Ananias answered

Acts 9:1-21 NASB

Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for 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." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake." So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened.
Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, "Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?"


My thoughts -

In my Bible there's a heading for this section that says "The Conversion of Saul". This was a big event for the early church. One of their persecutors converted. The man who had presided over the stoning of Stephen and had been given authority to persecute and arrest the faithful became one of them.

This was also a big event for Christianity in general. Without the conversion this man goes down in history as Saul, a man who persecuted first century believers. An important figure? Perhaps, but probably not. The early church had no real shortage of enemies. For them I'm sure Saul was a significant one, but historically speaking I don't know.

But with the conversion here we have the Apostle Paul. An important figure? Absolutely! In fact, he's an important enough figure for Christianity that the bulk of the unsolicited junk mail and Twitter spam I get from New Atheists accuse him of founding our entire religion based on his own delusions and ambition.

I won't get into the veracity of their claims. It's unimportant to me. But even and especially non-believers know Paul. He was instrumental in the spread of the gospel in his lifetime and the author of the bulk of the New Testament. Other than Jesus there may be no person more important for the church than Paul. And that all came because of this conversion. God took an enemy of the early church and decided to make that enemy his chosen instrument for the spread of the gospel to all nations. This is a truly amazing thing.

So it may surprise you that I don't want to talk about Saul/Paul here. There was another man from this passage who did an amazing thing. Sure, Saul/Paul was miraculously converted. Jesus appeared to him, blinded him, and in his blindness Saul/Paul could finally see. But when God called Ananias he had no real way of knowing that.

Why was Saul going to Damascus? He was going to find believers there and, by order of the high priests, take them back to Jerusalem for trial. Stephen had already been stoned. Saul was "breathing threats of murder against disciples of the Lord". Ananias knows this. This man Saul was his worst nightmare. He was bad news for followers of Jesus. And now he's here. He's on a mission to arrest believers and take them to be potentially executed, and he needs Ananias to care for him.

He... wait... what?

Lord, you want me to do what? I've heard about this guy, Ananias might say. I know what he's doing. I know what he had the authority to do. And you want me to go to him. Do you think I'm nuts?

But God insisted. Saul was his chosen instrument. Sure, it's easy to see that now. We have the benefit of history now. But how was Ananias to know? Could God really be asking him to do this thing? How could he be sure?

But Ananias answered the call. He went to Saul. He laid hands on him and healed him in Jesus's name. He did this knowing that it outed him to a man who had the authority to lead him to his death for it. He did this knowing the risk. He did this because he answered the call of God. Even though that call could have him martyred.

Saul was then baptized and went out and preached proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God. Saul became the Apostle Paul, who all of us know. This happened because God called Ananias, and in the face of mortal danger Ananias answered that call.

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He got up and went

Acts 8:25-40 NASB

So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road. ) So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
"He was led as a sheep to slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He does not open His mouth. "In humiliation His judgment was taken away;
Who will relate His generation?
For His life is removed from the earth."
The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" [And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."] And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.


My thoughts -

This is one of my favorite passages. A few things happen here that just blow me away.

First, Philip listened and did what God desired. He didn't do some huge thing. God didn't tell him in this instance to leave everyone and everything behind. God didn't give him any earth shattering revelation like he did to Noah along with a command to do something crazy like build a giant boat. This was a simple thing. God didn't ask much. Just take that road. You know, the one over there.

This wasn't some huge thing, or at least it didn't seem that way. He was just taking a different path. But he did what he was told. He listened and obeyed, even in this small thing. Philip got up and went.

Along that road was a man ready to receive Jesus. Philip had know way of knowing this but his openness to the voice of the angel and his willingness to do God's will enabled him to encounter this man. He was in the right place at the right time. Just as God intended.

The man, an Ethiopian eunuch (so maybe "man" is the wrong word here - I'm not sure how gender identity works with eunuchs) was reading scripture. He was reading the prophet Isaiah, and he did not understand what he was reading.

I've often wondered what led this eunuch to read Isaiah. Was he just bored and it was there? Was he seeking something? Had someone previously tried to explain this to him? I don't know. But he was reading it as Philip happened by. Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading, and I love the eunuch's reply. This is a man ready to receive Jesus. He says, "How could I unless someone helps me?"

