Transcript THE COURAGE OF ANANIAS Acts 9:10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said.

THE COURAGE OF ANANIAS
Acts 9:10 Now there was a certain disciple at
Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord
said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I
am, Lord." 11 So the Lord said to him, "Arise and
go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the
house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for
behold, he is praying. 12 "And in a vision he has
seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting
his hand on him, so that he might receive his
sight." 13 Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have
heard from many about this man, how much
harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
14 "And here he has authority from the chief
priests to bind all who call on Your name." 15 But
the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen
vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles,
kings, and the children of Israel. 16 "For I will
show him how many things he must suffer for My
name's sake." 17 And Ananias went his way and
entered the house; and laying his hands on him
he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who
appeared to you on the road as you came, has
sent me that you may receive your sight and be
filled with the Holy Spirit."
18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something
like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he
arose and was baptized. 19 So when he had received
food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some
days with the disciples at Damascus. 20 Immediately
he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is
the Son of God. 21 Then all who heard were amazed,
and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who
called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here
for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound
to the chief priests?" 22 But Saul increased all the
more in strength, and confounded the Jews who
dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the
Christ.
Webster defines courage as a: “Mental or moral
strength to venture, persevere, and withstand
danger, fear or difficulty.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and of good
courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the
LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you.
He will not leave you nor forsake you."
Joshua 1:6 "Be strong and of good courage, for to
this people you shall divide as an inheritance the
land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 "Only be strong and very courageous, that you
may observe to do according to all the law which
Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn
from it to the right hand or to the left, that you
may prosper wherever you go.
Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good
courage, And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!
1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith,
be brave, be strong.
Acts 9:10 Now there was a certain disciple at
Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord
said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I
am, Lord."
1 Samuel 3:10 Now the LORD came and stood
and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant
hears."
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord,
saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for
Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he
was called to go out to the place which he would
receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not
knowing where he was going.
Romans 1:1 So, as much as is in me, I am ready
to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to
everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that
is in you, with meekness and fear;
Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity,
let us do good to all, especially to those who are
of the household of faith.
Acts 9:11 So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go
to the street called Straight, and inquire at the
house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for
behold, he is praying. 12 "And in a vision he has
seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting
his hand on him, so that he might receive his
sight." 13 Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have
heard from many about this man, how much
harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14
"And here he has authority from the chief priests
to bind all who call on Your name."
• Have you ever wanted to talk to a loved one, but
you were afraid of what they might think?
• Have you ever thought about talking to a fellow
employee, but you were afraid that might get
mad at you?
• Have you ever been talking to your next door
neighbor, but you could not muster up enough
courage to talk to them about the gospel?
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of
fear, but of power and of love and of a sound
mind.
2 Corinthians 5:11 Knowing, therefore, the terror
of the Lord, we persuade men;
• Elijah fled for his life after he killed the prophets
of Baal in 1 Kings 19
• Saul fled for his life shortly after He was
converted in Acts 9
Even Jesus fled for His life on occasion:
John 8:59 Then they took up stones to throw at
Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the
temple, going through the midst of them, and so
passed by.
John 10:39 Therefore they sought again to seize
Him, but He escaped out of their hand.
John 11:54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked
openly among the Jews, but went from there into
the country near the wilderness, to a city called
Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a
chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before
Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16
"For I will show him how many things he must
suffer for My name's sake." 17 And Ananias went
his way and entered the house; and laying his
hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord
Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you
came, has sent me that you may receive your
sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18
Immediately there fell from his eyes something
like scales, and he received his sight at once; and
he arose and was baptized.
Isaiah 55:8 " For My thoughts are not your
thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the
LORD. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the
earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And
My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 "For as the
rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And
do not return there, But water the earth, And
make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed
to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall
My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It
shall not return to Me void, But it shall
accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in
the thing for which I sent it.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your
heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall
direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own
eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 8 It
will be health to your flesh, And strength to your
bones.
Ezra 9:2 "For they have taken some of their
daughters as wives for themselves and their sons,
so that the holy seed is mixed with the peoples of
those lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and
rulers has been foremost in this trespass." 3 So
when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and
my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my
head and beard, and sat down astonished.
Ezra 10:3 "Now therefore, let us make a covenant
with our God to put away all these wives and
those who have been born to them, according to
the advice of my master and of those who
tremble at the commandment of our God; and let
it be done according to the law. 4 "Arise, for this
matter is your responsibility. We also are with
you. Be of good courage, and do it."
Jeremiah 10:23 O LORD, I know the way of man
is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to
direct his own steps.
Acts 9:18 Immediately there fell from his eyes
something like scales, and he received his sight at
once; and he arose and was baptized. 19 So
when he had received food, he was strengthened.
Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at
Damascus. 20 Immediately he preached the
Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of
God. 21 Then all who heard were amazed, and
said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who
called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come
here for that purpose, so that he might bring
them bound to the chief priests?" 22 But Saul
increased all the more in strength, and
confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus,
proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
• What if Ananias had been afraid to say what
Paul needed to hear?
• What if he had only spoken of the existence of
God?
• What if he had preached "unity-in-diversity?”
• What if he had told Paul he had the right to
agree to disagree?
• What if he had said you need to love Jesus and
walked off?
1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is
Apollos, but ministers through whom you
believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I
planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the
increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is
anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives
the increase.
1. By studying the life of Ananias, we can see the
kind of courage that pleases God.
2. We need be patience and tactful, but we also
need to be courageous.
3. Elders need courage to contend and stand for
God’s truth.
4. Preachers need courage to open their mouths
and preach the Gospel.
5. Members need courage to support elders and
preachers in the proclamation of the truth.
6. It takes courage to break away from whatever
is keeping us from Christ.