details about Ananias.
10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.”
“Here I am, Lord,” he replied.
11 “Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him,
“to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul,
since he is praying there.
12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him
so that he may regain his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man,
how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
14 And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument
to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.
16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
affirm God’s work in the lives of others.
Disciple
The Greek word describes a student or pupil who is under the authority of a teacher.
The emphasis is on learning from the words and life of a teacher and integrating those principles into one’s own lifestyle.
It is unclear how and when Ananias had become a disciple.
What is clear is that he truly was a follower of Christ and had a mature faith.
10) Vision:
Visions are fairly common in Acts.
The purpose of the visions Jesus provided were always related to advancing the gospel and strengthening the church.
The vision that Ananias experienced was no different.
It was not for his benefit.
It was for the benefit of the entire community and, eventually, the world.10) Here I am:
Like Abraham, Samuel and Isaiah
Ananias followed God’s directions for his life-though he did have some questions.
It’s also important to understand that here I am is meaningless without “get up and go”
verses 13-14 (PSG, p. 97)
identify what Ananias knew about Saul.
13) I have heard . . . how much harm:
In this scenario, Ananias had both spiritual and physical sight.
So, he was called to go to the one who was blind.Ananias’s reluctance was not rebuked, but it was not coddled either.
Jesus understood Ananias’s question, but He did not back down.
God is patient, but His commands are not suggestions or negotiations open to debate.
God knew that Ananias was faithful and obedient.
That was important for this task.
For his part, Ananias knew that Saul had come to cause trouble for Christians,
so he had reason to be concerned.
Remind the group that God knew everything about Saul, including things Saul didn’t know about Himself.
Point out that He had a plan for Saul’s life, and that was enough to convince Ananias to follow through on God’s instructions.
as a result, he made a difference in Saul’s life-and the world.
Review these points from Apply the Text on page 99 of the Personal Study Guide:
Point out that both of them give believers an example to follow.
Note that Saul teaches us to be humble and patient, while Ananias shows us how to trust God and overcome fear as we serve Him.
Invite the group to confide experiences of God’s calling in their lives.
Direct the group to read this session’s memory verse, Acts 9:20, silently.
Close with these prayer prompts:
How does Saul’s passion for Jesus compare to your own?
What does God want you to do in response to what He has done for you?
During the week send the group an email or text that includes the following assignment from page 99 of the PSG: Write out some fears you have related to serving Jesus. Take a moment to express your thoughts to God in prayer, knowing that He understands your heart. Encourage adults to find a scriptural promise related to their fears and to use that promise as a prayer prompt throughout the week.
Lead the group in singing
“Open Our Eyes, Lord” (Baptist Hymnal, 2008, 426).
Share that this song is a prayer to see Jesus as He should be seen.
Note that salvation involves revelation, seeing who we are compared to who Jesus is.
Stress that a prayer to open our eyes should be ongoing because we might get distracted and fail to recognize chances to love others.