BEGIN WITH TALKING TO GOD

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.
Acts 9:1019
INTRODUCTION
God doesnt mind interrupting our lives.
We are unable to improve Gods plans for us, and its unwise of us to
try. Jesus interrupted Sauls life in every possible wayfrom stopping
his physical body in the middle of the road to the very intentions and
desires of his heart. Finding himself in an unexpected place of
dependence, Saul had no idea what to do so he just started talking to
God. And God continued that conversation for three days.
Similarly, God interrupted Ananias life for a calling that seemed
frightening and impossible. He was terrified. Nothing about Gods
request made sense. Ananias had a hard time trusting. He needed to
struggle through the evidence stacked up against the call. So Ananias
had a conversation with God and emerged in faith that propelled him
to action and brotherly love for an enemy.
Is God interrupting your life right now? Perhaps he is calling you in a
new direction for his glory, or putting an obstacle in your path of sin.
Perhaps hes asking you to take a step that feels risky. Begin, like Saul
and Ananias, with talking to God. Heart change happens while we are
spending time with our Father. He hears, knows, and will lead us.
When we honestly pour out our hearts concerns to him, our Father
lovingly displays his character so we can learn to trust him. Then, like
Saul and Ananias, we can submit with replenished trust and go
forward in the strength of Gods power.
OBSERVATION
Paraphrase Sauls story, beginning with his experience on the
road to Damascus in Acts 9:1. What new details do we learn
about Sauls conversion in Acts 9:1019? Describe the
conversation between Jesus and Ananias.
What was Saul doingand not doingwhile he waited three
days?
Called out of his murderous path in one miraculous moment,
what was Sauls new calling according to 9:1516?
What do we learn about Ananias and his faith in verses 1019?
Read Acts 22:12 for more insight into Ananias.
How does God describe Sauls new identity to Ananias? In what
active ways does Ananias response show that he believes God?
INTERPRETATION
Read Acts 22:35 and 26:911. Describe what specific life
ambitions Saul had before he met Jesus. How did these change
following his conversion? Read Acts 26:1618, Galatians 1:15
24, and 1 Timothy 1:1216 and discuss further details of Sauls
calling as he describes it.
What is Ananias internal conflict about Gods command to visit
Saul? What prompted these concerns?
As Ananias and Saul meet, God is bringing brothers together.
Read 1 John 4:1921 and 1 Thessalonians 2:8. Why is it
significant that in Acts 9:17, Ananias not only believes who Saul
is in the sight of Christ but also in relation to himself?
Did God need Ananias to go to Saul and lay his hands on him?
Why include Ananias in his plan? What can we learn from this as
we respond to Gods call in our lives?
Read 2 Corinthians 4:112 and 2 Timothy 2:2021. Consider
Ananias and Saul as chosen instruments or jars of clay, both
metaphors for being useful in Gods work. What does it mean to
be a chosen instrument? What can we interpret from Sauls
(Pauls) words in these passages?
APPLICATION
How is God interrupting your life right nowi.e., for an
immediate ministry that you were not looking for (like Ananias)
or to stop you in your sin (like Saul)?
Talking to God changed Ananias mind, gave him faith, moved
him to action, and gave him unexpected love for someone he
previously feared. Do you think of prayer this way? As a believer,
when you are fighting your fears or your flesh, how do you
struggle to talk things out with God and let him transform you?
Ananias was not involved in Sauls spiritual progress until the
moment God asked him to be obedient to his request. How can
you trust Gods timing with difficult or bold conversations? What
will you do today to emulate Ananias example?
God helped Ananias to see Saul in a new light and treat him as a
brother. Who in your life has God already given a new identity to,
but in your relationship with them, you continue in your fleshly
struggle to see them as they were or judge them by their
imperfect demonstration of their new identity? What changes
need to take place in your relationship? What might Gods grace
look like in this situation?