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by Sandy Shaw
In Acts 9:17, Ananias goes in obedience to Jesus to minister to Saul, who has only been a believer for three days. Ananias was Saul's first Christian friend. They would never have come together if it had not been Jesus leading them. Ananias comes in - "Brother Saul" - what a transformation - from the ringleader of the persecutors to "Brother Saul". Ananias lays his hands on Saul explaining why he has come - SO THAT YOU MAY RECEIVE YOUR SIGHT - AND BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Let's sort out this eyesight problem. There was something like scales fell from his eyes, and Saul received perfect sight, physically and spiritually. Three days after he met Jesus, he is filled with The Holy Spirit. Then, he was baptised in water. Then, he had something to eat. From the very beginning of his Christian life Saul had his priorities correct. Then, he faces the hard part - meeting and being with the other disciples of Jesus Christ in Damascus, many of whom had fled from Jerusalem because of his violent behaviour.
Imagine what must have been said in some houses. "Have you heard the news? Saul of Tarsus has been baptised. Saul has been filled with the Holy Spirit and is speaking in tongues. Brother Ananias has been with Saul and all this is true, and Saul is going to meet with us." Saul was seen to be a visible physical member of the Body of Christ from the beginning, as he joins in with all the others who believed in Jesus.
Saul had so much in a sense. He had been a highly moral man - zealously religious - keeping the law as he saw it. He was well educated, being a pupil of Professor Gamaliel. His religion gave him no peace. Saul was determined to make it on his own - his way - by his own good works. He knew his Bible. He lived what many would describe as a good life. Saul had seen these disciples of Jesus Christ as a rival to his own religion. He has to attempt to obliterate it, just like Herod when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, by having all the children of two and under killed.
Christianity was a rival way of thinking to Saul's own way of thinking - to his worked out philosophy - his neat orderly system - and all this had been radically challenged by a man breathing his last and saying - "Forgive". Saul was waiting for The Messiah to come - but Jesus the Messiah had come - with love and mercy and healing and salvation - and religious Saul had missed HIM! He had missed Jesus. He had missed what was real. But Jesus met Saul in such a dramatic way, and Jesus arranged for Ananias to ensure that everything which had to be done was done - at the earliest moment.
We have here drama and excitement - but much more importantly - we have essential spiritual priorities and principles, as Saul lays the foundation for the next 30 years of service in the Kingdom of God.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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