Acts 9:1-19a
(sermon note: 04-19 sermon note)
Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord!” he replied.
11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”
13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.
This morning’s reading reminds me of the one about Michelangelo while he was painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. One day, he looked down from the scaffolding to see a solitary old woman kneeling in a pew, praying. Since the woman couldn’t see him, Michelangelo decided to have a little fun, so he called out, “I am Jesus Christ, hear me!” The woman didn’t look up and continued praying. So, Michelangelo said, even louder, “I am Jesus Christ, Son of God, obey me!” Still the woman didn’t budge. So, Michelangelo shouted at the top of his lungs, “I am Jesus Christ, hear my word!” To which the old woman finally looked up and held up her rosary, saying, “Shut up! I’m talking to your mother!”
I’ve often wondered why our Catholic brothers and sisters have kept alive the tradition of praying to Mary, mother of Christ. I mean, I understand her importance as the mother of God’s earthly form, and I sympathize for her unjustified loss, and I even respect her unflinching faith but at the end of the day she is no deity. She isn’t part of the triune God. She didn’t do anything for me unlike the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. She didn’t create me, redeem me, or sanctify me. At most, she played an important but passive role in the Jesus narrative. She neither chose to play the role nor denied it and it was her primary role-to mother Jesus. Now don’t get me wrong, I believe the act of mothering is a very noble, demanding act that deserves the highest praise. Without mothering, we are doomed in this world. And I recognize the mothering, feminine qualities of God too. God has both mothering and fathering qualities that are worthy of praise. All’s I’m saying is that it’s a little weird praying to Mary. She just seems like a distraction from whom we should be praying in and through, Jesus Christ himself. I would love to discuss the thinking behind it with a Catholic brother or sister one day…
Well, unlike that old lady, two people in our reading for today did actually receive words from our Lord, Jesus Christ. Both Saul and Ananias received difficult messages from Jesus. First we heard Saul was held accountable for persecuting Jesus and then Ananias was tasked with bringing healing to the blind Saul. Jesus’ words to Saul weren’t necessarily difficult but coupled with the blindness they became so. I imagine Saul could have given any number of reasons to justify his persecution of Jesus’ followers, but Jesus didn’t really give him a chance to explain himself. Instead, Jesus tasked him to go into town to receive his next command and blinded him indefinitely for his persecution. From Saul’s perspective, the combined task and blinding were difficult to receive. Now then, Ananias also received a difficult message. He had to heal a man that he was afraid of and despised. Neither man wanted to do and endure what they were told to do and endure but they did it anyways. Saul just needed the added persuasion of indefinite blindness to encourage him to obey.
Now why are we being asked to reflect on these difficult encounters with Jesus? Keep in mind that we are walking through the season of Easter and celebrating the risen Jesus. Jesus conquered death for a number of reasons. Jesus wanted to show his sovereign power over everything including death. Also, Jesus wants us to live without fear. So many of us are afraid of death and what awaits us in the next life. We are afraid of enduring the agony of death. We are afraid of leaving our loved ones in death. Jesus knows this all too well, so he set about defeating death. In defeating death, Jesus also showed that there is life after death, new life. And new life isn’t stagnant. No, new life involves new changes and new opportunities, new movement and new thinking. Our risen Lord had two encounters with men stuck in old living. In lifestyles full of fear. For the longest time, Saul was afraid of the followers of Christ. That’s why he persecuted them with such zealousness. He was afraid! And Ananias, well, we heard how afraid he was of Saul and his persecutions. Both men were living in fear, and our risen Lord came to them offering new life and new opportunities. We know Saul would go on to have his name changed to Paul and become arguably the church’s greatest evangelist and church planter. And though we don’t hear what became of Ananias, we can presume his life turned around for the better as well. Perhaps he took great pride in knowing he had a hand in starting Saul/Paul’s remarkable walk with Christ.
Our risen Lord went to those two men living in fear and deeply transformed their lives. Our risen Lord will come to us and those around us as well. Our Lord will call each of us into lives of fearlessness. All we have to do is listen and obey and trust him. The two men were wise enough, or terrified enough, to listen and obey and their lives were transformed. Listening and obeying is key to walking with our risen Lord. And know that there is great reward to listening and obeying God. Recall the words of God spoken to Moses concerning an angel that God had sent to the Israelites, “But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you.” (Exo 23:22) Or the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, “Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” Friends, these are very reassuring words indeed!
As we continue our walk with our risen Lord, let us be mindful of heeding his words. He’s calling us out of darkness and fear into new life and new joy. Jesus said, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (Luke 11:28) Let us gladly hear his words of hope and renewal and give thanks for them. Thanks be to God!
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