Philip needs no more invitation than this and preaches Jesus to him beginning with this scripture. The eunuch has questions. Philip answers, teaching him all about Jesus. And then again I love the eunuch's response. He sees water and essentially declares that he's ready to be baptized and nothing can stop him.

What a response! He's ready. Let's do this. No time like the present. So Philip baptizes him and then the Spirit wisks Philip away to wear he needs to be.

This all happened because the eunuch was ready to receive the Lord and Philip was willing to do God's will. There's no real supernatural miracle stuff going on here until we get to Philip's ride home. This is every day, garden variety evangelism. A heart was ready to receive the Lord and a believer was willing to listen to God and to preach the word.

Any of us can do this. We can do this any day. We can do this every day. All we have to do is be open to doing the will of God, go where we're sent, and tell people about Jesus.

Philip was faithful. We can be faithful in this same way.

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What a response!

Acts 2:37-47 NASB

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.


My thoughts -

The disciples have received the Holy Spirit and are speaking in tongues. Each person in the crowd hears them in their own language and is amazed. This must be a raucous event to observe from the outside, as speculation arises that all of these people are drunk.

So Peter comes forward and says that they aren't. He says it's only the third hour of the day. I've known people for whom that would not be an obstacle for drunkenness. But Peter says "Look at the time. We haven't been drinking! Come on, man!"

And then Peter tells them why they're acting this way. Peter tells them all about Jesus. Peter gives one heck of a sermon and we pick up in this passage immediately after it with the people's response.

This sermon was convicting. It says the people "were pierced to the heart". God's word has gotten through and now they want to know "what shall we do?"

So Peter tells them. Repent! Isn't that the message God always has for us? Repent! Turn from your sin. Turn back to God. Repent.

I know a lot of pastors who would do pretty much anything to have to opportunity to do what Peter does next. He baptizes three thousand new believers. I'm pretty sure this was the first alter call in Christianity. I'll let the scholars get back to me on that.

God is working here. We don't have people just "giving their lives" in some kind of academic sense. They are literally giving their lives. Their conversion doesn't end with some kind of academic "acceptance" of Jesus as their saviour. They are giving their lives. They are selling all they have and sharing with the needy. They fellowship and worship with each other daily. Think about that the next time you're not sure you have time to make it to church this week.

They're seeing and doing all kinds of amazing things for the Lord. Now I wonder, do they this faithful because of the amazing things, or do the amazing things happen because they are this faithful? This is a community on fire. And it is growing and spreading like a wildfire. You start with eleven people and within days have thousands. And out of those thousands you end up getting what has become Christianity as we know it today.

All of this happens because people hear the word and repent. They are baptised and they are faithful. They do God's will, they worship God and they care for the needy.

It wasn't all roses. The early church faced serious persecution and death. Many of the people who were there on the day of Pentecost were eventually martyred for their faith. But they remained faithful. The heard God's word and they responded.

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See my hands

John 20:19-29 NASB

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."


My thoughts -

Maybe it's the name. I guess that could be it. Maybe it's the name. Maybe that's why I identify so easily with Thomas.

Jesus came back and Thomas missed it. Poor guy. Everyone else was there. Everyone else saw him. But not Thomas. Thomas was off doing something else. What was he doing? That isn't written here. It wasn't important. Whatever Thomas was doing when the other disciples received the Holy Spirit from their risen Lord, wherever Thomas was instead, that information has been lost in time. It wasn't important enough to remember. One wonders if Thomas, after all of this happened, even remembered.

Where were you the day you didn't encounter the risen Christ? Where were you the day you didn't encounter the Lord our God in the flesh? What were you doing instead? Did it matter? Not in comparison.

Talk about an all time missed opportunity! The other disciples tell Thomas all about what he missed. Maybe it was pride. Maybe he didn't want to believe that he was off doing something else when Jesus returned. I've missed a number of wonderful things because I was off doing something else. You find out what you missed and you want to just kick yourself. You can't believe it. You want to just say "How stupid of me! I should have known better." Or you want to deny that it happened. Not the way they said it did. You couldn't have missed that. No way.

