhedrin, you ruled over Jewish life and religion and you were the most zealous of the most zealous, dedicated to maintaining the Jewish law.
Saul was on a crusade to kill Christians, and wipe out all signs of this new religion proclaiming that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. He planned to travel from Jerusalem to Damascus, a journey of about 150 miles, to continue his vendetta against believers. Before departing on the journey, he had asked the high priest in Jerusalem for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for permission to bring any Christians (followers of “the Way,” as they were known then) back to Jerusalem to imprison them. Anyone who was a part of “The Way” was in his way, and had to be silenced one way or another. In Acts 9:1-2, Saul was given full authority to carry out his plans, and granted the letters requested.
As Saul traveled, he was probably totally focused on his purpose in going to Damascus, and thinking about how he was going to deal with those followers of “the Way.” Would he beat them with his own hands, stone them, imprison them, or perhaps make them suffer before killing them? He had already been present at and approved of the stoning of the first martyr for the Gospel, Stephen (Acts7:58-8:1).
But God had other plans for him. On the way, Saul was caught in a bright light from heaven that caused him to fall face down on the ground. He heard the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Saul replied, “Who are you, Lord?” Jesus answered directly and clearly, saying, “I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:4-5).
The Turning Point:
From this point on, Saul’s life was turned upside-down. The light of the Lord had blinded him, and his companions had to take him by the hand and lead him into Damascus. He was literally blind for three days, eating and drinking nothing. But when Saul lost his sight, there was more going on than a physical reaction to that really bright light. The Lord was letting Saul know just how blind he had been - that his rejection of Jesus was the result of blindness, that his zealousness in persecuting the church was the result of blindness, and that even his devotion to the Law was a blind devotion.
It became apparent that there was a real transformation in his heart, because the Bible tells us that he began immediately to pray fervently.
The Miracle That Followed:
Then God called Ananias to do a job for him. We don’t know a lot about Ananias. We don’t know if Ananias had been a follower of Jesus for a long time or a short time. We do know that he knew Jesus. We know that he had been in Damascus long enough to be known and respected among the Jews, as well as the Jewish Christians there. Later in Acts, Paul described him as “a devout observer of the law and respected by all the Jews” in Damascus (Acts 22:12).
Now Ananias really didn’t want to meet with Saul because he knew Saul’s reputation as an evil man and persecutor of Christians. Can you imagine that conversation with the Lord? It might have gone something like this.
Lord: Ananias?
Ananias: Yes, Lord
Lord: I’ve got a job for you today, pretty high profile.
Ananias: Oh, wow! That’s great, Lord. What do you have for me?
Lord: I want you to go and speak with someone quite important.
Ananias: OK, who? The governor?
Lord: Actually, no.
Ananias: Well, who then?
Lord: Saul of Tarsus.
Ananias: Are you kidding, Lord? Do you know what he’s been up to lately?
When Ananias voiced his objections, the Lord explained to Ananias that Saul was His “chosen instrument,” selected by Him to carry His name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15) and would suffer for doing so (Acts 9:16). So, in spite of his reservations, Ananias obeyed the Lord and the rest is history. He found Saul, laid hands on him, and told him of his vision. Through prayer, Saul received the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17), regained his sight, and was baptized (Acts 9:18).
When Ananias laid his hands upon Saul and the scales fell from his eyes, more was going on than a physical healing of damaged eyes. The Lord was signaling to Saul the dramatic changes that would happen in his life, now that he could see Jesus clearly.
The Bottom Line:
When God gives you an assignment, you always have the choice to say yes or no. You always have the freedom to obey or disobey. Ananias chose to obey and a wonderful miracle took place. Paul made a complete U-Turn in his life, and Ananias was the instrument God used to launch one of the most powerful ministries the world has ever seen. The Apostle Paul didn’t just win the souls of individuals, one by one, but of whole cities and nations as well. He was not only the most productive evangelist of the early church, he was also the most prolific writer in the New Testament.
Ananias’s obedience is actually a part of the chain of events in God’s plan that has brought each one of us here today, doing an in-depth study about how miracles follow obedience. Likewise our own obedience will set the stage for great things to happen. Each time we follow God’s unfolding plan of grace in our lives, we step into a new adventure prepared especially for us by God.
