God’s chosen instrument
[Acts 9:10-19a]
Do you know about the Great Awakening, a spiritual revival movement that greatly influenced 18th-century American society? It is also known as the First Great Awakening. This movement provided light and hope in a tumultuous era. Prominent universities, including Princeton, were established under the influence of this movement. At the forefront of this movement stood Jonathan Edwards, a pastor and theologian born as the son of a congregational minister. How was he able to shoulder the responsibilities of his time? He renewed himself daily by confessing five resolutions. Throughout his life, he exerted all his strength in living each moment to its fullest potential. He never missed an opportunity, no matter how small, to adopt the most beneficial course of action. He would never take something, no matter how profitable, if it would make him the object of contempt by others. He would never do anything out of resentment. Even if it seemed like a good opportunity that could be the last in his life, if it was not seen favorably by God, he would not choose it (Internet).
What mission has each of us been given? In order to fulfill that mission, are we confessing resolutions and renewing ourselves? In today's passage, Acts 9:10-19, we encounter Ananias, a disciple of the Lord who receives a calling. As I meditate on the Lord's words calling Ananias today, I hope and pray that it will serve as a moment for all of us to reaffirm the Lord's calling and resolve to obey His calling in order to fulfill our mission.
First, it is the Lord who calls us.
Look at Acts 9:10 – “In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered.” We have already reflected on the testimony of Saul under the title "Who are you, Lord?" We meditated on Saul's appearance before believing in Jesus (Before Christ), the moment he met Jesus on the road to Damascus (On Christ), and Saul's appearance after encountering Jesus (After Christ). After meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul was unable to see anything, and he was led by others into Damascus. He spent three days without sight and neither ate nor drank (v. 9). During this time, the Lord was preparing His disciple Ananias to meet Saul in Damascus (vv. 8-9). This provides a specific account of the words spoken by Jesus when He met Saul on the road to Damascus (v. 6). In the end, the Lord accomplished two purposes by transforming Saul (Paul), His chosen vessel, on the road to Damascus (Born Again) and giving him a commission (Yoo). Look at Acts 9:17: "...Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." These two purposes were to restore Saul's sight and to fill him with the Holy Spirit. In addition, the Lord used Ananias, a devout man who received praise from all the Jewish people living in Damascus (22:12), to remove prejudices against Saul, who had persecuted and killed the church in a fanatical manner (Yoo). Even though no one would believe the news of Saul's conversion, the Lord used Ananias, who was praised as a devout man by all the Jewish people living in Damascus (22:12), to deliver the news of Saul's conversion to his disciples. His disciples then spread the news to many others, providing an opportunity for Saul to be accepted as a believing brother (Yoo). In a vision, the Lord specifically commanded His disciple Ananias to go to where Saul was (v. 11). From this passage, we can learn two lessons:
- We must learn the proper response to the Lord's calling.
When the Lord called His disciple Ananias in a vision, how did he respond? He said, "Here I am, Lord" (v. 10). This same response was given by the young Samuel and the prophet Isaiah. In the case of Samuel, when the Lord called him three times, he thought it was Eli the priest calling him and went to him, saying, "Here I am." But when Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling Samuel, he instructed him to respond next time by saying, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening" (1 Sam. 3:9). So, when the Lord called Samuel again, he responded in the way Eli had taught him, acknowledging the Lord's calling (v. 10). Isaiah had a similar response when the Lord called him, saying, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isa. 6:8).
- We must keep in mind who the Lord sends His disciples to.
From today's passage in Acts 9:11-12, we can draw a couple of lessons:
- The Lord sends His disciples to those who are praying.
Look at verse 11: "The Lord told him, 'Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.'" The Lord sent His disciple Ananias to Saul, who was praying. In Acts 16:13, the Lord also arranged for Paul and his companions, who were going to pray, to meet Lydia and her companions who had gathered for prayer.
- The Lord sends His disciples to those who have seen a vision.
Look at Acts 9:12: "In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." The Lord had already revealed to Saul through a vision that a man named Ananias would come and restore his sight.
There is no physical way for us to confirm whether we have received a specific calling or not. The only confirmation of a calling comes through faith in God. Only the Holy Spirit dwelling within your heart affirms the calling. The Bible tells us that God called "negative" individuals—foolish, weak, despised individuals. Moses received his calling at the age of 80 when he was an old shepherd. David was called while he was still a young shepherd, Joseph was a slave, and Daniel was in captivity. We find many examples in history that show God used individuals with negative aspects when calling important figures. Furthermore, faith in God's calling gives rise to a sense of purpose. Many notable figures in the history of faith were motivated by the belief that God had called them for a specific purpose. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, recalled a moment on May 24, 1738, when he felt his heart strangely warmed as he remembered being rescued from a fire as a child. In that moment, he came to believe that God had saved him for the purpose of reforming the rapidly secularizing Church of England. The key point here is that when a person truly has a clear sense of calling, they begin to unleash their hidden potential. Only faith can ignite potential and maximize life (Internet).