Thomas didn't want to believe he'd missed it. He didn't want to believe Jesus came back while he was off doing something else. He didn't want to believe he'd missed a once in a lifetime opportunity. So he didn't.

Thomas said there was no way. Thomas said it wasn't possible. Thomas said he didn't believe it. Thomas said he wouldn't believe it. Not unless he saw the nail holes. Not unless he saw Jesus's pierced side. There's no coming back from that. No way. And there's no way Jesus came back and Thomas missed it. Wasn't possible. It couldn't be.

How sad it would have been if Jesus left things here. How tragic. Thomas would have missed out. And not only that but he would not, could not believe what he had missed.

We call Thomas a doubter. We call him Doubting Thomas. That is what we remember him for, as though Thomas's reaction to the news that Jesus had raised from the dead and Thomas had missed it was not something any of us would have done.We have given him a bad rap. If this story ended there Thomas would be an even more pitiful person. He wouldn't be the doubter. He'd be the one who missed out.

But Jesus revealed himself to Thomas. Jesus showed Thomas everything Thomas said he would need to see in order to believe. And Thomas responds with elation, exclaiming "My Lord and my God!"

Like Thomas, I don't respond well when I find out I've missed out on something. Also like Thomas I do not believe easily. Some of what we believe sounds crazy. Grace is something too good to be true. Heaven is a fairy tale. That the Maker of the Universe cares about something so insignificant as me is a fantasy. It's all wishes and hopes and dreams. It's too good to be true. I need evidence. I need to see things with my own eyes. I need proof. God, if you're really there and you really care then you'd better show me. Jesus, if you can save me from my sins you'd better prove it to me. I'm wretched. I'm awful. If you knew half the things I've done, if you knew half the things I've thought, you'd just wipe me off this planet. I'd be like a squished bug. A spot. A stain. And then nothing.

But God is good. Jesus revealed himself to Thomas and showed him everything he needed to see to believe. And in my doubt, anguish, self loathing, and fear I call out to God and God answers my prayers. I see the power of grace working in my life and the lives of others. I see first hand the love of God bringing healing to a suffering, sick, fallen world. I feel the peace of God we find only in Christ and a calm warmth fills me. I may not see the face of God. I may not see Jesus in the flesh. But I see enough. I see just enough to believe.

And like Thomas I am blessed for that.

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Go and sin no more

John 8:1-11 NASB

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."]


My thoughts -

A couple of things about this story have always bothered me. First off, where was the man? The story says "a woman caught in adultery", but who was she caught with? And how was she caught? This whole scenario feels wrong, doesn't it?

It also bothers me that the concern of those who brought the woman to Jesus was not with the woman or the law. This had nothing to do with adultery. They were trying to trap Jesus into saying something that clearly went against the law. There was no concern for this woman. They were willing to potentially have her killed in order to punish Jesus.

There was no concern here for the sanctity of marriage, either. Adultery is a violation of a marriage covenant. A husband and wife are to be faithful to each other. Where was the husband? Was this woman married and cheating on her husband? If so, how did he feel about his wife being stoned? Or was the other man the one that was married? Again, where is he?

This is no honest dilemma. They are trying to trap Jesus. But he would not fall for that.

When my children bring concerns they have with each other to me sometimes I act like I can't hear them. Sometimes I act like I'm not listening or I'm too busy. One of them will have taken someone else's something or will have said something mean or will have done something to cause offense and the others will try to bring Dad into the situation. If the problem doesn't seem like a big deal and if they're just sniping at each other I will ignore it and see how they work the problem out for themselves. Often times these things just work themselves out. They get so worked up trying to get me to solve an issue and then when I don't respond it's like their focus shifts from the original issue to the issue of getting my attention. By the time they get my attention the original issue just doesn't seem like as big of a deal.

I wonder if Jesus was doing something similar here. Was Jesus just drawing in the sand, ignoring the accusers, and letting this situation defuse some? I'm not sure. It says Jesus was writing, but what? Was it important? Was it some brilliant teaching? Was he making notes for himself? Was he just writing for the sake of writing as things played out? It doesn't say.

My pastor, Steve, speculated in a sermon on this passage once, that Jesus was writing each of the accusers own sins. I like that. It plays well into what he says when he finally does address them, what most of us remember from this passage.

