Feb. 13, 2022
This is our final Sunday of the New Beginning Message Series. We heard about how a new heart for God leads to a new beginning. We learned to listen to Jesus, and that God’s word gives us strength for the challenges ahead. We learned to persist in prayer because God is loving and good and wants to answer our prayers. We talked about how we all need friends, and we were challenged to make new friends in our faith community.
Today we are talking about vision, what is God’s vision for you?
We all want a great future! We want a better tomorrow. We don’t want to stay where we are, we want to thrive. God has a purpose for you. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
What is God’s vision for you? It is for you to make a big difference in the world for good and for God. Vision is crucial. Where there is no vision for your marriage, you are more likely to end up in divorce. Where there is no vision for you physically, you put everything in your mouth, healthy or not. And then our bodies won’t do what they’re supposed to do. Where there is no spiritual vision, no vision for serving Christ, people end up selfishly serving themselves. What is God’s vision for you?
Today we are looking at a story in the book of Acts. This is a story about the apostle Paul. His name was Saul, that is his Jewish name. But it was common at the time to have another name, which you used in the non-Jewish world. Paul was Jewish but he was also a Roman citizen. He was part of both worlds. So his Jewish name was Saul, his Greek or Roman name was Paul.
Saul was a very religious Jew, and he took his faith to an extreme where he was opposed to Christianity, and even rounded up Christians for persecution. In Acts 8:3 it says, “But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.” At this point, Saul was not a nice guy. Acts 9:1-2 says he was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. And he went to synagogues, asking them to help him arrest any “followers of the Way,” which is what Christianity was called. He wanted to take Christian to Jerusalem in chains.
One day as Saul travelled to Damascus to find Christians, a light from heaven shone, and a voice asked him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” He knew it was God, but he wasn’t persecuting God, was he? And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!” The men travelling with Saul also heard the voice, but they didn’t see anyone! Saul had suddenly become blind, so his companions led him to Damascus.
And at this point, Jesus talks to a Christian named Ananias. He calls, “Ananias!” “Yes Lord?” Ananias says. Jesus says, Go over to the house of Judas and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. I showed him a vision of you coming to him.
Ananias knows all about Saul, how his purpose in life is to round up all the Christians and send them to jail or worse! But Jesus says, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” God has a vision for Saul: Saul will be a great missionary.
Ananias knows Jesus is Lord, but what he hears Jesus saying doesn’t make sense. Why would Jesus choose Saul to be a leader in the church? Saul would be the last person you would want to make a Christian leader! Also, Ananias doesn’t want to die! But Jesus says, “Go!” So, Ananias goes to find Saul.
We see here that vision is not about: “Does it make sense?” “Is it easy?” No, instead vision is about following God. Ananias goes to the house the Lord directs him to. There he finds Saul. Ananias has his fears about Saul. But he doesn’t act scared. He walks in, places his hands on Saul, and says, “Brother Saul!”
Ananias doesn’t say, “Saul the murderer!” Ananias doesn’t describe himself as the potential murderee. No! Ananias says, “Brother Saul.” They’re family. Ananias may not trust Saul. But he trusts God. So, he does what God asks him to!
Ananias tells Saul that Jesus sent him so that he can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And then it’s like something fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again! He got up, and Ananias baptized him. Saul ate and felt better.
And what followed was, Saul didn’t become the great missionary immediately. But he did go right out and preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Everyone in the synagogues was astonished that the guy who was arresting Christians is now saying that Jesus is Lord!
As the years go on, Saul became the missionary to the Gentiles. He wrote letters to the different churches, which are not part of the New Testament in our Bible. In the Bible he teaches us about God. He says, “All have sinned and fallen short.” And that through the grace of God, through Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection, we are saved of our sin. We are put right with God.
Paul teaches that the church is body of Christ. There are no lone Christians. Being part of the church really changes us.
Saul was a fierce champion for the Gentiles, the non-Jewish Christians. He says we are saved by grace, not by following the Jewish law. If we follow Jesus, we owe so much to Saul.
So, it is a very good thing that Ananias went to Saul. Ananias’ faithfulness in this story teaches us that God’s vision doesn’t always make sense, but following it leads to great reward.
There are times when we get a nudge from God to do something that doesn’t quite make sense. Like Ananias we ask, “Are you sure God?” But you can’t shake it. So you do what God says. It takes courage to follow God’s vision for you. But a great reward follows!
I bet that Ananias had no idea his trust and obedience would be so important. 2000 years later, we are still reading this story of Ananias and wondering how he had the courage to go to Saul, lay hands on him and call him Brother!
In 1 Timothy 1:13-14 we hear Paul look back and see how God changed him. He says, “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”
God has a vision for you: maybe to show mercy to someone who doesn’t deserve it. Or to be crazy generous like the kids in the skit who gave their dollars meant for soda to the Souper Bowl of Caring instead.
My homework for you this week is to ask: God, other than loving and caring for those close to me, what is the number one thing you want me to do?
Then when God gives you his vision of what he wants you to do, obey! It’s going to be a little crazy. When I heard from God I should become a minister, I also heard from some family members why I should not become a minister. That’s ok. They got over it. I’m so glad I did!
Everyone ends up somewhere. When you follow God’s vision, you end up somewhere on purpose. You do what you were meant to do. You get to the place God is leading you to. It’s the difference between just existing, and really thriving.
God’s vision doesn’t always make sense, but following it leads to great reward. Seek God’s vision and live the life God intends you to live. Amen.
Maureen Duffy-Guy's blog 