Second and last, the Lord reaffirms His command to "Go."
Look at Acts 9:15 – “But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” When the Lord appeared to His disciple Ananias in a vision and commanded him to go to Saul, who was praying and had already seen a vision, Ananias responded to the Lord as follows: "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name" (Acts 9:13-14). From Ananias' perspective, obeying the Lord's command would have been extremely difficult. The reason being, Saul had already received official authorization from the high priests in Jerusalem to go to Damascus and persecute Christians, and Ananias was one of the leaders in the church at Damascus. Additionally, Ananias was unaware of Saul's transformation on the road to Damascus, so from his point of view, it was only natural to find the Lord's command perplexing and even questionable. John Calvin suggested that Ananias' response at this moment appeared to be a manifestation of unbelief driven by fear, while scholar A. Schlatter argued that Ananias' words reflected a questioning of God's righteousness, indicating a concern about how he could share the message of grace with someone as fearsome and persecuting as Saul. Ultimately, when Ananias hesitated and questioned the Lord's command, the Lord reiterated His directive to Ananias, saying "Go" once again (Acts 9:15). In doing so, the Lord provided two reasons for this command:
- The first reason for the command "Go" was that Saul was chosen by the Lord.
Look at Acts 9:15: "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.'" Here, the expression "chosen instrument of mine" refers to a vessel or container for holding something. In this case, Saul was chosen by the Lord to be an instrument for carrying the Lord's name. Despite his previous actions of persecuting those who called on the name of the Lord, Saul was now selected by the Lord to bear His name and go out into the world, proclaiming it to the nations (Yoo).
- The second reason for the command "Go" was so that Saul could see how much he must suffer for the sake of the Lord's name.
Look at Acts 9:16 - "For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." In essence, this statement means that Saul, as the chosen instrument of the Lord, would have to endure hardships. The reason the Lord reiterated His command to Ananias was to make it clear that Saul's calling involved bearing witness to the gospel and enduring suffering. In response, Ananias immediately went to Straight Street in Damascus, found the house of Judas, and visited Saul there. Ananias then laid his hands on Saul and said to him: "... 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" (Acts 9:17). Isn't it astonishing? Ananias addressed Saul as "Brother Saul." This statement shows that Ananias, in obedience to the Lord's command, regarded Saul, the persecutor, and the transformed Saul on the road to Damascus as a fellow believer in the Lord (Yoo). Furthermore, Ananias informed Saul that the Lord had sent him because Jesus, whom Saul had met on the road to Damascus, had instructed Ananias to do so for two reasons: to restore his sight and to fill him with the Holy Spirit. At that moment, the scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Saul then rose, was baptized, and ate, becoming strengthened (Acts 9:18).
The Lord is still commanding you and me to "Go." He instructs us to "Go and seek ..." (Acts 9:11). Yet, like Ananias, many of us hesitate when faced with this command, saying, "Lord, about this person..." (v. 13). At times, we hesitate to obey the Lord's command. In those moments, the Lord reiterates His command to us, saying once again, "Go." We are vessels chosen by the Lord. We are chariots carrying the name of the Lord. We who have received this calling have also been given a calling that involves enduring suffering for His sake. How will we respond to this divine calling (mission)?
‘Living with a mission is beautiful’ (Internet). There are four types of people depending on what they prioritize: (1) The first is a person who lives for profit. (2) The second is a person who lives for convenience. (3) The third is a person who lives for pleasure. (4) The fourth is a person who lives with a mission. We, as believers, are people who live with a mission. In the book ‘Unique Management and Innovation’ by Miyata Wahaki, it discusses how outstanding companies are created. It mentions three things. First, it advises to improve the quality of profit. It says that a company can make a profit by cutting costs or expenses, but even better profit comes from making a profit through high productivity. It emphasizes that better profit comes from creating distinctive profit through products and services. Second, it encourages pursuing strategy and management concurrently. It advises to make a profit through strategy and prevent waste through management. Third, it advises not to deviate from the starting point. It means not deviating from the starting point. We, as believers, also live our whole lives without deviating from our mission. People who have succeeded in life as believers are those who have lived their lives without deviating from their mission until the end. We must hold onto our mission until the moment our breath stops (Internet).
Chosen by the Lord, and becoming a servant of the Lord,
James Kim
(Hoping to be even more led by the mission given by the Lord)