Whoever of you hasn't sinned throw the first stone.

Now of course they had all sinned. Everyone has. None of us is perfect. Only one ever has been. Per Jesus's reasoning on Jesus was fit to stone this woman, and he was too busy writing in the sand to be bothered to do it.

Maybe Steve is right that Jesus was, in writing, confronting each of them with their own sins. Even if he wasn't this statement does that. They have all sinned. They know it. Each of us should be pretty aware of our own failings. These accusers certainly were.

One by one, starting with the oldest among them, they put down their stones and walked away.

Why starting with the oldest? I don't know. Maybe with age came the wisdom to know their own sinful states. Maybe with age came some perspective. Maybe with age the desire for wrath and punishment had waned. Maybe with age came more years and more opportunities to commit horrible acts that they then became aware of anew with Jesus's confrontation. Who knows? In any even they all left, and no one was left to accuse this woman.

But what about her sin. Though this confrontation was never really about it, or her, she did commit adultery. Does Jesus just let that slide? Is that no big deal?

Jesus does not accuse her. Jesus does not stone her. But Jesus does send her away with a command.

Go and sin no more.

And after all of the drama from this situation I'll bet she did just that.

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Bike to battle hunger

You're not leaving too, are you?

John 6:59-69 NASB

These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?" But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? "What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father."
As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. "We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."


My thoughts -

Jesus fed the crowd, and after Jesus fed them they couldn't get enough. They wanted more, so much so that they chased after him. He had to flee. He walked (ran?) over four miles across water to escape them. And they still found him, wanting even more.

So Jesus offers them not what they were looking for, but something better. He just does it in such a way that they can't really tell how much better what he offers is. He tells them that they can eat bread from heaven like their ancestors did, but they will just be hungry again. The only thing that will satisfy them is his flesh and blood. In fact, they have to eat his flesh and blood. If they don't eat his flesh and don't drink his blood then they do not have any life.

In this passage we see how Jesus's disciples respond to this message. You can just image what it would be like for them. You can imagine what they would say in their grumblings.

Lord, that's just gross. Are you actually asking us to cannibalise you? Is that what you want? Really? Who would do that? Who wants to listen to that? Have you lost your mind? This ministry is working. The people love you. They will follow you anywhere. They can't get enough. And you go and say something like this? Lord, you're going to run them all off.

Jesus responds to their grumblings. We mortals are so concerned with the flesh. The people wanted Jesus to feed their bodies. But Jesus is telling them that there is no life without the spirit. Here he is, offering more than just food to feed hungry bellies, but himself to feed starving souls. And what do they want more of? The bread.

Obviously Jesus was concerned for bodies. He fed hungry people. He looked on them with compassion and filled their bodies. But his concern for them was greater than that. He wants them to have true, abundant, and eternal life. He wants that so much that he offers himself, and not just bread. But we get so caught up in the superficial. We get so caught up in the things of this world that we neglect the things that are eternal.

Jesus tells his followers that, when it comes right down to it, the body is nothing. It is temporary. It will perish. Life comes from the spirit. What he is offering is greater than the concerns of the body. And all they have to do is believe in him and they can have this real life.

For those whose concerns were for the things of this world only, this is not good news. If you only want bread what good is it to believe? Many people left. Jesus wasn't offering what they wanted.

So Jesus turns to the twelve and asks if they're going to leave, too. This seems like a fair question. They had just been grumbling that Jesus was running everyone off with his teaching. They had just questioned his teaching, his methods, and even his intentions. They had fallen into the same trap as all of the people who left. They had been thinking worldly things. They had been concerned about superficial things. They had seen a large, growing, vibrant ministry implode and watched thousands of followers leave. Why wouldn't they leave, too?

Peter chimes in. "Lord, where would we go?"

These men had spent the most time with Jesus. They left everything to follow him. They had been given the most instruction. Jesus had revealed the most to them. Peter ended up being the first to identify who Jesus really was. They knew they needed more than just bread. They knew they needed Jesus. They knew that Jesus had more to offer them than everything in this world. Sure, they may have questioned. Sure, they may have doubted. But they knew.

Well, eleven of them did.

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